The Complete Magazine for the Region NOVEMBER 2019 www.southasia.com.pk Afghanistan Afg. 50 Australia A$ 6 Bangladesh Taka 100 Bhutan NU 50 Brazil BRL 20 Canada C$ 6 China RMB 30 France EUR 45 Hong Kong HK$ 30 India Rs. 100 Japan ¥ 500 Korea Won 3000 Malaysia RM 6 Maldives Rf 45 Myanmar MMK10 Nepal NcRs. 75 New Zealand NZ$ 7 Pakistan Rs. 200 Philippines P 75 Saudi Arabia SR 15 Singapore S$ 8 Sri Lanka Rs. 100 Thailand B 100 Turkey Lira. 2 UAE AED 10 UK £ 3 USA $ 5 Kashmir Kis Ka Hai? India has abrogated its own Constitution to usurp Jammu & Kashmir. Pakistan continues to rattle the world’s conscience to the reality. The people of Kashmir meanwhile live in abject helplessness. PAKISTAN INDIA BANGLADESH KASHMIR Governance Crisis Space Militarization Vulnerable Minorities Mushaal Speaks CONTENTS 17 Cover Story Kashmir continues to burn under Indian oppression. Kabul Editor’s Desk 07 Colombo Reality and Rhetoric 30 Decoding Dangerous Trends 36 08 Readers’ Thoughts Assam Dhaka The Lost Citizens 32 38 Who Said That! 10 Second Liberation Bengaluru Kathmandu Space Militarization 33 Grapevine 11 Shaking Up the Status Quo 39 Kabul News Buzz 12 An Elusive Goal 35 Cover Story Kashmir – Dead-end or New Opening? 17 Interview - Mushaal Hussein Mullick 20 Implosion Any Day 24 All is Well 26 Region Islamabad Winning Hearts and Minds 28 Lahore Governance Crisis 29 33 4 SOUTHASIA • NOVEMBER 2019 35 40 4744 50 Ayodhya Quetta Waiting for the Verdict 40 Dying in the Darkness 50 61 Neighbour Larkana Classroom Disaster 51 Tehran Karachi Anatomy of an Attack 42 Fighting World Hunger 52 Opinion Lahore Economic Warfare 44 Quest for the Creative Juice 54 International Dhaka Tensions in Diversity 55 Khartoum A Nation in Transition 45 Swat Reviews A Lop-sided Approach 56 Jakarta Books Freedom Flare-up 47 Around Town Interpretation of Jihad 59 Revisiting Islam 60 Another Burger Joint 58 Feature Films J. Expands 58 Islamabad IT Ends 61 A Celebration of Erudition 49 Rambo: Last Blood 62 SOUTHASIA • NOVEMBER 2019 5 EDITor’s DSLUGESK Avoiding Doomsday The recent decision taken by the the FATF and APG requirements to strengthen its AML/CFT Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to regime. However, the FATF statement came with a caution keep Pakistan on its grey list till Feb- as it expressed serious concerns over the lack of progress ruary 2020 is another setback for this made by Pakistan in addressing terror financing and mitigat- cash-strapped country. It exposes ing money-laundering risks. In addition, the global financial the level of complacency shown by watchdog clearly warned this already grey-listed country to the country’s economic managers take decisive action soonest possible. to deal with a matter that has turned Pakistan’s continued placement in the FATF’s grey list into a crisis-like situation. Meeting in depicts a doomsday scenario for the country. It is now al- Paris on June 28, 2018, the FATF Ple- most on the verge of being blacklisted as a terror-financing nary took the highly anticipated decision on the basis of a state, an infamous tag that is currently associated with only monitoring report of the International Cooperation Review two countries in the world - Iran and North Korea. The Glob- Group (ICRG) that found several ‘strategic deficiencies’ in al Terrorism Index of the Institute for Economics and Peace Pakistan’s anti-money laundering (AML) steps and in com- (IEP) ranks Pakistan at 5th position in terms of countries bating the financing of terrorism (CFT) regimes. Other than most affected by terrorism. Issued by the Basel Institute of Pakistan, the other states placed on the FATF grey list last Governance, the Basel AML Index 2017 ranked Pakistan at year were Sri Lanka, Syria, Yemen, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Serbia, 46th position among 146 countries in the world in terms of Trinidad and Tobago. money laundering and terror- At that time, the task for ist financing risks. Now, with a Pakistan was quite simple and mere 4-month lifeline at Paki- clear-cut: to come out of the stan’s disposal to complete grey list and to further avoid be- the unfinished 27-point action ing downgraded to the black- plan, its Ministry of Finance, list. It would have done this by in tandem with all concerned fulfilling its 27-point action plan financial regulatory authori- until the October Plenary this ties and agencies, such as the year. However, the task appeared to be too formidable for State Bank of Pakistan, the Federal Board of Revenue as the PTI government. It was obvious that they had not done well as the Securities and Exchange Commission of Paki- their homework. To control terrorism financing, the govern- stan, needs to expedite collective efforts on a war-footing. ment was tasked with devising corrective measures, as spe- Despite the dire situation, somehow things don’t seem to cifically recommended by the Financial Action Task Force. A be working in the desired direction. Knowing that India is team of economic and financial experts was hired at high making sinister efforts to damage Islamabad’s endeavours salaries to fulfil FATF’s 27-point agenda. Some efforts were and push it to the brink so that it is blacklisted by the FATF, made by the finance ministry to remove the loopholes in the Pakistan needs to move fast, set its house in order and financial transaction system and form a flawless mechanism make significant and sustainable progress to escape the to stop money laundering and curbing terrorism financing. financial doomsday. There is a feeling that some of those However, much to everyone’s chagrin, the FATF decided in people in the government responsible for financial decision- October to still keep Pakistan on its grey list. This indicates making have a lop-sided approach towards the next ac- the harsh reality that the country has miserably failed to tions that FATF could take against Pakistan. They need to complete its action plan, as in the given 16-month period, it realise in no uncertain terms that black-listing would lead has just been able to work on only five out of the 27 tasks this already economic-hit country to a freeze in official and given to it to control alleged funding to terror groups. As per private capital inflows as well as tough sanctions would be the latest statement issued by the FATF, it acknowledged imposed on its banks and financial institutions. Time is re- Pakistan’s commitment to address its strategic counter- ally running out and it seems as if doomsday is just around terrorist financing-related deficiencies and to comply with the corner. Syed Jawaid Iqbal President & Editor in Chief SOUTHASIA • NOVEMBER 2019 7 REAders’ THOUGHTS Challenges Ahead NOVEMBER 2019 VOL.23 ISSUE 11 his is related to last month’s cover story PRESIDENT & EDITOR IN CHIEF Ton ‘Whither World Bank?’ The World Syed Jawaid Iqbal Bank is an international organisation that EDITOR helps emerging countries reduce poverty. It Javed Ansari focuses on improving education, health and infrastructure while providing low-interest CONTRIBUTING EDITOR S. G. Jilanee loans, interest-free credit and grants. So far ASSISTANT EDITORS it has successfully addressed social sector Faizan Usmani development in South Asia but some regions Syeda Areeba Rasheed are behind others, especially in terms of adult literacy and eradication of poverty. The situation CONTRIBUTORS is perhaps more challenging in Pakistan where Aneela Shahzad – Cynthia Ritchie Dr. Ahmed Saeed Minhas – Dr. Moonis Ahmar poverty, terrorism, high fertility rate and a Dr. Muhammad Ali Ehsan – Faizan Usmani generally conservative attitude towards women education and their low participation Javed Ansari – Javed Jabbar – Kelton High in workforce create an onerous set of constraints. The development stays in flux as Khalid Hussain Mir – Laura Schuurmans Major General (r) nam Ul Haque – Maryam Sadriwala the World Bank Group approaches the end of the third half-century of involvement Meriam Sabih – Muhammad Atif Ilyas – Murtaza Talpur in the process of development. Will the World Bank change its policies towards Nighat Kamal Aziz – Professor Arshad Syed Karim such countries? S. M. Hali – S. Mubashir Noor – S.G. Jilanee Sabria Chowdhury Balland – Samia Shah Fatima Saeed, Sikandar Taimoor – Syeda Areeba Rasheed Karachi, Pakistan GRAPHICS & LAYOUT Haroon Rasheed Kamran Ghulam Nabi Riaz Masih Man of Words interview, he also pointed out that the World Bank is an active supporter of GENERAL MANAGER-MARKETING arrar Sehgal is an international CPEC as this initiative will lead to large Syed Ovais Akhtar economist and renowned legal economic gains in infrastructure and PRODUCTION & COORDINATION Z Aqam-ud-Din Khan consultant. It was really impressive to transport growth in the coming years. CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION see his views as part of your cover story Muhammad Ali, Shehryar Zulfiqar Islamabad, Pakistan EDITORIAL & BUSINESS OFFICE 20-C, Lane 12, off Khayaban-e-Ittehad, Phase II Extension, DHA, Karachi - 75500, Pakistan Deteriorating Phones: 92-21- 35313821-24 Fax: 92-21-35313832 Education System Website: www.southasia.com.pk Email: [email protected] his is with reference to the article MIDDLE EAST T‘Price of Indiscipline’ by Syeda REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE Areeba Rasheed. Ragging is a menace Pirana Advertising JLT PO Box 486207, 1704, Level 17, HDS Tower, that is deeply embedded in the minds Jumeirah Lake Towers Cluster F, Dubai, UAE of young adults. Despite the fact that Phone: +97-14- 4508309 ragging is a criminal offence in Sri Lanka, Fax: +97-14-3688487 Email: [email protected] it has become a part of university life in SouthAsia. It is good he shared his where the seniors shatter the excitement SouthAsia is published every month views regarding the World Bank and and the confidence of the newcomers by Syed Jawaid Iqbal for and on behalf of the developments it has made during to impose their superiority.