Terrorism has emerged as serious threat to the peace, security and
economic prosperity of the world in general and to Pakistan as
particular. One of primary foreign policy objective of Pakistan over
last few years is to align itself with the world through global and
regional organizations in its effort to counter terrorism. Beside
western powers, Pakistan has been associated with ASEAN as a
Sectoral Dialogue partner since 1996 and succeeded to secure the
membership of ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in 2004. (ARF emerged as
security architecture of Asia pacific region in July 1994). Pakistan
is playing an active and comprehensive role to combat terrorism and
to maintain peace and security in the Asia Pacific region. But over
the last few years, Pakistan’s on going struggle on terrorism has
caused greater instability internally as well as externally. On the
one hand its innocent population is greatly effecting by terrorist
attacks while on the other hand due to security condition decline
has been seen in foreign trade and investment. So being a member of
ARF, Pakistan and ASEAN must renew its support on bilateral and
regional level to combat terrorism. They must strengthen there
cooperation on political, economic, diplomatic, military levels by
using its all legal means for finding out root causes of terrorism
and continue cooperation among their law enforcement and security
agencies through information exchange, intelligence sharing and
capacity-building. Besides this, I think at this time Pakistan need
to focus and strengthen their economic ties with ASEAN states to
cope with economic issues caused by the security problems. —Via
email
Hillary’s visit
Burhanuddin Hasan
Hillary Clinton who visited Pakistan at a time of great crisis when
the country is the target of worst terrorism in its history and its
armed forces are at war against insurgents in South Waziristan, who
are fighting pitched battles for their survival. Although she holds
the office of US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton is also a
politician of great stature who gave a tough fight to Barrack Obama
in the last presidential election.
She is also the wife of President Clinton and has been privy to
behind the scene working of the White House. Next to the President
she was the most important US visitor to Pakistan particularly at a
time when politicians and media are embroiled in a heated debate on
the Kerry Lugar Bill.
This is the first time America has offered non military aid to
Pakistan in such a big quantity. Of course there are certain
conditions attached to it like any other aid or loan package which
could be described as violation of the country’s sovereignty. All
said and done the Pakistan government has accepted the package and
there is no point raising any controversy on it. Neither this was
the main purpose of Hillary Clinton’s visit. She dismissed the
controversy by her caustic remark, “we have offered you an aid
package. You may take it or reject it. It is up to you’’.
Apart from diplomatic shenanigans, the purpose of her visit was to
show the sunny side of US diplomacy by her charm as a politician not
as a diplomat hurling threats. During her three day stay in
Pakistan, Mrs. Clinton seemed to have created some sort of a record
of discussions with political and non political persons, media
groups, and one on one interviews on and off camera and interaction
with students in their campuses. She laughed at some questions and
frowned on others.
In short it was a star performance rarely seen. She also found time
to visit the Mazaars of Allama Iqbal and Bari Imam. She also visited
the Badshahi mosque in Lahore and told a newspaper correspondent
that some of her and Bill Clinton’s best friends were Pakistanis who
used to bring Pakistani food to the White House. She also disclosed
that she wears Shalwar Qameez once in a while. —Via email
CTBT and US
Nasir Naveed Dogar
The objective of the CTBT (Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty) is to
bring all nuclear and non nuclear weapons States under one umbrella
in the hope to make the world free of nuclear weapons. The
proponents of the nuclear disarmament argue that one way to control
nuclear arms is to impose a ban on nuclear testing. US president
Barack Hussain Obama said on 5th April 2009 in his historic speech
in Prague “ to achieve a global ban on nuclear testing, my
administration will immediately and aggressively pursue U.S
ratification of the comprehensive Test Ban Treaty”. He further said
“after more than five decades of talks, it is time for the testing
of nuclear weapons to finally be banned”.
Supporters of CTBT ratification maintain that the verification
technologies available to the CTBTO have developed to the point that
any cheating would almost certainly be caught. In October 2006 the
treaty’s global network of monitoring stations, which remains under
construction detected North Korea’s detonation of a nuclear device
despite the small magnitude of its explosion. Supporters of the CTBT
hope that US entry would trigger a cascading wave of ratifications
with Beijing following Washington, India following China, Pakistan
following India and Iran, North Korea and Indonesia joining the
bandwagon so as not to appear the sole hold out states.
Life and death of the CTBT is in the hands of US. Obama
administration to face the real challenge in the US Senate where
they need 2/3 majority to get the ratification of the CTBT. Although
it no easy to get 2/3 majority yet supporters of the CTBT are of the
view that the senate will ratify the Treaty in the near future. For
this purpose US Vice President Joseph Biden had been designated to
lead the administration’s campaign to win senate approval of the
CTBT. He was also a key figure in winning the approval of another
controversial treaty (Chemical Weapons Convention). —Islamabad
Independent foreign policy
Sunbal Fatima
Foreign policy is an instrument for a country to protect and promote
its national interests. The phenomenon of national interest is
forever but its content varies with time and circumstances. The
policy has to be flexible and must keep in tune with changing
international, as well as national environment.
For a State like Pakistan it is quite difficult to pursue an
independent foreign and defense policy. In the contemporary
international system the decisions of super powers are pasted upon
States like ours. Decision of joining War On Terrorism was against
the will of public yet Pakistani leadership joined WOT, and as a
result Pakistan has became the foremost victim of terrorists
attacks. The nation is facing the consequences of that decision.
People want their leadership to follow an independent policy; they
feel resentful when they perceive that foreign influence or pressure
is leading the government into directions that are going against
national interests or compromising independence in the formulation
of policies.—Via email
Ministries role in helping victims
Saba Gul
Due to countless suicide bombing in the country, our population is
being killed mercelessly in various citiies, especially in Peshawer,
Islamabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Quetta and other targetted areas.
Majority of women have become widows. Most of the childern have lost
their fathers or head of the families. In most of the cases bread
earners of the families have been passed away either belong to army,
police or civilian.There is dire need to reinvent and redetermine
the role of the most of the ministries and institutions in the light
of new emerging this partially war-torn situation. How various
Ministries, Divisions and other various institutions at federal and
provincial levels can provide better service for the socio-economic
uplift of these affected familiies.
In my humble opinion, Ministry of Population Welfare, Women
Development, Ministry of Labour and Manpower, and Education need to
revise their role. More technical and vocational schools for boys
and girls must be opened in the affected areas in order to enable
them to earn their livlihood in respectful way in short possible
period. So that they may come out of fear and mental trauma.They may
be able to think and plan to rebuild their lives as well as areas
with new vision. Ministry of Population Welfare and Women
Development must start easy loan credit schemes for the women to
start buisness. Free short training courses related to local cottage
industry in food preservation, beautician, garments,and basic health
care programmes should be started for these women in affected areas.
—Islamabad
