Religious party chief says fair elections ‘only way forward’ in Pakistani political, economic quagmire

Siraj-ul-Haq, chief of Jamaat-e-Islami party, speaks during an interview with Arab News in Lower Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on January 24, 2024, ahead of Pakistan polls on February 8. (AN Photo)
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Updated 26 January 2024
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Religious party chief says fair elections ‘only way forward’ in Pakistani political, economic quagmire

  • Siraj-ul-Haq says judiciary, polls regulator, military establishment obligated to ensure fair competition in elections
  • Blames weak, internally undemocratic political parties for outsized role of military in Pakistan’s political past and present

LOWER DIR, Pakistan: Siraj-ul-Haq, chief of a prominent Pakistani religious political party, has said free and fair elections were the “only way forward” as the South Asian country grapples with economic and political crisis amid a sharp rise in militant attacks. 
Haq leads the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), the Pakistani successor to the Jamaat-e-Islami founded in colonial India in 1941 by Abul Ala Maududi, a religious scholar best known for advocating an Islamic state in which the affairs of the government could be run under Sharia law.
While the JI has never formed a government in Pakistan itself, it was part of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) coalition governments in the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in 2002 and 2013 respectively. 
Now, as the party holds rallies in the run-up to elections, its leader said JI’s stance was that transparent polls were “the only way forward to improve the law-and-order situation, fix the economy and to end unrest.”
“If the elections were made controversial or if they could not be fair, then the incoming government will also not be able to continue, will be weak, there will be fights, arguments and unrest,” Haq told Arab News in an interview this week. “For a smooth political environment, it is important to hold a fair election.”
At the moment, however, Haq said there was “political suffocation,” demanding fair competition in elections for all parties.
“Our demand is that the judiciary, election commission and the [military] establishment have the obligation to provide an equal political environment to all,” the JI leader added.
His comments come amid allegations by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his party of a military-led crackdown that aims to keep them out of elections. The army denies it interferes in political affairs.
Pakistan is also headed to elections as it treads a tricky path to economic recovery under a caretaker setup after narrowly avoiding a default last year thanks to a last-gasp $3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout package. Attacks by militants, particularly the Pakistani Taliban as well as separatists, are on the rise, while Pakistan’s ties with all its neighbors are currently strained.
Haq blamed Pakistan’s litany of problems on its political parties and its history of military rule, saying both civilian and army-led governments had not delivered. 
“The circumstances are bad because of bad governance. So when you say there is unrest, so the unrest is due to these political leaders who strengthened themselves or their families, [but] didn’t strengthen the institutions, didn’t make the courts independent, didn’t improve the accountability system, and didn’t ensure the circulation of money [distribution of wealth] either,” Haq said.
Asked about the military’s outsized role in Pakistan’s political past and present, Haq again blamed political parties.
“Actually, the reason behind the involvement of the establishment [in politics] is because political parties are not organized here, in fact there is a lack of [internal] democracy in them, they do not have merit themselves,” the JI leader said.
“There is a family monarchy and there is no democracy within the party either, then personal character and affairs are weakened. Due to this weak character, they always remain weak.”
Responding to a questioning about his party’s position on the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), Haq said the JI did not support any group attempting to control the “government through arms.”
In the past, critics have accused the JI of sympathizing with the TTP and other religiously motivated militant groups.
“The way of preaching is open and the doors of reaching to power through elections are open and if one has a good narrative, present it before the people and come to power through the vote and support of people,” Haq said. “We don’t agree with any activity which is based on force, arms and terror.”


US pledges increasing communication on terrorism, technical assistance for Pakistan’s border security

Updated 7 min 11 sec ago
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US pledges increasing communication on terrorism, technical assistance for Pakistan’s border security

  • The State Department says the US agreed to help Pakistan with investigations related to IED attacks
  • It refuses to answer question about a recent drone attack in Pakistan that killed at least four villagers

ISLAMABAD: The United States said on Monday it had promised to provide technical assistance to Pakistan along its western border to deal with the threat of militant violence in the recent round of Counterterrorism Dialogue between the two countries held earlier this month.

The dialogue was initiated after the United States moved against the Taliban administration in Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001, attacks, aiming to provide a bilateral forum to both countries to address mutual concerns over militant violence.

The most recent phase of the dialogue took place on May 10 where Pakistan’s additional foreign secretary for the United Nations Syed Haider Shah co-chaired the meeting with US State Department Coordinator for Counterterrorism Elizabeth Richards.

“We confirmed with Pakistan today our bilateral intention to increase our capacity to meet emerging threats, specifically to increase communication on terrorism – specifically terrorism trends and movements of concern – in a way that is not just actionable within Pakistan but also an area that is actionable between our two countries,” State Department’s Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said during a media briefing.

“We also agreed about preventing and deterring terrorist groups and the work that can be done in that place, such as counter-IED [improvised explosive device] investigations, technical assistance at Pakistan’s western border, and other issues.”

The latest round of the Counterterrorism Dialogue was held against the backdrop of a surge in militant attacks in Pakistan by a proscribed network, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), whose leadership is reportedly based in neighboring Afghanistan.

Officials in Islamabad have frequently complained in recent months the Afghan interim administration in Kabul is not doing enough to clamp down on TTP militants and prevent them from launching attacks on Pakistani security forces and civilians.

The US withdrawal from Afghanistan was contingent upon several guarantees from the Taliban, one of which was that the Taliban would not allow any group or individual to use Afghan soil to threaten the security of the United States and its allies.

The agreement was signed in February 2020 in Doha, Qatar, and included commitments by the Taliban to sever ties with militant organizations like Al Qaeda.

The State Department official was also asked about a drone attack in South Waziristan in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province this week that killed at least four villagers. However, he did not answer the question.

“I don’t have anything for you on that,” he said. “I’d refer you to my colleagues at the Pentagon.”


Army major killed in gunfight with militants in Pakistan’s southwest

Updated 15 May 2024
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Army major killed in gunfight with militants in Pakistan’s southwest

  • The intelligence-based operation was conducted in Zhob district of Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province
  • Balochistan is the site of a low-level insurgency by separatists who have recently carried out multiple attacks

ISLAMABAD: An army major and three militants were killed in a gunfight in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, the Pakistani military said on Tuesday.

The exchange of fire occurred during an intelligence-based operation in Sambaza area of Balochistan’s Zhob district, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.

Security forces effectively engaged the militants and killed three of them, seizing weapons, ammunition and explosives from the scene.

“During the intense exchange of fire, leading his troops from the front, Major Babar Khan (age: 33 years, resident of District Mianwali) having fought gallantly, paid the ultimate sacrifice and embraced Shahadat,” the ISPR said in a statement.

“Sanitization operation is being conducted to eliminate any other terrorist present in the area.”

Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan, is the site of a low-level insurgency by separatists, who have recently carried out a number of attacks in the region.

In one of the major attacks, gunmen last month killed nine people, who hailed from the eastern Punjab province, after abducting them from a bus on a highway near the Noshki district. The outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Although the government says it has quelled militancy, violence by various groups has persisted in the region.


Islamabad rejects ‘unhealthy’ remarks by Indian politicians about Pakistan’s nuclear capability, Kashmir

Updated 14 May 2024
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Islamabad rejects ‘unhealthy’ remarks by Indian politicians about Pakistan’s nuclear capability, Kashmir

  • Pakistan has been key topic of Indian election speeches by PM Narendra Modi, top leaders of his ruling BJP party
  • Foreign Office urges Indian politicians to stop dragging Pakistan into their domestic politics for ‘electoral gains’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office on Tuesday rejected “baseless” and “unhealthy” remarks by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other members of his cabinet regarding Pakistan’s nuclear program, Kashmir dispute and other regional issues, which came during campaigning for ongoing elections in India.

Pakistan has been a key topic of speeches by Indian leaders during campaign rallies, with Modi and top leaders from his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) making strong statements about their South Asian neighbor.

At an election rally in Bihar this week, Modi indirectly referred to National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah’s remarks about Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities and said he would make Pakistan “wear bangles.”

Noting the “alarming” surge in anti-Pakistan rhetoric, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said it rejected the “irresponsible statements” by Indian leaders about the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, counter-terrorism efforts, bilateral relations and Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities.

“Regrettably, these statements reflect an unhealthy and entrenched obsession with Pakistan and reveal a deliberate intent to exploit hyper-nationalism for electoral gains. These also signify a desperate attempt to deflect attention from mounting domestic and international criticism,” Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, a Pakistani foreign office spokesperson, said in a statement.

“The bravado and jingoism exhibited by Indian leaders expose a reckless and extremist mindset. This mindset calls into question India’s capacity to be a responsible steward of its strategic capability. On the other hand, the purpose of Pakistan’s strategic capability is to safeguard its sovereignty and defend its territorial integrity.”

Baloch noted that Pakistan had clearly demonstrated its resolve to defend itself in the past and would not “hesitate to do so in the future should the Indian side choose to embark on a misadventure.”

About Indian Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s claim that Azad Kashmir was part of India, she said Jammu and Kashmir was an internationally-recognized disputed territory and the relevant UN Security Council resolutions clearly mandated a plebiscite in the territory for its final determination.

“No amount of inflated Indian statements can change this reality,” Baloch said. “India should, therefore, focus on implementing these resolutions instead of indulging in fantasies of grandeur.”

The Himalayan territory of Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from Britain in 1947, with both countries ruling part of the territory but claiming it in full.

The western portion of the larger Kashmir region is administered by Pakistan as a nominally self-governing entity, while India rules the southern portion as a union territory.

Baloch urged Indian politicians to stop dragging Pakistan into their domestic politics for “electoral gains” and to handle sensitive strategic matters with “utmost caution.”

“We call upon the international community to take note of Indian leadership’s belligerent rhetoric, which poses a grave threat to regional peace and stability,” she said.

“The vision of peace, progress, and prosperity in South Asia can only be realized through the peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes, including Jammu and Kashmir, and a shift from confrontation to cooperation.”


UK universities at risk as number of students from Pakistan, other nations plunge — report

Updated 14 May 2024
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UK universities at risk as number of students from Pakistan, other nations plunge — report

  • Students from Pakistan, India, Nigeria and China account for 70 percent of graduate visas
  • The Migration Advisory Committee found no evidence of widespread abuse for graduate route

LONDON: Britain should avoid further restricting international student numbers or some universities may collapse, a government commissioned report said on Tuesday, after foreign registrations plummeted for next year.

High levels of legal migration have long dominated Britain’s political discourse and were one of the major drivers for the Brexit referendum in 2016.

Along with care staff and low salaried workers, the government of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has sought to reduce the number of students coming to Britain, including preventing some post-graduate students from bringing family members.

The Migration Advisory Committee, an independent body which gives the government advice, said the number of international postgraduate students paying deposits to study at British universities this September had dropped by 63 percent, compared with the previous year, after the government put restrictions on education visas.

The report warned that further restrictions on the so-called graduate route, which allows foreign students to work in Britain for up to two years after graduation, would lead to job losses, course closures and a risk “that some institutions would fail.”

Britain boasts some of the most famous and sought after universities in the world, from Oxford and Cambridge to Imperial College London. Business leaders argue that they boost innovation, increase creativity and provide a form of soft power, as many world leaders have studied at British colleges.

The government commissioned the review after concerns that the graduate visa route was being abused. Some British politicians have complained that some students are applying for visas and then claim asylum or overstay.

Esther McVey, a minister in Sunak’s cabinet, said on Monday that some British universities were “selling immigration to international students rather than education.”

A spokesman for Sunak said the government would consider the report and respond. But the spokesman highlighted concerns about the scheme, pointing out that more than 40 percent of international students using the route were either not working or earning below 15,000 pounds ($18,834) a year after graduation.

The Migration Advisory Committee found there was no evidence of widespread abuse specifically for the graduate route. Students from four countries – India, Nigeria, China and Pakistan – account for 70 percent of graduate visas.

British business lobby group, the CBI, said British universities were one of the country’s biggest export successes, and with the Migration Advisory Committee saying the system was not being abused “it’s time to put its future beyond doubt and end this period of damaging speculation.”


Pakistan PM to visit Azad Kashmir ‘in few days’ to review situation after violent protests

Updated 14 May 2024
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Pakistan PM to visit Azad Kashmir ‘in few days’ to review situation after violent protests

  • At least four people were killed in protests over subsidized wheat flour and electricity that began on May 11
  • The protests were called off on Tuesday after Pakistan approved $83 million subsidies for the disputed region

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced visiting Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) “in a few days” to personally review the situation after days-long violent protests over subsidies, Pakistani state media reported on Tuesday.

At least three protesters and a police officer were killed and several others wounded in days of clashes between demonstrators demanding subsidies on wheat flour and electricity and law enforcement.

The protests were called off on Tuesday, a day after Pakistan announced $83 million subsidies and prompted the regional government to notify a reduction in prices of wheat flour and electricity.

On Tuesday, Sharif presided over a meeting of his cabinet to discuss the situation in Azad Kashmir, the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced to visit Azad Jammu and Kashmir in a few days to personally review the ground situation and promote the tendency of resolving issues at the dialogue table,” the report read.

“He said Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan as declared by the founder of Pakistan, and maintaining law and order there is the top priority.”

The Himalayan territory of Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from Britain in 1947, with both countries ruling part of the territory but claiming it in full.

The western portion of the larger Kashmir region is administered by Pakistan as a nominally self-governing entity, while India rules the southern portion as a union territory.

While the Indian portion has faced an ongoing insurgency for decades and multiple armed attempts by the state to quell it, the Pakistani side has remained relatively calm over the decades, though it is also highly militarized.

The Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) had organized the protests that began on May 11. “On the appeal of the Awami Action Committee, it has been decided to end the ongoing lockdown and wheel-jam strike across Azad Kashmir,” Amjad Ali Khan, a member of the JAAC core committee, told Arab News on Tuesday.

Presiding over the cabinet meeting, Sharif commended the AJK government for demonstrating restraint to foil “nefarious designs of the elements, who intend to sabotage the situation under the pretext of protests,” according to the Radio Pakistan report.

He thanked Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and AJK PM Anwar-ul-Haq for their cooperation in resolving the issue “amicably.”