Current Affairs

(Answer should have more facts, a little bit of analysis)

1. Domestic(20 marks)
A. Social
- In the international press, stated that the ‘billion-tree tsunami’ has been very
successful in K-P. Instead of mud-slinging, the Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan
governments, should have sent researchers, administrators and foresters to study a
success story of reforestation and have done the same.
B. Political
 Gilgit-Baltistan: The people of Gilgit-Baltistan have adequately reminded every
government in Pakistan that they were the first to declare independence from the
Maharaja of Kashmir and joined Pakistan without any coercion. We need to mention
this to explain why this region has unnecessarily become entangled with the dispute
regarding the formerly princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmir under the
Maharaja was multi-ethnic, a princely kingdom in the making of which imperial sell-out
and conquest had played a role. Never had the people of Gilgit-Baltistan identified
themselves in any meaningful way with Kashmir and its ethnic undertones of
Kashmiriat. Pakistan’s position on the region as a part of the disputed state has kept it in
legal limbo for decades. And there has been a vocal political resistance from the parties
and leaders of the Azad Kashmir against considering Gilgit-Baltistan as independent of
the state.
 Balochistan:
- BLA, BLF, BRG
- Kulbhushan jadhav, Indian Syp
- BLA backed the attack on Chinese consulate
- Jam Kamal khan part of int’l convoys with PM
- CPEC projects reduced further from the western route
- India, china, Afghanistan, Iran(relations with neighbours affected by Balochistan Policy
and situations will clearly have an impac on foreign policy.)
- On October 16, 2018, Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice), formerly known as Jundallah, a
Sunni extremist group, kidnapped fourteen Iranian security personnel, including
members of the elite Revolutionary Guards. Iran insists that Jaish al-Adl, allegedly
funded by Saudi Arabia, operates from the Pakistani side of the border. Reuters quoted
General Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the Guard’s ground forces, saying that the
Pakistani side needed to assume “more responsibility” in bringing back the kidnapped
guards. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif had to visit Islamabad twice in a month to
meet with his Pakistani counterpart, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, to ask for Islamabad’s
help in securing the release of the kidnapped guards.
On November 15, Pakistan said it had successfully recovered five of the 14 kidnapped
guards.
- Within a month, a joint attack by the three Baloch armed groups, the BLA, the Baloch
Liberation Front and the Baloch Republican Guards, on December 14 in Turbat district
bordering Iran, pitted the two governments against each other. At least six personnel of
the Frontier Corps (FC) were killed when insurgents attacked the convoy in a
mountainous region bordering Iran.
 This time on December 15, Pakistan summoned the Iranian ambassador to protest the
attack on Pakistani security forces. Pakistan urged the government of Iran “to carry out
an effective operation against the terrorist group responsible for the attack on its side of
the border.”
- In a recent interview with the BBC, Finance Minister Asad Umar flatly denied that there
was any ‘anger’ in Balochistan to Chinese investment. Ignoring the fact that it is
completely normal, democratic and patriotic for citizens to have an approving or a
disapproving opinion on a policy issue, the finance minister immediately discredited
local perspectives and concluded: “This is not anger of the people of Balochistan, these
are activities of sponsored terrorists who receive training, funding [and] material from
outside Pakistan. And is there a serious attempt to try and destabilize Balochistan and
through that, try and subvert CPEC? Of course, there is. There is a concerted effort to do
that.”

C. Economic
I. Millions of jobs creation by planting Moringa magical tree along 23,000 miles
length of perennial and on perennial canals in punjab. There can be barbecue
spots, job opportunities. This tree gives fruit. Will reduce temp by 4 to 10 celcius
and increase rainfall substantially. It’ll give fruit to be exported as well as
vitamins, proteins and potassium that its leaves contain can immensely help
grow pharmaceutical industry.
II. NFC
III. [http://tns.thenews.com.pk/national-finance-
omissions/#.W9VYKuJRVy0%20%20Impacts%20of%20CPEC]
IV. FATF
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/faft-team-not-happy-
with-pakistans-efforts-to-combat-terror-financing-
report/articleshow/66162378.cms
V. l

2. External(40 marks)

Qureshi said the Foreign Ministry has established 73 bilateral and 16 multilateral engagements
over the past 100 days to improve ties with the neighbouring countries.

He said the first thing on the PTI government’s foreign agenda is to have better relations with
Afghanistan. “It is for peace that I decided to make my first foreign trip to Afghanistan. We
want peace with all our neighbours,” said the minister.

D. Pakistan’s relations with its Neighbors (India, China, Afghanistan, Russia)

- Afghanistan : https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/pakistan-and-afghanistan-
after-911-a-case-of-the-failing-bilateralism-2315-7844-1000211.php?aid=89414
 - adverse effects of a prolonged civil war and poor governance: unable to develop a
self-sustaining economy and remains heavily dependent on foreign assistance.
- Foreign Minister Qureshi’s first choice of foreign destination was Kabul
- Despite Pakistan’s assurance that fencing the western border would be mutually
advantageous to prevent, or at least minimise, militants, drug traffickers and
unauthorised crossings was misinterpreted by Kabul as bringing a one-sided closure
to the issue of the Durand Line.
- no genuine peace in Pakistan is possible without a modicum of stability in
Afghanistan. More significantly Pakistan cannot exploit its economic potential or its
strategic advantage unless Afghanistan stabilises and both develop a relationship of
mutual trust. This is the level of Pakistan’s stake in Afghanistan’s stability.
- because of its internal weaknesses, it has become the power play of all the regional
powers be it India and Pakistan, Russia and the US or even Saudi Arabia versus Iran.
- representatives of the Taliban and the US are engaging in Doha(political solution
possible) The involvement of Zalmay Khalilzad as the US especial envoy for
Afghanistan and recent meetings with Taliban leaders in Qatar give rise to guarded
optimism
- It is a sign of progress that all sides to the conflict believe that more war is not a
solution to the war. More important is the issue, how it ends, which party gains
what. In the endgame, Pakistan is just one of the actors among so many and some
wanting to keep the region unstable.
- In terms of people-to-people contact, perhaps one positive example in the field of
sports is the Afghan cricket team that has established its name among the leading
cricket playing nations. The assistance in the field of coaching provided by Pakistani
cricketers is the kind of assistance that should govern the Pak-Afghan relations in all
walks of life. oth Pakistan and Afghanistan regularly grab top positions whenever a
ranking for poor governance or gender discrimination is carried out by international
bodies. This even further necessitates candid acknowledgement of the deep-rooted
shared problems and readiness for addressing such issues with clearer
understanding, positive cooperation and mutual assistance.
- Pakistan has remained Afghanistan’s largest trading partner until 2015 and the
volume of trade remained to the tune of some $3 billion. But due to the growing
political tensions between the two countries, the economic ties have also received a
major brunt. .

- Commitment on water inspection by India

- India refusal of meeting on the sidelines of UNGA
- Kirtharpur ground breaking ceremony. Qureshi invites Sushma, she isn’t available.
- Imran says time to move on and leave the past behind. Around 12 crore sikh population
in India happy with Pakistan’s move. (Sidhu is from congress)
- Kartarpur corridor groundbreaking ceremony, IK speech, 29th oct, IK promises to take
two steps in the peace process for every step that India take . same day, Sushma swaraj
say, Kartarpur doesn’t mean there’s a dialogue beginning. To sustain its power, Modi’s
BJP government has radicalised its core electorate against relations with Pakistan, which
 in turn has led to the Modi government becoming a slave to this very radicalisation.
With elections looming next year, now is an especially bad time for the Modi
government to talk peace
- “It’s madness”, PM IK said, to engage in war between two nuclear-armed nations. The
concept of mutually-assured destruction (MAD) has been around since the start of the
Cold War in the 60s, whereby the apt acronym for nuclear war between two countries
was used to drive home an exceedingly basic idea; in nuclear war, no one wins because
everyone is destroyed. .
- .

E. Pakistan’s relations with the Muslim World (Iran, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia,
Turkey)
F. Pakistan’s relations with the United States
- the reemergence of the Taliban movement around 2005, relations between Pakistan
and the United States have remained in a state of back-and-forth, warm and cool,
tense, and sometimes, just diplomatically ‘correct’.
- Pompeo visit controversy, Amidst “Do More”
- under pressure from both the United States and Afghanistan for our perceived support
of the Taliban. Washington’s demand is to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table,
failing which deny them and their family space in Pakistan. Washington after suffering
2,372 military deaths, as of July this year, having 20,320 servicemen wounded and
spending $1.07 trillion on the war, is nowhere close to winning it..
- In this grim Afghanistan situation, Pakistan’s relations with Washington at least in the
near term will be governed on how we are perceived to be facilitating the peace
process. CPEC and our close relations with China is another factor that conflicts with
the US’ proclaimed interests in the region but that these are more of a strategic nature
that we will have to contend with and manage deftly.
- Neutralising Afghanistan from the India-Pakistan rivalry, if that is really an objective, is
in conflict with an ambitious Indian role in the country that Washington seems to be
encouraging( trump policy for South Asia )
- Pak-US relations affected by regional plot not only because of Afghanistan situation but
also due to rise of China, American sanctions of Iran and assertiveness of Russia
- ‘’If Mr Khalilzad can persuade him it would be in his interest to order the Taliban to
negotiate, he will do so.
- But he and the generals probably do not think it is in their interest. A peace settlement
would strengthen the government in Kabul, which is backed by India. Alternatively, a
hasty American withdrawal and victory for the Taliban would probably lead to the
break-up of Afghanistan and more trouble along Pakistan’s north-west frontier. The
current stalemate suits Pakistan better. Moreover, if Mr Khan did summon the Taliban
leaders to negotiate, they might refuse, which would be embarrassing.
- A more expansive view of Pakistan reveals the insanity of this. Servitude to its generals
and their strategic obsessions has produced a weak democracy, abysmal governance
and an economic performance that makes Bangladesh—once one of Pakistan’s poorest
parts—look like an Asian Tiger. The post-9/11 catastrophe Pakistan’s leaders should be
grappling with is not a pro-India government in Kabul, but their inability to address the
 basic needs of a population that has grown by 50m in that time. But they do not think
this way. And the tragedy for the Trump administration, because it reflects a broader
collision with global reality that is fast approaching, is there may not be much it can do
about that.’’ – Economist, US perspective
- .

G. Pakistan’s relations with Regional and International Organizations (UN, SAARC,

ECO, OIC, WTO, GCC)
- UNO formed in 24th October 1945, California, (51 founding members) hence every Oct
UNGA members meet

3. Global(40 marks)

International Security
International Political Economy
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/03/09/world/asia/china-us-asia-rivalry.html
- US China: UNGA , UNSC: Trump accused China of meddling in election(Beijing
had retaliated by imposing tariffs of its own aimed at American farmers and other politically-sensitive
constituencies in the states that support him).
Chinese spokesmen responded in denial. One
of them saying, “ int’l community knows very well who is most used to
interfering in internal affairs of other countries.” Many of the countries caught
between Beijing and Washington face an impossible choice between Chinese
wealth(for trade) and American security(military might).
- Trump accusation in a tweet: the Chinese had placed a four-page supplement in a
mid-west newspaper, The Des Moines Register, and some other newspapers that
highlighted the economic costs of Trump’s trade battle with China. China said ,
the assertion that it amounted to political influence is wrong and exaggerated.
- The Des Moines aimed at Iowa which is the first to vote in primary presidential
season has consequences, Anne Field(NY Times suggests)
- China was accused by Pence of multiple wrongs: unfair trade, technology theft,
targeted tariffs, interference in the US electoral process, a military buildup,
militarisation of the South China Sea islands (to keep the US out), ‘debt
diplomacy’, anti-US propaganda and internal oppression. Pence declared that the
US “will not stand down” in opposing these alleged Chinese policies.
Human Rights
Environment: Global Warming, Kyoto Protocol, Copenhagen Accord
Population: world population trends, world population policies
Terrorism and Counter Terrorism:
The American Afghan effort is floundering. Asked in an interview by The Washington Post why
Americans were still fighting in Afghanistan, President Trump’s answer reflected lack of
understanding on his part. He said he was continuing the military presence in Afghanistan only
because experts told him the United States needed to keep fighting there. (18 of the 34
provinces still controlled by the government)
Global Energy Politics
 Nuclear Proliferation and Nuclear Security
Nuclear Politics in South Asia:
China went against India addition to Nuclear suppliers group
International Trade (Doha Development Round and Bali Package)
Cooperation and Competition in Arabian Sea, Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Millennium Development Goals, Current Status
Globalization
https://www.dawn.com/news/1449956
 WTO an Impediment to growth:
1. Govt out of private sector
2. NO INDUSTRIAL POLICY
3. No Export subsidies
4. Free capital movements
5. Independence of Monetary Policy
 East Asian Miracle
1. BIG Industries Guided by Govt
2. Industrial Policy – close coordination
3. Export subsidies
4. Price controls, Restrictions on FDI
5. Tight Govt Control of Money
6.

Middle East Crisis

There was a certain logic to the Trump administration’s approach to the region that gave pride of place
to Saudi Arabia and Mohammed bin Salman. Surveying the wreckage of the Middle East on Jan. 21, 2017,
the new team in the White House no doubt quickly discovered it had few, if any, options other than Saudi
Arabia—all the other Arab countries were either failing, staggering from crisis to crisis, or limited by small
size. So, when Trump indicated he would make good on his campaign promise to withdraw from the Iran
nuclear deal and take a hard line on Iranian adventurism around the region, the Saudis were more than
supportive. When Trump wanted to “completely destroy” the Islamic State and fight Islamist extremism, the
Saudis said they would help and opened the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology to much
fanfare (and derision) during the president’s visit to Riyadh in 2017. Trump wanted to pursue Israeli-
Palestinian peace, and the Saudis promised to be helpful. Trump wanted to sell beautiful American
weapons, so the Saudis committed to buying billions of dollars of them. When people think about Saudi
Arabia, they tend to think immediately of oil, but arms trade has become an increasingly important facet of
the bilateral relationship.

Kashmir Issue

Ainwai Chawal
https://www.economist.com/the-world-if/2018/07/07/xis-world-order-july-2024