SDPI, Economic Think-Tanks network reaffirm support for economic reforms to upcoming govt

Sat, 23 Sep 2023, 5:18 PM

ISLAMABAD, Sep 23 (APP): Joint Executive Director, Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Dr Vaqar Ahmed on Saturday reaffirmed SDPI and National Network of Economic Think-Tanks’s support for economic reforms agenda to the upcoming governments, public and private sector.

He was speaking at a policy dialogue titled “Building a Resilient Pakistan Economy: A Call to Action”, organized under the National Network of Economic Think-Tanks by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute here, a news release said.

Dr Ahmed reiterated SDPI’s emphasis on collaboration through the network to put forth policy recommendations that can help the new governments guide economic policies to keep IMF program on track in view of the reform objectives and develop a medium-term development agenda.

He further remarked, “Rampant inflation has demonstrated negative social and economic impacts and called for innovative solutions to reduce the burden on the poorest of the poor, in the domain of social protection policies, leveraging regional agricultural trade to counter regional food inflation.”

He remarked that Ministry of Finance, State Bank and other regulators need help with effective strategies with investors to leverage opportunities like competitive prices that the SMEs, freelancers and exports can offer currently due to the rupee depreciation.

Assistant Professor, IBA, Adil Nakhoda underscored the need to address cross-border smuggling, monetary policy changes to develop resilience against dollar, energy sector viability and management of circular debt to make adjustments in agreement to the IMF deal. He highlighted that despite the textile sector contributing a significant export volume, the products are low value.

CEO, the Pakistan Association of Large Steel Producers, Wajid Iqbal remarked that improving the structure of regulatory bodies and building their human development capacity to match global standards is vital to creating the enabling environment being stressed.

He further highlighted the unequal preferences and subsidies given to some economic sectors and urged they must be addressed to provide equal opportunity to all.

CEO, TiE Islamabad, Sumera Abbassi emphasized the active role of venture capture funds in mobilizing finances for SMEs. She remarked that there is need for investor education programs to create awareness among investors about the actual investment potential in Pakistan and urged for measures to encourage high-net private companies and investors to increase investment flow.

Head Centre for Private Sector Engagement, SDPI, Ahad Nazir expressed that the economic system has demonstrated different outcomes to similar shocks due to structural inefficiencies and lack of institutional memory. He called for rectifying issues like the non-productive use of resources as seen in the case of women’s labor.

Professor of Economics, BUITEMS, Balochistan, Dr Abdul Salam Lodhi stressed restructuring economic policy to boost industrial development and sustainable, self-sufficient agriculture. He highlighted that an enabling environment for industries and exports is lacking due to chronic mismanagement and poor governance.

GCU Lahore, Professor Dr Saima highlighted that 85% of the informal economy is associated with women’s labor and their lack of resilience to economic and political externalities. “Cultural poverty is limiting the individual agency of women despite them being the largest segment of Pakistan’s economy”, she added. Government should increase financial access, enhancing capacity and awareness of the business ecosystem and address the systematic cultural barriers, she stressed.

CEO, Ain Consulting Ltd., Qurat-ul-Ain pointed out that regulatory policy inconsistencies and complexities and political uncertainty are affecting the business environment, thus discouraging investment in the country. Delay in payments is also contributing to distrust. She further said that simplifying the regulatory frameworks can support start-ups to boom and urged for reducing excessive state control on export markets.

Mushaal Mullick lauds PM for championing Kashmir cause at UNGA

NNPS Desk

Sat, 23 Sep 2023, 5:18 PM

ISLAMABAD, Sep 23 (APP): Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Human Rights Mushaal Mullick has said that Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has championed the Kashmir cause in the best possible manner at United Nations General Assembly.

In a statement issued here Saturday, Mushal Mullick said that she was grateful to the Prime Minister for voicing the oppressed Kashmiris in the United Nations General Assembly session.

“The Prime Minister has proved to be the ambassador and advocate of Kashmiris”, she added.

She said that Kashmiris had been encouraged by the Prime Minister’s address in the General Assembly.

She said that the innocent Kashmiris know Pakistan as the center of their hopes for achieving their right to self-determination.

The Special Assistant said that Indian state terrorism had started to reach the rest of the world from the region.

The international community has to stop India for the sake of peace, she said and added, according to the resolutions of the United Nations, the solution of the Kashmir issue is indispensable for regional peace.

A vendor arranging and displaying Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) related stuff to attract the customersat his shop

Zia Ur Rehman

Sat, 23 Sep 2023, 5:17 PM

APP06-230923 LAHORE: September 23 – A vendor arranging and displaying Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) related stuff to attract the customersat his shop. APP/AMI/FHA

PM’s UNGA speech reversed India’s diplomatic gains manifold: analysts

Zaka Ullah Ch

Sat, 23 Sep 2023, 5:11 PM

Dr. Saeed Ahmad Ali

LAHORE, Sep 23 (APP): Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, while addressing the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA) session on Friday, badly damaged India’s so-called democratic stature and reversed its diplomatic gains made during the last three decades, believe analysts and foreign affairs experts.

In a talk with APP on Saturday, they commended the PM’s speech at the UNGA through which he highlighted Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to reinforcing the United Nations’ peace-building measures across globe. The Pakistani premier addressed almost all key issues relating to Pakistan, including plight of Kashmiris in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, climate change and terrorists launching attacks inside Pakistan from the Afghan soil.

Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council, and president of the International Faith Harmony Council, commended Prime Minister Kakar over the interpretation of Islamophobia during the UNGA session. He emphasised that the PM made a bold assertion that Pakistan, in collaboration with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), would propose a comprehensive strategy to combat Islamophobia.

This strategy includes the appointment of a special envoy, the establishment of an Islamophobia data centre, provision of legal support to victims, and implementation of an accountability mechanism to address Islamophobic crimes.

Former ambassador Najam-us-Saqib lauded the prime minister for elucidating the global scale and severity of terrorism, underscoring the imperative to confront all forms of terrorism without discrimination. This encompasses addressing the escalating threat posed by far-right extremist and fascist groups, such as Hindutva-inspired extremists, who pose a genocidal threat to India’s Muslim and Christian communities.

He commended the PM for highlighting various economic initiatives, including establishment of the Special Investment Facilitation Council, aimed at attracting foreign investment into Pakistan. He showcased the positive impact of Pakistan’s economy on the global stage.

Additionally, he noted that Pakistan had consistently raised the Kashmir issue at multiple international forums, including the United Nations. During one-on-one meetings with various world leaders, PM Kakar successfully conveyed Pakistan’s economic potential and encouraged investments across various sectors in the country.

In his effort to attract investment to the country, the caretaker premier delivered a mature and purposeful speech. He emphasised Pakistan’s establishment of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to streamline investment decisions. Additionally, he highlighted the commencement of the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), encompassing railway, infrastructure, and manufacturing projects, as shared by Najam in his talk with APP, expressing his appreciation.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Defence, noted the diplomatic and strategic significance of the PMs address. He stressed that the address sent a message to the world that Pakistan is a mature and responsible nation actively working to improve its economy.

The PM’s discussion of the adverse effects of climate change, including the devastating floods that struck Pakistan the previous year, was welcomed. He also reminded the international community of unfulfilled pledges regarding flood aid. In a bold move, he informed the UN member states about the threats Pakistan faces from Afghan-based terrorists launching attacks on its territory, as Mushahid pointed out.

Mushahid appreciated Prime Minister Kakar for shedding light on various international, regional, domestic, and diplomatic issues. These included attacks against Pakistan, cross-border terrorism, the Palestinian tragedy, global economic crises, Islamophobia, and climate change. He noted the Prime Minister’s call for addressing the root causes of terrorism, such as injustice, poverty, and foreign occupation, while distinguishing genuine freedom struggles from terrorism, as exemplified in IIOJK.

Furthermore, Mushahid said, the premier highlighted Pakistan’s active foreign policy efforts to engage with nations worldwide, particularly with regard to the current mindset of Prime Minister Modi. He stressed the importance of creating friendly relations and drawing attention to the killing of Sardar Hardeep Singh in Canada at global forums.

Mushaal Hussein Mullick, the wife of Kashmiri leader Yasin Malik and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Human Rights and Women’s Empowerment, commended the PM’s speech for bringing attention to the plight of Kashmiris.

She emphasised that India’s alleged involvement in the murder of Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar exposed its true nature. She urged the international community to take serious note of the alleged state-sponsored killing on Canadian soil. Mullick said that Canada had unveiled the extremist and racist side of India, which targets the Sikh community globally. She pointed out the ongoing freedom movements in India, including Khalistan.

Furthermore, she asserted that India’s actions were destabilising global peace and causing suffering to Kashmiris. She highlighted that minorities were not safe in India, and places of worship of all religions were under threat. Mushaal Mullick expressed her dismay at the severe human rights violations in India and the imprisonment of Hurriyat leader Yasin Malik in a death cell.

PM Kakar’s UNGA visit highly successful; wins hearts, minds of Kashmiris: Experts

NNPS Desk

Sat, 23 Sep 2023, 5:10 PM

PESHAWAR, Sep 23 (APP): The political and diplomatic experts here on Saturday termed the visit of caretaker Prime Minister, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar to United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) as highly successful and productive for Pakistan.

They said the Prime Minister has won the hearts and minds of Kashmiris after highlighting the Kashmir dispute in most effective manner at UNGA.

Manzoorul Haq, former Ambassador of Pakistan told APP that the Prime Minister deserved praise for boldly highlighting the atrocities and human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jummu and Kashmir (IIOJK) during his historic address at UNGA.

Despite deployment of over nine lakh troops at IIOJK, the fascist Modi Govt has failed to suppress the freedom movement in the Held Valley.

He said the gruesome murder of Khalistan Movement Sikh leader in Canada had raised serious questions about the state of India and exposed the negative policies of the fascist Modi regime against minorities.

On August 5, 2019, he said the Modi government had made a deep rooted conspiracy to rob Kashmiris of their identity, history and culture.

India had deprived oppressed Kashmiris of all kinds of liberties and human rights since 1947, and that the fascist Modi government’s illegal and unconstitutional acts of August 5, 2019 of revoking special status of the Indian Illegally Occupaid Kashmir (IIOJ&K) has exposed his conspiracy to rob Kashmiris of their history, language and ethno-cultural identity.

He said the illegal occupation of Kashmir valley by India contravened multiple articles of the 30 fundamental human rights of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) drafted by representatives from all the regions of the world including India on December 10, 1948 and was subsequently adopted by UNGA.

He said this declaration was applied to all the signatory members of the UN including India and restrained them from abuse, exploitation, maltreatment and all kinds of violence in the IIOJK besides violation of any fundamental rights protected in UDHR.

“India went against several passed UN Security Council’s resolutions after revoking the IIOJK’s special status and I urged the international community including world powers to press Modi Govt to immediately go back to pre August 5, 2019 status of IIOJK and give right of self determination to the oppressed Kashmiris as promised to them by the world peace body.”

He said road to peace in South Asia was passing through Kashmir and durable peace in subcontinent was only possible through resolution of the decades long Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UNSC resolutions.

Professor Dr A.H. Hilali, former Chairman, Political Science Department, University of Peshawar also termed the visit of caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq to UNGA as highly productive for Pakistan.

The prime minister held important meetings with different world leaders, financial and business bodies that showed keen interests in the economic revival plans in Pakistan, he said and added that PM Kakar held constructive discussion with the Managing Director IMF and hoped that the upcoming government would carry on the economic plan for progress and prosperity of the people of Pakistan.

Dr Hilali praised Prime Minister for highlighting the issue of TTP and Daesh involved in launching attacks on Pakistan from across the western border. He said that the recent attacks from Afghanistan on Chitral was testimony to this fact.

He said that about five million Afghans refugees including about 2.8 million legal were living in Pakistan for over four decades and time has come that they should be repatriated to their home country. He regretted that international community had made very limited contributions for the well being of these huge numbers of Afghan refugees in Pakistan and left entire burden on Islamabad to shoulder.

Islamophobia and climate change have been emerged as a serious challenges, and time has come for redressal of these issues through UNGA plateform, he added.

Mushtaq Ahmed Shah, Vice Chairman, Jummu and Kashmir Peoples League (JKPL) termed the visit of caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar to UNGA as highly successful and praised him for winning hearts and minds of the Kashmiris after boldly highlighting Indian forces’ atrocities and human rights abuses at IIOJK during his landmark address at UNGA.

He said Indian occupation forces had resorted to extra judicial killing of hundreds of innocent Kashmiris in fake encounters, putting the Kashmiris’ leadership behind bars, imposing clampdown on media and used women and children abuses as weapon of war to suppress freedom movement after August 5 illegal actions.

Mushtaq said Indian forces even didn’t allow mass ritual and funeral of great Kashmiri leader, Syed Ali Gillani and forcefully snatched his body from the bereaved family and buried him at night. Similarly, great Hurriat leader, Muhammad Yasin Malik was jailed for life in a fake case to silence his strong voice for Kashmirs freedom, he expressed.

The Vice Chairman JKPL said India has failed to suppress the indigenous freedom movement in IIOJK despite the brutal killing of freedom fighter Burhan Wani and other Kashmiris leadership and youth in a fake encounter.

He claimed the Indian Govt had provided nearly six million illegal domicile certificates of IIOJK to Hindus in a bid to bring about demographic change there.

He urged the international community including UNO to take notice of the gruesome violation of human rights violations including forced disappearance of over 8,000 innocent Kashmiris, 8,652 unmarked mass graves, imposition of longest curfew on some 10 million unarmed Kashmiris, extra judicial killings, rape and molestation of women and children at IIOJK.

Since 1989, he said over 162,000 Kashmiris were brutally tortured, 96,000 cases of extra judicial killings, around 162,000 cases of arbitrary arrests and torture, over 25,000 pellet guns injuries, 11,250 women raped, 23,000 women widowed and over 108,000 children were orphaned by the Indian army at IIOJK.

The experts deplored UNSC members’ apathy towards addressing of Kashmir dispute, which was a flashpoint between two nuclear armed neighboring countries.

They urged international community and UNO to look beyond trade and business interest and forced India to give right of self determination to Kashmiris on the pattern of East Taimur to bring lasting peace in South Asia.