UNIVERSITY OF THE PUNJAB
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India’s Afghan Journey: Where from here?
No full textIndia’s contemporary Afghan journey is a tale of tailored interest with qualified destiny of Afghanistan. India embarked on afghan journey more aggressively only after the fall of ruling Taliban in 2001 with defined geo-political objectives, firmly placed under the security cover of NATO occupation of the country. Theobjectives of NATO and New Delhi not only squarely merged in Kabul but also found identical companion – Northern Alliance – to realize stable Afghanistan. The most aggressive presence of New Delhi in Afghanistan was its political, economic and diplomatic investment with choreographed goals, revolvingaround the critical desire of favored strategic response from government in Kabul and NATO. With planned withdrawal of NATO forces, New Delhi however faces decisive challenge for its ongoing operation in the country. The diminishing security cover of NATO and growing influence of Taliban would eventually paralyze New Delhi’s maneuvers. Given these uncomforting realities, where and how New Delhi shall go from here? What is the nature of Indian interest and its significance in that country? More significantly what Islamabad would make ofthis? This paper explores India’s surging challenge in Afghanistan and argues that it would have to be much more attentive to regional callings, chiefly emanating from Pakistan, and China and carefully prefer its pathways ahead. India’s prospective preferable pathways notwithstanding, South Asiashall continue to be a problematic region from ‘stability’ and ‘peace’ perspectives
Strategic Importance of Gwadar Port
No full textThe pragmatic facets like geography and history have always imprinted the demographical mosaic and development of a civilisation. The civilisations have always developed along the waters. The waters have been used as trade route since long and the modern trade has further enhanced the need of trade through waters. Pakistan being a gateway to the strategically important 'Strait Of Hurmoz' in the Indian Ocean, blessed with hidden treasures and bordering two Islamic Republics, Afghanistan and Iran, has always been a centre piece for Regional Politics. The emergence of Gwadar Port as a vibrant regional economic hub has caused the regional and extra regional powers to develop strategic and infra structural development with Gwadar Port to reach the energy rich Central Asian Republics (CARs). Iran and Dubai Port World (UAE) have interests to keep Gwadar Port out of competition as it serves as a gateway to Strait of Hurmoz. Pakistan needs to be addressing all the concerns to make Gwadar as a regional energy corridor
Ethnic Factor in Afghanistan
No full textEthnicity as an issue has been faced by all multi-ethnic societies. But it is a matter of great apprehensions and graver outcomes in those societies which are going through postconflict reconstruction, like Afghanistan is today. The paper will discuss in detail the ethnic groups, which exist in Afghan society along with the country’s ethnic history. This paper attempts to analyze the fact how social and political objectives of ethnic groups are liable to be accommodated in the new structure of Afghan State. It will also argue about the composition of ethnic groups, impact of war on ethnic communities, and why the ethnic fault lines may continue and under what circumstances, they may fade away
The Role of Media in Creating Values of Nationalism in Pakistan
No full textThe nationalism is basically a concept referring to the areas of culture, history, language, and politics. The paper is emphasizing the concept of role played by media in creating the values in nationalism. The first section of the report is describing the concept of nationalism in general and in Pakistan’s perspective. The second section of the paper is discussing the diversification of nationalism within Pakistan. The discussion is followed by the third section which is illustrating the issues of nationalism which includes ethnic issues as the base of conflicts for realizing the nationalism. The fourth section is discussing the general concept and over view including issues and different phases faced by media of Pakistan and the role it plays in nationalism. The last section is a concluding part discussing the new era globalization and role of media innationalism. In this section, it is concluded that the media has transformed in the past few years so rapidly that it creates a remarkable and sound picture of nationalism for Pakistan apart from the fact that it is still facing lots of issues and troubles
2002 Elections in Pakistan: A Reappraisal
No full textThe 2002 Elections in Pakistan were held under extra ordinary circumstances. The terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Centre on 11 September 2001 had changed the world politics and the foreign policies of the countries all over the world. The US government decided to attack Afghanistan to hit the Taliban, accusing them for supporting 9/11 attacks and announced to launch a global war against terrorism. Pakistan was also forced to adopt the US policy as it was the neighbouring country of Afghanistan and was among those few countries that had recognized the Taliban government in Kabul. Pakistan’s U-turn on its foreign policy also affected the polls which were held a year following the 9/11 incident. Muttahidda Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), a religio-political alliance formed after the US attack on Afghanistan, got unprecedented success in thepolls especially in the two Afghan bordering provinces. The paper will examine the unexpected success of MMA in 2002 Elections which was mainly due to the US war against terrorism, change in Pakistan’s foreign policy towards the US and Pakhtoon affiliation with the Afghan people. Religious sentiments of the common people, religious seminaries and unity among the religio-political parties also contributed to the success of MMA. The desire of General Pervez Musharraf to wipe the mainstream parties out of the national scene and setting up of a hung parliament in the country also contributed to MMA’s success. It will be argued that MMA was a temporary factor which appeared at political scene ofPakistan in the wake of 9/11 and US attack on Afghanistan and got success due to external factors instead of its popularity among the masses
Political Puzzles and Prospect of Media in Pakistan
No full textPakistan’s road to its destiny has not been smoothsince its creation in 1947.While passing through severalsocial, political and economic crises; the state has beendeeply fissured along its ethnic and religious lines. Theformer East Pakistan has turned into Bangladesh afterthe bloody revolt of Bangalis against the elite of theformer West Pakistan now Pakistan while the remainingethnic groups (Bloch. Sindhi, Pushtoon etc) of thecountry were frequently voicing their concerns regardingwhat they claim the Punjabi dominance and unfairdivision of resources. Adding to this, the state has alsobecome a shuttlecock among the interest groups,particularly the military, religious parties, feudal lordsand industrialists. The country witnessed the wars,military and democratic regimes and economic crises. Itattained atomic capabilities, constitutional amendments.Masses indulged into ideological and liberal clashesand finally entered into the 21st century with thecountry’s biggest posture as a front line state for waragainst terror. With the overview of the country’ssituation, this article deals with the media birth, itsgrowth and its current situation especially of electronicmedia. The media’s puzzles and prospective in nationalintegration has been also discussed. Particularly, theoverall focus remained at the point that how the mediacould contribute in achieving national goals. The pastgovernment’s efforts to take control over media werealso picked briefly
Gwadar Deep Sea Port’s Emergence as Regional Trade and Transportation Hub: Prospects and Problems
No full textThe deep-sea port at Gwadar is visualized as becoming a regional hub, serving commercial traffic to and from Central Asian states and Afghanistan, the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, Xinjiang, Iran, and South East Asia. The developmentof the Gwadar port holds out for the regional countries immense economic returns. A road from Gwadar to Saindak, said to be the shortest route between Central Asia and the sea, is under construction. Goods and oil and gas reservesfrom these countries could be shipped to global markets. It will nearly halve the overland distance from China’s landlocked western provinces to the sea: from about 4,000 km to China’s east coast, to just 2,000 km south to Gwadar. The Gwadar port and the highways connecting it to Afghanistan reduce the distances of Pakistan-Central Asia traffic by about 500 km. The construction of the Gwadar port is an important component of Pakistan’s overall initiative to facilitate trade with the landlocked states of Central Asia
SAARC and Indo-Pak Relationship
No full textThe basic aim of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was to support the regional states so that they may emerge as developed countries undermining their long history of enmities. Initially, both Pakistan and India refused to join it because of their allegations and fears towards each other. However, the proposal was materialized after much consideration with expectation of collaboration between the rival states. The activities of SAARC also motivated the small states to increase cooperation among them by strengthening mutual relations. In the past, India and Pakistan rarely displayed some collective and cooperative measures’ orientation in their bilateral relations. This study is to identify those areas where both the neighbors are constructing bilateral cooperation under the SAARC to address the controversial issues, which may repel hostilities and facilitate the two states to enhance cooperation for development and strengthen friendship and understanding between their people
Movement for Bahawalpur Province
No full textBahawalpur Division was the State of Bahawalpur, which had a history of 228 years of rule by the Abbasi Nawabs. The State, which was formed in 1727, ended in 1955 and the whole area of the State was made a division of Punjab Province. Bahawalpur region since last 300 years has faced a common historical experience. The people of Bahawalpur region are facing similar problems;these include underdevelopment, economic and political deprivations. The general masses feel that their region is being exploited and they are not being provided their due shares. These shared problems have brought the people of Bahawalpur region closer to each other towards the demand for a separate province for Bahawalpur region which has always been geographically distinct.Ever since the establishment of the State, Bahawalpur region has had an independent and separate identity
The Constitution of Pakistan Issues: Challenges and Options
No full textOn August 14th, 1947, Pakistan was carved out on the map of the world for the Muslims of India in order so that they could live in peace and harmony, according to the principles of Islam, free to pursue all spiritual and worldly endeavours in a homeland of their own. Though full of hope and nationalistic fervour; the people of Pakistan were unable to fully realize the dream of their own personalized utopian state because of a variety of devastating crises plaguing the newly born state. From the pro9blems of the refugees to the crippling water and food shortage to the failing healthy of the father of the nation and a serious lack of capable political leaders at the helm of the state, the resultant ominous delay in constitution-making caused serious issues that were to plague Pakistan for the year to come. The lack of consensus between the two wings of the state in all matters ranging from the relationship between Islam and the state to the issue of selecting the national language causes Pakistan to be without a constitution for nearly nine years and in a state of perpetual political chaos and instability. Two constitutions and numerous heads of state later, in 1973 a constitution was formulated that had been the product of a democratically elected legislature. However, it failed to create a balance of power between the various branches of government and especially the balance between the powers of the army and the government. Numerous such issues and the challenges faced by the constitution today are discussed in the following pages and several thought provoking options have also been suggested with particular emphasis of strengthening the legislature and making the parliamentthe true sovereign body it needs to be