The News – Khawaja Asif hopes improvement in Islamabad-New Delhi ties after Indian elections

Epicentre of recent wave of terrorism in Pakistan is Afghanistan, says defence minister

Webdesk – 01 – 04- 2024. Expressing his views on bilateral ties of Pakistan and India, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif is hopeful for improvement of relations between Islamabad and New Delhi after the neighbouring nation completes its seven-phase elections commencing on 19 April 2024.

Regional arch-rivals – Islamabad and New Delhi – have a long history of strained relations, primarily due to Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) dispute which led to several wars while tensions usually rise on the occasions of countrywide elections in India.

“Our relations with India could be improved after elections there,” the defence minister expressed his views while speaking to reporters outside the Parliament House in Islamabad, adding that Pakistan and India ties have its “own background”.

As the country which borders with China, India, Afghanistan, and Iran witnessed tensions with other neighbours, except for China, following crossborder attacks from Iran and Afghanistan, Asif is hopeful for a turn of event in terms of improvement of bilateral ties with New Delhi after the neighbour completes its upcoming election phase.

It is noteworthy to mention here that India will begin voting in phases starting April 19 to elect a new parliament, the world’s largest election in which nearly one billion people are eligible to cast ballots, Reuters reported.

The election pits two-term strongman Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his regional allies against a bickering alliance of two dozen opposition parties, with surveys suggesting a comfortable win for Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Epicentre of recent wave of terrorism in Pakistan is Afghanistan until the neighbouring country takes decisive action against the banned outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) safe havens there.

The defence minister said that he, along with a high-level delegation, visited Afghanistan to request the Taliban government there to take effective steps to stop terrorism. However, the solution proposed by Kabul was not practically possible, he added.

“Our options are now reducing day-by-day for the neighbour due to fluctuation in Afghan interim government’s attitude towards Pakistan,” Asif said. He added that Pakistan has always stood besides Afghanistan, rendered sacrifices for them, and even fought wars with them.

He stressed treatment of Pak-Afghan border like other borders around the globe which restricts cross-border movement to visa holders under international laws.

He was of the view that the movement of people from Afghanistan without visas allows terrorists to enter Pakistan.

He also signalled on behalf of the federal government taking concrete steps in the coming days to the complete elimination of terrorism.

Elaborating on ongoing probe into the attack on Chinese nationals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Asif said that joint investigation teams of Pakistan and China found some leads, and they would soon dig up all facts regarding the terrorist attack.

Five Chinese citizens, including a woman, and a Pakistani driver were killed when their vehicle was attacked in Shangla’s Besham city as a suicide bomber crashed his explosives-laden vehicle into the car carrying the victims on 26 March.

To a question, the minister replied that Islamabad is successfully fulfilling targets of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), however, the government would be able to provide relief to the nation after at least 1.5 years.

He detailed that cases related to tax recovery worth Rs2,700 are currently pending, whereas, billions of rupees are being drained from the national exchequer due to electricity and gas theft. He, however, was optimistic of providing relief to the masses within next six months by taking effective moves.

To another question regarding restrictions on the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project, Asif replied that the United States should give an alternative solution to fulfilling energy needs of the country. He added that Washington must have to consider weak economic situation of Islamabad as the country reserves right to purchase gas on low prices from its neighbour.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1174650-khawaja-asif-hopes-improvement-in-islamabad-new-delhi-ties-after-indian-elections

The Pioneer – LAC: Putting together the jigsaw puzzle

The Government’s secrecy and censorship cast shadows on the true story of LAC, leaving critical gaps in the nation’s defence narrative

Ashok K Mehta

New Delhi – India, 24 January 2024. Unlike soldiers, diplomats and government officials are like the three wise monkeys. One such person not in that league I met more than a year ago told me about Chinese intrusions across LAC in 2020 and Operation Snow Leopard, the Indian Army’s only riposte to the intrusions.

Naravane writes he got these orders from the very top. All this might seem like history but like the present government keeps flaying Nehru for losing Aksai Chin, a future non-BJP government will castigate it for letting China realise its 1959 Claim Line in Ladakh and the government for surrendering the gains of Op Snow Leopard.

The government official in 2022 ruled out any military or diplomatic breakthrough on LAC. He said India has achieved what China is willing to concede. He also said there will be no high-level meetings though we know that Modi did try for one at the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia.

He also said nothing will happen till after the 2024 elections as the government will keep a lid on LAC till it has won a third term. 90 per cent of his predictions have turned out true and for the rest we have to wait.

It is a pity we may not know about the blanks in the LAC story as Naravane’s book is likely to be heavily censored if it is released at all.

Ajay Bisaria’s book has had no such problems though it contains critical details about operational matters as it shows that both the Balakot air strikes (whose effectiveness he does not confirm) and the readiness of nine missiles that were ready to be launched to force Wing Commander Abhinandan’s release were evidence of governments muscularity.

PM Modi himself bragged in an election rally about targeting Pakistan with nine missiles, adding these were not meant for Diwali. For an election speech, it breached many red lines. All is forgiven and forgotten about publishing classified information when it demonstrates the government’s strength and power. Naravane’s book apparently does not.

(The writer, a retired Major General, was Commander, IPKF South, Sri Lanka, and founder member of the Defence Planning Staff, currently the Integrated Defence Staff. Views are personal)

https://www.dailypioneer.com/2024/columnists/lac–putting-together-the-jigsaw-puzzle.html

Scroll.in – NewsClick hasn’t received even a penny of Chinese funding, editor-in-chief tells Delhi High Court

The court reserved its order on a plea by Prabir Purkayastha and the website’s human resources head Amit Chakraborty challenging their arrests.

Scroll Staff

NewsClick’s editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha on Monday told the Delhi High Court that the news website has not received even a penny of funding from China, Bar and Bench reported.

The court was hearing a petition by Purkayastha and the news website’s human resources head Amit Chakraborty challenging their arrest under the NewsClick’s editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha, the country’s anti-terror law. Justice Tushar Rao Gedela reserved the order.

Appearing for Purkayastha, senior advocate Kapil Sibal told the court that the allegations in the police’s first information report about the website having received Chinese funding were false. “All these things mentioned are false,” he said. “Not a penny has come from China.”

Sibal argued that the police failed to inform the NewsClick editor-in-chief about the grounds for his arrest – neither when he was arrested, nor when he was remanded to police custody.

Sibal also claimed that there had been overwriting in the remand records, and that it was obvious that some material had been added to it.

Sibal also told the court that only Purkayastha’s legal aid counsel was present when he was remanded to police custody.

“The order says legal aid counsel was present,” Sibal said. “I was not informed though. As per the Delhi High Court rules, if the accused is not present, the court must pass an order of temporary remand.”

However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta claimed that Purkayastha was informed about the grounds for his arrest, Live Law reported.

Mehta also alleged that the accused persons tried to compromise with the integrity and stability of the nation. He claimed that NewsClick referred to Arunachal Pradesh as the “northern border of Myanmar” – an expression used by China.

The case

In the FIR registered on August 17, the police accused NewsClick of taking funds from China in a “circuitous and camouflaged manner” to disrupt India’s sovereignty.

The case was registered after The New York Times alleged in an 05 August report that the Indian news website had received money from American businessman Neville Roy Singham, who worked closely with the “Chinese government media machine” to spread its propaganda.

The FIR describes Singham as an active member of the propaganda department of the Communist Party of China.

NewsClick FIR casts farmer protests as terror and fails to back sweeping charges with evidence

On Friday, NewsClick said that the “absurd nature” of the allegations shows that the proceedings are nothing but an attempt to muzzle the free press.

“As stated in previous NewsClick statements, NewsClick has not received any funding or instructions from China or Chinese entities,” it said. “Further, NewsClick has never committed or sought to encourage violence, secession or any illegal act in any manner whatsoever.

A perusal of NewsClick’s coverage, which is freely available online, should be sufficient to indicate the veracity of NewsClick’s claims.”

https://scroll.in/latest/1057323/newsclick-hasnt-received-even-a-penny-of-chinese-funding-editor-in-chief-tells-delhi-hc

The Wire – US State Dept Highlights ‘Continued Targeted’ Attacks on Minorities; India Calls Remarks ‘Motivated’

‘The U.S. Holocaust Museum continues to draw considerable attention to the human rights situation in India and lists it as one of its top countries of concern – with regards to the potential for mass killings there.’

The Wire Staff

New Delhi – India, 16 May 2023. A month before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, the US State Department on Monday highlighted “continued targeted attacks” against minorities and noted that the US holocaust museum considers India as having “potential for mass killing”.

India dismissed the report as “misinformation” and the remarks of US officials as “motivated and biased commentary”.

At an event in Washington, the 2022 International Religious Freedom Report, compiled by the State Department, was released by the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

There was no mention of India in Blinken’s official speech. But at a background briefing for reporters, there were unusually strong and detailed remarks on the state of India’s minorities.

“What we outline in today’s report is a targeted – continued targeted attacks against religious communities, including Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindu Dalits, and indigenous communities; dehumanizing rhetoric, including open calls for genocide against Muslims; lynching and other hate-fueled violence, attacks on houses of worship and home demolitions, and in some cases impunity and even clemency for those who’ve engaged in attacks on religious minorities – we’re also continuing to see, at the state level, some restrictions on religious attire,” said the unnamed senior state department official, as per the transcript uploaded on the website.

He was likely referring to the restrictions on wearing of hijab in educational institutions in Karnataka, which was legally challenged, but later upheld by the Supreme Court.

The State Department official noted that there had been “significant attention” from the international community in India, including from human rights groups.

“The U.S. Holocaust Museum continues to draw considerable attention to the human rights situation in India and lists it as one of its top countries of concern – with regards to the potential for mass killings there”.

India is currently ranked at eighth among 162 countries for the highest risk of mass killing by the US holocaust museum’s early warning project.

Stating that the US has directly engaged with India on these concerns, he said, “We’re continuing to encourage the government to condemn violence and hold accountable and protect all groups who engage in rhetoric that’s dehumanizing towards religious minorities and all groups who engage in violence against religious communities and other communities in India”.

The senior diplomat reiterated that the US will “continue to work very closely with our civil society colleagues on the ground, with courageous journalists that are working every day to document some of these abuses, and we’ll continue speaking directly with our counterparts in India to address these issues”.

Prime Minister Modi will be travelling to Washington next month for his first State visit, which will include a state dinner at the White House. He has already visited the US five times, but they have usually been classified as ‘working visits’.

In a response issued on Tuesday night, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi expressed regret that the reports “continue to be based on misinformation and flawed understanding”.

About the remarks made in the background briefing, he said, “Motivated and biased commentary by some U.S. officials only serves to undermine further the credibility of these reports”.

He added that India continued to “value our partnership with the U.S. and will continue to have frank exchanges on issues of concern to us”.

While India was not mentioned in Blinken’s speech this time, the South Asian country had been singled out by the secretary of state at the launch function of the annual report in June last year.

Along with perennial concerns about the rights of minorities in countries like China, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, Blinken had referred to “rising attacks on people and places of worship” in India.

This had then led to a furious response from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, accusing Washington of practising “vote bank politics” in “international relations”.

The MEA spokesperson had also claimed that India had brought up issues related to gun violence with the United States. “In our discussions with the US, we have regularly highlighted issues of concern there, including racially and ethnically motivated attacks, hate crimes and gun violence,” said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in June 2022.

While the State Department’s own report criticises the situation in India, it has also refused to accept the recommendation of the bipartisan US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for putting the South Asian nation on the list of “country of particular concern” since 2020.

https://thewire.in/world/us-state-department-india-minorities-modi-visit

The Asian Age – Border with India stable; Both sides working via channels, says Chinese envoy

Rajib Chowdhuri

Kolkata – West Bengal – India, 02 April 2023. A senior Chinese diplomat in India has called the border situation between the two countries “stable.” He also asserted that China and India have been in touch through different channels, bringing the border situation to “normalized management and control” at the earliest.

Minister Counsellor Chen Jianjun of the Chinese Embassy in India, who was in Kolkata on Friday, however pointed out that though the relationship between the two neighbors faces some difficulties, China’s position never got weak.

Speaking on ‘Chinese Diplomacy and China-India Relations’, he said, “The current border situation is overall stable. The two sides continue to maintain communication via diplomatic and military channels, promoting the transition of the border situation to normalized management and control at an earliest date.”

Mr Jianjun claimed, “The Chinese side has always viewed and handled China-India relations from a strategic and long-term perspective.

Although the relationship faces some difficulties, China’s position has never wavered and we have been committed to pushing it back on the track of healthy and steady development. Since last year, China-India relations have caught positive momentum. China and India’s bilateral trade continues to grow.”

He observed, “In a world intertwined with changes and chaos, China and India could speak out loud for more institutional rights of developing countries. China and India working together will bear on the future of Asia and beyond.

Both sides should follow the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries that “China and India should not be a threat to each other, but an opportunity for each other’s development,” and “be cooperation partners to each other instead of being competitive rivals”.

Mr Jianjun added, “China supports India in fulfilling its responsibilities as the presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the G20, willing to strengthen communication and cooperation, safeguard the common interests of developing countries and international fairness and justice.

We believe that China and India could find a way for neighboring major countries to live in peace and develop together, so as to realize the “Asian Century”.”

https://www.asianage.com/india/all-india/020423/border-with-india-stable-both-sides-working-via-channels-says-chinese-envoy.html

The News – Pakistan to attend SCO meeting in India

FO says Pakistan attaches importance to the region in its foreign policy priorities

Azaz Syed

Islamabad – Pakistan, 20 April 2023. Pakistan has confirmed that a high-level delegation headed by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) being held on 4-5 May 2023 in Goa, India.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zehra Baloch made the announcement today during her weekly press briefing.

The FO said that the foreign minister is attending the SCO CFM meeting at the invitation of the current Chair of SCO CFM, Dr S Jaishankar, Minister for External Affairs of the Republic of India.

​”Our participation in the meeting reflects Pakistan’s commitment to the SCO Charter and processes and the importance that Pakistan accords to the region in its foreign policy priorities.”

She said that Pakistan is currently preparing for the meeting.

​Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had also attended the last meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers held in July last year in Tashkent.​

Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman represented Pakistan at the 4th SCO Meeting of Heads of Ministries on Environmental Protection. The meeting was held online in New Delhi on 18th April 2023.

The spokesperson stated that the National Disaster Management Authority director virtually attended the SCO Expert Meeting of Heads of Agencies for Prevention and Elimination of Emergency Situations while today Muhammad Idrees Mahsud, Member Disaster Risk Reduction, is virtually participating in an SCO meeting.

Sudan situation

About the worsening situation in Sudan, the FO spokesperson said, “We continue to follow the worrying developments in Sudan and are closely monitoring the safety and security of the Pakistani community there”.

“Our Embassy in Sudan remains in close and constant contact with our community and will continue to facilitate them. The well-being of Pakistanis remains a key priority of the Government of Pakistan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1062682-pakistan-to-attend-sco-meeting-in-india

The News – Reopening of diplomatic missions: Saudi foreign ministry delegation arrives in Iran

The two longtime Middle East rivals have now pledged to work together after the China-brokered deal

Riyadh – Saudi Arabia, 09 April 2023. A Saudi diplomatic delegation arrived on Saturday in Tehran to discuss the reopening of its diplomatic missions after a seven-year absence, Riyadh’s foreign ministry said.

The visit follows an unprecedented meeting between the foreign ministers of both countries in China this week after they agreed last month to restore diplomatic ties.

Saturday’s visit is part of “implementing the tripartite agreement” reached on 10 March between the two regional powers, brokered by China, to restore relations ruptured in 2016, the Saudi foreign ministry said, cited by the official Saudi Press Agency. The two longtime Middle East rivals have now pledged to work together.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian met in Beijing on Thursday and vowed to bring “security and stability” to the turbulent Gulf region.

On Saturday, a Saudi “technical delegation” met Iran’s chief of protocol at the foreign ministry in Tehran, SPA said.

The two countries severed ties after protesters in the Islamic republic attacked Saudi diplomatic missions following Riyadh’s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has been invited by Saudi King Salman to Riyadh, a trip planned to take place after the holy fasting month of Ramazan.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1058836-reopening-of-diplomatic-missions-saudi-foreign-ministry-delegation-arrives-in-iran

The Asian Age – India invites Pakistan defence minister for SCO meet, Islamabad yet to respond

New Delhi – India, In line with its policy of inviting the representatives of all Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member nations for meetings of the grouping as per its rules, India has invited Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif for a SCO defence ministers’ meeting to be held in New Delhi in April, said news agency reports from Islamabad citing Pakistani media reports.

There was no immediate confirmation from New Delhi, but sources said India, as the current SCO chair, would invite all member nations of SCO for the grouping’s meetings as per the rules. India had last month said it was “customary” to invite all SCO member nations for any meeting in the country.

The SCO has eight member-nations so far: Russia, China, the four Central Asian nations of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic, besides India and Pakistan, with a ninth nation, Iran, also approved earlier as a full-fledged member. Political ties between India and Pakistan continue to remain strained.

India had earlier invited Pakistan’s foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari under the same rules for a SCO foreign ministers’ meeting that is reportedly due to be held in Goa in May, but there has been no word from Islamabad on either its attendance or if so, the level of participation (of either the foreign minister or minister of state for foreign affairs).

Another possibility may be attendance by Pakistan in virtual mode instead of in-person participation, although New Delhi had last month made it clear that it expects “in-person” attendance from representatives of the member nations if the event is not a virtual one.

Recent Pakistani media reports claimed that India had also invited Pakistan’s Supreme Court Chief Justice for a meeting of the Chief Justices of SCO member-nations but Pakistan Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial had skipped the meeting, with another Pakistani judge attending in virtual mode.

https://www.asianage.com/india/all-india/160323/india-invites-pak-defence-minister-for-sco-meet-islamabad-yet-to-respond.html

The Telegraph – India-China talks on – silence on territory

Imran Ahmed Siddiqui

Both sides to hold 18th round of military talks

The two sides reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control and discussed proposals for disengagement from the remaining areas in eastern Ladakh but no word on restoring status quo.

New Delhi – India, 23 February 2023. India and China on Wednesday held the 26th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on Border Affairs (WMCC) in Beijing during which the two sides reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control and discussed proposals for disengagement from the remaining areas in eastern Ladakh.

This was the first WMCC meeting to be held in person since the 14th meeting held in July 2019, a statement from India’s foreign ministry said.

The statement, however, remained silent on the restoration of the status quo as it was before the Chinese intrusions in eastern Ladakh in May 2020. Military veterans have for months questioned India’s continued silence on the restoration of status quo.

They have accused the Narendra Modi government of ceding further territory by agreeing to the creation of demilitarised “buffer zones” within India-claimed lines as part of the disengagement process with the Chinese.

The joint secretary, East Asia, led the Indian delegation during Wednesday’s meeting while the Chinese team was led by the director-general of the boundary and oceanic affairs department of the ministry of foreign affairs.

“The two sides reviewed the situation along the LAC in the western sector of India-China border areas and discussed proposals for disengagement in the remaining areas in an open and constructive manner, which would help in restoration of peace and tranquility along the LAC and create conditions for restoration of normalcy in bilateral relations,” the Indian external affairs ministry said in the statement.

Both sides agreed to hold the 18th round of military talks at an early date, the statement added.

During the 17th round of military talks in December last year, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army had demanded the creation of a buffer zone of 10-15km inside India-claimed lines as part of negotiations for disagreement from the Depsang Plains, sources in the security establishment said. India, the sources said, had rejected the PLA’s demand.

Chinese troops have so far disengaged partially from the Galwan Valley, Pangong Lake, Hot Springs and Gogra — with Indian soldiers too retreating by equal distances to create the buffer zones.

The sources said that in the buffer zones, Indian soldiers have retreated from their own land and the PLA troops have backed off from India-claimed lines while still remaining there.

The Chinese are yet to disengage from the strategic Depsang Plains where they are said to have been trenched 18km inside India-claimed lines and have built permanent infrastructure including roads, surface-to-air defence systems, radars and observation towers.

Overall, they are estimated to have taken over close to 1,000sqkm of India-claimed territory in Ladakh.

“India has already lost so much territory by agreeing to buffer zones at multiple transgression points because of the Modi government’s capitulation to Chinese aggression and bullying,” a veteran told.

https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/india-china-talks-on-silence-on-territory/cid/1918296

The Pioneer – Need to revive Saarc

Saarc must be revived to counter China’s influence in South Asia

OP/ED, 16 February 2023. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) was formed in 1985 as a platform for promoting economic and cultural cooperation among countries in the South Asian region. Its member States include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

While the organisation has had some successes in the past, its future prospects are somewhat uncertain. But in the wake of Chinese inroads into South Asia, it is imperative that India takes initiatives to revive Saarc at the earliest. One of the main challenges facing South Asia is the longstanding tension between India and Pakistan.

These two nuclear powers have a history of conflict and mistrust, and their disputes have often derailed Saarc meetings and initiatives. But India must take the initiative to work with Pakistan to put Saarc back on track as it would provide a mechanism to counter China’s influence.

Saarc can be effective in meeting the growing influence of China. China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to promote infrastructure and trade links across Asia and beyond, has drawn many Saarc countries into its orbit. Some experts worry that this could lead to a situation where China becomes the dominant player in the region.

There are reasons to be optimistic about the future of Saarc. For one, there is a growing recognition among member States of the need for greater regional integration. This has been reflected in initiatives such as the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA), which aims to create a free trade zone among Saarc countries.

While progress on SAFTA has been slow, there is still potential for it to be a significant driver of economic growth and cooperation in the region. There is rising interest in the Indo-Pacific among global powers such as the United States and Japan.

These countries have been looking to deepen their engagement with countries in the region, and Saarc could be a valuable partner in this effort. This could lead to increased support for Saarc initiatives and a greater focus on regional integration.

Though Saarc’s future is uncertain, there are reasons to be hopeful as there is growing recognition of the need for greater regional integration. The rise of global interest in the Indo-Pacific region could also provide an opportunity for Saarc to increase its relevance and influence. Ultimately, its success will depend on the ability of the member States to put aside their differences and work towards a shared vision of economic and cultural cooperation.

https://www.dailypioneer.com/2023/columnists/need-to-revive-saarc.html