Islamabad [Pakistan], September 7,2020: Amid the drastic change in US-Pakistan’s relationship, China is the only hope for Pakistan for economic assistance, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic, said Ayesha Siddiqa, a defence analyst and South Asian politics scholar.
Speaking during an interview with The News International, Siddiqa said amid the fast-changing world dynamics wherein the coalition among the United States, India and Saudi Arabia gains strength, “Pakistan is drifting away from the US towards a potential alliance between China, Russia and perhaps Iran.”
“The nature of US-Pakistan relations is changing drastically. Even though it has played a vital role in the US-Taliban negotiations, no one expects the continuation of American financial assistance to Pakistan. Islamabad joined the American alliance against the Taliban after 9/11,” Siddiqa said.
“While the dominant narrative popularised by Islamabad was that it was forced into alignment, governments stuck to the narrow prism of extracting financial resources from the US, which also meant delivering reluctantly. The foreign policy debate in Pakistan is silent about our own responsibility in supporting the Taliban or keeping Osama bin Laden. Ultimately, the relationship collapsed at a point of overselling of our capabilities with limited capacity to deliver,” she added.
The US-Pakistan relation has continued to be on a downhill as the latter has failed to take strong action against the terrorist groups emanating from its soil.
Due to the deteriorating ties, Siddiqa said, “China appears to be the only option. It may be Pakistan’s only hope for economic assistance, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic… In the wake of the fast-changing world dynamics, as the coalition among the United States, India and Saudi Arabia gains strength, Pakistan is drifting away from the US towards a potential alliance between China, Russia and perhaps Iran.”
She, however, noted that there are a lot of issues that still need to be worked out between these countries and Pakistan can benefit only “if it can do its homework and go beyond the idea of extracting limited benefits.”
“There is an expectation that Pakistan and Iran will come close as a result of both being part of BRI, especially if Beijing and Tehran sign an agreement that is being talked about. Right now, we don’t know if the agreement will get signed, but even if it does, I am not sure that we are domestically talking about the competition between Iran and Pakistan that will happen naturally. It was there even when both neighbours were once part of an American alignment,” she said.
She further stated that Pakistan needs to improve its relations with its neighbours including India, Iran and Afghanistan.
While commenting on Pakistan’s defence and foreign policy, Siddiqa said, “Pakistan’s defence and foreign policy community lacks independent thinking and diversity of viewpoints. Over the years, alternative voices have been silenced. I was talking to a diplomat, who said that during her two postings to the country between 2016 and now, many people that she would talk to are no longer in the country. The security community that we have now comprising faculty at the known public sector universities and think tanks only preach to the choir by communicating dominant narratives of the establishment back to them through their reports. It is interesting to note that most of the think tanks are located on the Grand Trunk Road with little input from other parts of the country.”
New Delhi , August 30,Aug2020: Acting swiftly after the Galwan valley clash on June 15 in Eastern Ladakh, the Indian Navy sailed out its frontline warship for deployment in the South China Sea much to the displeasure of the Chinese who raised objections over the move during the talks between the two sides.
The Chinese have been objecting to the presence of Indian Navy ships in the region where it has significantly expanded its presence since 2009 through artificial islands and military presence.
“Soon after the Galwan clash broke out in which 20 of our soldiers were killed, the Indian Navy deployed one of its frontline warship to the South China Sea where the People’s Liberation Army’s Navy objects to the presence of any other force claiming the majority of the waters as part of its territory,” government sources told ANI.
The immediate deployment of the Indian Navy warship in the South China Sea had a desired effect on the Chinese Navy and security establishment as they complained to the Indian side about the Indian warship’s presence there during the diplomatic level talks with the Indian side, the sources said.
During the deployment in the South China Sea where the American Navy had also deployed its destroyers and frigates, the Indian warship was continuously maintaining contact with their American counterparts over secure communication systems, the sources informed.
New Delhi: Aug28,2020:Disagreeing with its 2004 Constitution Bench verdict, the Supreme Court Thursday referred the issue of giving preferential treatment to certain sub-castes within the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), to a larger bench.
In doing so, a bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra, Indira Banerjee, Vineet Saran, M.R. Shah and Aniruddha Bose asserted that “there are unequals within the list of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and socially and educationally backward classes”.
“In case benefit which is meant for the emancipation of all the castes, included in the list of Scheduled Castes, is permitted to be usurped by few castes those who are adequately represented, have advanced and belonged to the creamy layer, then it would tantamount to creating inequality whereas in case of hunger every person is required to be fed and provided bread,” the bench observed.
“The entire basket of fruits cannot be given to mighty at the cost of others under the guise of forming a homogeneous class,” it added.
The court said reservations can be made for the sub-castes within the SCs. This is the opposite of what another five-judge bench had held in EV Chinnaiah v State of Andhra Pradesh in 2004.
The court requested Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde to place the matter before a bench comprising seven judges or more to decide the issue. This larger bench will look into several issues, including the state government’s powers to provide for such a sub-classification and the concept of creamy layer.
New Delhi, Aug 22,2020: The Border Security Force (BSF) deployed near the International Border (IB) in Tarn Taran, Punjab shot dead 5 intruders who were trying to enter India from Pakistan side on Saturday morning.
According to BSF, jawans deployed at the border spotted suspicious movement, and their repeated attempts to dissuade the intruders were met with firing.
“Alert troops of 103 Bn BSF noticed suspicious movement of intruders violating the International Border along Tarn Taran, Punjab. Upon being challenged to stop, intruders fired upon BSF troops who retaliated in self-defence. Resultantly, five intruders were shot dead. Intensive search operation is underway,” BSF said.
Local police are investigating the matter and the bodies have been recovered from the farmlands close to the IB.