SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
Prepared for the U.S. Department of State
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
TO: | SCA & Staff |
DATE: | Friday, February 23, 2024 6:30 AM ET |
Afghanistan
Taliban Publicly Executes Two People For Murder (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [2/22/2024 4:14 PM, Staff, 235K, Negative]
Taliban officials say two people were publicly executed on February 22 for murder at a soccer stadium in the southeastern Afghan city of Ghazni. The Taliban’s Supreme Court said in a statement that the execution of the two, whose names were withheld, was ordered by three courts and the Taliban’s supreme leader, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada. Witnesses were ordered not to record the executions. The first confirmed public execution after the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 was carried out in December 2022 in Farah Province. In June 2023, the Taliban publicly executed a person for murdering five people in Laghman Province. Pakistan
Pakistan to Seek at Least $6 Billion in New IMF Loan Program (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [2/22/2024 11:32 PM, Eric Martin and Faseeh Mangi, 5543K, Neutral]
Pakistan plans to seek a new loan of at least $6 billion from the International Monetary Fund to help the incoming government repay billions of dollars in debt due this year, according to a Pakistani official.The South Asian nation will seek to negotiate an Extended Fund Facility with the IMF, the official said, asking not to be identified as the discussions are private. Talks with the Washington-based lender are expected to start in March or April, the person said.Pakistan is trying to avert an economic crisis after a contentious election that saw the nation’s two main political dynasties form a coalition to keep out of power the party of jailed former leader Imran Khan. Shehbaz Sharif, who’s been nominated as prime minister, said last week that negotiating a fresh IMF loan will be a priority for the new administration.Pakistan’s Finance Ministry didn’t respond to a request for comment.Pakistan faces $25 billion of external debt payments in the fiscal year starting July, about three times its foreign-exchange reserves. The EFF loans are typically approved for three to four years to support policies to fix structural imbalances and are repaid after 4.5 to 12 years.The main goals for the next IMF program will include ensuring balance of payment and debt sustainability, privatizing state-owned enterprises, and increasing tax revenues, said Tahir Abbas, head of research at Karachi-based Arif Habib Ltd.“It will definitely be a strict and more focused program than past ones,” he said.Investors have been watching the post-election developments closely, concerned that political uncertainty would hinder the nation’s ability to secure more funding, thereby increasing the risk of a debt default. Fitch Ratings Ltd. said this week that failure to procure the loan would “increase external liquidity stressand raise the probability of default.”Jailed leader Imran Khan will write to the IMF to ask the multilateral lender to carry out an independent audit of the contentious election results before it continues discussions with Pakistan, his lawyer Ali Zafar said.The IMF can’t give a loan to a country that failed to hold free and fair elections as this would “further burden the people,” Zafar told reporters outside the prison where Khan is serving time. Sharif, who was prime minister from 2022 until last year, had success in the past in negotiating funding with the IMF. He helped obtain a nine-month, $3 billion loan under the fund’s Stand-By Arrangement in June. Pakistan has a final review under that loan program, which could unlock about $1.1 billion in funding before the facility expires in April. The nation has to repay a $1 billion dollar bond in April.For a new loan program, the incoming administration would need to make a formal request to the IMF after it takes office. The amount of funding would depend on subsequent talks with the lender.The IMF said in a statement that it’s “available, if requested, to support the post-election government through a new arrangement to address Pakistan’s ongoing challenges.”It also said the fund continues to talk with Pakistan about needed longer-term economic changes, including the best ways to bolster government revenues, improve the energy sector, liberalize the country’s exchange rate, overhaul state-owned enterprises and strengthen its resilience to climate shocks.Pakistan has received 23 bailout packages from the IMF since gaining its independence in 1947, among the most of any country in the world. Pakistan to seek at least $6 billion in new IMF loan program, Bloomberg reports (Reuters)
Reuters [2/22/2024 4:56 PM, Akanksha Khushi, 13914K, Negative]
Pakistan plans to seek a new loan of at least $6 billion from the International Monetary Fund to help the incoming government repay billions in debt due this year, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing a Pakistani official.The country will seek to negotiate an Extended Fund Facility with the IMF, the report said, adding that the talks with the global lender were expected to start in March or April.Pakistan averted default last summer thanks to a short-term International Monetary Fund bailout, but the programme expires next month and a new government will have to negotiate a long-term arrangement to keep the $350 billion economy stable.Ahead of the bailout, the South Asian nation had to undertake a slew of measures demanded by the IMF, including revising its budget, a hike in its benchmark interest rate, and increases in electricity and natural gas prices.The IMF staff continues a dialogue with authorities on needed longer-term reform efforts, a spokesperson for the fund said, adding that the fund is available, if requested, to support the post-election government through a new arrangement to address Pakistan’s ongoing challenges.Pakistan’s caretaker finance minister did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the Bloomberg report.Pakistan’s vulnerable external position means that securing financing from multilateral and bilateral partners will be one of the most urgent issues facing the next government, ratings agency Fitch said on Monday."A new deal is key to the country’s credit profile, and we assume one will be achieved within a few months, but an extended negotiation or failure to secure it would increase external liquidity stress and raise the probability of default," it said. Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan urges IMF to call election audit, his lawyer says (Reuters)
Reuters [2/22/2024 7:48 AM, Gibran Peshimam, 11975K, Neutral]
Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan will write to the IMF urging it to call for an independent audit of the country’s controversial Feb. 8 national elections before it continues talks with Islamabad, his lawyer said on Thursday.Pakistan averted default last summer thanks to a short term International Monetary Fund bailout, but the programme expires next month and a new government will have to negotiate a long-term arrangement to keep the $350 billion economy stable.Khan and his party alleged that the polls, which did not return a majority for any party, were rigged. Candidates backed by Khan won the most seats, but an alliance of his rival parties has more seats and is in a position to form the next government."The letter from Imran Khan we will say clearly that if the IMF wants to talk to Pakistan, they should place conditions of an independent audit (of the polls)," Khan’s lawyer, Ali Zafar, told reporters outside the jail where the former premier and cricket hero is imprisoned.Pakistan’s election commission denies widespread rigging and is hearing complaints by various applicants who allege irregularities.Zafar said that multilateral agencies such as the IMF and international blocs such as the European Union can only give financial assistance on the condition that there is good governance and democracy, including free and fair elections.The IMF met with political parties last year to seek assurances of their support of key objectives and policies under the bailout programme. Pakistan blocks X for the sixth day as activists criticize the social media platform’s shutdown (AP)
AP [2/22/2024 3:07 PM, Staff, 2565K, Negative]
Pakistan’s media regulators have blocked the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, with users across the country on Thursday enduring the sixth day of sweeping disruptions, partial and complete shutdowns.There was no comment on the outage by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and government officials have not responded to repeated queries from The Associated Press for comment.Human rights activists have demanded a full restoration of internet services and access to social media. Washington has also urged Pakistan to lift restrictions on X.The outage was first observed over the weekend when the political party of Pakistan’s imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan announced protests against what it says were rigged Feb. 8 parliamentary elections.In the vote, candidates backed by Khan, who was barred from running, won most seats but short of a simple majority needed to form a government.Social media platforms are often used by protest organizers to call followers out to the streets and spread the word about planned demonstrations.Pakistan has witnessed an increase in political instability since the balloting. The country’s elections oversight body denies charges by Khan’s party that the vote was stolen. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party or TPI said on Thursday that the restrictions on X have been placed by the authorities to suppress its voice on social media.On Wednesday, U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller expressed concerns in a statement to reporters over the outage and restrictions on the freedom of expression and association in Pakistan.“We continue to call on Pakistan to respect freedom of expression and restore access to a social media that has been restricted including Twitter, now known as X,” Miller said. “We have and will continue to emphasize the importance of respecting these fundamental freedoms during our engagements with Pakistani officials.”Khan’s rivals, including the former Premier Shehbaz Sharif, are trying to form a coalition government. Sharif replaced Khan after his ouster in a no-confidence vote in parliament in 2022. Khan has since then been convicted of offenses in what his supporters call politically motivated moves to keep him out of office. Pakistan Blocks X For Sixth Straight Day As Activists Criticize Shutdown (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [2/22/2024 3:59 PM, Staff, 223K, Neutral]
Pakistan’s media regulators again disrupted service on February 22 to the social-media platform X, formerly Twitter, affecting users across the country for the sixth day in a row.The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and human rights organizations in Pakistan had previously expressed concern over the restrictions on X in several parts of the country.The CPJ said in a statement that public access to the network was "restricted" for "the fifth day in a row” on February 21.The CPJ added that Pakistani authorities should "ensure uninterrupted public access to social networks and allow independent sharing and dissemination of information."There has been no comment on the outage by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), but Islamabad previously emphasized that it was committed to freedom of expression.Human rights activists have demanded a full restoration of Internet services and access to social media, while U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller on February 21 expressed concerns over the outage and restrictions on the freedom of expression in Pakistan."We continue to call on Pakistan to respect freedom of expression and restore access to a social media that has been restricted," Miller said in a statement. "We have and will continue to emphasize the importance of respecting these fundamental freedoms during our engagements with Pakistani officials."The Internet observatory NetBlocks in a statement on February 22 confirmed the restriction in Pakistan, saying it began on February 17."Metrics show X/Twitter has now been restricted in #Pakistan for over 120 hours, entering a sixth day of disruption as the nation joins a handful of countries that ban access to international social media platforms,” NetBlocks said.The restrictions were imposed as disclosures relating to election fraud circulated on the platform, NetBlocks said, adding that the measure "significantly hinders the exercise of democracy and media freedom."Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaf (PTI) party protested against alleged fraud in the elections on February 17.Pakistan’s caretaker government and the commission have repeatedly said that the February 8 election process was completely transparent and fair.The government suspended mobile phone and Internet services on election day in many parts of the country. At that time, the Interior Ministry said that it was done to ensure security.Khan’s political rivals earlier this week announced details of a power-sharing agreement, naming Shehbaz Sharif as their candidate for prime minister.The announcement followed days of talks among the leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League, the Pakistan People’s Party, and other parties that did not gain enough seats in the election to govern on their own. They said at a news conference that they had secured the required majority to form a coalition government.In the vote, candidates backed by Khan, who was barred from running, won the most seats but short of a simple majority needed to form a government. Pakistan Election Suggests Women Playing A New Role In Public Life (Forbes)
Forbes [2/22/2024 8:32 AM, Saman Rizwan, 7173K, Positive]
In Pakistan, as in corporate boardrooms around the country women are often absent. In recent years this has changed at a glacial pace. Pakistan’s Diva magazine profiled a handful of prominent female CEOs in a 2020 article. A list of famous female CEOS in the country would largely remain the same today.Their accomplishments are all the more suprisinging given the low rates of female participation in the workforce. Pakistan’s female labor force participation is low by global standards. Perhaps as low as 20% however World Bank figures place it even lower.This is miniscule. The number of talented women translates to a 60% potential GDP increase. A signifigant figure. In Pakistan women’s involvement in corporate life and the business sector is often driven by political trends.During the brief period in which Pakistan had a female head of state there was indeed a small uptick in female participation in the labor force.As Pakistan geared up for its 2024 general election, there was a palpable sense of anticipation in the air—a democratic exercise that not only symbolized the essence of Pakistan’s political ethos but also served as a testament to the growing empowerment of women in the country’s political landscape.Against the backdrop of this pivotal election, one of the most striking phenomena was the increased participation of women in the electoral process. Across the country, women stepped forward to assert their political agency this small trend could have lasting economic consequences.The 2024 election saw more women than ever before contested for seats in the National Assembly and provincial assemblies, representing a diverse array of political parties and ideologies. From urban centers to rural villages, women candidates campaigned tirelessly, mobilized support, and articulated their visions for a better Pakistan. With few economic positions open for some women, political life offers a way to play a leadership role. Women in Pakistan participate in the lower elected leves of government at a greater rate in Pakistan than in India a trend this reinforced.The significance of women’s participation in the 2024 election could not be overstated. It reflected a fundamental shift in societal attitudes towards women’s role in politics—a shift towards recognizing women as equal stakeholders in shaping the nation’s future. This growing acceptance of women in politics was a testament to the tireless advocacy efforts of grassroots movements, civil society organizations, and progressive leaders who had worked tirelessly to challenge gender norms and expand the political space for women.Moreover, the 2024 election was not just about increasing the number of women candidates on the ballot; it was also about ensuring that women’s voices were heard and their concerns were addressed in the political discourse. Women candidates championed issues that resonated deeply with women across the country, including gender-based violence, access to education and healthcare, economic empowerment, and women’s rights. By placing these issues at the forefront of the electoral agenda, women candidates reshaped the political narrative. Again, women’s political participation remains low — it is the overall trend which offers some promise.Despite the progress made, challenges persisted in achieving full gender parity in Pakistani politics. Women candidates continued to face various obstacles, including gender-based violence, discrimination, and unequal access to resources and political networks. Additionally, deep-rooted cultural and societal norms continued to hinder women’s participation in politics. This election saw increased physical security which is one reason that women were able to particpate in a greater way. Studies have shown in countries with high levels of poltiical violence there is often a corresponding drop in the role of women in political life.As Pakistan navigated the complexities of the 2024 election, it was imperative to build on the momentum of women’s increasing political engagement and address the systemic barriers that hindered women’s full participation in politics. Political parties had to adopt inclusive nomination processes, provide support and resources to women candidates, and actively promote women’s leadership within their ranks. Electoral reforms have removed some structural barriers and promote gender-sensitive electoral practices.The path ahead is a difficult one maybe difficult but, the trend line is in the right direction. It is time for Pakistani policymakers and CEOs to realize that greater oppurtunities for women is in the long-term benefit of the country’s economy and economic resilency. Internet: Pakistan’s new political battleground (Al Jazeera – opinion)
Al Jazeera [2/22/2024 9:31 AM, Ramsha Jahangir, 2060K, Negative]
In Pakistan, the internet has become a battleground. Not one fought with tanks and missiles but with throttled bandwidth and targeted shutdowns.Less than two months into 2024, Pakistan’s 128 million internet users have repeatedly been plunged into digital darkness, facing disruptions to mobile networks and social media platforms. In at least three instances in January, social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and Instagram have been out of reach. Now, many users have been disconnected from X (formerly Twitter) for more than 72 hours, marking the longest such disruption witnessed during this year’s election period and continuing past the voting on February 8.This is not without precedent. Pakistan has a long history of internet disruptions, particularly during periods of political turmoil. The country witnessed a four-day blackout after the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2023, and access to social media applications have allegedly been blocked on more than six occasions over the past year alone. Pakistan ranks third in the world for imposing nationwide restrictions. Alarmingly, each measure was carried out with nary a whisper of warning or explanation from the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority, the telecom and internet regulator, casting serious doubts over the rule of law and Pakistan’s ambition to expand its digital economy.The ramifications of such actions are far-reaching. Internet censorship not only violates fundamental rights to freedom of expression and access to information but also hinders economic activity and disrupts essential services. According to the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, a 24-hour suspension of internet services leads to a financial setback of 1.3 billion rupees ($15.6m), equivalent to a remarkable 0.57 percent of the nation’s average daily gross domestic product. Being the third largest base of freelance workers in the world, frequent disruptions can bring to a screeching halt years of progress and plunge foreign clients into a sea of doubt. In today’s interconnected world, digital access is no longer a luxury but a necessity, and its deliberate curtailment stifles innovation and progress. Perhaps most concerning are the impacts of such disruptions on democracy itself. For instance, it is deeply troubling that citizens voting in the country’s first digital election were unable to confirm their polling stations due to a lack of mobile connectivity.Authoritarian governments have increasingly sought to use internet disruptions and blockades as weapons to crush dissent. Over the past five years, at least 46 governments have imposed social media and messaging app restrictions. The Global Network Initiative has consistently pushed against such intentional restrictions, which almost always violate the principles of proportionality and necessity. Ironically, precedent has shown that disruptions usually don’t achieve their purposes as people often find ways to access applications through less secure channels when faced with restrictions. According to 10VPN, demand for VPN services in Pakistan more than doubled on February 18 compared with the daily average over the 28 days prior as X began to face restrictions in the country.Among Pakistanis, growing online outrage has helped fuel successive waves of protest against perceived election rigging, culminating in countrywide demonstrations challenging the legitimacy of the process. While the telecom authority referred to the recent outage as a “technical glitch”, seemingly targeted social media embargoes coinciding with these protests fuel suspicion among international partners who see it as a worrying step towards digital authoritarianism.In the absence of a precise and transparent legal basis for restrictions, the systematic erosion of democratic principles leaves the country treading a dangerous path backwards for both fundamental rights and economic progress.Democracy’s future is no longer only decided at the ballot box. From crowdsourcing solutions to exposing corruption, the internet and social media have become powerful tools for advancing participatory governance in democracies. They enable citizens to connect directly with their representatives, hold them accountable and enable the enjoyment of fundamental human rights in a democratic society.As Pakistan faces a transition in leadership, it must consider how it can move beyond this one-step-forward, two-steps-back approach and persuade the world and its citizens that it can foster a peaceful, stable internet, economy and democracy. Pakistan’s army was the clear election loser (Nikkei Asia – opinion)
Nikkei Asia [2/23/2024 3:00 AM, Ayesha Siddiqa, Neutral]
The results of Pakistan’s election two weeks ago came as a shock to analysts who expected Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to wilt under intense pressure from the country’s military authorities.
Instead, PTI-linked candidates running as independents -- due to the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to bar the use of the party’s signature cricket bat symbol on ballot papers -- came away with 93 National Assembly seats, besting all other parties.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won just 75 seats while the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) took 54. Khan’s party also swept polling for the regional assembly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The election outcome demonstrates the depth of public resentment in Pakistan of the army’s meddling in politics and state affairs as well as disenchantment with the country’s traditional political parties. People voted for Khan’s party not just because the former cricket star is a better politician but because he has become a symbol of standing up against military dominance.
The military and its intelligence agencies failed to take into account the fact that nearly half of Pakistan’s electorate is now less than 35 years of age or that the country’s youth have become resentful of military intervention thanks to Khan’s consciousness-raising since his removal from office in April 2022.
The Pakistani electorate’s rejection of the will of the military carries a whiff of the public uprisings against the generals who seized power in Myanmar in 2021 and against Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak in 2011. Notwithstanding a few intrusions into military bases last year, revolt is not on the cards in Pakistan, but the fact remains that the army has been considerably downgraded in people’s estimation from its previous status as a guarantor of political security and wellbeing. Indeed, a spreading sense of the military as the source of problems bears watching.
The PTI’s success in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can probably be attributed in part to regional sympathy for Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, the Islamic militant group responsible for hundreds of attacks last year. Khan has proposed allowing the group to open an office in the province and has characterized Pakistan’s war on terror as an American war being fought by Pakistan’s military. Consequently, Khan is likely to continue to claim that his ouster as prime minister in a no-confidence vote was the result of a U.S.-led conspiracy.
In some ways, the election outcome was inevitable due to the manner in which army intervention meant there was no way for the military to be viewed as a neutral arbiter just stepping into politics periodically.
Times have changed considerably since the military removed Nawaz Sharif as prime minister in 1999. At that time, images of people celebrating the civilian government’s departure flashed across television screens.
Later, as Gen. Pervez Musharraf and his military administration lost popularity due to his authoritarian approach to the judiciary, the army echelons decided not only to support a return to civilian rule but also to move toward managing governance rather than controlling the state directly. This approach allowed the army to exert control over decision-making and national resources without being held publicly responsible for bad outcomes.
Beginning around 2013, senior generals became ensconced in strategic government decision-making. Their role expanded further in 2018 with the army chief becoming a member of the core economic policymaking apparatus of the state.
This formula was good for the army’s image temporarily but has proved costly over the years as the public has still come around to seeing the army as jointly responsible for the tragic state of the country’s politics and economy.
The army perhaps might regain some credibility if Khan were allowed another chance to lead. But that seems especially unlikely after his three back-to-back convictions in the days immediately before the election. The army leadership is also showing no interest in striking a deal with the PTI.
Yet a coalition government without the PTI will not bring stability nor rehabilitate the army’s public image. Ever looming in the background will be PTI accusations about the party’s stolen election mandate. These will make things uncomfortable for a new government needing to make more unpopular financial decisions to retain financial support from the International Monetary Fund.
It appears the next government will be formed based on the formula of the PPP getting the presidency but not sitting in the cabinet, which is to be run by the PML-N’s Shehbaz Sharif as prime minister. He will be running a highly polarized country where each of the three main provinces are run by a different major party. No Pakistani prime minister has ever completed a full term in office and Sharif will probably be no exception.
As unlikely as it may be, the best way forward now would be for the PTI and other political parties to join together to take back control of the government from the military. That, in turn, would do wonders in softening public resentment of the army. India
India calls for early release of nationals working for Russian army (Reuters)
Reuters [2/23/2024 3:34 AM, Krishn Kaushik, 5.2M, Neutral]
India has asked Russia for the early release of some Indians working with the Russian army in "support jobs", New Delhi said on Friday, urging its nationals to stay away from the two-year-old Ukraine war.
The statement from the Indian foreign ministry came after the Hindu newspaper reported that around 100 Indians had been recruited in the past year under contracts lasting at least a year. Nationals of many countries have sought work with the Russian army, including from India’s neighbour Nepal.
"We are aware that a few Indian nationals have signed up for support jobs with the Russian army," said the statement, without giving any figure.
"The Indian Embassy has regularly taken up this matter with the relevant Russian authorities for their early discharge. We urge all Indian nationals to exercise due caution and stay away from this conflict."
The Russian embassy in New Delhi did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Russia and India have close defence and trade relations.
Nepal last month stopped issuing permits to its citizens to work in Russia and Ukraine until further notice after at least 10 Nepali soldiers were killed while serving in the Russian army.
Russia invaded neighbouring Ukraine in February 2022 in what it calls a "special military operation". Tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides have since died in the bloodiest land war in Europe since World War Two. India confirms citizens have joined Russian military (Deutsche Welle)
Deutsche Welle [2/23/2024 4:54 AM, Staff, Neutral]
The Indian Foreign Ministry says that some of the country’s citizens have signed up for jobs helping Russia in its war against Ukraine.The ministry has not confirmed if any of those who signed up had taken combat roles.What is New Delhi saying?In a statement, the ministry said it was "aware that a few Indian nationals have signed up for support jobs with the Russian army.""The Indian Embassy has regularly taken up this matter with the relevant Russian authorities for their early discharge," the statement. "We urge all Indian nationals to exercise due caution and stay away from this conflict."What do we know about the Indians working for Russia?India’s Hindu newspaper reported Wednesday that some 18 Indians were stranded in various frontlines towns. At least three were "forced" to fight alongside the Russians, the newspaper reported.The report alleged that Indians had been duped by recruiters based in Dubai who promised high wages and Russian passports.When they arrived in Moscow, the newspaper said, the Indians were reportedly trained to handle "arms and ammunition by the Russian Army" and sent to the frontlines last month. The newspaper report said about 100 Indians have been recruited in the past year under contracts lasting at least a year.Last month, Nepal stopped issuing permits for its citizens to work in Russia and Ukraine until further notice. At least 10 Nepali soldiers had been killed while serving in the Russian army. India will not rush into signing free trade deals, says minister (Reuters)
Reuters [2/23/2024 3:59 AM, Nikunj Ohri, 5.2M, Neutral]
India will not rush into signing free trade agreements (FTA) unless there is an equitable and fair balance in trade deals, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday.
"We should never rush trade negotiations, they are going to impact the country for years and years to come," Goyal said at an event organised by an independent think tank.
The minister was responding to a question on India’s trade negotiations with the UK and the European Union (EU) becoming more complicated.
India and the UK had expected to conclude a free trade deal around late 2022, and have shied away from committing to a deadline since. India and the EU restarted negotiations for a trade deal in 2022 after differences over what to expect from the deal led to a nine-year lull.
A deal between India and the UK is crucial for New Delhi, which hopes to become a bigger exporter, while the UK would get wider access for its whisky, premium cars and legal services.
India and the EU revived negotiations in 2022 to forge a free trade agreement that could act as a counterbalance to China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
Goyal also said India will take up EU’s carbon border adjustment tax strongly within rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and will also address the issue bilaterally.
India plans to protest the EU’s proposed carbon tax on imports of steel, iron ore and cement at the next meeting of the WTO to be held in Abu Dhabi from Feb. 26 to 29. The opposition alliance that aimed to oust Modi appears to be cracking just before India’s elections (AP)
AP [2/22/2024 11:03 PM, Krutika Pathi and Sheikh Saaliq, 22K, Neutral]
Last year more than two dozen opposition parties in India came together to take on Narendra Modi, one of the country’s most popular prime ministers in generations. But the broad alliance, beset with ideological differences and personality clashes, is cracking at a crucial time, just months before the country votes in a national election.Riven by rivalries, political defections and ideological clashes, the INDIA alliance, formed to unseat Modi and defeat his Bharatiya Janata Party’s electoral juggernaut, is in shambles, analysts say. Meanwhile, support for Modi is on the rise after he opened a Hindu temple in northern Ayodhya city last month, fulfilling his party’s long-held Hindu nationalist pledge.Led by the Indian National Congress party that once dominated the country’s politics, the unity front includes over two dozen powerful regional parties that are direct rivals to each other in some states. Their differences have only grown sharper as the election approaches, bolstering Modi’s shot at securing a third consecutive term.“The opposition is in disarray. They’re looking very weak and not at all cohesive,” said Arati Jerath, a political commentator.Analysts say talks on seat-sharing within the alliance have gone cold, in part due to the Congress party’s demands of fielding its own candidates in a majority of the seats, even in states where it is weak. This triggered two of the alliance’s key partners in West Bengal and Punjab states to say they would contest seats there alone.India has a first-past-the-post multiparty electoral system in which the candidate who receives the most votes wins. In 2019, Modi’s party received 37% of the votes, but won 303 of the 543 seats. The opposition is hoping to consolidate the splintered vote among the parties by fielding a single primary candidate in each constituency against the BJP in the elections, which are expected to take place in April and May.Meanwhile the recent defection of Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of eastern Bihar state and one of the architects of the INDIA alliance, to Modi’s party dealt another unexpected blow.“Modi’s party has been successful in exposing distrust within the opposition alliance. It is cannibalizing the opposition parties from within by engineering these defections and draining them from the ground,” said Gilles Verniers, a scholar of Indian politics and a senior fellow at the New Delhi-based Centre for Policy Research.Verniers said the opposition has failed to find common ground and craft a narrative that could challenge Modi.“From the start, the opposition alliance had to be more than just electoral arithmetic. But most parties are putting their own interests ahead and are looking to consolidate their positions in the states where they are strong. They are not ceding space to each other,” he said.The fracturing of the opposition alliance also stems from problems that have long plagued the dynastic Congress party, which is struggling to stay relevant among voters. In the 2019 election, the party secured a paltry 52 seats in Parliament.In contrast, Modi has presented himself as an outsider cracking down on the political elite. The 73-year-old leader has also increasingly mixed religion with politics in a formula that has resonated deeply with India’s majority Hindu population even if it undermines the country’s secular roots.While the Congress’ main leader, Rahul Gandhi — scion of the influential Gandhi family — has drawn large crowds along two cross-India walks in recent months, poll experts question whether it would actually translate into votes.The Congress party also recently lost in key state polls where it fought directly against the BJP. Meanwhile, an emboldened Modi told Parliament earlier this month that his BJP was aiming for 370 seats in the upcoming polls, and their National Democratic Alliance would target 400 out of the 543 seats.The opposition acknowledges there have been setbacks but claim they also been unfairly targeted and in a manner that belies the country’s democratic principles.Shashi Tharoor, a lawmaker from the Congress party, pointed to a spree of raids, arrests and corruption investigations against alliance leaders in some states by federal agencies that the opposition says are politically motivated.India’s main financial investigation agency has launched probes against many key opposition leaders, all of whom are political opponents of the BJP. Meanwhile, some investigations against erstwhile opposition leaders who later switched their allegiance to the ruling party have been dropped.“The government is not a believer in a level playing field,” said Tharoor. “There is not a single investigation, known or continuing, against anyone in the ruling party.”Modi’s party denies using law enforcement agencies to target the opposition and says the agencies act independently.According to Tharoor, the harassment of the opposition fits into a larger, more troubling picture for India in which its democratic and secular foundations are under threat.“The BJP has embarked on a very serious and far-reaching project to change the very character of the Indian nation,” he said.Political experts question why the opposition has failed to make key issues, including rising unemployment and economic discontentment, resonate with the more than 900 million voters.Even as India’s economy expands, joblessness among its large and young workforce has posed a significant challenge for Modi’s government. This was on stark display last month, when thousands of Indians vied for construction jobs in war-hit Israel.“They seem to lack the fire, the will to win, which the BJP have in ample quantities,” said Jerath, the political commentator. “Today, unless there is a popular uprising against the ruling party over economic distress, Modi looks well set to win a third term comfortably.” With spears and shields, India’s Nihang Sikh warriors join farmers’ protest (Reuters)
Reuters [2/23/2024 1:54 AM, Sunil Kataria, 5.2M, Neutral]
Thousands of protesting Indian farmers facing off with security forces have come under the protection of the Nihang Sikhs, a warrior sect dating back to the 1600s distinguished by their ink-blue robes and ancient weapons such as swords and spears.
The farmers, who are also mainly Sikhs and who hail from the northern state of Punjab, are demanding higher prices for their crops, and began marching to the capital Delhi earlier this month to press their demands to the government.
Police, however, have stopped the march about 200 km (125 miles) from the capital, using water cannons and tear gas to disrupt the demonstration.
On Wednesday, the farmers said they would stop their protest for two days after one of the demonstrators died. Police officers confirmed the man died at a protest site but added the cause of his death would only be determined by an autopsy.
As they waited for the march to resume, the Nihang warriors honed their skills by practicing fencing, horseback riding and meditating.
Easily distinguishable by their flowing robes and matching turbans, several Nihangs say they joined the march to "protect" the farmers.
"Guru Gobind Singh has preached that Sikhs must always be ready to fight injustice and oppression," said Sher Singh, one of the Nihangs referring to the spiritual leader of the Sikhs.
"We have to be prepared if these protesters face any trouble even in the middle of the night."
India’s minority Sikh community makes for more than half of Punjab’s 30 million population, and the Nihangs took part in a similar, year-long farmers’ protest in 2021.
"Farmers are being oppressed...The government must not think that they can scare the farmers away...this is Punjab and we are standing in solidarity with the farmers," said Raja Ram Singh, another Nihang.
During the 2021 march, three Nihangs were arrested in connection with the murder of a Sikh man at one of the protest sites who they accused of desecrating Sikh holy texts, according to local media reports.
The Nihangs did not deny the allegations, maintaining that the man had committed sacrilege by attacking their holy book, the media reports added. Indian ‘warriors’ face police to back protesting farmers (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [2/22/2024 10:05 AM, Staff, 11975K, Negative]
Indian Sikh warriors, some on horseback, gathered Thursday to protect protesting farmers stalled by fearsome police barricades from advancing on the capital New Delhi to demand higher crop prices. "The farmers’ leaders believe that solution is through talks but the police attack us at the same time," said Daljeet Singh, a farmer from Gurdaspur in India’s north.Thousands of farmers on tractors launched what they have dubbed "Delhi Chalo", or "March to Delhi", last week to demand a law to fix a minimum price for their crops, in addition to other concessions including the waiving of loans.Protesters have defied repeated efforts to disperse them, vowing to push through a fearsome blockade of metal spikes and concrete barricades erected to halt their progress."No farmer, no food," one protester scrawled on a concrete barrier.However, the farmers remain blocked by the barricades and by barrages of tear gas fired or dropped by drones when they try to come close.-’People who are oppressed’ -Alongside the farmers, hundreds of Nihangs -- a centuries-old warrior group renowned for their bravery in defending the Sikh faith -- have come to guard the demonstration."We are with the people who are oppressed, even if that means we die," said Rann Fateh Singh, dressed in sweeping purple robes and a high turban that mark him out as a Nihang.The Nihangs patrol the barricades near the small village of Shambhu, where the farmers have been stalled, about 200 kilometres (125 miles) north of New Delhi.The protests echo similar ones in January 2021, when farmers used their tractors to smash through barriers and rolled into New Delhi on Republic Day during their then year-long protest.This time around, their hundreds of tractors have been halted by concrete blocks and rolls of razor wire.The demonstrations come ahead of national elections likely to start in April.Two-thirds of India’s 1.4 billion people draw their livelihoods from agriculture, accounting for nearly a fifth of the country’s GDP.But farm incomes have remained largely stagnant for the past few decades and the sector is in dire need of investment and modernisation.Women farmers have also turned out among the thousands of men."Our demands are not illegal. We had announced that we want to go to Delhi peacefully... but the government has behaved as if we are people from an enemy state," 56-year-old Sukhwinder Kaur said."We will not go back." Majority on India’s rate panel believe current policy appropriate, minutes show (Reuters)
Reuters [2/22/2024 8:48 AM, Swati Bhat, 5239K, Neutral]
India’s current monetary policy is appropriate with growth holding firm and inflation trending down to the target, Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das said in the minutes of the February monetary policy meeting, released on Thursday."At this juncture, monetary policy must remain vigilant and not assume that our job on the inflation front is over," said Das.The six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), comprising three RBI and three external members, left the key repo rate unchanged at 6.50% on Feb. 8 for a sixth straight meeting. The RBI has raised rates by 250 basis points since May 2022.RBI deputy Michael Patra said elevated food inflation has strained private consumption, which accounts for 57% of the GDP. "This is particularly telling in rural areas. Inflation has to be restrained to its target for growth to be inclusive and sustained."There is a need to remain focussed on achieving the 4% inflation target in a sustained way, said external MPC member Shashanka Bhide.External member Ashima Goyal added that with growth still robust and recent headline inflation near the upper tolerance band, the MPC could wait a bit longer to ensure that inflation continues its movement towards the target despite geopolitics-related or other commodity price shocks.External member Jayant Varma, the only dissenter, voted for a 25 bps cut and a change of policy stance to neutral."Inflation is projected to average 4.5% in 2024-25, and, therefore, the current policy rate of 6.5% translates into a real rate of 2%," Varma said.This "creates the very real risk of turning growth pessimism into a self-fulfilling prophecy", he added.Varma said the government’s decision to continue on the path of fiscal consolidation opens up space for monetary easing without risking an inflationary spiral."In my view, the time has come for the MPC to send a clear signal that it takes its dual mandate of inflation and growth seriously," he wrote.Governor Das, however, said as markets are front-running central banks in anticipation of policy pivots, any premature move could undermine the success achieved so far. 1 foreign skier killed and 3 rescued after avalanche hits popular ski resort in Indian-held Kashmir (AP)
AP [2/22/2024 8:04 AM, Staff, 456K, Negative]
foreign skier was killed and three others were rescued after an avalanche hit a popular Himalayan ski resort in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Thursday, officials said.
At least four foreign skiers and their local guide were hit by an avalanche and buried in snow when they were skiing high in the mountains of the tourist town of Gulmarg, officials said. One remained missing.
Rescuers pulled three survivors from the snow. Officials were yet to identify the dead skier’s name and nationality.Gulmarg is nestled by the Pirpanjal mountain range in the western Himalayas and has one of Asia’s largest ski terrains, where thousands of domestic and international tourists visit.
Avalanches and landslides are common in Kashmir and have caused heavy death tolls for the Indian and Pakistani armies camped near the mountainous and forested militarized Line of Control that divides Kashmir between the nuclear-armed rivals.
In 2010, at least 17 soldiers were killed after an avalanche hit the Indian army’s High Altitude Warfare School in Gulmarg during their training session.
At least 20 Indian soldiers were killed in three avalanches in 2017, and in 2012, a massive avalanche in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir killed 140 people, including 129 Pakistani soldiers. Avalanche in India’s Kashmir leaves one Russian skier dead; 6 rescued (Reuters)
Reuters [2/22/2024 9:18 AM, Fayaz Bukhari, 5.2M, Negative]
One Russian skier was killed and six others rescued after being trapped in the snow following an avalanche near a Himalayan ski resort in Indian Kashmir on Thursday, an official in Kashmir’s Gulmarg town said.
The avalanche swept through the peaks near Gulmarg, which is popular with tourists and where disaster management authorities had issued an avalanche warning on Wednesday after heavy snowfall earlier in the week.
Wasim Raja, chief of the Gulmarg Development Authority, said the rescued skiers and their guide were receiving treatment for minor injuries.
Deadly avalanches in the Indian Himalayas have killed more than 120 people since 2021. Two Polish skiers died and 19 were rescued after an avalanche in the peaks around Gulmarg in February last year. NSB
How is Myanmar’s civil war impacting Bangladesh? (Deutsche Welle)
Deutsche Welle [2/22/2024 7:58 AM, Arafatul Islam, 2728K, Neutral]
Fighting between Myanmar’s junta and the Arakan Army (AA) rebel group in western Myanmar’s Rakhine state has intensified. Casualties have also been recorded in Bangladesh, with two people killed by an errant mortar round this month and several injured by gunshots from across the border. Rebel fighters have recently taken control of the Myanmar border region, and are seeking to oust junta forces from elsewhere in the state.This comes as a heavy blow for the Myanmar’s ruling junta, which seized power in February 2021 from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi to find itself embroiled in a wide-scale civil war.The Arakan Army is the military wing of the Rakhine ethnic minority that seeks autonomy from Myanmar’s central government. It has been attacking army outposts in Rakhine state since November 2023.Rohingya refugees skeptical of return to Rakhine Bangladesh is a predominantly Muslim country, which shares a 271-kilometer (168 miles) border with Buddhist-dominated Myanmar. Bangladesh is also the home of more than a million mostly Muslim Rohingya refugees, which have been fleeing Myanmar for decades, and especially after Myanmar launched a brutal "clearance operation" in Rakhine state against them in 2017.Talking to DW, several Rohingya refugees in the coastal Bangladeshi town of Cox’s Bazar commented on the success of the AA rebels with skepticism. They do not believe that predominantly Buddhist rebel force is willing to do much to improve their fate, even if the rebels manage to oust the junta."Buddhists have indeed been fighting against the Myanmar government in Rakhine, but we want citizenship upon return," Rashid, a Rohingya camp leader, told DW."We have never heard from [the AA] that they will take us back by providing us citizenship." Should Dhaka reach out to rebels?
However, Bangladeshi security expert M Sakhawat Hossain is more optimistic. The retired general points to pledges made by Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG) to ensure safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation of Rohingya from Bangladesh.
The NUG is a shadow government comprised out of activists and elected ministers who were ousted by the military coup.
The body enjoys a good deal of international support and has plans of taking power in Naypyidaw after the junta is defeated.
"The United League of Arakan (ULA), the political wing of the Arakan Army, will rule Rakhine state if the junta government loses its battles against the rebels and the NUG takes control of Myanmar. The NUG supports the ULA, which means that the Rohingya community has a better chance to get citizenship under the NUG and ULA," Hossain told DW.
He thinks that Bangladesh needs to develop informal communication with key decision-makers in Rakhine for the future.
"I have been saying for years that Bangladesh needs to support the AA for its own interest. This support can be informal, like many other countries do. It’s not important for Bangladesh what is happening in the whole of Myanmar, but what is happening in Rakhine and Chin states are very important for us in terms of security and refugee issues," he said.
Sending back Rohingya could backfire
At the same time, Bangladesh must be cautious in reaching out to rebels in any way, according to Michael Kugelman, South Asia director of the Washington-based Wilson Center think tank.
"[Bangladesh] needs workable relations with the junta for the sake of border security cooperation and negotiations over the Rohingya. If Dhaka opens up channels with the rebels and the junta knows this, that could have deleterious implications for Dhaka’s interests," he told DW.
Kugelman acknowledged that the rebels are making rapid gains against the junta. But this could push the junta to resort to even more brutal tactics, and that could in turn intensify the conflict and increase spillover effects in Bangladesh.
"AA gains or control in Rakhine may make conditions better for the Rohingya, but it could also make things more difficult," Kugelman said. The junta could interpret any initiative to repatriate the Rohingya refugees as a signal of cooperation between the Muslim group and the Buddhist rebels, which could "entail fresh threats to Rohingya communities," he told DW.
Bangladesh doesn’t want more refugeees
Meanwhile, Rohingya in Rakhine’s Maungdaw area remain trapped amid fierce fighting between the junta forces and the AA rebels, Nay San Lwin, a co-founder of the Free Rohingya Coalition, told DW.
"The junta is losing on the battlefield, and the Rohingya are running to save their lives while the Arakan Army is attempting to take full control of the region," he said.
"In Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships, approximately 270,000 Rohingya are remaining. In the entire Rakhine state, there are approximately 600,000 Rohingya, including about 130,000 confined to camps," he added.
Nay runs one of the biggest Rohingya information hubs from Frankfurt, Germany. He thinks that the remaining Rohingya in Mynamar will attempt to flee the civil war, but would avoid Bangladesh.
"Rohingya in the region are very cautious about fleeing to Bangladesh. Many of their fellow Rohingya have been trapped in Bangladeshi camps for several years, and the prospect of repatriation is uncertain," he told DW.
"Only those in need of medical attention are attempting to flee to seek treatment in Bangladesh due to insufficient medical staff at Maungdaw Hospital. According to residents, the surgeon has left," Nay added.
And Bangladesh, already overwhelmed by continuous waves of refugees, is not in the mood to accept anyone from Myanmar at the moment.
"Our Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and coast guard have intensified their petrol at the border so that no one from Myanmar could infiltrate into Bangladesh," Muhammad Shaheen Imran, the deputy commissioner of Cox’s Bazar, told DW.
Central Asia
Kazakhstan: Major data hack bears Chinese fingerprints (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [2/22/2024 4:14 PM, Almaz Kumenov, 57.6K, Negative]
A trove of freshly leaked data, apparently from a contractor for China’s security services, has revealed that particular interest was taken in learning about law enforcement and military personnel in Kazakhstan.
The Kazakh Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry Ministry said in a statement on February 20 that it has, together with the National Security Committee, or KNB, begun analyzing the leaked information to learn more.
The story began earlier this month, when unknown users of the GitHub developer platform uploaded a large amount of sensitive data they said had come from a Chinese company called I-Soon, which they said had done work for the Chinese Ministry of Public Security.
IT specialists say the data was sourced from all over the world, including Afghanistan, Egypt, France, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, and Turkey, among many others.
TsARKA, a Kazakhstan-based cyber-security company, suggested on its website on February 20 that the leak revealed the techniques preferred by Chinese IT surveillance operatives. These included Trojan viruses, systems for de-anonymizing social network users, and WiFi networking hacking equipment.
The target of the alleged Chinese surveillance operation was both broader systems, such as databases, and the correspondence, call logs and movements of specific individuals, cybersecurity experts have said.
Kazakhstan appears to have been of particular interest to Chinese intelligence services. Based on an analysis of the leaked information, TsARKA claimed that at least one hacker group had full access to the critical infrastructure of Kazakhstan’s telecom operators over a period of more than two years.
Entities whose data ended up in the hands of the Chinese company include the country’s largest telecommunications operator, Kazakhtelecom, as well as cellular operators Beeline, Kcell and Tele2. The information included the personal data of subscribers: names, email and postal addresses, phone numbers, call logs, device IMEIs, and logins and passwords.
Other reported targets were the State Pension Fund and airline company Air Astana. The pension fund, however, has denied that any of its data has been hacked.
The targeted individuals identified by TsARKA included employees of the National Security Committee, or KNB, and the Defense Ministry.“This is just the tip of the iceberg. No one knows how many undetected hackers and leaks of our data there are,” said researchers for the company, which is widely understood to have ties to the KNB. Kazakh Journalist Mukhammedkarim Starts Hunger Strike Demanding His Trial Be Public (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [2/22/2024 6:10 AM, Staff, 223K, Neutral]
Independent Kazakh journalist Duman Mukhammedkarim, who is on trial for what he says are politically motivated charges of financing an extremist group and participating in a banned group’s activities, has launched a hunger strike to demand that his court hearings be open to the public.Mukhammedkarim’s lawyer, Ghalym Nurpeisov, told reporters and his client’s supporters on February 22 after the journalist’s trial resumed in the southern town of Qonaev that Mukhammedkarim vowed to stop his hunger strike only after the judge retracts his previous decision to hold the trial behind closed doors.The high-profile trial of the reporter known for his articles critical of the government started on February 12.Dozens of Mukhammedkarim’s supporters again gathered in front of the court’s building, chanting "Freedom!"Mukhammedkarim, whose Ne Deidi? (What Do They Say?) YouTube channel is extremely popular in Kazakhstan, was sent to pretrial detention in June 2023 over his online interview with fugitive banker and outspoken critic of the Kazakh government Mukhtar Ablyazov. Ablyazov’s Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK) movement was labeled as extremist and banned in the country in March 2018.If convicted, Mukhammedkarim could be sentenced to up to 12 years in prison.Domestic and international right organizations have urged Kazakh authorities to drop all charges against Mukhammedkarim and immediately release him. Kazakh rights defenders recognize Mukhammedkarim as a political prisoner.Rights watchdogs have criticized the authorities in the tightly controlled former Soviet republic for persecuting dissent, but Astana has shrugged off the criticism, saying there are no political prisoners in the country.Kazakhstan was ruled by authoritarian President Nursultan Nazarbaev from its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 until current President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev succeeded him in 2019.Over the past three decades, several opposition figures have been killed and many jailed or forced to flee the country.Toqaev, who broadened his powers after Nazarbaev and his family left the oil-rich country’s political scene following the deadly, unprecedented anti-government protests in January 2022, has promised political reforms and more freedoms for citizens.However, many in Kazakhstan consider the reforms announced by Toqaev cosmetic, as a crackdown on dissent has continued even after the president announced his "New Kazakhstan" program. Kyrgyz Lawmakers Approve Second Reading Of Controversial Bill On ‘Foreign Representatives’ (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [2/22/2024 7:14 AM, Staff, 223K, Negative]
The Kyrgyz parliament on February 22 approved on second reading a controversial bill that would allow authorities to register organizations as "foreign representatives" in a way that critics say mirrors repressive Russian legislation on so-called foreign agents. Dozens of nongovernmental organizations in Kyrgyzstan have called on lawmakers to reject the bill, insisting it merely substitutes the term "foreign representative" for "foreign agent" and would have a similarly chilling effect on their work. Russian authorities have used the law on foreign agents to discredit those labeled as such and to stifle dissent. Kyrgyzstan: Lawmakers push ahead with contentious foreign agents bill (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [2/22/2024 4:14 PM, Ayzirek Imanaliyeva, 57.6K, Negative]
Lawmakers in Kyrgyzstan have approved the second reading of legislation regulating the activities of nongovernmental organizations that advocacy groups and international rights organizations have said will throttle civil society.
Of the 83 MPs registered on February 22 in the Jogorku Kenesh, the parliament, 64 ostensibly backed the bill. The voting process has come under fire, however, as many deputies flagrantly violated procedural rules by casting their vote on behalf of absent colleagues. Five MPs voted against.
The group of around 20 lawmakers championing this legislation is fronted by Nadira Narmatova, a member of the Ata-Jurt Kyrgyzstan, who delivered another emotion-laden defense of the initiative before parliament. Narmatova has positioned herself as a foe of “Western ideology,” a rubric that she extends to LGBT advocacy, something she claims contributes to the rising divorce rates.
Under this legislation, any NGOs receiving funding from abroad will be classified as “foreign representatives.” Those types of organizations will also have to submit to annual audits and provide details on all their employees and their salaries.
Critics complain that the bureaucracy entailed in the requirements of the new rules will be so costly and onerous that many NGOs will have to cease operations. While pro-government voices contend that their intention is only to enhance financial transparency, the potentially affected parties suspect the true goal is to stir public animosity toward them by having them cast as operatives for outside paymasters.
Officials say there are currently around 18,000 NGOs registered in Kyrgyzstan.
While the Jogorku Kenesh has now largely become a vacant chamber that does the bidding of the authorities, Dastan Bekeshev remains one of its only members to consistently criticize proposals he sees as questionable.
During debates, Bekeshev quizzed Narmatova over whether she too should be considered a “foreign agent” in view of the fact that she rents out property she owns in the southern city of Osh to the Russian Consulate there.
This sparked an impassioned response, during which Narmatova appeared to be on the verge of tears.“If this law had been passed 10 years ago, there would not have been such caustic questions as yours, and there would be no state traitors. This [legislation] is for the sake of security, peace and independence of the state,” Narmatova said. “As a citizen of Kyrgyzstan, I can rent out my property to whomever I want.”
The Russian link is not incidental. Many legal experts have noted that the bill going through the Jogorku Kenesh bears a striking resemblance to Russian legislation adopted in 2012.
A strand of the “foreign representatives” bill that has many activists worried is one that envisions an additional label for organizations deemed to be “engaging in political activities.” This tag may be given to organizations engaged in lobbying government agencies and the wider public on matters of state policy. The parameters for this designation, however, are vague.
An international coalition of advocacy groups on February 13 petitioned European policymakers and politicians to use their influence to dissuade Kyrgyzstan from adopting the bill.
Their statement noted that the foreign representative label was “highly stigmatizing and discrediting” and implied “that NGOs serve foreign interests and do not work to the benefit of their own target communities or country.”“Basic NGO activities, such as organizing public debates, peaceful assemblies or other events; publishing appeals, legal opinions or comments on state policies; and conducting sociological research, opinion polls or public awareness-raising would be classified as political activities if they are construed as attempts to influence public decision-making, policies or opinion,” the statement said.
In one notable climbdown earlier this month, lawmakers removed a provision invoking criminal liability and sentences of up to 10 years in prison for members of NGOs found by the justice system to have been involved in “violence against citizens” or induced them “to refuse to perform civil duties or commit other illegal acts.”
The U.S. government is among those criticizing the bill.
Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reportedly expressed his misgivings, noting that the bill as it stands “threatens Kyrgyz citizens’ access to vital services such as health care and education through programs run by NGOs with support from the U.S. government and international partners.”“Some U.S. implementing partners are so concerned about this law … they are considering the possibility of a preventive termination of their activities in the Kyrgyz Republic,” Blinken said in the letter, whose contents were reported by 24.kg news agency.The office of President Sadyr Japarov lashed out angrily at that criticism, which it said was based on inaccurate information provided by foreign-funded NGOs.“Such unreliable sources speculate on their ‘difficulties’ and ‘persecutions,’ which, in turn, force sponsoring foreign structures to follow their lead, engage in wastefulness, wasting money of taxpayers in the United States and [European Union] countries,” Japarov said in the letter, written in English. “Over the past three decades, a ‘layer’ of non-governmental/non-profit organizations that receive funding from abroad has appeared in our country (in Kyrgyz society they are called ‘grant eaters’), whose leaders have turned them, in fact, into ‘family enterprises,’ engaged in [stealing] the money coming from foreign sponsors.” In Farcical Vote, Kyrgyz ‘Foreign Representative’ Law Moves Ahead Again (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [2/22/2024 7:55 PM, Catherine Putz, 201K, Neutral]
Technically, 83 of 90 members of the Kyrgyz parliament, the Jogorku Kenesh, were registered at the February 22 meeting at which the body passed in its second reading the controversial “foreign representatives” bill. Technically, 64 deputies voted for the bill and five voted against.24.kg, however, counted no more than 50 deputies in the hall and, citing video of the voting, noted that some deputies – in violation of parliamentary rules – voted in place of their absent colleagues. They can be seen blatantly casting votes on neighboring computer terminals. The bill, proposed and promoted by Nadira Narmatova, has drawn sharp criticism, much as it did nearly a decade ago when an earlier effort to put in place a Russian-style “foreign agents” act ultimately failed. Narmatova, the bill’s author, seems determined to get the act passed and if the farcical February 22 vote is anything to judge by, she may get her wish. Although some changes have been made to the bill since its resurrection last year, such as the dropping of criminal liability for violations, opponents remain deeply concerned about the impact its passage will have on Kyrgyzstan. Earlier this month, the director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Matteo Mecacci, and the OSCE representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro expressed their concerns, noting in particular the bill’s potential “negative impact on civil society, human rights defenders, and the media.”Dastan Bekeshev, a vocal opponent to the bill, earlier said that the law would “be used as a weapon.” In the most recent parliamentary hearing on the bill, Bekeshev asked if Narmatova herself should be considered a foreign agent. Bekeshev’s question pointed to 2022 reporting by PolitKlinika that uncovered that the Russian consulate in Osh is located in a building owned by Narmatova. Narmatova responded that had the law “been passed 10 years ago, there would not have been such caustic questions as yours, and there would be no state traitors. This [bill] is for the sake of security, peace, and independence of the state.” Back in 2022, when PolitKlinika initially reported on the building Narmatova denied she owned it. In her recent comments in parliament, Narmatova said she acquired the building on credit in 2009 – incidentally the same year the Russian consulate began renting it – and she was still paying it off. She went on to say that “As a citizen of Kyrgyzstan, I can rent out my property to whomever I want.”Bekeshev expanded on his opposition, noting economic consequences. “We will see this ourselves within a year. Business will see. How many projects in the fields of education, agriculture and others are being implemented through [NGOs]? I am against the bill,” he argued.As RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service, Radio Azattyk, reported, other deputies who voted against the bill – Suyun Omurzakov, Eldar Abakirov, and Nurzhigit Kadyrbekov among them – aired concerns that the bill would limit the work of NGOs in the educational field. Kadyrbekov, for example, noted that he’d studied in Japan on a full grant and noted that foreign donors fund a variety of education programs in Kyrgyzstan.The bill, if passed into law, would see non-profit organizations/non-governmental organizations that receive funding from abroad labeled as “foreign representatives” if they carry out “political activities.” Such organizations would be subject to additional reporting requirements and inspections and could be suspended and ultimately liquidated by government order. A core problem with the bill, its opponents note, is the sweeping definition of “political activities.” These activities include: – participation in the organization and holding of public events in the form of meetings, rallies, demonstrations, processions or pickets, or any combination of these forms, organization and holding of public debates, discussions, reports;– participation in activities aimed at obtaining certain results in elections and referendums, monitoring of elections and referendums, creation of election commissions, referendum commissions, and activities of political parties;– public appeals to state bodies, local self-government bodies, and their officials, as well as other actions that affect the work of these bodies, including the adoption, modification, cancellation of laws or other normative legal acts;– dissemination of opinions about the decisions made by state bodies and the ongoing policy, including dissemination using modern information technologies;– formation of socio-political views and beliefs, including public opinion polls and publication of their results or conducting other sociological researches;– involving citizens, including minors, in these activities.When Narmatova first initiated the bill last year she had 32 co-sponsors. That list has dwindled to 18 and may shrink further given that Iskender Matraimov and Nurlan Rajabaliev – the brother and close associate, respectively, of again-fugitive former deputy customs head Raimbek Matraimov – this week resigned from their seats in parliament. Both men were listed as of publication among the foreign representatives bill’s initiators on the Jogorku Kenesh’s website.One final thing to note: Reading over the above, and exploring the hyperlinked sources, readers will find a number of reputable Kyrgyz media organizations – 24.kg, PolitKlinika, Kloop, and Azattyk. Last month, Kyrgyz authorities detailed 11 journalists, two of which work for PolitKlinika, and sealed the offices of 24.kg. Earlier this month, a Kyrgyz court ordered Kloop to liquidate, after blocking its websites in September 2023. Last year, Azattyk was similarly ordered to shut down before the government and the U.S.-funded outlet struck a deal.Indisputably, among the organizations most at risk in Kyrgyzstan from the consequences of the foreign representatives bill are media organizations like these, many of which (though not all) are supported by foreign donors and organizations in one way or another. Bishkek has made it clear that investigative or critical reporting on the government is not welcome. Brother, Associate Of Fugitive Ex-Customs Deputy Chief Give Up Seats In Kyrgyz Parliament (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [2/22/2024 8:28 AM, Staff, 223K, Negative]
The Kyrgyz Central Election Commission on February 22 annulled the mandates of lawmakers Iskender Matraimov and Nurlan Rajabaliev at their own requests. The former is a brother and the latter a close associate of the former deputy chief of the Customs Service, Raimbek Matraimov, who was added to the wanted list last month on charges of abduction and the illegal incarceration of unspecified individuals. Raimbek Matraimov, who escaped imprisonment in 2021 by paying 2 billion soms ($22.4 million) to Kyrgyzstan’s State Treasury, was hit with the new charges after Kyrgyz police shot dead criminal kingpin Kamchybek Kolbaev in October. Twitter
Afghanistan
Abdul Qahar Balkhi@QaharBalkhi
[2/22/2024 8:56 AM, 231.5K followers, 29 retweets, 157 likes]
Today, Head of UNAMA, Ms Roza Otunbayeva called on IEA-Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi. The meeting underlined the recent Doha meeting on Afghanistan, UN Special Coordinator assessment, & future IEA-UN engagement.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi@QaharBalkhi
[2/22/2024 8:56 AM, 231.5K followers, 6 likes]
Updating on the Doha meeting, Ms Otunbayeva commented that the UNSG said that consultations should take place with the Afghan government, adding that UNSG stressed that no step should be taken to appoint a Special Envoy that could complicate engagement with the Afghan government.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi@QaharBalkhi
[2/22/2024 8:56 AM, 231.5K followers, 6 likes]
Ms Otunbayeva said that if participants agree, more meetings will be held in Doha to improve understanding between us, highlighting that there will be broad consultations with IEA regarding the upcoming meetings. Ms Otunbayeva said the participants of the Doha meeting emphasized
Abdul Qahar Balkhi@QaharBalkhi
[2/22/2024 8:56 AM, 231.5K followers, 6 likes]
continued engagement with the Afghan government. Later, FM Muttaqi said that IEA-MoFA closely monitored the Doha meeting & observed no tangible outcome, adding that we hope meetings on Afghanistan bear positive results.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi@QaharBalkhi
[2/22/2024 8:56 AM, 231.5K followers, 6 likes]
To end, FM Muttaqi stressed importance of holding timely comprehensive consultations with Kabul for effectiveness of meetings.
UNAMA News@UNAMAnews
[2/22/2024 9:57 AM, 303.1K followers, 68 retweets, 70 likes]
Two people were publicly executed today by #Afghanistan’s de facto authorities in Ghazni province. The UN is strongly opposed to the death penalty. It is inconsistent with the fundamental right to life.
UNAMA News@UNAMAnews
[2/22/2024 9:57 AM, 303.1K followers, 9 retweets, 6 likes]
UNAMA urges the de facto authorities to establish an immediate moratorium on the use of the death penalty, as a step towards its abolition.
Bilal Sarwary@bsarwary
[2/22/2024 8:23 PM, 251.3K followers, 19 retweets, 33 likes]
Reports from local sources in Badakhshan have revealed a deeply troubling incident: Taliban forces, accompanied by the notorious vice and virtue officials, raided a wedding ceremony in Targani village, Argo district, Badakhshan province . Their target? Twelve young individuals, arrested for the "crime" of playing music at a wedding. The consequences were swift and severe. In a shocking display of brutality, the Taliban publicly shaved the heads of these youths, inflicting humiliation and pain in front of their community. This is not an isolated occurrence. Alarmingly, it marks the second time in just one month that such violence has been unleashed upon innocent civilians in Badakhshan. After enduring four days in custody, the young people were released on bail, but the scars of their ordeal remain.
Mariam Solaimankhil@Mariamistan
[2/23/2024 1:37 AM, 92.4K followers, 4 retweets, 12 likes]
When you lobby for the Taliban, you’re advocating for the oppression of women. When you excuse the Taliban, you’re excusing their crimes. Claiming they’ve changed is to ignore the suffering of millions. Remember, it’s clear-cut: support them, or stand against. No middle ground. You’re either part of the problem or part of the solution. We are taking names- we won’t forget. #FreeAfghanistan
Mariam Solaimankhil@Mariamistan
[2/22/2024 2:11 PM, 92.4K followers, 6 retweets, 12 likes]
Public executions have started in Ghazni, Afghanistan. Without due process or legal proceedings, decisions on life and death are being made by individual Taliban members. How can the world expect Afghans to report corruption and abuses by the Taliban under such circumstances? Would you?
Heather Barr@heatherbarr1
[2/22/2024 9:04 AM, 62.2K followers, 89 retweets, 125 likes]
The Taliban obliteration of the rights of women and girls is ongoing, with no end in sight. Pakistan
BilawalBhuttoZardari@BBhuttoZardari
[2/22/2024 8:25 AM, 5.1M followers, 2.6K retweets, 3.1K likes]
A fraudster from my constituency has claimed that my Larkana victory is manipulated. Please find link attached with all form 45s from every polling station from my constituency. I do not take such allegations lightly. The PPP has sacrificed the blood of our leadership and workers for democracy. Allegations of rigging or irregularities in elections are serious and should be taken seriously. Those who make false accusations do an injustice to all those who have legitimate concerns. I will be taking legal action against those who have made false accusations against me. NA194 form 45s polling station results: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rrJEWrzGC06qVS4UhCpIKJ8MYfDKncDJ/view Form 47 complete result: I got 135,112 votes That’s almost a 100K lead. Pathetic that rather than gracefully accepting defeat losers resort to lying.
Michael Kugelman@MichaelKugelman
[2/22/2024 9:58 AM, 209.7K followers, 1K retweets, 2.2K likes]
Imran Khan reportedly plans to write a letter to the IMF demanding it not fund Pakistan due to election rigging. Such a letter would be disregarded and have no value, but what a terrible idea. Pakistan badly needs a new loan. Not getting one could be catastrophic for the economy.
Michael Kugelman@MichaelKugelman
[2/22/2024 9:58 AM, 209.7K followers, 60 retweets, 210 likes]
This letter idea is telling. PTI has the gift of widespread public support. If it sits in the opposition and simply waits for a weak new coalition to fail and fall, it can position itself well-including for a reconciliation w/the military, which it would need to return to power.
Michael Kugelman@MichaelKugelman
[2/22/2024 9:58 AM, 209.7K followers, 47 retweets, 186 likes]
But if it resists, confronts, and tries to hold the country hostage to its politics, it could hurt its cause and invite more crackdowns and confrontation w/the military. Massive rigging allegations, PTI’s populism, and the base’s understandable anger suggest it won’t sit quietly.
Hamid Mir@HamidMirPAK
[2/22/2024 11:49 PM, 8.4M followers, 52 retweets, 339 likes]
At least someone is looking after the public interest in Pakistan. LHC revokes notification of medicines price hike https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/22-Feb-2024/lhc-revokes-notification-of-medicines-price-hike India
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[2/22/2024 1:43 PM, 95.6M followers, 18K retweets, 68K likes]
Upon landing in Kashi, inspected the Shivpur-Phulwaria-Lahartara Marg. This project was inaugurated recently and has been greatly helpful to people in the southern part of the city.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[2/22/2024 12:14 PM, 95.6M followers, 3.8K retweets, 23K likes]
Went to the Kakrapar Atomic Power Station. Two new Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors were dedicated to the nation.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[2/22/2024 10:28 AM, 95.6M followers, 8.4K retweets, 52K likes]
Inauguration of the Vadodara-Bharuch section of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway today marks a milestone in infrastructure development for Gujarat. This crucial stretch not only enhances connectivity between major economic hubs but also promises a smoother journey for several people.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[2/22/2024 6:28 AM, 95.6M followers, 3.5K retweets, 12K likes]
It’s always a great feeling to be in Navsari. The inauguration and launch of various projects will strengthen Gujarat’s development journey.
Vice President of India@VPIndia
[2/22/2024 9:22 AM, 1.5M followers, 13 retweets, 130 likes]
Hon’ble Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar released ‘Medicine Update’ and ‘Progress in Medicine’ books, along with a Souvenir, at the 79th Annual Conference of the Association of Physicians of India at #BharatMandapam today. #APICON NSB
Michael Kugelman@MichaelKugelman
[2/22/2024 1:24 PM, 209.7K followers, 3 retweets, 22 likes]
Important piece by @arafatul with some comments from me on what an intensifying war in Myanmar means for neighboring Bangladesh, and the difficult decisions Dhaka must make-including those related to outreach to rebels and the Rohingya issue. https://www.dw.com/en/how-is-myanmars-civil-war-impacting-bangladesh/a-68337606The President’s Office, Maldives@presidencymv
[2/22/2024 9:38 AM, 107K followers, 56 retweets, 65 likes]
First Lady Sajidha Mohamed launched #MageySaafuRaajje, the National Waste Management Programme, aiming to establish comprehensive waste management systems in an eco-friendly, sustainable way. This initiative is part of the Administration’s ‘Hafthaa 14’ roadmap.
The President’s Office, Maldives@presidencymv
[2/22/2024 9:32 AM, 107K followers, 67 retweets, 86 likes]
President Dr @MMuizzu concludes his five-day visit to Addu and Fuvahmulah Cities and islands of South Huvadhu Atoll and North Huvadhu Atoll. A high-level Government delegation accompanied the President on this tour.
The President’s Office, Maldives@presidencymv
[2/22/2024 7:52 AM, 107K followers, 39 retweets, 42 likes]
President Dr @MMuizzu met with the residential community of GA. Dhaandhoo Island, where he shared details of developmental initiatives focused on the island.
Moosa Zameer@MoosaZameer
[2/22/2024 11:42 AM, 12.7K followers, 37 retweets, 59 likes]
Pleased to meet @DepSecStateMR Richard Verma today. We reflected on the strong Maldives-US partnership and our cooperation across different areas including people-to-people ties, economic growth, climate action, defence partnership and many more. We also discussed avenues for future collaboration, to work towards President Dr @MMuizzu’s vision for a resilient and prosperous Maldives. @StateDept @USinMaldives
Moosa Zameer@MoosaZameer
[2/22/2024 9:11 AM, 12.7K followers, 19 retweets, 39 likes]
Reaffirmed Maldives’ commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations and multilateral engagements with Egypt during today’s meeting with Ambassador Maged Mosleh Nafei, Ambassador of Egypt to the Maldives. As we mark the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the #Maldives and #Egypt this year, it is a wonderful opportunity to increase people-people contact and seek new avenues for cooperation. @egyptlankaM U M Ali Sabry@alisabrypc
[2/23/2024 12:51 AM, 5K followers, 4 retweets, 6 likes]
Had a productive meeting with the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma @DepSecStateMR & delegation at @MFA_SriLanka today, and discussed avenues to further consolidate ties between our two countries @USEmbSL
M U M Ali Sabry@alisabrypc
[2/22/2024 3:50 AM, 5K followers, 2 retweets, 5 likes]
Warmly welcomed Ambassador Kairat Sarybay,Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Secretariat to #SriLanka. The discussion centred on elevating Sri Lanka’s cooperation in the #defence, #tourism, #environment and climate change sectors @MFA_SriLanka
Ranil Wickremesinghe@RW_UNP
[2/23/2024 1:39 AM, 317.2K followers, 16 retweets, 71 likes]
Grateful for the warm welcome at the Lalith Athulathmudali Vocational Training Centre. Supporting dreams and entrepreneurship among our youth is crucial. Our youth are the future, and we are dedicated to preparing them for the global job market, equipping them with the skills not just to participate but to excel. To me, this isn’t just a commitment; it’s a personal pledge to turn the bold dreams of our youth into realities. Central Asia
Navbahor Imamova@Navbahor
[2/23/2024 1:21 AM, 22.7K followers, 1 retweet, 1 like]
The Kyrgyz Republic repatriated 99 women and children from the al-Hol and Roj displaced persons camps in northeast Syria Monday, bringing its total repatriations from northeast Syria over the past year to 423..:
Joanna Lillis@joannalillis
[2/22/2024 7:54 AM, 28.8K followers, 7 retweets, 27 likes]
Any #Uzbekistan watchers who haven’t read it yet, read the @UzbekForum report on last year’s cotton harvest. It makes sobering reading, from increased forced labour to harassment, intimidation, interrogation - English here https://uzbekforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/UZBEK-FORUM_harvest_report_2023_FINAL_LR-1.pdfShavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[2/22/2024 7:16 AM, 157K followers, 8 retweets, 18 likes]
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has completed his working visit in Kazan and was farewelled at the Gabdulla Tukay International Airport by Tatarstan’s Rais, Rustam Minnikhanov. Subsequently, he departed for his journey back to Tashkent.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[2/22/2024 6:07 AM, 157K followers, 2 retweets, 9 likes]
President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev joined international leaders at the grand inaugural ceremony of the first international competitions of new format – "The Games of the Future" in #Kazan, marking a momentous occasion in multi-sport tournaments. The event saw the attendance of Presidents Vladimir #Putin, @TokayevKZ, @sadyrzhaparov, Emomali Rahmon and Alexander #Lukashenko among other esteemed foreign guests.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[2/22/2024 5:08 AM, 157K followers, 2 retweets, 7 likes]
President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev, on a working visit to the city of Kazan met with President Vladimir #Putin. The leaders of the two countries expressed satisfaction with the consistent strengthening of the comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance between #Uzbekistan and #Russia{End of Report} To subscribe to the SCA Morning Press Clips, please email SCA-PressOfficers@state.gov. Please do not reply directly to this email.