SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
Prepared for the U.S. Department of State
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
TO: | SCA & Staff |
DATE: | Friday, November 1, 2024 6:30 AM ET |
Afghanistan
The Taliban say blasts and gunfire in Iran targeted and killed at least 2 Afghans earlier this month (AP)
AP [10/31/2024 9:54 AM, Staff, 31638K, Negative]
Explosions and gunfire in Iran killed at least two Afghans earlier this month, the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan said on Thursday.
Iran has denied any shooting took place near Saravan, a town in the country’s restive southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchistan, which borders Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
A high-ranking Taliban committee has been investigating the incident for the past few weeks.
Taliban deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said the committee found that explosions and gunfire targeted Afghans in the Kalgan Valley, within Iranian territory. He did not say who was responsible for the attack.
"As of now, the bodies of two martyrs and 34 eyewitnesses, some of whom were injured in the incident, have been transported by the committee," the spokesman said. "Some of the others who were injured remain in Iran and Pakistan and the committee is actively working to locate and transfer them (to Afghanistan)."
The casualty figures are far lower than the ones given by HalVash, an advocacy group for the Baluch people that is broadly focused on Iran. It issued reports about the shooting, citing two unidentified witnesses and others as claiming a death toll of at least dozens, with more wounded.
HalVash alleged that Iranian security forces used both firearms and rocket-propelled grenades in the attack.
Large numbers of Afghans have called Iran home for decades, from the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan through the first rule of the Taliban, the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and the 2021 Taliban takeover of the country as U.S. and NATO troops pulled out.
The United Nations’ refugee agency estimates that 3.8 million displaced people live in Iran, the vast majority of them Afghans. Some in Iran suggest the number of Afghans is even higher.
However, anti-Afghan migrant rhetoric has escalated in Iran in recent months as Western sanctions grind down its economy, with the country’s police chief saying some 2 million migrants would be deported in the next six months.
Fitrat, the Taliban spokesman, said the situation across the border was unclear as the Taliban did not have access to the Kalgan Valley area. Nor was it clear if those left there were dead or injured, he added. Afghanistan Repatriates Two Killed In Iran ‘Explosions And Gunfire’ (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [10/31/2024 11:16 AM, Staff, 7430K, Neutral]
Afghanistan’s Taliban government said Thursday it had repatriated two killed and several wounded in "explosions and gunfire" in Iran in mid-October, adding it was still investigating the deaths after calls for a probe from the UN and rights groups.The announcement comes weeks after the Taliban authorities said they formed a committee to investigate reports that dozens of Afghan migrants had been killed and wounded crossing into Iran."Based on the collected evidence, explosions and gunfire have targeted Afghan nationals within the Kalgan Valley, situated in Iranian territory," said Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy government spokesman, in a statement."Presently, the bodies of two martyrs, along with 34 eyewitnesses, some of whom sustained injuries during the incident, have been repatriated," he said, adding that efforts were ongoing to find and repatriate other Afghans still in Pakistan and Iran.An Afghan medical source told AFP on condition of anonymity that doctors had been sent to the southwestern-most frontier to receive the wounded."Some of the migrants wounded by the Iranian security forces were in the custody of the Pakistani army for a time before being repatriated to Afghanistan," the source said.In mid-October, Haalvsh, a group focused on defending the rights of the Baluch minority in Iran, reported that dozens of Afghan migrants had been killed or wounded by Iranian forces while trying to enter Iran from Pakistan on October 13.Afghan migrants often leave their country via Nimroz province, bordering Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan, where the Kalgan Valley is located, and Pakistan’s Balochistan.They are most commonly seeking to enter one of the two neighbouring countries, or pass through Pakistan to reach Iran, which is home to one of the world’s largest refugee populations, mainly Afghans.Iran has not reported any recent violence on its border.The Iranian special representative for Afghanistan, Hassan Kazemi Ghomi, wrote recently on X that "reports of the deaths of dozens of illegal migrants at the Saravan (county) border are untrue".The United Nations and Amnesty International had called for an investigation after Haalvsh accused Iranian forces of opening fire on a group of Afghans trying to cross the border.The flow of Afghan immigrants has increased since the Taliban took over in August 2021.Reports in September said Iran’s military has built a wall along more than 10 kilometres (6 miles) of its more than 900-kilometre border with Afghanistan in a bid to stem migration.Iranian authorities have consistently denied mistreating Afghans in Iran.President Masoud Pezeshkian has said his government plans to "repatriate illegal nationals to their country in a respectful manner". Pakistan
Pakistan’s Prime Minister meets Qatar’s Amir in Doha (Doha News)
Doha News [10/31/2024 7:15 AM, Farah AlSharif, 125K, Positive]
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has met with his counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani as well as Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is in Doha for an official two-day visit, where he met Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and discussed bilateral relations.
At the Amiri Diwan on Thursday, Sheikh Tamim and Sharif held an official session of talks and explored ways to strengthen Qatar-Pakistan ties, specifically in the fields of defence, economy, investment and culture.
"Today, I discussed the prospects for expanding bilateral cooperation in various fields with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. The relations between our two countries are growing, and we are constantly looking forward to further developing them with our brothers in Pakistan in all fields, and enhancing cultural exchange," Sheikh Tamim said in a post on X.
The Amir also highlighted discussions with Sharif on enhancing diplomatic coordination to address developments in Gaza, the occupied Palestinian territories, and Lebanon, aimed at reducing escalation and promoting regional security and stability.
During the meeting, Sharif expressed his gratitude and appreciation to Sheikh Tamim for the warm welcome and hospitality, stressing his eagerness to enhance and broaden bilateral cooperation with Qatar.
On the same day, Pakistan’s prime minister inaugurated the "Manzar: Art and Architecture in Pakistan from 1940 to present" cultural exhibition, organised by the Art Mill Museum at the National Museum of Qatar.
The exhibition, curated by Pakistani architect Raza Ali Dada, showcases a diverse array of artworks - including paintings, photographs, artistic textiles, and architectural models - that reflect Pakistan’s artistic and architectural evolution since the early 1940s.
During the tour, the Pakistani Prime Minister and his delegation were joined by Sheikh Tamim, and the Chairperson of Qatar Museums, Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, as they explored the exhibition’s most notable pieces.
Qatar’s Amir also hosted a luncheon in honour of the Pakistani Prime Minister and his accompanying delegation.
The Pakistani prime minister also met with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, where he lauded Qatar’s role in encouraging Pakistan’s economic growth.
He also specified Qatar’s hosting of a large Pakistani diaspora as a "human bridge between the two brotherly countries".
Sharif and Sheikh Mohammed discussed pressing global and regional issues, particularly the ongoing Israeli actions in Gaza. The Prime Minister praised Doha for its mediation and humanitarian efforts aimed at alleviating the suffering of Palestinians and fostering lasting peace in the Middle East.
Sheikh Mohammed highlighted Pakistan’s strategic regional importance, expressing enthusiasm for enhancing ties between Lahore and Doha to drive economic growth and regional stability.
Sheikh Mohammed spoke highly of Pakistan’s regional strategic importance, expressing enthusiasm for strengthening ties between Lahore and Doha to promote economic growth and regional stability.
Sharif’s delegation is set to meet with the Qatar Investment Authority and the Qatar Businessmen Association to discuss investment opportunities in Pakistan.
Prior to the trip to Doha, the Pakistani delegation was in Riyadh where Sharif met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. During the trip, Saudi Arabia announced an additional $600m investment in Pakistan, bringing the total to $2.8bn. Pakistan says China’s remarks on safety of its citizens ‘perplexing’ (VOA)
VOA [10/31/2024 9:34 AM, Ayaz Gul and Sarah Zaman, 4566K, Neutral]
Pakistan pushed back Thursday against China’s criticism of the safety of Chinese personnel in the country, calling the comments "perplexing" and contrary to established diplomatic traditions between the neighbors.Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Baloch said at a weekly news conference in Islamabad that the government is dedicated to ensuring the security of Chinese nationals, projects, and institutions in Pakistan.
Baloch was responding to a rare public warning from the Chinese ambassador to the country, Jiang Zaidong, who urged Islamabad to take action against militants responsible for several deadly attacks on Chinese workers.
Jiang labeled the violence "unacceptable" and cautioned that it poses "a constraint" on Beijing’s investments under its Belt and Road Initiative, or BRI.
"The statement of the Chinese ambassador is perplexing and is not reflective of the diplomatic traditions between Pakistan and China," Baloch said. "We will continue to engage with our Chinese brothers to reassure them of Pakistan’s complete commitment to their security and well-being in Pakistan," she added.
Jiang, while addressing a seminar in Islamabad, referenced suicide car bombings in March and October of this year, which resulted in the deaths of seven Chinese personnel. It raised the number of Chinese workers killed in Pakistan to 21 since the countries launched a massive infrastructure project as part of the BRI about a decade ago.
"It is unacceptable for us to be attacked twice in only six months," the Chinese diplomat stated, speaking through his interpreter. He stressed the need for Islamabad to take "effective remedial measures to prevent the recurrence of such terror acts and ensure that perpetrators are identified, caught, and punished."
It is unprecedented for Pakistan to respond publicly to China’s criticism, and it is extremely rare for the Chinese ambassador to admonish Islamabad for alleged security lapses against Chinese engineers and workers.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC, considered the flagship project of the BRI, has brought more than $25 billion in Chinese investment to enhance Pakistan’s infrastructure, facilitating improved bilateral trade and further integrating the broader South Asian region.
Jiang urged Pakistan to take action against "all anti-China terrorist groups," stating that "security is the biggest concern" for Beijing. He added that "without a safe and sound environment, nothing can be achieved."
Baloch said investigations into attacks on Chinese workers are ongoing and said the findings have been communicated to Beijing. She did not elaborate.
CPEC has resulted in roads, highways, primarily coal-fired power plants, and the strategic deepwater Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea in the country’s southwestern Balochistan province.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, while addressing Tuesday’s seminar organized by the Islamabad-based independent Pakistan-China Institute, assured the Chinese ambassador that his country was taking action against terrorists and tightening the security of Chinese nationals.Dar stated that Pakistan would share the progress with China in high-level talks next month.
"The Chinese are very clear; no matter how lucrative an investment is anywhere, if the security issue is there, they do not send Chinese personnel. Your country is the only exception," he told the audience, quoting Chinese leaders as telling Pakistani counterparts in recent meetings.
Critics argue that Pakistan’s financial difficulties and political instability have discouraged China from making new investments in the CPEC.
After the launch of CPEC projects, Pakistan’s military formed a specially trained unit of over 13,000 troops to safeguard the initiatives nationwide. But the attacks on Chinese nationals have led to doubts about the effectiveness of the military unit.
Most of the recent attacks on Chinese workers and engineers have been claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA, a prominent separatist group waging insurgent attacks in Balochistan.
The group, which is made up of militants from the Baloch ethnic minority, accuses China of helping Pakistan exploit the province’s natural resources and has been calling for Beijing to withdraw its CPEC and other investments.
Both countries reject the allegations, saying Baloch insurgents are on a mission to subvert development in the impoverished province and undermine Pakistan’s close ties with China. Roadside bomb targeting police kills 7 people, including 5 children, in southwest Pakistan (AP)
AP [11/1/2024 3:59 AM, Abdul Sattar, 456K, Negative]
A powerful bomb attached to a motorcycle exploded near a vehicle carrying police officers in restive southwest Pakistan on Friday, killing seven people, including five nearby children, officials said.
Local police chief Fateh Mohammad said the attack occurred in Mastung, a district in Balochistan province. He said a motorized rickshaw carrying schoolchildren was nearby when the bombing happened, resulting in the deaths of five children, a police officer and a passerby.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion is likely to fall on separatist groups that have stepped up attacks on security forces and civilians in recent months.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the chief minister of Balochistan, Sarfraz Bugti, both denounced the bombing and vowed to continue the war against insurgents until they are eliminated from the country.
Balochistan is the site of a long-running insurgency, with an array of separatist groups staging attacks mainly on security forces. The groups, including the Baloch Liberation Army, demand independence from the central government.
The BLA has also attacked foreigners. Last month, it claimed responsibility for a bombing that targeted Chinese nationals outside an airport in the southern city of Karachi, killing two workers from China and wounding eight people.
Thousands of Chinese workers are in Pakistan as part of Beijing’s multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative, which is building major infrastructure projects.
Beijing has frequently demanded better security for its nationals in Pakistan.
China’s ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, urged Pakistan at a seminar this week to take action against the insurgents responsible for “unacceptable” attacks on Chinese working on projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a sprawling package that includes road construction, power plants and agriculture.
Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch on Thursday expressed her surprise over the ambassador’s remarks, saying that Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who also attended the seminar, had said “Pakistan is committed to providing full security to Chinese nationals, projects and institutions in Pakistan. Our commitment has been conveyed at the senior most levels of the Chinese government.”
She said Jiang’s statement was “perplexing in view of the positive diplomatic traditions.”
One Pakistani hotel chain, Avari, said the government has instructed that transportation and airport transfers for Chinese guests must be arranged by the host or sponsor “via a bomb/bullet-proof vehicle” with security protocols. Bomb kills 7, mostly schoolchildren, in southwest Pakistan (VOA)
VOA [11/1/2024 3:54 AM, Ayaz Gul, Negative]
A bomb blast in southwestern Pakistan early Friday morning killed at least seven people, including five schoolchildren, and injured 17 others.
Authorities said that a homemade bomb attached to a motorcycle was detonated in Mustang, a district in the violence-affected Balochistan province, apparently targeting a police patrol near a school.
At least one police officer was among the dead, and several others also suffered injuries.
The provincial government and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in separate statements, condemned the violence as a "terrorist attack."
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing in Balochistan, renowned for its abundant natural resources, where several ethnic Baloch separatist groups routinely target security force members and government installations.
On Tuesday, gunmen attacked workers at the site of a dam in the sparsely populated province’s Panjgur district, killing five and wounding two others. The outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA, claimed responsibility for that attack.
Last month, heavily armed assailants stormed a coal mine in another district and massacred 21 coal workers.BLA, listed as a global terrorist organization by the United States, and other allied insurgent groups claim to be fighting for Balochistan’s independence.
They have also targeted China-funded projects in the province and Chinese nationals working on them, alleging Beijing is assisting Islamabad in exploiting the region’s resources. Both countries reject the charges and label insurgents as enemies of the development in impoverished Balochistan. Bombing Of Pakistan Polio Vaccine Drive Kills 7: Police (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [11/1/2024 12:00 AM, Staff, 1.4M, Negative]
A bombing near a girls’ school in western Pakistan killed seven people, including five children, in an attack targeting police guarding polio vaccinators on Friday, officials said.
"The police van that came under attack was taking personnel for the protection of polio staff," Rahmat Ullah, a senior police officer, told AFP.
He added that "there is a girls’ school near the place of the attack" in the city of Mastung in Balochistan province.
Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan are the only countries where polio remains endemic and vaccination teams are frequently targeted by militants waging a campaign against security forces.
"Seven individuals: one police officer, five children and one shopkeeper" were killed in the attack at the city’s main market, senior officer Abdul Fatah told AFP.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi earlier put the death toll at three children and one police officer.
"Targeting children is an act of brutality," he said in a statement.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the blast.
Earlier this week, two police officers guarding polio vaccinators going door-to-door in northwestern Pakistan were shot dead in an attack blamed on militants.
It came a day after Pakistan launched a week-long drive aiming to immunise more than 45 million children over the age of five.
Pakistan has seen a surge in polio cases this year, recording at least 41 so far in 2024 compared with six in 2023.
The country has also been battling a resurgence of militant violence in its western regions since 2021, when the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan.
Islamabad accuses Kabul’s rulers of failing to root out militants staging attacks on Pakistan from over the border.
The most active group in Balochistan is the Baloch Liberation Army, a separatist group that regularly targets Islamabad’s security forces and citizens hailing from elsewhere in Pakistan. Pakistan central bank set to deliver fourth consecutive rate cut to revive economy (Reuters)
Reuters [11/1/2024 3:56 AM, Ariba Shahid, 5.2M, Neutral]
Pakistan’s central bank is expected to cut its key interest rate further at its policy meeting on Monday, with policymakers continuing their efforts to revive a fragile economy as inflation eases off recent record highs.
The central bank, the State Bank of Pakistan, has slashed the benchmark policy rate to 17.5% from an all time-high of 22% in three consecutive policy meetings since June, having last reduced it by 200 basis points in September.
All 15 investors and analysts surveyed by Reuters expect the central bank to cut rates next week. Two expect a 150 bps cut, twelve predict a 200 bps reduction, and one forecasts a 250 bps cut.
Economic activity has stabilised since last summer when the country came close to a default before an eleventh hour bailout by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The IMF, which in September gave a boost to Pakistan’s struggling economy by approving a long-awaited $7 billion facility, said that the South Asian nation had taken key steps to restore economic stability with consistent policy implementation under the 2023-24 standby arrangement.
While the economy has started to gradually recover, and inflation has moved sharply down from a multi-decade high of nearly 40% in May 2023, analysts say further rate cuts are needed to bolster growth.
Mustafa Pasha, Chief Investment Officer at Lakson Investments, said rates must drop under 15% and hold below that for six months to have a material impact.
The IMF in its latest October report forecast Pakistan’s gross domestic product growth at 3.2% for the fiscal year ending June 2025, up from 2.4% in fiscal 2024.
The government expects annual inflation to have come in at 6-7% last month and slow further to 5.5-6.5% in November.
However, inflation could pick up again in 2025, driven by electricity and gas tariff hikes under the new $7 billion IMF bailout, and the potential impact of taxes on the retail and wholesale sector proposed in the June budget.
Ahmad Mobeen, senior economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said that while lower rates will offer some relief to the manufacturing sector, the benefits may be limited due to "elevated input costs, driven by high electricity and gas tariffs, combined with global supply and shipping constraints." Pakistan says IMF cut its inflation forecast for the country for this year to 9.5% (Reuters)
Reuters [10/31/2024 12:18 PM, Staff, 88008K, Neutral]
The International Monetary Fund has lowered its inflation forecast for Pakistan for the current year by 3.2 percentage points to 9.5%, the country’s finance minister said on Thursday.The IMF’s revised projection bring it closer to Pakistan’s own projections, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said.
He said there was no need to introduce a mid-year budget, responding to local media reports saying the government needed to revise its budget to stay on track with an ongoing $7 billion, 37-month programme with the IMF.
Aurangzeb said the IMF also revised down its import projections for Pakistan in the current fiscal year, which ends in June 2025.
Pakistan has been struggling with boom-and-bust economic cycles for decades, leading to 22 IMF bailouts since 1958. Currently the country is the IMF’s fifth-largest debtor, owing the Fund $6.28 billion as of July 11, according to the lender’s data.
The latest economic crisis has been the most prolonged and has seen Pakistan facing its highest-ever inflation rate, pushing the country to the brink of a sovereign default last year before an IMF bailout. Inflation has since eased. Pakistan National Carrier Sale Uncertain After Low Offer (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [10/31/2024 11:18 AM, Kamran Haider and Ismail Dilawar, 1784K, Neutral]
Pakistan’s sale of national flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines Corp. has become uncertain after the maiden bid was below the minimum price of about $306 million.
Blue World City submitted a bid 8.5 times lower than the government’s expected price of 85 billion rupees, according to details provided by the Privatisation Commission in Islamabad. The government is going to review the outcome of the process, said the commission’s Secretary Usman Bajwa. Blue World, one of the six bidders shortlisted by Pakistan authorities, was the sole group to put in a final bid.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s cash-strapped government is trying to shore up the nation’s debt-ridden economy by selling loss-making state-owned enterprises that include the national airline, Roosevelt Hotel in New York and energy utility companies. The government has failed to privatize the airline in previous attempts because of protests by labor unions and political parties.
The airline’s shares rose 3.9% after the initial bid was submitted around 1:30 p.m. local time before falling sharply near the end of the trading session to close down by 5.5%.
Revival
The winning bidder will need to invest $500 million in five years into the loss making carrier, Bajwa said in August. The airline has not made a profit in almost two decades and had to scale back operations in May last year after running short of funds to pay for fuel. It is only able to operate because of regular bailouts from the government.
Blue World has plans to revive the airline by getting aircraft on lease, Chairman Saad Nazir told reporters before the bid was opened. The group plans to bring in Chinese and Turkish investors that have expertise in aviation, Nazir told Bloomberg by phone earlier this week. The group will bid for a 60% stake in the airline, while the government has decided to retain the remaining stake, he said.
The five groups that did not bid included businessman Arif Habib’s company, one of the country’s largest business groups Lucky’s Y.B. Holdings Pvt., Air Arabia’s Fly Jinnah, domestic airline Airblue Ltd., and Pak Ethanol Pvt.
Pakistan moved about three-fourths of the airline’s total debt of 830 billion rupees ($3 billion) to government books to make the sale more attractive. Pakistan flag carrier stake sale attracts sole bid below government minimum (Reuters)
Reuters [10/31/2024 11:17 AM, Ariba Shahid and Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam, 2376K, Neutral]
The final bidding process for the privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines attracted just one bid of 10 billion Pakistani rupees ($36 million) for a 60% stake in the national flag carrier, the Privatisation Ministry said on Thursday.The government had pre-qualified six groups in June, but only real-estate development company Blue World City participated in the bidding process, placing a bid that is below the government-set minimum price of 85 billion Pakistani rupees.Cash-strapped Pakistan was looking to offload a 51-100% stake in debt-ridden PIA (PIAHa.PSX) to raise funds and reform state-owned enterprises as envisaged under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund programme.The Privatisation Commission said it had asked the bidder to match the minimum bid.Blue World City Chairman Saad Nazir however stood by its offer. "We wish the government all the best if they don’t want to accept our bid," he said during the ceremony.Nazir later told Reuters that it did not make commercial sense to raise their bid."The cabinet is going to discuss this offer of ours. If this doesn’t go through and they don’t accept our offer, we will start our own airline," he said.He added that he did not believe the government’s 85 billion minimum price was based on a correct financial model for an organization with "significant leakages".Mohammed Sohail, CEO of Topline Securities, said that the gap between the offer and reference price means the government would either need to consider this bid or revisit their strategy regarding the privatisation of the airline.Officials from three groups that chose not to bid told Reuters on condition of anonymity that there were concerns about the government’s ability to stand by agreements made for the flag carrier in the long term.One executive voiced concern about policy continuity once a new government came in. The government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is reliant on a coalition of disparate political parties.The government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the concerns.The disposal of PIA is a step former governments have steered away from, as it has been highly unpopular given the number of layoffs that would likely result from it.Underpinning concerns over policy continuity and honouring contracts was the government’s termination of power purchase contracts with five private companies earlier this month, and the process of re-negotiating other sovereign guaranteed pacts.Changes in Pakistan’s decade-old agreements with private power projects to address chronic electricity shortages "raises the risk of investing and doing business in Pakistan, even in the presence of sovereign contracts as well as guarantees," said Sakib Sherani, an economist at Macro Economic Insights.Commenting on the power contract renegotiations last month, the head of Pakistan’s power ministry said the government had always maintained contractual obligations to investors, both foreign and local, and that contract revisions would be by "mutual consent".Other concerns raised by potential bidders for the PIA stake included inconsistent government communication, unattractive terms and taxes on the sector, and the flag carrier’s legacy issues and reputation. TikTok Bandits Terrorise, Transfix Pakistan Riverlands (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [10/31/2024 3:59 PM, Rimal Farrukh, Neutral]
With a showman’s flair and an outlaw’s moustache, the Pakistani gangster dials the hotline on his own most wanted notice -- taunting the authorities who put a bounty on his head.
Staring down the lens in a social media clip, Shahid Lund Baloch challenges the official on the phone and his thousands of viewers: "Do you know my circumstances or my reasons for taking up arms?"
The 28-year-old is hiding out in riverine terrain in central Punjab which has long offered refuge to bandits -- using the internet to enthral citizens even as he preys on them, police say.
On TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram he fascinates tens of thousands with messages delivered gun-in-hand, romanticising his rural lifestyle and cultivating a reputation as a champion of the people.
But he is wanted for 28 cases including murder, abduction and attacks on police -- with a 10 million rupee ($36,000) price on his head.
"People who are sitting on the outside think he is a hero, but the people here know he is no hero," said Javed Dhillon, a former lawmaker for Rahim Yar Khan district close to the hideouts of Baloch, and other bandits like him.
"They have been at the receiving end of his cruelty and violence."Baloch is said to dwell on a sandy island in the "Katcha lands" -- roughly translating as "backwaters" -- on the Indus River which skewers Pakistan from top to bottom.
High-standing crops provide cover for ambushes and the region is riven by shifting seasonal waterways that complicate pursuit over crimes ranging from kidnapping to highway robbery and smuggling.
At the intersection of three of Pakistan’s four provinces, gangs with hundreds of members have for decades capitalised on poor coordination between police forces by flitting across jurisdictions.
"The natural features of these lands support the criminals," said senior police officer Naveed Wahla. "They’ll hide out in a water turbine, move in boats, or through sugarcane crops."
Sweeping police operations and even an army incursion in 2016 failed to impose law and order. This August, a rocket attack on a police convoy killed 12 officers.
"In the current state of affairs here there is only fear and terror," said Haq Nawaz, whose adult son was abducted late September for a five million rupee ransom he cannot afford.
"There is no one to look after our wellbeing," he complains.
But the gangs are increasingly online.
Some use the web to lay "honey-traps" luring kidnap victims by impersonating romantic suitors, business partners and advertising cheap sales of tractors or cars.
Some parade hostages in clips for ransom or exhibit arsenals of heavy weapons in musical TikToks.
Baloch has by far the largest online profile -- irking police with a combined 200,000 followers.
Rizwan Gondal, the head police officer of Rahim Yar Khan district, says that his detectives have a dossier proving his "heinous criminal activities".
"Police have made multiple efforts to capture him however he escapes," he added.
"He’s a very media savvy guy. Let him say, ‘I am going to surrender before the state to prove that I am innocent’ and let the media cover it."
In his clips Baloch protests his innocence whilst casting himself as a vigilante in a lawless land, claiming he chose to fight only after family members were slain in tribal clashes.
"We couldn’t get justice from the courts so I decided to pick up arms and started fighting with my enemies," Baloch told AFP. "They killed our people, we killed theirs."
But he also plays off the cycle of state neglect which breeds banditry and in turn relegates the destitute farming communities further to society’s fringes.
"The villagers here are not viewed as human but as animals," Baloch told AFP. "If they gave us schools, electricity, government hospitals and justice, why would anyone even think of taking up arms?"
In comments sections his viewers call him "beloved brother bandit" and a "real hero". "You have won my heart," claims another.
"He is popular in the mainstream because he is giving the police authorities a tough time," said former lawmaker Dhillon.
"People like that he says the things they can’t say out loud against people they can’t speak out against."
Police have proposed countering bandits by downgrading mobile phone towers to 2G in the Katcha lands, preventing social media apps from loading.
That has not yet happened and would risk cutting communities off further still.
But more low tech solutions have had some success.
An anti-honey trap police cell cautions citizens against the gangs with the help of billboards and loudspeakers at checkpoints entering the area, preventing 531 people from falling prey since last August, according to their data.
Baloch scoffs at police. But one problem plaguing his bid for online stardom has his attention.
Copycat social media accounts pretend to be him and share duplicates of his videos -- earning thousands more followers and views than his legitimate accounts.
He feels robbed. "I don’t know what they are trying to achieve," he complains.
But for police, his internet hero status is at odds with the toll of his crimes.
"People will idealise Shahid Lund Baloch but when they ultimately get kidnapped by him, then they will realise who Shahid Lund Baloch really is," said senior officer Wahla. Pakistan’s Top Talent Is Leaving the Country in Record Numbers (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [10/31/2024 5:01 PM, Faseeh Mangi, 5.5M, Neutral]
Asad Ejaz Butt is one of Pakistan’s best and brightest. After completing graduate studies in Canada, the economist returned home with a drive to contribute to his home country and its development.
Yet prestigious jobs working under two finance ministers weren’t enough to pay the bills. Over the past few years, as Pakistan’s inflation outranked any other nation in Asia, Butt couldn’t afford basic necessities, including rent. So he left his highly coveted government job and moved back to North America — to buy time and complete another advanced degree.“Passion to do something for the country was subdued by this economic responsibility and by salaries constantly being beaten by growing inflation,” Butt said from Massachusetts. “That was, for me, the tipping point.”
His story tracks across Pakistan, where a severe brain drain is hollowing out one of the world’s most populous nations during its most tumultuous period in decades. Economic precariousness is pushing out accomplished citizens across industries, starving banks, hospitals and multinationals of talent and resources. Prices for items like cars and air conditioners are now out of reach for most Pakistanis, with the cost of milk in Karachi surpassing what it would be in Paris.
In 2023, Pakistan recorded the highest outflow in several years, according to recent data from the United Nations, with the exodus most pronounced among the wealthy and educated. One million skilled workers — doctors, engineers, accountants and managers, among others — left Pakistan over the past three years alone, according to a government tally. That makes Pakistan one of the top 10 countries for emigration.
The figures are bad news for Pakistan, which needs its most talented to pull the nation back from the abyss. Over the past couple of years, mismanagement and political turbulence have battered the economy. Consumer prices doubled over the last few years. And lack of dollar reserves to settle debt payments prompted the International Monetary Fund to step in recently with a $7 billion bailout.
Though migration from Pakistan for better jobs isn’t a new phenomenon, business leaders say confidence in the country and its politicians has never been lower. Veqar Islam, the chief executive of technology company JBS in Karachi, said there’s more desperation today than at any point in the last 40 years. A recent survey found that nearly 40% of Pakistanis want to move out, and demand for US visas is at its highest ever.“There’s a difference between people wanting to leave for better opportunity and people desperate to leave because there’s nothing left,” Islam said.
Companies are finding it hard to retain talent in key sectors like tech and finance. TPL Corp., which operates in real estate, insurance and venture capital, offers travel perks for regional roles and pays a portion of salaries for top talent in US dollars, according to its chief executive officer, Ali Jameel. And last year, two major banks saw a record number of employees move to another office outside Pakistan, according to people familiar with the matter, who didn’t want to be identified because the information isn’t public.
To adjust to Pakistan’s inflation, JBS has overspent its annual operating budget to stay competitive, retain employees and cover some rising costs. Islam said companies can’t keep doing that much longer. “Can organizations in an economic downturn give this kind of an increment? The answer is no,” he said.
Pakistan’s financial sector has been hit especially hard. Every top brokerage house has seen employees resign and leave the country for good. Companies looking to hire replacements are not finding the right talent for months. Though Pakistan’s stock market has been the world’s top performer over the past year — largely because the country secured IMF loans to avoid a default — few bankers and traders want to stay.
Mohammed Hunain, a certified financial analyst, moved to Saudi Arabia despite drawing a salary that roughly puts him in the top 5% of earners in Pakistan. He worries about the nation’s youth, who make on average each month 50,000 to 200,000 Pakistani rupees ($180 to $720). That salary makes it virtually impossible to leave — but also to survive: Over the past five years, consumer prices in Pakistan have risen three to four times faster than regional powers India and Bangladesh.“It’s very alarming and difficult to make ends meet,” Hunain said.
As emigration numbers surge — Pakistan tops the list of family visa applicants to the UK, for instance — some argue that more remittances might help the economy by increasing dollar inflows. Pakistan is a cash-strapped country and doesn’t generate enough foreign exchange to pay for imports. Foreign workers send some $30 billion back to Pakistan each year.
Yet the authorities recognize the delicacy of the situation — and that no great nation is built on a model of exporting its top talent. As Pakistan’s economic downturn worsened, the government didn’t initially increase taxes on high earners, largely to prevent them from leaving the country.
That’s changing. To meet the terms of the IMF program, which was approved in September, officials recently increased the total tax revenue target by 40%. Exporters who were protected for decades by the government because they earned dollars were also brought into the existing tax regime — bumping their tax rate from 1% to 29%.
In private cabinet meetings, Pakistani officials weighed the risks of raising taxes on the wealthy. One camp worried about alienating top earners. The other argued that securing the IMF deal, even if that meant temporary pain, was crucial for stabilizing Pakistan’s economy.
Ali Pervaiz Malik, the state minister for finance and revenue, said talent leaving “is something that we must be cognizant of.” But with inflation lately easing, he said now is the time to “bring hope back to the people.”
It’s unclear whether the strategy will pay off. The IMF says Pakistan needs to increase revenue, but the math is brutal for ordinary citizens: Prices for 51 essential items in Pakistan’s inflation basket have almost doubled on average since 2022, according to government data compiled by Bloomberg.
Butt, the economist in Massachusetts, doesn’t see much changing in the foreseeable future. Though he misses Pakistan, and has always wanted to apply his skills there, the economy is too volatile to move back home anytime soon.“I have to be more practical, more reasonable with my decision-making, even though I still have those emotions for my country,” he said. India
India says frontier disengagement with China along their disputed border is ‘almost complete’ (AP)
AP [10/31/2024 6:44 AM, Sheikh Saaliq, 88008K, Negative]
India and China have moved most of their frontline troops further from their disputed border in a remote region in the northern Himalayas, India\u00b4s defense minister said Thursday, some 10 days after the two countries reached a new pact on military patrols that aims to end a four-year standoff that’s strained relations.
Rajnath Singh said the "process of disengagement" of Indian and Chinese troops near the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh is "almost complete."
The Line of Actual Control separates Chinese and Indian-held territories from Ladakh in the west to India\u00b4s eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims in its entirety. India and China fought a deadly war over the border in 1962.
Ties between the two countries deteriorated in July 2020 after a military clash killed at least 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese. That turned into a long-running standoff in the rugged mountainous area, as each side stationed tens of thousands of military personnel backed by artillery, tanks and fighter jets in close confrontation positions.
Earlier this month the two neighbors announced a border accord aimed at ending the standoff, followed by a meeting between India\u00b4s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China’s President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the recent BRICS summit in Russia, their first bilateral meeting in five years.
It’s not clear how far back the troops were moved, or whether the pact will lead to an overall reduction in the number of soldiers deployed along the border.
"Our efforts will be to take the matter beyond disengagement; but for that, we will have to wait a little longer," Singh said.
Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang said Thursday that the frontline troops were "making progress in implementing the resolutions in a orderly manner."
The pact called for Indian and Chinese troops to pull back from the last two areas of the border where they were in close positions. After the deadly confrontation in 2020, soldiers were placed in what commanders called "eyeball to eyeball" positions at at least six sites. Most were resolved after previous rounds of military and diplomatic talks as the two nations agreed to the creation of buffer zones.
However, disagreements over pulling back from in the Depsang and Demchok areas lasted until the Oct. 21 pact.
"It is a positive move," said Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda, who from 2014 to 2016 headed Indian military\u00b4s Northern Command, which controls Kashmir region, including Ladakh. "Given how deep mistrust has been between the two countries and how all confidence building measures collapsed, it is quite a positive beginning," he said.
However, Hooda added, it will take time for both countries to return to their pre-2020 positions. "It does not mean everything is going to as normal as it existed earlier. We have to re-establish traditional patrolling and also the buffer zones need to be sorted out," he said.
The border standoff also damaged business ties between the two nations, as India halted investments from Chinese firms and major projects banned. Indian and Chinese troops gift sweets at contested border (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [10/31/2024 7:32 AM, Staff, 88008K, Negative]
Indian and Chinese troops exchanged boxes of sweets on Thursday at two points on their contested high-altitude border, a week after the leaders of the Asian rivals held a rare meeting.
China and India, the world’s two most populous nations, are intense rivals and have accused each other of trying to seize territory along their unofficial divide, known as the Line of Actual Control.
However, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met on the sidelines of a BRICS gathering in Russia on October 23, the pair’s first formal meeting in five years.
In their meeting, Xi said they should "strengthen communication and cooperation", while Modi said "mutual trust" will guide ties with China.
It signalled a potential thaw between the nuclear-armed neighbours since clashes between their troops in 2020 over their border, which killed at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers.
On Thursday, photographs released by the Indian army showed soldiers shaking hands and handing gift-wrapped boxes of sweets in the rugged icy mountains of Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, to mark India’s Hindu festival of lights, Diwali.
After the 2020 clashes, more than 20 rounds of military talks were held.
Both sides pulled back tens of thousands of troops and agreed not to send patrols into a narrow dividing strip.
But two major points remained with troops and tanks on both sides staring at each other.
On October 21, days before Xi and Modi met, a deal was struck to pull back a few hundred soldiers deployed at forward positions, a term dubbed "disengagement", and resume military patrols.
An Indian army official who was not authorised to speak to journalists confirmed that "sweets were exchanged between troops of India and China at several border points on the occasion of Diwali".
Rajnath Singh, India’s defence minister, said Thursday that New Delhi’s "efforts will be to move the matter beyond disengagement", but added that that "will have to wait a little longer", the Press Trust of India news agency quoted him as saying.
India is wary of its northern neighbour, and disputes over their 3,500-kilometre (2,200-mile) frontier have been a perennial source of tension.
China claims all of India’s northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, considering it part of Tibet, and the two fought a border war in 1962. New Delhi’s air quality plunges into ‘severe’ category a day after Diwali (AP)
AP [11/1/2024 3:30 AM, Staff, 456K, Negative]
A thick layer of toxic smog cloaked India’s capital on Friday as smoke from firecrackers used to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, pushed air pollution to hazardous levels.
New Delhi’s air quality index plunged into the “severe” category, according to SAFAR, India’s main environmental monitoring agency. In many areas, levels of deadly particulate matter reached seven times the World Health Organization’s safety limit.
Authorities in the capital have banned the use and sale of traditional firecrackers since 2017, asking people to opt for environmentally friendly ones or light shows instead, but the rule is often flouted.
New Delhi, home to more than 33 million people, is regularly ranked one of the most polluted cities in the world.
The air pollution crisis deepens particularly in the winter when the burning of crop residue in neighboring states coincides with cooler temperatures that trap deadly smoke. That smoke travels to New Delhi, leading to a surge in pollution and worsening the public health crisis.
Emissions from industries without pollution controls and the use of coal, which produces most of the country’s electricity, are also linked to poor air quality in urban areas.“We may not realize it now, but later we will face lung problems,” said Manoj Kumar, a New Delhi resident who does his morning runs around the capital’s iconic India Gate monument.
Several studies have estimated that more than a million Indians die each year from air pollution-related diseases. Tiny particulate matter in polluted air can lodge deep in the lungs and cause a variety of major health problems. Diwali celebrations hit air quality in New Delhi (Reuters)
Reuters [11/1/2024 3:26 AM, Shivam Patel, 25768K, Neutral]New Delhi topped charts on Friday as the world’s most polluted city after revellers defying a ban on firecrackers to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, helped drive air quality to hazardous levels.Thick smog wreathed the Indian capital, shrouding the presidential palace in the central district and the surrounding gardens popular with joggers and cyclists, after Thursday’s celebrations.The air quality index stood at 348, said Swiss firm IQ Air, taking pollution into the hazardous category, pushing Delhi to the top of a real-time list as the world’s most polluted city.Local government officials have banned use of firecrackers during Diwali and the winter over the last few years, in line with Supreme Court directives, but have had difficulty enforcing the measure despite the threat of jail.Some Hindu groups say the ban interferes with observance of the festival, a position the Delhi government has previously countered by saying the ban aims to save lives.Friday’s smog also coincided with waste burning on farms in northern India that aggravates air quality at the beginning of winter each year as cold, heavy air traps pollutants from a variety of sources. NSB
Attackers set fire to the headquarters of a Bangladesh party that backed ousted leader Sheikh Hasina (AP)
AP [10/31/2024 11:06 PM, Julhas Alam, 31638K, Negative]
Attackers set fire to the headquarters of a Bangladesh party that supported the country’s ousted leader Sheikh Hasina on Thursday night, media reports said. There was no information if anyone was injured.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack on the Jatiya Party offices in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka. TV stations and other media said the attackers stormed the party headquarters in Dhaka’s Bijoy Nagar area, clashing with party members who were there and eventually setting the premises on fire.
The extend of the damage was not immediately known. Firefighters rushed to the scene, according to Rashed bin Khaled, an official of the Fire Service and Civil Defense. Bin Khaled, who spoke to The Associated Press by phone, had no other details.
The party is Bangladesh’s third largest and was founded by former military dictator H.M. Ershad in the 1980s.
As the attack was underway, a prominent leader of a student protest movement that led to Hasina’s ouster in August said the Jatiya Party should be “destroyed” for its support of her government.
Hasnat Abdullah, the student leader, claimed in a Facebook post that the Jatiya party was “a national betrayer.”
Abdullah is from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, which spearheaded the July protests. He also urged students to gather at the Dhaka University and march toward the Jatiya Party headquarters.
Mujibul Haque Chunnu, the party’s secretary general, blamed the students for the attack. “People are watching what they are doing with us,” he said. “It is live in social media ... they are doing it publicly, openly.”
Hasina’s Bangladesh Awami League party ruled the country for 15 years, since 2009. Her critics said the Jatiya Party had acted to give Hasina’s rule a veneer or democracy as other major political parties did not take part in the elections.
Hasina fled the country to India on Aug. 5, after the student-led demonstration morphed into an anti-government protest movement. Hundreds of students, security officials and others were killed during the turmoil.
Later, hundreds more, including Hasina’s supporters, were killed in revenge attacks or in mob violence across the South Asian nation. She now faces arrest warrants for the killings in July and August.
Muhammad Yunus, a Bangladeshi Nobel laurate, took over as head of an interim government backed by the student group and the country’s influential military in August.
However, his administration has struggled to restore order. Mohammad Yunus can go down in history as the architect of a new Bangladesh (Al Jazeera – opinion)
Al Jazeera [10/31/2024 12:32 PM, Mandeep Tiwana, 25768K, Neutral]
After mass protests forced long-term Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee the country in early August, Bangladesh found itself in a unique moment of opportunity to chart a path towards true democracy.
The interim government that was put in place to deal with the legacy of Hasina’s 15-year authoritarian rule is led by Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and includes civil society leaders.
Yunus, a celebrated civil society activist, is well-equipped to lay the foundations for a new, truly democratic Bangladesh. He can draw on the experiences of Bangladeshi civil society to enable social cohesion and bring about a much-needed reckoning with the country’s tortured past. There are many ways in which he can protect and expand civic spaces. He can, for example, disband security units responsible for enforced disappearances and torture, reform the much-maligned NGO Affairs Bureau to ensure it supports civil society, or amend the Foreign Donations Law which creates a bureaucratic maze for civil society to receive international funding.
He should, however, act fast, as history tells us moments of opportunity and optimism like this can be fleeting. After a dictatorial regime is removed through revolution, democratic structures can fall prey to a rotation of elites. In the absence of a plan for what’s next, pro-democracy elements can be overwhelmed and derailed by fast-moving events.
In such scenarios, nationalist and authoritarian forces, who continue to hold power due to their alliances with the clergy and military, often fill the emerging power vacuum. At times, the military itself takes over. In other instances, leaders brought in as representatives of democratic forces turn to repression themselves to try and hold everything together.
In Sudan, for example, the 2019 overthrow of strongman President Omar al-Bashir was followed by several failed attempts at a democratic transition and eventually a military coup in 2021. Years later, civic space violations continue unabated and the country is still devastated by conflict.
In Pakistan, an initial military coup in 1958 supposedly aimed at creating space for a more stable democracy was followed by several decades of military rule and persistent attacks on civil society. Authorities in the country continue to silence dissent with crackdowns on activists, protesters, and journalists.
In Ethiopia, when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for finally securing a peace deal with Eritrea, hopes were high for regional peace and stability. Since then, however, he has presided over a bloody civil war in which mass atrocities were committed. The country is in turmoil, with human rights groups urging authorities to stop their crackdown on civic space and respect the rights of political opponents, journalists, and activists.
If Professor Yunus’s government fails to include civil society in decision making and shore up democratic institutions, post-Hasina Bangladesh can also fall into these pitfalls. But these are, of course, not the only possible scenarios. After a revolution, pro-democracy forces can also stay firm and enable the emergence of more complex, but also infinitely more positive, realities.
Sri Lanka, where widespread protests forced President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign and flee the country two years ago, is one example. Although things were far from perfect, a transition of power occurred through established systems of democracy in the country. Last month, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who ran on a promise of better governance and stability, won Sri Lanka’s presidential election.
Chile is another example of how democratic forces can persevere in the face of elite clawback. Despite significant resistance from establishment forces, Chile’s popular protests in 2019-2022 against economic inequality led to a series of reforms in education, healthcare and pensions. Guatemala, where in January the elected president was inaugurated despite repeated attempts by the old regime to scuttle a peaceful transfer of power, can also offer useful lessons for Bangladesh’s nascent government. In both these instances civil society groups played a key role.
While revolutions and popular uprisings did not produce civic utopias and perfect democracies in any of these countries, they also did not result in a return to square one.
Bangladesh’s interim government should pay attention to these examples where civic society secured important victories in difficult and complex circumstances. It should, however, also learn from cases where democratic forces failed to prevent the strongmen they helped topple from eventually being replaced by equally corrupt, anti-democratic leaders.
It is unrealistic to expect any new government to produce satisfactory reforms in all areas and a perfect democracy overnight, especially after decades of authoritarian rule. But countless examples around the world show that building a better future on the ruins left by long-term authoritarian leaders is possible - as long as the new leadership acts with determination, continues the dialogue with civil society, and remains on a democratic course.
If the interim government of Yunus gets it wrong, and the new leadership begins to try and stifle democratic dissent by suppressing civil society and clamping down on protests - whether these protests are by those who support the previous regime or others who are impatient for change - mistakes made during past transitions elsewhere might end up being repeated in Bangladesh. In such a scenario, the sustained protests that removed Hasina, and Yunus’s tenure as leader, would be reduced to footnotes in a long history of authoritarian rule.
But if Professor Yunus gets it right, draws from the successful experience of other countries, and lays the foundations for a robust democracy in Bangladesh, he could become a Mandela-like inspirational figure, and provide other countries in South Asia, where civic freedoms are widely repressed, with a regional example of a successful post-revolutionary transition. Many in the international community stand ready to support him.
Bangladesh is at a crossroads, and how Yunus and his advisors are able to navigate current political dynamics while respecting human rights and civic freedoms will determine the future of its democracy. Climate Shifts And Urbanisation Drive Nepal Dengue Surge (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [11/1/2024 4:30 AM, Paavan Mathema, 1.4M, Neutral]
Nepal is fighting a surge in dengue cases, a potentially deadly disease once unheard of in the country’s high-altitude Himalayan regions, as climate change and urbanisation nurture fever-bringing mosquitoes in new zones.
Only a single case of dengue was recorded in Nepal in 2004. Two decades later, thousands of cases are being reported across the country.
Once confined to tropical regions in the country’s plains, dengue-carrying mosquitoes have begun breeding in the valleys and even cool mountainous areas, reaching elevations where its bite was once unknown.
Twelve people have died and more than 28,000 people have been infected this year, including 18 cases in Solukhumbu district, home to Mount Everest.
Doctors say the real number might be higher, as not everyone is tested.
"It should not be seen here at all," Suman Tiwari, district health chief for Solukhumbu, which sits at an altitude of some 2,500 metres (8,202 feet).
"What is surprising is that some people with no travel history have also tested positive for dengue".
In the worst cases, dengue causes intense viral fevers that trigger bleeding, internally or from the mouth and nose.
The capital Kathmandu, at an elevation of approximately 1,400 metres (4,600 feet), has seen over 4,000 cases."Unfortunately, it is expanding itself geographically," said Sher Bahadur Pun, a doctor at Kathmandu’s Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital.
"Once upon a time, it was just seen in a certain area, but it is moving up towards mountainous regions, even up to the Himalayan foothills."
In some districts, hospitals have been overwhelmed with dengue patients suffering from crippling fevers, body aches and rashes.
"In the last decade, it has grown exponentially," Pun said.
"After every outbreak, the number of infected people has increased... and my experience is that after every outbreak, it has become more deadly."
In October, the UN health agency said the number of reported dengue cases worldwide has approximately doubled each year since 2021, with over 12.3 million cases, including more than 7,900 deaths, reported in just the first eight months of 2024.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the global spread an "alarming trend".
Experts say changes in temperature and rainfall patterns driven by climate change and urbanisation are creating favourable conditions for Aedes aegypti, the mosquito responsible for transmitting dengue.
That means it can survive and breed at higher elevations.
Narayan Gyawali, a virologist who specialises in zoonotic diseases, said that urbanisation and increased mobility of people were also driving the dengue surge.
"When microclimates are established with urbanisation in new areas, internal temperatures become warm and there is humidity," Gyawali said.
"A favourable environment is created for breeding and survival."
This is the third consecutive year that Nepal has seen a dengue outbreak -- an apparent shift from cyclical patterns where outbreaks are expected every two to three years.
The country’s worst outbreak was in 2022, with 88 deaths and nearly 55,000 cases, according to government figures.
Last year, 20 people died, with more than 50,000 cases.
"Dengue used to be reported in a cyclical trend, but in the last few years, it has been seen every year," said Gokarna Dahal of the Health Ministry’s Epidemiology and Disease Control Division.
"Our preparation now is to fight with it every year".
Dahal said it was an "injustice" that a developing country like Nepal -- which makes a minimal contribution towards the burning of fossil fuels driving the planet’s warming -- should shoulder greater impacts of climate change.
Meenakshi Ganguly, from Human Rights Watch, said that while the primary responsibility to protect its public’s health lies with Nepal, countries most responsible for global emissions also have an obligation.
"Those countries which are primarily responsible for global emissions need to do a lot more to protect people in countries like Nepal from the consequences of global warming," Ganguly said.
"Combatting mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, which are spreading fast to new areas, needs to be part of that." Nepal’s day of the dog as part of Hindu celebrations (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [10/31/2024 9:12 AM, Staff, 88008K, Positive]
With marigold garlands around their necks, dogs took centre-stage in Nepal on Thursday on a day dedicated to humankind’s loyal friend as part of a Hindu festival.
Other pet owners dabbed a dash of vermillion on their dogs head as a sign of respect, or offered snacks to hungry hounds.
Kukur Tihar, the second day of the five-day Tihar festival, is reserved for worshipping dogs as agents of Yamaraj, the god of death, and for appreciating their loyalty and companionship to humans.
Agriculture expert Dadhi Ram Kharel 74, who celebrated the festival at home, told AFP that his dog is an integral part of his family.
"It is important to have a dog for our protection," said Kharel, holding his 10-year-old labrador in his arms.
"When we have a dog, it protects our family and keeps us safe."
While dogs are cherished as loyal friends, street dogs in Nepal often face cruelty.
"This is wrong because dogs are the most important companion to humans because they serve full time duty," he said.
Across Nepal, dog lovers showered their pets and street dogs with treats, belly rubs, and toys to show their appreciation.
The canine unit of Nepal’s Armed Police Force also lined up for celebrations during a special ritual held at the headquarters.
The trained dogs are often used during investigations, natural disasters and in the detection of explosives and drugs.
"It’s a special day for dogs," said Ram Narayan KC, chief of the Animal Health and Dog Handler section of the Armed Police Force.
He said that the dogs are an important part of the security force’s team during times of crisis, including for search and rescue missions.
"We offer our dogs milk, eggs, meat and other foods on this day, remembering their contribution," said KC.
Animal welfare advocates hope the Kukur Tihar spirit lasts beyond the festival, calling for better treatment of street dogs all year round and an end to harmful practices. Central Asia
Kazakhstan hopes to resolve agricultural trade tension with Russia within a week (Reuters)
Reuters [10/31/2024 1:45 AM, Tamara Vaal, 5.2M, Neutral]
Kazakh agriculture minister Aidarbek Saparov said on Thursday he hoped that issues with Russian curbs on the import of grain and other agricultural products from Kazakhstan would be resolved within a week.
Saparov, speaking after talks with Russia’s agricultural safety watchdog, said one of his deputies has departed for Moscow where negotiations would continue.
Trade tension between the neighbours has raised concerns because Kazakhstan, whose key export is oil, depends on transit via Russia to sell it on Western markets.
Russian authorities said this week they had received complaints from domestic companies that Kazakhstan was issuing phytosanitary certificates in their names, despite the companies having made no such requests.
The Kazakh agriculture ministry replied on Thursday by calling Moscow’s accusations unfounded and saying it could not be held liable for the actions of fraudulent companies and there were similar cases with Russian exports to Kazakhstan.
The matter needed to be resolved at the level of the Eurasian Economic Union, a trade bloc led by Russia, the Kazakh ministry said in a statement.
Kazakhstan banned imports of wheat from Russia - and all other countries - in August, saying it needed to protect the domestic market. Additional Kazakh and Uzbek Companies Hit With Russia-Related Sanctions (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [10/31/2024 12:44 PM, Catherine Putz, 1198K, Neutral]
In its latest round of Russia-related sanctions, the U.S. Treasury Department outlined what it called the "Ushko Machine Tools Procurement Scheme," which involves companies in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, yet again illustrating that some of the convoluted pathways taken to circumvent sanctions on Russia trace their way through Central Asia. Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department designated another Uzbek company working in conjunction with a Turkish company also for circumventing sanctions.
On October 30, Treasury sanctioned 275 individuals and entities for their involvement in "supplying Russia with advanced technology and equipment that it desperately needs to support its war machine." The press release outlining the new sanctions noted that they target "both individual actors and sprawling sanctions evasion networks across 17 jurisdictions, including India, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Switzerland, Thailand, and T\u00fcrkiye."
"Russia is ever more reliant on complex and expensive transnational schemes to procure critical technological and manufacturing components and machinery it needs to create its own weapons production capability," the press release stated.
The "Ushko Machine Tools Procurement Scheme" is just one of the efforts outlined in the latest package of sanctions. According to Treasury, a Russia-based company - Tekhnologiya Razvitiya Otkrytykh Sistem (TROS) - which manufactures metalworking equipment and sells wholesale machine tools, is being supplied with European-made tools via a transshipment scheme that routes advance machine tools from Europe to two Central Asian intermediaries. Kazakhstan-based Kazstanex and Uzbekistan-based Uzstanex serve as nominal recipients of the goods. Treasury claims that the Central Asian affiliates then ship the tools to a China-based company, Shanghai Winsun, which exports them to Russia.
TROS’s director, Sergei Ushko, along with his son Aleksandr Ushko - who "works at a European machine tool company and helps his father procure machine tools for Russia-based end-users" - are designated in the sanctions, along with two other Russian nationals, Igor and Tatyana Khomenko, in addition to the companies named above.
According to reporting by RFE/RL, "Kazstanex’s area of activity is the supply of industrial equipment; the founder of the company, founded in 2011, is Vasily Abramov." Uzstanex, also founded by Abramov, was registered in Uzbekistan in 2018, according to Kun.uz, citing government statistics.
In the State Department’s October 30 round of sanctions, an Uzbekistan-based company, Elite Investment Group, and a Turkish company, Guclu Global, were sanctioned for sending shipments of CHPL items to GTS Grupp, a Russian supplier of industrial equipment, automatic control systems, and electric devices that was sanctioned in February 2024.
CHPL items appear on the Department of Commerce’s Common High Priority List of goods that "Russia seeks to procure for its weapons programs."
According to State, the Uzbekistan-based Elite Investment Group "shipped approximately $190,000 worth [of] CHPL items, including electrical transformers, to Russia-based companies" including GTS Grupp between March 2024 and May 2024, using Guclu Global as its "carrier agent." Guclu Global, additionally, "shipped approximately $96,000 worth of CHPL items" to GTS Grupp and another sanctioned Russian company, EVROSEL.
According to Daryo.uz reporting, the Elite Investment Group was founded in January 2024, with its founder and director listed as Nodira Kazakbaeva.In both of these cases - that of Kazstanex and Uzstanex, and that of Elite Investment Group - the Central Asia companies serve as intermediaries, effectively obscuring the path of restricted items from their point of origin to Russia, the end-user. As the wealth of sanctioned entities and individual illustrate, this is not a purely Central Asian phenomenon, yet Central Asia’s long-running connections to Russia, shared languages and systemic similarities suggests that the scale of the issue may be far wider than what has been sanctioned to date. Tajikistan goes after grifters (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [10/31/2024 4:14 PM, Staff, 57.6K, Neutral]
Halloween is not really a thing in Tajikistan, Central Asia’s poorest nation with a mostly Muslim population. But President Emomali Rahmon got in the spirit of the season with an announcement that 1,500 individuals have been detained in the country for engaging in “witchcraft and fortune-telling.”
An October 30 report distributed by Khovar, the official Tajik government news agency, said the round-up was carried out “after instructions by the head of state.” It did not indicate when or where the detentions occurred, or what kind of punishments, if any, the detainees are facing.
The Khovar report appears to use witchcraft as a catch-all term for purveyors of superstition, charlatans, con-artists and clairvoyants who provide bogus advice and services to credulous citizens in exchange for some form of payment. In May, the government criminalized fortune-telling and similar services, portraying their practitioners as grifters.
In addition, Khovar noted that the government is concerned about the quality of religious instruction. “More than 5,000 semi-literate mullahs were registered with internal affairs bodies for fanaticism,” according to Khovar, which provided no additional details.
Rahmon’s government has tightened control over religious expression in the country in recent years, amid concerns about the spread of radical Islamic beliefs. In June, Tajik government policies drew criticism from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, which asked the Biden Administration to address the issue.“It is troubling to witness the recent onslaught of harassment against those who express their faith in ways that do not correspond with the state’s preferred interpretation,” said USCIRF Commissioner Susie Gelman in a statement. “We urge the U.S. government to condition security assistance to the Tajik government on reform of the traditions law, the 2009 religion law, and all other legislation that criminalizes the peaceful expression of religion in the country.” Twitter
Afghanistan
Justin Trudeau@JustinTrudeau
[10/31/2024 11:04 AM, 6.6M followers, 5K retweets, 17K likes]
The Taliban’s latest edict is horrifying. Banning Afghan women and girls from hearing each other’s voices in public is a deliberate effort to erase them from society. We condemn the Taliban’s appalling assault on the rights of women and girls.
Habib Khan@HabibKhanT
[10/31/2024 12:45 PM, 239.7K followers, 274 retweets, 552 likes]
The Taliban have denied Afghan girls an education simply because they were born female. It’s been 1,141 days since the ban, making Afghanistan the only country where education is illegal for girls. #LetHerLearn
Habib Khan@HabibKhanT
[10/31/2024 10:55 AM, 239.7K followers, 132 retweets, 256 likes]
The Taliban raided a house, arresting men and women who are allegedly not related. They filmed these individuals with uncovered faces, publicly humiliating them and accusing them of morality crimes that, under their laws, could lead to stoning. Pakistan
Shehbaz Sharif@CMShehbaz
[10/31/2024 1:18 PM, 6.7M followers, 374 retweets, 1.2K likes]
Delighted and honored to attend the pre-inaugural viewing of “Manzar: Pakistan Art and Architecture 1940 to Today” at Qatar Museum. Grateful to Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani for her vision in curating and showcasing our cultural heritage. This exhibition is a testament to the enduring friendship and shared values between our two brotherly countries. Together, we would continue to strengthen our people-to-people partnership and foster better mutual understanding, as we jointly celebrate our shared cultural heritage. India
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[10/31/2024 11:34 PM, 103.3M followers, 2.4K retweets, 18K likes]
Shri Devender Singh Rana Ji’s untimely demise is shocking. He was a veteran leader, who worked diligently towards Jammu and Kashmir’s progress. He had just won the Assembly polls and had also played a noteworthy role in making the BJP stronger in J&K. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with his family and supporters. Om Shanti.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[10/31/2024 11:22 PM, 103.3M followers, 3K retweets, 22K likes]
Kannada Rajyotsava is a very special occasion, recognising the exemplary culture and traditions of Karnataka. This state is blessed with outstanding people, who are powering growth and innovation across sectors. May the people of Karnataka always be blessed with happiness and success.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[10/31/2024 11:17 PM, 103.3M followers, 1.1K retweets, 7.5K likes]
Kerala Piravi greetings! Kerala state is known for its mesmerizing landscapes, vibrant traditions and hardworking people. People from Kerala have made their mark all over the world, across different fields. May the people of the state keep progressing in the times to come.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[10/31/2024 9:56 AM, 103.3M followers, 9.8K retweets, 62K likes]
A memorable Diwali with our security personnel in a remote and inhospitable area in Kutch!
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[10/31/2024 8:20 AM, 103.3M followers, 1.8K retweets, 11K likes]
Shri TPG Nambiar Ji was a pioneering innovator and industrialist, who was a strong votary of making India economically strong. Pained by his passing away. Condolences to his family and admirers.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[10/31/2024 7:53 AM, 103.3M followers, 7.4K retweets, 50K likes]
Went to one of the floating BOPs in the Creek area and shared sweets with our brave security personnel.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[10/31/2024 7:51 AM, 103.3M followers, 7.7K retweets, 45K likes]
Glad to have celebrated Diwali with our brave personnel from the BSF, Army, Navy, and Air Force at Lakki Nala in the Creek Area, Kutch. This area is both challenging and remote. The days are scorching hot and it also gets cold. The Creek area has other environmental challenges as well.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[10/31/2024 7:51 AM, 103.3M followers, 1.5K retweets, 5.2K likes]
Our security personnel stand firm in the inhospitable of places and protect us. We are very proud of them.
President of India@rashtrapatibhvn
[10/31/2024 10:16 AM, 26M followers, 1K retweets, 9.9K likes]
Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan and exchanged Diwali greetings.
Dr. S. Jaishankar@DrSJaishankar
[11/1/2024 2:30 AM, 3.3M followers, 122 retweets, 1K likes]
Deeply grieved at the passing away of Dr. Bibek Debroy. His contributions to governance and policy making were enormous. Equally, his exceptional talents were harnessed to make our culture, history and traditions accessible to many generations. Remembering a dedicated reformer, great nationalist, an erudite scholar and a wonderful friend. Om Shanti. NSB
Michael Kugelman@MichaelKugelman
[10/31/2024 9:04 AM, 214K followers, 8 retweets, 30 likes]
Bangladesh’s interim government, which has now been in office for nearly three months, has set ambitious objectives and is burdened by the sky-high expectations of a public that badly wants things to improve—and quickly. This week for @ForeignPolicy: https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/10/30/bangladesh-interim-government-yunus-pressure-protests-economy/
Tshering Tobgay@tsheringtobgay
[10/31/2024 11:21 PM, 100.1K followers, 8 retweets, 127 likes]
Today, on the Coronation Day of His Majesty The King, I joined Venerable Dorji Lopen and Venerable Tsogki Lopen, Cabinet Ministers and senior government officials to light butterlamps and offer our prayers in the Kuenrey of Thimphu Tashichho Dzong.
Tshering Tobgay@tsheringtobgay
[10/31/2024 11:21 PM, 100.1K followers, 1 like]
Reflecting on the 18 years of enlightened leadership marked by wisdom, benevolence, & resilence, His Majesty truly is a precious gift bestowed upon us by our Great Fourth.
Tshering Tobgay@tsheringtobgay
[10/31/2024 11:21 PM, 100.1K followers, 1 like]
As the heart & strength of our nation, His Majesty continues to steer these transformative years with boundless wisdom & compassion.
Tshering Tobgay@tsheringtobgay
[10/31/2024 11:21 PM, 100.1K followers, 1 like]
From guiding us with foresight and empathy through the challenges of Covid-19 to fostering holistic development through visionary initiatives such as the Gelephu Mindfulness City, His Majesty is wisdom, kindness, and courage personified.
Tshering Tobgay@tsheringtobgay
[10/31/2024 11:21 PM, 100.1K followers, 1 like]
For everything His Majesty The King has done for us & continues to do, in ways too numerous to count & too profound to measure…
Tshering Tobgay@tsheringtobgay
[10/31/2024 11:21 PM, 100.1K followers, 1 like]
I join the nation in offering my deepest gratitude & reaffirming my humble commitment to upholding His values and working towards realizing His vision for a prosperous and harmonious Bhutan.
The President’s Office, Maldives@presidencymv
[11/1/2024 12:54 AM, 110.6K followers, 48 retweets, 43 likes]
First Lady returns to Maldives after participating at the 11th Edition of the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary Annual Conference as the Guest of Honour https://presidency.gov.mv/Press/Article/31992?term=0
Namal Rajapaksa@RajapaksaNamal
[10/31/2024 6:38 AM, 436.5K followers, 8 retweets, 61 likes]
Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe and President Anura Kumara have both misled government employees over the salary hike by making false promises during their campaigns to garner votes. Now, with each pledging an increment, it seems the matter has hit a dead end, with both passing the buck to each other. Government employees are the backbone of our country; misleading them will only lead to frustration and turmoil. I call on both leaders to provide an explanation and for President AKD to fulfill his pledge. Central Asia
Yerzhan Ashikbayev@KZAmbUS
[10/31/2024 11:51 PM, 2.8K followers, 4 likes]
President @TokayevKZ chaired the 36th plenary session of the Foreign Investors’ Council, reaffirming Kazakhstan’s commitment to fostering a globally competitive investment climate & sharing an ambitious target of attracting an additional $150 billion in FDI by 2029.
Yerzhan Ashikbayev@KZAmbUS
[10/31/2024 11:51 PM, 2.8K followers, 1 like]
Kazakhstan is unlocking its vast mineral resources through initiatives that enhance transparency and efficiency in geological mining. With over $1 billion in private investment in the last six years, 1.6 million square kilometers are now available for exploration.
Yerzhan Ashikbayev@KZAmbUS
[10/31/2024 11:51 PM, 2.8K followers, 1 like]
Foreign oil companies have been vital to Kazakhstan’s energy sector, tripling oil production over the past 30 years. As the largest uranium producer, Kazakhstan is also prioritizing a green transition, with agreements for 43 GW of renewable energy projects underway.
Yerzhan Ashikbayev@KZAmbUS
[10/31/2024 11:51 PM, 2.8K followers, 1 like]
The development of KZ agriculture is a strategic priority for ensuring food security in Central Asia. With over 200 million hectares of farmland - ranking 6th globally, KZ is focused on doubling agricultural exports&attracting FDI for over 100 high-tech projects worth $5 billion.
Yerzhan Ashikbayev@KZAmbUS
[10/31/2024 11:51 PM, 2.8K followers, 1 like]
KZ is strengthening its position as a key transit hub by renovating 11,000 km of railways and constructing over 5,000 km of new tracks. Strategic investments prioritize the development of freight terminals&transport vessels, solidifying the Middle Corridor’s role in global trade.
Yerzhan Ashikbayev@KZAmbUS
[10/31/2024 11:51 PM, 2.8K followers, 1 like]
As part of ongoing modernization efforts, legal and judicial reforms aim to create a favorable investment climate. The new National Digital Investment Platform will facilitate real-time project tracking, while the revised Tax Code offers deductions for equipment costs.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[11/1/2024 2:46 AM, 203.1K followers, 4 likes]
President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev visited a polytechnic in #Navbahor district. Training is provided for school graduates, citizens of different ages, and people with disabilities. Industrial enterprises of the region are actively involved in this process. Since the beginning of the year, more than a thousand unemployed citizens have been trained.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[10/31/2024 4:03 PM, 203.1K followers, 1 retweet, 6 likes]
As part of the program in Navoi, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited school No. 22. Education process is organized in line with the best modern practices and technologies to encourage learning. The school has more than ten study groups in such areas as applied arts, hotel service, drawing, photography, IT and robotics.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[10/31/2024 3:06 PM, 203.1K followers, 4 retweets, 17 likes]
President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev reviewed the progress of New Navoi town’s construction. Starting at 450 hectares, the development will expand to 1,100 hectares and include residential buildings, schools, kindergartens, a clinic, the Yangi Uzbekiston Park, green spaces, entertainment centers, stores, and dining options.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[10/31/2024 10:13 AM, 203.1K followers, 3 retweets, 12 likes]
President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev was presented with new investment projects planned in #Navoi region. Significant investments are attracted to the region, export potential is expanding. Therefore the President spoke with foreign investors that plan to implement strategic projects in #chemistry, #energy, #mining, #electrical_engineering, #medicine, #construction, #textiles.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[10/31/2024 9:08 AM, 203.1K followers, 4 retweets, 15 likes] President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev visited industrial zone in #Navoi city and got acquainted with the manufactured products and industrial potential. A wide range of products include transport air and oil filters, equipment for the metallurgical, oil and gas and chemical industries. Particular attention was paid to increasing the level of localization for poverty reduction in the region.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[10/31/2024 4:14 PM, 203.1K followers, 5 retweets, 21 likes]
President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev got acquainted with the chemical technopark in Karmana district. It’s planned to implement 18 projects worth $1 billion for manufacturing of chemical products. Production balance at enterprises will be ensured by concluding off-take contracts and guaranteeing products’ sale. There will be compliance with environmental requirements and low-carbon emission equipment will be installed on sites.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[10/31/2024 6:11 AM, 203.1K followers, 4 retweets, 20 likes]
Today, President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev arrived in #Navoi region to review its socio-economic progress and industrial potential. His visit began at the modern "Uzbekistan Hydrogen Peroxide" enterprise, which produces up to 30,000 tons of the product annually through gas processing. Plans are in place to expand the plant’s capacity and introduce a new project focused on the #foodindustry.{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.