epubdos : Afghanistan
SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
Prepared for the U.S. Department of State
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
TO:
SCA & Staff
DATE:
Tuesday, October 22, 2024 6:30 AM ET

Afghanistan
Afghanistan, The Only Country Where Images Of Living Things Are Banned (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [10/21/2024 4:14 PM, Abubakar Siddique, 235K, Neutral]
The Taliban’s repressive policies and extremist interpretation of Islam has turned Afghanistan into a pariah state.

In 2021, Afghanistan became the only country in the world to ban teenage girls from going to school.

Now, the country has become the first to outlaw any depictions of living things, including humans and animals.

“This decision is absurd and unbelievable,” said Sami Yousafzai, a veteran Afghan journalist and commentator who tracks the Taliban.

Under Islam, idolatry is a sin, and the worship of idols is banned. Under its radical interpretation, the Taliban has cut off the heads of mannequins, prohibited the sale of dolls, and covered or taken down statues in recent years.

Now, the Taliban has expanded the ban on idolatry to include the “production and watching of videos and photos of living things on computers and mobile phones.” The ban is limited to images of things with souls -- meaning people and animals.

“At the core of it is a desire to replicate the initial [Taliban] emirate of the 1990s,” said Obaidullah Baheer, visiting fellow at the South Asia Center at the London School of Economics.

During its brutal rule from 1996 to 2001, the Taliban also outlawed any depiction of living things, including television and photography, deeming them un-Islamic. The hard-line Islamist group publicly destroyed television sets and video cassettes.

The Taliban also destroyed thousands of historical artefacts, most of them Buddha statues, that it deemed un-Islamic or idolatrous.

Its regime horrified the world in 2001 when it used antiaircraft artillery, anti-tank mines, dynamite, and other explosives to destroy two giant Buddha statues from the 6th century.

After the Taliban regime was toppled from power in the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, the group used images and photos in their propaganda. They also maintained a website and a presence on social media.

Since regaining power in 2021, the Taliban has run the state broadcaster and allowed some TV stations to continue operating, albeit with severe restrictions. Senior Taliban officials maintain social-media accounts, and upload videos and photos of their meetings and foreign visits.

Baheer says the Taliban’s ban on images of living things “seems to be a very tricky path to take” given the Taliban’s own widespread use of photography and television.

Concerns Over Press Freedom

The Taliban’s ban on the publication of images of living beings has sparked concerns about the impact it will have on Afghan media and press freedom.

The Taliban has already waged a brutal crackdown on dissent, including beating, detaining, and jailing dozens of journalists. The group has also forcibly shut down independent media outlets and prohibited virtually any critical reporting about its unrecognized government.

In recent days, Taliban run-media outlets have stopped showing images of living things in some provinces to comply with the new ban. Some TV stations have resorted to audio-only broadcasts.

The Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice said on October 14 that it is gradually implementing the ban.

Yousafzai said the ban will have wide-ranging ramifications for the media and Afghans’ access to information and entertainment. “It will turn Afghanistan into a vast prison,” he said.

"We thought that animals in Afghanistan have more freedom than women,” Fariba, a reporter in Kabul, told RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi, referring to the Taliban’s severe restrictions on women’s rights. “But the Taliban has no mercy even for animals.”

Heshmat Wajdani, spokesperson for the Federation of Afghan Journalists in Exile, said the move is detrimental to press freedom. “It amounts to erasing the media and freedom of expression in Afghanistan," he said.
Taliban’s ‘Photo Ban’ Will Be Impossible To Enforce, Afghan Photojournalist Says (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [10/22/2024 5:19 AM, Amos Chapple, 235K, Neutral]
A photojournalist who worked in Afghanistan during the Taliban’s 1996-2001 rule says the reinstated group’s new ban on images of living things is unfeasible today.

In the 1990s, the Afghan photojournalist, who asked to remain anonymous due to his continued links to the country, recalls that “photos were completely prohibited. The Taliban banned it. Even if there was a press conference or something, they said, ‘You cannot take pictures.’”

But during the first Taliban era, in which punishments could be severe for even minor transgressions, taking photos of people was still a regular, risky occurrence for the photojournalist, along with a small number of his fellow Afghans working for Western news agencies.

“We had small cameras, and when we went to do stories we would just go somewhere where there was no more Taliban, and we would take one or two shots, then quickly leave," he says. "It was like a ‘stolen picture.’"

During the first Taliban era, he says, the handful of local photojournalists “had to process our film using chemicals. It was very complicated.”

Today, however, “everyone has a phone; it’s digital.”

Additionally, the veteran photojournalist says, “The Taliban themselves like to see Facebook. They have WhatsApp It will be very, very difficult to stop it" since the new generation of Taliban "grew up with the Internet."

The photographer says he was detained several times for taking photos during the Taliban’s first rule. One of his colleagues was imprisoned overnight after photographing a man who turned out to be a foreign extremist from an Arab state who leaped up to detain the photographer and took him to the Taliban’s "vice and virtue" police.

Some within the Taliban leadership apparently turned a blind eye to the ban on imagery showing living things during the 1990s.

“My pictures were printed many times in a Pakistani newspaper, and the following day the newspaper would be sent from Pakistan to [the Pakistani Embassy in] Kabul,” the photojournalist says. "The Taliban could have called me and asked, ‘Why did you take a picture?’ But this never happened."

But, he adds, “on the ground, it was absolutely not allowed to take photos.”

For ordinary people, indulging in illicit entertainment through the 1990s was a commonplace, if nerve-wracking, experience.

"People would watch TV and listen to music cassettes, but very secretly. They were sitting in the basement or somewhere and completely closing the window," he recalls.

The photojournalist says the second iteration of Taliban rule has been relatively lenient compared to the first, but "little by little, the smell -- the bad smell -- is returning," and referenced the recent shutdown of television stations in northern Afghanistan for screening images of people.

The Taliban leadership in the group’s founding city of Kandahar is "very extremist," he says, though some have undoubtedly been changed by what they have seen of prosperity in the outside world -- something the Taliban’s first generation of leadership never experienced.

"These Taliban in the past few years have been in Qatar, Iran, Pakistan, India, and they have seen how beautiful the world outside Afghanistan is. When [Taliban founder] Mullah Omar took power [in 1996], they came straight from the madrasahs and took Kabul, but after the civil war it was completely destroyed -- no TVs, no nothing."

This time, the photojournalist says, "the Taliban were handed a beautiful Kabul with construction, beautiful cars, restaurants, buildings. Everything is so superior to what the previous Taliban saw."
Pakistan
US puts curbs on firms for supporting Iran, Pakistan weapons programs (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [10/21/2024 6:24 PM, Staff, 4566K, Negative]
The United States added more than two dozen entities to a trade blacklist Monday over alleged support of weapons and drone development programs in Iran and Pakistan, and for other issues including aiding Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.

The 26 targets, mostly in Pakistan, China and the United Arab Emirates, were said to have violated export controls, been involved in "weapons programs of concern," or evaded U.S. sanctions and export controls on Russia and Iran, the Commerce Department said.

Their addition to the so-called "entity list" restricts them from getting U.S. items and technologies without government authorization.

"We are vigilant in defending U.S. national security from bad actors," Alan Estevez, undersecretary of commerce for industry and security, said in a statement.

"Our actions today send a message to malicious actors that if they violate our controls, they will pay a price," he added.

Nine entities in Pakistan were accused of being front companies and procurement agents for the already blacklisted Advanced Engineering Research Organization.

Since 2010, the group was said to have procured U.S.-origin items by disguising their end users, who include a Pakistani entity responsible for the country’s cruise missile and strategic drone program.

"This activity is contrary to the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States," the Commerce Department said.

Six entities in China were added to the list for allegedly acquiring U.S.-origin items to support China’s military modernization or to aid Iran ‘s weapons and drone programs, among other reasons.

And three entities in the UAE, alongside another in Egypt, were said to have acquired or attempted to obtain U.S. components to avoid sanctions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the department said.

On Monday, the Commerce Department also removed Canada-based Sandvine from the entity list, after the company took steps to "to address the misuse of its technology that can undermine human rights."

The U.S. had placed Sandvine on the trade restriction list in February 2024 for allegedly helping the Egyptian government target human rights activists and politicians.

The company had been added "after its products were used to conduct mass web monitoring and censorship and target human rights activists and dissidents, including by enabling the misuse of commercial spyware," the Commerce Department said.
Judicial Overhaul Squeaks Through After High Political Drama in Pakistan (New York Times)
New York Times [10/21/2024 4:14 PM, Salman Masood, 831K, Neutral]
After weeks of intense political maneuvering, Pakistan’s Parliament has passed a set of constitutional amendments that will overhaul the process for appointing the country’s chief justice. Critics called it an effort to rein in the Supreme Court as it has emerged as a political force in its own right and challenged Pakistan’s powerful military establishment.

The governing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and other groups managed to cobble together the two-thirds majority needed to change the Constitution in a session that continued into the early hours of Monday. In fiery speeches railing against what they called judicial activism, lawmakers in the ruling coalition said the amendments would bolster the primacy of political leaders in Pakistan.

But the party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is in jail on corruption charges that he denies, boycotted the vote, calling the amendments a blatant attempt to undermine judicial independence. The Supreme Court has repeatedly issued rulings pushing back on the establishment’s efforts to sideline Mr. Khan and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or P.T.I.

The amendments, which were supported by the military establishment, reflect the power struggles that have gripped Pakistan since Mr. Khan was ousted in 2022, analysts said.

Under the changes, the appointment process for the chief justice and other judges will move away from the traditional seniority-based system to one that could be swayed by political interests.

The amendments ensure that judges perceived to be loyal to Mr. Khan will be forced out of contention for the chief justice role. Some independent judges who stood up against the military’s heavy-handed tactics to push aside Mr. Khan and his party will also now be out of the running for future chief justice spots, analysts said.

“It is a dark day for democracy,” said Faisal Chaudhry, an Islamabad-based lawyer who is part of Mr. Khan’s legal team. He said that judicial overreach had now been answered by limiting judicial independence.

For most of Pakistan’s history, the courts were largely aligned with the military, disqualifying elected prime ministers and dozens of other politicians who had fallen out of favor with the generals. The Supreme Court ordered the hanging of a popular former prime minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, in 1979.

Supporters of the judicial changes said they would curtail such meddling.

“The new constitutional amendments would help end the palace conspiracies to oust governments and remove prime ministers,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told Parliament.

Before the vote, Islamabad was buzzing with high drama and frenetic political activity. Akhtar Mengal, the leader of a nationalist party, the Baluchistan National Party, said that two of his party’s senators had been abducted and forced to vote for the amendments. P.T.I. also claimed that several of its members had been coerced by the military establishment into voting for the changes.

Mr. Sharif dismissed these concerns, saying that the amendments marked “a new dawn.”
Pakistan passes constitutional amendment empowering parliament to pick top judge (Reuters)
Reuters [10/21/2024 11:59 PM, Gibran Peshimam and Asif Shahzad, 37270K, Neutral]
Pakistan approved changes to the constitution on Monday, which included empowering parliament to pick the Supreme Court’s chief justice, drawing criticism from opposition parties who said it was an attempt to subvert the judiciary.

Pakistan’s top court has become a battleground between the government and jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, ruling on issues ranging from a controversial national election to a potential military court trial for Khan and his supporters.

The constitutional changes were approved in an extraordinary session of parliament which was assembled on Sunday, a public holiday, and ran all night, concluding close to dawn on Monday.

"The Chief Justice of Pakistan shall be nominated by the Special Parliamentary Committee...from amongst the three most senior Judges of the Supreme Court," the text of amendment bill, which had a host of other procedural changes, read.

Previously, the Supreme Court’s second-most senior judge automatically became the chief justice when the top judge retired at age 65.

"It has been settled that parliament is supreme," Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said after his ruling coalition garnered the required two-thirds majority of parliament to amend the constitution for the 26th time since it was passed in 1973.

Pakistani politicians have long complained about judicial overreach into matters of governance, stoking tensions between the judiciary and legislature.

Sharif defended the amendments, saying past verdicts had resulted in the sackings of sitting prime ministers, endorsements of military dictatorships, and the undermining of democracy and parliament.

The current Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa is due to retire this Friday. There had been concern in government circles that senior judges below him and in the high courts had shown leniency to Khan in a number of cases, analysts say.

Former cricket star Khan, 71, has been in jail for over a year. His 2022 removal from office and subsequent clashes with the military have triggered Pakistan’s worst political turmoil in decades.

"It is a black day in our constitutional history and for judicial independence," Gohar Ali Khan, chairman of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), said.
Pakistan’s government curbs judiciary’s power after alleged harassment of MPs (The Guardian)
The Guardian [10/21/2024 12:30 PM, Shah Meer Baloch and Hannah Ellis-Petersen, 92374K, Negative]
Pakistan’s government has passed a controversial amendment to the constitution that has been accused of weakening the power and independence of the judiciary, throwing the country’s democracy into further crisis.

The 26th constitutional amendment was passed in a clandestine, late-night parliamentary session that was clouded in secrecy and marred by allegations of abductions and intimidation of parliamentarians to force them to vote in favour of the bill.

The ruling coalition government had lobbied intensely for the amendment, which changes the process of senior judicial appointments and, most significantly, gives the ruling government the power to select the chief justice, the country’s top judge who is regularly the final arbiter of Pakistan’s most politically significant cases.

In a statement, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), said the amendment was a "blow to judicial independence, the rule of law, and human rights protection".

The coalition government, comprises the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan’s People’s party, and is led by the prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif. It had attempted to push the amendment through last month but lacked a majority in the national assembly.

This time round, it managed to get the votes necessary but the opposition parties had accused the government of "arm twisting", including offering substantial bribes to MPs as well as abducting, torturing and harassing them to give them the numbers.

The coalition government came to power in February in an election that was tainted with widespread allegations of rigging and documented evidence of electoral fraud against the party of former prime minister Imran Khan, who is currently in jail. The ruling government is accused of having the backing of Pakistan’s powerful military establishment, who are long accused of meddling in the country’s political affairs.

The new constitutional amendment comes amid government fears that the new chief justice of the supreme court, who is due to take office this month, would open an investigation into the alleged rigging of February’s election. Since the elections were held, Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has been holding protests, calling for the court to take up the allegations of election fraud. They vowed to hold mass protests in the wake of the amendment.

Salman Akram Raja, the PTI’s general secretary, said the new rules were to ensure that the country’s most senior judges were beholden to the government’s agenda and would not grant any relief to Khan or PTI in the mounting number of cases they are currently fighting. "Everything will be decided by judges handpicked by the government," he said.

Raja alleged that the "establishment", a common reference to the military, were the ones behind the amendment. He cited a recent incident where six senior judges went public with allegations they had been intimidated and put under pressure by the establishment not to give favourable court verdicts in Khan’s cases. "This is the end of judicial independence," he said.

However, the allegations were denied by the law minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, who said that the parliamentary committee who will select the chief justice will have "representation of all major parties" including opposition parties, so appointments would not be politically motivated. "The amendments are constitutional," he said.

There were already long-running questions about the independence of Pakistan’s judiciary, which has historically been accused of being co-opted to serve the military’s agenda. However, it has also stood up for human rights issues and media freedom.

In recent months, the supreme court has also given several favourable orders to Khan, who has been in jail for over a year and is facing upwards of 100 cases, to the displeasure of the ruling coalition, who have deemed Khan a "terrorist".

Lawyers and experts said that with this new bill, government interference into the justice system was now brazenly enshrined in the constitution. Salahuddin Ahmed, a senior lawyer, said the new amendments "permanently puts the supreme court and high courts under the thumb of politicians".

He added: "This moves Pakistan decisively towards an authoritarian state and destroys the essence of judicial review.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Pakistan’s former prime minister, called it a "subjugation of the judiciary by the government. It simply means that if a judge does not cooperate with the government, he will be kicked out," he said.
Critics concerned as Pakistan parliament moves to pick new chief justice (VOA)
VOA [10/21/2024 12:14 PM, Ayaz Gul, 4566K, Neutral]
Pakistan’s government amended the constitution Monday, authorizing parliament to select the Supreme Court chief justice, a move opposition parties and independent critics slammed as an infringement on judicial independence.

Until now, the judge who was second in seniority would automatically take over as the country’s chief justice when the top judge retired at 65. The amendments came just days before Pakistan’s Chief Justice, Qazi Faez Isa, is due to retire on October 25.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ruling coalition approved the constitutional changes during a special parliamentary session that opened Sunday, a public holiday. The session lasted through the night, wrapping up just before dawn Monday.

The amendments primarily focus on Pakistan’s judiciary and mandate a special parliamentary committee to nominate the chief justice from among the three most senior Supreme Court judges.

Sharif celebrated the legislation as a "historic day" after his ruling coalition secured the necessary two-thirds majority in parliament to amend the constitution for the 26th time since its passage in 1973. "Today, it has been established that parliament is supreme," he told lawmakers.

The prime minister mentioned allegations by politicians that the judiciary’s frequent interference had impeded the functioning of successive governments in Pakistan, often resulting in their collapse.

Lawmakers from the opposition party of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), rejected the amendments as an attempt to subvert the judiciary and described it as a "black day" in the country’s constitutional history.

Khan has been in jail since August 2023 on controversial corruption charges and faces multiple other allegations that he rejects as politically motivated and orchestrated by the powerful military.

PTI and independent critics argued that the Sharif administration amended the constitution quickly to preempt the upcoming transition at the Supreme Court amid concerns that senior judges under Isa might provide relief to Khan in various lawsuits initiated by the government.

A late-night official announcement said that the speaker of the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, had formed a 12-member committee, predominantly from the ruling coalition, to meet Tuesday "for the nomination of the chief justice of Pakistan."

Salman Akram Raja, a central PTI leader, stated that regardless of who takes the oath as chief justice later this week, "it would be of a Supreme Court stripped of its dignity."

"A truly dark era has dawned," he lamented.

The Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists, or ICJ, also backed opposition concerns, saying Monday’s legislation was "a blow to judicial independence, the rule of law, and human rights protection" in Pakistan.

It noted that the amendments "make significant institutional changes in the structure and functioning" of the judicial system, particularly the Supreme Court and high courts.

The ICJ raised concerns about the absence of public consultations regarding proposed amendments introduced and passed by Parliament in less than 24 hours.

"These changes bring an extraordinary level of political influence over the process of judicial appointments and the judiciary’s own administration," said Santiago Canton, ICJ’s secretary general. "They erode the judiciary’s capacity to independently and effectively function as a check against excesses by other branches of the State and protect human rights," he stated.

Pakistan’s prestigious English-language Dawn newspaper also questioned the motives behind the new law.

"A fear remains that the ruling coalition may try to misuse the amendments to appoint judges of their choice... or elevate a ‘like-minded’ judge to the chief justice’s position," the paper wrote in a Monday editorial.

Sharif’s coalition government, believed to have military backing, came to power in February after an election that faced widespread allegations of rigging, which observers claimed effectively prevented the PTI from winning.

Khan, the 72-year-old cricket star-turned-prime minister, was ousted from power in 2022 through an opposition parliamentary vote of no confidence. The move, which the deposed leader rejected as illegal, led to unprecedented political turmoil in nuclear-armed Pakistan, a country of more than 240 million people.

In June, a panel of independent United Nations experts urged Pakistan to end Khan’s incarceration, saying his detention had "no legal basis."

The military has staged three coups and placed Pakistan under direct dictatorial rule for more than three decades since gaining independence in 1947. Khan and other former prime ministers have claimed that army generals significantly influence the functioning of elected governments, even when they are not in power, charges the military rejects.
A million children in Pakistan miss polio vaccine shots as cases spike (CNN)
CNN [10/21/2024 8:00 PM, Lex Harvey, Sophia Saifi, and Asim Khan, 24052K, Negative]
Polio is once again spreading in Pakistan, where officials say more than 1 million children missed their vaccination doses last month, underscoring the challenges they face in eradicating one of the world’s most intractable diseases.

Pakistani officials reported more than a dozen new polio cases in October, bringing the total number of infections this year to 39, compared to just six last year when the South Asian country appeared to be on the verge of eliminating the virus.

Ayesha Raza, the Focal Person to the Pakistani Prime Minister on Polio Eradication, blamed the recent uptick in cases on low vaccine uptake. She said about 1 million children missed their polio vaccinations in September, compounding a pre-existing immunity gap that has been growing since Covid-19 disrupted immunization efforts.

Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that mainly affects children under age 5. It attacks the nervous system and can cause paralysis, respiratory issues and even death.

It spreads mainly through contaminated water or food and there is no cure. But it can be prevented with a vaccine: polio cases worldwide have been reduced by more than 99% since the 1980s thanks to immunization campaigns.

Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan are the only two countries where polio remains endemic, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), though the United Nations health agency has also recently warned of a resurgence of the deadly disease in Gaza following more than a year of Israeli bombardment of the Palestinian enclave.

Vaccination programs in Pakistan, home to more than 240 million people, have struggled in part due to a historical distrust of foreign health care providers. Allegations that US intelligence officials used a fake immunization program in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad as part of efforts to capture Osama bin Laden in 2011 inflamed those concerns.

Religious beliefs and a lack of awareness about the dangers of polio have also hindered public health efforts. International NGOs and Pakistani authorities have worked aggressively to dispel rumors and vaccinate children in recent years, but misinformation continues to spread.

Most of the recent cases in Pakistan are clustered in southwestern Balochistan province, which borders Afghanistan, where local officials say parents are reluctant to vaccinate their children due to widespread misinformation and distrust of health care providers.

Most of the children recently infected with the disease had been partially vaccinated but did not complete all four required doses, said Raza, the official.

Reported cases will also likely rise further as Pakistan steps up its surveillance efforts, Raza said.

"A lot of work is being done to fill the gaps that we’ve missed in the past," she said.

The uptick in polio cases in Pakistan also comes as violent attacks against vaccination clinics have ramped up, targeting police and security officials.

Militants have targeted anti-polio campaigns in Pakistan for decades, with some claiming vaccines are a Western conspiracy used to sterilize children.

There have been 27 attacks on polio workers in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province this year, according to a CNN tally, which was confirmed by a police source.

In September, armed militants killed a police officer protecting a polio vaccination site in the northwest city of Bannu, prompting protests. A police officer and a polio worker were killed in another shooting that month in the northwest city of Bajaur.

Aftab Kakar, a representative for the Emergency Operation Center in Balochistan, said protests, insecurity and community boycotts had disrupted vaccine campaigns, "leaving a cohort of missed children who could sustain virus transmission."

Health workers put a mark on a child’s finger to indicate if they’ve received the vaccine. But in some cases, children have been incorrectly marked as having been vaccinated when they haven’t, Kakar said.

Despite the recent surge in cases, Pakistani authorities are optimistic they can stop the spread of the disease. The country is launching a new nationwide polio vaccination campaign on October 28 with the aim of inoculating 45 million children under age 5.

"Polio eradication is Pakistan’s top priority," Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Programme posted on social media.

"A unified plan with provinces aims to stop polio transmission by 2025."
2 transgender women stabbed to death at home in northwest Pakistan (AP)
AP [10/22/2024 2:55 AM, Staff, 456K, Neutral]
Two men armed with daggers killed two transgender women at their home in conservative northwest Pakistan overnight before fleeing the scene, police said, a sign of increasing violence against trans people in the country.

The killings happened Sunday night in Mardan, a city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, local police chief Fahim Khan said. He said the motive behind the murders was unclear and officers are still investigating.

Transgender people are often subjected to harassment, abuse and attacks in Muslim-majority Pakistan. They are also among the victims of so-called honor killings carried out by relatives to punish perceived sexual transgressions.

Farzana Jan, President of the Trans Action rights group in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said another nine trans people have been killed in gun attacks in the province since January.

She said none of the attackers involved in the previous cases had been brought to justice, mainly because families pardoned the attackers or prosecutors did not pursue the cases seriously.

The transgender community has threated to protest if the attackers are not arrested.

“We have given a three-day deadline to the police for arresting those behind the latest killings in Mardan,” Jan said. “We will stage rallies if the killers of two members of our community are not arrested,” she said.

There are no exact figures about the number of trans people in Pakistan, but Jan estimated that about 75,000 live in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Mardan is located about 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of Peshawar.
India
India says it has reached a deal with China to patrol disputed border (Washington Post)
Washington Post [10/21/2024 11:20 AM, Gerry Shih and Karishma Mehrotra, 52865K, Neutral]
India and China have reached an agreement on patrolling their disputed border, a senior Indian official said Monday, marking a major thaw four years after bloody clashes between the nations’ border guards tanked bilateral relations and reshaped geopolitics in Asia.

The Indian announcement — which was not immediately confirmed by the Chinese government — came shortly before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping were scheduled to arrive in Russia to attend the BRICS summit, which is being hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin and begins Tuesday. Speculation has been mounting in recent weeks that China and India were working toward a diplomatic breakthrough and that Modi and Xi could discuss normalizing relations in a face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS conference in Kazan.

“Over the last several weeks, Indian and Chinese diplomatic and military negotiators have been in close contact with each other in a variety of forums, and as a result of these discussions, [an] agreement has been arrived at on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control,” Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters in New Delhi, referring to the countries’ contested border. The agreement, Misri said, has led to “disengagement and a resolution of the issues that had arisen in these areas in 2020.”

The clashes in 2020 included a melee in June that killed several soldiers and was viewed within the Modi government as a betrayal by China. It also presented a diplomatic opening for the United States, which has since significantly tightened military and technological cooperation with India. But U.S.-India ties have been strained in the past year by India’s relationship with Russia and allegations that its spy service attempted to assassinate an American Sikh living in New York.

U.S. officials say they are not opposed to any deal between India and China that would promote regional peace and prosperity. But a rapprochement between New Delhi — a cornerstone of the Biden administration’s strategy to counter China — and Beijing will probably be closely watched in Washington, particularly during a week in which Putin is presenting the BRICS summit as a showcase of unity among countries outside the Western camp. BRICS is an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Harsh Shringla, a former Indian foreign secretary and ambassador to the United States, said the border patrolling agreement removed any impediments to Modi and Xi meeting this week in Russia and could lead to their armies — two of the largest in the world — drawing down the number of troops deployed to the border. But even if India repairs ties with China, Shringla added, its relationship with the United States runs deeper.

“If we have a situation with China where both sides can now start engaging on the vexing issues, it doesn’t mean that you’ll suddenly be taking the relationship from one to 100,” Shringla said. “There will always be issues with us and a neighbor like China. It won’t be a free-flowing relationship.”

For months, Chinese and Indian officials have signaled the possibility of restoring ties. In an interview with Newsweek in the summer, Modi said he was open to normalizing ties with China. Chinese officials and state media have publicly talked up the benefits of restoring direct flights and visas for Chinese tourists and business visitors to India, which had been severed. And Indian economic policy makers have argued for the loosening of some restrictions on people-to-people exchanges and Chinese foreign direct investment, which had largely been frozen.

But for Modi, a deal with Xi could be presented to his domestic audience as a victory after four years of hard bargaining, said Pramit Pal Chaudhuri, South Asia practice head at the Eurasia Group consultancy.

“It’s a political success as far as Modi is considered,” Chaudhuri said. “We’ll probably hear him saying, ‘I made the Chinese walk back from what they did in 2020, and few other countries and few other Indian governments have ever accomplished this.’”
China, India End Border Impasse Ahead of Likely Xi-Modi Meet (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [10/21/2024 9:20 AM, Sudhi Ranjan Sen, 27782K, Neutral]
India said it ended a four-year border stalemate with China, a significant step toward easing tensions and paving the way for a possible meeting between the leaders of both nuclear-armed countries at a BRICS summit this week.

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India’s minister of external affairs, said an agreement was reached on Monday to allow border patrolling operations in both countries to resume. That means the “disengagement process with China you can say is completed,” and the border situation returns to what it was in 2020, he said at an event in New Delhi.

Relations between China and India have been frozen since June 2020 when clashes between soldiers along the disputed Himalayan border left at least 20 Indian and an unknown number of Chinese dead.

China’s Foreign Ministry didn’t immediately respond to a request for further information.

The announcement came a day before Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are scheduled to attend the BRICS summit in Russia, setting the stage for a possible bilateral meeting between the two leaders.

Modi and Xi last met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Johannesburg in 2023, although haven’t held formal bilateral talks since the Group of 20 leaders’ meeting in Bali in 2022.

Jaishankar said there will be follow-up meetings to plan the next steps.

“It creates a basis for peace and tranquility in the border areas, which should be and was there before 2020,” he said on Monday. “That was our major concern because we always said that if you disturb peace and tranquility how do expect the rest of the relationship to go forward.”

There had been incremental progress in resolving the border crisis since the 2020 clashes, though momentum picked up this year following meetings between the foreign ministers of the two countries in July.

Earlier Monday, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said a series of discussions had taken place over several weeks to reach the deal.

The two nations share a 3,488-kilometer (2,167 miles) unmarked border between them. Both sides moved fighter jets, artillery guns and missiles closer to the border as tensions rose, while thousands of troops were also deployed. The border patrol agreement would be the first step toward moving soldiers away and allowing normal patrolling operations to take place.

Following the 2020 clashes, India imposed strict rules on Chinese businesses seeking to invest in the country, banned hundreds of Chinese apps and slowed visa approvals.
India says it has reached a pact with China on military patrols along their disputed border (AP)
AP [10/21/2024 7:55 AM, Sheikh Saaliq, 31638K, Negative]
India and China have agreed to a pact on military patrols along their disputed border in the Himalayas after a standoff that began with a deadly clash in 2020, India’s foreign ministry said Monday.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the pact is to lead to the "disengagement" of troops at the Line of Actual Control, the long Himalayan border shared by the two Asian giants. Misri did not specify whether it means the withdrawal of the tens of thousands of additional troops stationed by the two countries along their disputed border in northern Ladakh region, after their armies clashed in 2020.

There was no immediate comment from Beijing.

Misri said the pact was a result of several rounds of talks over the past few weeks between Indian and Chinese diplomatic and military negotiators, and that it will lead to "eventually a resolution of the issues that had arisen in these areas in 2020."

The announcement was made on the eve of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia for the BRICS summit, which also involves China. Local media reported that Modi could hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the event.

Ties between India and China deteriorated in July 2020, after a military clash killed at least 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese. It turned into a long-running standoff in the rugged mountainous area, where each side has stationed tens of thousands of military personnel backed by artillery, tanks and fighter jets.

The Line of Actual Control, or LAC, separates Chinese and Indian-held territories from Ladakh in the west to India’s eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims in its entirety.

Both India and China have withdrawn troops from some areas on the northern and southern banks of Pangong Tso lake, Gogra and Galwan Valley, but continue to maintain extra troops as part of a multitier deployment.

Top Indian and Chinese army commanders have held several rounds of talks since the military clash to discuss the disengagement of troops from areas of tension.

India and China fought a war over their border in 1962. The Line of Actual Control divides the areas of physical control rather than territorial claims. According to India, the de facto border is 3,488 kilometers (2,167 miles) long, but China claims a considerably shorter figure.

India’s foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, said the pact is "a product of very patient and very persevering diplomacy" and that it will resume military patrolling the way it was before the 2020 clash.

"Hopefully, we will be able to come back to peace and tranquility. And that was our major concern, because we always said that if you disturb peace and tranquility, how do you expect the rest of the relationship to go forward," Jaishankar told Indian news channel NDTV.
India, China reach pact to resolve border conflict, Indian foreign minister says (Reuters)
Reuters [10/21/2024 10:01 AM, Krishn Kaushik, Fayaz Bukhari, and Shilpa Jamkhandikar, 88008K, Negative]
India and China have reached a deal on patrolling their disputed frontier to end a four-year military stand-off, the Indian foreign minister said on Monday, paving the way for improved political and business ties between the Asian giants.

The news came on the eve of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia for an Oct. 22-24 summit of the BRICS regional grouping, during which he could hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian officials said.

Relations between the world’s two most populous nations - both nuclear powers - have been strained since clashes between their troops on the largely undemarcated frontier in the western Himalayas left 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers dead in 2020.

The two sides had since stopped patrolling several points along the border in the Ladakh region to avoid new confrontations, while moving tens of thousands of new troops and military equipment closer to the freezing highlands.

"We reached an agreement on patrolling, and with that we have gone back to where the situation was in 2020 and we can say ... the disengagement process with China has been completed," Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said at a NDTV media conclave.

The "understanding was reached only today," he said, adding: "We always said that if you disturb the peace and tranquillity how can the rest of the relationship go forward?"

To avoid clashes, the two militaries will patrol contested points along the border according to an agreed schedule, a senior Indian military officer aware of the details told Reuters.

Both sides will monitor the area in Ladakh to ensure that there are no violations, the officer added.

Authorities in Beijing offered no immediate response to India’s remarks.

REGULAR REVIEW, MONITORING

Officials in New Delhi said the pact clears the path for a likely bilateral meeting between Modi and Xi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, which will be their first since 2020.

The senior military officer said that both sides would pull back their troops a little from current positions to avoid face-offs, but would be allowed to patrol these areas according to a schedule that is being worked out.

Monthly review meetings and regular monitoring of the contested areas by both sides would ensure there are no violations, he added.

Deependra Singh Hooda, a retired senior Indian army officer who was a commander for a part of the China frontier, said that while the two sides would need fresh confidence-building measures, "at least the impasse has been broken".

Slow progress during talks over the last four years to end the stand-off damaged business ties between the two large economies, with New Delhi tightening scrutiny of investment by Chinese firms and halting major projects.

India’s tougher vetting of all Chinese investment after the clashes effectively turned away billions of dollars from the likes of carmakers BYD and Great Wall Motor, and added more red tape in Indian firms’ interactions with Chinese stakeholders.

However, Indian imports from China have surged 56% since the 2020 border clash, nearly doubling New Delhi’s trade deficit with Beijing to $85 billion. China remains India’s biggest source of goods and was its largest supplier of industrial products last year.

Asked about the impact of Monday’s pact on trade with and investment from China, Jaishankar said: "It has just happened. There will be meetings to see what the next steps will be. I wouldn’t go so fast."
Indian traders hopeful after China border patrol deal announced (VOA)
VOA [10/21/2024 9:15 PM, Sanjay Jha, 4566K, Positive]
After four years of heightened tensions and disrupted economic ties, India and China have agreed on a return to 2020 border patrol arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Himalayas, India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar announced Monday.

The agreement marks a significant step toward resolving a simmering border conflict that in 2020 saw clashes between their militaries in the Galwan Valley kill at least four Chinese troops and 20 Indian ones.

"Hopefully, we will be able to come back to peace and tranquility," Jaishankar told Indian news channel NDTV.

For many in the Indian business community, this agreement brings both relief and a fresh wave of optimism after trade ties plunged over the border tensions.

Nafisul Q Jilani, a Mandarin-speaking business owner whose exhibition company thrived on facilitating trade fairs for Chinese businesses in India, said the halt in diplomatic relations resulted in a cascade of economic disruptions, including visa restrictions and diplomatic standoffs that put his business on ice.

"Business is taking a huge hit on both sides," he told VOA Mandarin. "Businessmen from both countries are desperately waiting for things to get better. But unfortunately, hope was diminishing day by day."

The standoffs affected entire industries.

"As of now, visas aren’t being issued, and as a result, the exhibition and travel-tourism industries are taking a huge toll," Jilani said. "Hospitality, transportation, tourism -everything is affected, and unemployment in these sectors is growing," he said.

But after today’s India-China agreement on patrolling the border, Jilani is hopeful again.

"This announcement brings a lot of joy," he said. "I’m looking forward to getting back to brisk business and helping our Chinese partners reconnect with India. Our economies are growing fast, and it’s crucial for us to explore opportunities on both sides."

Jitender Chandak, a tea exporter to China, has faced his own share of challenges during the diplomatic freeze. Like Jilani, Chandak’s business has been hit hard by visa and travel restrictions. He was unable to host his Chinese business partners in India, he told VOA Mandarin.

"I’ve been running huge losses because I couldn’t invite my customers from China," he said.

Now, with better relations on the horizon from the border patrol announcement, Chandak’s optimism is palpable.

"Now that relations are set to normalize, I can finally invite my business partners and friends to India, and we can expand our business further," he said.

His optimism reflects the broader sentiment of small business owners who have been eagerly awaiting an opportunity to reconnect with their Chinese counterparts.

Naresh Gupta, president of the Indo-China Chamber of Commerce, says the patrolling agreement is not only a solution to immediate tensions but also has the potential for deepening economic collaboration between the two Asian giants.

"The disengagement is a step in the right direction," Gupta said. "I see this as an opportunity for Indian businesses to enhance their technology adoption, improve product quality, and strengthen branding through collaborations with Chinese companies."

While the patrolling agreement is a major milestone, experts caution that rebuilding trust between India and China will take time.

The standoff over the past four years has seen both nations station tens of thousands of troops along the border.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, while outlining the details of the agreement, emphasized that both countries have agreed on the "sanctity of the LAC," which lays the foundation for future peace and tranquility along the border.

Beijing has yet to officially comment on the agreement.

It was announced just a day before Russia hosts an annual summit of the BRICS group of emerging economies that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping plan to attend.

BRICS is named after its founding members - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Indian media are speculating the deal could pave the way for direct discussions between Modi and Xi on the sidelines of the summit.

When asked at a regular Foreign Ministry briefing Monday if any meeting would take place at the Moscow-hosted BRICS summit between Xi and Modi, spokesman Lin Jian said, "We will keep you posted if anything comes up."
Four Years in Jail Without Trial: The Price of Dissent in Modi’s India (New York Times)
New York Times [10/22/2024 12:01 AM, Suhasini Raj, 831K, Neutral]
The family gathers around the laptop in New Delhi once a week. Sometimes, relatives dial in from north India, or even the United States. They wait for Umar Khalid, 37, an Indian political activist, to appear on the screen from jail.

“How are you, Ammi?” Mr. Khalid boomed one recent day, addressing his mother, Sabiha Khanam.

“Everyone get in the frame, please,” he urged when he was unable to see a face but could hear a familiar voice.

In early 2020, Mr. Khalid became one of the most prominent figures of India’s biggest and most energized protests in a generation, a three-month outpouring of opposition to government proposals widely seen as anti-Muslim.

He was arrested later that year, and he has now languished in jail for four years without a trial, making him a symbol of the wide-ranging suppression of dissent under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It continues unabated even with Mr. Modi’s reduced mandate after elections in the spring.

To silence opponents like Mr. Khalid, Mr. Modi’s government has increasingly turned to a draconian state security law that in the past was used only to quell violent insurgencies. Activists and other dissenters targeted under the law can be held in pretrial detention almost indefinitely. Some have died while awaiting bail. Even if they do move toward trial, defendants are often bogged down in years of legal battles.

Mr. Modi’s government has worked to bend the judicial system to its will and wield it as a weapon against a range of adversaries. When the dissenting voice is Muslim, as in Mr. Khalid’s case, the hammer brandished by the Hindu-nationalist government comes down even harder, activists and family members say.

Mr. Khalid was detained under the state security law after he made antigovernment speeches and participated in WhatsApp groups that were organizing protests. He was accused of instigating riots in Delhi that left more than 50 people dead. Most of the victims were Muslims who died at the hands of Hindu mobs.

Ever since, he and his family have been caught in a cruel routine.

Mr. Khalid’s application for bail was rejected three times in lower courts, said his father, Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas. His bail hearing in the country’s highest court has been postponed at least a dozen times. On at least two occasions, Mr. Khalid has been taken to court, only for the judge to recuse himself and send the defendant back to his cell.

“As they say, the process is the punishment,” said Mr. Ilyas, Mr. Khalid’s father. “Sometimes the judge recuses himself, sometimes the lawyers are not available.”

In India today, “one has to pay a price for speaking the truth,” Mr. Ilyas said. “And it is very easy to frame someone with a Muslim name these days.”

Mr. Khalid challenged Mr. Modi just as the prime minister was riding high after a sweeping election victory in 2019, which cemented his position as India’s most powerful leader in decades.

After the election, Mr. Modi moved swiftly on a slate of divisive policies advancing the longtime wishes of his Hindu-nationalist support base.

He revoked the special autonomous status of the Muslim-majority Kashmir region. He laid the foundation stone for a grand Hindu temple to be built at a site long disputed between Hindus and Muslims. His government announced plans for a national citizen registry that was widely seen as potentially denying citizenship to Muslims.

Protests erupted after the government passed a law granting a path to Indian citizenship to persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from nearby countries who had been living in India. Muslims were pointedly excluded.

The government said the law was not about Indian Muslims, but instead about giving oppressed minorities in India’s neighborhood a new start.

But many Muslims in India saw the measure as part of a design. Once the citizen registry went into effect, they feared, they would be deprived of citizenship if they could not present proof of lineage in India.

The protests over the citizenship law spread quickly. In the Delhi neighborhood of Shaheen Bagh, thousands of women held a sit-in for months. Braving one of the coldest Delhi winters, with children in tow, they gathered under a huge yellow and pink tarpaulin day and night.

Long before the protests, Mr. Khalid — who has a Ph.D. in history from Jawaharlal Nehru University, long an incubator of peaceful dissent — had been speaking out against anti-Muslim hatred.

He was particularly troubled by the increased ghettoization in India’s capital, where Muslims had long received fewer benefits from the state but felt the arm of the law more forcefully.

“We don’t get pizzas delivered here, we don’t get internet connection, we don’t even get home loans,” he says in a 2009 documentary about ghettoization, when he was still a young student.

He became more vocal after Mr. Modi’s rise to national power, which injected deeper violence into the existing anti-Muslim prejudice. When hate crimes and lynchings became routine, with Mr. Modi and his lieutenants maintaining a silence, Mr. Khalid attended rallies where he railed against Mr. Modi’s divisive politics and called his close aides “fascists.”

During the protests against the citizenship law, Mr. Khalid said in a speech to the women gathered in Delhi that “we will fight this fight with a smile and in a nonviolent way on the streets of our country.”

“This is a gathering of people who love Gandhi,” he said.

The protests to that point had remained peaceful. But widespread violence broke out in Delhi in early 2020 after right-wing groups and leaders of Mr. Modi’s party made provocative statements about the demonstrators. At one rally, a few weeks before the violence erupted, a government minister led a call-and-response chant saying that protesters should be shot as traitors.

Even as Muslims made up a majority of those killed in the riots, the state’s wrath was one-sided against Muslims. The police rounded up young Muslims, embroiling them in cases that would unravel one after another for lack of evidence or because the police were found to have taken part in violence against Muslims. At the same time, leaders of the governing party who had called for violence remained untouched.

After four years in jail, Mr. Khalid is described as having mellowed. He plays cricket and helps other inmates with their bail applications, his friend Apeksha Priyadarshini said. Sometimes he gets to feed cats that stop by his cell. His partner, Banojyotsna Lahiri, shares with Mr. Khalid cards and letters of support that come in the mail and keeps up a regular supply of books.

His parents and siblings, who live in an elegant apartment in south Delhi, must endure a torturous wait.

Last winter, Mr. Khalid was allowed to leave jail for a week for his sister’s wedding. In a photo album, he looked dapper in a dark blue kurta and a Nehru jacket.

“He did not sleep a wink for days,” said Ms. Khanam, his mother, a soft-spoken woman who wears a hijab. “He was scared of losing out on family time to sleep.”

While the bail hearings by now seem to be empty exercises, the family finds solace in seeing him up close in court. At a hearing this summer, his mother briefly held Mr. Khalid’s hand. When it ended, the judge said that mother and son could sit for a brief chat — six minutes.

“I hugged him hard and prayed for his release,” Ms. Khanam said.
Forging New Alliances: India’s BRICS Summit Diplomacy in Russia (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [10/21/2024 10:24 AM, Vivek N.D., 1198K, Neutral]
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kazan, Russia for the 16th annual BRICS summit from October 22 to 24 holds significant political, economic and cultural implications, especially amid ongoing global challenges. The summit, themed "Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security," is critical for India’s foreign policy as it seeks to deepen strategic ties with Russia, engage with China, and contribute to global governance reforms.

Politics and Security: Navigating Complex Alliances

During Modi’s bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, scheduled for October 22, efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine will be high on the agenda. India’s delicate position as a non-aligned power, maintaining friendly relations with both Russia and the West, gives it a potential mediatory role.

Modi’s visit comes at a time when global powers are reassessing alliances considering Russia’s prolonged conflict with Ukraine. The emphasis on diplomacy and open dialogue during this summit will underscore India’s growing importance as a voice of moderation, particularly in advocating for a peaceful resolution to the stalemate. Modi’s diplomatic balancing act will aim to navigate India’s economic and security ties with Russia while ensuring that its broader geopolitical interests, especially with the West, remain intact.

Further, India’s involvement in the resource-rich Russian Arctic and the Northern Sea Route (NSR) will be significant agenda items. An India-Russia joint working group on the NSR has explored objectives for Indian-Russian cargo transit along the route, collaborative projects in Arctic shipbuilding, and potential training programs for Indian sailors in polar navigation.

Security discussions at the BRICS summit are expected to center on counterterrorism and regional stability, with India taking a leading role in pushing for enhanced multilateral frameworks. Modi is likely to advocate for improved intelligence sharing and regional cooperation to address terrorism, particularly cross-border threats that affect both India and the wider Asian region. Following a BRICS meeting on September 12 led by Putin and involving top BRICS security officials, the emphasis will be on strengthening collaboration to combat extremism across BRICS nations.

India’s emphasis on counterterrorism aligns with broader BRICS security concerns. At a meeting in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod in June 2024, the BRICS foreign ministers condemned terrorism as unjustifiable and reaffirmed their commitment to combating it in all forms, including cross-border terrorism and its financing. They stressed the responsibility of states in this fight, advocating for zero tolerance and rejecting double standards. Alongside terrorism, the ministers also addressed issues like drug trafficking, anti-corruption efforts, and nuclear disarmament, underlining the need for comprehensive international cooperation.

The 16th BRICS leaders’ summit provides an opportunity to strengthen joint counterterrorism initiatives, bolster cyber defense capabilities, and improve intelligence-sharing mechanisms. Modi’s focus will likely be on fostering long-term regional stability, encouraging collaboration to neutralize terror financing, and reinforcing India’s leadership in shaping multilateral security efforts within BRICS.

Economy and Finance: Strengthening Economic Partnerships

Economically, the 2024 summit comes at a pivotal moment for BRICS, which recently expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This expansion reflects a growing desire for a multipolar economic order that can counterbalance Western-dominated financial institutions.

Modi’s discussions in Kazan will likely prioritize the advancement of trade within the BRICS bloc, especially considering the immense potential in sectors such as renewable energy, technology and agriculture. Intra-BRICS trade grew by 56 percent from 2017 to 2022, reaching a total value of $614.8 billion by 2022. Further, India’s intra-BRICS trade surpassed $100 billion in 2022, marking significant economic engagement with all BRICS member nations, particularly Brazil and South Africa.

A renewed focus on enhancing the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement, an alternative financial mechanism to the International Monetary Fund, will likely feature prominently in the discussions as the bloc seeks to create financial safety nets for its members.

With Modi’s emphasis on a self-reliant India, the summit offers opportunities to push forward collaborative projects, including initiatives within the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB), which has been instrumental in funding infrastructure projects across the Global South. As of 2024, the NDB, created as a partial alternative to the World Bank, has greenlit 96 projects totaling $32.8 billion to enhance infrastructure for its member countries. India’s priorities include gaining more influence within the NDB and pushing for investments in green energy, an area where collaboration with Russia and South Africa holds tremendous promise.

Cultural and Humanitarian Ties: Strengthening People-to-People Connectivity

Beyond politics and economics, the summit will further cement cultural and humanitarian ties. Modi’s focus on cultural diplomacy has long been a hallmark of his foreign policy, and this visit will likely see announcements regarding deeper cooperation in education, science and technology.

The BRICS Games, which were held in June 2024 in Kazan, provide a platform to enhance people-to-people connectivity, building on past initiatives like BRICS cultural festivals and educational exchanges. Humanitarian collaboration in global health initiatives, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, will also remain a key focus area, with India advocating for equitable vaccine distribution and the strengthening of health infrastructure across the Global South.

Thawing China-India Relations: A Critical Development

A potential meeting between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Kazan summit signals a possible thaw in the strained relations between the two Asian giants. Tensions have simmered since the Galwan Valley clash in 2020, and although border talks have continued sporadically, the relationship remains delicate. A meeting between Modi and Xi could signal a turning point, as both leaders explore diplomatic solutions to long-standing border disputes and look to enhance economic cooperation.

The recent de-escalation efforts along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) point to a willingness to reduce tensions, although security concerns, particularly regarding China’s growing influence in South Asia, remain high on India’s agenda. Moreover, Modi will likely push for more balanced trade relations, as India grapples with a trade deficit with China that exceeded $85 billion in 2023-24.

Beyond security, there is growing recognition within both leaderships that a pragmatic approach to trade and investment could benefit their domestic economies. As the largest economies in the BRICS bloc, India and China have much to gain from cooperating within the BRICS framework, particularly in areas of shared interest, such as climate change and technology development. However, any progress would require delicate negotiations to address lingering geopolitical concerns, especially China’s activities in the Indian Ocean region.

BRICS Expansion: The New World Order?

The expansion of BRICS - which has now doubled in size - marks a significant milestone in the bloc’s evolution. This new configuration is seen as a challenge to Western-dominated international institutions, with Modi emphasizing India’s role in promoting a more inclusive global governance system.

For India, the inclusion of these new members opens doors to expand its influence in the Middle East and Africa, regions where it has steadily increased its diplomatic and economic footprint. Iran’s inclusion, in particular, presents India with strategic opportunities in energy cooperation, with the potential to revive discussions around the long-delayed Chabahar port project.

As the first BRICS summit after this historic expansion, discussions will likely center around defining the roles of the new members and aligning the bloc’s strategic goals. For Modi, the expansion serves as a platform to bolster India’s leadership within the Global South, positioning BRICS as a counterweight to the G-7 and other Western alliances. With the bloc now representing 46 percent of the global population and nearly 30 percent of the world’s GDP, India’s role in shaping the group’s future direction is pivotal.

Conclusion: A New Era of Cooperation?

Modi’s participation in the 2024 BRICS summit in Kazan will mark a crucial juncture in India’s engagement with the global order. By navigating complex geopolitical challenges, strengthening economic partnerships and advocating for greater cultural ties, Modi seeks to position India as a leader within the BRICS framework and beyond. The potential for improved relations with China, coupled with the expanding influence of the BRICS bloc, underscores the transformative potential of this summit in reshaping global governance and fostering a more equitable world order.
India’s Kashmir Sees Major Attack on Migrant Workers Since Polls (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [10/21/2024 9:00 AM, Swati Gupta, 27782K, Negative]
Gunmen killed at least seven workers, and injured five others, at a key tunnel project in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, according to the police, making it one of the worst attacks on an infrastructure project in the volatile Indian region.

The militants fired at a housing camp for construction workers in the Ganderbal district, north of Srinagar, The Indian Express reported. The workers were building a 6.4 kilometer (3.9768 miles) tunnel, connecting a popular tourist location to the district throughout the year, according to the newspaper.

The construction project, managed by a private firm, is among the many infrastructure projects launched by the Indian government to boost economic development in the region.

Sunday’s assault came less than two weeks after local elections in Jammu and Kashmir, India’s only Muslim-majority region that’s been beset by separatist violence for decades. In 2023, 46 militant-led incidents took place and more than 80 people, including civilians, were killed in counter operations, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Omar Abdullah, who became the region’s chief minister earlier this month, said the victims of the latest attack were a mix of local and non-local workers. His party, the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, formed an alliance with the country’s main opposition group, the Indian National Congress, to secure a majority in the local elections.

In 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government relegated Jammu and Kashmir to a union territory from a state, meaning it’s now controlled primarily by the national government in New Delhi.

Amit Shah, India’s minister for home affairs, said Sunday the attackers “will face the harshest response from our security forces,” according to a post on social media platform X.
India says ‘enough’ after fake bomb threats against almost 100 flights (NBC News)
NBC News [10/22/2024 2:01 AM, Mithil Aggarwal, Neutral]
India has vowed to punish those responsible for hoax bomb threats that disrupted dozens of flights in recent days, resulting in huge financial losses for airlines and hours of delays for passengers whose flights were sometimes escorted by fighter jets.

More than 90 flights from Indian airports have received bomb threats in just over a week, including about 50 on Saturday and Sunday alone, according to local media reports. Though they were mainly directed at airlines based in India, they also affected international airlines and included both domestic flights as well as flights to the United States and other overseas destinations.

The unprecedented scale of the false threats, most of which were made on social media platforms such as X, has sent regulators scrambling for solutions.

“Safety and security is the foremost aspect,” the Indian aviation minister, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, told reporters Monday, adding that authorities are considering putting perpetrators on a no-fly list. “Even (if) one plane gets diverted, it’s not what we want.”

But it remains largely unclear who was behind the threats and what the motive was. Authorities said they had made one arrest but dismissed the possibility of a larger conspiracy.

Anyone found guilty of making such threats could end up serving jail time, Kinjarapu said.

“We are making it a cognizable offense, so based on that amendment, there is going to be a punishment and also fine,” he said.

Bomb threats against airlines are taken especially seriously in India, which was rattled by a series of bombings and hijackings from the 1970s to 1990s. The 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814 while en route from Kathmandu, Nepal, to Delhi lasted eight days and resulted in the release of several terrorists in Indian custody in exchange for the passengers and crew members, who by then were being held in Afghanistan.

In 1985, the bombing of Air India Flight 182 while en route from Toronto to New Delhi killed all 329 people on board in the worst terrorist attack in Canadian history. (On Monday, two men pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in a Canadian court in the 2022 shooting death of Ripudaman Singh Malik, a Canadian Sikh businessman who was acquitted of the bombing in 2005.)

Airlines are required by regulators to act on every seemingly credible threat.

“Though all have subsequently been found to be hoaxes, as a responsible airline operator all threats are taken seriously,” Air India, the country’s flagship carrier, said in a statement.

On Oct. 14, an Air India flight bound for New York was diverted shortly after takeoff from Mumbai, India’s financial capital, after it received a bomb threat, making an emergency landing in Delhi.

The next day, Singapore’s military dispatched two fighter jets to escort an Air India Express flight bound for the Southeast Asian city-state after it received an email threat. Two days later, the British air force dispatched a fighter jet to intercept an Air India Boeing 777 en route to London.

Another Air India flight from Delhi to Chicago was diverted to the remote Canadian city of Iqaluit last week after a security threat was posted online. The more than 200 passengers and crew members were stranded at the airport there for 18 hours before continuing on to Chicago on a Canadian air force plane.

Air India said it would consider legal action against those responsible and was cooperating with the authorities to identify the perpetrators.

Police in Mumbai have arrested one person on suspicion of posting bomb threats against at least three flights, Kinjarapu said Wednesday in a post on X. He did not name the suspect, who is a minor.

Experts say such hoaxes can have an enormous impact on airlines.

“Whenever the threat comes in, it has to land at the nearest airport,” said Sidharath Kapur, an independent aviation expert.

Passengers are deboarded while the plane is checked for explosives, he said, and it is allowed to take off again only once the threat is confirmed to be a hoax.

“It’s a fairly long process,” he said.

It isn’t always possible for the plane to land immediately.

“If a flight has just taken off and there is a bomb threat, the flight can’t land because it is already on a full load of fuel,” he said. “So they will have to dump the fuel first in the air and then land.”

This process can have a “cascading effect” on the airline’s entire network, he said, further disrupting schedules as spare planes and crew members are dispatched to assist the flight that was threatened.

“The financial impact on the airline is also pretty severe,” he said. “There’s costs of dumping the fuel, rotating the crew, putting up the passengers in a hotel, and refueling the aircraft.”

It can also be costly for emergency responders.

Kinjarapu said officials were considering adjusting threat response protocols to make the experience smoother for passengers and airlines. But they still have to take every threat seriously, Kapur said.

“People think that this is something you can do for fun and there is probably no consequence,” he said. “But it doesn’t mean that if there are 30 hoaxes, the 31st will also be a hoax.”
Kolkata rape-murder case: Indian doctors call off protest hunger strike (Reuters)
Reuters [10/22/2024 2:37 AM, Subrata Nag Choudhury, 5.2M, Neutral]
Junior doctors in India’s eastern city of Kolkata called off on Monday a 17-day-old hunger strike launched in protest against the rape and murder of a colleague, they said, in response to an appeal by the victim’s parents.

Protesters also met the chief minister of the opposition-led state, which has drawn scrutiny for its handling of sex crimes, to press their demand for better security and conditions at government hospitals, as well as justice for the woman.

A police volunteer was arrested for the crime, which sparked nationwide protests in August and September, after the woman’s body was found at the city’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital on Aug. 9.

"They (the victim’s parents) expressed their worries about the fasting junior doctors’ health as well as the defunct health care services that must have affected hundreds of ordinary citizens," said Dr Debasish Halder, a spokesman for the doctors.

Some strike participants suffered severe dehydration and had to be admitted to hospital.
The doctors said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee agreed to most of their demands when she met them on Monday.

"Our movement for justice and a healthy, secure healthcare system will continue," Halder said, adding that the doctors would track progress on her assurances and orders for change.

Government hospitals across India lack basic amenities such as restrooms for doctors, security personnel, and closed circuit television cameras (CCTV), doctors say.

India’s Supreme Court also took up the matter, but junior doctors say its efforts have not been sufficient to ensure justice.

Reuters has reported that the government of West Bengal state has been slow to set up new tribunals for such crimes, while failing to deliver on its promises of better safety measures, made to doctors in 2019.

India adopted tougher laws to protect women after the horrific gang rape and murder of a woman in its capital New Delhi in 2012, but activists say women are still prey to sexual violence.
Cyclone Dana: Schools shut in eastern India, tourists asked to leave (Reuters)
Reuters [10/22/2024 4:04 AM, Jatindra Dash, 5.2M, Neutral]
Schools in some parts of India’s eastern state of Odisha were ordered to shut and tourists asked to vacate the popular beach city of Puri, as authorities braced for a severe cyclonic storm that is expected to hit later this week.

Cyclone Dana, currently over the Bay of Bengal, is expected to strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds gusting up to 120 kph (74 mph), and is likely to make landfall late on Thursday, the weather office said.

Schools in 14 districts will be closed from Wednesday to Friday, and fishermen have been asked not to venture into the sea, a senior official from the Special Relief Commissioner’s office, which oversees disaster management, told Reuters.

Tourists and pilgrims who frequent the coastal city of Puri, home to the famous Jagannath temple, have been asked to leave, officials said, while rescue teams were on standby.

Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in Odisha was likely in the next three days, the weather office said, and the ensuing storm could damage houses, roads, crops, and power lines, causing flooding and landslides.

Odisha is prone to cyclones, but has improved disaster preparedness over time, reducing damage and casualties.
Sixteen farmers arrested for burning crop waste as pollution rises in north India (Reuters)
Reuters [10/22/2024 4:46 AM, Sakshi Dayal and Ainnie Arif, 5.2M, Neutral]
At least 16 farmers have been arrested in India’s northern state of Haryana for illegally burning paddy stubble to clear fields, a practice that stokes air pollution in the region around New Delhi at the onset of winter, authorities said on Tuesday.

India’s national capital region battles pollution at this time each year as temperatures fall and cold, heavy air traps construction dust, vehicle emissions and smoke, much of which authorities say travels from the neighbouring breadbasket states of Punjab and Haryana.

Delhi, ranked the world’s most polluted capital for four years in a row by Swiss group IQAir, has closed its schools and halted construction projects for brief periods in the past as it looks to tackle the problem.

Police in Haryana’s Kaithal region told Reuters that 22 complaints of stubble burning have been registered this year, and 16 people have been arrested.

"Those arrested have been released on bail since this is a bailable offence," said Birbhan, a deputy superintendent of police, who uses only one name.

Investigations have been launched against almost 100 farmers across Haryana, while fines have been imposed on more than 300, local media reported.

Delhi recorded "very poor" air on Tuesday morning, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), with an air quality index (AQI) of 320. An AQI of 0-50 is considered good while anything between 400-500 poses health dangers.

It was the second-most polluted city in the world on Tuesday, a live ranking on IQAir’s website indicated, after only Lahore in neighbouring Pakistan.

The environment ministry said Delhi’s daily average AQI was likely to stay in the ‘Very Poor’ category (300-400) in coming days due to unfavourable meteorological and climatic conditions.

To curb Delhi’s pollution authorities have ordered water sprinkling on roads to tackle dust, increasing public bus and metro services and higher parking fees to discourage car use.
Environmentalists say the measures are inadequate.

"These are only emergency measures...This air pollution mitigation needs a long-term comprehensive solution rather than these ad hoc measures," said environmentalist Vimlendu Jha.
Two plead guilty to murder of former Air India suspect Ripudaman Singh Mali (AP)
AP [10/21/2024 10:18 PM, Staff, 44095K, Negative]
Two men accused of killing of former Air India bombing suspect Ripudaman Singh Malik have pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in a Canadian court.

The courthouse in New Westminster, British Columbia, confirmed the pleas on Monday from Tanner Fox and Jose Lopez in the shooting death of Malik, who was acquitted in 2005 of the bombings that killed 331 people in 1985.

Fox and Lopez, who were originally charged with first-degree murder, will next appear in court on Oct. 31 for sentencing.

In a statement, Malik’s family said while the family is "grateful" that Fox and Lopez were brought to justice, they are urging the two men to cooperate with police "in bringing those that hired you to justice."

Malik, 75, was shot dead in his vehicle outside his business in Surrey, British Columbia, on July 14, 2022. He was a one-time supporter of the separatist Khalistan movement in India.

Malik and a co-defendant were found not guilty of murder and conspiracy in the 1985 Air India bombings. A high-altitude bombing of one plane caused it to crash in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Ireland, killing all 329 passengers and crew. The terror attack was the worst act of mass murder in Canadian history.

Roughly one hour later, a bomb destined for another Air India plane exploded prematurely at an airport in Japan, killing two baggage handlers.

Inderjit Singh Reyat, the only man convicted in the bombings, testified for the prosecution at Malik and Bagri’s trial and was later convicted of perjury. The alleged suspects in the bombings were Sikhs in the Khalistan movement, an effort to create a separate homeland for Sikhs in India’s Punjab state.

Police said before charging Fox and Lopez that people waited for hours in a vehicle for Malik before the shooting.

Malik’s son, Jaspreet Singh Malik, has said family members had never heard of Fox or Lopez, and he did not know why anyone would kill his father.

In the latest statement, the Malik family called the killing an assassination without identifying who they believe to be involved.

"Tanner Fox and Jose Lopez were hired to commit this murder," the statement said. "Until the parties responsible for hiring them and directing this assassination are brought to justice, the work remains incomplete.

"To Tanner Fox and Jose Lopez we say: You have taken a good first step in taking responsibility for your actions. Now take the next step and co-operate with the RCMP in bringing those that hired you to justice."

Earlier this month, Royal Canadian Mounted Commissioner Mike Duheme said the force had launched a special unit to investigate multiple cases of extortion, coercion and violence, including murders, linked to agents of the Indian government.

Duheme said the RCMP were speaking out due to what it deemed as a serious threat to public safety.

Canada expelled six Indian diplomats who police have named as persons of interest in the cases. They were not specific about which murders may be involved in the allegations.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Parliament last year that there was credible intelligence linking India’s government to the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a temple leader shot while in his truck in the parking lot of the gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia.

Four men have been charged in that murder.

Police are alleging that diplomats used their position to collect information on Canadians within the Khalistan movement.

Mounties alleged the diplomats passed the information on to criminal gangs who targeted individuals directly, allegations that India has denied.

Court documents show both Fox and Lopez have previous criminal records.
NSB
The Problem With Bangladesh’s Reform Commissions (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [10/21/2024 6:20 AM, Mubashar Hasan, 1198K, Neutral]
Since the mass uprising in July-August, which forced the resignation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her exit from Bangladesh, the country is being ruled by an interim government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus.

One of Yunus’ important decisions since being appointed the interim government’s chief adviser is the establishment of six reform commissions. These commissions were set up to address corruption and reform the country’s election system, police administration, judiciary, public administration, and constitution.

In an interview with the German broadcaster DW, Yunus said that Hasina had destroyed almost all institutions in Bangladesh and that his government wanted to "establish citizens’ rights, human rights, democracy and everything that goes with a good governance." Yunus made a valid point, as evidenced by the high levels of public distrust toward the police.

The mass uprising, for example, exposed severe police brutality. Officers fired live bullets at civilians and students. Amid allegations of torture, forced disappearances, and mass imprisonment, public outrage surged, leading to attacks on police stations and personnel across the country. A number of police officers died in these attacks.

Following the change in government, many policemen in Bangladesh who were known to be brutal and partisan either fled, were jailed, or went into hiding.

In another interview, Yunus said his government is "initiating reform towards democratization" hinting that Bangladesh’s transition to democracy will take place after the reform.

The reform commissions began work in October and are set to engage with key stakeholders, including civil society members and political parties. They will submit their reports outlining roadmaps for reforms within the next three months. Based on the reports, Yunus will initiate another set of wider consultations with political parties and civil society members. He will then map out and execute some reforms before organizing a free and fair election, which is likely to be held in 2025.

Though there is no public mandate for setting up these reform commissions, the move has not triggered much opposition, indicating broad public support for "fixing" the system.

Professor Mohammad Mozahidul Islam at the Department of History in Bangladesh’s Jahangir Nagar University supports Yunus’ reform agenda. Without reform of the country’s institutions and political culture, Bangladesh could once again end up under autocratic rule like that of the Hasina regime, he told The Diplomat.

However, some have expressed their misgivings over the formation and scope of the reform commissions. According to Tasneem Khalil, editor-in-chief of the investigative news site Netra News, reform must be carried out by an elected and political government, not, he says, an unelected and technocratic government like that of Yunus. The question of inclusivity in these reform commissions is a contentious issue as well, since in Khalil’s view "these reform commissions are dominated by Bengali Muslim men, which is not representative of Bangladesh’s diverse demographic."

It should also be noted that recruitment into the reform commissions was not transparent; commission members were handpicked by the interim government.

"We don’t know how these commissions were formed and who made the selections. As far as I know, there was no public consultation whatsoever before these commissions were formed," Khalil told The Diplomat.

Dismissing these criticisms, Yunus’ press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, told The Diplomat that the interim government has dedicated a substantial amount of time to forming these commissions and bringing together top experts to ensure effective change.

"Our core mandate is reform, and that’s what the people demand. This call for reform is rooted in the public’s disillusionment with Sheikh Hasina’s government, which entrenched a brutal authoritarian regime. We recognize and fully support the people’s desire for meaningful change," Alam said.

However, there are issues of concern. The reform commissions are primarily led by individuals with backgrounds in academia, NGOs, and government, rather than in politics. This could create a disconnect between reform commissions and the political parties.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), a key stakeholder in Bangladesh politics, which is likely to form the next elected government, has been cautious in its public response to the reform agenda.

Mahdi Amin, an adviser to Tarique Rahman, acting chairman and the BNP’s de facto leader, believes that a pragmatic roadmap with measurable deliverables detailing the scopes of reforms is needed. "We recognize the interim government’s limitations in terms of capacity and experience, and suggest robust engagement and dialogue with the political parties to make this reform agenda a collaborative project. There is a nationwide aspiration for a complete democratic transition that will ensure a fair and credible election," Amin told The Diplomat.

Yunus’ reform agenda promises substantial and meaningful change. However, it will come under more scrutiny from the public and political parties in the coming days. Amid skyrocketing prices of essential commodities and weakening law and order situations, a multitude of protests have erupted across the country. Time is not on Yunus’ side as public patience with his administration may wane soon. He must keep public and political support on his side as he moves forward on the reform process.
Central Asia
Central Asian states make progress in addressing hunger (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [10/21/2024 4:14 PM, Staff, 57.6K, Neutral]
Central Asian states have made great strides in recent decades in battling hunger. But in Tajikistan, hundreds of thousands of the country’s roughly 10 million inhabitants still don’t get enough to eat, according to a new global survey.

The GlobalHungerIndexfor 2024 shows that Tajikistan is now the only country in Central Asia where hunger is a cause for concern. The other four states in the region – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – were deemed in the low-risk category, according to the survey. The index relied on a variety of metrics, including undernourishment, child stunting and wasting, and mortality rates to determine its rankings.

The region achieved “notable progress between 2000 and 2016, though this progress has largely come to a standstill since 2016,” according to GHI. “Reductions are linked to improvements in agricultural production and productivity, driven by economic and income growth, and an overall increase in food availability, stability, and access.”

Global warming, weather-related natural disasters and the Russia-Ukraine war pose ongoing threats to food security across the region by raising the costs of food, energy and agricultural production. “Despite agriculture’s economic significance, almost all countries in the region are underinvesting in the sector,” the survey added.

Since 2000, according to GHI metrics, Tajikistan has moved from the “alarming” risk category to the “moderate” level. Even so, the 2024 survey found that almost 9 percent of Tajik citizens are undernourished. It also reported that almost one in five Tajik children under five are stunted due to malnourishment and 3 percent of children die before their fifth birthday.

Uzbekistan is the Central Asian state that has made the most progress over the past quarter century in reducing hunger. In 2000, the threat of hunger in Uzbekistan was rated as “serious” by GHI. In the latest survey, GHI reported the threat of hunger was thelowest in Central Asia.

The countries of the South Caucasus – Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia – were all at low risk of hunger, the GHI survey found.
Kazakhstan confronts water scarcity head-on (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [10/21/2024 4:14 PM, Ekaterina Venkina, 57.6K, Neutral]
Water scarcity is posing a growing threat to Kazakhstan’s national security. By 2040, the country could experience severe water shortages, with quantities sufficient to meet only 50 percent of its needs, according to a report prepared by the UN Development Programme.

In September 2023, in response to the burgeoning challenges, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s administration established a new ministry of water resources and irrigation. A month later, Bolat Bekniyaz was appointed as the first deputy minister. Bekniyaz has extensive experience in water conservation. From 2016-23, he served as the director of the executive board of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea in Kazakhstan. During his tenure, the Kazakh portion of the sea experienced a comeback.

Bekniyaz spoke with Eurasianet about Kazakhstan’s new Water Code, the status of the water-sharing mechanism with China, the preservation of Lake Balkhash, the construction of the Qosh Tepa Canal in Afghanistan, the plight of the Aral and CaspianSeas, and international challenges. His responses have been edited for clarity.

Eurasianet: In January, Kazakhstan adopted a concept for managing its water resources through 2030. It includes unprecedented water retention measures. Where will the investment come from?

Bekniyaz: The plan is to build 42 new water reservoirs. Some will be managed by the state. Many smaller ones will be run by akimats [municipalities] and private entities. Half of the funds will come from central and local budgets. Half will be financed by borrowing from the Islamic Development Bank.

Eurasianet: The loan could be as much as $2 billion...

Bekniyaz: The deal is expected to be finalized by the end of the year. It is not only for water management but also for roads and infrastructure. We are bringing in UN institutions, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, to analyze the viability of the projects.

Eurasianet: Building 42 reservoirs in just five years is a lot of work. Does this sound like a realistic plan?

Bekniyaz: It will be a phased approach. Funds will be released in tranches. If the first is successfully invested, the second will be released, and so on. The reservoirs will be of different sizes. The largest will be built on the Ishim River in northern Kazakhstan. [In April, Tokayev described the spring floods there as a national disaster].

Eurasianet: Your ministry is working on a new Water Code. It has been discussed in the lower house of parliament. Has any progress been made?

Bekniyaz: The current Water Code from 2003 is outdated and has been amended more than 270 times. Many of its provisions do not work because there are no technical regulations to implement them. The code itself is more geared towards economic development.

The new one will have a stronger focus on water conservation. For the first time, river flows will be divided into ecologically critical stretches, where no water can be taken, and stretches where water can be diverted for irrigation. Businesses that use water for technical purposes, such as car washes, will have five years to install water reuse systems. The purchase of water-saving appliances will be subsidized by up to 80 percent.

Eurasianet: What will be done to combat a ‘black market’ in water?

Bekniyaz: Our main tool against this is digitalization. We are installing sensors throughout the water supply system. They will detect if the water flow drops unexpectedly. We also need the authority to react. We can’t just go around and check up on every company. That is forbidden by law. So, if we see discrepancies in the paperwork, we need the authority to take action.

Eurasianet: There seems to be a lot of pressure from business executives and oligarchs who want to develop projects in water protection zones. How do you deal with this?

Bekniyaz: We have a lot of technological improvements in mind. How can we develop oil fields without contaminating drinking water supplies? Another problem is quarry lakes. Can we pump water from them into disused mines? We have to consider the subsurface and environmental regulations.

Eurasianet: Do you expect the code to be passed by the end of this year?

Bekniyaz: We have a working group of more than 90 people in the lower house of parliament, plus an expert community of more than 40 people from non-governmental organizations, associations, and academic institutions. They are all involved in the discussion. The working group meets twice a week. Sometimes members of the upper house join in to keep up to date. Four amendments have been sent to the government for a second review. We hope to have the document approved by the end of December.

Eurasianet: What is the status of the water-sharing mechanism with China? The two countries held a round of talks in January. There has been little word since then. Is an agreement imminent?

Bekniyaz: We have more than 20 cross-border rivers with China, but before the talks started we only had flow data for two or three of them. That is why the negotiation process has taken so long. We had to do the joint inspections to fill in the blanks. For Beijing, this will be the first agreement of its kind. I hope we can achieve it in 2025.

Eurasianet: In the working protocol, there was a line about ensuring the inflow of water that would guarantee the preservation of Lake Balkhash, one of the largest lakes in Asia. Are you concerned that after the referendum on the construction of a nuclear power plant near the lake, the Chinese side will try to exclude this condition from the final document?

Bekniyaz: I think that if the plant is built, its operators should replace the amount of water taken for its purposes by constructing a pipeline to refill the lake or by some other means.

Eurasianet: Do you expect the special status of Lake Balkhash to be mentioned at all in the agreement with Beijing?

Bekniyaz: This special status may be legally enshrined in another act. I cannot comment on this at the moment. But there are laws onthespecialstatusofLakeBaikal in Russia and on the protection of Lake Sevan in Armenia. Why not adopt a similar act for Lake Balkhash?

Eurasianet: An agreement on cross-border rivers is being prepared not only with China. Another one is in the pipeline with Uzbekistan …

Bekniyaz: Our two countries are the only ones in Central Asia to have signed two UN conventions [on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses and on Transboundary Watercourses]. With these conventions in sight, we are now working towards a joint agreement. We have mutual understanding on all but two points. The main issue of contention is whether the parties only need to notify each other of construction works on cross-border rivers, or whether they need to give full permission for such works. So far, the talks have been very constructive.

Eurasianet: The Syr Darya and the Amu Darya rivers are both part of the Aral Sea basin system. How does Kazakhstan see the potential impact of Afghanistan building the Qosh Tepa canal to divert water from the Amu Darya?

Bekniyaz: The Amu Darya no longer flows into the Aral Sea. However, the river is of primary importance to [the Uzbek autonomous region of] Karakalpakstan and Turkmenistan, which are closer to its mouth.

Eurasianet: Do you expect a move to include Kabul in the official water quota of the Amu Darya? To date, the Central Asian republics have no water-sharing mechanisms with Afghanistan.

Bekniyaz: I know that both Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan make visits to the Qosh Tepa facility. Afghanistan could join the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea. But as far as I know, there has been no official statement to that effect.

The construction of Qosh Tepa could affect Kazakhstan if these countries compensate for the lack of water in the Amu Darya by increasing their intake from the Syr Darya, which flows through our territory.

Our response should be digitization and water conservation. We can do this by rebuilding irrigation systems. It also makes sense to switch to 90-day instead of 120-day rice varieties where possible, introduce laser leveling of rice fields, and reuse drainage water in collectors. In this way, we can save half of the 14-15 cubic kilometers of water we use for irrigation.

Eurasianet: The water level of the Caspian Sea has fallen by 1.7 meters over the past two decades. Are we facing a repeat of the Aral Sea scenario?

Bekniyaz: The developments may look the same, but the scenario is actually different. The Aral Sea is fed by mountain rivers and glaciers in the Tian ShanMountains. These are particularly affected in times of global warming. The Aral Sea has been severely damaged by water abstraction for irrigation. The Caspian Sea is fed by lowland rivers such as the Volga. In the south, little water from it is used for irrigation. What we have here with the fluctuation of its water levels is a cyclical development. The Caspian Sea is simply in one of its receding cycles and there is nothing we can do about it.

Eurasianet: Is it possible to predict when this cycle will end?

Bekniyaz: It is very tricky because there are many factors that we have to take into account. There are active earthquake belts in the south, there are tectonic deformations of the seabed. The direction of the wind currents can also play a role.

Eurasianet: What about anthropogenic factors? What can be done to minimize water pollution, an important factor for fishing?

Bekniyaz: We need to adapt to change. Our fisheries and our economy have to come to terms with the new status quo. We also have to accept that some areas are no longer navigable.

Eurasianet: Kazakhstan has two more years as chair of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea. Are you satisfied with the progress so far and what is next on the agenda?

Bekniyaz: We have adopted the new Aral Sea Basin Programme and are working on financial instruments and administrative resources for its implementation. These are mainly regional, cross-border projects.

The Fund has been in existence for 30 years. We are now modernizing its organizational and legal structure, implementing changes to make it more responsive. Kazakhstan is pursuing a new water and energy consortium for five Central Asian countries. But this needs to be a consensual decision. The main objective could be to jointly develop energy construction projects and make them economically viable, with support from the World Bank.

Eurasianet: This year, COP29 will be held in Baku from November 11 to 22. How will Astana contribute?

Bekniyaz: In Azerbaijan, we will present the forthcoming One Water Summit, jointly organized by France and Kazakhstan in Riyadh in December. We will draw attention to the issue of preserving inland water bodies and expect concrete, practical solutions supported by the business community.

Also, the French Development Agency, AFD, and the French geological survey, BRGM, have awarded a grant to develop a master plan for the revitalization of Lake Balkhash. We want to create a fish nursery there. We are also considering setting up a foundation, similar to the Aral Fund, to work specifically with this stretch of water. We will try to bring this up at the COP conference.
Uzbekistan announces $1.3 bln in waste-to-energy projects (Reuters)
Reuters [10/21/2024 9:47 AM, Mukhammadsharif Mamatkulov and Olzhas Auyezov, 37270K, Neutral]
Uzbekistan plans to implement projects worth about $1.3 billion focused on the construction of waste-to-energy plants, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s office said on Monday.

Tashkent plans to work on those with China’s CAMC Engineering (002051.SZ) and Shanghai SUS Environment as well as Tadweer Group of the United Arab Emirates and South Korea’s Sejin (075580.KS).

Combined, the plants will process 4.7 million metric tons of solid waste a year into 2.1 billion kilowatt-hours of electric power by 2027, Mirziyoyev’s office said. Uzbekistan’s total power output is over 70 billion kw-h per year.
Twitter
Afghanistan
Zhao Xing
@ChinaEmbKabul
[10/21/2024 9:42 AM, 28.7K followers, 23 retweets, 184 likes]
I visited Bamiyan and held talks with Abdul Latif Mansoor, Acting Minister of Energy and Water of Afghanistan, and Abdullah Sarhadi, Governor of Bamiyan Province. We had in-depth exchange of views on cooperation in the fields of energy and cultural heritage protection.

Zhao Xing
@ChinaEmbKabul
[10/21/2024 8:24 AM, 28.7K followers, 10 likes]
Today, I’m happy to meet with UNODC Representative in Afghanistan Polleak Ok Serei. We exchanged views on current anti-drug situation and cooperation in Afghanistan.

Jahanzeb Wesa
@JahanzebWesa
[10/21/2024 1:08 PM, 4.4K followers, 10 retweets, 25 likes]
Afghan Pashtun women are advocates for peace, education. They play a crucial role in the development of their community & their efforts for peace are a source of inspiration for the world. —Pashtun women bring honor to their people & culture through their strength, & resilience.
Pakistan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan
@ForeignOfficePk
[10/21/2024 12:23 PM, 480K followers, 19 retweets, 45 likes]
Participants of the United Nations Programme of Fellowships on Disarmament, who are on a visit to Pakistan from 20-23 October 2024, visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this morning. They were briefed by Director General (Arms Control and Disarmament) Ambassador Tahir Andrabi, on Pakistan’s stance on arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation. He also emphasized the importance of unrestricted access to dual-use technologies for peaceful socio-economic applications.

The United Nations Disarmament Fellows, belonging to 25 countries, are visiting Pakistan as part of their international study tour. The visit, which has been organized by the Government of Pakistan in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), aims to familiarize international diplomats with Pakistan’s policies and institutional frameworks in arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation.
India
Narendra Modi
@narendramodi
[10/21/2024 4:10 PM, 103M followers, 3.5K retweets, 22K likes]
Leaving for Kazan, Russia, to take part in the BRICS Summit. India attaches immense importance to BRICS, and I look forward to extensive discussions on a wide range of subjects. I also look forward to meeting various leaders there. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2066904

Narendra Modi
@narendramodi
[10/21/2024 10:14 PM, 103M followers, 2.9K retweets, 17K likes]
I am delighted that PM Tshering Tobgay was able to sit on the Green Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus. Such a Bus is a part of our efforts to boost sustainability and contribute to a greener future for the coming generations. @tsheringtobgay

Narendra Modi
@narendramodi
[10/21/2024 9:42 AM, 103M followers, 2.5K retweets, 19K likes]
Glad to have met you in Delhi this morning, PM Tshering Tobgay. Bhutan is a very special friend of India’s and our cooperation will continue to get even better in the times to come.

Dr. S. Jaishankar
@DrSJaishankar
[10/21/2024 9:15 AM, 3.3M followers, 526 retweets, 5.5K likes]
Delighted to call on PM @tsheringtobgay of Bhutan in Delhi today. Value his steadfast guidance and support in taking forward the unique and time tested India-Bhutan partnership.

Dr. S. Jaishankar
@DrSJaishankar
[10/21/2024 6:54 AM, 3.3M followers, 1.2K retweets, 7.3K likes]
In conversation with @sanjaypugalia at the #NDTVWorldSummit. @ndtv

Michael Kugelman
@MichaelKugelman
[10/21/2024 9:03 AM, 214.1K followers, 45 retweets, 258 likes]
India and China are making progress toward easing border tensions. One of the biggest beneficiaries could be economic ties: Indian officials have said that scrutiny of Chinese investments in India could decrease if border tensions recede.

Michael Kugelman
@MichaelKugelman
[10/21/2024 9:05 AM, 214.1K followers, 3 retweets, 15 likes]
Worth recalling that India’s chief economic advisor earlier this year made a pitch for more Chinese FDI in India (which, unlike trade volume, has decreased since the Ladakh crisis) to strengthen troubled sectors and help reduce India’s trade deficit with China.

Richard Rossow
@RichardRossow
[10/22/2024 3:18 AM, 29.6K followers, 6 retweets, 16 likes]
India’s FDI inflows showing some life. $55b over the last 12 months, up nearly 40% year-on-year. Still below the $72b peak in mid-2021, but those numbers were inflated with a few block investments in a single telecom carrier.
NSB
Tshering Tobgay
@tsheringtobgay
[10/21/2024 11:34 AM, 100K followers, 43 retweets, 483 likes]
This evening, I also conversed with Mr. @AnuragSrivstava, Joint Secretary (North) of India’s Ministry of External Affairs; we discussed ongoing collaboration and explored new opportunities to deepen our partnership.

Tshering Tobgay
@tsheringtobgay
[10/21/2024 11:33 AM, 100K followers, 130 retweets, 1.3K likes]
I also interacted with H.E. @DrSJaishankar, the External Affairs Minister of India. We talked about deepening our bilateral relations and explored new avenues for regional cooperation aligned with our shared goals.

Tshering Tobgay
@tsheringtobgay
[10/21/2024 8:34 AM, 100K followers, 140 retweets, 1.6K likes]
I also met with India’s Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, H.E. @HardeepSPuri. We discussed opportunities to enhance our collaboration particularly in the energy sector.

Tshering Tobgay
@tsheringtobgay
[10/21/2024 5:54 AM, 100K followers, 635 retweets, 7.1K likes]
Always happy to meet my friend, H.E. Prime Minister @narendramodi ji ; Expressed my gratitude to the Government & people of India for their steadfast goodwill & cooperation. We reaffirmed our commitment to advancing our special bond of friendship from strength to strength.

The President’s Office, Maldives
@presidencymv
[10/21/2024 11:04 PM, 110.5K followers, 174 retweets, 173 likes]
Vice President His Excellency Uz @HucenSembe arrives in Apia, Samoa, to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2024 (CHOGM). The Maldives rejoined the Commonwealth as its 54th member on 1 February 2020, underscoring its commitment to the core democratic values and principles of the Commonwealth, as enshrined in its Charter and the Harare Declaration.

MFA SriLanka
@MFA_SriLanka
[10/22/2024 12:32 AM, 38.7K followers, 5 retweets, 2 likes]
Foreign Secretary Wijewardane leads the Sri Lanka delegation to BRICS Outreach / BRICS Plus Summit in Kazan, Russian Federation Read More: https://mfa.gov.lk/fs-delegation-to-brics/ #DiplpmacyLK #lka

M U M Ali Sabry
@alisabrypc
[10/21/2024 12:03 PM, 7.5K followers, 7 likes]
Sri Lanka is a signatory to the Joint Letter supporting the UN Secretary-General – Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Sri Lanka https://mfa.gov.lk/un-secretary-general/

Harsha de Silva
@HarshadeSilvaMP
[10/21/2024 10:27 AM, 359.5K followers, 16 retweets, 79 likes]
Why is there a shortage in Naadu rice in the market? Funnily it was oligopolist Dudley Sirisena who held a press to announce that even at a loss to he will sell rice at gazetted Rs 220/kg. Sadly AKD seems to agree with Gota in killing off #ShakthiRiceCoop to protect rice mafia
Central Asia
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service
@president_uz
[10/21/2024 5:36 PM, 202K followers, 2 retweets, 14 likes]
President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev convened a meeting to evaluate the progress of the national project #Yashil_makon and outline future priorities. Over recent years, #Uzbekistan’s greening efforts have increased the country’s green coverage to 12%. To tackle ecological challenges and address regional needs, drones will be deployed for planting waterless seeds, and South Korea’s experience will be integrated. Specifically, 2 million seedlings of drought-resistant plants will be cultivated using the closed root system method and in vitro technology.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service
@president_uz
[10/21/2024 4:54 PM, 202K followers, 15 likes]
President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev reviewed projects for producing electricity from solid waste. It’s planned to build 8 waste incineration plants and process landfill gas at the Akhangaran landfill worth $1.3 billion. Similar projects are planned to be implemented in 2025-2027 in #Andijan, #Bukhara, #Jizzak, #Kashkadarya, #Navoi, #Namangan, #Samarkand, #Syrdarya, #Fergana, #Tashkent regions and #Tashkentcity with participation of foreign investors, including “CAMC Engineering”, “Shanghai SUS Environment”, “Tadweer Group”, “Sejin Company”.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service
@president_uz
[10/21/2024 5:05 AM, 202K followers, 1 retweet, 23 likes]
Today President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev visited the Central Asian University of Environment and Climate Change Studies – #GreenUniversity. The educational process is built on “Hub and Spoke” principle, students are taught in English. Scientific research in crucial environmental areas will be conducted for practical implementation as part of national agenda on achieving #UN sustainable development goals.

Bakhtiyor Saidov
@FM_Saidov
[10/21/2024 5:33 AM, 15.3K followers, 1 retweet, 9 likes]
Had a fruitful meeting with @OSCE_ODIHR Election Observation Mission Head in #Uzbekistan H.E. @Doug_Wake. All the necessary conditions are prepared to make the mission successful and productive. We had an exchange of thoughts on transformations happening in our country, steps put forward to ensure the best conditions for our people, as well as strengthening our cooperation.

Saida Mirziyoyeva
@SMirziyoyeva
[10/21/2024 10:37 AM, 20.3K followers, 4 retweets, 37 likes]
Met with @NiginaAbaszada, Head of @UNFPA_Uzbekistan. We discussed key issues in education, healthcare, and human capital development. Reviewed the national program on cervical & breast cancer, plus challenges in maternal & child mortality. @UNFPA stands ready to support!

Furqat Sidiqov
@FurqatSidiq
[10/21/2024 4:56 PM, 1.5K followers, 9 likes]
I had the pleasure of meeting & having engaging talks with Uzbek youth living in the U.S. Their dedication to enhancing UZ-US ties, as well as their ideas, inspired me. We also discussed the upcoming parliamentary elections, highlighting the participation of our citizens in US.

Javlon Vakhabov
@JavlonVakhabov
[10/21/2024 7:23 AM, 6.1K followers, 2 retweets, 6 likes]
On this day, 35 years ago, the State Language Day law adopted. Then, two years before the nation became independent, the Uzbek language obtained the status of the state language. Wishing everyone a day filled with pride and joy as Uzbekistan celebrates State Language Day. Cheers to Uzbek Language Day!

Navbahor Imamova
@Navbahor
[10/21/2024 11:48 AM, 23.8K followers, 1 retweet, 4 likes]
Uzbekistan #CentralAsia: Fish are now scarce in the Amu Darya, with most of what is sold as “Amu fish” coming from the farms drawing water from the river. Extreme depletion ... a challenging reality and growing concern about the future. https://voanews.com/a/as-a-river-and-a-sea-die-uzbekistan-learns-to-live-with-less-water-/7828125.html @VOANews

{End of Report}
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