New Delhi
What you sow, so shall you reap !
After about two years Pakistani military establishment and other stakeholders rejoiced the defeat of US-led forces in Afghanistan and the win of the Taliban, an eminent Pakistani expert and author says, "To help lift the Afghan Taliban into power was a massive strategic miscalculation (by Islamabad)."
"For years, our security managers used state propaganda machinery to assure us that the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban are somehow different. That delusion stands fully exposed,' writes Pakistani author and expert Pervez Hoodbhoy for that country's newspaper 'Dawn'.
He laments that - "Over 100 attacks have occurred over the last 50 days. Most spectacular among them was last week’s capture of the (Pakistani) Counter Terrorism Department in Bannu by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) .
Hoodbhoy also says, "Tactical blunders are also making Pakistanis increasingly anxious".
"....freshly victorious against a superpower, Kabul’s new rulers openly taunt Pakistan, dismissing possible Pakistani air or land incursions against TTP sanctuaries inside Afghanistan. Pakistan has created for itself yet another hostile neighbour and another nightmare," he laments.
In the meantime creating alarm for Pakistani intellectuals, common citizens and security establishments,reports suggest many elements have started operating from Afghanistan itself. Another report said, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch separatists have announced their government in the northern region (of Pakistan) and declared various ministers in an attempt to break Pakistan into two nations.
It is also the "largest militant organization" that is fighting against Pakistani border security personnel.
An article in 'India Today' has raked up issues that are being debated in several quarters in India, Pakistanand other South Asian countries. "After 14 years, did Pakistan appear to be staring towards similar security threats? In the last few weeks, multiple bomb explosions have been reported in the Afghan-Pakistan border regions. The question is, will Pakistan be able to stop these attacks from reaching the capital this time around?"
As a concerned intellectual, Pervez Hoodbhoy writes in his piece in 'Dawn' that -"As a starter, TTP wants to impose Afghan-style Sharia in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) before extending the system across Pakistan. This means terminating female education, justice via limb-chopping, installing a shura system headed by an amirul momineen in place of democracy, and cutting Pakistan off from the modern world".
He also points out: "For non-Muslims, Shias, (Sunni) Barelvis and modern-minded Muslims, this is grotesque".
On the other hand, he argued that the radicalised sections of "urban Pakistani society as well as backward areas welcome this version of Sharia".
Relations between Taliban rulers and Pakistani establishment that seemed so smooth in 2020 August have also deteriorated. According to Pakistan, the TTP is using Afghanistan's soil to launch attacks on Pakistan and this prompted a sharp denial from the Taliban government in Kabul.Pakistani Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah too has suggested that Islamabad could be forced to take unilateral action against the TTP inside Afghanistan.
In response, a Taliban spokesperson said that it was trying its best that the territory of Afghanistan is not used against Pakistan. "We are committed to this goal, but the Pakistani side is also responsible to try controlling the situation".
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(Foreign secretary said the outcomes of the two-day ‘Voice of Global South Summit’ virtual will be channelled into India's G20 presidency.)
New Delhi
India is keen to befriend the global powers, but it has always taken along countries which areunder the Global South.
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe will be among the 20 world leaders who will participate in the "Voice of the Global South Summit" (VGSS) on Jan 12 and 13 to be hosted by India virtually.
The Summit will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Foreign Secretary, Vinay Kwatra said.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and also leaders from five African countries Angola, Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique and Senegal, three countries from the ASEAN grouping Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam will be also.Leaders and heads of governments in Uzbekistan, Mongolia, UAE and Papua New Guinea are also expected.
"The theme of the Summit is – ‘Unity of voice, Unity of purpose’, and it essentially envisages bringing together countries of the global South and share their perspectives and priorities on a common platform across a whole range of issues. More than 120 countries are being invited for this Voice of Global South Summit. This initiative is inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas Sabka Vishwas aur Sabka Prayas’," the Foreign Secretary said.
He said the mega event is also underpinned by India's philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'.
The ministerial sessions will be at Finance, Environment, Foreign, Energy, Health, Education, and Trade levels.
The theme of the Inaugural Leaders' session is "Voice of Global South - for Human-Centric Development" and that of the Concluding Leaders' session is "Unity of Voice-Unity of Purpose".
Four sessions would be held on Jan 12 and remaining six sessions on 13th January.
The Foreign Secretary said, "India has always been in the forefront and consistently championed the cause of the developing world. We have been strongly articulating the interest and concerns of our partners in the global South in all international fora, and mechanisms".
He maintained that of course matters related to the Covid pandemic, and its serious impact and the fallout of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, increasing difficulties of access and affordability of food, fertilizer, and fuel, will figure prominently at the Summit.
Mr Kwatra said, "while assuming G20 Presidency, you would recall, Prime Minister Modi had said that India's G20 priorities would be shaped in consultation with not just G20 partners but also with our fellow travellers in the Global South, whose voice often goes unheard".
This Summit, he pointed out, will thus also be an opportunity for those countries that are not part of the G20 process, he said.Mr Kwatra also said that, "the Environment Ministers’ session will focus on the theme of ‘Balancing Growth with Environment Friendly Lifestyles’.
He also stated that, "The valuable inputs generated from the partner countries receive due cognizance globally and India's ongoing Presidency of the G20 provides us with a special and strong opportunity to channelise these inputs into the deliberation and discourse of G20."
To a question, the Foreign Secretary said, "The other element of the Voice of Global South Summit is that if you look at the concerns, interests and priorities of the large, overwhelming developing world that is outside the G20 often, the evidence would show that the relevant mechanisms that are supposed to factor them in, take them on board, address them, mitigate those challenges and amplify the opportunities".
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