|
Abbas Nasir // DAWN: 13 April 2025
BALOCHISTAN is on the boil with increased militant activity targeting the state and the non-Baloch, coupled with protests across the province pressing for political and economic rights and justice. It is creating a situation where now night travel has been banned on key highways.
Against this backdrop, it was a welcome development when National Party leader and former Balochistan chief minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch visited the opulent Lahore estate of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. The meeting represented hope.
Yes, hope of change in how the issue is perceived at the centre and dealt with — so far with consequences one would be hard-pressed to describe as anything but disastrous, with the state apparatus and militants locked in a spiral of unending violence. Of course, one needs to ask if any hope is misplaced.
In the past, the elder Sharif demonstrated political accommodation which could give rise to optimism going forward. Off the back of the meeting, a photograph showed Mr Sharif and Dr Baloch sitting in a room so ostentatious that more than 99 per cent of Pakistanis would struggle to relate to it.
A well-informed source said that there was little Nawaz Sharif could do as he has little or no elbow room on Balochistan.
Despite this apparent disconnect between grandeur and the issues of an impoverished, battered province, one couldn’t be blamed for hoping that the great democrat, Nawaz Sharif, would attend to the burning issue quickly as time is of the essence, as this paper so eloquently argued in its Friday leader.
Nobody is suggesting that he needed to proceed to Balochistan right away as even if he could help, some groundwork would be needed before moving forward. Still, it needed to be started with immediate effect. So, you can imagine my surprise when I saw images of the Sharif family in Minsk.
When Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko received the Pakistan delegation, Shehbaz Sharif, Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz with her daughter, Hussain Nawaz and Ishaq Dar were among the easily recognisable faces and, perhaps, lesser known family members too. I am sure there were others including cabinet members, diplomats, and civil servants; after all, it was an official delegation.
But the family-heavy delegation was a bit perplexing. Oh yes, MoUs were signed, regardless of when they are realised and when they result in contracts and agreements. I am sure among the range of papers on which signatures were affixed, many could potentially bring benefit to Pakistan.
It was also clear that with the support of the military leadership assured, the Sharifs don’t seem bothered by optics and public perceptions. With at least six close family members in the delegation, it gave the distinct impression of a family visit and should have been best avoided.
Those who defend such visits say Nawaz Sharif is keen to train his political heir for a bigger role in the country. This is an integral part of her statecraft instruction for high office. Even this defence seems oblivious to how the public perceives such events.
Not just that, it seems that Pakistani VVIPs, from the civil-military hierarchy at the centre to that in the provinces, have now quite openly abandoned any attempt to be seen as frugal. Just look at their motorcades.
Some measures can be justified on account of legitimate security concerns. But how they prefer to travel by executive or bigger (dedicated) jets whether within the country or abroad can hardly be explained away, especially when the salaried class is being asked to shoulder an increasingly crushing tax burden.
However, there are also very sympathetic explanations of why Nawaz Sharif left for Belarus en route to London, despite having called for a political solution of the Balochistan imbroglio while talking to Dr Baloch, his erstwhile partner in government.
A well-informed Islamabad source said that there was little Nawaz Sharif could do as he has little or no elbow room on Balochistan: “The ‘hard state’ has decided that it will deal with the insurgency as it is dealing now with raw force. It is the assessment of those directing the policy that the kind of losses being taken now can be sustained for long.”
Those who argue this strategy may work say the price being paid in its pursuit may well be affordable because the prize in terms of the potential earnings from mineral resources could run into hitherto unimaginable amounts — some say hundreds of billions over the long term. “There is no interest in reaching out, negotiating, as that may entail sharing some of the revenue. Nobody here seems to be in a generous mood anymore,” said another Islamabad source.
What the Constitution says about the provinces’ rights to their resources and the role that the Council of Common Interests is mandated to play is being ignored. “Many people thought that the 26th Amendment was Imran Khan-specific. They will realise now that the formation of the constitutional bench and controlling superior court appointments were aimed at much broader objectives than one out-of-favour politician.”
Nawaz Sharif may have followed his instinct in telling Dr Malik he was prepared to play a role in trying to work towards a political settlement in Balochistan but after his valued guest left, his focus may have shifted back to reality. Recognising it, he may have decided to continue with his travel plans as he knows he can’t do much, constrained as he is.
Despite this, many commentators, whose hearts ache for Pakistan, say that returning to the Baloch their snatched mandate — which was handed over to proxies who remain opposed to any political settlement because they know their true political standing in the province — is the only viable long-term move there is.
My only concern is that between the hard state and the foreign trips of its soft-façade family, time is running out. If there was a military solution, I may not have approved of it but would have said if it works it works. What do I do when I believe it is self-harm?
The writer is a former editor of Dawn.
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
===============================================================================
DAWN EDITORIAL: 13 April 2025
PRESIDENT Donald Trump has blinked but refuses to surrender.
The markets that forced him to temporarily freeze higher ‘liberation day’ tariffs but leave the universal 10pc levy in place continue to fret over potential outcomes of his trade war. The dollar has slid, and investors are fleeing the US government bond market, once considered the safest bet in troubled times. The Fed has warned that Mr Trump’s trade policy will keep inflation in the US higher this year, even if it is difficult to predict how the economy will reshape itself afterwards.
Yet Mr Trump warns that higher tariffs will be back if he does not get what he wants from the 75 countries now willing to reset the terms of bilateral trade with America to avoid punitive levies. China, the primary US target of import levies, has reacted aggressively, raising levies on American goods to 125pc. Hours earlier, it had released a white paper on the US tariff war on its goods, saying America will reap what it sows.
However, the US will not be alone in this harvest. Caught in the trade war between the two economic giants are developing countries like Pakistan, which was slotted for a 29pcincrease in the levy on its exports to the US. For starters, the pause is only for 90 days. So, one does not know whether Mr Trump will withdraw the higher tariffs or we will secure a deal equal to or better than what our competitors strike.
Even if the US removes the higher import taxes, chances are that the baseline levy will stay — a significant tariff to bear for troubled economies like Pakistan, which ship many of their goods to the US. This raises the question of what Islamabad can offer to the single largest buyer of its goods — after the EU — in terms of tariff reductions.
In the absence of a trade agreement, under WTO rules, Pakistan cannot reduce duty rates for the US without doing the same for other countries. Then, the main objective of reciprocal tariffs for the US is to balance trade deficits with others, meaning that Pakistan would need to displace imports from other countries with US goods worth about $3.3bn or decrease its exports to the US. Is this even possible?
More crucially, China is likely to aggressively displace the exports of other countries to Europe and Britain, which will hit us hard due to the cost differential. Although some analysts argue that the falling global oil prices may make up for the potential loss of export revenues in the event of a global recession, America’s demand reduction due to higher prices, and aggressive Chinese marketing in our traditional markets, well-functioning economies should not strategise their economic future on the basis of hope alone.
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
==============================================================================
[Religious clerics' decree in favour of post death organ donation]
DAWN EDITORIAL: 13 April 2025
THE recent declaration by ulema affirming that organ donation after death is not only permissible but an act of sadaqah-i-jariyah (ongoing charity) marks a turning point for Pakistan. This clear endorsement should finally dispel religious misconceptions that have hindered a life-saving practice. For too long, Pakistan has lagged behind other Muslim-majority nations in organ donation rates, with tragic consequences. Every year, tens of thousands of Pakistanis die from end-stage organ failure while waiting for transplants that never come. Now, with the support of scholars and medical experts, the foundation for change has been laid. The government must seize the moment to launch a mass awareness campaign which stresses that organ donation represents the highest form of human generosity — the gift of life itself. It must address family concerns directly, as even when individuals wish to donate, relatives often refuse consent, believing it ‘desecrates’ the body. It should also highlight stories like that of Uzair bin Yasin, whose posthumous donation saved seven lives.
Healthcare providers can play a vital role. Doctors must educate patients about organ donation during routine care, initiating conversations that normalise this practice. Medical institutions should develop simplified registration systems for willing donors and establish clear, transparent protocols that inspire public trust. At the state level, Pakistan must invest in the technical infrastructure necessary for effective organ transplantation. This includes well-equipped facilities capable of harvesting organs within the crucial three to four hours after brain death, improved preservation techniques, and transparent allocation systems that ensure organs go to recipients based solely on medical need and compatibility, not wealth or influence. Such equity is essential to building public trust in the system. Religious leaders across all sects must continue to reinforce their support, framing organ donation as an ultimate expression of Islamic values of compassion and charity. Public figures should lead by example, openly declaring their intention to donate. The ulema’s endorsement has set the wheels in motion. With concerted efforts, Pakistan can foster a culture where organ donation is recognised not as a violation of dignity, but as its ultimate affirmation — allowing one life’s end to bring healing and hope to others. This would truly embody the spirit where the saving of one life is equivalent to the saving of all humanity.
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025
==================================THE END====================================== |
