Pakistan's Quest for Regional Stability

Kathmandu : The Embassy of Pakistan organised a Talk Programme on Pakistan's Quest for Regional Stability through Socio-Economic Development and Regional Cooperation by Mr. Masud Khan Raja, Charge d' Affaires a.i. of Pakistan on 27 October 2009 at Embassy of Pakistan.

At the programmer, Mr. Raja delivered a speech. The details of speech is as follows :

First of all I would like to thank all of you for sparing valuable time to be spent with us. A unique privilege and singular honour for me, indeed, to share views with beacons and luminaries of emerging media, shaping the social order of the fascinating country, we find so much in common. Pakistan highly values its friendship with Nepal and its people. We, on our part, are imbued with sense of gratification that our two countries and the people are not only linked by social values, norms and customs but also by regional commonalities.

The world is, nevertheless, fast changing and things around us are more unpredictable than ever before. Winds of change blowing across the globe afford challenges as well as ooze out opportunities. Survival from perils of the turbulence of change lies in quick adaptability. The changes are, nevertheless, fraught with far and wide reaching implications for our planet. The paradigm shift in international security and political environment, after the cold war, has brought to fore the war on terror.

Economic integration is also on the rise with emerging guilds of surplus producers. Traditional trade barriers are giving way to the new rules of international commerce and trade. A number of new states with abundant natural resources have emerged, igniting competition to reach out to these nascent economies for political and economic gains. Consequently, some countries have assumed ever greater geo-strategic importance. In the scenario, we believe that democracy, economic development and security are the three key components developing countries need to focus on if they are to achieve socio-economic progress for their people.

Democracy is the only cure of the difficulties that developing nations face. In Pakistan, the will of the people has prevailed and our people have witnessed a profound democratic transformation. We have entered into a new era of democracy, rule of law and human rights. Democracy in Pakistan is of great importance, not only for our country, but also for our region, and the world. Pakistan has struggled hard for democracy. Democracy in Pakistan is beginning to achieve successes in the fight against militancy. Unfortunately, our neighbor-hood has witnessed decades of conflict. Pakistan has suffered immensely from terrorism and religious extremism, which was not known to our society and culture. Religious extremism entered our society and the region when we all in the free world decided to confront the rival ideology. The policy was based on the exploitation of religion to motivate Muslims around the world to wage Jehad. It was under the same policy, the Jehadi leaders were equated with George Washington. Later, it allowed war-lords and criminals to destroy civilization. The lethal virus multiplied and has affected the world. To eliminate militancy we must strike at its roots. We need to adopt dialogue, development and a judicious use of force as our strategy to forestall recrudescence of violence and militancy.

Pakistan has firmly responded to the challenges of extremism and militancy. Democracy has given people’s ownership to the fight against terrorism. Today our nation stands fully united in this struggle. Our law enforcement agencies have, within a short span of time, cleared the large areas in Malakand from the militants. Over 2.5 million were forced to leave their homes. About 2 million were hosted by their relatives and friends. Now, we have successfully launched operation in South Wazirastan to defeat the anti civilization, anti-human armed marauder, responsible for brutal killing of innocent and peace-loving civilian people. Democracy and political ownership of war have proved to be chief weapons in the fight against militancy.

However, the enemy is elusive and operates from the shadows. It cannot be contained or eliminated by conventional means. The funding and support to militants by drug barons and other elements must stop. As a precondition, early return of peace and stability in Afghanistan is critical to stop the flow of weapons across the region. Pakistan believes that regional cooperation against terrorism and extremism holds great promise and we, therefore, emphasize regional efforts for peace and stability to bring economic prosperity. Fully committed to the cause, Pakistan will continue to work with Afghanistan and the international community for the early restoration of peace and stability in that country. Pakistan has hosted almost 3 million Afghan refugees for the past three decades. We need to create economic opportunities for well-being of their people.

Pakistan, therefore, earnestly, desires friendly relations with India, and look forward to the resumption of the Composite Dialogue process. We seek a peaceful resolution of all outstanding issues with India. Meaningful progress towards resolution of the Kashmir dispute is necessary for durable peace and stability in South Asia. It is one of the oldest disputes waiting to be resolved. Without finding a lasting solution to the Kashmir problem, sustainable economic progress and social development of the people of the two countries would remain stunted. Kashmiris were among the first to be promised their right of self determination by the international community through unanimously adopted UN Resolutions. Sadly enough, the dispute is the oldest unresolved international conflict in the world today. It is our core dispute with India. So does the international community see it. This has hampered the economic progress, hardworking people of our region deserved.

True and lasting peace continues to elude South Asia and it is likely to remain so till the international community and India honour their pledges. The Kashmiris, guided by their unshakeable faith in their just cause continue to resist all forms of oppression. The ongoing agitation in Indian-Held Kashmir is rooted in the struggle of the people for the exercise of the right of self-determination. Jammu and Kashmir dispute has been at the heart of conflict and tension in South Asia. A political resolution of the issue would usher South Asia in a new realm of development and progress to reduce the gap with the developed states.

Nevertheless, it is essential to create an environment free of human rights violations in Kashmir for a sustainable peaceful solution. A peaceful settlement responding to the aspirations of the Kashmiri people will guarranty mutual trust and cooperation in South Asia. Pakistan desires mutually beneficial and harmonious cooperative relationship with India. We are committed to a serious, sustained and constructive engagement with India and an early and full normalization of relations on the basis of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and non-interference. Some progress was made in building mutual confidence through the Composite Dialogue process and it is our desire that this process should be resumed and made result oriented for the benefit of the people of the two countries. Unfortunately, India is not serious in resumption of composite dialogue. The agreement for resumption of composite dialogue reached between our two Prime Ministers on the side lines of NAM Summit failed to achieve meaningful results after Indian government came under domestic political pressure.

Realizing the gravity, we are committed to play a constructive role, in promoting conflict resolution and restraint in South Asia, and in promoting initiatives on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation on the basis of non-discrimination. Pakistan’s priority is economic development. We wish to build on our internal strengths. We seek to develop win-win situations and are engaged in economic revival by developing our agriculture, building mega hydel-projects, initiating water conservation projects and undertaking infrastructure development projects. Pakistan is actively pursuing to promote regional trade and cooperation and encourage beyond governments, the corporate sector in the development

But economic activities flourish in a peaceful and stable environment. And there is no denying the fact that Peace and security are closely linked. Equal security for all is important. Pakistan, therefore, support all efforts for arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation. The principle of equal security is of fundamental importance for achieving these objectives. Imbalance in security especially at the regional levels needs to be redressed. We expect extra-regional powers to adopt even-handed policies in South Asia and avoid steps that undermine the regional strategic balance. As a responsible nuclear-weapon state, Pakistan was pursuing a policy of credible minimum deterrence. Its proposals for a strategic restraint regime had three interlocking elements of conflict resolution, nuclear and missile restraint and conventional balance.

Undoubtedly, the objective of disarmament and global peace and stability could not be effectively pursued in isolation from certain realities that marked the contemporary global and regional security situation. Those realities included regional and global imbalances and asymmetries in defence spending, which were counterproductive to arms control objectives and undermined attempts to establish peace and security. Despite the end of the cold war, the national defence budgets of the major powers had continued to increase. Our countries need spending on social and economic uplift more than expenditure on proliferation of arms. That is the only way to buttress crumbling edifices of our small semi primitive economies.

Repression in Kashmir continues unabated

Mamoona Ali Kazmi

People can live under unbelief, but they can not live in oppression.

(Hazrat Ali)

EVERY year on 27th October Kashmiris observe the Black Day as a protest against illegal Indian occupation on Kashmir . On this day in 1947 India had taken control over Kashmir by force instead of giving the Kashmiris their right for self-determination. India is still maintaining its control over Jammu and Kashmir through the use of coercive methods. Its troops are committing grave human rights violations and atrocities in Kashmir to suppress the Kashmir freedom struggle. Not only this, India thwarted all attempts by the UN to hold a plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir . It forcibly occupied Kashmir by her security forces that remained engaged in committing human rights violation for more than 61 years.

As far as, international law is concerned right of self-determination to Kashmiris has not been withdrawn by any subsequent Indian constitutional measure, or local elections. The struggle of the Kashmiri people for the realization of their internationally acclaimed and inalienable right to self-determination has been labeled as terrorism by the Indian government to justify its brutal repression of the Kashmiri people. In the past 61 years Kashmiri have not heaved a sigh of relief for a single moment and now Indian government has pushed the people of Kashmir into a new problem. On 26 May 2008, the Government of India and state government of Jammu and Kashmir reached an agreement to transfer 100 acres of forest land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) in the main Kashmir valley. The move was a clear manifestation of promoting Hindutva nationalism to counter Kashmir separatists. This caused a controversy, with demonstrations from the Kashmir valley against the land transfer and protests from the Jammu region supporting it. Days of massive protest forced the valley to shut down completely. Eventually, the government revoked the land transfer.

Massive protests against the revocation erupted in Jammu . Hindus began to raise issues of neglect and discrimination by the Indian state. The protests led to the blockade of the Jammu-Srinagar highway, the only functional road-link between Kashmir and India . On August 31, the 61-day old agitation in the Jammu region over the Amarnath land row ended following the signing of an agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, the shrine board would be making temporary use of 40-hectares of land during the relevant yatra period. The SASB convenor Leela Karan Sharma said: "We have suspended the agitation for the time being [though] not called it off, as some of our demands are yet to be met." This new phase of the Kashmiri struggle may be peaceful, but tactics of the Indian authorities are same as they were in 1989-90. It looks either the Indian authorities have not learnt anything from the two decades old freedom struggle or they have deliberately let the situation escalate. It is mind-blowing to think that Indian authorities let the situation reach a certain point before taking any action, which is generally violent and result in human rights abuse and killings.

It is shameful that the ratio of Indian troops in the occupied Kashmir is the largest ever soldiers to civilian ratio in the world. Currently, 700,000 Indian army troops are deployed in occupied Kashmir to crush the Kashmiri freedom movement. The Indian occupational forces have killed more than 90,000 innocent Kashmiris. 38,450 people have been rendered disabled or crippled for life and 30,000 women have been raped and molested. In view of these realities, Arundhati Roy, a well respected Indian writer very rightly pointed out that: “The biggest myth of all times is that India is a democracy. In reality, it is not. Several states in India are on the verge of civil war… In the Kashmir valley alone, some 80,000 people have been killed. In Iraq , there are 1,50,000 military personnel whereas in Kashmir valley there are some 7, 00,000”. In the words of Lord Eric Aveybury, Chairman, British Parliamentary Human Rights Group “The atrocities committed by Indian imperialists in occupied Kashmir surpass brutalities of apartheid regime in South Africa or of Nazis 50 years ago”. The condition of Kashmiri’s detained in different jails of the occupied Kashmir is worse than that of those in Abu Gharib prison in Iraq . The interrogation methods and manners used in these jails are ghastly.

Human rights organizations are routinely denied permission to investigate in a free manner. The International Federation of Human Rights and the Amnesty International have also been denied permission to visit. Newspersons have been attacked and arrested. Humanitarian relief is limited as external agencies are not being allowed to provide medical assistance and other relief materials. There are incidents of destruction of revered shrines and cultural places by the Indian forces. Villages have been razed to the ground. Many cases of human rights violation stem from abuse of power under repressive laws and police/army brutality unleashed against the Kashmiri people. They are taken into custody for acts that are legitimized by international human rights standards of free speech, freedom of association and assembly, and freedom of the press. 27th October reminds the international community of the firm determination of Kashmiris to free themselves from the clutches of India . Despite continuous repression, India has not been able to suppress the Kashmiris’ voice for freedom. The Kashmiri people are fed up with Indian occupation and are becoming more determined day by day to liberate their area from India ’s illegal occupation.

Immortal Exploits of Kim Jong Suk
Greeting the Spring in a Foreign Land

The year 1941 witnessed a great change in our revolution and great events breaking out all across the world. In June the Nazi army invaded the Soviet Union, and in December the Pacific War broke out with Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbour. Indeed, in 1941 mankind was plunged into innumerable sufferings and calamities. It was a year of misery, a year of conflagration, when human civilization that had been built up for thousands of years was crushed under armour and artillery fire.

Viewed from the spring of that year, however, the Soviet-German War and the Pacific War were still in the future. We greeted 1941 full of optimism and confidence in the future. The time for the Korean revolutionaries to carry out the sacred mission they had assumed for the times and history, for their motherland and nation, was near at hand.

That spring I thought a lot about our small-unit activities and future joint operations, and exchanged opinions with my comrades. At that time Kim Chaek and Zhou Bao-zhong stayed at Camp South for some time, and I frequently consulted them.

After the Khabarovsk conference we decided to form small units and dispatch them to the motherland and Manchuria. I made preparations to leave in command of a small unit.

Pending our departure, Kim Jong Suk helped us in our preparations. By that time she and I were married.

Fighting for the revolution, we had got to know each other, and while sharing life and death on Mt. Paektu, we had become friends, comrades, and life companions.

When I was making preparations to leave in command of a small unit, my comrades called on me one day and suggested having photos taken. They said that as there was no knowing when we would meet again, we should leave photos as souvenirs. They added that all that I needed to do was to pose, because they had borrowed a camera.

Going outside in my uniform, I found Choe Hyon waiting for me. It was still chilly, but spring air could be distinctly felt everywhere.

Leaning on a tree on which spring tints were emerging, I posed with my comrades-in-arms for photo, as souvenir of our meeting in Camp South after a long separation as well as on the occasion of departing on small-unit actions.

Others posed in groups of twos or threes.

At that time, some women guerrillas, getting wind of our photography session, ran to me and said they also would like to get their photos taken. So I posed for a few photos with them. They then suggested to me that I should have a photo taken with

Kim Jong Suk. Hearing this, she grew shy and hid herself behind the backs of the women guerrillas. They pushed her forward to my side, smiling all the way. In order not to miss the moment, a comrade clicked the shutter.

That was probably the first time in my life that I had posed with a woman comrade individually. For Kim Jong Suk and me, it was as good as a wedding photo.

In those days we were still young and vivacious. We had many dreams of a bright future. Though we greeted the spring in a foreign land, we were full of confidence and in high spirits.

For both of us, it was an unforgettable first spring that we greeted after our wedding.

As I wanted to remember that spring forever, I jotted down on the back of the photo: “Greeting the spring in a foreign land, March 1, 1941. At Camp B.”

I never imagined that this photo would remain in history to be displayed in such a large museum as the Korean Revolution Museum. We fought for the anti-Japanese revolution for 20 years, and it is regrettable that not many photos of this period remain. So, I am grateful to those comrades who suggested photo-taking to me.

Kim Jong Suk wore her hair bobbed, like the other women guerrillas did . But you cannot see her hair style in this photo, for all her hair is covered by her cap. There was a reason for this.

That spring I went to Manchuria and the homeland with a small unit. As I was passing Hunchun across the Soviet-Manchurian border, I felt my feet growing warm. At first I took no notice, thinking that it was the result of the long march. But at each step I felt something warm and soft on my soles. So I pulled off my shoes, to find in them liners made with hair. Only then did I remember that Kim Jong Suk had been wearing her cap even indoors, and I realized that she had cut her hair to make the liners. She must have worn her cap because she was too shy to show her short hair.

It may be said that Kim Jong Suk devoted all her life to me. Even after marrying me, she considered me as Commander, Premier and as the foremost leader. The relationship between her and me was that between the leader and the led, between comrades.

Field Guidance to Migok Co-op Farm

Kim Jong Il, General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, gave field guidance to the Migok Co-op Farm in Sariwon.

He first looked round several places of the farm including a mechanized workteam to learn in detail about this year’s farming.

He expressed great satisfaction over the fact that all the Party members and other working people of the farm made thorough preparations for this year’s farming from its beginning and waged a tenacious drive, highly conscious of being responsible for the supply of rice to the nation, and thus reaped the richest-ever harvest.

He then visited ex-officer Ri Yong Jun’s family in the “apricot village,” which moved to a new house, to learn in detail about the construction of new modern dwelling houses and the living of farmers there.

He then moved on to the Migok Shop in the centre of the village to acquaint himself with the supply of goods to the farmers.

He indicated the orientation and ways to improve the supply of goods in the rural areas.

He then mounted a platform to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the farm.

The rich autumn scenery in the fields of the co-operative farm visited by bumper crops is something spectacular which can be seen in our socialist countryside under the collective economy system only, he noted, adding that this stirring reality clearly proves the great vitality of the most advantageous socialist rural economic system in our country.

What is most important for solving the problem of clothing, food and housing is to increase agricultural production, he pointed out, indicating important tasks to be fulfilled by the farm.

He specified tasks and ways for sprucing up farm villages to meet the need of socialism, saying that rural construction is an honorable and praiseworthy patriotic work to turn the nation’s rural areas into modern socialist ones better to live.

He underscored the need for the whole country and all the people to keep directing all efforts to farming and thus make steady leaping progress in agricultural production as agriculture is the most important field for solving the people’s problem of clothing, food and housing.

China receives $7.9 bln FDI in September

BEIJING (Xinhua) -- China received 7.9 billion U.S. dollars of foreign direct investment (FDI) in September, up 18.9 percent from the same month last year, the Ministry of Commerce announced on Thursday.

It is the second time this year that FDI has risen year on year. In August, China received 7.5 billion U.S. dollars of FDI, up 7 percent from a year earlier.

FDI in the first nine months shrank 14.26 percent from the same period last year to 63.77 billion U.S. dollars, said the ministry.

The government approved foreign investment in 2,217 new companies in September, up 10.63 percent from a year earlier, bring the total for the first three quarters to 16,348, down 21.41 percent from the same period last year.

From Bangkok to Berlin, Hard Times Hit the Sex Trade

By WILLIAM LEE ADAMS

In a brothel in Offenbach, in western Germany, a prostitute waits for clients.

In Patpong, Bangkok's most notorious red-light district, go-go girls count their livelihood by the number of sex tourists they entertain. "Three inches, three minutes, 3,000 baht ($87)," laughs Goy, a 25-year-old bar girl. Last summer, she and her fellow pole dancers at the Camelot Castle entertained scores of men every night — first in the bar, where they earn a monthly salary, then at the customer's hotel, where they negotiate their own rates. But as cash-strapped travelers turn their backs on Thailand — tourism officials say revenues will plunge 35% this year — the ranks of men cruising Patpong have thinned dramatically. On a recent Wednesday evening, just three tourists watched a visibly disgruntled Goy wiggle around her pole. "I haven't had a customer in five nights," she says, "and I'm lucky if someone buys me a drink."(See pictures of Thailand's Pattaya resort.)

IFC, BTPN Increase Access to Finance for Low- income Indonesian Households

Istanbul, Turkey—IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has agreed to provide up to the Rupiah equivalent of $70 million in financing for Indonesia’s PT Bank Tabungan Pensiunan Nasional Tbk that could help deliver essential financial services to more than a million lower-income people and smaller businesses.

IFC’s financing package will comprise a $15.9 million loan that will be convertible into equity and a $54.1 million senior loan. As part of the agreement, IFC also will help BTPN raise additional funding over the next three years.

BTPN launched its microfinance business in November 2008, and is now serving close to 70,000 customers, most of whom are small traders and kiosk owners at traditional markets. As BTPN aims to build its branch network to 550 outlets by the end of 2009, IFC’s financing will allow the bank to provide financial services to more customers a year across Indonesia.

“We are delighted with the new partnership with BTPN,” said Rashad Kaldany, IFC Vice President for East and South Asia. “This strategic investment shows our ongoing commitment to building the capacity of leading financial institutions in Indonesia to better serve micro, small, and medium enterprises and low-income households.” Kaldany also noted that IFC’s support to BTPN will increase access to financial services, creating opportunity for many poorer people to improve their lives.

Dr. Fuad Rachmany, Chairman of Capital Market and Financial Institution Supervisory Agency, who witnessed the signing ceremony representing the Minister of Finance of Indonesia during the IMF – Worldbank Group Annual Meeting said, ‘’ Our government continues to encourage financial institutions and banks to open up wider access of financing to the micro, small, and medium enterprises so we really appreciate the efforts of BTPN and IFC”.

”We are pleased with this strategic cooperation between IFC and BTPN as this will provide BTPN with more options for long term funding after our recent rupiah denominated bond issuance’’, said Jerry Ng, President Director of BTPN. “We see this as an important milestone for BTPN as this cooperation demonstrates the commitment of BTPN and IFC in providing wider access of financing to the micro and small enterprises as well as pensioners which in turn will benefit our country’s economic development. We are also very honored to have Dr Fuad Rachmany with us in this special day”.

Microfinance is a critical tool in the fight against poverty. Access to a range of microfinance services—savings, loans, and money transfers—enables poor families to invest in enterprise and better nutrition, improved living conditions, and the health and education of their children. IFC provides advice and investments to the microfinance sector in developing countries by focusing on viable microfinance institutions that can scale up and respond to unmet demand.

Output value of China's plastic products industry rises

HOHHOT (Xinhua) -- China's plastic products industry posted a 9.5 percent year-on-year rise in output value to reach 677.6 billion yuan (99.2 billion U.S. dollars) in the first eight months, according to figures from the China Plastics Processing Industry Association.

The figure was revealed at a national plastic industry forum held Saturday in Baotou city, northern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Liao Zhengpin, chairman of the association, told the forum that China's plastic industry realized stable growth this year, in despite of the impact of the global financial crisis.

In the first eight months, profits of the nation's plastic products industry was 28.2 billion yuan, representing an increase of 16.34 percent from the same period last year, said Liao.

Output volume during the January-August period rose 7.36 percent from the same period last year to 27.82 million tonnes.

Liao expected the country's plastic products industry to maintain stable growth in the fourth quarter of this year, with a double-digit growth rate.

Troops martyr one more innocent Kashmiri youth

Srinagar, October 23 (KMS): In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops, in their fresh act of state terrorism, martyred one more innocent Kashmiri youth in Sopore town.

The troops of 22-Rashtirya Rifles during siege and search operation killed the youth in Chakrodi Khan area of the town. The operation was going on when the reports last came in.

Near a dozen people were injured when Indian police personnel burst smoke shells and resorted to heavy lathi charge to disperse people who had gathered in Bejbehara to pay homage to the 40 civilians killed in Indian troops’ firing in the area on October 22, 1993.

Hurriyet leader, Ghulam Nabi Sumjhi addressing a gathering in Bejbehara said that the ongoing movement would continue till its logical end. He said that India would not succeed in suppressing the peaceful liberation struggle by resorting to brute force.

Earlier, on Wednesday a documentary film on the martyrs of Bejbehara was shown for a short period of time at Jamia Masjid Bejbehara and people raised anti-India slogans on the occasion.

To know more information and study on friendly relations between Nepal and Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Please contact :
The General Secretary
Nepal-Pakistan Friendship and
Cultural Association
(Central office)
Post Box No. 285
Maitighar, Kathmandu, Nepal
Phone : 4262426
Mobile : 9851024388, Fax : 4279544
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