At least 10 people were killed in a northwestern <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-pm-hasina-accuses-myanmar-of-defying-promise-over-repatriation-of-rohingyas-225839">Bangladesh</a> town after a train hit a wedding party van at an unmanned crossing, officials said Monday.

The Dhaka-bound train hit the van in Ullahpara, some 145 kilometres (90 miles) away from the capital, as 14 people were returning home from a wedding ceremony, local police chief Koushik Ahmed said.

As the van neared an unmanned railway crossing without noticing the rushing train approaching, the crash occurred leaving eight people including the bride and the groom dead on spot.

"Another two (injured) died in the hospital and the rest were injured," he told AFP.

Fatal railway accidents are common in the South Asian country where some 40 percent of the approximately 2,500 rail crossings are unmanned.

According to the police, nearly 6,000 people died in railway accidents on the country's 2,800-kilometres (1,730-mile) rail network in the last six and a half years.

At least 10 people were killed in a northwestern Bangladesh town after a train hit a wedding party van at an unmanned crossing, officials said Monday. The Dhaka-bound train hit the van in Ullahpara, some 145 kilometres (90 miles) away from the capital, as 14 people were returning home from a wedding ceremony, local police chief Koushik Ahmed said.

At least 10 people were killed in a northwestern Bangladesh town after a train hit a wedding party van at an unmanned crossing, officials said Monday. The Dhaka-bound train hit the van in Ullahpara, some 145 kilometres (90 miles) away from the capital, as 14 people were returning home from a wedding ceremony, local police chief Koushik Ahmed said. As the van neared an unmanned railway crossing without noticing the rushing train approaching, the crash occurred leaving eight people including the bride and the groom dead on spot. "Another two (injured) died in the hospital and the rest were injured," he told AFP. Fatal railway accidents are common in the South Asian country where some 40 percent of the approximately 2,500 rail crossings are unmanned. According to the police, nearly 6,000 people died in railway accidents on the country's 2,800-kilometres (1,730-mile) rail network in the last six and a half years.

Ten dead after Bangladesh train strikes wedding party

Rains wreck havoc across South Asia

Floods and landslides triggered by torrential monsoon rains have killed at least 40 people across South Asia in the last two days, officials said Saturday.

The monsoon, which lasts from June to September, causes widespread death and destruction across South Asia each year.

In Nepal, 27 people have died in floods and landslides after heavy rains hit the country's eastern region and the southern plains.&nbsp;

Bishwaraj Pokharel, spokesperson for Nepal Police, added that another 11 people were injured and 15 others reported missing.&nbsp;

Three of the victims were killed when a wall collapsed in the capital Kathmandu.

"Our first priority is life-saving rescue and all our resources have been deployed," Home Ministry official Umakanta Adhikari told AFP.

Police used boats to bring people to safety as rivers swelled, inundating their settlements, while parents were seen wading across chest-high waters carrying children on their shoulders.&nbsp;

Nepal's weather department issued a high alert for the southern Sapta Koshi river on Saturday and sent SMS warnings to people in the area.

In neighbouring India 11 deaths have been recorded in the northeastern states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, officials said Friday.

Monsoon floods have inundated 21 districts in Assam, affecting thousands, officials said Friday.

In Bangladesh, aid groups were providing rations to Rohingya refugees in the southeast of the country with the UN World Food Programme saying Friday that two people including a child had died.

Last year, more than 1,200 people were been killed across South Asia in monsoon storms with India's Kerala suffering its worst floods in nearly 100 years.

Floods and landslides triggered by torrential monsoon rains have killed at least 40 people across South Asia in the last two days, officials said Saturday. The monsoon, which lasts from June to September, causes widespread death and destruction across South Asia each year.

Floods and landslides triggered by torrential monsoon rains have killed at least 40 people across South Asia in the last two days, officials said Saturday. The monsoon, which lasts from June to September, causes widespread death and destruction across South Asia each year. In Nepal, 27 people have died in floods and landslides after heavy rains hit the country's eastern region and the southern plains. Bishwaraj Pokharel, spokesperson for Nepal Police, added that another 11 people were injured and 15 others reported missing. Three of the victims were killed when a wall collapsed in the capital Kathmandu. "Our first priority is life-saving rescue and all our resources have been deployed," Home Ministry official Umakanta Adhikari told AFP. Police used boats to bring people to safety as rivers swelled, inundating their settlements, while parents were seen wading across chest-high waters carrying children on their shoulders. Nepal's weather department issued a high alert for the southern Sapta Koshi river on Saturday and sent SMS warnings to people in the area. In neighbouring India 11 deaths have been recorded in the northeastern states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, officials said Friday. Monsoon floods have inundated 21 districts in Assam, affecting thousands, officials said Friday. In Bangladesh, aid groups were providing rations to Rohingya refugees in the southeast of the country with the UN World Food Programme saying Friday that two people including a child had died. Last year, more than 1,200 people were been killed across South Asia in monsoon storms with India's Kerala suffering its worst floods in nearly 100 years.

Over three dozen killed in monsoon rains in South Asia

Rebalancing is the new mantra of statecraft and reset is the new form of global rapprochement. 
 
Therefore, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched for as many as 20 meetings, including nine bilaterals and eight pull-aside engagements, with his global counterparts. On the sidelines of the G20 summit at Osaka, Japan, were varied groupings: Russia-India-China, Japan-US-India and Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa. It offered, once again, good optics for the creation of a multilateral system of partnerships with various countries and international organisations.

All great powers realise that the era of super-power domination is over, and with the emergence of new power centres like China, India and Japan, new rules of the game and new terms of engagement need to be chalked out. Forums like G20 are critical for constructing a multi-polar and democratic order, which would guarantee each country — large or small — peace, security, justice and development in order to address challenges like climate change, corruption, pollution, terrorism, technology sharing and data flow management, among others.

In the wake of the financial woes of the West and its increasingly protectionist tendencies of late — Brexit in the UK and the triumphalism of Donald Trump — one can notice a common trend that arises out of part distrust and part national interest. No more prominent example of global rebalancing may be cited than China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) against the backdrop of the US’s ‘Pivot to Asia’ that Beijing intuitively believes to be especially devised to contain its rise.

How is the rebalancing working out? US allies in Asia, connected to and militarily aligned with the pivot, are absolutely okay with engaging economically with China, a phenomenon that seeks to strike a balance between the regional and global geo-economic and geostrategic priorities. The hegemonic struggle between the US and China to stake control over Asia and the world notwithstanding, nations are trying hard to hold on to their values and diplomats are honing their skills on economic statecraft.

Is rebalancing, then, the other name of strategic promiscuity? In a way, it is. Because being close to another country does not necessarily mean hostilities against a third country. Rebalancing, therefore, is more akin to focusing on areas of respective and mutual convergence. That’s where it syncs with national interest. While the reasons for US foreign policy to focus on Brazil, India, Indonesia and Turkey is ascribed to their fluid and open approach to the international order than those of China or Russia, the real factor could be to reduce China’s global clout by fostering partnerships with existing and rising great powers.

Russia, in turn, has been trying to counterbalance the USA’s global leadership by cooperating with China on issues relating to state sovereignty, strengthening the UN Security Council, and pitching for a multi-polar world order wherein no single state assumes a paramount position vis-à-vis the others in world affairs. Despite paeans sung on the merits of multilateralism, it is natural that a leader in power would pursue policy based on his/her perception of national interest. 
 
Napoleon justified his campaign against Russia, and later his act to launch the desperate battle at Waterloo, on the plea that he was acting in the interest of France; Hitler was said to be acting in Germany’s national interest on grounds of which he justified his expansionist policies, including annexation of Austria and the breakup of Czechoslovakia (1938). British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain justified his act of currying favour with Hitler and Mussolini on the pretext that such appeasement was in Britain’s national interest. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently justified demonetisation as a move taken in “national interest” and not for “political gains”, arguing that it was a step to fight black money.

It is par for the course, then, that during a recent extensive bilateral meeting in New Delhi, India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar reconfirmed to his American counterpart, Mike Pompeo, about the Indian imperative to act in its national interest and nurture the time-tested, history-honoured relationships with many countries, including Russia and Iran. India is also engaging more actively with Japan, while taking care not to antagonise China, which is another deft exercise of rebalancing. 
 
(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-rebalancing-is-trademark-in-a-multi-polar-diplomatic-world-2770634">original article)</a>

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Rebalancing is the new mantra of statecraft and reset is the new form of global rapprochement. Therefore, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched for as many as 20 meetings, including nine bilaterals and eight pull-aside engagements, with his global counterparts.

Rebalancing is the new mantra of statecraft and reset is the new form of global rapprochement. Therefore, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched for as many as 20 meetings, including nine bilaterals and eight pull-aside engagements, with his global counterparts. On the sidelines of the G20 summit at Osaka, Japan, were varied groupings: Russia-India-China, Japan-US-India and Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa. It offered, once again, good optics for the creation of a multilateral system of partnerships with various countries and international organisations. All great powers realise that the era of super-power domination is over, and with the emergence of new power centres like China, India and Japan, new rules of the game and new terms of engagement need to be chalked out. Forums like G20 are critical for constructing a multi-polar and democratic order, which would guarantee each country — large or small — peace, security, justice and development in order to address challenges like climate change, corruption, pollution, terrorism, technology sharing and data flow management, among others. In the wake of the financial woes of the West and its increasingly protectionist tendencies of late — Brexit in the UK and the triumphalism of Donald Trump — one can notice a common trend that arises out of part distrust and part national interest. No more prominent example of global rebalancing may be cited than China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) against the backdrop of the US’s ‘Pivot to Asia’ that Beijing intuitively believes to be especially devised to contain its rise. How is the rebalancing working out? US allies in Asia, connected to and militarily aligned with the pivot, are absolutely okay with engaging economically with China, a phenomenon that seeks to strike a balance between the regional and global geo-economic and geostrategic priorities. The hegemonic struggle between the US and China to stake control over Asia and the world notwithstanding, nations are trying hard to hold on to their values and diplomats are honing their skills on economic statecraft. Is rebalancing, then, the other name of strategic promiscuity? In a way, it is. Because being close to another country does not necessarily mean hostilities against a third country. Rebalancing, therefore, is more akin to focusing on areas of respective and mutual convergence. That’s where it syncs with national interest. While the reasons for US foreign policy to focus on Brazil, India, Indonesia and Turkey is ascribed to their fluid and open approach to the international order than those of China or Russia, the real factor could be to reduce China’s global clout by fostering partnerships with existing and rising great powers. Russia, in turn, has been trying to counterbalance the USA’s global leadership by cooperating with China on issues relating to state sovereignty, strengthening the UN Security Council, and pitching for a multi-polar world order wherein no single state assumes a paramount position vis-à-vis the others in world affairs. Despite paeans sung on the merits of multilateralism, it is natural that a leader in power would pursue policy based on his/her perception of national interest. Napoleon justified his campaign against Russia, and later his act to launch the desperate battle at Waterloo, on the plea that he was acting in the interest of France; Hitler was said to be acting in Germany’s national interest on grounds of which he justified his expansionist policies, including annexation of Austria and the breakup of Czechoslovakia (1938). British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain justified his act of currying favour with Hitler and Mussolini on the pretext that such appeasement was in Britain’s national interest. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently justified demonetisation as a move taken in “national interest” and not for “political gains”, arguing that it was a step to fight black money. It is par for the course, then, that during a recent extensive bilateral meeting in New Delhi, India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar reconfirmed to his American counterpart, Mike Pompeo, about the Indian imperative to act in its national interest and nurture the time-tested, history-honoured relationships with many countries, including Russia and Iran. India is also engaging more actively with Japan, while taking care not to antagonise China, which is another deft exercise of rebalancing. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Rebalancing is trademark in a multi-polar diplomatic world

A journalist working in a <a href="In a first, US puts two Hezbollah lawmakers on sanctions blacklist">Pakistan</a>-based news channel was shot dead here on Tuesday evening over a personal dispute, police said.

Mureed Abbas, an anchor who worked with Bol News, was killed outside a local cafe in Khayaban-e-Bukhari area in the city.

Police said that an assailant identified as Atif Zaman opened fire at the journalist from a white-coloured car, according to Geo News.

The Dawn quoted South DIG Sharjeel Kharal as saying that Abbas'&nbsp;friends said he had a monetary dispute with someone.

Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre (JPMC) Executive Director Seemin Jamali said Abbas was pronounced dead at the hospital, adding that the anchor had sustained multiple bullet wounds on the chest and abdomen.

Abbas'&nbsp;friend, Khizar Hayat, was also shot in the same incident.

He was rushed to a private hospital, but succumbed to his injuries later, Kharal said.

Later, the police official said that security forces caught the suspected gunman who was attempting to commit suicide while his residence was raided, according to The Dawn report.

The suspect shot himself in the chest and was shifted to a local hospital in a critical condition, Kharal said.

Taking cognisance of the incident, Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kaleem Imam has directed the concerned Deputy Inspector General (DIG) to submit a report in the matter.

The IGP has also asked the officials to conduct a forensic investigation of the evidence collected from the area where the shooting took place.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

A journalist working in a Pakistan-based news channel was shot dead here on Tuesday evening over a personal dispute, police said. Mureed Abbas, an anchor who worked with Bol News, was killed outside a local cafe in Khayaban-e-Bukhari area in the city.

A journalist working in a Pakistan-based news channel was shot dead here on Tuesday evening over a personal dispute, police said. Mureed Abbas, an anchor who worked with Bol News, was killed outside a local cafe in Khayaban-e-Bukhari area in the city. Police said that an assailant identified as Atif Zaman opened fire at the journalist from a white-coloured car, according to Geo News. The Dawn quoted South DIG Sharjeel Kharal as saying that Abbas' friends said he had a monetary dispute with someone. Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre (JPMC) Executive Director Seemin Jamali said Abbas was pronounced dead at the hospital, adding that the anchor had sustained multiple bullet wounds on the chest and abdomen. Abbas' friend, Khizar Hayat, was also shot in the same incident. He was rushed to a private hospital, but succumbed to his injuries later, Kharal said. Later, the police official said that security forces caught the suspected gunman who was attempting to commit suicide while his residence was raided, according to The Dawn report. The suspect shot himself in the chest and was shifted to a local hospital in a critical condition, Kharal said. Taking cognisance of the incident, Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kaleem Imam has directed the concerned Deputy Inspector General (DIG) to submit a report in the matter. The IGP has also asked the officials to conduct a forensic investigation of the evidence collected from the area where the shooting took place.

Pakistan news anchor shot dead outside Karachi cafe

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sheikh-hasina-calls-india-bangladesh-ties-organic-232905">Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina</a> on Monday criticised a top US lawmaker's proposal to merge <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/dozens-of-boat-people-found-stranded-in-myanmars-rakhine-official-234047">Myanmar's restive Rakhine state</a> into her country, saying it was an attempt to "start a fire in the region" and the move was "not acceptable".

On June 13, the proposal was placed in the US Congress for bringing Rakhine state in Myanmar under Bangladesh since millions of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-east-asia/southeast-asian-leaders-meet-expected-to-discuss-rohingyas-south-china-sea-229680">Rohingyas</a> fled the Buddhist-majority country and taken refuge in the neighbouring nation.

The proposal was made by Congressman Bradley Sherman, Chairman of the Sub-committee on Asia-Pacific, during a hearing on the State Department`s budget for South Asia.

"It is never right to create troubles inside a sovereign country. And the issue they have touched upon is already a burning one. There has not been any peace wherever they have stepped in but instead, it has led to militancy and unrest," Hasina was quoted by bdnews24 as saying while reacting to the proposal.

"We are trying to bring peace to this region. But they are trying to start a fire here. This is not acceptable," she said.&nbsp;

Underlining that Bangladesh respected Myanmar`s sovereignty, Hasina said that her government would never allow the integration of a territory of one`s country with another.

"We have our borders and we are happy with it. We completely disagree with adding another country's territory to ours. We will never take it," she stressed.&nbsp;

The Bangladeshi leader advised Sherman to instead urge Myanmar to allow Rohingyas to return to the country and asked the US to initiate an investigation into human rights violations.

"Sherman should instead urge Myanmar to take back its citizens. That would be a humanitarian act. And they should also look into all the human rights violations," Hasina said.

Hasina, who recently paid a state visit to China, said she held talks with President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang on Rohingya crisis and informed that Beijing will work on resolving the pressing issue.

Over 1.1 million Rohingyas have been forced to take shelter in Bangladesh`s Cox Bazaar after Myanmar`s armed forces while responding to attacks by an armed group, launched a brutal campaign against the community in Rakhine state in 2017.

According to a UN report, titled 'Forced Migration of Rohingya: The Untold Experience', around 18,000 Rohingya women and girls were allegedly raped by Myanmar's security forces and over 115,000 Rohingya homes were burned down and 113,000 others vandalised.&nbsp;

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday criticised a top US lawmaker's proposal to merge Myanmar's restive Rakhine state into her country, saying it was an attempt to "start a fire in the region" and the move was "not acceptable".

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday criticised a top US lawmaker's proposal to merge Myanmar's restive Rakhine state into her country, saying it was an attempt to "start a fire in the region" and the move was "not acceptable". On June 13, the proposal was placed in the US Congress for bringing Rakhine state in Myanmar under Bangladesh since millions of Rohingyas fled the Buddhist-majority country and taken refuge in the neighbouring nation. The proposal was made by Congressman Bradley Sherman, Chairman of the Sub-committee on Asia-Pacific, during a hearing on the State Department`s budget for South Asia. "It is never right to create troubles inside a sovereign country. And the issue they have touched upon is already a burning one. There has not been any peace wherever they have stepped in but instead, it has led to militancy and unrest," Hasina was quoted by bdnews24 as saying while reacting to the proposal. "We are trying to bring peace to this region. But they are trying to start a fire here. This is not acceptable," she said. Underlining that Bangladesh respected Myanmar`s sovereignty, Hasina said that her government would never allow the integration of a territory of one`s country with another. "We have our borders and we are happy with it. We completely disagree with adding another country's territory to ours. We will never take it," she stressed. The Bangladeshi leader advised Sherman to instead urge Myanmar to allow Rohingyas to return to the country and asked the US to initiate an investigation into human rights violations. "Sherman should instead urge Myanmar to take back its citizens. That would be a humanitarian act. And they should also look into all the human rights violations," Hasina said. Hasina, who recently paid a state visit to China, said she held talks with President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang on Rohingya crisis and informed that Beijing will work on resolving the pressing issue. Over 1.1 million Rohingyas have been forced to take shelter in Bangladesh`s Cox Bazaar after Myanmar`s armed forces while responding to attacks by an armed group, launched a brutal campaign against the community in Rakhine state in 2017. According to a UN report, titled 'Forced Migration of Rohingya: The Untold Experience', around 18,000 Rohingya women and girls were allegedly raped by Myanmar's security forces and over 115,000 Rohingya homes were burned down and 113,000 others vandalised.

Sheikh Hasina slams US lawmaker's proposal to integrate Rakhine with Bangladesh

Southeast Asian leaders gathered in Bangkok on Saturday determined to drive forward the world's largest commercial pact, with the trade war between the US and China clouding the outlook for their export-led economies.

Disputes in the flashpoint South China Sea, Myanmar's persecution of Rohingya Muslims and plastic pollution in the seas are also set to be discussed at the two-day Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, chaired by Thailand.

But trade will take centre stage with ASEAN leaders keen to hasten the signing of a China-drafted commercial deal covering around half the world's population.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) includes all 10 ASEAN economies, plus India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

It is seen as a mechanism for China to draft the rules of Asia-Pacific trade, following a US retreat from the region.

Shortly after his election, President Donald Trump pulled the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) -- which would have been the world's largest trade deal -- slamming it as an American "job killer".

While tit-for-tat tariffs between the world's biggest two economies have seen some manufacturers flee China to safer ASEAN hubs, economists say the big picture for global growth is bleak.

In that context, "RCEP is key to increasing trade volume", Thai government spokesman Werachon Sukhondhapatipak told reporters.

"The faster it (RCEP) gets implemented the better," Martin M. Andanar, Philippines Communications Secretary, told reporters.

"Free trade is definitely what we need here in this region," he said, adding that the US-China trade row has resulted in "the entire world catching a cold".

Progress on the deal has stuttered in recent months with India digging in over fears cheap Chinese goods could flood its massive consumer market.

Australia and New Zealand have also raised concerns over a lack of labour and environmental safeguards.

The meat of the negotiations is expected to be got into later in the year, when trade envoys from all of the potential signatory countries assemble.

ASEAN is often criticised as a soft forum where diplomatic niceties often outweigh concrete action on pressing problems.

Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad on Friday raised the prospect of a joust with Myanmar over the Rohingya, the Muslim minority driven in massive numbers into Bangladesh by waves of concussive violence.

"We hope something can be done to stop the oppression," he said.

Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi will attend the summit. The bloc is set to agree on a statement to "prevent and significantly reduce" marine debris -- including plastic -- across the region, according to a draft text seen by AFP.&nbsp;

Southeast Asian leaders gathered in Bangkok on Saturday determined to drive forward the world's largest commercial pact, with the trade war between the US and China clouding the outlook for their export-led economies.

Southeast Asian leaders gathered in Bangkok on Saturday determined to drive forward the world's largest commercial pact, with the trade war between the US and China clouding the outlook for their export-led economies. Disputes in the flashpoint South China Sea, Myanmar's persecution of Rohingya Muslims and plastic pollution in the seas are also set to be discussed at the two-day Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, chaired by Thailand. But trade will take centre stage with ASEAN leaders keen to hasten the signing of a China-drafted commercial deal covering around half the world's population. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) includes all 10 ASEAN economies, plus India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. It is seen as a mechanism for China to draft the rules of Asia-Pacific trade, following a US retreat from the region. Shortly after his election, President Donald Trump pulled the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) -- which would have been the world's largest trade deal -- slamming it as an American "job killer". While tit-for-tat tariffs between the world's biggest two economies have seen some manufacturers flee China to safer ASEAN hubs, economists say the big picture for global growth is bleak. In that context, "RCEP is key to increasing trade volume", Thai government spokesman Werachon Sukhondhapatipak told reporters. "The faster it (RCEP) gets implemented the better," Martin M. Andanar, Philippines Communications Secretary, told reporters. "Free trade is definitely what we need here in this region," he said, adding that the US-China trade row has resulted in "the entire world catching a cold". Progress on the deal has stuttered in recent months with India digging in over fears cheap Chinese goods could flood its massive consumer market. Australia and New Zealand have also raised concerns over a lack of labour and environmental safeguards. The meat of the negotiations is expected to be got into later in the year, when trade envoys from all of the potential signatory countries assemble. ASEAN is often criticised as a soft forum where diplomatic niceties often outweigh concrete action on pressing problems. Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad on Friday raised the prospect of a joust with Myanmar over the Rohingya, the Muslim minority driven in massive numbers into Bangladesh by waves of concussive violence. "We hope something can be done to stop the oppression," he said. Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi will attend the summit. The bloc is set to agree on a statement to "prevent and significantly reduce" marine debris -- including plastic -- across the region, according to a draft text seen by AFP.

At ASEAN Summit, trade talks to take centre stage

Senior officials from Pakistan and Afghanistan will hold talks here on Monday under a bilateral arrangement to improve cooperation in different fields.

Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood will lead the Pakistan delegation while the Afghan side will be led by Deputy Foreign Minister Idrees Zaman at the first review session of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS).

"The forthcoming session will provide the two sides an opportunity to review progress made under this framework since the inaugural session and to exchange views on further collaboration in agreed areas of cooperation,? the Foreign Office said in a statement.

The APAPPS was established in May 2018 to provide a comprehensive and structured framework for institutional bilateral engagement between Pakistan and Afghanistan in diverse areas of cooperation.

The mechanism works through five working groups on politico-diplomatic ties; military-to-military coordination; intelligence cooperation; economic cooperation and refugees' problem.

The inaugural session of APAPPS was held in Kabul on July 22, 2018, where the two sides had agreed to synergize efforts to enhance bilateral cooperation and build trust.

Senior officials from Pakistan and Afghanistan will hold talks here on Monday under a bilateral arrangement to improve cooperation in different fields. Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood will lead the Pakistan delegation while the Afghan side will be led by Deputy Foreign Minister Idrees Zaman at the first review session of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS).

Senior officials from Pakistan and Afghanistan will hold talks here on Monday under a bilateral arrangement to improve cooperation in different fields. Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood will lead the Pakistan delegation while the Afghan side will be led by Deputy Foreign Minister Idrees Zaman at the first review session of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS). "The forthcoming session will provide the two sides an opportunity to review progress made under this framework since the inaugural session and to exchange views on further collaboration in agreed areas of cooperation,? the Foreign Office said in a statement. The APAPPS was established in May 2018 to provide a comprehensive and structured framework for institutional bilateral engagement between Pakistan and Afghanistan in diverse areas of cooperation. The mechanism works through five working groups on politico-diplomatic ties; military-to-military coordination; intelligence cooperation; economic cooperation and refugees' problem. The inaugural session of APAPPS was held in Kabul on July 22, 2018, where the two sides had agreed to synergize efforts to enhance bilateral cooperation and build trust.

Pakistan, Afghanistan to hold talks today to improve cooperation

ISIS eyes India moves closer to the neighborhood and hopes to gain ground in Tamil Nadu and Kerala

Gravitas: The Rise of ISIS in South Asia

PM Elect Modi To Sworn-in On May 30. Watch this video for further details.

PM Elect Modi To Sworn-in On May 30

It is final through Govt Sources, There is no official invitation to to Pakistani PM. Watch this video to know more.

Govt Sources: No Official Invitation To Pakistani PM For Modi's Swearing-in Ceremony

There is another update from sources it's that Imran Khan has been invited for PM Modi's swearing-in ceremony. Watch this video for exact and complete details.

Sources: Imran Khan Invited For PM Modi's Swearing-in Ceremony

Today on call with Indian PM Narendra Modi, Imran Khan expresses 'wish to work with India.' Watch this video to know more.

Pak PM Imran Khan expresses 'wish to work with India' on call with PM Modi

They travelled the road less taken, chose to endure all hardships to break the stigma and re-write the norms. Some of them left their families at a young age, some of them lost their colleagues to violence, yet they persist and pursue their calling. The latest hurdle that they want to cross is that of the language barrier and that’s what had brought them to India.

24 Afghani women journalists are in Chennai to attend an eight-week training program that aims to impart English communication skills. The initiative comes under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme and aims to take forward the existing diplomatic and strategic relationship and improve people-to-people contact.&nbsp;

The women journalists, aged between 26 and 33, have a wide-ranging experience under various roles in the print and broadcast media as presenters, writers, editors, technical directors. They are being trained by the faculty at the National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research (NITTR).&nbsp;

As Afghanistan had stints of democracy interspersed with Taliban rule, women journalists face challenges not only in their society at large but also from their very own families.

Speaking to WION, Wida Saghary, an Afghan journalist with over 12 years of experience said, “In the initial years, when we wanted to interview people in the bazaar, they hurled things at us and would gossip about women journalists. It was difficult for families to send daughters to join the media.”

She added that while there were quite a lot of journalist training centres in the capital city Kabul and the nearby provinces, few journalism aspirants even travelled to India, Turkey, Russia, America and Europe for their academic pursuits.

Diba Selgai, a social media officer said that many women aspire to appear on the screen, but they face&nbsp;the risk of being spoken ill about and being perceived in a negative manner. She added that when women journalists defy the status quo, it has a serious democratic effect on society. Rather than having democracy imposed from outside, working women can show the way and bring in democracy from within the society, she said.

The women also spoke about their employer which had over 50 per cent women workers in main positions as compared to the industry average of about 20 per cent women. A journalist recollected her roots in Laghman province, a Taliban stronghold, and how her uncle warned her father about God not accepting his prayer due to his daughter’s education and career choice.&nbsp;

There were also instances of women being attacked by their kith and kin for the path they chose, the most recent being the case of a Pashtun journalist who was killed by her husband, recalled the media professionals.

However, the journalists expressed optimism about how their country is evolving. They said nowadays, it is comfortable to work outside and that they have the support of their families who are supporting the girls and not hesitating to send them abroad for studies.

Accepting the responsibility of the media in transforming the image of the country, they said that it is important to break free from the stereotypes of Burkha, war and Taliban.&nbsp;

Speaking of their time in Chennai, the women said that it was refreshing and empowering to see women working late in the night, going shopping, working as vendors. They wished for a similar transformation in their society, where it is generally considered unsafe for women to venture out in the nights.&nbsp;

Outlining the initiative of the Indian government to support developing nations and their citizens, Dr Sudhindra Nath Panda, Director of NITTTR said, “The ITEC programme was started in 1964 and cover over 150 countries. Our missions abroad have been taking care of the VISA formalities of the students/professionals and the travel, course, accommodation expenses are funded by the Indian government.” He added that so far 95 Afghan citizens have attended the programme, of which over 40 were women.&nbsp;

They travelled the road less taken, chose to endure all hardships to break the stigma and re-write the norms. Some of them left their families at a young age, some of them lost their colleagues to violence, yet they persist and pursue their calling.

They travelled the road less taken, chose to endure all hardships to break the stigma and re-write the norms. Some of them left their families at a young age, some of them lost their colleagues to violence, yet they persist and pursue their calling. The latest hurdle that they want to cross is that of the language barrier and that’s what had brought them to India. 24 Afghani women journalists are in Chennai to attend an eight-week training program that aims to impart English communication skills. The initiative comes under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme and aims to take forward the existing diplomatic and strategic relationship and improve people-to-people contact. The women journalists, aged between 26 and 33, have a wide-ranging experience under various roles in the print and broadcast media as presenters, writers, editors, technical directors. They are being trained by the faculty at the National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research (NITTR). As Afghanistan had stints of democracy interspersed with Taliban rule, women journalists face challenges not only in their society at large but also from their very own families. Speaking to WION, Wida Saghary, an Afghan journalist with over 12 years of experience said, “In the initial years, when we wanted to interview people in the bazaar, they hurled things at us and would gossip about women journalists. It was difficult for families to send daughters to join the media.” She added that while there were quite a lot of journalist training centres in the capital city Kabul and the nearby provinces, few journalism aspirants even travelled to India, Turkey, Russia, America and Europe for their academic pursuits. Diba Selgai, a social media officer said that many women aspire to appear on the screen, but they face the risk of being spoken ill about and being perceived in a negative manner. She added that when women journalists defy the status quo, it has a serious democratic effect on society. Rather than having democracy imposed from outside, working women can show the way and bring in democracy from within the society, she said. The women also spoke about their employer which had over 50 per cent women workers in main positions as compared to the industry average of about 20 per cent women. A journalist recollected her roots in Laghman province, a Taliban stronghold, and how her uncle warned her father about God not accepting his prayer due to his daughter’s education and career choice. There were also instances of women being attacked by their kith and kin for the path they chose, the most recent being the case of a Pashtun journalist who was killed by her husband, recalled the media professionals. However, the journalists expressed optimism about how their country is evolving. They said nowadays, it is comfortable to work outside and that they have the support of their families who are supporting the girls and not hesitating to send them abroad for studies. Accepting the responsibility of the media in transforming the image of the country, they said that it is important to break free from the stereotypes of Burkha, war and Taliban. Speaking of their time in Chennai, the women said that it was refreshing and empowering to see women working late in the night, going shopping, working as vendors. They wished for a similar transformation in their society, where it is generally considered unsafe for women to venture out in the nights. Outlining the initiative of the Indian government to support developing nations and their citizens, Dr Sudhindra Nath Panda, Director of NITTTR said, “The ITEC programme was started in 1964 and cover over 150 countries. Our missions abroad have been taking care of the VISA formalities of the students/professionals and the travel, course, accommodation expenses are funded by the Indian government.” He added that so far 95 Afghan citizens have attended the programme, of which over 40 were women.

Quest for English communication skills leads Afghan women journalists to India 

ISIS Is No Longer Just A Terror Group. Its Making It's Presence Felt In Different Parts Of Asia.

Gravitas: Shadow Of ISIS Looms Large Over South Asia

Suicide Bomb Blast Kills 9 People In Lahore. Blast Takes Place Outside Data Darbar, The Largest Sufi Shrine In South Asia.

Gravitas: Lahore Suicide Bomb Blast; 9 Killed, 25 Injured

How did a small, fringe Wahhabi splinter group, led by a fiery speaker with a sixth-grade education, known mainly for defacing Buddhist symbols, carry out a coordinated and sophisticated terrorist attack on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka?

The answer is, it didn’t, not without external support, both direct and indirect.

The Sri Lanka attack reinforces the notion that the Islamic State, which claimed responsibility for the attack, is more a brand around which forces with overlapping goals coalesce to exploit local or regional opportunities than an entity.

The events in Sri Lanka were soon followed by the propaganda video reappearance of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who, acknowledging defeat in Syria and specifically citing the Sri Lankan attack, exhorted his followers to expand the fight.

Defeat in Syria has triggered a diaspora of Islamic State fighters either to their native lands or to targets of opportunity such as the thriving extremist networks in South Asia.

The instigators of that extremism and operating continuously in the background are the global promoters of austere and often intolerant forms of Islam such as Wahhabism-Salafism, financed either by wealthy individuals or nation-states that offer forums for radicalisation and sources for potential jihadi recruits.

The main group behind the Sri Lankan bombings, the National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ), is an ideological offspring of the rapidly growing, Saudi-funded Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ), which has a headquarters in Chennai, India. The TNTJ, a Wahhabi-based organisation, helped establish the Sri Lanka Thowheed Jamath, from which the NTJ emerged as a splinter.

It is a now well-known fact that some Islamic clerics and preachers play a significant role in the radicalisation of young Muslims and their recruitment for terrorist attacks.

As the late Singaporean leader Lee Kuan Yew said about preventing terrorist attacks:&nbsp;

“You must use force. But force will only deal with the tip of the problem. In killing the terrorists, you will only kill the worker bees. The queen bees are the preachers, who teach a deviant form of Islam in schools and Islamic centers, who capture and twist the minds of the young.”

Today, drug trafficking not only provides funding for terrorism, but there is a growing use of the organisational and logistical capabilities of criminal cartels to support terrorist operations, some of which contribute to the geopolitical ambitions of nation states.&nbsp;

In the South Columbo Muslim area of Dehiwala, a drug trafficker named Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, who was designated by the US Department of Treasury as a terrorist supporter in 2003, reportedly set up a distribution hub. In 2018, authorities seized 736 kilograms of Dawood’s heroin.

According to one article, Dawood’s D-Company cartel obtains opium from Afghanistan, where production is overseen by the Taliban. &nbsp;From there, logistics and transportation are arranged by Pakistan’s Inter-Service Intelligence agency (ISI), which provides protection for Dawood in his Karachi base and stipulates the distribution of a portion of the profits to various jihadist and militant groups.

There is much concern about the growth of the Islamic State in Afghanistan. There are reports that Islamic State jihadis, who fought in Syria and Iraq, are migrating to Afghanistan, joining disaffected Taliban fighters seeking greater Islamic purity.

Although Afghanistan offers a potential power vacuum, which the Islamic State can fill, a far more fertile ground for expansion is in Pakistan.

It is a little-known fact that the Islamic State now operating in Afghanistan, originated in Pakistan.

Members of the Pakistani Taliban, the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan or TTP began migrating to Afghanistan’s Nangarhar Province as “refugees” in 2010 after Pakistani military operations against the TTP in Orakzai and Khyber Agencies of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

It was those “refugees” who provided a foundation for the Islamic State. That base support was augmented by thousands of Pakistanis who fought for the Islamic State in Syria and returned starting in 2013.

In January 2015, the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) was declared with former TTP commander Hafiz Saeed Khan of Orakzai as the leader, whose twelve-member Shura had nine Pakistanis.

It is the growing level of extremism and intolerance in Pakistan that should be of concern, which has been a threat to Afghanistan and will be the main contributor to instability in South Asia.

It is the direct result of official Pakistani policy and the activities of Pakistan’s ISI.

The “Islamisation” programme initiated by Pakistani President Muhammad Zia ul Haq in the late 1970s, which involved the proliferation of Islamic schools, “madrasas” and the promotion of Islamic law “Sharia,” was specifically designed to create national unity by suppressing ethnic separatism and religious diversity.

Not surprisingly, radical groups have proliferated in Pakistan, becoming increasingly more extreme and intolerant.

The Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), a Deobandi anti-Shia organisation was created, in the wake of the Iranian revolution to counter Shia influence in Pakistan. The rapid spread of fundamentalist Deobandi ideology in Pakistan has been widely attributed to funding from Saudi Arabia.

When the SSP proved insufficiently militant for its growing population of zealots, the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) was formed as a splinter group of the SSP.

In the search for ever purer forms of Islam, the ever more violent and intolerant Lashkar-e-Jhangvi al-Alami (LeJ-A) was created out of the LeJ which, over the last two years, has claimed responsibility for several bloody atrocities in Balochistan, Pakistan’s southwest province. It has been reported that elements of the LeJ-A now comprise the senior cadres of the Islamic State in Pakistan.

Another so-called Islamic State affiliate operating in western Balochistan out of the city of Turbat, also known as a center for drug trafficking, is Laskar-e-Khorasan, a group accused of killing religious minorities.

Saudi support gradually shifted from the Deobandi to the more radical Ahle-Hadith movement, the Pakistani equivalent of Wahhabism. It is a small ideological step from Ahl-i-Hadith to the Islamic State, which explains the growth of its affiliates in Pakistan.

Among such Sunni-supremacist groups, believed to have received Saudi funding, is Jaish al-Adl which has carried out attacks on Iran from safe havens in Pakistan and reportedly has links to the Islamic State.

While downplaying the Islamic State threat in Afghanistan, US officials have virtually ignored the explosive potential of Islamic State influence in Pakistan, which will only accelerate in the expected power vacuum left after a US withdrawal. 
 
(This article was originally published on <a href="https://nationalinterest.org/feature/next-islamic-state-battlefield-will-be-south-asia-55687">The National Interest)</a> 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

How did a small, fringe Wahhabi splinter group, led by a fiery speaker with a sixth-grade education, known mainly for defacing Buddhist symbols, carry out a coordinated and sophisticated terrorist attack on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka?

How did a small, fringe Wahhabi splinter group, led by a fiery speaker with a sixth-grade education, known mainly for defacing Buddhist symbols, carry out a coordinated and sophisticated terrorist attack on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka? The answer is, it didn’t, not without external support, both direct and indirect. The Sri Lanka attack reinforces the notion that the Islamic State, which claimed responsibility for the attack, is more a brand around which forces with overlapping goals coalesce to exploit local or regional opportunities than an entity. The events in Sri Lanka were soon followed by the propaganda video reappearance of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who, acknowledging defeat in Syria and specifically citing the Sri Lankan attack, exhorted his followers to expand the fight. Defeat in Syria has triggered a diaspora of Islamic State fighters either to their native lands or to targets of opportunity such as the thriving extremist networks in South Asia. The instigators of that extremism and operating continuously in the background are the global promoters of austere and often intolerant forms of Islam such as Wahhabism-Salafism, financed either by wealthy individuals or nation-states that offer forums for radicalisation and sources for potential jihadi recruits. The main group behind the Sri Lankan bombings, the National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ), is an ideological offspring of the rapidly growing, Saudi-funded Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ), which has a headquarters in Chennai, India. The TNTJ, a Wahhabi-based organisation, helped establish the Sri Lanka Thowheed Jamath, from which the NTJ emerged as a splinter. It is a now well-known fact that some Islamic clerics and preachers play a significant role in the radicalisation of young Muslims and their recruitment for terrorist attacks. As the late Singaporean leader Lee Kuan Yew said about preventing terrorist attacks: “You must use force. But force will only deal with the tip of the problem. In killing the terrorists, you will only kill the worker bees. The queen bees are the preachers, who teach a deviant form of Islam in schools and Islamic centers, who capture and twist the minds of the young.” Today, drug trafficking not only provides funding for terrorism, but there is a growing use of the organisational and logistical capabilities of criminal cartels to support terrorist operations, some of which contribute to the geopolitical ambitions of nation states. In the South Columbo Muslim area of Dehiwala, a drug trafficker named Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, who was designated by the US Department of Treasury as a terrorist supporter in 2003, reportedly set up a distribution hub. In 2018, authorities seized 736 kilograms of Dawood’s heroin. According to one article, Dawood’s D-Company cartel obtains opium from Afghanistan, where production is overseen by the Taliban. From there, logistics and transportation are arranged by Pakistan’s Inter-Service Intelligence agency (ISI), which provides protection for Dawood in his Karachi base and stipulates the distribution of a portion of the profits to various jihadist and militant groups. There is much concern about the growth of the Islamic State in Afghanistan. There are reports that Islamic State jihadis, who fought in Syria and Iraq, are migrating to Afghanistan, joining disaffected Taliban fighters seeking greater Islamic purity. Although Afghanistan offers a potential power vacuum, which the Islamic State can fill, a far more fertile ground for expansion is in Pakistan. It is a little-known fact that the Islamic State now operating in Afghanistan, originated in Pakistan. Members of the Pakistani Taliban, the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan or TTP began migrating to Afghanistan’s Nangarhar Province as “refugees” in 2010 after Pakistani military operations against the TTP in Orakzai and Khyber Agencies of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. It was those “refugees” who provided a foundation for the Islamic State. That base support was augmented by thousands of Pakistanis who fought for the Islamic State in Syria and returned starting in 2013. In January 2015, the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) was declared with former TTP commander Hafiz Saeed Khan of Orakzai as the leader, whose twelve-member Shura had nine Pakistanis. It is the growing level of extremism and intolerance in Pakistan that should be of concern, which has been a threat to Afghanistan and will be the main contributor to instability in South Asia. It is the direct result of official Pakistani policy and the activities of Pakistan’s ISI. The “Islamisation” programme initiated by Pakistani President Muhammad Zia ul Haq in the late 1970s, which involved the proliferation of Islamic schools, “madrasas” and the promotion of Islamic law “Sharia,” was specifically designed to create national unity by suppressing ethnic separatism and religious diversity. Not surprisingly, radical groups have proliferated in Pakistan, becoming increasingly more extreme and intolerant. The Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), a Deobandi anti-Shia organisation was created, in the wake of the Iranian revolution to counter Shia influence in Pakistan. The rapid spread of fundamentalist Deobandi ideology in Pakistan has been widely attributed to funding from Saudi Arabia. When the SSP proved insufficiently militant for its growing population of zealots, the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) was formed as a splinter group of the SSP. In the search for ever purer forms of Islam, the ever more violent and intolerant Lashkar-e-Jhangvi al-Alami (LeJ-A) was created out of the LeJ which, over the last two years, has claimed responsibility for several bloody atrocities in Balochistan, Pakistan’s southwest province. It has been reported that elements of the LeJ-A now comprise the senior cadres of the Islamic State in Pakistan. Another so-called Islamic State affiliate operating in western Balochistan out of the city of Turbat, also known as a center for drug trafficking, is Laskar-e-Khorasan, a group accused of killing religious minorities. Saudi support gradually shifted from the Deobandi to the more radical Ahle-Hadith movement, the Pakistani equivalent of Wahhabism. It is a small ideological step from Ahl-i-Hadith to the Islamic State, which explains the growth of its affiliates in Pakistan. Among such Sunni-supremacist groups, believed to have received Saudi funding, is Jaish al-Adl which has carried out attacks on Iran from safe havens in Pakistan and reportedly has links to the Islamic State. While downplaying the Islamic State threat in Afghanistan, US officials have virtually ignored the explosive potential of Islamic State influence in Pakistan, which will only accelerate in the expected power vacuum left after a US withdrawal. (This article was originally published on The National Interest) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

The next Islamic State battlefield will be in South Asia

Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Sunday afternoon was rocked by another blast. The eighth explosion, in a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-serial-blasts-129-killed-over-300-injured-in-series-of-six-explosions-on-easter-212229">series of blasts</a> that had rattled the country on Sunday, occurred in the suburb of Orugodawatta in the north of the capital city. Three people have been reported dead in the latest blast.&nbsp;Police said there were no further details on what was targeted, adding that the blast was a suicide bombing, news agency AFP reported.

Over 160 people have been confirmed dead so far in the string of attacks targeting hotels and churches in Sri Lanka.

A series of blasts ripped through high-end hotels and churches holding Easter services in Sri Lanka on Sunday, over 160 people have been reported dead so far, including 35 foreigners. More than 450 people have suffered injuries.&nbsp;

The blasts

Easter Day bomb blasts were reported at three Sri Lankan churches and three luxury hotels earlier today. &nbsp;

The three hotels that were hit were the Shangri-La Colombo, Kingsbury Hotel in Colombo and the Cinnamon Grand Colombo in the capital city, news agency Reuters reported.&nbsp;

St Anthony's Shrine, a Catholic Church in Kochcikade, Colombo, was one of the churches where a blast was reported on Sunday along with an explosion at St Sebastian's gothic-style Catholic church in Katuwapitiya, north of Colombo and an explosion that hit an evangelical church in Batticaloa in Eastern Province.

Later in the day, the Sri Lankan police reported the seventh explosion, the fourth at a hotel near the national zoo, which is in an area near the capital Colombo, Reuters reported.&nbsp;

The latest and the eighth in the series of Easter Day explosions occurred in the suburb of Orugodawatta in the north of the capital city Colombo.&nbsp;

As per reports, Sri Lankan Prime Minister&nbsp;Ranil Wickremesinghe has called for an emergency parliamentary session.&nbsp;

Nation-wide curfew, social media blocked

The Sri Lankan&nbsp;government imposed a nationwide curfew Sunday that police said would go into effect immediately and would last "until further notice", after a string of deadly blasts.

Sri Lanka's defence ministry initially said the curfew would be imposed overnight, but the police subsequently said it would go into effect straight away.

Sri Lanka's government said Sunday it would impose a "temporary" social media ban after a string of blasts targeting hotels and churches killed nearly 160 people.

"The government has decided to block all social media platforms in order to prevent incorrect and wrong information being spread. This is only a temporary measure" Udaya R. Seneviratne, secretary to the president said in a statement.

Major attacks&nbsp;since the Sri Lankan civil war

The explosions are being billed as the major attacks since the end of the civil war a decade ago.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/leaders-condemn-serial-explosions-in-sri-lanka-that-killed-at-least-129-212230">condemned the attacks as "cowardly"</a> and said the government was working to "contain the situation".

Images circulating on social media and local news stations showed extensive damage at one of three churches targeted in the near-simultaneous blasts on Sunday morning.

Much of the church roof was blown out in the explosion, with roof tiles and splintered wood littering the floor and pools of blood in between wounded worshippers.

The injured flooded into local hospitals, where officials reported hundreds of wounded were being admitted.

(With inputs from Agencies)&nbsp;

Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Sunday afternoon was rocked by another blast. The eighth explosion, in a series of blasts that had rattled the country on Sunday, occurred in the suburb of Orugodawatta in the north of the capital city.

Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Sunday afternoon was rocked by another blast. The eighth explosion, in a series of blasts that had rattled the country on Sunday, occurred in the suburb of Orugodawatta in the north of the capital city. Three people have been reported dead in the latest blast. Police said there were no further details on what was targeted, adding that the blast was a suicide bombing, news agency AFP reported. Over 160 people have been confirmed dead so far in the string of attacks targeting hotels and churches in Sri Lanka. A series of blasts ripped through high-end hotels and churches holding Easter services in Sri Lanka on Sunday, over 160 people have been reported dead so far, including 35 foreigners. More than 450 people have suffered injuries. The blasts Easter Day bomb blasts were reported at three Sri Lankan churches and three luxury hotels earlier today. The three hotels that were hit were the Shangri-La Colombo, Kingsbury Hotel in Colombo and the Cinnamon Grand Colombo in the capital city, news agency Reuters reported. St Anthony's Shrine, a Catholic Church in Kochcikade, Colombo, was one of the churches where a blast was reported on Sunday along with an explosion at St Sebastian's gothic-style Catholic church in Katuwapitiya, north of Colombo and an explosion that hit an evangelical church in Batticaloa in Eastern Province. Later in the day, the Sri Lankan police reported the seventh explosion, the fourth at a hotel near the national zoo, which is in an area near the capital Colombo, Reuters reported. The latest and the eighth in the series of Easter Day explosions occurred in the suburb of Orugodawatta in the north of the capital city Colombo. As per reports, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has called for an emergency parliamentary session. Nation-wide curfew, social media blocked The Sri Lankan government imposed a nationwide curfew Sunday that police said would go into effect immediately and would last "until further notice", after a string of deadly blasts. Sri Lanka's defence ministry initially said the curfew would be imposed overnight, but the police subsequently said it would go into effect straight away. Sri Lanka's government said Sunday it would impose a "temporary" social media ban after a string of blasts targeting hotels and churches killed nearly 160 people. "The government has decided to block all social media platforms in order to prevent incorrect and wrong information being spread. This is only a temporary measure" Udaya R. Seneviratne, secretary to the president said in a statement. Major attacks since the Sri Lankan civil war The explosions are being billed as the major attacks since the end of the civil war a decade ago. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe condemned the attacks as "cowardly" and said the government was working to "contain the situation". Images circulating on social media and local news stations showed extensive damage at one of three churches targeted in the near-simultaneous blasts on Sunday morning. Much of the church roof was blown out in the explosion, with roof tiles and splintered wood littering the floor and pools of blood in between wounded worshippers. The injured flooded into local hospitals, where officials reported hundreds of wounded were being admitted. (With inputs from Agencies)

Eighth blast rattles Sri Lanka, over 160 dead; curfew imposed 'until further notice'

Afghanistan has slammed Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan over his comments on ongoing Afghan peace talks and country's interim government. Khan came under the radar after he suggested Afghanistan to set up an interim government to break the stalemate on peace.

In an exclusive conversation with WION, Afghanistan President's spokesperson Haroon Chakhansuri called Khan's statements irresponsible and condemnable.&nbsp;

"No one expects such irresponsible statements from a prime minister, not only the Afghan government and people but also our international allies have condemned such behaviours of interference," Chakhansuri said.

According to reports, the Afghan government has summoned a Pakistan diplomat to explain Prime Minister Imran Khan's latest remarks.

It marks the fourth time in about a month and a half that Kabul has demanded an explanation from Islamabad for comments related to peace talks aimed at ending 17 years of war in Afghanistan.

On Friday, Imran Khan addressed a rally in Jamrud, Pakistan. During the address, Khan repeated his controversial statement and said that he had given brotherly advice to Afghanistan but was criticised for it.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-ambassador-to-return-to-pakistan-after-pm-khans-remarks-clarified-206366">Last month, Khan told Pak journalists</a> that forming an interim Afghan government would smooth peace talks between US and Taliban officials.

The Afghan government recalled ambassador Atif Mashal from Islamabad the next day and demanded an explanation for remarks that it called "irresponsible."&nbsp;

Pak foreign ministry said Khan's comments, reported by Pakistani media outlets and picked up in Afghanistan, had been taken out of context.

Afghanistan has slammed Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan over his comments on ongoing Afghan peace talks and country's interim government. Khan came under the radar after he suggested Afghanistan to set up an interim government to break the stalemate on peace.

Afghanistan has slammed Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan over his comments on ongoing Afghan peace talks and country's interim government. Khan came under the radar after he suggested Afghanistan to set up an interim government to break the stalemate on peace. In an exclusive conversation with WION, Afghanistan President's spokesperson Haroon Chakhansuri called Khan's statements irresponsible and condemnable. "No one expects such irresponsible statements from a prime minister, not only the Afghan government and people but also our international allies have condemned such behaviours of interference," Chakhansuri said. According to reports, the Afghan government has summoned a Pakistan diplomat to explain Prime Minister Imran Khan's latest remarks. It marks the fourth time in about a month and a half that Kabul has demanded an explanation from Islamabad for comments related to peace talks aimed at ending 17 years of war in Afghanistan. On Friday, Imran Khan addressed a rally in Jamrud, Pakistan. During the address, Khan repeated his controversial statement and said that he had given brotherly advice to Afghanistan but was criticised for it. Last month, Khan told Pak journalists that forming an interim Afghan government would smooth peace talks between US and Taliban officials. The Afghan government recalled ambassador Atif Mashal from Islamabad the next day and demanded an explanation for remarks that it called "irresponsible." Pak foreign ministry said Khan's comments, reported by Pakistani media outlets and picked up in Afghanistan, had been taken out of context.

Irresponsible and condemnable: Kabul slams Imran Khan over remark on Afghan interim government

By James Chin

The corruption trial of Najib Tun Razak, the former prime minister of Malaysia, has finally begun following two postponements and an attempt on the opening day of the trial for a third. Many Malaysians were starting to wonder if Najib would ever get his day in court.

Najib’s lawyers have used every legal manoeuvre at their disposal to try to delay the trial as long as possible. These tactics verged on the ridiculous a month ago when Najib’s main lawyer claimed his pet dog had injured his wrist. The move worked – the former PM was granted another reprieve.

The trial over Najib’s role in a financial scam involving Malaysia’s 1MDB sovereign wealth fund will certainly not proceed smoothly, and the defence is sure to file new objections to higher courts to try to stop it again.

The reason Najib wants the trial delayed is simple: if he is found guilty, it will have a major impact on other upcoming trials.

His wife is also charged with money-laundering in connection with the scandal. (She’s accused of splurging on designer clothes and handbags during million-dollar shopping trips.) If Najib is found guilty, this would undoubtedly strengthen the case against her. Several ministers who served under Najib have also been charged with corruption.

Najib himself also faces several other trials related to the 1MDB scandal. For the government, the current trial is by far the simplest and easiest to prosecute. It involves 42 million Malaysian ringgit (A$14.5 million) that made its way from SRC International, a former unit of 1MDB, to Najib’s personal account. All these transactions occurred in Malaysia, unlike the other cases, which involve international transactions and multiple jurisdictions. The paper trial for this trial is straightforward.

Najib has pleaded not guilty to all charges and claimed the money in his accounts did not come from SRC International.

If Najib is found guilty, he will automatically lose his seat in parliament and face possible jail time. Being an MP gives him the platform to influence politics and say anything he likes against the current government, led by his political rival, Mahathir bin Mohamad.

Najib is already working on his political comeback – part of the strategy is to maintain a high profile as an MP through social media.

How Malaysians are viewing the trial 
 
Many Malaysians want the trial to proceed without any more interruptions because it would show the accountability process is finally working in Malaysia. Najib and his government were ousted from power in last year’s election because voters wanted the PM (and his wife) to face trial over the corruption allegations. Previously, it was understood that if you held a high political office, you were likely to get away with corruption.

If Najib isn’t convicted, many will likely wonder if there was any point to the change in power. The new government knows this and must deliver a credible trial. There is no other political option.

If Najib and his expensive lawyers are able to continue delaying the trial, Malaysians may start to lose faith with the new administration. Mahathir has publicly pledged to jail Najib for corruption before he hands over power next year to party leader Anwar Ibrahim, and if he cannot deliver on this, it will damage his successor’s political capital.

Najib may even try to delay his trials until after the next election, due in 2023, so he can continue to mount his political comeback.

Far more important for Malaysia, however, is the issue of political immunity. No previous leader has ever been charged with corruption and it is vitally important the rule of law is applied here for future generations.

This has regional implications, as well. Many activists in countries such as Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand see the Najib trial as a benchmark for tackling corruption in their own countries.

In many Southeast Asian countries, a culture of impunity persists at the highest levels of government. There is a belief among many political leaders that once they leave office, the sins they committed while in power will not lead to jail. It is as if this is one of the benefits of being elected to office.

In the coming days, expect more delay tactics by Najib’s defence team. The case might even be halted again due to a legal challenge on a point of law.

But given the stakes involved, I have no doubt the new Malaysian Attorney-General, Tommy Thomas, will make sure Najib’s trial goes ahead. Malaysia as a nation cannot have closure over the 1MDB affair until he is called to answer for his alleged crimes. 
 
(James Chin is Director, Asia Institute Tasmania, University of Tasmania)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-najib-razaks-corruption-trial-means-for-malaysia-and-the-region-114828">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

By James Chin The corruption trial of Najib Tun Razak, the former prime minister of Malaysia, has finally begun following two postponements and an attempt on the opening day of the trial for a third.

By James Chin The corruption trial of Najib Tun Razak, the former prime minister of Malaysia, has finally begun following two postponements and an attempt on the opening day of the trial for a third. Many Malaysians were starting to wonder if Najib would ever get his day in court. Najib’s lawyers have used every legal manoeuvre at their disposal to try to delay the trial as long as possible. These tactics verged on the ridiculous a month ago when Najib’s main lawyer claimed his pet dog had injured his wrist. The move worked – the former PM was granted another reprieve. The trial over Najib’s role in a financial scam involving Malaysia’s 1MDB sovereign wealth fund will certainly not proceed smoothly, and the defence is sure to file new objections to higher courts to try to stop it again. The reason Najib wants the trial delayed is simple: if he is found guilty, it will have a major impact on other upcoming trials. His wife is also charged with money-laundering in connection with the scandal. (She’s accused of splurging on designer clothes and handbags during million-dollar shopping trips.) If Najib is found guilty, this would undoubtedly strengthen the case against her. Several ministers who served under Najib have also been charged with corruption. Najib himself also faces several other trials related to the 1MDB scandal. For the government, the current trial is by far the simplest and easiest to prosecute. It involves 42 million Malaysian ringgit (A$14.5 million) that made its way from SRC International, a former unit of 1MDB, to Najib’s personal account. All these transactions occurred in Malaysia, unlike the other cases, which involve international transactions and multiple jurisdictions. The paper trial for this trial is straightforward. Najib has pleaded not guilty to all charges and claimed the money in his accounts did not come from SRC International. If Najib is found guilty, he will automatically lose his seat in parliament and face possible jail time. Being an MP gives him the platform to influence politics and say anything he likes against the current government, led by his political rival, Mahathir bin Mohamad. Najib is already working on his political comeback – part of the strategy is to maintain a high profile as an MP through social media. How Malaysians are viewing the trial Many Malaysians want the trial to proceed without any more interruptions because it would show the accountability process is finally working in Malaysia. Najib and his government were ousted from power in last year’s election because voters wanted the PM (and his wife) to face trial over the corruption allegations. Previously, it was understood that if you held a high political office, you were likely to get away with corruption. If Najib isn’t convicted, many will likely wonder if there was any point to the change in power. The new government knows this and must deliver a credible trial. There is no other political option. If Najib and his expensive lawyers are able to continue delaying the trial, Malaysians may start to lose faith with the new administration. Mahathir has publicly pledged to jail Najib for corruption before he hands over power next year to party leader Anwar Ibrahim, and if he cannot deliver on this, it will damage his successor’s political capital. Najib may even try to delay his trials until after the next election, due in 2023, so he can continue to mount his political comeback. Far more important for Malaysia, however, is the issue of political immunity. No previous leader has ever been charged with corruption and it is vitally important the rule of law is applied here for future generations. This has regional implications, as well. Many activists in countries such as Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand see the Najib trial as a benchmark for tackling corruption in their own countries. In many Southeast Asian countries, a culture of impunity persists at the highest levels of government. There is a belief among many political leaders that once they leave office, the sins they committed while in power will not lead to jail. It is as if this is one of the benefits of being elected to office. In the coming days, expect more delay tactics by Najib’s defence team. The case might even be halted again due to a legal challenge on a point of law. But given the stakes involved, I have no doubt the new Malaysian Attorney-General, Tommy Thomas, will make sure Najib’s trial goes ahead. Malaysia as a nation cannot have closure over the 1MDB affair until he is called to answer for his alleged crimes. (James Chin is Director, Asia Institute Tasmania, University of Tasmania) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

What Najib Razak’s corruption trial means for Malaysia – and the region

Villagers in western Afghanistan began cleaning up Sunday after the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/flash-floods-kill-at-least-35-in-afghanistan-officials-206798">worst floods in a decade</a> swept away houses and forced many families -- already displaced by drought -- to abandon damaged homes.

Heavy rains that started early Friday and continued for two days caused flash floods in at least five provinces in western and northern parts of Afghanistan, killing at least 35 people.&nbsp;

Aside from washing away houses, the floods destroyed some internally displaced people's shelters and cut off access to remote villages across several parts of the country.

In Herat province in the west, at least 10 districts and some parts of Herat city were affected.

Video footage from Herat province showed crumpled cars buried deep in mud, collapsed walls, mud houses strewn with debris, fallen trees and people trying to rescue whatever was left of their property from the mud.

"We have lost everything here and have nothing left to survive on," Bibi Gul, a resident of Herat who had lost her house, told AFP.

Fazel Ahmad, another resident, described a similar sense of loss.

"Cows, sheep and even our pigeons are under the debris," Ahmad said.&nbsp;

Mohammad Hanif Arbabzada said about 80 per cent of the houses in his village were destroyed.

In all, more than 3,000 houses were either partially or completely destroyed, according to Hashmat Bahaduri, a spokesman for Afghanistan's National Disaster Management Authority.

Heavy snowfall across large swathes of Afghanistan this winter raised fears of severe flooding as spring approaches, following years of devastating drought.

Earlier this month, at least 20 people were killed by flash floods caused by heavy rains that swept away thousands of homes and vehicles in southern Kandahar province.

&nbsp;

Villagers in western Afghanistan began cleaning up Sunday after the worst floods in a decade swept away houses and forced many families -- already displaced by drought -- to abandon damaged homes.

Villagers in western Afghanistan began cleaning up Sunday after the worst floods in a decade swept away houses and forced many families -- already displaced by drought -- to abandon damaged homes. Heavy rains that started early Friday and continued for two days caused flash floods in at least five provinces in western and northern parts of Afghanistan, killing at least 35 people. Aside from washing away houses, the floods destroyed some internally displaced people's shelters and cut off access to remote villages across several parts of the country. In Herat province in the west, at least 10 districts and some parts of Herat city were affected. Video footage from Herat province showed crumpled cars buried deep in mud, collapsed walls, mud houses strewn with debris, fallen trees and people trying to rescue whatever was left of their property from the mud. "We have lost everything here and have nothing left to survive on," Bibi Gul, a resident of Herat who had lost her house, told AFP. Fazel Ahmad, another resident, described a similar sense of loss. "Cows, sheep and even our pigeons are under the debris," Ahmad said. Mohammad Hanif Arbabzada said about 80 per cent of the houses in his village were destroyed. In all, more than 3,000 houses were either partially or completely destroyed, according to Hashmat Bahaduri, a spokesman for Afghanistan's National Disaster Management Authority. Heavy snowfall across large swathes of Afghanistan this winter raised fears of severe flooding as spring approaches, following years of devastating drought. Earlier this month, at least 20 people were killed by flash floods caused by heavy rains that swept away thousands of homes and vehicles in southern Kandahar province.

'We have lost everything': Afghans describe deadly floods

One of the new dimensions of 2019 parliamentary elections is that the issues connected with foreign policy and national security have assumed significance.

This is evident from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of the successful test of an anti-satellite missile ahead of Lok Sabha elections, which invited criticism of violation of model code of conduct. Critics have accused the Modi government of politicising the foreign policy. It is, therefore, imperative to evaluate the failure and success of foreign policy under PM Modi with a view that to what extent the issue of “strong leadership”, “muscular foreign policy” and “national security” discourse would influence the electoral outcome of 2019 parliamentary elections. &nbsp;

Critics have accused that Modi government could not succeed in ensuring a good relationship with its neighbours, particularly Pakistan, and restoring peace in Jammu and Kashmir. PM Modi’s foreign policy has been criticised for alienating the neighbour countries except Bangladesh. It’s considered that India does not have a good relationship either with Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan etc. How true is this perception?&nbsp;

Such analysis is based on a traditional understanding of foreign policy and lacks a thorough comprehension of changing the dimension of globalisation and its impact on foreign policy behaviour of the states, at a time when terrorism has become a global agenda and national security has assumed core agenda of foreign policy. Hence, it is futile to expect India behaving in terms of traditional understanding of the interstate relationship.&nbsp;

It may be noted here that had India paid attention to national security and developed doctrines of national security, India would not have lost 1962 war. The traditional Indian foreign policy, as fashioned by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, has been a failure in ensuring India’s great power status in international relation or even curbing Pakistan’s belligerent foreign policy. &nbsp;

Under PM Modi, India has achieved a new sense of dignity and status in the international arena, as well as, in the South Asian region. PM Modi has successfully checked the Chinese advancement in Doklam and insulated Bangladesh and Nepal from falling into the hands of China. PM Modi’s great leadership has been acknowledged at world level as evident from Trump’s exemption of India from US sanctions, which would ensure that Indian import of oil from Iran would continue without interruption.&nbsp;

This is indeed a major success of PM Modi ’s foreign policy. Thus, in all probability, a 'muscular foreign policy' with assertive Indian nationalism is likely to yield good electoral dividends for PM Modi. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

 
&nbsp;

One of the new dimensions of 2019 parliamentary elections is that the issues connected with foreign policy and national security have assumed significance. This is evident from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of the successful test of an anti-satellite missile ahead of Lok Sabha elections, which invited criticism of violation of model code of conduct.

One of the new dimensions of 2019 parliamentary elections is that the issues connected with foreign policy and national security have assumed significance. This is evident from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of the successful test of an anti-satellite missile ahead of Lok Sabha elections, which invited criticism of violation of model code of conduct. Critics have accused the Modi government of politicising the foreign policy. It is, therefore, imperative to evaluate the failure and success of foreign policy under PM Modi with a view that to what extent the issue of “strong leadership”, “muscular foreign policy” and “national security” discourse would influence the electoral outcome of 2019 parliamentary elections. Critics have accused that Modi government could not succeed in ensuring a good relationship with its neighbours, particularly Pakistan, and restoring peace in Jammu and Kashmir. PM Modi’s foreign policy has been criticised for alienating the neighbour countries except Bangladesh. It’s considered that India does not have a good relationship either with Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan etc. How true is this perception? Such analysis is based on a traditional understanding of foreign policy and lacks a thorough comprehension of changing the dimension of globalisation and its impact on foreign policy behaviour of the states, at a time when terrorism has become a global agenda and national security has assumed core agenda of foreign policy. Hence, it is futile to expect India behaving in terms of traditional understanding of the interstate relationship. It may be noted here that had India paid attention to national security and developed doctrines of national security, India would not have lost 1962 war. The traditional Indian foreign policy, as fashioned by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, has been a failure in ensuring India’s great power status in international relation or even curbing Pakistan’s belligerent foreign policy. Under PM Modi, India has achieved a new sense of dignity and status in the international arena, as well as, in the South Asian region. PM Modi has successfully checked the Chinese advancement in Doklam and insulated Bangladesh and Nepal from falling into the hands of China. PM Modi’s great leadership has been acknowledged at world level as evident from Trump’s exemption of India from US sanctions, which would ensure that Indian import of oil from Iran would continue without interruption. This is indeed a major success of PM Modi ’s foreign policy. Thus, in all probability, a 'muscular foreign policy' with assertive Indian nationalism is likely to yield good electoral dividends for PM Modi. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Under PM Narendra Modi's leadership, India has earned significant status in global arena

By Sangeeta Khorana

The European Union and India have been negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) since 2007. Despite growing trade between the EU and India, talks stalled in 2013 after 16 rounds, only resuming in 2018. There has been talk in Brussels that Brexit might help remove some of the hurdles to an agreement. But this is unlikely to be the case.

If anything, the UK is better positioned to secure a trade deal with India than the EU, although this will not be straightforward. The UK’s desire to curb immigration is likely to lead to tough negotiations. But future UK-India-FTA talks may well be an opportunity to negotiate a manageable set of strategic priorities.

The EU is India’s largest trading partner, accounting for around 13 per cent of India’s total trade in goods in 2017. India contributes around 2.3 per cent of total EU trade and is the EU’s ninth biggest trade partner. Trade in goods between the EU and India grew by three times over 2002-18, from €28 billion to €91 billion.

Services are also an important component of EU-India trade. Eurostat data shows that Indian services exports to the EU were €16.6 billion in 2018, while imports were €17.1 billion. The sector has also attracted foreign direct investment from the EU, including Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy and Belgium, as well as the UK.

Sticking points

Talks between the EU and India broke down in 2013 after it became clear that reaching an agreement on the demands for tariff reductions and market access, as well as the inclusion of social, environmental and human rights clauses would be impossible. Discussions resumed in 2018, which led to the declaration of an EU-India strategic partnership. While this agreement helped to resume the talks, it mainly reaffirmed current ties rather than tackling any of the issues that caused the trade agreement discussions to stall initially.

From the EU’s perspective, the main sticking points were drug patents, tariffs for second-hand cars, agriculture, services, rules of origin and an unacceptable list of sensitive items. The EU is adamant about negotiating a stronger intellectual property regime and a sustainable development chapter with social and environmental clauses, which India is unwilling to include in the trade agreement.

Plus, the EU wants detailed provisions for investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) after India cancelled 20 bilateral investment protection treaties with individual EU countries in 2016. The ISDS demand is not acceptable to India and current regulations require foreign investors to resolve their problems in Indian courts for a period of five years before pursuing a claim under international law.

India views the proposed trade deal as an opportunity to address issues it has with the way the two sides trade in services. In particular, India wants more visas to be granted to its skilled workers in the services industry. This has been a longstanding demand.

After Brexit, this demand is unlikely to fade. But, at a time when all EU member states are grappling with a “migration crisis” any loosening of visa rules is highly unlikely. India has also been demanding status as a “data-secure nation”, which will reduce compliance costs for Indian software providers. But, given EU concerns over regulatory norms and data-privacy standards it is unlikely that the EU will agree to this demand.

Opportunity for a UK trade deal?

The UK is among India’s main trading partners from the EU bloc. Trade totalled €13.6 billion in 2018, accounting for 17 per cent of India’s overall trade with the EU. Moreover, trade between India and the UK increased at an average rate of 8.8 per cent a year between 2002 and 2018.

Machinery and transport equipment constitute 40 per cent of India’s exports, and accounts for nearly 20 per cent of total UK’s trade with India. The UK’s exports of alcoholic beverages also registered a significant increase, from €14m to €162m from 2002-18.

The lack of progress in EU-India trade talks might just be an opportunity for the UK to launch its own negotiations for a trade deal with India. From an economic perspective, India is an attractive trade partner. It is projected to be the world’s fastest growing economy, with an annual GDP growth rate of around 6.5 per cent. In the UK, GDP is predicted to grow by a mere 1.5 per cent in 2019. India is also home to almost one-fifth of the world’s population. It could be a strategic partner for the UK in Asia, presenting an opportunity to increase Britain’s soft power in the region.

From India’s perspective, a trade deal with the UK could be an opportunity to increase pressure on other Asian countries, especially China, to liberalise their trade. This will also help India’s geopolitical considerations in the region given the history of tense diplomatic relations with Pakistan. And it could help strengthen India’s Commonwealth ties.

But other issues remain. The UK and India would still have to agree on reducing tariffs on their respective imports. Visa numbers and intellectual property would also be issues for the UK, as they were with the EU, and could yet prove contentious. So free trade talks between the UK and India could still be long and drawn out.

Recent political developments, however – including Brexit, eurozone uncertainty, sluggish global growth rates and trade tensions from the Trump administration’s pursuit of a protectionist agenda – all have serious implications for future trade talks. These could well nudge the partners to review their red lines and return to the negotiating table.

 
(Sangeeta Khorana is Professor of Economics, Bournemouth University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-brexit-an-opportunity-to-revive-the-eu-india-trade-deal-113780"> original article)</a>

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;

By Sangeeta Khorana The European Union and India have been negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) since 2007. Despite growing trade between the EU and India, talks stalled in 2013 after 16 rounds, only resuming in 2018.

By Sangeeta Khorana The European Union and India have been negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) since 2007. Despite growing trade between the EU and India, talks stalled in 2013 after 16 rounds, only resuming in 2018. There has been talk in Brussels that Brexit might help remove some of the hurdles to an agreement. But this is unlikely to be the case. If anything, the UK is better positioned to secure a trade deal with India than the EU, although this will not be straightforward. The UK’s desire to curb immigration is likely to lead to tough negotiations. But future UK-India-FTA talks may well be an opportunity to negotiate a manageable set of strategic priorities. The EU is India’s largest trading partner, accounting for around 13 per cent of India’s total trade in goods in 2017. India contributes around 2.3 per cent of total EU trade and is the EU’s ninth biggest trade partner. Trade in goods between the EU and India grew by three times over 2002-18, from €28 billion to €91 billion. Services are also an important component of EU-India trade. Eurostat data shows that Indian services exports to the EU were €16.6 billion in 2018, while imports were €17.1 billion. The sector has also attracted foreign direct investment from the EU, including Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy and Belgium, as well as the UK. Sticking points Talks between the EU and India broke down in 2013 after it became clear that reaching an agreement on the demands for tariff reductions and market access, as well as the inclusion of social, environmental and human rights clauses would be impossible. Discussions resumed in 2018, which led to the declaration of an EU-India strategic partnership. While this agreement helped to resume the talks, it mainly reaffirmed current ties rather than tackling any of the issues that caused the trade agreement discussions to stall initially. From the EU’s perspective, the main sticking points were drug patents, tariffs for second-hand cars, agriculture, services, rules of origin and an unacceptable list of sensitive items. The EU is adamant about negotiating a stronger intellectual property regime and a sustainable development chapter with social and environmental clauses, which India is unwilling to include in the trade agreement. Plus, the EU wants detailed provisions for investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) after India cancelled 20 bilateral investment protection treaties with individual EU countries in 2016. The ISDS demand is not acceptable to India and current regulations require foreign investors to resolve their problems in Indian courts for a period of five years before pursuing a claim under international law. India views the proposed trade deal as an opportunity to address issues it has with the way the two sides trade in services. In particular, India wants more visas to be granted to its skilled workers in the services industry. This has been a longstanding demand. After Brexit, this demand is unlikely to fade. But, at a time when all EU member states are grappling with a “migration crisis” any loosening of visa rules is highly unlikely. India has also been demanding status as a “data-secure nation”, which will reduce compliance costs for Indian software providers. But, given EU concerns over regulatory norms and data-privacy standards it is unlikely that the EU will agree to this demand. Opportunity for a UK trade deal? The UK is among India’s main trading partners from the EU bloc. Trade totalled €13.6 billion in 2018, accounting for 17 per cent of India’s overall trade with the EU. Moreover, trade between India and the UK increased at an average rate of 8.8 per cent a year between 2002 and 2018. Machinery and transport equipment constitute 40 per cent of India’s exports, and accounts for nearly 20 per cent of total UK’s trade with India. The UK’s exports of alcoholic beverages also registered a significant increase, from €14m to €162m from 2002-18. The lack of progress in EU-India trade talks might just be an opportunity for the UK to launch its own negotiations for a trade deal with India. From an economic perspective, India is an attractive trade partner. It is projected to be the world’s fastest growing economy, with an annual GDP growth rate of around 6.5 per cent. In the UK, GDP is predicted to grow by a mere 1.5 per cent in 2019. India is also home to almost one-fifth of the world’s population. It could be a strategic partner for the UK in Asia, presenting an opportunity to increase Britain’s soft power in the region. From India’s perspective, a trade deal with the UK could be an opportunity to increase pressure on other Asian countries, especially China, to liberalise their trade. This will also help India’s geopolitical considerations in the region given the history of tense diplomatic relations with Pakistan. And it could help strengthen India’s Commonwealth ties. But other issues remain. The UK and India would still have to agree on reducing tariffs on their respective imports. Visa numbers and intellectual property would also be issues for the UK, as they were with the EU, and could yet prove contentious. So free trade talks between the UK and India could still be long and drawn out. Recent political developments, however – including Brexit, eurozone uncertainty, sluggish global growth rates and trade tensions from the Trump administration’s pursuit of a protectionist agenda – all have serious implications for future trade talks. These could well nudge the partners to review their red lines and return to the negotiating table. (Sangeeta Khorana is Professor of Economics, Bournemouth University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

A trade deal with UK will help India’s geopolitical considerations in South Asian region

India and Maldives have finally reset their relationship with the visit of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to the country on March 18. It was the first time since the two sides held the full-fledged bilateral meeting in Malé since the new government came to power in Maldives after the September election. Swaraj and her counterpart Abdulla Shahid took stock of the bilateral engagement covering all areas of common interests and expressed their earnest desire to consolidate and expand ties.

In a normal course, the visit of Swaraj could have been treated as a regular diplomatic affair. But in the light of the tension between Malé and New Delhi when President Abdulla Yameen declared a state of emergency in the country in February 2018, Swaraj’s trip assumes significance. While President Mohammed Waheed Hassan had cancelled the contract signed with GMR, an Indian company in 2012, Yameen showed interest in strengthening ties with China. This can be gauged from the fact that Yameen endorsed China’s Maritime Silk Road. The two countries also signed the Free Trade Agreement in December 2017. A new law was passed by Maldives, allowing absolute foreign ownership of land on the conditions that interested parties would make a minimum investment of $1 billion dollar and reclaim 70 per cent land from the sea, which aimed at benefiting China in expanding its foothold in the Indian Ocean. Around the same time, in August 2018, Yameen also asked India to withdraw its military helicopters and personnel posted in Maldives.

Thus, when a democratically elected government led by President Ibrahim Solih assumed power in September last year, it was a great relief for India. PM Narendra Modi attended the swearing-in ceremony of President Solih. In December that year, President Ibrahim Solih paid a state visit to India, with the two sides reiterating their strong commitment to further strengthen and reinvigorate the traditionally strong and friendly relations between India and the Maldives. The visit of Swaraj was the latest development in redefining the engagement between the two sides.

Of course, given then President Yameen’s pro-China policy, it was felt in India that China, with its strategically Pakistan, could use the Maldives as a strategic choke point for India. The threat from Pakistan-backed fundamentalists is no less serious. Wahabi Islam has made rapid inroads into Maldives and the growth of terror modules in that country has raised concerns in the Indian strategic community. It is in this context that Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid reaffirming his government’s “India-First Policy and commitment to working together closely with India” is a big diplomatic relief for India.

Maldives has emerged as one of the most important neighbours of India in geo-strategic and economic terms. It is situated mid-way between Strait of Malacca and Suez, which are the world’s busiest trade routes. At the same time, as Kerala and Lakshadweep are in close proximity to the Maldivian islands, India is cautious about the possible use of Maldives’s territory against it. The two sides have agreed to strengthen cooperation to enhance maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region through coordinated patrolling and aerial surveillance, exchange of information and capacity building.

But, given the fact that Maldives is a dept-redden country with $3 billion loans to repay, Malé needs major investment boost by India. Mindful of this reality, while PM Modi had announced financial assistance up to $1.4 billion in the form of budgetary support, currency swap and concessional lines of credit to fulfil the socio-economic development programmes of the Maldives, during Swaraj’s visit the Export-Import Bank of India decided to extend $800 million credit to Maldives to finance developmental projects. They have agreed on the need to boost private sector involvement, and the Maldives-India Business Forum will be held in 2019. Memorandum of Understanding regarding Indian Grant Assistance for Implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects through Local Bodies and memorandum of understanding (MOUs) on collaboration in the field of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy were signed to strengthen developmental projects in Maldives.

Undoubtedly, there is a marked positive shift in the relationship between India and Maldives in the last four months and it should be hoped that while the roots of democracy will be deepened in Maldives, Malé would not allow any third country to determine the fate of its historically cherished ties with India. 
 
(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-india-maldives-ties-revived-after-a-spell-of-uncertainty-2733957">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

India and Maldives have finally reset their relationship with the visit of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to the country on March 18. It was the first time since the two sides held the full-fledged bilateral meeting in Malé since the new government came to power in Maldives after the September election.

India and Maldives have finally reset their relationship with the visit of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to the country on March 18. It was the first time since the two sides held the full-fledged bilateral meeting in Malé since the new government came to power in Maldives after the September election. Swaraj and her counterpart Abdulla Shahid took stock of the bilateral engagement covering all areas of common interests and expressed their earnest desire to consolidate and expand ties. In a normal course, the visit of Swaraj could have been treated as a regular diplomatic affair. But in the light of the tension between Malé and New Delhi when President Abdulla Yameen declared a state of emergency in the country in February 2018, Swaraj’s trip assumes significance. While President Mohammed Waheed Hassan had cancelled the contract signed with GMR, an Indian company in 2012, Yameen showed interest in strengthening ties with China. This can be gauged from the fact that Yameen endorsed China’s Maritime Silk Road. The two countries also signed the Free Trade Agreement in December 2017. A new law was passed by Maldives, allowing absolute foreign ownership of land on the conditions that interested parties would make a minimum investment of $1 billion dollar and reclaim 70 per cent land from the sea, which aimed at benefiting China in expanding its foothold in the Indian Ocean. Around the same time, in August 2018, Yameen also asked India to withdraw its military helicopters and personnel posted in Maldives. Thus, when a democratically elected government led by President Ibrahim Solih assumed power in September last year, it was a great relief for India. PM Narendra Modi attended the swearing-in ceremony of President Solih. In December that year, President Ibrahim Solih paid a state visit to India, with the two sides reiterating their strong commitment to further strengthen and reinvigorate the traditionally strong and friendly relations between India and the Maldives. The visit of Swaraj was the latest development in redefining the engagement between the two sides. Of course, given then President Yameen’s pro-China policy, it was felt in India that China, with its strategically Pakistan, could use the Maldives as a strategic choke point for India. The threat from Pakistan-backed fundamentalists is no less serious. Wahabi Islam has made rapid inroads into Maldives and the growth of terror modules in that country has raised concerns in the Indian strategic community. It is in this context that Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid reaffirming his government’s “India-First Policy and commitment to working together closely with India” is a big diplomatic relief for India. Maldives has emerged as one of the most important neighbours of India in geo-strategic and economic terms. It is situated mid-way between Strait of Malacca and Suez, which are the world’s busiest trade routes. At the same time, as Kerala and Lakshadweep are in close proximity to the Maldivian islands, India is cautious about the possible use of Maldives’s territory against it. The two sides have agreed to strengthen cooperation to enhance maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region through coordinated patrolling and aerial surveillance, exchange of information and capacity building. But, given the fact that Maldives is a dept-redden country with $3 billion loans to repay, Malé needs major investment boost by India. Mindful of this reality, while PM Modi had announced financial assistance up to $1.4 billion in the form of budgetary support, currency swap and concessional lines of credit to fulfil the socio-economic development programmes of the Maldives, during Swaraj’s visit the Export-Import Bank of India decided to extend $800 million credit to Maldives to finance developmental projects. They have agreed on the need to boost private sector involvement, and the Maldives-India Business Forum will be held in 2019. Memorandum of Understanding regarding Indian Grant Assistance for Implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects through Local Bodies and memorandum of understanding (MOUs) on collaboration in the field of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy were signed to strengthen developmental projects in Maldives. Undoubtedly, there is a marked positive shift in the relationship between India and Maldives in the last four months and it should be hoped that while the roots of democracy will be deepened in Maldives, Malé would not allow any third country to determine the fate of its historically cherished ties with India. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

India-Maldives ties revived after a spell of uncertainty

Umer Farooq's grandfather and father made bagpipes. Now he is the third generation to take up the tradition in Pakistan, which is thousands of kilometres from Scotland yet sells thousands of bagpipes each year.

The fresh smell of wood floats through the Mid East factory in Sialkot, on the eastern side of Punjab province, where Farooq is one of the managers. Workers are busy standing or sitting on the ground.

Covered in sawdust, they carve the wood and polish it. Rosewood or ebony serve as the blowstick, into which players exhale. The drones -- long pipes with a lower tone -- follow a similar process.

They are then attached to a bag, and often covered with tartan, a coloured plaid fabric typical of Scotland.

"In my family, all the boys know how to make a bagpipe, step by step," said Farooq.&nbsp;

"When we were seven or eight, we would go to the factory. It was like a school, but the teachers were our dads and uncles."

Honing such a craft is not easy.

South Asia has had for centuries its pungi, a wind instrument used for snake charming, and shehnai, a traditional oboe.

But the bagpipe had to wait until the mid-19th century for British colonialists to bring it to subcontinental India, of which Pakistan was a part before independence and partition in 1947.

Military tradition&nbsp; 
"Anywhere the British army went, they took pipers with them," says Decker Forrest, a Gaelic music teacher at the University of the Highlands and Islands in Scotland.

Locals seized on the tradition, which remains popular till this day, with dozens of bagpipe bands available for weddings and religious festivals.&nbsp;

"People love the bagpipe," smiles Yaser Sain, the leader of a Sialkot trio who play at least two performances each day, he says.&nbsp;

Proudly he shows pictures on his mobile phone of the band in colourful costumes.

Forrest says Pakistani bands put the emphasis on how they look, rather than musical technique, "which is less important to them".&nbsp;

At the world bagpipe championship, which is held every year in Glasgow, they are "the most beautifully dressed," he says. The kilt, however, is not de rigueur among the Pakistanis.

The Pakistani military, born out of the colonial British Indian Army, also still has a soft spot for the instrument.

In 2014 it established a camel-mounted bagpipe band attached to a unit of Desert Rangers. The camels, draped in scarlet and gold as their musicians sway above them, are particularly appreciated during parades.

But Pakistan's main affiliation with bagpipes is its mass production of them, though the quality of the instruments it makes can vary.

Some 2,600 are exported from the Mid East factory each year, mainly to the United States.&nbsp;

Bagpipe ambassadors&nbsp; 
The MH Geoffrey &amp; Co workshop, also in Sialkot, claims to manufacture a further 500 annually -- but its owner, Zafar Iqbal Geoffrey, estimates that when contributions from dozens of small and medium-sized businesses in the city are counted, Sialkot can produce a total of 10,000 bagpipes a year.

That is more than any country other than the United Kingdom, according to people in Sialkot.

"Bagpipes are our roaming ambassadors. This is good not only for the economy, but for the image-building of Pakistan," says Waqas Akram Awan, vice president of the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce.&nbsp;

The city's exports for 2017 -- a 15-year record of $4 million for thousands of instruments -- underscores his comment.&nbsp;

"Our instruments are the same as the European ones, but they are much cheaper. We make music more accessible," says Umar Farooq's uncle Muhammad Aftab.

Cheap labour means Pakistani bagpipes are priced less expensively than ones made in Scotland, with Mid East's going for around 300 pounds ($390) in Britain, compared to 900 pounds ($1,170) for instruments made in Scotland.

But Pakistani bagpipes have a reputation.

"The quality of sound is not the same," says Paul Gardner, manager of a London music store.

"They are for beginners who are working on a really low budget," he explained. "It might get somebody started, but that person will quickly look to upgrade."

Umer Farooq's grandfather and father made bagpipes. Now he is the third generation to take up the tradition in Pakistan, which is thousands of kilometres from Scotland yet sells thousands of bagpipes each year.

Umer Farooq's grandfather and father made bagpipes. Now he is the third generation to take up the tradition in Pakistan, which is thousands of kilometres from Scotland yet sells thousands of bagpipes each year. The fresh smell of wood floats through the Mid East factory in Sialkot, on the eastern side of Punjab province, where Farooq is one of the managers. Workers are busy standing or sitting on the ground. Covered in sawdust, they carve the wood and polish it. Rosewood or ebony serve as the blowstick, into which players exhale. The drones -- long pipes with a lower tone -- follow a similar process. They are then attached to a bag, and often covered with tartan, a coloured plaid fabric typical of Scotland. "In my family, all the boys know how to make a bagpipe, step by step," said Farooq. "When we were seven or eight, we would go to the factory. It was like a school, but the teachers were our dads and uncles." Honing such a craft is not easy. South Asia has had for centuries its pungi, a wind instrument used for snake charming, and shehnai, a traditional oboe. But the bagpipe had to wait until the mid-19th century for British colonialists to bring it to subcontinental India, of which Pakistan was a part before independence and partition in 1947. Military tradition "Anywhere the British army went, they took pipers with them," says Decker Forrest, a Gaelic music teacher at the University of the Highlands and Islands in Scotland. Locals seized on the tradition, which remains popular till this day, with dozens of bagpipe bands available for weddings and religious festivals. "People love the bagpipe," smiles Yaser Sain, the leader of a Sialkot trio who play at least two performances each day, he says. Proudly he shows pictures on his mobile phone of the band in colourful costumes. Forrest says Pakistani bands put the emphasis on how they look, rather than musical technique, "which is less important to them". At the world bagpipe championship, which is held every year in Glasgow, they are "the most beautifully dressed," he says. The kilt, however, is not de rigueur among the Pakistanis. The Pakistani military, born out of the colonial British Indian Army, also still has a soft spot for the instrument. In 2014 it established a camel-mounted bagpipe band attached to a unit of Desert Rangers. The camels, draped in scarlet and gold as their musicians sway above them, are particularly appreciated during parades. But Pakistan's main affiliation with bagpipes is its mass production of them, though the quality of the instruments it makes can vary. Some 2,600 are exported from the Mid East factory each year, mainly to the United States. Bagpipe ambassadors The MH Geoffrey & Co workshop, also in Sialkot, claims to manufacture a further 500 annually -- but its owner, Zafar Iqbal Geoffrey, estimates that when contributions from dozens of small and medium-sized businesses in the city are counted, Sialkot can produce a total of 10,000 bagpipes a year. That is more than any country other than the United Kingdom, according to people in Sialkot. "Bagpipes are our roaming ambassadors. This is good not only for the economy, but for the image-building of Pakistan," says Waqas Akram Awan, vice president of the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce. The city's exports for 2017 -- a 15-year record of $4 million for thousands of instruments -- underscores his comment. "Our instruments are the same as the European ones, but they are much cheaper. We make music more accessible," says Umar Farooq's uncle Muhammad Aftab. Cheap labour means Pakistani bagpipes are priced less expensively than ones made in Scotland, with Mid East's going for around 300 pounds ($390) in Britain, compared to 900 pounds ($1,170) for instruments made in Scotland. But Pakistani bagpipes have a reputation. "The quality of sound is not the same," says Paul Gardner, manager of a London music store. "They are for beginners who are working on a really low budget," he explained. "It might get somebody started, but that person will quickly look to upgrade."

Pakistan -- the other great home of the bagpipes

On February 20, WION Global Summit - Unleashing the Power of South Asia, was held in Dubai, UAE. WION is a Global English News Channel, which was launched by Indian News Media Company Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL), bringing world news with a South Asian view dedicated to an audience with values and beliefs that are as global, social, visual, and tech-savvy by nature.&nbsp;

I was honoured to be part of a panel discussion - “Future of South Asia: Strategic Balances &amp; Alliances”, alongside distinguished members Shaurya Doval, Director of India Foundation, Namal Rajapaksa, Member of Parliament from Sri Lanka, Michael Kugelman, Deputy Director and Senior Associate for South Asia at the US-based Woodrow Wilson Center, and Hasanul Haq Inu, Bangladesh's former Minister of Information. The panel was moderated by international journalist, TV show host, and author, Riz Khan. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The diversity of voices on the panel was reflective of the rich diversity South Asia is known for. Sadly, due to a history of political tensions in the region, we have never seen the realisation of the true potential of this diversity in bringing stability and prosperity to South Asia. The protracted conflict of nearly 40 years in Afghanistan is one of the major deterrents to the region’s development. I believe that 2019 has thus far been and will continue to be a pivotal year for Afghanistan but also the region, as a whole, from a standpoint of security, economic, and political issues.

The level of true regional cooperation, as well as the support of the international community on the most pressing issues facing South Asia, will determine the fate of the region. Representing the Afghan perspective on the panel at the WION Global Summit, I will, here, highlight the three main issues I spoke about. &nbsp; &nbsp;

First, free and fair elections have been considered a cornerstone of development and progress in Afghanistan. When held properly, the psychosocial impacts of elections are incredibly positive for citizens who see them as a sign that their nation is moving forward, that the transition of power is accountable, and that they can exercise their constitutional right of choosing their leaders.

The most recent elections were held for the Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) on October 20, 2018, the final results of which are yet to be announced due to a host of issues ranging from security to allegations of widespread electoral fraud. Commissioners of the Independent Election Commission and the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission were removed by President Ashraf Ghani following the accusation that they were engaged in electoral fraud. He just appointed 12 new commissioners in a consultative process that involved several political leaders, including candidates for the upcoming Presidential elections. &nbsp;

Security challenges continue to hinder the democratic process in Afghanistan. Several candidates were assassinated and some were even injured in the voting process, yet it did not stop Afghans from casting their vote.&nbsp;

Lack of transparency, mismanagement of the process,&nbsp;fraud and bribery are a norm and have been woven into our social fabric. Criminal activities such as fraud and bribery are often also interlinked with the insurgency in Afghanistan. If these activities continue to be a norm, they will have a spillover effect into the region. During the panel discussion, I argued that South Asian nations must do their part in holding Afghanistan accountable for transparency because bad practice spreads very fast and the negative implications can easily transfer to the region. &nbsp;

Second, I focused on an issue that has taken the international community and the media by a storm, the peace process in Afghanistan. However, when the two negotiating sides are the United States and the Taliban, Afghans are left to wonder how they will benefit from the peace process but more importantly what it means for Afghans.

It is not viable to have peace negotiations without the consensus of the Afghan people and the inclusion of the Afghan government. If Taliban wants to negotiate a peace deal, they must speak with those who are vigilant and concerned about their reintegration into society - the shop keepers, businessmen, athletes, journalists, artists, musicians, government officials and the Afghan women.&nbsp;

My recommendation to the international community is to keep in mind that this must be an ‘Afghan-owned’ peace process which must embrace all Afghans and – only Afghans. This will not just benefit Afghanistan, but will also have a positive impact on the region and global community. &nbsp;

Lastly, I spoke about the economic stability of Afghanistan. Due to the political, security, and economic transitions in 2014, Afghanistan’s economy took a major hit and unemployment increased to an alarming rate of around 40 per cent. Since then, intensive government reforms, as well as private sector growth, have led to an improved business climate. However, there are major hindrances to economic growth in the country, such as political uncertainty, corruption and security challenges.&nbsp;

Afghanistan has been actively engaged in regional economic cooperation so as to improve its economy but also assist in bringing stability to the region. However, the marked positive economic impact of these projects, such as Chahbahar Port, Lapis Lazuli Corridor and the Air Corridor programme, will not come immediately. In order for Afghanistan to become a donor-free economy, it will need the support of South Asian countries, particularly in terms of investment in the private sector as well as more active engagement in trade. Bringing economic stability to Afghanistan in indubitably one of the most effective methods for countering the insurgency, particularly in impoverished communities that turn to negative coping mechanisms such as joining insurgent movements to support their families.&nbsp;

They say a rising tide lifts all boats and this could ring more true for South Asia. The countries in the region must understand that their fate is intertwined with Afghanistan’s. A strategic alliance and cooperation between Afghanistan and South Asian countries in areas of mutual interest, be it economic, security, education, or sociocultural, will help the region realise&nbsp;its truest potentials. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

On February 20, WION Global Summit - Unleashing the Power of South Asia, was held in Dubai, UAE. WION is a Global English News Channel, which was launched by Indian News Media Company Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL), bringing world news with a South Asian view dedicated to an audience with values and beliefs that are as global, social, visual, and tech-savvy by nature.

On February 20, WION Global Summit - Unleashing the Power of South Asia, was held in Dubai, UAE. WION is a Global English News Channel, which was launched by Indian News Media Company Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL), bringing world news with a South Asian view dedicated to an audience with values and beliefs that are as global, social, visual, and tech-savvy by nature. I was honoured to be part of a panel discussion - “Future of South Asia: Strategic Balances & Alliances”, alongside distinguished members Shaurya Doval, Director of India Foundation, Namal Rajapaksa, Member of Parliament from Sri Lanka, Michael Kugelman, Deputy Director and Senior Associate for South Asia at the US-based Woodrow Wilson Center, and Hasanul Haq Inu, Bangladesh's former Minister of Information. The panel was moderated by international journalist, TV show host, and author, Riz Khan. The diversity of voices on the panel was reflective of the rich diversity South Asia is known for. Sadly, due to a history of political tensions in the region, we have never seen the realisation of the true potential of this diversity in bringing stability and prosperity to South Asia. The protracted conflict of nearly 40 years in Afghanistan is one of the major deterrents to the region’s development. I believe that 2019 has thus far been and will continue to be a pivotal year for Afghanistan but also the region, as a whole, from a standpoint of security, economic, and political issues. The level of true regional cooperation, as well as the support of the international community on the most pressing issues facing South Asia, will determine the fate of the region. Representing the Afghan perspective on the panel at the WION Global Summit, I will, here, highlight the three main issues I spoke about. First, free and fair elections have been considered a cornerstone of development and progress in Afghanistan. When held properly, the psychosocial impacts of elections are incredibly positive for citizens who see them as a sign that their nation is moving forward, that the transition of power is accountable, and that they can exercise their constitutional right of choosing their leaders. The most recent elections were held for the Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) on October 20, 2018, the final results of which are yet to be announced due to a host of issues ranging from security to allegations of widespread electoral fraud. Commissioners of the Independent Election Commission and the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission were removed by President Ashraf Ghani following the accusation that they were engaged in electoral fraud. He just appointed 12 new commissioners in a consultative process that involved several political leaders, including candidates for the upcoming Presidential elections. Security challenges continue to hinder the democratic process in Afghanistan. Several candidates were assassinated and some were even injured in the voting process, yet it did not stop Afghans from casting their vote. Lack of transparency, mismanagement of the process, fraud and bribery are a norm and have been woven into our social fabric. Criminal activities such as fraud and bribery are often also interlinked with the insurgency in Afghanistan. If these activities continue to be a norm, they will have a spillover effect into the region. During the panel discussion, I argued that South Asian nations must do their part in holding Afghanistan accountable for transparency because bad practice spreads very fast and the negative implications can easily transfer to the region. Second, I focused on an issue that has taken the international community and the media by a storm, the peace process in Afghanistan. However, when the two negotiating sides are the United States and the Taliban, Afghans are left to wonder how they will benefit from the peace process but more importantly what it means for Afghans. It is not viable to have peace negotiations without the consensus of the Afghan people and the inclusion of the Afghan government. If Taliban wants to negotiate a peace deal, they must speak with those who are vigilant and concerned about their reintegration into society - the shop keepers, businessmen, athletes, journalists, artists, musicians, government officials and the Afghan women. My recommendation to the international community is to keep in mind that this must be an ‘Afghan-owned’ peace process which must embrace all Afghans and – only Afghans. This will not just benefit Afghanistan, but will also have a positive impact on the region and global community. Lastly, I spoke about the economic stability of Afghanistan. Due to the political, security, and economic transitions in 2014, Afghanistan’s economy took a major hit and unemployment increased to an alarming rate of around 40 per cent. Since then, intensive government reforms, as well as private sector growth, have led to an improved business climate. However, there are major hindrances to economic growth in the country, such as political uncertainty, corruption and security challenges. Afghanistan has been actively engaged in regional economic cooperation so as to improve its economy but also assist in bringing stability to the region. However, the marked positive economic impact of these projects, such as Chahbahar Port, Lapis Lazuli Corridor and the Air Corridor programme, will not come immediately. In order for Afghanistan to become a donor-free economy, it will need the support of South Asian countries, particularly in terms of investment in the private sector as well as more active engagement in trade. Bringing economic stability to Afghanistan in indubitably one of the most effective methods for countering the insurgency, particularly in impoverished communities that turn to negative coping mechanisms such as joining insurgent movements to support their families. They say a rising tide lifts all boats and this could ring more true for South Asia. The countries in the region must understand that their fate is intertwined with Afghanistan’s. A strategic alliance and cooperation between Afghanistan and South Asian countries in areas of mutual interest, be it economic, security, education, or sociocultural, will help the region realise its truest potentials. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Fates intertwined: Afghanistan can help South Asia rise

China has said that it is in touch with both India and Pakistan regarding recent tensions.

Replying to a question at the daily foreign ministry briefing, Chinese foreign ministry's spokesperson Lu Kang said, "China has been in close communication with both sides and promoting peace talks. China will continue playing its constructive roles in this regard as long as it is conducive to an alleviation of the situation and regional peace and stability."

Lu Kang added, "We genuinely hope that India and Pakistan, as important countries in South Asia, will maintain good neighbourliness and friendly ties and settle issues through friendly consultation."

The development comes after Pakistani foreign ministry claimed that that Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov had proposed to mediate between India and Pakistan.

The Indian ambassador to Russia Bala Venkatesh Varma has clarified saying there is no Russian offer of mediation between India and Pakistan and even if Moscow proposes one, New Delhi will not accept it.

"I want to emphasize that we did not receive a formal offer of mediation. And even we do, we will not accept it. So far, no country has offered to mediate in resolving the conflict," Venkatesh Varma said.

All through last week China called on India and Pakistan to exercise restraint but did not mention the issue of terror emanating from Pakistan like US, UK, France, Australia did.

India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj was in China on February 27 for the Russia, India, China foreign ministers meet. During the meet, EAM highlighted the issue of terror from Pakistan and said, "India does not wish to see a further escalation of the situation. "

The Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi also spoke to Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi on February 28 in which the Chinese side said it "will continue to play a constructive role in easing the current tension."

China has been blocking the listing of Masood Azhar, the chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), as an international terrorist under the United Nations security council 1267 committee. &nbsp;Jaish-e-Mohammed is the group responsible for the Pulwama terror attack that killed more than 40 CRPF personnel.&nbsp;

France, US and UK have again proposed the listing of Azhar as an international terrorist and if no country raises any issue by March 13, Azhar will be put on the UN terror list.

(With agency inputs)

China has said that it is in touch with both India and Pakistan regarding recent tensions. Replying to a question at the daily foreign ministry briefing, Chinese foreign ministry's spokesperson Lu Kang said, "China has been in close communication with both sides and promoting peace talks.

China has said that it is in touch with both India and Pakistan regarding recent tensions. Replying to a question at the daily foreign ministry briefing, Chinese foreign ministry's spokesperson Lu Kang said, "China has been in close communication with both sides and promoting peace talks. China will continue playing its constructive roles in this regard as long as it is conducive to an alleviation of the situation and regional peace and stability." Lu Kang added, "We genuinely hope that India and Pakistan, as important countries in South Asia, will maintain good neighbourliness and friendly ties and settle issues through friendly consultation." The development comes after Pakistani foreign ministry claimed that that Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov had proposed to mediate between India and Pakistan. The Indian ambassador to Russia Bala Venkatesh Varma has clarified saying there is no Russian offer of mediation between India and Pakistan and even if Moscow proposes one, New Delhi will not accept it. "I want to emphasize that we did not receive a formal offer of mediation. And even we do, we will not accept it. So far, no country has offered to mediate in resolving the conflict," Venkatesh Varma said. All through last week China called on India and Pakistan to exercise restraint but did not mention the issue of terror emanating from Pakistan like US, UK, France, Australia did. India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj was in China on February 27 for the Russia, India, China foreign ministers meet. During the meet, EAM highlighted the issue of terror from Pakistan and said, "India does not wish to see a further escalation of the situation. " The Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi also spoke to Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi on February 28 in which the Chinese side said it "will continue to play a constructive role in easing the current tension." China has been blocking the listing of Masood Azhar, the chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), as an international terrorist under the United Nations security council 1267 committee. Jaish-e-Mohammed is the group responsible for the Pulwama terror attack that killed more than 40 CRPF personnel. France, US and UK have again proposed the listing of Azhar as an international terrorist and if no country raises any issue by March 13, Azhar will be put on the UN terror list. (With agency inputs)

China is in touch with India, Pakistan & promoting peace talks, says foreign ministry spokesperson

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