Victims of chemical warfare

ON THE OCCASION ON THE REMEMBRANCE DAY FOR ALL VICTIMS OF CHEMICAL WARFARE

Al-Bab Report

The Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare is an occasion to reflect upon the terrible toll of these weapons and to pay tribute to those who suffered.  It is also an opportunity to take stock of our efforts to chart a course to a world without the menace of chemical weapons. Sadly, instead of being consigned to history, chemical weapons have re-emerged as a tool of war. We have witnessed new allegations of their use andhave seen painful new evidence of the suffering they inflict upon their victims.  This cannot and should not become the new normal.  We have come too far to go back. In the past year, two new States Parties have joined the Chemical Weapons Convention, bringing the total to 192.  The destruction of the world’s declared chemical agents has risen to 90 percent.  The United Nations has created a Joint Investigative Mechanism with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to help ensure that those responsible for the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic are held accountable.  On this Remembrance Day, let us renew our efforts to rid the world of these and all other weapons of mass destruction.  Only by working together, can we realize a world free of chemical weapons.  In a rare bicameral event, the General Assembly and the Security Council today adopted substantively identical resolutions on the UN Peacebuilding Architecture, providing renewed momentum for the focus on ‘sustaining peace’ within the UN system.

UN peacebuilding activities directly affect millions of people in dozens of conflict-affected countries, including in the 27 countries where the Peacebuilding Fund sponsors initiatives to strengthen a fragile peace or prevent renewed conflict from breaking out, such as the salary payments of police and gendarmerie in the Central African Republic, the release of more than 700 child soldiers in Myanmar, the construction of cantonment camps for thousands of combatants in northern Mali or the network of women groups mediating in more than 5,000 local conflicts in Burundi.

It also means the UN will look to access all its peace and security, development and human rights engagements more coherently, both at Headquarters and around the world, to reduce the high human cost and suffering brought about by so many simultaneous security and humanitarian crises. Peacekeeping operations and UN country teams will make peacebuilding a more integral part of their work.

The new resolutions are part of a wide-ranging refocusing of how the UN system should deal with conflict situations. They adopt a comprehensive approach to sustaining peace, encompassing conflict prevention, development, human rights and peacebuilding. Activities addressing all stages of the conflict cycle will involve the whole UN system, such that traditional siloes will be further broken down.  The principal organs and the overall UN system must accordingly work more in this manner.

These are the most comprehensive resolutions on peacebuilding ever adopted by the UN. They define the central concept of ‘sustaining peace’ as both a goal and a process, one which is owned by national stakeholders but which needs sustained international attention and assistance. “Sustaining peace” means that activities are aimed at preventing the outbreak, escalation, continuation and recurrence of conflict, and that they would address the root causes of conflicts.

The resolutions reaffirm the role of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) in bringing a strategic approach and coherence to peacebuilding efforts. The PBC, a subsidiary body to the General Assembly and the Security Council, provides a platform for a coordinated approach to sustaining peace, involving all actors, including the countries under discussion, regional member states and organizations, international financial institutions and civil society.

The resolutions emphasize that the PBC should work more flexibly and serve a bridging role among the General Assembly, Security Council and the Economic and Social Council. The broad Membership also encourages the PBC, whose members represent a smaller subset of the overall Membership, to focus more on regional developments and consider more cross-cutting issues than it has done to date.  This will make its services both more accessible to countries that are not necessarily on a regular “agenda” and more valuable to the principal organs.  

The resolutions call for closer coordination and cooperation between the PBC and the Security Council on peacebuilding issues. They further call for stronger roles for the ECOSOC, the Human Rights Council and the UN development system to sustain peace.

The resolutions offer a range of options to the Secretary-General and the PBC for cooperation with regional and sub-regional organizations, international financial institutions and other relevant stakeholders. The resolutions particularly request the Secretary-General to explore options for strengthening UN-World Bank collaboration. It stresses the need for cooperation with regional organizations, specifically mentioning the African Union.

The resolutions emphasize the role of women, youth, and the civil society in sustaining peace.

The resolutions underline the importance of predictable and sustained resources to peacebuilding efforts, and the valuable role of the Peacebuilding Fund as a rapid, flexible and catalytic fund.The next Secretary-General is invited to report back to the 72^nd General Assembly session on efforts to implement the stipulations. The resolutions also call on the General Assembly and the Security Council to create new agenda items on “Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace” and organize a high-level follow-up meeting at the 72^nd session of the General Assembly.

The so-called United Nations Peacebuilding Architecture was created in 2005, at which time the Peacebuilding Commission, the Peacebuilding Support Office and the Peacebuilding Fund were established.  The trifecta was created to respond to the concern of former Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, that there was “a gaping hole in the United Nations institutional machinery: no part of the United Nations system effectively addresses the challenge of helping countries with the transition from war to lasting peace.”Ten years later, a review of the United Nations Peacebuilding Architecture offered an opportunity to assess the original vision and purpose and its effectiveness in conjunction with the rest of the UN system with a view to strengthening it. A report by a seven-member Advisory Group of Experts (AGE) was delivered late June 2015.  

In July, the Permanent Representatives of Angola and Australia were appointed to serve as co-facilitators of an intergovernmental consultative process. This concluded in March 2016 with the submission of substantively identical proposed resolutions to the General Assembly and the Security Council, respectively, for the two bodies’ consideration and appropriate action.  Both bodies then decided to adopt the resolutions, in parallel, on 27 April.

ILO and Safety

ILO

Al-Bab Report

Statement by Mr. Guy Ryder, Director General of the International Labour Organization on the Occasion of the 2016 Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Day, 28th April 2016

This World Day for Safety and Health  focuses on the toll taken on the health and wellbeing of workers worldwide by stress in their working environment.
Target 8 of Goal 8  of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development  calls for “safe and secure working environments for all workers” - securing safe workplaces extends beyond the protection of workers’ physical safety to their mental and psychological wellbeing.
Work-related stress affects workers in all professions in developed and developing countries alike. It can gravely harm not only workers’ health but also, and all too often, the wellbeing of their families.

Globalization and technological change have transformed work and employment patterns in ways that sometimes contribute to work-related stress. High unemployment levels, particularly in the absence of adequate social protection measures can also have undesirable consequences for the mental health of workers.

Enterprises are not spared and they face the consequences of work-related stress on their overall performance with increased absenteeism, presenteeism and staff turnover, and difficult labour relations.

More data and analysis is needed to fully quantify the financial costs of workplace stress but it is already abundantly clear that the burden is considerable. A recent study cited in the ILO report, Workplace stress: a collective challenge , issued for this day, indicates that more than 40 million people are affected by work-related stress within the EU and that the estimated cost of work-related depression is €617 billion a year.
While much still needs to be done to reduce stress at work, we can say that in recent years there have been welcome developments in understanding the issue.  Awareness has increased and in most countries policymakers, social partners and professional networks are becoming more involved in the design of legislation, policy, strategies and tools for the assessment and management of work-related stress.

It is clear that the protection of workers’ mental health must focus on preventive strategies. Assessing and managing psychosocial risks at their origin will help craft the collective and individual measures needed to improve the quality of working life for women and men.

The ILO is committed to work with governments, workers and employers and their organizations around the globe to design and implement effective national, regional and enterprise level policies to prevent and minimise work-related stress.

UNESCAP

UNESCAP

Al-Bab Report

Increasing productivity is key to revive economic growth and support the 2030 Agenda in Asia-Pacific, says UN

As nations begin implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the next phase of Asia-Pacific economic growth should be driven by broad-based productivity gains, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) said in its flagship publication Economic and Social Survey for Asia and the Pacific 2016 launched today, emphasizing that this will require higher, targeted fiscal spending, enhanced skills, better infrastructure, and improved agricultural productivity.

In the developing countries of Asia and the Pacific, annual average growth of total factor productivity declined from 2.8 per cent in 2000-2007 to just below 1 per cent in 2008-2014, according to the Survey.

The productivity slowdown accounts for almost a fifth of the recent economic slowdown, from an average of 9.4 per cent during 2005-2007 to an estimated 4.6 per cent growth in 2015. ESCAP underscores that this is a concern because sustained and resilient economic and productivity growth, backed by balanced economic, social and environmental development, is a prerequisite for successful implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

Launching the Survey in Bangkok, Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and ESCAP Executive Secretary emphasized that steady growth in real wages, which is critical for tackling poverty and inequality, as well as supporting domestic demand, also ultimately depends on productivity growth.

“Concerted efforts are needed to revive the region’s economic dynamism and more effectively pursue the 2030 Agenda,” said Dr. Akhtar. “Such interventions, particularly through fiscal measures, could support not only domestic demand but also strengthen the foundations for productivity-led growth, while fostering real demand through social safety nets and wage increases.”

Noting that the Asia-Pacific region has the means and dynamism to revive economic growth, Dr. Akhtar acknowledged that: “Improving the quality of this growth by making it more inclusive and sustainable, will be especially demanding.”

The Survey calls for continued rebalancing towards domestic and regional demand, as prospects for export-led growth remain subdued. A confluence of macroeconomic risks including shifts in global financial and commodities cycles has also increased uncertainty. The Survey highlights that despite emerging challenges the region’s economic outlook is broadly stable and forecasts a moderate pickup in economic growth in developing Asia and the Pacific to 4.8 per cent in 2016 and 5 per cent in 2017.

The Survey notes that progress in reducing poverty is slowing and inequalities are rising in much of the region. At the same time, an expanding middle class and rapid urbanization are posing complex economic, social, environmental and governance challenges. The region also faces increased financial volatility and capital outflows, which have limited the space for monetary policy manoeuvring, despite low overall inflation. Several countries are also experiencing a private debt overhang after rapid increases in household and corporate leverage in recent years.

ESCAP recommends that if the region is to shift to a more sustainable development strategy driven by domestic demand, greater focus must be placed on productivity along with commensurate increases in real wages. According to ESCAP, a productivity-driven, wage-led approach would enable countries to increase their aggregate supply and demand, thereby enhancing well-being.

To boost productivity, the Survey recommends a cross-sectoral and integrated approach. It notes that several countries in the region are deindustrializing too early in their development, by shifting from agriculture-based economies to ones in which services play a dominant role. With more than half of the region’s population living in rural areas, and four out of ten workers engaged in agriculture, efforts should instead be strengthened to boost agricultural productivity and foster rural industrialization and urban-rural linkages. The Survey estimates that a modest increase in agricultural productivity could lift an additional 110 million people out of poverty by 2030, but that improvements in knowledge and skills will be critical, to enable absorption of the large pools of surplus labour that are being released in the rural sector.

Identifying the important role of fiscal policy in reviving economic growth and supporting the 2030 Agenda, Dr. Akhtar emphasized that: “Fiscal initiatives should be underpinned by sustained reforms towards an efficient and fair tax system that delivers the necessary revenues and promotes equity.”

Given the Asia-Pacific region’s diversity, the Survey also highlights specific policy issues, such as improving female labour participation in South and South-West Asia; enhancing resilience to natural disasters in the Pacific; dealing with population ageing challenges in East and North-East Asia; economic diversification and services sector development in North and Central Asia; as well as tax policy and administration reforms in South-East Asia.

The Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific is being launched simultaneously in 24 countries around the Asia-Pacific region. The year-end update of the Survey will be released in November 2016.

UN and Sanitation

New Survey Reveals Need for Proper Maintenance of Sanitation and Hygiene among Jacobabad city residents

While residents are willing to pay for safe drinking water the same is not the case for sanitation and hygiene

Al-Bab Report

Karachi – 28^th April, 2016: A new survey has revealed that Jacobabad residents are not willing to pay for sanitation and hygiene services despite being aware of associated health risks. On the contrary, residents are willing to pay for safe drinking water. Conducted by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) with funding from USAID through United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the ‘Willingness to Pay for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services’ study was launched at a ceremony in Karachi today.

The study is part of a project that seeks to mobilize communities to improve Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services in Jacobabad city.  It is a collaborative effort between UN-Habitat, UNICEF, the Municipal Services Delivery Program (MSDP), Government of Sindh and USAID. The survey sought to determine the factors that influence people’s willingness to pay more for improved WASH services in Jacobabad. It aims to support the Government of Sindh in taking necessary steps to ensure the effective running of the Municipal Service Development Programme (MSDP) by taking public’s opinion into account in devising necessary actions.  

The survey recommends that the base tariff for water charges should not be kept higher than PKR 500, while overall charges should be divided into three specific quartiles reflecting people’s willingness to pay. The research further proposes that along with public sector efforts to provide solid waste management services, a public-private-partnership model should be developed to involve the community in this drive to improve lives in the city of Jacobabad. According to the press statement by Muhammad Waseem, Additional Chief Secretary - Government of Sindh, “Improving municipal service delivery is one of the many challenges confronting local government institutions. In some municipalities, the existing facilities for water supply, sewerage, and solid waste management are dysfunctional and require major remedial interventions. Such complexities are better solved through strategic partnerships and this is where I would like to thank USAID, UNICEF and UN-Habitat for continuing to support our program for improved municipal services across the city.”

He further added, “Armed with the research findings of the survey and its recommendations, we are a step closer to alleviating the concerns of the masses by setting up an effective and modern WASH services structure.”   

As the program is aimed at strengthening and supporting the Government of Sindh through MSDP, Khalid Hyder Shah, Program Director - MSDP commended the project’s efficacy by stating, “The MSDP program aims to improve lives of the people of Sindh by developing and mending the water, sanitation, hygiene, and solid waste management structure. I appreciate the efforts of USAID, UNICEF, UN-Habitat and other partners in strengthening our structure and ensuring that people’s opinion is taken into account. The findings of this survey are critical to designing an effective and sustainable municipal services delivery mechanism.”

Dr. Nargiza Khodjaeva, Chief of the Sindh Field Office, UNICEF – talked about achieving SDG Goals. “The 2030 agenda for sustainable development talks about universal access to WASH services. The target 6.1 talks about universal, equitable, safe and affordable access to drinking water. Our focus initially under MDGs was on provision of improved water. We now need to ensure safety along with accessibility and availability. We therefore should ensure risk management approaches such as Water Safety Planning. Ensuring safety concerns will also enhance the willingness to pay levels”.

 Jannat Durrani, WASH Officer - UN-Habitat said, “Any public service delivery system cannot be successful in isolation, unless the people who are to benefit from such a system are aligned with its objectives, and feel part of the entire process. Sustainable, efficient and equitable management of WASH services goes hand-in-hand with the need to carry out a responsible social mobilization and behavioral change communication with the public.”  This survey establishes appropriate and acceptable user charges for improved water, sanitation and solid waste management services, and takes into considerations the willingness and ability of people who benefit from these services”

For more information and to receive a copy of the survey please contact:

Muhammad Irfan Saeed Alrai – WASH Specialist UNICEF on misalrai@unicef.org

Zara Jamil – Communications focal point, UN-Habitat onzara.jamil@unhabitat.org.pk

Fayaz Muhammad Zai, Monitoring & Evaluation Expert, MSDP-USAID, P&D, Government of Sindh on fayazmzai@yahoo.com

-ENDS-

About UN HABITAT:

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. It is the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system. UN-Habitat renewed its presence in Pakistan in late 2005 following the devastating earthquake in the north of the country, facilitating the reconstruction of over 460,000 houses. At present, UN-Habitat is co-convenor of Strategic Priority Area on DRR/DRM of the One-UN Pakistan Programme 2013-2017, Chair of the WASH Working Group and is actively represented in the Shelter, WASH and Community Restoration clusters in KP & FATA.

About UNICEF:

UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org.

About USAID:

USAID is the lead U.S. Government agency that works to end extreme global poverty and enable resilient, democratic societies to realize their potential. In order to support these goals, President John. F. Kennedy created the United States Agency for International Development by executive order in 1961. USAID carries out U.S. foreign policy by promoting broad-scale human progress at the same time it expands stable, free societies, creates markets and trade partners for the United States, and fosters good will abroad.

About MSDP:

MSDP is channelizing the funds provided in the grant by the US Government through USAID/ Pakistan of US $ 66.0 million for the development of municipal infrastructure in six selected towns in 2010 flood affected districts of the Province. Under MSDP emphasis was given to smaller towns, falling outside the purview of SCIP. Accordingly Jacobabad, Qambar, Shahdadkot, Mehar, Khairpur Nathan Shah and Johi were selected for the said USAID assisted development work under the program. In the first phase, the construction works on Jacobabad Water Supply System are currently underway while work on Waste Water and Solid Waste Systems in Jacobabad are expected to start very soon.

ESCAP Survey 2016

ESCAP Survey 2016

Dr. Jassim Taqui

While Pakistan is facing a grim situation due to the Panama leaks, the United Nations, in collaboration with NUST University offered good news for the economy of Pakistan.

Chairing a seminar organized jointly by NUST Business School and United Nations, the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator, Neil Buhne launched the ESCAP Survey 2016 and highlighted the main features of the survey.

A video message by Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, the Under Secretary General of the UN and Executive Secretary of the UNESCAP detailed the survey. She was assisted by Dr. Mohammad Husain Malik, former Chief of Macroeconomic and Policy Section, UNESCAP who spoke for 20 minutes on the salient features of the survey.

The survey reveals that the economic growth in Pakistan increased slightly to 4.2% in 2015 compared to 4% in 2014. Consumption continues to anchor the economy amidst a decade-low inflation rate of 4.6% in 2015 that enabled a significant easing of monetary policy.

Despite lower borrowing costs, subdued private investment conditions have kept overall investment stagnant at about 15% of GDP for the whole year. Trade deficit widened in 2015 as exports declined, mainly due to lower cotton prices. 

Nonetheless, favorable workers’ remittances helped narrow the current account deficit and foreign exchange reserves rose to an all-time high of $20.8 billion at the end of 2015.

Growth is expected to increase further in the near-term to 4.5% in 2016 and to 4.8% in 2017 on the back of continued policy reform efforts including privatization of loss making State-owned enterprises.

Downside risk includes slower growth of workers’ remittances as economies in the Middle East, the major destination of Pakistani migrant workers’, continue to face lower oil revenue and subdued economic activity.

Despite a more favorable economic outlook, Pakistan continues to face significant vulnerabilities from domestic security issues, critical energy shortages and domestic financing of public debt which constrains private sector development. This less enabling macroeconomic environment has resulted in a sluggish inflow of FDI.

Pakistan’s energy demand is expected to exceed domestic supply in the medium term as a result of low investment,  distribution challenges and circular debt flow problems among energy companies. The sector uses only 70% of installed capacity, a situation that leads to blackouts lasting from 6 to 8 hours a day throughout the country.

To address energy shortages, the government introduced new surcharges on power tariffs and inaugurated a solar park in 2015. 

Pakistan will also benefit from energy transmission from Central Asian countries under CASA-1000 project going on-steam shortly. The China-Pakistan economic corridor is likely to add 10 Gigawatts of water capacity by 2018.

One feels extremely disappointed with the fact that the seminar and the organizers opted to ignore the Panama leaks and it’s implication on the state of economy on Pakistan. Nobody talked about transparency and accountability of corrupt politicians virtually belonging to all political parties in Pakistan even as the main economic turmoil being faced in the country is their creation.

Lack of good governance combined with corruption has created immense problems for Pakistan and its decision makers.  People across the board feel cheated and humiliated by their elected government and the elected parliament.

The ruling elite have opted to defend themselves rather than take remedial steps to address a situation which brings shame to the people of Pakistan.

It is noted that western vested interests have waged a campaign against the people of Pakistan claiming that only 2% of the population pay their taxes. The fact of the matter is completely opposite. It is the poor people of Pakistan who are paying taxes.

Meanwhile, the rich elite and decision-makers are twisting the law in their favor so as to evade paying taxes. They are also involved in the theft of electricity and natural gas and are bribing all and sundry to ensure profitability of their enterprises.

According to the Panama leaks, over 200 Pakistanis have amassed a wealth of over $200 billion. If these rich people are taxed at a rate of 70% of their total assets, Pakistan will earn $140 billion which would enable the country to solve all its economic problems. It is painful indeed to see the IMF come up with the suggestion of imposing all sorts of taxes on the common man while they keep mum over the loot and corruption of the ruling elite.

Indeed, there are no words to describe this bizarre policy of the IMF and the economic decision makers of Pakistan. 

Netherland's celebration

Netherland's celebration

Al-Bab Report

Hundreds of thousands of people in the Netherlands are celebrating King’s Day on Wednesday, when many cities turn into giant flea markets with an orange hued party on every corner. 

King Willem-Alexander and his family are in Zwolle for the festivities. The weather forecast is for wintry showers and temperatures no higher than 8 degrees, so revelers are being urged to wrap up warm.

Dozens of small events have been cancelled because of the predicted showers. Crowds In Amsterdam it is expected to be particularly busy, with some 200,000 people arriving from out of town for the street market and festivals. 

The biggest, Kingsland at Amsterdam’s Rai exhibition centre, expects to welcome 35,000 guests.  Elsewhere, radio station 538 has sold 40,000 tickets for its festival in Breda. 

The King’s Night festivities passed off relatively quietly despite the bad weather warnings and visitor numbers at big events were down on previous years. In Nijmegen, four people were injured in a stabbing incident at a café. Monarchy Despite the orange mania on King’s Day, a new survey for broadcaster Nos shows that support for the monarchy is 66% . 

When Willem-Alexander took over the throne in 2013, some 78% of the population said they back the monarchy. Just 16% support the idea of a republic. Public confidence in  Queen Maxima remains the most popular royal with a score of 7.7 out of 10, followed by former queen Beatrix (7.4) and the king (7.3), Nos said.

US and IPR

Improvements on IPR in Pakistan Recognized in Special 301

Intellectual Property Rights Protection Report

Al-Bab Report

Islamabad, April 27, 2016:  The United States recognized Pakistan’s positive progress on IPR today in the annual Special 301 Report on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).  In this year’s Report, Pakistan has moved from the Special 301 “Priority Watch List” to “Watch List with an Out-of-Cycle Review”.

This movement is largely due to Pakistan’s efforts to improve intellectual property protection and enforcement including implementing key provisions of the Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan Act of 2012.  These efforts include establishing intellectual property tribunals, establishing a timeline for the amendment of major IPR laws, imminent implementation of the Federal Board of Revenue’s IP Enforcement Rules, undertaking public awareness programs on IPR protection, and committing to continue regular, action-oriented engagement with the U.S. government and stakeholders.

The United States will continue to work with Pakistan to implement these and consider other reforms that will help protect and enforce IPR in Pakistan.  

In the Special 301 Report the United States expresses deep concern over reports of high rates of counterfeiting and piracy in Pakistan, particularly in the areas of pharmaceuticals, printed materials, optical media, digital content, and software.  Pakistan has the opportunity to address many of these concerns through forthcoming legislative amendments on patents, trademarks, and copyrights. 

The Out-of-Cycle Review will look at Pakistan’s progress through the end of 2016.  It will evaluate whether Pakistan meets the timelines it announced for the IPR reforms described in the report, as well as Pakistan’s progress on addressing long-standing IPR concerns, providing effective enforcement against IPR infringement, and ensuring IPR tribunals successfully provide efficient and effective results for rights holders. 

Intellectual property protection is critical to fostering innovation.  Without protection of ideas, businesses and individuals would not reap the full benefits of their inventions and would focus less on research and development.  Similarly, artists would not be fully compensated for their creations and cultural vitality would suffer as a result.

The United States remains a committed partner of Pakistan as it addresses outstanding concerns on counterfeiting and piracy.

Lacking moral authority

Lacking moral authority

Dr. Jassim Taqui

Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes around in another form- Rumi

The nation continues to debate the Panama Leaks (PL) and its intense impact on all political parties. The PL has unveiled the real faces of corrupt politicians and the defect in both parliamentary and judicial systems. The ruling party PML-N has decided to form a judicial commission to investigate PL. 

However the TORs (Terms of Reference) have been formulated in  such a way that the Judicial Commission would not be able to give its verdict even after 50 years. This is a mockery of democracy and blatant attempt by the corrupt ruling party to hide behind the legal institutions of the country.

This time, Sharif Brothers did not deny the corruption charges against them and their family members. Since, PL gave them evidences and asked them to react, they know exactly that they do not stand a chance to survive. One would ask: Is it legally and morally acceptable for the rulers to remain in power following their humiliation? To my mind nobody would ever be ready to make business with thieves except the thieves.  

PL has made it clear that a new generation would emerge to replace rotten figures. Only women and youth can lead the nation and revive the hope of transparency, accountability and rule of law.

Cuba condemns parliamentry coup in Brazil

Cuban condemns parliamentary coup in Brazil
Al-Bab Report

Sectors of the right wing representing the oligarchy, in alliance with the reactionary press in Brazil, openly supported by the corporate media and imperialism, have consummated in the country’s House of Deputies the first step in what constitutes a parliamentary coup d’etat against the legitimate government of the Workers’ Party (PT) and President Dilma Rousseff, which has been in the works for several months.

This is an attack, based on unproven accusations with no legal foundation, on Brazilian democracy and the legitimacy of a government which was elected at the polls by a majority of the people, as has been denounced by the head of state and by former President and PT leader, Luiz Inacio “Lula” Da Silva, and by numerous leaders of left wing political parties and Brazilian social movements.Since 2003, the year in which the first Workers Party government led by Lula took office, important social programs have been implemented in Brazil, which have had a significant impact within the less privileged population. According to the World Bank, 25 million Brazilians escaped poverty, thanks to programs such as “Bolsa Familia”; “Mi Casa, Mi Vida”; “Más Médicos” and “Hambre Cero”.Brazil became an influential international actor, a defender of just causes, and a promoter of unity and Latin American and Caribbean integration.

The coup plotting opposition is looking to end the cycle of popular governments of the Workers Party, and thus roll back the social gains won by the Brazilian people, to install a neoliberal government which will allow large transnational companies to plunder the natural resources of this sister Latin American country - especially its immense oil, mineral, water, and biodiversity - and one which will subordinate its foreign policy to hegemonic imperialist interests.The coup against Brazilian democracy is part of the oligarchy and imperialism’s reactionary counteroffensive against Latin American integration and progressive process in the region. It is, at the same time, directed toward the group of countries known as BRICS, a bloc of powerful economies which have challenged the hegemony of the U.S. dollar.

The Ministry of Foreign Relations of the Republic of Cuba energetically condemns the parliamentary coup underway in Brazil, and resolutely supports the people and the legitimate government of this sister country, as well as President Dilma Rousseff, in defense of the political and economic gains and social accomplishments achieved during the Workers Party governments.

Surviving democracy

Surviving democracy

Dr. Jassim Taqui

While the whole nation is paralyzed by Panama Leaks, Imran Khan’s PTI is confusing the situation. PTI is holding demonstrations, demanding the accountability of Sharif brothers and their family. 

Ostensibly, Imran khan is repeating the blunder he committed by his sit-in on 14^th August, 2014 and the lost opportunity when COAS Gen. Raheel Sharif offered mediation if Khan only gave up his demand that  PM resigned. Ultimately, Imran Khan lost everything while NS emerged victorious.

Presently, Imran Khan seems to be out of focus by his new agitation campaign. The Opposition both in National Assembly and the Senate have come strongly against Nawaz Sharif (NS).

Pressure has been tremendous on NS, whose sons Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz admitted that they owned off-shore companies but denying that their business was illegal.  Hence, Imran Khan should have raised the issue of NS’ corruption in the parliament and not into the streets.

One would wonder as what does Imran Khan wish to achieve: accountability or martial law?