The international community and the de facto authorities must find ways to work together – for the sake of the children of Afghanistan

Dr. Jassim Taqui

DG Al-Bab Institute for Strategic Studies

Islamabad, February 26,  2022:  “Decades of conflict, a devastating drought, a collapsing economy, and the impact of international sanctions are causing irreparable damage to the children of Afghanistan. 

 

“I have just finished a short visit to the country and what I saw gave me cause for grave concern.

 

“In the streets of Kabul, scores of very young children dart in and out of traffic, chasing cars and asking for money. Store shelves and vegetable markets are well stocked, yet hardly anyone can afford to buy. In a hospital in Kandahar, emaciated babies lie motionless two to a bed, too weak to even cry amid a spike in cases of severe acute malnutrition. A 25-year-old mother of five told me that her family subsists on a diet of bread and water.

 

“And things are poised to get even worse. According to our projections for 2022, more than 1 million children will need treatment for severe acute malnutrition. Nearly 13 million children will need humanitarian assistance. Diseases like measles and acute watery diarrhea will continue to spread. Up to 97 percent of all Afghan families could be living below the poverty line in a matter of months.

 

 

“This is no way to live. The children of Afghanistan cannot be held hostage to politics. Decisions and actions taken today will dictate whether these children live or die, whether they suffer or thrive, and ultimately, whether the country survives or declines.

 

“The boys and girls I spoke to have dreams, but they can’t fulfill them if they continue to be shut out of school if they have to work on the streets if they are married off in exchange for dowry, if their parents have no jobs, or if they are dying from hunger.

 

“We can, and must, do better for them.

 

“UNICEF is on the ground, doing everything we can to assist children. We are training teachers, setting up community-based classes, vaccinating children against preventable childhood diseases, improving access to water and sanitation services, and providing treatment for severe acute malnutrition. We have paid cash incentives for teachers and health workers and provided supplies to public health facilities across the country.

 

“But aid agencies can only do so much. The international community and the de facto authorities need to find ways to work together, for the sake of children.

 

“I urge the de facto authorities to translate their promises on women and children’s rights into concrete action and allow all girls to go to school and all women to go back to work – without any further delays. I urge them to do their utmost to put services back on track, including paying teachers, health workers, and other public servants. I ask them to guarantee the safety of polio workers who do heroic work and face constant threats, as we saw yesterday with the tragic killing of eight polio workers in Kunduz.

 

“I urge the international community to find ways to avoid any conditionalities that impede access to life-saving support and that stop frontline workers from getting paid. I urge them to grant us the funding we need to help the most vulnerable. We are grateful for the support we have received, but the needs are massive and we need additional funds.

 

“Time is of the essence. The longer we wait, the worse things will be for the children of Afghanistan.”

 

 

German Embassy views

Dr. Jassim Taqui

DG Al-Bab Institute for Strategic Studies

Islamabad, February 26,  2022:  The German Embassy Islamabad would like to apprise the media and the people of Pakistan about the following statement of Foreign Minister Baerbock regarding the unprecedented and illegal attack of Russia on Ukraine:

 

“After months of preparations, of lies and propaganda, President Putin [...] decided to follow up his threats with egregious actions. With the military attack against Ukraine, the Russian Government is breaking the most fundamental rules of the international order before the eyes of the world. Russia alone has chosen this course. Over the past few months, we have spared no effort to try to find a peaceful solution to this Russian crisis through diplomatic channels. Russia did not respond to our offers of dialogue.

 

The Ukrainians have done nothing that could justify this bloodshed. This war aims to destroy one thing above all – the hope of the people in Ukraine that, after decades without freedom, they would have a right to democracy, a right to peace, and a right to a better future without oppression.

 

President Putin, you will never be able to destroy this dream. It is growing in Ukraine, and it is growing in your country, too. I am convinced that many people in Russia, too, will be ashamed of this attack and appalled that Russia’s name will be damaged for decades by the unscrupulous murder of their brothers and sisters in Ukraine. […]

 

We will launch the full package of the most severe sanctions against Russia. And we will strengthen our security and our allies. But […] this is not just about Europe. No country in the world can accept that the sovereignty of another state is called into question only because its stronger neighbor so decides. With our diplomatic networks across the world, we now call on all states which, like us, believe in the Charter of the United Nations to stand up to this aggression together.”

 

Germany is cognizant of the recent visit of H.E. Prime Minister Khan to Russia which was unfortunately overshadowed by this unspeakable act of aggression. Pakistan’s call for a peaceful and diplomatic solution is highly appreciated. We trust in Pakistan with whom we share a long-standing and multi-faceted relationship to use all its political and diplomatic weight to stand up to this blatant breach of international law.

 

 

UN Information Centre, Islamabad] Invite: Screening of UNDP's documentary

Dr. Jassim Taqui

DG Al-Bab Institute for Strategic Studies

Islamabad, February 17,  2022:  UNDP Pakistan is collaborating with the Pakistan Academy of Letters, National Heritage and Culture Division, on the 7th edition of Pakistan Mother Languages Literature Festival on 18-19-20 February 2022.

We are very pleased to invite you to the screening of our latest documentary “Pakistan: Places, Faces, Voices” at the festival.

To access even more people and to learn more about their needs and requirements, we reached out to diverse communities in the farthest parts of the country. Traveling from the North till the South, we reached some of the smallest ethnic groups whose voices do not make it to the mainstream discourse, in languages that many of us have not heard before. The documentary gives a glimpse of the lands and cultures of Pakistan, which provides us with a roadmap for our future activities.

 

It will be screened

                                    on 19th February 2022
                                    at 11:30 a.m.
                                    at Pakistan Academy of Letters, H-8/1, Pitras Bukhari Road, Islamabad.

We look forward to your participation at the screening!

 

For more information, please contact: Ayesha Babar, Communication Analyst - 92 (51) 835 5646 

 

 

 The United States and Pakistan Break Ground on U.S. Education Foundation of Pakistan Headquarters

Dr. Jassim Taqui

DG Al-Bab Institute for Strategic Studies

Islamabad, February 17,  2022:  Today marks a new milestone in the 75 years of the U.S.-Pakistani relationship with the groundbreaking of the first permanent headquarters for the U.S. Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP). 

U.S. Embassy Islamabad Chargé d’affaires Angela P. Aggeler noted: “Today’s groundbreaking is just the next step in the tremendous work of USEFP and each of you who are dedicated to bringing our people together through education, and eager to watch it continue for decades to come.” 

In 1950, the United States and Pakistan officially formed a bilateral commission – now known as USEFP - to exchange Masters and Ph.D. students.  Today, USEFP manages a wide range of educational and professional exchange programs, including the largest Fulbright Program in the world, between Pakistan and the United States, and many thousands of alumni of those programs are leaders throughout the country.

Rita Akhtar, Executive Director of the USEFP, added that the Capital Development Authority’s land donation to this project and the participation of iconic architect Nayyar Ali Dada were further indications of how favorably Pakistan views the opportunities afforded by U.S. higher education.

The new headquarters will serve as a state-of-the-art facility for managing U.S. government-funded exchange programs, such as the Fulbright program, and for the Islamabad advising center of EducationUSA, the official U.S. government resource for all students interested in pursuing educational opportunities in the United States.

 

 

 Crucial changes needed to protect workers’ health while teleworking

Dr. Jassim Taqui

DG Al-Bab Institute for Strategic Studies

Islamabad, February 9,  2022:  The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have called for measures to be put in place to protect workers’ health while teleworking.

A new technical brief on healthy and safe teleworking , published by the two UN agencies, outlines the health benefits and risks of teleworking and the changes needed to accommodate the shift towards different forms of remote work arrangements brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic  and the digital transformation of work.

Among the benefits, the report says, are improved work-life balance, opportunities for flexible working hours and physical activity, reduced traffic and commuting time, and a decrease in air pollution – all of which can improve physical and mental health and social wellbeing. Teleworking can also lead to higher productivity and lower operational costs for many companies.

 

However, the report warns that without proper planning, organization and health and safety support the impact of teleworking on the physical and mental health and social wellbeing of workers can be significant. It can lead to isolation, burnout, depression, domestic violence, musculoskeletal and other injuries, eye strain, an increase in smoking and alcohol consumption, prolonged sitting and screen time and unhealthy weight gain.

The report outlines the roles that governments, employers, workers and workplace health services should play in promoting and protecting health and safety while teleworking.

“The pandemic has led to a surge of teleworking, effectively changing the nature of work practically overnight for many workers”, said Dr Maria Neira, Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, WHO. “In the nearly two years since the start of the pandemic, it’s become very clear that teleworking can easily bring health benefits and it can also have a dire impact. Which way the pendulum swings depends entirely on whether governments, employers and workers work together and whether there are agile and inventive occupational health services to put in place policies and practices that benefit both workers and the work.”

 

“Teleworking and particularly hybrid working are here to stay and are likely to increase after the pandemic, as both companies and individuals have experienced its feasibility and benefits,” said Vera Paquete-Perdigão, Director of the ILO’s Governance and Tripartism Department. “As we move away from this ‘holding pattern’ to settle into a new normal, we have the opportunity to embed new supportive policies, practices and norms to ensure millions of teleworkers have healthy, happy, productive and decent work.”

Measures that should be put in place by employers include ensuring that workers receive adequate equipment to complete the tasks of the job; providing relevant information, guidelines and training to reduce the psychosocial and mental health impact of teleworking; training managers in effective risk management, distance leadership and workplace health promotion; and establishing the “right to disconnect” and sufficient rest days. Occupational health services should be enabled to provide ergonomic, mental health and psychosocial support to teleworkers using digital telehealth technologies, the report says.

The report offers practical recommendations for the organization of telework to meet the needs of both workers and organizations. These include discussing and developing individual teleworking work plans and clarifying priorities; being clear about timelines and expected results; agreeing on a common system to signal availability for work; and ensuring that managers and colleagues respect the system.

Enterprises with teleworkers should develop special programmes for teleworking, combining measures for the management of work and performance with information and communication technologies and adequate equipment, and occupational health services for general health, ergonomic and psychosocial support.

 

 

The United States Has Donated Over 50 Million COVID-19 Vaccines to Pakistan

Dr. Jassim Taqui

DG Al-Bab Institute for Strategic Studies

Islamabad, February 9,  2022:  U.S. donations of COVID-19 vaccines to Pakistan surpassed 50 million doses this week, as Washington continues its commitment to deliver life-saving vaccines to the people of Pakistan.

“With the shipment of an additional 4.7 million Pfizer vaccine doses this week, U.S.-donated vaccines to Pakistan have now reached over 52 million,” said U.S. Embassy Islamabad’s Chargé d’affaires Angela P. Aggeler.

The United States delivered the most recent tranche of 4.7 million Pfizer vaccine doses to Pakistan late last week, bringing the total to over 52 million U.S.-donated COVID-19 vaccine doses to Pakistan.

Chargé Aggeler said the United States, as the single largest contributor in support of COVAX efforts, continues to work with Pakistan to improve infection prevention and control and enhance patient care and is also supporting Pakistan to expand its capacity to deal with diseases in the future.  “This shows our important partnership with Pakistan to improve this country’s national health infrastructure,” she said.  “I especially congratulate the Government of Pakistan for administering a record-breaking 2 million vaccines in one day and 187.9 million vaccines overall,” she added. “With these remarkable efforts, the United States and Pakistan can make real progress together in addressing the scourge of COVID-19 across the globe.” 

In addition to Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the United States has also provided Pakistan with more than 1.2 million N95 masks, 96,000 surgical masks, 52,000 protective goggles, one million COVID-19 rapid diagnostic tests, 1,200 pulse oximeters, and 200 ventilators for 64 Pakistani hospitals.  The U.S. government also trained over 30,000 female health workers across Pakistan on home-based care for COVID-19 patients and established a national network of disease surveillance and response units and teams.  This is all part of the nearly $70 million the U.S. government has donated to assist the Pakistani people in the fight against COVID-19.

Find out more information on COVID-19 vaccine donations at:

https://www.state.gov/covid-19-recovery/vaccine-deliveries/