Hale Hosts Concert in Celebration of Black History Month

American Ambassador Hosts Concert in Celebration of Black History Month

Al-Bab Report

Islamabad, February 22, 2017 – An American jazz quartet – Amikaeyla Gaston and the Mike Del Ferro Trio – performed at an event hosted by American Ambassador David Hale in celebration of America’s Black History Month yesterday, as Americans reflect on the struggles and triumphs of the African American community.  The concert was attended by 60 Pakistani and American guests.

The quartet’s visit to Pakistan helps showcase America’s diversity and composite heritage.  The group is conducting a variety of performances and workshops in Pakistan, organized by American Voices, the Pakistan-based Foundation for Arts Culture and Education (FACE), and the Pakistan-U.S. Alumni Network (PUAN).

“Black History is American history.  Black History is part of our collective history, as Americans, as a people,” said Ambassador Hale in his welcome remarks.  “The arts have been influenced by many great Black Americans.  There is great power in music, as it challenges our understanding of the world around us and introduces us to new sounds and perspectives,” he continued.

“To have an intimate concert in the American Ambassador’s home at the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan is one of the most incredible experiences.  I’m so grateful to be here, to participate with everyone and, more than anything, share the beauty and love of music,” said Amikaeyla Gaston.

The American Embassy supports arts programming through a variety of initiatives. Each year, with U.S. government support, dozens of Pakistani musicians participate in programs like the Pakistani Showcase at South-by-Southwest Music Festival, the Dosti Music Project, and Daniel Pearl World Music Days.

Hale meets with Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry

Ambassador Hale meets with Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry

Al-Bab Report

Islamabad, February 22, 2017 – Meeting with Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry on February 22, Ambassador David Hale condemned the recent horrific terrorist attacks across Pakistan and offered condolences to the families of the victims.  The Ambassador emphasized that U.S. forces in Afghanistan have worked closely with their Afghan counterparts to strike the very groups who have claimed responsibility for the attacks in Pakistan.  The United States will continue to work in partnership with Pakistan to dismantle terrorist networks.

Ambassador Hale congratulated Foreign Secretary Chaudhry on his new assignment as Ambassador to the United States of America, and wished him well.

Trump Administration and South Asia

Trump Administration and South Asia 

Al-Bab Report

Pakistan cannot have a policy based on seventy years of assumptions and fears. This kind of thinking needs to be re-shaped in the context of a regional policy and will require a powerful introspection over a strategic policy which encompasses all the key elements of Pakistani society. This was stated by Mr. Shuja Nawaz, Distinguished Fellow at the South Asia Centre of the Atlantic Council in Washington DC, during a Public Talk on “Trump Administration: Emerging Opportunities for South Asia” organised by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) today under its Distinguished Lecture Series.

Mr. Shuja Nawaz acknowledged that President Trump had changed the political thinking in the United States - a change that was a long time coming because both political parties had lost their bearings and become complacent. He went on to highlight some of the key elements of Trump’s campaign and pointed out that a major contributor to Trump’s win was his campaign in the countryside.

Talking about South Asia, Mr. Shuja pointed out that under the new US administration, there will be a very different kind of relationship of the US with the region - a policy of a Greater South Asia. Mr. Shuja asserted that it is very critical that leaders in South Asia, particularly Pakistan, should pre-empt President Trump and make decisions which are good for their countries. Moreover, this offers them a great opportunity to try and wean themselves off the addiction to US assistance. He stated that Pakistan and Afghanistan need to re-think their trade strategy and engage in the easiest, cheapest and fastest way for both economies to grow. He also pointed out that the leverage Pakistan will gain by providing transit gas from Iran will be paramount and remains a game changer for Pakistan to explore.Towards the end, he stressed on the importance for Pakistan of transforming the economy and believed that if growth returns, Pakistan’s security would automatically improve.

Earlier Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman Board of Governors of ISSI, in his welcome remarks said that the aftershocks of the US elections are still being felt the world over. Even though South Asia did not figure prominently during the election campaign, its significance has not diminished. Contrary to how India is seen, Pakistan is regarded only through a security lens in terms of terrorism, the Afghan settlement and nuclear technology. He said that Trump's entire negative prognosis has only further fuelled tensions in the region. He echoed Mr. Shuja that the present lack of focus on South Asia presently provides the region an opportunity to pre-empt the Trump administration and come up with a holistic policy for the greater good of the region. 

UNESCO and Global citizenship

National workshop on Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship concluded in Islamabad

Al-Bab Report

Islamabad,18.02.2017: Education sector stakeholders made recommendations for the integration of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Global Citizenship Education (GCED) in national, provincial and area education policies  in a work shop that ended  Friday afternoon organized by UNESCO Islamabad and the Asia-Pacific Centre for Education for International Understanding (APCEIU) . Aimed at ensuring that all learners are provided with the knowledge, attitudes and skills to promote sustainable development and global citizenship the workshop gathered representatives from the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, provincial/ area education officials, civil society and academia. 

The target 4.7 of SDG-4 calls on countries to ensure that all learners are provided with the knowledge and skills to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.

Speaking at the inaugural session, Ms. Vibeke Jensen, UNESCO Representative to Pakistan highlighted the role of provincial governments in advancing education for sustainable development and global citizenship. She called upon the provincial/ area governments to identify and integrate in curriculum and teacher training the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes needed to shape a sustainable peaceful future for all. She also stressed that it was important to create school environments that not only talk about ESD and Global Citizenship but also practice it in all aspect of school life.

Speaking at the national workshop, Dr.Utak Chung, Director of APCEIU emphasized the importance of Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship Education in this interconnected world. He highlighted that “given the geographical and cultural diversity in Pakistan, educators and government officials have to assume more responsibility in facilitating learners to become global citizens and for this, we need collaborative efforts and partnerships”.

The workshop was conducted in a highly participatory fashion mixing presentations,  group work and engaging games and activities helping participants not only to understand the concepts but also to internalize them.

Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on terrorist attacks in Pakistan

Al-Bab Report

We condemn the terrorist attack on worshippers at a Sufi shrine in Sehwan, in Sindh, Pakistan, today. The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as Da’esh, has claimed responsibility for the attack. 

This attack, claimed by ISIL/Da’esh, follows a suicide bombing at a rally in Lahore on Monday, and a suicide bombing on a Government compound in the Mohmand tribal area and an attack on a Government van carrying judges in Peshawar on Wednesday. 

We extend our condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government and people of Pakistan, and wish a speedy recovery to the injured. We call for the perpetrators of this attack to be brought to justices swiftly. 

The United Nations supports the Government of Pakistan in its fight against terrorism in full respect of international and human rights norms.

Gen. Bajwa – the man of the moment

Gen. Bajwa – the man of the moment

Dr. Jassim Taqui

While the entire cabinet was busy defending the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and countering opposition’s demand of de-seating him as MNA due to involvement in the laundering of dirty money, the COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa was the lone voice who gave hope and direction to the nation. The RAW, its foreign allies, and agents declared war against Pakistan while the elected representatives of the people kept mum and indifferent.  

There was a state of desperation among the nation that warranted a strong response to the terrorists and their local and foreign supporter. And it was Gen. Bajwa who filled the void.

According to ISPR, Gen. Bajwa promised to immediately ‘avenge’ each drop of Pakistani blood following the grisly bombing at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan on Thursday, saying the country would no longer show restraint to anyone
In a statement issued after the attack, Gen Qamar appealed to the nation to remain calm. “Your security forces shall not allow the hostile powers to succeed. We stand for our nation,” he was quoted as saying by ISPR.

Earlier, during a visit to  Mohmand and Bajaur agencies, the army chief warned ‘hostile agencies’ against playing with regional peace and stability stating that Pakistan reserves the right to respond despite its current policy of restraint.

The statements came amid the latest wave of terrorist attacks in the country. The sudden spike in violence starting with the deadly terrorist attack in Lahore has caused concerns among the country’s civil and military authorities about the role of the foreign hands. The Lahore blast that left 13 people dead including senior police officials was claimed by Jamaatul Ahrar, a splinter group of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The army chief also alluded to the fact that the ongoing spike in terrorism in Pakistan was linked to the ‘safe havens’ of terrorists in Afghanistan. A day earlier, the GHQ summoned a senior Afghan diplomat and shared with him evidence of the use of Afghan soil by militant groups to carry out attacks inside Pakistan.

Gen Bajwa said terrorists were trying to regroup in safe havens in Afghanistan and were attempting to spread doubt and despondency in the Pakistani society. “We shall  collectively fail their desperate maneuvers.”

RAW is creating civil war while PM is watching

RAW is creating civil war while PM is watching

Dr. Jassim Taqui

People have started to show anger in the social media. The general perception among the people is that RAW is involved in the terrorist attacks all over Pakistan to divert the attention of the people from Panam Papers.

There are some wild and unprintable tweets. However, Al-Bab reproduces some very “moderate” tweets:

Thank you Nawaz Sharif Thank you for your cowardness in front of RAW's actions in Pakistan Bloody begharat kuch to sharam kar #GoNawazGo.

Our civilian govt. is not serious to tackle the RAW backed actions in all over Pakistan.Nawaz must exert pressure on afghan & indian govt.

There is RAW behind every terrorist actions in pakistan #RAWPromotesTerrorism

RAW agents living in pakistan, why? They dont want peace in Pakisatn.. Army n Governament take stricts actions. #MarchingTowardsProsperity

RAW actions in Pakistan, make India a Bonafide Terror State. No? https://twitter.com/indianotices/status/738540521178685440 …

Everyone knows who is supporting RAW in Pakistan but we are catching small fish but not taking any actions action big Monsters... Why ?

Now #Nawazshareef should ask India to take actions because #Raw is involve behind every Terrorist activities held in Pakistan #Charsadda

@NewPakistan2020 so RAW agents r back in actions? Obviously PMLN's priority is to save their bunch of looters govt not Pakistan.

@shammybaweja @htTweets More actions in response to Endian RAW insurgency in Pakistan

Does PML-N #SMT work for RAW and Modi? Why organized campaign against pak army #WhyMaryamSMThatesPakArmy

whenever PML-N is in some trouble RAW agents always come forward to help and divert attention. #PMLNBehindKarachiCarnage

UN strongly condemns the terrorist attack in Peshawar

United Nations in Pakistan strongly condemns the terrorist attack in Peshawar

Al-Bab Report

The United Nations Country Team in Pakistan condemns the brutal attack on judges and court staff in Peshawar many of whom we worked together with to strengthen justice in the province.  The UN family in Pakistan expresses condolences to the colleagues, family and friends of those murdered.

“We condemn this unjust attack on men and women who worked to bring the rule of law and justice to people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.  We will continue to support judges, lawyers and court officials in this important work and share the grief of all who knew them”, said Mr. Neil Buhne, Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator, United Nations Pakistan. 

Tehmina Janjua makes history

Tehmina Janjua makes history

Dr. Jassim Taqui

Tehmina Janjua makes history. The career diplomat who serves as the 29th Foreign Secretary of Pakistan is the first woman in Pakistan to assume this exalted diplomatic position. Previously, she served as Pakistan's Representative to the United Nation's Geneva and as its ambassador to Italy.

Janjua joined Foreign Service of Pakistan in 1984 after studying French literature at the Quaid-e-Azam University. Janjua later received a Masters in International Affairs from the SIPA, Columbia University in 1989. She served in Pakistan's missions to New York City and United Nations before serving as the Director of Foreign Secretary's Office between 2004 and 2005. She served as the Director General of Strategic Planning in the Foreign Secretary's Office and in 2011 became Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan. She served as the Ambassador of Pakistan to Italy between December 2011 and October 2015.

On 6th October 2015, Janjua became Pakistan's envoy to the UN Office in Geneva, and in December 2016, Janjua, became the first woman, and the first developing country representative, to preside over the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.

In February 2017, Janjua was appointed as Pakistan's Foreign Secretary, succeeding Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry. Making Janjua the first women to hold the highest diplomatic position in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Janjua deserves such an honor on merit basis. Her elevation is also seen to be in consonance with the phenomenal rise of the stature of Pakistani women in all fields.

TTP declares war on Pakistan

TTP declares war on Pakistan

Dr. Jassim Taqui

TTP Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JA) has released a video announcing the launch of “Operation Ghazi” in the honor of Maulvi Ghazi Abdul Rasheed who was killed in July 2007 by Pakistan Army inside Lal Masjid, Islamabad.

The chief of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar also appealed to other religious groups to form a united front, wherein he would be ready to fight as an ordinary fighter, a possible hint of rejoining the main TTP of Fazl Ullah group. The main TTP and Waziristan Mehsud Taliban (Sajna Group) have already merged on Feb 02, 2017.

TTP-JA has already claimed the Chaman (Balochistan) blast on FC jointly with Lashkar-e-Jhangvi’s (LeJ) Al-Alami, and blast in Kurram Agency on 21 Jan 2017 claimed by LeJ Al-Alami that they claim was their combined work with Shahryar group of Mehsud Taliban, which means these factions have already joined hands together.

The TTP-JA claimed that the previous Operation Saut-al-Raad (Sound of Thunder), which was aimed at the hit and run tactics, had achieved its targets and that now it was time to launch big operations. TTP-JA has already started this by launching big scale attacks on three Pakistan Army check posts in Baizai (border area with Afghanistan) simultaneously claiming to have inflicted heavy losses onto the Pakistan Army while conceding that two of its fighters were killed and three injured.

LEAs expect a new wave of terror attacks in Mohmand Agency, Bajaur Agency, and Peshawar on the LEAs while sectarian minorities will be targeted too in KP/FATA and Quetta in Balochistan.

TTP threatened to target all legislative bodies, Pak Army, intelligence agencies police, Levies, FC, Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Judiciary lawyer bodies, banks, financial institutions, political parties, NGOs and civil society.

In effect, this is a declaration of war against the State of Pakistan. Nobody knows what transpired to justify such a move. One explanation is that TTP fears a cleanup operation against its strongholds in Southern Punjab. Another motive could be a foreign agenda to sabotage CPEC and Pak-Russian embrace or/and an attempt to sabotage the Moscow’s six nations summit moot.

However, one fact behind such an aggressive terrorist campaign is the failure of the ruling regime to implement the National Action Plan (NAP) against terrorists even as all political parties unanimously agreed on NAP.

UN Women and Izhar

UN Women and Morango Films to roll-out Pakistan’s first-ever

 ‘Izhar by Film Fellowship’

Al-Bab Report

14 February 2017 -  Islamabad, Pakistan: Pakistan’s first-ever ‘Izhar by Film Fellowship’ (IBFF) programme - an initiative of Morango Films, with support from UN Women (the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women) - will commence its four-day filmmaking course in Islamabad from 16-19 February 2017. The IBFF in its first round, early this year received 200 applications following which 60 aspiring filmmakers aged 18 and older were selected from across Pakistan interested in raising their voice to create awareness regarding social issues, and promote the spirit of responsible citizenship through visual media.

The first IBFF on ‘social and political rights of women’ focuses on four areas: (i) harassment-free workplaces/educational institutes; (ii) women’s access to safe public spaces; (iii) internet safety for women; and (iv) women’s political rights.

In using filmmaking as a tool to positively impact in redressing gender inequality, renowned music video and commercial film directors Amena Khan and Sohail Javed will be joining IBFF and provide rigorous training and mentorship sessions to all trainees on the ‘how to’ of using the medium of film to narrate social issues towards shaping public opinion.

Speaking of the partnership, Mr. Jamshed Kazi (Country Representative, UN Women Pakistan) said, “What we see on-screen reflects the off-screen realities of women’s lives all too well, whilst media images continue to form a strong impact on our perceptions. With a new generation of aspiring filmmakers benefiting from the first-ever Izhar by Film Fellowship programme, we look forward to seeing a move beyond tired stereotypes that constrain women’s access to and participation in social and political activities, a move that simultaneously inspires public action against gender inequalities.”

Mr. Abrar Ul Hassan (Founder, Morango Films) shared, “Izhar by Film Fellowship is more than just a fellowship programme. The youth will be using filmmaking as an agent of change regarding the social and political rights of women. The message will stretch out not just in Pakistan but beyond the boundaries.”

At the end of the fellowship, the best 10 films will be selected and the filmmakers will be declared the first batch of fellows of the IBFF programme who will ultimately be contesting to take the top 3 positions and scholarship grants. The best films will be screened at a national-level event in Islamabad, next month.

This collaboration between UN Women and Morango Films falls under UN Women’s project on “Women’s Peace, Security, Rights and Voice: safe public spaces, community outreach and empowerment, and political awareness and advocacy” with support of the Government of Australia.