Official Blog Of Press Information Department

Courtesy:- MALIK MUHAMMAD ASHRAF The process must reach its logical conclusion Although one cannot be over-optimistic about peace returning to Afghanistan in the near future, yet some recent developments in the region and beyond do point towards that direction. Pakistan and Afghanistan have abandoned the blame game that marked relations between the two countries during the Karzai regime and are now staunch allies in the fight against terrorism on both sides of the border, thanks to a visionary narrative evolved under the stewardship of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and supported by the military leadership in Pakistan for building cooperative relations with Afghanistan as well as a matching response by the new Afghan leaders to make this happen.

Courtesy:- Malik Muhammad Ashraf Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, addressing the CPNE meeting in Lahore the other day, emphasised the need for the media to act in a responsible manner and stand united on national issues, particularly with regard to the implementation of the National Action Plan against terrorism. Conceding readily that an independent media was indispensible for the development of the country, he also advised the media to care more for the national good than ratings. One can hardly take issue with the observations made by the prime minister and the need for the media to realise its social responsibility.

Courtesy:-  Talat Masood The news that the president of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, will be the chief guest at the March parade this year has been warmly received in Pakistan. President BarackObama’s presence in New Delhi on India’s Republic Day parade and the heavy tilt of Narendra Modi towards aligning his country’s policies with Washington created unease both in China and Pakistan. President Xi’s visit will be reassuring and will provide good optics reflecting the strong bonds that exist between the two countries who have stood the vagaries of time. More recently, the extreme warm reception that General Raheel Sharif was accorded in Beijing and the strong statements made by the Chinese military leadership reiterating full support to Pakistan were also expressions of the same policy. Sino-Pakistan relations, since the early 1950s, have been consistent, multi-faceted and span strategic defence, political, economic and diplomatic ties. China considers P...

Courtesy:-  MALIK MUHAMMAD ASHRAF What has been done, and what must still be done, to liberate Pakistan’s womenfolk Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah said in a speech in 1944, “No nation can rise to the heights of glory unless its women are side by side with men; we are victims of evil customs. It is a crime against humanity that our women are shut up within the four walls of the houses as prisoners. There is no sanction anywhere for the deplorable condition in which our women have to live”. There could not have been a better exposition of the debilitating and oppressing circumstances that Muslim women of the sub-continent find themselves in. After partition, the situation in Pakistan with regard to the participation of women in the national effort and their rights was as dismal as described by the Quaid-e-Azam.

Courtesy:-   Iqbal Khan  INDIA and Pakistan have a poor track record of  settling  their  disputes  bilaterally. Whenever negotiations enter a conclusive phase, India arbitrarily disrupts the  negotiation  process. Recent calling off of Foreign Secretary  level talks is the latest  manifestation  of historic Indian attitude. All significant agreements between the two countries  have invariably been underwritten by a third party; for example Indus Water Treaty was facilitated by the World Bank, and it has only survived because the Bank continues to be the guarantor of Treaty. Numerous UNSC resolutions (around 20) on Kashmir are gathering dust despite fact that each year UNGA reaffirms continuation of Kashmir  dispute .