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Pakistan

A pipe dream of good governance

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The most oft-repeated cliché by members of the ruling elite in our political discourse is as follows, "We are passing through the most critical period of our history".

Saeed Qazi Profile Saeed Qazi

But fact of the matter is that these ladies and gentlemen who lament this state of affairs personally never experience any such criticality, so to say, except for naturally falling ill or dying in the luxury of their ostentatiously built homes.

But as far the majority of the people whom they rule is concerned, they always remain in a critical situation, thanks to these ladies and gentlemen mentioned above. Despite all this we hardly find any serious effort on the part of the so-called analysts or economists as to why this unfortunate situation perennially exists for the majority of the people.

The most common and perhaps the most superficial and misleading argument that is put forth is that of so-called good or bad governance. This jargon and phraseology has consciously been designed to lead to oversimplifications, aimed at deducing false conclusions.

Is this just a question of good and bad governance? Can it solely explain the misery, hunger and deprivation that besets us? Well, things are not that simple. We have been toeing all the policies that were prescribed by our western masters. More than 80 percent members of Pakistan's first planning commission were Americans.

Our growth rates were healthier when president Ayub Khan embarked on his industrialization drive and afterwards handed over those units to the private sector. His uneven development triggered the longest ever movement in the history of Pakistan and apparently healthy growth rates of Ayub's regime resulted in the overthrow of his own government. 

Subsequent years saw the rise of Zulfiqar Ali Bhuto on the heels of 1968-69 movement and his socialist program. Bhutto did far less than what he promised in his manifesto and sought to rebuild the system which he had promised to smash once in power. That became his tragic flaw and resulted in the counter revolution which Gen Zia initiated during his brutal regime.

The post-Zia period was also continuation of the counter-revolution garbed in the democratic dispensation during which the international financial institution gradually took over the economy.

Four decades of less government and austerity has taken its toll and what we find as a natural sequel to this exercise is a broken system ailing economy and a period of unprecedented instability at hand. This year at the World Economic Forum all those who matter, strangely enough, talked about the so-called "Grand Reset". This was, in fact, was an admission of failure of the economic paradigm which based itself on trickledown theory which, needless to say, miserably failed.  

And last but not the least, the IMF has, for the first time in history, began keeping the record of protest movements and concluded in its report the world has entered into a phase of extreme volatility where falling living standard and unemployment would result in social unrest of huge proportions  in the  world at large.

The movement in India and Myanmar may serve as a reminder to us that we are part of the same economic reality and sooner than later such political convulsions may catch us unaware and overtake all the nonissues upon which our political discourse is currently based. Oligarchy in the name of democracy cannot continue indefinitely. The toiling masses may soon serve a notice to the ruling elite, a scenario which was predicted at the annual meet of WEF at Devos. All the claimants of power wrangling with each other may join hands in the event of any such movement. So far the one way war on the peoples of the world will soon provoke a response of epic proportions.

The elite that gathered at Devos this year have already warned governments, big corporations and those who are at helm of the affairs, and advised the Grand Reset with an enhanced role of governments. So far governments are doing so by printing currency in the first world and doling it out.

It seems an end of ‘The End of History' thesis by Francis Fukuyama and ‘Clash of Civilization’ is fast giving way to the clash of classes. And history shows we need a good system without which good governance is not possible.

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Pakistan

Court prevents Fawad Chaudhry’s arrest for one more week

The court issued a written order for his protective bail in 36 cases.

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Lahore: The Lahore High Court (LHC) Friday barred the police from arresting the former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry for another seven days.

According to the details, the court issued a written order for his protective bail in 36 cases.

The written order states that the date of non-arrest of Fawad Chaudhry will start from the date of the order of the Chief Justice.

It is further stated in the order that Fawad Chaudhry applied for extension of bail in 36 cases.

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Pakistan

Senior commanders meet families of martyred customs officials

ISPR stated that our freedom owes to the undying sacrifices of brave men, as a nation salutes the families of the martyrs.

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Rawalpindi: Following the instructions of Army Chief General Asim Munir, the senior commanders of the Pakistan Army met the families of the customs officials who were martyred in Dera Ismail Khan.

According to the Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) Department of Pakistan Army, the unprecedented sacrifice of the martyrs in the war against illegal activities was acknowledged and full tributes were paid by the Pakistan Army.

ISPR stated that our freedom owes to the undying sacrifices of brave men, as a nation salutes the families of the martyrs.

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Pakistan

PM to fly Saudi Arabia on April 28 to attend WEF

On this occasion, the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister will hold bilateral meetings with various world leaders.

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Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will leave for Saudi Arabia on April 28 to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting.

According to the press release issued by the spokesperson of the Foreign Office, the Prime Minister along with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will participate in the special meeting on global cooperation, development and energy of the WEF to be held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia from April 28 to 29, 2024.

Shehbaz Sharif received invitations from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and the founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum Professor Klaus Schwab to attend the meeting.

At the Pakistan High Level Forum, Pakistan will discuss the challenges of global health systems, promoting inclusive economic growth, fostering cooperation among regional partners and balancing sustainable economic growth.

On this occasion, the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister will hold bilateral meetings with various world leaders, heads of international organizations and other important personalities.

Not only this, but Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the 15th Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Summit to be held in Banjul, Gambia on May 4 and 5, 2024.

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