Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights & HIV

Script. coprights reserved @ amerrizwan
HIV and AIDS … the mere mention of the disease gets mixed reactions from literate and illiterate alike. Deep rooted social attitudes and stereotyping has made discussing AIDS, a taboo in Pakistan. Women, whether they are living in urban or rural areas, face one similar problem and that is of discussing their sexual health problems with their spouse or in-laws. Discussing family planning and safe sex is, most often, met with horrified glares. After getting married, women, whether they belong to any social strata, are expected to give birth to children one after another, with the physical pain that a woman has to endure while giving birth being ignored.

Only 21% of the women are educated in Pakistan and interestingly most of the programs that have been launched keeping in mind the sexual health problems of women have been successful in persuading them to use contraceptives but still the use of it is rare. The reason is simple that Pakistan is basically a patriarchal society where most of the decisions are taken by men. And due to their own lack of knowledge and dogmatic views on the subject, they don’t allow their women to use contraceptives.

Church World Service- Pakistan/Afghanistan, embarked as implementing partner for this challenging project under the DSW EuroLeverage Project. CWS-P/A is organizing HIV sessions in different parts of Pakistan to raise awareness among women regarding sexual and reproductive health rights.


Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD’s) including HIV is an increasing problem in Pakistan as there is a lack of sexual health information among adults. Women in Pakistan are vulnerable to HIV/AIDS because, married or not, they are often not in a position to easily negotiate the use of contraceptives to their mates or partners. And most importantly most of them live in poor economic conditions with no health care centers in sight.


Health experts estimate that there are over 85,000 HIV- positive people in Pakistan and about 50% of them are in the province of Sindh. According to UNAIDS almost 40% of new HIV cases occur among women. Accurate number on the women infected with HIV in Pakistan is not available.

[A story of a woman working in Mansehra as RHR trainer] [I will email you story by tomorrow]

Rural women are the badly affected, as they are unable to confide their problems to anyone leave alone discussing their sexual issues. The problems pertaining to sexual and reproductive health of a rural woman are not as easy to comprehend as it is filled with complexities which needs to be understood by keeping in mind their role and status in their families.

It won’t come as a surprise that only 45% of our population has limited access to health care centers and majority of them have to go through severe health complications due to lack of proper information on health related issues, which results in death of innocent people most of the times.


Quacks are most often the easiest, and by far the cheapest help, people belonging to the lower class can think of when the situation for them gets unbearable. Most of the quacks can be found sitting at road sides and those that have progressed or have made big money out of fooling people have opened their clinics to legalize this illegal trade.


Women belonging to the lower socio-economic class have no access to obstetric and health care information and on top of that they are married at an early age which adds to the problem rather than solving it.

The most innovative quality of this project has been the Church World Service-Pakistan/Afghanistan staff’s way of conducting the HIV sessions and the active participation of women form different walks of life.


To counter such implications many organizations are working day and night to provide relief to the poor and uninformed are alike but Church World Service- Pakistan/ Afghanistan’s aims to provide knowledge to a mass audience regarding their reproductive health issues, with measures to prevent them from HIV/AIDS and most importantly to make people, especially men, sensitive in discussing the health and sexual issues with their spouse is distinctive, innovative and result oriented.

[CLOSING]

[END]

Group Photo in the Foreign Office Lobby

A Group Picture with foreign office officers and media-persons in the capacity of Assistant Director (Research) in the PP Wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Islamabad. Pakistan.

AMER RIZWAN

LEST WE FORGET

All these fellow participants belonging to different countries successfully completed a course comprising modules on ‘Human Rights’ in Foreign Service Academy Islamabad Pakistan conducted by Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Geneva. (Switzerland) –February-March, 2005.

Kahuta Convocation Picture

During the days of my lectureship at Goverenment Degree College Kahuta. Rawalpindi. The picture was taken at a Convocation.

Linking Script "Chinese Cultural Show" Venue President House. Islamabad. Pakistan

LINKING SCRIPT FOR THE LIVE SHOW ON THE EVE OF CHINA’S TROUPE’S PERFORMANCE AT THE PRESIDENT HOUSE ISLAMABAD. PAKISTAN (October 2009)

By
AMER RIZWAN (Copyrights reserved @ Amer Rizwan)

Honourable Chief Guest His Excellency the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, respectable foreign dignitaries and noble ladies and gentlemen; I warmly welcome you to this august gala gathering.

The irresistible spirit of love and sympathy that signify Pakistan-China friendship is proverbially mightier and loftier than the colossal mountains that separate the two nations. This friendship is based on complete trust, mutual understanding and shared aspirations for peace and progress.

Keeping with this bond of sincerity and good-neighbourliness, the two peoples are observing the “China Cultural Week” as a part of high-profile events to mark and celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. This cultural show by the Chinese artists and acrobats is one of the essential components of this grand fête.

Pakistan greatly cherishes its unique and multidimensional friendship with People’s Republic of China which spans a vast spectrum of political, strategic, defence, economic and trade, culture and people-to-people contacts. The Government of Pakistan People’s Party has a special sense of attachment to this bond of all-weather and time-tested friendship. The founding chairman of Pakistan People’s Party has been the pioneer of this exemplary friendship. Chairman Mao Zedong and Zhou En Lai together with Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto laid the foundation of this camaraderie which was further consolidated during the two stints of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. In recognition to this time-tested and durable engagement, Benazir Bhutto visited China on Feb. 11-14 on her first official trip abroad. The principal architect of this association, Late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had the vision to build a strategic relationship with China at a time when the latter was isolated. Later this great leader in his various capacities tended these relations to their new strategic heights. Even before formally cultivating any warm relationship with the People’s Republic of China, this political genius differed with many western countries by not voting against China’s membership in the UN in 1960.

“Islam is our faith; Democracy is our policy; Socialism is our economy; all power to the people” was his motto. There was a great deal of identity and commonality of purpose in the ideals and goals of the founder of Pakistan People’s Party and those of the Communist Party China.

Although their approach to realizing these ideals differed a good deal yet the spirit and commitment to their realization was the same. Despite different social systems, ideologies and political beliefs, both countries have gone beyond these differences and continued their all-weather cooperation in all fields by practicing Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. History has proven that China-Pakistan friendship conforms to the strategic interests of the two countries, represents the common aspirations of the two peoples and contributes to regional and world peace. In continuation with this great tradition, the latest visit to China by His Excellency President Zardari would go a long way in further consolidating these ties.

Pakistan and China would continue common endeavours for building a new future for its people and for promotion of international peace, stability and prosperity; peace and stability that is one of the basic sine qua non for the growth of art, architecture, culture and music.

Let me acknowledge here that Chinese civilization has contributed enormously to the global culture through its ingenuity, richness and diversity.

I would now invite my fellow guest compere to hold on the charge of the show and to call upon the Chinese team to mesmerize this very attentive and appreciative audience. Let me whet your eagerness by sharing with you that the performances would include Chinese acrobats, folk tune, songs and a magic show.

Please hold your excitement to have a magnificent melody princess with you…..I would now call upon the modern music maestro Hadiqa Kiyani to enthrall the audience with her pleasing voice.


Invitation to the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

NAM: Before and Beyond

NAM: Before and Beyond

By Amer Rizwan

The two-thirds of the human race still living in poverty and ignorance were, by virtue of ignorance and poverty, quite incapable of arriving at any common formula or programme for knowledge and plenty. Some embraced or acquiesced in communism as the road toward the goal - in North Korea, North Vietnam and many millioned China. Others e.g. Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Thailand, The Philippines and the Latin American republics allied themselves with the West against the East in the hope of military protection and economic aid. Still others remained passive, watching, waiting and hoping. But the overwhelming majority of the world's states were at least of one mind in common opposition to racialism and colonialism and in a quest for solidarity and collaboration among the states of Asia and Africa. And many among them were hostile to all military coalitions and were committed to non-alignment in a strange new world.
Non-Alignment is a conception that sees formal association with any alliance as reducing the freedom of a third world nation. President Kenneth Kuanda of Zambia elaborated this conception in the following words:
¡°Non-Alignment is a determination to preserve independence, sovereignty and to respect that sovereignty and independence in other states and to decline to take sides in the major ideological struggles that rend the world¡¦¡¦¡¦¡¦. We will not hitch our carriage to any nation's engine and be drawn along their railway line.¡±
The Non-alignment concept preceded the birth of the movement by at least fifteen years. It was enunciated more than 40 years ago by Jawaharlal Nehru as a basic tenet of Indian foreign policy. The essence of Nehru Doctrine was steering clear of the two big power blocs. Judging each issue on its own merits and maximizing one's options by maintaining good relations with both superpowers.
Nehru's lead was soon followed by almost all other countries emerging from the slough of colonialism into the sunshine of freedom. During the era when thanks to the dynamics of decolonization, non-alignment was winning many Asian and African adherents there was a certain inevitable intertwining between non-alignment and the movement of Afro-Asian solidarity.
The major first attempt to promote joint action toward common goals among the Asian and African nations was made between April 18 and April 24, 1955, when the political leaders of 29 Asian and African nations met in the Indonesian mountain city of Bandung, 75 miles southeast of Jakarta, in an effort to formulate common aspirations. The meeting did not eventuate, nor was it intended to, in any new bloc, alliance or coalition. Nevertheless it did furnish an occasion for important contacts and new departures in world affairs and for an enhanced sense of solidarity among people recently liberated from colonial rule.
The non-aligned movement was formally launched in 1961 in Cairo with P.M Jawaharlal Nehru of India, President Gamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt and President Tito of Yugoslavia as its co-founders. NAM owes its origin to three main factors: The end of the colonial system of Imperialism after WW II which gave rise to a large number of new states. These new states became the charter-members of NAM. The onset of cold war between the USSR and the West and the consequent setting up of two power blocs. NAM was a forceful response to this bipolarity. The emergence of charismatic leaders in the new states who firmly believed in pursuing an independent policy in world politics.
NAM has been defined in terms of four ¡°Ds¡± that is Decolonization, Disarmament, Development and Détente. NAM is a struggle against imperialism, colonialism, neo-colonialism, apartheid and against all kinds of aggression, occupation, domination, interference in internal affairs and against the policy of the big powers to consolidate the division of the world into blocs.
Ironically, non-alignment in the early years at least was not popular in the Soviet Union or China. Stalin thought it to be a ploy to side with the West, while Mao Zedong thundered that a
¡°Third road simply does not exist¡±.
The Soviet Union was the first to change its view and recognize non-alignment's popularity and potential. China ultimately came to the same conclusion but through a much longer and tortuous path.
US feelings towards the non-aligned states have alternated from bitter hostility to benign indifference and then back to disdain. Underlying US and Western antipathy to the movement is the complaint that it tended to be soft on the Soviet Union and hard on the West. The grouse, though often exaggerated cannot be dismissed out of hand. The cautious wording of the movement's criticism of the Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan for example does contrast with the stridency of the movement's condemnation of the comparable US actions.
Next only to the UN, the non-aligned movement is the largest international forum with a character and modalities of its own. Though predominantly an Afro-Asian force during more than decades of its activity, the movement has been constantly expanding, maturing and gaining strength. Today it can claim to be the largest single force with a membership of 118. It represents more than half of the human race and two thirds of the world's sovereign states.
In the first decade (from Belgrade 1961 to Lusaka 1970) NAM was mainly preoccupied by issues of political independence and East-West tension. The non-aligned countries extended positive support to Nationalist movements throughout the third world. They acted as mediators and arbitrators in specific inter state disputes and as bridges between blocs. They acted as the spokesmen of the subject people and criticized their exploitation by imperialist powers. The examples of Congo and Indo-China are the cases in hand. The NAM received a severe blow with the Sino-Indian war in 1962 and death of Nehru 1964. With the near completion of the process of decolonization in 1970 and the phasing out of East-West Confrontation, NAM had to shift the focus of its attention to issues economic development. By the 1970s, it had become apparent that economic dependence affected political development and that place in global economy meant place in the world system as a whole. The third world demand for international development and democratization produced the new international order (NIEO) debate. The NAM advocated NIEO as it saw it as a goal for its own unity and effectiveness and as a mean to put pressure on the rich. The non-aligned countries pledged themselves to cooperate more actively among themselves and with other developing countries to improve their economic status and increase their bargaining power. and thus to enhance the political effectiveness of the third world.
The decades of 1980s had been marked by the twin crises of intervention and economic depression, besides the issues of underdevelopment. Of the 25 wars that raged in the 1980s at least 13 directly involved members of NAM. Two saddest examples of these conflicts had been the Iran-Iraq war and the Kampuchean-Vietnam war. The failure of NAM to halt those conflicts, not only underscored the rampant paralysis in the movement but also its ineffectiveness to ensure international peace. The Belgrade Summit 1989 focused more on the economic issues of third world debt, trade and technology. Its final declaration emphasized that a détente devoid of economic content is unlikely to endure. It also decided to create G.15 after G-7 and emphasized south-south cooperation.
Today, the movement is caught between contradictory pulls, the lofty ideals of peace and justice and the imperatives of the national interests of its leading members. One of the pioneer of the movement i.e. India voted against one of the NAM member i.e. Iran in the IAEA Board of Governors meeting, ostensibly to preserve its deal on the transfer of nuclear technology by a super power to whom NAM showed aversion during the Cold War era.
The problem of unity in the movement has been further compounded by the absence of strong charismatic leadership. It is a measure of the dilution of the movement that more than half of its members were directly or indirectly tied with either of the two super powers in the cold war rivalry. Its sermons on disarmament match poorly with the fact that some of the biggest arms importers are among its prominent members. Its image has greatly been damaged by the violation of international law by its own members. While the organization was intended to be as close an alliance as NATO or the Warsaw Pact, it has little cohesion and many of its members were aligned with one or another of the great powers. For example, Cuba was closely aligned with the former Soviet Union during the Cold War era. India was effectively aligned with the Soviet Union against China for many years. The movement fractured from its own internal contradictions when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979. While the client states of the Soviet Union fully supported the invasion, other members (particularly the Muslim states) of the movement found it impossible to do so. The Non-Aligned Movement has struggled to find relevance since the end of the Cold
War. The successor states of Yugoslavia, a founding member, have expressed little interest in the NAM since the country's break-up, and in 2004, Malta and Cyprus ceased to be members of the NAM when they joined the European Union. Malta and Cyprus now have the status of observer.
One other problem of the NAM is that it has become too large and unwieldy, and since it has no institutional mechanism like UN, it is a poor second as a force in world politics.
In view of these conditions, the onset of new millennium could well mark the acceleration of the process of political decay that had already beset the movement. The need of the hour is to resolve political and economic strife, to stop the use of coercion among the members and not to acquiesce the use of force against the NAM members.
The post-cold war era, particularly the period after 9/11 is important for NAM for it has to justify its existence. Now when the world is no longer bipolar, NAM is looked upon many as an anachronism. The same problem was a matter for concern for the leaders of NAM when they met at Nicosia in 1993. Besides, third world debt, economic issues and the changed geo-strategic environment were discussed. They clamoured for NIEO more vociferously than ever. The Durbin Summit Meeting 1998 was important for many reasons. Firstly, South Africa once the epicenter of apartheid policy got the honor of hosting the meeting, secondly the legendary Nelsen Mandela was the belle Donna of the entire proceedings and thirdly the meeting was being held after the nuclear explosions of the two South Asian neighbours. It was against this backdrop that Mandela served a diplomatic blow to India by acknowledging the gravity of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan, and by expressing willingness on behalf of the international community to extend every possible help in order to help resolve this issue.
It was at Durban that the idea of Bandung II was conceived. It is true that NAM played a key strategic role in galvanizing the third world countries to pursue on an independent course during cold war but now they faced the prospect of becoming irrelevant in the post-cold war ear in the new uni-polar world of the 21st century. Thirteenth NAM Summit that was held at Kualalampur (Feb 20-25, 2003 was to deal with this big question and to justify its existence. Malaysia was the chair. Foreign Minster of Malaysia Hamidal Bar expressed concern at the obtaining situation in the Middle East and called for the deployment of an international situation to grapple with the situation. The big challenge before the member countries during the Bandung II Conference 2005 was to revitalize NAM so that it can perform the role of new rallying point for the developing countries to protect their interests against the tide of globalization and seek structural reforms in the UN to allow the third world a voice in all political and economic negotiations. It must be countervailing force to the monopoly on power now exercised by G 8, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, each with a veto power, the Britton Woods institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank and the vastly enlarged NATO and the European Union.
The 14th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement Summit meeting in held at Havana in 2006 ended in consensus on all issues discussed in what is seen as a renewal of this group of nations of the South, with Cuba as its president for the next three years. The defense of international law was to be its main task over the next three years. According to statements made by Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Pérez Roque in a press conference held at the closing ceremony of the Summit, ¡°Havana Summit has revived the organization¡±. The 14th NAM Summit brought together 56 heads of state and government of member nations, along with 90 foreign ministers, 8 representatives from observer nations - including the president of Croatia for a total of 118 nations. Of these, 84 took the podium during the summit.
The 15th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement will be held in Egypt on 11 to 16 of July, 2009. 118 country members of the Movement, that comprises the majority of the countries of the world, will discuss what have been accomplished since the 14th Summit Meeting in Havana, Cuba, and what they intent to achieve in the next three years under the Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt. It is time for NAM to reclaim itself. Its voice would be heard if it represents the united strength of its members. However to make its voice heard and intervention effective NAM needs to be institutionalized. It has no Secretariat, no HQs, no Secretary General and so no institutional mechanism

Economic Freedom for Women copyrights@amerrizwan

A Sine QuanonEconomic


Freedom for Women
By Amer Rizwan



Fetters of all kinds and degrees have always been the source of disgust for men and women. Human history is replete with sagas of violent efforts made for clinching freedom from the tyrants and despotic rulers. Together with the national freedom, individuals have also been striving to define and safeguard their personal freedom as well. But to define the nature and circumference of individual freedom has always been difficult for the simple reason that the definition of freedom varies from time to time and from place to place. Anyhow the social, religious and moral standard of a given society sets the limits of freedom for its individuals. In each age and every society, no matter how much modern, the limits of freedom differ for men and women; nay in some respects the nature and degree of these limits are just antithetical to each other. Again, traditionally speaking, economy has been regarded as the exclusive domain of men, but women have also played a vital role in economic affairs.
Modern is the age of Democracy and market economy, which entails liberty and equality for each and every citizen irrespective of colour, caste, religion or gender. Hence, freedom and equality are regarded as the corollaries of Democracy. However, I would condescend to add that they are the prerequisites of Democracy. Women¡¯s enfranchisement is crucial to socio-economic development – indeed a sine qua non. All the other forms of progress for which the reformers worked at messianic proportions, such as higher education and entrance into the professions, would have been meaningless had the women continued to be second-class citizens. True Democratic set up cannot be established without guaranteeing the freedom of individuals. And here lies the importance of economic freedom for women, as in Democracy a woman is considered as important as a man, and all kinds of freedom including economic freedom is guaranteed to her, so true spirit of Democracy is nonexistent without this freedom. The issue does not end here, when state treats her at par with men, then it automatically becomes obligatory on her part, to assertively exercise her right, so to become the effective part and parcel of the machinery of state and social structure.
Women constitute half of humanity. The successful utilization of their potential, skills and talents constitutes an important religious, social and development imperative. We must create the enabling environment for women to play a constructive role in our societies. In the modern age of competition and ever growing needs, more than ever the necessity and importance of economic freedom of women is being felt on the family level. Man and woman are but the two wheels of the carriage of life and as such both should be provided an equal opportunity to work for the betterment of their family as well as of their society.
Economic freedom for woman would also lessen the ratio of failed marriages and divorces, because most of the beautiful and talented women are married to goofy men because of economic compulsions. Further economically well off women, if unfortunately widowed earlier, can rear up their children with full care and concentration and more importantly with honour and dignity. The resultant sense of inferiority can thus be stopped from being developed in both these vulnerable groups of our society. It has its bearing on the society as well. Alongside the economic benefits which it would automatically accrue, the society would also reap its social fruits. Economically well off women are more inclined towards undertaking the social welfare projects. They may take upon themselves certain philanthropic activities i.e. setting up centers for homeless women and children, eradicating social evils, organizing walks against drugs, arranging Mina Bazaar or charity shows for poor and destitute people. Certainly this social awareness on the part of women is the fruit of economic freedom enjoyed by them in certain societies. Human history is replete with instances where women have excelled in the philanthropic activities. For instance the Nobel prizes in 2003 and 2004 were awarded to two women; Shirin Ebadi of Iran ¡°for her efforts for democracy and human rights especially the rights of women and children¡± and Wangari Maathai of Kenya for ¡°her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace¡± The purpose here is to highlight how economic freedom and self-sufficiency go a long way in inciting the softer emotions of the softer gender for the welfare of the fellow beings. Even otherwise the annals of history speak volumes with women legends that happen to be the icons on the firmament of humanity, nay their stature have defied the bounds of time and space. Mother Teresa, Florence Nightingale, Maria Montessori, the 1991 Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi are but just a few names in this regard.
The successive Pakistani Governments claims to have transformed the participation of women in nation building over the recent years. According to Government sources,
¡®Today women make up 22 per cent of our Parliament, including seven ministers in the Federal Government. At the grassroots level, the country has elected 40,000 women Councilors, also as Mayors and Deputy Mayors. Some 27,000 of them have been promoted through a women¡¯s political participation project. National Commission on the status of women has been mandated to review all discriminatory laws. A major focus has been placed on economic and social empowerment of women through schemes like Micro Credit Programmes to fund income generation for women. Women in Pakistan are playing a major role in national development¡¯.
However, without effecting a systematic overhauling of our old social institutions, statements and claims of this nature seem baseless, hollow and unlikely to produce the desired results. The more daunting challenge is to make inroads into the centuries-old mindset, in the mostly feudalistic rural set-ups, where male is more powerful and socially resourceful, where the absurd paganic traditions have been clothed with the attire of religion, and where the fair-sex is subjected to the ugliest of rigours.
Economic freedom for woman is usually opposed by some of the circles of our society on religious and moral grounds. I do not understand this logic, because Prophet (Peace be Upon Him) never discouraged economic freedom for women. As a matter of fact, he always encouraged his wives to do something during their leisure for their economic well-being. In fact, Prophet (Peace be Upon Him) implicitly gave his approval to women¡¯s economic freedom by marrying Hazrat Khadija, a well-known businesswomen of her time. It has been very aptly pointed out in the Final Recommendations of the OIC Commission of Eminent Persons (CEP) held in Islamabad on 28-29 May 2005
¡°That Muslim females have equal rights as Muslim males and that both are required to pursue knowledge, be given equal opportunities to excel in their respective fields of specialization¡±
In short, we cannot imagine progress and prosperity without the full participation of the woman-folk and the same is impossible until and unless economic freedom is granted to them.
In order to be able to see the clearer picture of the prosperity of the human beings, we are to extricate ourselves of the web of taboos and dogmas. It is unadvisable to confine our Fifty percent of the population inside the four walls of the house for fear of moral degradation and social evils. It is, however, the lesson of experience that nearly everywhere in the world, moral degradation is caused by economic imbalance, and economic imbalance is created when half of the population is disallowed to be economically free for their well being. The future of living beings cannot be put at stake simply due to the whims of certain fanatics and religious bigots. Economic freedom for women is a sine qua non for the progress and prosperity, not only of our country, but also of the entire globe, and barring the fair sex from economic affairs would mean that progress would limp along on one leg, if at all it can. Only after giving economic freedom to women can we achieve progress and march forward in the comity of nations with pride and dignity. copyrights@amerrizwancopyrights@amerrizwan

Education, Development & Enlightenment: With Special Reference to Pakistan

Education helps an individual to improve his own individual and social life, and ultimately the overall social values and living standards of a society. Education, however, is not merely a social necessity; it is a religious obligation as well. Our Holy Prophet enjoined us to seek knowledge from cradle to grave. No nation can tread the way of progress until and unless its citizens are truly educated. It is a well-known fact that literacy and education are the essential prerequisites for acquisition and spread of knowledge. This helps a nation to improve its human resource development that is a vital factor in attaining growth and stability. Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares that seeking education is one of the basic rights of every man and woman. Education, being enlightenment, is the to development. "No education, no development" is, therefore, the correct formula to describe the importance of education.
There is no denying the fact that western hemisphere of our universe has reached the near climax of human civilization just because its inhabitants have equipped themselves with the true wealth of quality education. They continued "to strive, to seek and never to yield," with the result that they excelled in almost every walk of life. However, their quest for knowing more and more, and their urge for moving forward have yet to see a pause.
As a matter of fact, there are many facets of our national and social life here in Pakistan that needs to be looked at with greater degree of skepticism in this modern era of "Brave New World." Needless to say that illiteracy has taken a toll not only on the physical development of Pakistan but has also overshadowed every nook and corner of our socio-economic nay political life. The result is that Pakistan, today, has more illiterates than its total population at the time of independence. Despite this entire gloomy scenario, we used to spend lower even than the target recommended by UNESCO for education in developing countries. New education policy envisages spending about 4% of our GNP on education, which somehow conforms to that target.
Poverty, illiteracy, mismanagement of our scarce resources, and the male-dominated social structure that is hell bent upon maintaining the status quo have been mainly responsible for depriving most of the children of school going age, particularly girls, of this blessing that tends to turn one's eyes to light. Again, most of those who are enrolled leave the school before even going through this elementary phase, mainly, owing to negligence of parents, stereo-typed teaching, lack of funds and incentives on the part of the government etc. Now, the situation, as it stands, is, no doubt, disappointing, but is it depressing and intractable as well? Is there no light at the end of the tunnel?
Of course, nothing is intractable in this world. We are already moving in the positive direction, and as long as this onward movement continues, we have every reason to believe that the target of Universal Primary Education will see the dawn of life sooner than later. As a matter fact, literacy and education prove incremental in alleviating poverty, and in attaining development goals. Nay, it can help shatter our so-called taboos. For instance, the society can be made enlightened, healthier and progressive if it has an awareness regarding diseases such as Aids.
Establishment of Adult schools and Non-formal Basic Education Centres, giving incentives like providing free text books and implementing school nutrition TAWANA programmes, and extending stipends to girl students are but some of the steps that would go a long way in attracting people to schools. One may disagree with government spending tens of thousands of rupees on advertisements, yet the practice is not indefensible. After all this advertisement campaign in itself can be considered to be the inseparable part of this motivation drive.
However, we cannot afford to be content with just being philomaths. Not at all; we are to be proactive in our approach; we are to come forward and play an expeditious role in this regard. After all, we are part and parcel of this system, so getting education on our part, and, in fact, by our scions is not enough. We are to shoulder the responsibility of disseminating education. We must be committed to help coordinate the endeavours of the Government, N.G.Os, philanthropic organizations and media. We might be embers, but can we not kindle a fire? Let we follow the paradigm of "each one, teach one." We are to apprise the children that getting education is one of their basic right under UN Convention on the Rights of Child 1989; we are to motivate them and their elders to contribute and make "National Plan of Action" for "Education for All" a resounding success; we are to contribute in attaining "Universal Primary Education" goals.
For all this, we are to reach the disadvantaged population groups in rural and urban areas with emphasis on girl children. The people belonging to urban slums behind the façade of magnificence find themselves with one of the bitterest realities of the modern life. Although they are socially marginalized and, even ostracized, yet this yawning gap, both in material, as well as in psychological terms, can be minimized by providing them access to the centers of knowledge. It is so, because the urban life is a poly-tone that promises a myriad of opportunities to an individual for his material and intellectual growth. No doubt, it is by no means an easy problem to cope with, yet the more daunting challenge is to make inroads into the centuries-old mindset, in the mostly feudalistic rural set-ups, where male is more powerful and socially resourceful, where the absurd paganic traditions have been clothed with the attire of religion, and where the fair-sex is subjected to the ugliest of rigours.
Nothing, save education and awareness, can bring about change in this mode of life. Circumspection is the key word to describe the process of effecting a change here; it should be both tangible, as well as intangible, and should target both the genders, particularly men who hold the rein of the destinies of their respective families. No doubt, the worm of change has already started galling the forces of conservativism, yet the pace of all this is far from being satisfactory. It is to be realized that we are to work doubly hard on war footing to accelerate the process of change, nay to effect a virtual volte-face.
Imparting true religious education to both the genders can be one of the ways of doing that. For instance, it can be instilled in the minds, particularly, of the rural folk that getting education is a religious obligation, and that Prophet (PBUH) had called upon both his male and female followers to get education. Awareness has to be created among parents that a daughter has an equal right to the love and affection of her elders, and that sending her to centers of learning is our foremost moral, social and religious duty, because after all,
"My son is my son till he gets a wife, my daughter is my daughter all her life." — Robert Burns (1759- 796), Scottish poet
Only after creating, a sense of gender parity among the drivers of our social vehicle i.e. men, that women can be educated and thereby empowered. And unless that is done, the very concept of development would be lopsided.
The only panacea for inspiring the vision of "enlightened moderation" as has been enunciated by President Parvez Musharraf, is to educate the nation as a whole irrespective of the gender, origin and material status of the citizens of Pakistan. It is commendable that the present Government is spending unprecdentally more on education. While there can be no two opinions on this ground, yet I would condescend to expostulate that the bulk of the resources should be spent upon spreading education at the grassroots level, because it is there that the shoe pinches. Nonetheless, I would reiterate that major chunk of the responsibility rests on the members of the civil society; they have to "to shake shoulders of their lulled lot." They can no longer afford to be somnolent; they are to rise right now.
"Defer not till tomorrow to be wise, tomorrow's sun to thee may never rise" — William Congreve (1670-1729), English dramatist

AN INTRODUCTION TO FOREIGN POLICY: DEFINITION, NATURE & DETERMINANTS

AN INTRODUCTION TO FOREIGN POLICY: DEFINITION, NATURE & DETERMINANTS

Compiled & Edited by AMER RIZWAN
PhD Scholar QAU Islamabad. Pakistan.
Visiting Faculty NUML/IIUI Islamabad. Pakistan.

“Foreign Policy is the use of political influence in order to induce other states to exercise their law-making power in a manner desired by the states concerned: it is an interaction between forces originating outside the country’s borders and those working within them”.
Prof. F. S. Northedge

Foreign policy of a state is concerned with the behaviour of a state towards other states. It refers to the ways in which the central governments of sovereign states relate to each other and to the global system in order to achieve various goals or objectives. Through its foreign policy it endeavours to persuade others in accordance with one’s own ends. It is primarily in proportion to its national power that its persuasive power is effective in this regard. However, even a powerful state cannot afford to enjoy a solo flight in this regard. It has to take into account, not only its own objectives and interests, aspirations and problems, but also those of other states. This process involves intricate processes of diplomacy short of war. It is also based on the observations regarding the traditional behaviour of a given state. Moreover, a state while implementing its foreign policy cannot afford to ignore the rules of International law and canons of international morality. The whole essence of this prelude is that the term foreign policy cannot be studied in isolation from the factors that determine it.

“Foreign policy is the key element in the process by which a state translates its broadly conceived goals and interests into concrete course of action to attain these objectives and preserve interests”
Padelford and Lincolin

So foreign policy is the bundle of principles and practices that regulate the intercourse of a state vis-à-vis other states. Through foreign policy a state seeks to achieve a variety of objectives. The objectives sought to be attained by a state are of different types and categories, yet there are certain objectives which are uniformly pursued by all states i.e. Political independence and territorial integrity, economic well being and, prestige and status of a nation. They have been classified into short range, middle range and long-range objectives.
Foreign Policy Analysis is the systematic study of and research into the processes and theories of foreign policy. It is that branch of political science, which deals with the study of and research into the processes and theories of foreign policy.
Foreign Policy Analysis involves the study of how a state makes foreign policy. Because Foreign Policy Analysis involves the study of both international and domestic politics, the academic discipline is located at the intersection of international relations theory and public policy. Foreign Policy Analysis also draws upon the study of diplomacy, war, intergovernmental organisations, and economic sanctions, each of which are means by which a state may implement foreign policy. In academia, foreign policy analysis is most commonly taught within the disciplines of Political Science or Political Studies, and International Relations.
Stages in foreign policy decision making
The making of foreign policy involves a number of stages:
• Assessment of the international and domestic political environment - Foreign policy is made and implemented within an international and domestic political context, which must be understood by a state in order to determine the best foreign policy option. For example, a state may need to respond to an international crisis. Pakistan has to cultivate and maintain good relations with the members of OIC; it has to support causes of the Umma because of the dictates of the public opinion. Similarly one reason Pakistan conducted tit for tat nuclear tests in May 1998 following Indian nuclear tests was inter alia public pressure.
• Goal setting - A state has multiple foreign policy goals. A state must determine which goal is affected by the international and domestic political environment at any given time. In addition, foreign policy goals may conflict, which will require the state to prioritise. In the post. As Pakistan’s and for that matter any state’s survival tops the agenda of objectives, so it has to side with the US in the wake of Post 9/11 and the latter’s decision to be down with the Taliban.
• Determination of policy options - A state must then determine what policy options are available to meet the goal or goals set in light of the political environment. This will involve an assessment of the state's capacity to implement policy options and an assessment of the consequences of each policy option. Pakistan’s decision of entering into Western sponsored alliances in the 50s and taking a U Turn in the wake of 9/11 were in fact some of the policy options that Pakistani Policy makers opted for.
• Formal decision making action - A formal foreign policy decision will be taken at some level within a government. Foreign policy decisions are usually made by the executive branch of government. Common governmental actors or institutions which make foreign policy decisions include: the head of state (such as a president) or head of government (such as a prime minister), cabinet, or minister.
• Implementation of chosen policy option - Once a foreign policy option has been chosen, and a formal decision has been made, then the policy must be implemented. Foreign policy is most commonly implemented by specialist foreign policy arms of the state bureaucracy, such as a Ministry of Foreign Affairs or State Department. Other departments may also have a role in implementing foreign policy, such as departments for: trade, defence, and aid.


Short Range Objectives

They are called Core Objectives as well, because these objectives are attained at all costs. State cannot afford to show any laxity on this count. Among Core Objectives, territorial integrity and political independence enjoys to be the foremost priority of each and every nation-state. Without any physical unity the state would cease to remain a state. So it needs to be and it has to be the foremost objective of a state. The state has to girdle itself to realize these objectives directly, quickly, forcefully and effectively; it has no luxury of time in case of fulfilling these core objectives. It cannot afford the threat to magnify. Moreover, it has to deal with the source of the threat directly i.e. the demand is made on the single state or group of states who might pose threat to the geographical integrity of the country.

In order to maintain one’s geographical integrity, a state must have arms and ammunitions. Whereas in case of conventional weapons, it has to carry out ‘finite’ deterrence in order to deter the enemy from attacking it, in case of nuclear weapons, thanks to their expensive and destructive nature, only ‘minimum deterrence’ is considered enough. The message is “If you undertake a particular action, then the cost of that action would outweigh its gains”. However, some of the strategists advocate the strategy of ‘finite deterrence’ even in case of nuclear weapons as well. They believe in the accumulation of more and more weapons. They advocates of this kind of strategy argue that it is safer to ensure your survival against a danger by developing more and more sophisticated weapons. The strategy ultimately leads to unlimited arms race and arms building. The strategy of minimum deterrence believes in just enough retaliatory capacity to remove maximum danger. There must be enough material to inflict unacceptable damages upon the aggressor, if an attack accrues. The advocates of this strategy contend that by chalking out this strategy, the unnecessary costs of arms building are minimized.

As a matter of fact, question of Pakistan’s solidarity is given utmost priority by Pakistani policy makers. Traditionally, Pakistan’s policy has been India-centric, and its pattern of relations with the rest of the world has been subservient to that factor. Pakistan has concentrated her full attention on her eastern borders, because it perceives that its security stakes mainly rest there. Pakistan sees the situation through its fear-psychosis originating of its distrust of India. It is highly skeptical of increased Indian presence on Afghan soil, particularly the establishment of Indian consulates so close to Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Political independence means that the state is able to play its prestigious role in the international arena at its own will, and if a state is able to do this then it is politically independent. States seek to safeguard the core objectives at all costs. It has no time to delay or postpone the fulfilling of these objectives.

Middle Range Objectives

This particular category is comprised of economic uplift of the people, raising their life standard, enhancing prestige and status of the nation, and expansion both territorial, as well as ideological. These objectives are sought to be achieved within a specific time period, implying that after the expiration the term, the objectives even if attained would have lost their real value. Here the targets are more than one or two states. A state has to carry out trade with a number of states and trade blocks. It has to deal with multiple sources while pursuing these objectives.

Foreign policy aims at achieving economic prosperity, as only an economically prosperous nation is to play more assertive role in international politics. That is why, Pakistan is endeavoring to gear up the pace of its economic progress and to attain economic prosperity. It is usually the keen desire of each state to establish, strengthen and widen its economic ties with other states. Status and prestige of a state can be secured only if the state is economically stable and prosperous. In the process, the state has to diversify its trade and economy in order to make it resilient enough to come up to the challenges of the competitive world. It has to export its goods, commodities and raw material to more than one destinations i.e. states; it has to strengthen its export base in more than one commodity or good, so that no state, MNC, or group could exploit its vulnerability in this regard.

Expansion whether territorial or ideological falls within the purview of middle range objective. Expansion through capturing lands is direct sort of expansion which is no longer in vogue today. What is of greater concern is the ideological expansion i.e. expansion through the propagation of ideas, ideologies, systems, cultures and values. The West has successfully launched this type of expansion at the expense of Afro-Asian and the Third World countries. Capitalism, market economy, English language and democracy of Western model and style have occupied a place in the international system just because of hectic and effective propagation of the same by the West. Courtesy this influence, the West and to some extent India has increased its soft power.

Long Range Objectives

A state while pursuing such type of objectives seeks to gain almost at the expense of all other states. Further they have no time restrictions, as time limit is usually employed in pursuit of core and middle range objectives. After the Communist Revolution of 1917 the Russian communist leaders, Lenin and Stalin reiterated that they would endeavor to expand communist ideology through the every nook and corner of the Globe, as to them the capitalist system was defective and exploitative in its very nature. It was the Long Range Objective of Communist Russia, because by doing so they did not set any time limit for the realization of these objectives. So, Long Range Objective are not only time consuming, but are also indefinite and vague i.e. nothing can be ascertained regarding the outcome of the pursuit, so they are unpredictable as well.

Similarly dissemination of capitalist economy and democracy is one of the long range objectives of the US policy. After the end of cold war it was believed that there is no serious rival to the Western Democracy. The “End of History and the Last Man” is a 1992 book by Fukiyama expanding the 1992 essay “The End of History?” published in the Foreign Affairs journal “The National Interest”. In the book, Fukuyama argues the controversial thesis that the end of cold war signals the end of the progression of human history:

“What we are witnessing is not just the end of cold war, or a passing of a particular phase of postwar history, but the end of history as such; that is the endpoint of humankind’s ideological evolution and the universalization of Western Liberal Democracy as the final form of human government.”

The ‘end of history as such’, ‘the evolution and the universalization of Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government’; these were the sort of statements along with Fukiyama’s professed conviction that ‘the ideal will govern the material world in the longer run’ – that rang the alarm.






DETERMINANTS OF FOREIGN POLICY

Those factors that influence and determine the foreign policy of a country are its determinants. Some of these factors are static or of unchanging nature whereas others are in a state of flux and their dynamics are continually adjusted to the changing circumstances.

EXTERNAL DETERMINANTS

1) Power Structure
The modern state system has been in existence since 1648 Treaty of Westphalia. The modern state system includes major, middling, and small powers. All states conduct their own foreign policies. One primary objective of each county's foreign policy is to maintain its own political independence and security. In the traditional multi-polar system, it was easier for states to switch sides and gain maximum gains from all sides. Thus Italy used this skill deftly and switched sides during the height of World War I to gain its share in the post war colonial arrangement.
During the bipolar world system, however, the ideological fault lines were more clearly marked, and it was not easy for states to switch sides frequently. Thus during the cold war, the countries of the Eastern Europe under the security umbrella of the Warsaw Pact were under the direct influence of the former Soviet Union. And the countries of the Western Europe together with the US and Canada entered into an alliance known as North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The states were faithfully wedded to their respective alliances, and any signs of freedom were strictly checked by the two superpowers. The demise of the Soviet Union and the advent of the uni-polar world has its own system dynamics. Bush’s ‘either with us or against us’ sort of declaration made many states from the margins of the system to come forward and play effective roles in the so- called Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). Pakistan was to take a smart strategic U-turn in order to be able to take advantage from the changed international structure. Every type of power structure at international level has its own particular dynamics and that has its impact on the foreign policies of the states.
2) International Organizations

The role and importance of international institutions as instruments of states’ foreign policies, and the political, military, functional, economic and humanitarian roles played principally by the United Nations in international relations cannot be overestimated. These international organizations to varying degrees serve as modifiers of state behaviour and as independent actors in their own right. They have profound impact on the determination of the foreign policy of a state. No state can decide and conduct its policy arbitrarily to the detriment of other states. UN and other multilateral forums come to the rescue of the aggressed state. Usually sanctions are imposed which in some cases become very effective provided the international community imposes them sincerely.

3) Reaction of other states

Likewise the system of states is fast transforming into a society of states state where each and every individual states has regard for the rights of other states. Being sensible to the sensibilities of other states, no state can adopt a unilateral policy. It has to take into account, and accommodate, if possible, the interests of the other stake-holders as well. India and the US have to take stock of Pakistani interests in Afghanistan. They are also cognizant of the fact that no plan for Afghanistan can work until and unless Pakistan is taken aboard in this regard. In 1939, Hitler embarked upon the course of aggression vis-à-vis Poland and didn’t assess and anticipate British reaction to such a misadventure. This led to disastrous consequents for Germany and the Global system generally speaking. Pakistan though not fully comfortable with being a willing partner in the Global War on Terror, has to be committed to the same owing to international concerns and being apprehensive of international backlash.

4) World Public Opinion

Similarly the state, while formulating its foreign policy has to take into account the world public opinion. World public opinion is more effective when it is supported by the domestic public opinion of the given state. Israel usually flouts agreements and canons of international law with a least regard for them, but in the process it has lost international goodwill. Power is not about military hardware or nukes and ammunitions; its equally important component is a state’s prestige known as ‘soft power’ . It is well known that the US administration was made to effect changes in its Vietnam policy largely due to hostile world public opinion.

5) Alliances

Alliances concluded by various states also influence their foreign policy. The states parties to the alliances have to respond to the requests and demands of their allies and refrain from formulating policies or taking actions which are offensive to the alliance partners. During the decade of fifties when Pakistan was known as the most allied ally of the United States, Pakistan had to exercise its vote against the People’s Republic of China blocking its entry into the world forum. China on its part did understand Pakistan’s compulsions and didn’t entertain any ill-will against Pakistan. During the height of cold war, neither the member of the ‘Warsaw Pact’ nor those of ‘NATO’ could pursue any independent foreign policy.


INTERNAL DETERMINANTS

1.Historical Influence

The foreign policy of a country is to a large extent the legacy of its history. Each country possesses an individuality of its own, which is the outcome of its historical and geographical configuration. The cultural and historical traditions go a long way in moulding the foreign policy of a state. To a large extent the approach of a nation to the foreign problems is determined by its traditional values and beliefs which have emerged on a period of history. Though the leadership can make modifications in these values and beliefs, yet it cannot go very far.

Pakistan’s apprehensions of India and India’s those of China are the product of their historical traditions. India and China have to some extent shelved their historical mistrust in order to pave ground for their mutual trade. It is believed by the Complex Interdependence theorists that in the present age of interdependence, it is highly improbable that the two countries would go to war. They apply the same formula to India and Pakistan whereby increased trade volume and interdependence would raise the stakes of both states in the maintenance of peace. When they would refrain from creating any war mania for sometime, that would decrease trust deficit between the two nuclear armed neighbours which in turn may help them to resolve their outstanding issues down the road.

However, this is only one viewpoint. There are analyses and views, mostly on Pakistani side, that no trust could be build up unless and until both the parties are able to make any substantial movement towards the resolution of their outstanding issues. They therefore consider Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) a useless tactic unless there is a real progress on the count of issues resolution.

2. Size and Geography

The geopolitical location of a state is one of the external determinants on its foreign policy. It matters where on the globe a country is located. It matters whether the country has natural frontiers: that is whether it is protected by oceans, high mountains, or deserts. It matters who one's neighbors are and whether a given country is territorially large, populous, affluent, and well-governed. Geographical factors exercise a permanent and paramount influence on the foreign policy of a country. Dr Eayers has rightly said,

“Pacts may be broken, treaties unilaterally denounced, but geography holds its victims fast”

It may, however, be noted that when we speak of the impact of geography on the foreign policy of a country, we keep in mind the extent of its territory, its general configuration, the texture of the soil, climatic conditions, rainfall, waterways and location of the country vis-à-vis the other powers. Geographical location has exercised a great impact on the foreign policy of Britain. Similarly USA could follow a policy of complete isolation mainly because of her geographical location. The foreign policy of France has been determined by the presence of Germany on her border, while that of Nepal by its proximity to India and People’s Republic of China. It has been contended by some of the theorists that the development of modern means of communication and the invention of sophisticated weaponry have rendered the importance of geographical factor obsolete. This view, however, cannot be fully subscribed to. Even today the vast size of states like China and Russia renders the talk of their conquest problematic.

3. Natural Resources

The natural resources of a country also profoundly influence the determination of a foreign policy. The natural resources apart from minerals, gas and water resources also include the food grain. During the present century, food has tended to be an important factor in the determination of a country’s foreign policy. It is said that during the Second World War the foreign and military policy of Germany was to a large extent, determined by her limited food reserves. She resorted to massive action because she was to win a quick victory in view of the danger of starvation faced by the German army. In the post World War II, Oil diplomacy in the Middle East has greatly determined foreign policy not only of the states of the region, but also of the entire world. The attitude of the super powers during the cold war, towards the region of the Middle East in particular, was to a large extent, dictated by their desire to control the oil.

We can say that the natural resources and raw material exercise considerable influence upon the foreign policy of a country. In the absence of a sound industrial complex, they can make a state vulnerable to foreign intervention, but with their domestic consumption and indigenous input, they can be a real boon for any country. In such a case, the state would pursue its foreign policy more confidently and assertively.

4. Economic Development

The level of economic development attained by a country has deep impact on the foreign policy of the state. One of the middle range objectives of the foreign policy of a state is to expand, diversify and strengthen its economic relations with the external world. An increased economic activity warrants that the surplus goods, raw material and services of the country have markets outside the country and that the state may ensure the procurement of the needed products, raw material and services at economical rates. Pakistan and India are energy deficient courtiers. This deficiency on the part of these countries in particular and the rest of the world in general has been one of the important determinants of their foreign policies.

Pakistan and India are bargaining with Iran for the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline and with Turkmenistan for the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project. Besides a proposal for exporting gas from Qatar is also under consideration. India has received a big boost in this regard with the coming into force fo the US-India deal on the peaceful nuclear technology. This has virtually legitimized Indian nuclear programme much to the chagrin of Pakistan which has since been strenuously lobbying for getting the same status. However, owing to Pakistani track record on the AQ Khan saga, the response from the US and the West has been lukewarm in this regard. However, People’s Republic of China has been amenable to Pakistani requests on this count. Similarly Pakistan is always concerned about securing markets for its raw material, cotton, rice, leather products, sportsware and cotton products. The level of economic development has a direct relationship with the life standard of the citizens of the given country.

5. Industrial Development

The industrial development of a state also plays an important role in determining its foreign policy. This is evident from the fact that industrially developed countries like USA, Russia, Japan, Germany, France and England are able to exercise great influence in the international affairs. Realizing the importance of this factor in adding to the strength and prestige of a country even the underdeveloped and agricultural countries are keen to get industrialized as quickly as possible. A country possessing rich natural resources has to depend on the advanced countries for capital and technical assistance, so that these resources are exploited to the maximum level. A naturally gifted state devoid of effective infrastructure is almost as poor and backward as any resourceless state can be. So development of a sound infrastructure is a sine qua non in order to enable the naturally gifted state to fully capitalize on its natural resources, and utilize them in their industrial complex.

Industrial development, though dependent upon the natural resources and raw materials at home, is sometimes not limited to the scarcity or absence of them. Just to refer to one of the industrial giants i.e. Japan, it doesn’t have the indigenous resources to satiate the ever-increasing needs and requirements of its industry; it has to import most of them. However this limitation on its part has not incapacitated it; rather it has prompted its policy maker to come up with new techniques and planning strategies and become an industrial leader.

6. Military Power

Besides all the preceding factors, the military strength of a country also determines the effectiveness of its foreign policy. A state possessing sufficient military strength has greater initiative and bargaining power in the international arena. The case of Israel can be quoted as an example. She continues her precarious existence despite the combined opposition of the Allied nations; she has power to maintain an assertive foreign policy. Unlike geographical and natural resources, the military capacity is not a static factor. It keeps on changing. The states try to impress about their military superiority in a number of ways, such as nuclear tests, mobilization of army, periodical display of military forces, devices and techniques.

Military strength of a country is closely linked to its resourcefulness and the development of its industry. A developed civil industry can be made to manufacture military hardware during the time of wars and crises.

7. Population

The human force constitutes another determinant of foreign policy. The strength of a nation depends upon the quality and quantity of its human factor. The enormous population of China enabled it to pursue a forceful foreign policy. On the other hand the falling birth rate in France compelled her to toe a weak foreign policy during the inter-war period. Qualitatively, the population should be healthy, educated and prosperous. It should also possess technical know-how. It is however, to be noted that the population of a country has to be evaluated in relation to its other attributes. If the resources of a country are not sufficient to meet the requirements of the large population, the latter may pose a serious challenge to the very existence of the state. But if there are sufficient resources to meet the requirements of a large population, then it certainly adds to the power of the state, as this may enable it to mould its foreign policy accordingly. Instances from USA and the defunct Soviet Union’s history can be quoted to substantiate this point. On the other side if the state possesses sufficient natural resources but less population, then it may not be able to assert it. The example of Canada can be quoted in this respect. Canada has been pursuing a liberal Immigration Policy to overcome this deficiency.

8. Good Governance and Leadership

The government and the leadership play an important role in determining the role of their country, which it is going to play in the international field. In fact, it is government and leadership, which convert the potential power of a state into actual power. The quality of government depends upon a number of factors, such as support extended to it by the population, the organization of the government, the quality of persons serving the government, willingness of the government to take the aspirations of the general people into account etc. The quality of a government to a large extent depends upon the type of leadership available to it. Leaders like Hitler, Mussolini, Ball Thackeray, and Nrindra Modi could easily disturb the forward and steady movement of the nation; they jeopardize international peace and security as well. Whereas leaders like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Jawaharlal Nehru, Kenneth Kuanda, Marshal Tito would serve the nation most efficiently and steer the nation’s ship safely from the troubled waters to the safe shores.

9. Quality of Diplomacy

And last but not the least, quality of diplomacy of a country exercises profound influence upon the foreign policy of country. History of inter-state relations is full of examples where the countries succeeded in attaining their objectives through wise diplomacy, even though they lack other elements of power e.g. Prussian success against France in 1870 under Price Ottowan Bismarck. Likewise certain very powerful states failed to attain their goals owing to ineffective and weak diplomacy. A good diplomat must have a clear concept and perception of the national goals and the will of their attainment. Plus he should be skillful enough to use the tools of statecraft for the realization of the national objectives. Bhutto while launching campaign against President Ayub claimed that the President actually lost what Pakistan had won in the battlefield while referring to the Tashkent Agreement between Pakistan and India brokered by the former Soviet Union. Here Indian diplomacy was equal to the task. But a few years later in the wake of the dismemberment of Pakistan, it was none other than Bhutto himself who excelled in diplomatic skills at Simla.

10. Political Organization
Political organizations and institutions of the country also determine the foreign policy of country. Usually, democracies are not very prone to war, at least within themselves . There is some evidence to suggest that democracies do not usually go to war against each other. As the world in general becomes more democratic, it is hoped that war will be replaced with peaceful methods of conflict resolution. However, dictatorships faced with the problem of legitimacy at home and abroad usually create issues out of non-issues in order to justify the continuation of their illegal rule. Hitler and Mussolini embarked upon the path of international conquests because they were to deliver to the masses very quickly otherwise their citizens would have been disillusioned. Saddam Hussain failing to arrest problems inside the country had to lay claims on Kuwait in 1990.

11.Role of Media & Think-tanks
In modern times the role of media in determining the Foreign Policy of a state cannot be overestimated. Media has to faithfully highlight the issues of public concern; doing so it serves both as a corrective machine as well as a guide for the policy makers. Usually former diplomats, strategists, and military generals take part in productive discussion on media. The Government and Foreign Office have to take the input from media and think-tanks very seriously. In fact, in the US, the think-tanks and media play a very significant role in the orientation of its foreign policy .

Conclusion
It is clear from the above discussion that foreign policy of a country is determined by a number of factors. As most of these factors are of changing nature, so with their evolution or transformation, foreign policies of countries also keep on changing. In addition to these factors, certain developments at the international level such as development of thermo-nuclear technology, onset of cold war and military alliances, elimination of colonialism have exercised profound influence on the foreign policies of different countries. The creation of United Nations has also left a mark on the foreign policies of different countries. The end of cold war influenced the states in every region of the world to modify their foreign policies in according with the changing dynamics of the world. Post 9/11 has a similar effect on the states. Pakistan had to make very important strategic readjustments in the wake of these terrorist attacks on the world trade centre and Pentagon. In short it can be said that apart from the national determinants of foreign policy, international environment also plays an important role in the formulation and orientation of the foreign policy of a state.

Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) Earthquake Project (Documentary Script)

Copyrights reserved @amerrizwan
By:
Amer Rizwan

Poverty – the condition of want, resourcessless and substandard life that can easily lead to social disintegration and societal chaos. Myriad of factors are responsible for creating a strand of poverty in the otherwise complex, but dynamic social structure of Pakistan.

Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) is the lead institution for poverty-focused interventions in Pakistan. It strives to achieve its goals through wholesaling funds and civil society organizations for provision of financial and non-financial services at the grassroots throughout the country. All PPAF developmental initiatives are conceived and conceptualized within a community-led, demand-driven framework. Set up as a fully autonomous private sector institution under section 42 of the Companies Act of 1982, PPAF enjoys facilitation and support from the Government of Pakistan, the World Bank and international donors.

Like any other vibrant organization, PPAF was ready to cope with the mammoth task posed by the October 2005 mighty tremor, measured around 7.6 on the rector scale that converted everything in the earthquake affected areas into debris and ruins. Though the challenge was enormous and its magnitude and nature different from PPAF’s regular nationwide responsibilities, yet in keeping with its tradition, and rightly counting on the resilience of the people of the earthquake affected areas, it was equal to the task. The earthquake might have added new pages to the annals of history; yet more memorable ones were yet to be added; the death and destruction of the day inspired a new resolve into a bruised but unbowed nation that was bent upon confronting the tragedy of colossal proportions. The reaction was immediate and from diverse areas and professions ranging from the civil society, armed forces, donors, charity organizations to volunteers from across the world.

The Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund was taken aboard as a partner of choice by ERRA with dedicated responsibility for 34 Union Councils of AJK and NWFP of the earthquake affected area. The support from World Bank initially, and IFAD, Kfw and CESP subsequently enabled PPAF to acquire its resource base capability.

Setting an example for the other relief agencies to follow, the PPAF, soon after the tragedy, pulled its resources together, contributed Rupees One Million to “President’s Relief Fund” from its own resources besides donating one day salary of the staff. The World Bank consented to divert US $ 5 Million from PPAF’s existing programme towards relief efforts. It rolled out 500 truckloads of relief goods to the affected areas. As many as 150,000 CGI sheets with tool kits were distributed through 100 US Chinook helicopter sorties supported by Pakistan Army and US Air-force in the high-altitude affected areas of NWFP and AJK. A Disaster Management Centre was set up at Head Office Islamabad. The Centre also comprised of a Disaster Management Committee with representation from partner organizations, Pakistan Army and the Government of Pakistan to set out a mechanism for PPAF’s relief activities that had started in earnest in the next twenty four hours. Additionally, four forward offices were set up to coordinate and supervise the on-ground distribution efforts carried out by other partner organizations. They also provided to the Centre in Islamabad with an effective mechanism for delivering much-needed supplies to isolated communities in the far-flung areas. Besides, a need-assessment was carried out by the front offices of PPAF to assess needs of victims on daily basis and to address those needs accordingly.

The mighty tremor wrought huge damage; devouring 73,000, severely injuring 70,000 persons, and displacing as many as 3.5 million of them. Over 600,000 housing units, 6,298 schools and 796 health facilities were either destroyed or severely damaged, while the administrative and communication infrastructure suffered massive losses. Over all nine districts of Azad Kashmir and NWFP with an inhospitable terrain, covering a 30,000 km area was destroyed.

After the successful rescue and relief operation, PPAF undertook the gigantic task of constructing approximately 117, 857 seismically appropriate housing units located in the 34 most-damaged Union Councils of the affected area. PPAF made disbursements to each affected household at Rs. 150,000 per completely destroyed dwelling unit in three tranches. This unprecedented bold venture on the part of PPAF helped finance costs associated with social mobilization, provision of housing, community physical infrastructure, public buildings and technical assistance. About 75,000 individuals were also trained in construction related trades, disaster/programme Management.


Trained social organizers and relevant staff from the partner organizations were organized into 110 Social Mobilization Teams (SMTs) for conducting the damage assessment exercise.

Once the volume of damage was assessed, and relief and rescue over, the phase of Rehabilitation and Reconstruction got underway with an unprecedented alacrity and effectiveness establishing PPAF’s credentials as a viable institution for managing community based programmes on scale. To meet its targets in this regard, the Disaster Management Centre was up-scaled into the Reconstruction and Rehabilitation (R&R) Unit. For the better implementation of the R&R project, PPAF selected, on the basis of merit and effectiveness, six partner organizations and assigned various responsibilities to them. It doesn’t end here; the process of mobilizing communities led to the establishment of Community Organizations (COs) for channelizing development action through informed decision making at the grassroots.

Houses provide security to the inmates not only from the inclement weather but also from the more physical threats all around. A house is the basic unit of a sine qua non for a peaceful, prosperous and forward-looking society. But October 2005 earthquake robbed the people of the affected areas from this facility. In all 122,000 housing structures were successfully documented for prospective funding on the basis of an established criterion. With the aid of assessment forms provided by ERRA, every assessed house was put in one of three categories: Completely Damaged (CD); Partially Damaged (PD); and Non-structural Damage (ND). A household got Rs. 50,000 for a partially damaged structure; and Rs. 150,000 for a completely destroyed structure in three tranches at different stages of reconstruction with spot checks from qualified engineers verifying adherence to the ERRA-recommended seismically-proof construction design.

The seriousness as well as the scale of reconstruction was unprecedented. In order to ensure the availability of correct specifications of concrete blocks, PPAF and its partners set up around 2400 steel casts in the earthquake affected areas.

Mr. Azam Khan of Ghaniabad, District Bagh AJK became PPAF’s first beneficiary in earthquake areas to receive initial installment of Rs. 75000 from Nadim Ahmad Deputy Chairman ERRA as a first tranche of the housing reconstruction grant.

The significance of capacity building could hardly be overestimated. PPAF, in coordination with ERRA and specified agencies, trained and oriented, in 344 training sessions, 15,655 house-owners, craftsmen and staff-members of the partner organizations in order to establish the rebuilding process on firm footing.

One of the biggest damage wrought by the earthquake was the total destruction of the village-level water and sanitation systems and communication networks. PPAF’s pre-earthquake interventions in these areas, largely in the fields of drinking water supplies, sanitation and link roads, greatly benefited it in achieving its targets efficiently. In all, PPAF approved the rehabilitation of 100 projects within its project area.

As per the damage assessment estimates, almost 95% education institutions in the three most affected districts of AJK and 53% in the affected areas of NWFP were either completely or partially damaged. The much-needed health infrastructure suffered a similar ruin. With funding made available by the World Bank and CESP, PPAF engaged three partner organizations for reconstructing health and education infrastructure in the affected areas.

This PPAF’s sponsored Basic Health Unit at Kathai is only one of the many of its kind which has the facilities of quality OPD services, labour rooms, gynecology ward and pharmacies. Schools are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities like science and computer labs, tuck shops, playground and the like.

The earthquake permanently maimed and disabled many in the affected areas. PPAF and its partners courtesy the World Bank, seek to improve the quality of life for persons with disabilities and for their families through targeted interventions ensuring better mobility, improved health and increased participation in community life. The Disability Project envisaged the provision of medical treatment, physical rehabilitation, provision of prosthetics and other aids, psycho-counseling and other specialized services.

By identifying and reaching vulnerable communities through Community Action Planning, by economizing on the costs of construction and effectively involving the stake-holders, PPAF not only helped avoid duplication but also achieved its targets well within the set timeframe. The hustle and bustle of life in these areas and the marvelous determination reflected from the faces speak volumes of the substantial success scored in different areas thanks to the resilience of the general people and the diligence of the PPAF’s and its partner organizations’ staff. The full effects of these ventures like capacity building and disability projects would be seen in the years to come.


Amer Rizwan

8th ABU Robot Contest 2009 Tokyo (Script for PTV/NUST Team written by Amer Rizwan

8th ABU Robot Contest 2009 Tokyo (Script for PTV/NUST Team)

Copyrights @ Amer Rizwan

The glittering transparent waters of pristine lakes and rivers, lush green fertile slopes and plains, towering peaks, scintillating panorama, and the resulting aura of mystery make this land a beautiful mosaic of all the colours of rainbow. The exotic natural beauty is so captivating and enthralling that it leaves one spell bound. The versatile flora and fauna and rich culture and traditional festivals make the future of this nation really promising. Keeping in line with the spirit of the land, people of the country are lively, energetic and art-loving. The land is cradle to the ancient Indus Valley Civilization. Gandhara art and Buddhism are the most important components of this tradition. The inhabitants of the land are rough and tough with a strong belief in their capabilities and a firm commitment to their purpose of making the nation even greater. The northern areas of the country can rightly boast of being one of the most beautiful places on earth. It is here that the second highest peak of the world K2 commands the admiration and awe from the tourists and locals alike. Here is a wonderful opportunity to observe the rich culture and tradition of the land, particularly during the seasons of fairs and festivals – the dances and songs of the people of the land can easily enliven the dull spirits. Shandur Polo Festival is one of the oldest sporting events that greet fans with its cultural hospitality and excite them with the thrilling moments of Polo matches. Shandur hosts thousands of spectators from inland and abroad on the world’s highest Polo ground each year in the month of July. The backdrop of Hindukush range, hospitality, scenic views, folk dances and some thrilling wild-Polo matches – different from the regular polo – on the world’s highest Polo ground is what makes it a thing apart.

This is Pakistan – Having emerged on 14 August 1947 as an independent state on the world map, the land is full of these spell-bound beauties and infinite opportunities. This green, beautiful and modern capital of the country Islamabad itself is one of the signs of the greatness that future has in store for this nation.

College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (EME) Rawalpindi is a constituent college of the National University of Science and Technology or NUST.

Pakistan Navy Engineering College Karachi was another participating team. The team did undergo a lot of preparatory work ahead of the exercise. The team members held preparatory sessions to come up with something original. They used all the three robots – manual, kago, and digital – on the experimental basis. However, the team could not get through in the preliminary competition. The team did undergo a lot of preparatory work ahead of the exercise. The team members held preparatory sessions to come up with something original. They used all the three robots – manual, kago, and digital – on the experimental basis. However, the team could not get through in the preliminary competition.

NED University of Science and Technology Karachi was the third participating team. The team members worked meticulously focusing on each and every detail of the robot making process. They did hold experimental demonstrations of all the three robots. Unfortunately in the preliminary competition their scheme could not work properly, so the team could not qualify for the 8th ABU Contest 2009 to be held at Tokyo.

Teams from all the three institutions participated in the contest with positive frames of mind yet in the final show it was EME College Rawalpindi which carried the day. The constituent college i.e. EME offers study and research facilities in the disciplines of Electrical, Mechanical, Computer and Mechatronics Engineering. The laboratories are highly equipped with state of the art tools to help the researchers and engineers carry out research in various fields of engineering. Participating in the first ABU Robot Contest 2002 Tokyo, the college won a special Toyota award.

Ahead of the competition, members of the participating team held marathon sessions and debates and held in-depth study to start working on the project with resourcefulness. Their brainstorming and interactive sessions proved instrumental in enabling them to come up with an original and successful scheme.

This year the theme of the contest is ‘Travel together for the victory drums’. The theme is in fact a game based on an imaginary journey of olden days using this Kago Palanquin. An automatic robot in the front and a manual robot in the rear shall cooperate to carry an automatic Traveller robot in a Kago to the goal with the aim of completing the journey before the other team. Various tasks stand in the way, including a Mountain Pass and Woods. The Kago and Traveller Robot must not be dropped. The Traveller Robot must beat the three Victory Drums when it reaches the Goal Zone. The three traditional Japanese drums are arranged vertically on a platform. The team that beats all three drums first is the winner.

The preparatory work was not easy. The winning team used computer graphics and simulation to get help from. The team has had a series of deliberation and discussion sessions using white boards and other aides. The team members put their heads together to come up with something original and competitive. Each one of them contributed with new ideas. It required close concentration and singular dedication. Besides, ingenuity, the scheme required technical skills on the part of the members to work both as individuals as well as a group. Each one of the members took upon himself a specific assignment related to the main project to accomplish. Basically the team was self reliant in preparing the robot because they designed and made the parts themselves. Before putting the robots in the contest, all the robots – manual, digital and drum-beater/Kago – were properly tested. It was ensured that the automatic robot in the front and a manual robot in the rear cooperate to carry the automatic Traveller robot in a Kago to the goal and to complete the journey quickly. In order to eliminate the margin of error, the scheme was tried again and again. Team members were alive to the fact that in the final competition, the team that beats all three three drums first would be the winner.

Comments Syed Ghayur AhmadTeam Member
I am Syed Ghayur Ahmad, team member and manual operator of Robocon. I’ll operate this robot. In the beginning let me introduce the basic structure. Advantage of using this basic structure is that it is a ‘V’ shape apparatus designed especially to cover mountain passes. Its basic advantage is that when this structural robot will be pushing it from the rear, the front part of the structure would oppose that component and thus force thus applied, thereby making its movement stable and securing it from overturning. It would drive through this chain. You can see we have used chains – four by four. Again its biggest advantage would be that it would facilitate in the process of climbing the mountains. Now let me tell you something about the slider mechanism that we have designed to be placed on the structure. It can be moved in the linear direction; it has a rotator as well, and then again it can be moved in the linear direction. Its advantage is that when the manual robot from the rear would rotate or use its force in opposite direction, then it will automatically adjust itself accordingly.

The slider mechanism was fixed in the machine workshop of the college. It contains three sticks to beat the three respective target drums.

Comments by Khalid Ahmad Team Member
The main brain of our robot is this micro-control board. We have used Pick 18F 4520. In the board, we have 13 ADC Channels, and 2 PWM cc modules which are used for motor drive. Our basic requirement was to take direct input from censors through our Controller/APCs and to manipulate them digitally. Basic reason for scheme is that our game field has multi colours which if manipulated through analogue would be problematic. The digital scheme has given our APCs a great edge. Now we can generate automatic referencing through programming.

Micro-control board that has ADC channels and modules help the motor to drive the machine. It has been designed and prepared by the team members.

Comments Umar Ilyas I am Umar Ilyas.
I am Robocon’s Team leader. I’ll share with you something about the mechanical structure of the tableau robot. This is our tableau robot with a square base. We have used tyres here which have a tighter grip so that it may keep itself stable on the Kago up to 20 degree and don’t get slipped. We have used high-speed motors in it so that it can complete its task with speed. Besides we have made an extension mechanism that is single activator to beat drum in the height. It implies that we have made and would run the entire extension with a single motor. After its extension, every stick would stop in front of its target drum. We have also set up a rotating mechanism with the structure which will rotate all the three drums with a single push.

The Robots were properly tested ahead of the competition. It was only after repeated trials that the final scheme for participation was approved. In one of the phases of the testing process, it was revealed that the rods on the Kago did not function properly, particularly when it had to pass mountain passes. As a result, its designing and scheme were re-adjusted and improved upon in order to make it work properly. Copyrights @ Amer Rizwan