Af-Pak Digest by | August 2019
I Overview Pakistan:• Government’s hounding of opposition continues• Economy• Army Chief’s tenure extended• Pakistan’s troubles at FATF continue• Pakistan-India• Pakistan-US Afghanistan: • Peace and Reconciliation moves• Uncertainty concerning the Presidential Election II Developments in Pakistan Government’s hounding of opposition continues The Imran Khan government continued to target major opposition leaders through the accountability process. Releasing a […]
Af-Pak Digest – July 2019
I Overview Pakistan:• Economy and Budget• Judiciary• Opposition unity• New DG ISI appointed• FATF censures Pakistan again• Pakistan-India• Pakistan-US• PM Imran Khan at the SCO summit Afghanistan: • Peace and Reconciliation moves• President Ghani visits Pakistan• President Ghani at the SCO summit II Developments in Pakistan Economy and budget The government presented its budget for […]
Intersect: Africa
Africa Shrugs Off Huawei Concerns Despite reports that Chinese equipment was behind a data security breach in its secretariat early last year, the African Union in May signed a new memorandum of understanding on ICT cooperation with the controversial Chinese electronics firms Huawei. Even as the United States and other Western governments introduced bans on […]
Af-Pak Digest June 2019
I Overview Pakistan:• Terrorism• PTM in the crosshairs of the Pakistan army• Opposition parties • Senior army officers convicted of espionage• IMF bailout• Pakistan-India• Mega CPEC projects inaugurated• Pakistan-Iran Afghanistan:• Peace and Reconciliation moves• Extension of President Ghani’s term criticized• Afghanistan-Pakistan II Developments in Pakistan Terrorism An explosion triggered by a suicide bomber on May 8 […]
Intersect: Africa
Abortive Coup Attempt in Ethiopia A failed coup attempt that killed four people, including its chief of army staff and a provincial governor, rocked Ethiopia’s polity in late June. The coup leader, Brigadier General Asaminew Tsige, was killed while trying to escape from a hideout. Some 250 people have since been arrested. The coup puts […]
Af-Pak Digest May 2019
I Overview Pakistan:• Economy• Cabinet reshuffle- Finance Minister resigns• Terror attacks• State targets Pashtun Tahafuz Movement• Pakistan-India relations• Pakistan-China relations• Pakistan-Iran relations Afghanistan:• Peace and Reconciliation• Taliban announce spring offensive• Extension of Presidential term• Peace Jirga meets• Afghanistan-Pakistan relations II Developments in Pakistan Economic turmoil continues In its World Economic Outlook, the IMF has projected that in the absence of further adjustment policies, growth in […]
Intersect: Africa
Sudan Cracks Down on Protestors The Sudanese military regime cracked down on pro-democracy protestors on June 3, ending civilian protests against the regime that began in December last year. Over 115 people were killed when soldiers attacked a protest site and rampaged through Khartoum. The Central Committee of Sudan Doctors said 40 bodies were pulled […]
Af-Pak Digest – April 2019
I Overview Pakistan:• Economy• Pakistan at the Financial Action Task Force• No consensus on continuation of military courts• Pakistan India relations worsen• Pakistan-China relations• Pakistan-Saudi Arabia• Pakistan-Iran Afghanistan:• Peace and reconciliation moves• SIGAR report on Afghanistan• Further postponement of Presidential election• Afghanistan-Pakistan• Chabahar Port II Developments in Pakistan Economic uncertainty continues Taking note of deterioration in Pakistan’s economic outlook and external position, Standard & Poor Global Ratings […]
Intersect: Africa
India Helps Out Mozambique India was among the first international responders to arrive at the Mozambican port of Beira after it faced the full brunt of Cyclone Idai on March 15. Three Indian naval ships, INS Sujatha, INS Shardul and INS Sarathi, arrived with food, clothes, medicine and potable water five days after the storm […]
Af-Pak Digest By Ambassador Sharat Sabharwal | February 2019
I Overview Pakistan: • Status of “Gilgit-Baltistan”• Blasphemy Law- acquittal upheld• Proposed extension of term of military courts• Pakistan at the Financial Action Task Force• Indo-Pak relations Afghanistan: Peace and Reconciliation• Presidential election• Results of Parliamentary election• India and Afghanistan II Developments in Pakistan Supreme Court extends its jurisdiction to “Gilgit-Baltistan” Delivering a judgment on January 17 on a set of petitions challenging […]