Global Warming, “there’s no other world”

Munaza Kazmi

You must have experienced an unexpected cool day in a burning hot day of summer, whereas a cozy evening in a chilly season. More or less now we are experiencing a new mild June and a dried December. Hasn’t it felt as a change?

“The Earth is under serious threat”!

We have presented our beautiful planet with the disastrous gift of climate change. Rising temperature, reduction of the polar ice caps, deforestation, overpopulation, disease, war,famine,lack of water and decimation of animal species. However,these are all solvable but so far have not been solved.

Global warming is caused by all of us. We want cars, travel and a better standard of living. The trouble is, by the time people realize what is happening, it may be too late. As we stand on the period of unpredictable climate change; it can be reverted, only a responsible and determined will required.

However, the danger is that global warming may become self-sustaining, if it has not become so already. The melting of the Arctic and Antarctic ice capsreduces the fraction of solar energy reflected back into space, and so increase the temperature further. Moreover, climate change may kill off the Amazon and other rainforests and so eliminateone of the main ways in which carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere.

The rise in sea temperature may trigger the release of large quantities of carbon dioxide. Both these phenomena would increase the greenhouse effect, and so exacerbate global warming. Both effects could make our climate like that of Venus: boiling hot and raining Sulphur acid, but with a temperature of 250 degrees Celsius. Human life would be unsustainable.

We need to go beyond the Kyoto Protocol, the international agreement adopted in 1997, and cut carbon emission now. We have the technology. We just need the political will.

I believe, as leader the government have a responsibility, to inform the public about the perils that humanity may face and take necessary actions. On the other hand, as a citizen of the world, we all have a duty to share the knowledge, to alert and advice the ignorant and become a helping hand of government in carry out the business.

However, we can be ignorant, unthinking lot, hence on the cost of future, if not the immediate future but the future of the coming generations. Earlier when we have reached similar crises in our history, there has usually been somewhere else to colonize. Columbus did it in 1492 when he discovered the New World. But now there is no new world. No Utopia around the corner.

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Munaza Kazmi has recently done Master of Philosophy from Bahria University Islamabad. Her debut novel is Unrequited Love.

She’s an author, columnist writing in different newspapers and a researcher having seven publications till yet, she’s been writing since 2016.

You can connect to Kazmi at twitter @munaza_kazmi or on research gate as munaza kazmi.

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End game of South Caucasus

By Dr Mehmood-ul-Hassan Khan

Proponents of disability, disharmony, disorientation and destruction have once again started their doctrines of “end game” in the South Caucasus South Region (SCR) due to which infant peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia has again in the “line of fire”. Armenian cross border shelling has now drastically increased which is not a good omen for the peace agreement.

Even supporters and guarantors of its peace agreement i.e. Russia and Turkey are not ease to maintain peace and stability in the SCR. Russian president Putin made a call to incumbent Armenian president and asked for complete “restrain” for the maintenance of status quo.

It seems that “Pariah Theory” is getting momentum and Armenia has started a new wave of “hybrid war” against Azerbaijan and Turkey now by “twisting”, “distorting” and “manipulating” the historic facts ultimately projecting itself a victim of Turkish’s Ottoman Empire. It is actually “Lie of the Century”.

Unfortunately, Armenia’s diaspora communities with the help of its Western lobbyists, separatists groups, radical elements and secrete alliance with its own “Declining State” started a new game of dissemination of propaganda and falsified news to project so-called “Armenian Genocide” as a reality. Moreover, US President’s intention to recognize Armenia Genocide as reality has further put the regional stability and harmony at stake in which Azerbaijan and Turkey are not read to compromise or bow.

Landmines implanted by the fascist Armenia in the newly liberated Nagorno-Karabakh and its adjacent areas of Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Zangilan, Qubadli, and Shusha have become a killing machine due to which process of infrastructural development and rehabilitation process is being cautiously pursued.

The government of Azerbaijan pleaded to Minsk Group and other international organizations, community and power brokers to ask Armenia to share the map of landmines but still no response from the belligerent, other side. It is severe violation of international law, norms and protocols which clearly shows Armenia anti-humanity, culture traditions and governance.

Rather it had been pursuing systematic ethnic cleansing and genocide against innocuous people of Azerbaijan and other local communities comprising of Christians, Jews and Ukrainians for the last so many centuries. In the battle of ethnic cleansing and series of genocides millions of people of Azerbaijan were saline and slaughtered and ultimately were displaced from their native homes, lands and properties.

Even basic nature and environment had has been at the receiving end of Armenia anti-nature policies. Green has been converted into red zone of climate change. Rivers have been polluted with acidic wastages. Biodiversity of nature has been blasted and thus committed serious crimes against humanity and nature alike.

Soil of the newly liberated lands has been made barren due to ill intentions of Armenia. Libraries have been burnt. Houses and homes have been easy prey of horrendous crimes of Armenia and its martial groups. Even places of religious faiths and rituals have been destructed and demolished which shows so called Armenian respect towards other religions. Mosques have been used as piggery houses.

New start of hybrid war against Azerbaijan and Turkey by Armenia has lessened the chances of any grand regional reconciliation in the near future. Armenian mass media campaign “Armenia Genocide” is actually an attempt playing with the fire. Ashes of history will achieve nothing but further confrontation in the SCR and Armenia would be at the losing side.

It fears that political juggling from the jungle of misdeeds, misadventures, miscalculations, misinterpretations and miscarriages of the history and past may expose the ugly fascist face of Armenia to so called modern world of today. So just behave because the purpose of escalating tension initiated by Armenia has certain political interest.

Armenian claims on the 1915 events are far away from the friendly cooperation and reality. In the past on numerous occasion successive Turkish government offered to open archives since Turgut Ozal’s presidency but Armenia constantly refused and continues politicizing of the 24 April events, as it was a political issue as it started more than a hundred years ago.

Many prominent international scholars and authors like Guenter Lewy in his book entitled “The Armenian massacres in Ottoman Turkey – A disputed genocide” put blame on Armenian Hunchakian Revolutionary Party conspiratorial schemes and sabotage activities for the incidents of 1915. They started political terror as a means of eliminating opponents, spies and informers. It proved counterproductive and the Empire took appropriate measures to curb miscreant elements.

Even British writer C.F. Dixon-Johnson in his book entitled “The Armenians” published in 1916 held responsible Armenian Revolutionary Societies (ARSs) for the events of 1915 and indulged organizing armed attack and political terrorist actions against Turks, field-officers in Adana, Marash, Chukarhissar, Malatia and other regions in 1890s.

He underlined that having gained a victory of some importance, the Armenian force proceeded to the Kertul district, where they plundered and sucked several Turkish villages, eventually seizing Anderim where they burnt the Konak. On their way back to Zeitun they committed some most disgraceful murders at Chukarhissar. Ultimately massive massacre of ARSs forced the Empire to control this widespread plundering, killings and discrimination and saved the population from the hands of barbarians Armenians.

Moreover, American journalist and special correspondent in Ottoman Empire during 1914, Sidney Whitman emphasized in his book entitled “Turkish Memories” negated the tall claims of so called genocide of Armenia and upheld that if the Turk were a fanatical prosecutor of all persons professing another faith than its own, how is it that for centuries Jews, Roman Catholic and Greek Christians have been allowed free exercise of their religion in all parts of the Turkish Empire, and that Protestant missionaries of many sects have not been interfered with in that country. Does not all this tend to prove that the Armenian trouble is a political and not a religious one?

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan assured to continue to defend the truth against events of 1915. Speaking at a meeting with Turkey’s High Advisory Board, Erdogan once again made clear Turkey’s stance on the 1915 events. Turkey objects to presenting the 1915 incidents as “genocide,” rather calling them a tragedy.

A Russian historian has said “Armenians do not have a valid source to verify its propaganda term (genocide) with historical and legal documents”, stressing that the claims of the 1915 events are fictional.

Oleg Kuznetsov, the author of History of Transnational Armenian Terror in the 20th Century having vast experience of scientific research papers upheld that the Armenian gangs continued their activities against the Ottoman Empire during this period.

He underlined that it is a fantasy to say that the Ottoman actions against the Armenians in 1915 were extraordinary.

He pointed out that various measures were taken for the security of the army in the countries participating in World War I, exemplifying that the Germans and Jews were exiled in the Russian Tsarism.

He pinpointed that all these were done to prevent Armenians from taking the side of the enemy and to ensure the security of the army. He concluded that the so-called Armenian genocide claims are nothing but fiction. He blamed the Armenian revolutionary Dashnak Party in Tbilisi during 1890 played havocs and was responsible for the Ottoman Empire measures to control this widespread loot, slaughter and discrimination of Armenia against harmless local communities.

He pointed out that claiming the events of 1915 as genocide is a product of geopolitical games. He stressed that genocide allegations were put forward after Turkey became a member of NATO in 1952.

Turkey’s position on the events of 1915 is that the deaths of Armenians in eastern Anatolia took place when some sided with invading Russians and revolted against Ottoman forces. A subsequent relocation of Armenians resulted in numerous casualties.

Turkey objects to the presentation of the incidents as “genocide,” describing them as a tragedy in which both sides suffered casualties.

Ankara has repeatedly proposed the creation of a joint commission of historians from Turkey and Armenia as well as international experts to tackle the issue.

While giving interview to Russia 24 TV Patriarch of Moscow Kirill projected that no one destroyed Christian minorities in Ottoman Empire.

On his part, former military attache of the Turkish Embassy in Azerbaijan, General Yucel Karauz in his interview with AzVision.az exposed that there has been no “Armenian genocide” in history and no legal or historical facts confirming these allegations. He presented counter narrative of the deportation of millions of Azerbaijani people in the Caucasus and the Khojaly massacre.

He cited that “Harbord” report made during the presidency of President Woodrow Wilson found that the allegations about the so-called “Armenian genocide” were not true.

Being prominent regional expert of Azerbaijan & South Caucasus I strongly reject fabricated historic notions of Armenia about so-called genocide and term it untrue, unreal and totally false.

Azerbaijan has principal stance, resolve and unequivocal position on the so-called and fake Armenian genocide. Azerbaijan and Turkey have always disapproved the attempts to recognize the so-called Armenian genocide. The recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide is a falsification of history.

President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly stated that any step against Turkey is against Azerbaijan, and any step against Azerbaijan is against Turkey. Thus message is loud and clear.

Since Armenia has already instigated his people by launching a new complex and complicated hybrid war against Azerbaijan and Turkey it is high time to reactivate concrete diplomatic efforts to develop and disseminate counter national narratives highlighting Armenian centuries long ethnic cleansing and series of genocides against harmless Azerbaijan people and local communities alike. Certain media campaigns must be initiated to mitigate onslaught of Armenian propaganda about its so-called genocide in the past.

Governments of Azerbaijan and Turkey should jointly prepare a common strategy to highlight the horrible follies, heinous crimes against humanity and horrendous state sponsorship of Armenia against the peace loving people of Azerbaijan and other local communities in the regional as well as international media.

End game in South Caucasus is restarted with the hope that Azerbaijan and Turkey will be at the receiving end. It fears that economic comparative advantages of Azerbaijan and Turkey will be marginalized. Their social cohesion will be sabotaged. Their political unity will be destroyed. The genie of Pariah Theory has now come out of bottle to perform naked dance against humanity and harmony which should be dealt with irony hands.

Burning of national flags of Azerbaijan and Turkey clearly demonstrates uncivilized behavior of fascist Armenia. Starting of indiscriminate shelling on some of the borders also depicts irresponsible and inhumane conduct of Armenia.

Lessons of history reveal that Armenian propaganda remained unsuccessful and Azerbaijan’s superior human survival efforts, immoral traits and true spirits could not be swayed through conspiracies, conflicts and confrontations. Despite all its schemes and secretive activities Armenia could not achieve victory against resilient people of Azerbaijan which possess the 80 percent GDP of the South Caucasus.

 

Dr Mehmood-ul-Hassan Khan

Director, Geopolitics/Economics Member Board of Experts, CGSS

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COURTESY azertag.az

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Destination Hotel, Quetta Serena

Munaza Kazmi

Known as the “Fruit Garden of Pakistan” Quetta, city district and division of Baluchistan province and the 5^th largest of Pakistan. Quetta is a variation of Kwatkot, a Pashto word meaning ‘Fort’, as it is encircled by the four imposing hills namely Chiltan, Takatu, Zarghoon and Murdaar, which really gives it a status of enchanted valley, that surely engulf the visitor in its charm.

The city enjoys rich history dating from 11^th Century when Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi conquered it, and on top it is a love land for all Pakistanis because it’s the region where founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam M. Ali Jinnah, have spent last of his memorable days.

The only high-altitude city of Pakistan, Quetta situated at 1,680 meters above sea level, having total population of 2.8 million. Local language is Pashto, but don’t worry as some people can even communicate in English, otherwise we have option open for sign language. Climate is dry and temperate is chilly where you would find a rich diversity of dry fruits. Moreover, the valley is abundant with juniper and pistachio forests and diverse wildlife. Also, if anyone is obsessed with horses, it’s the right place to be, as horse breeding is thought to be the passion of locals.

Next, I would suggest you pay a visit to the colorful bazars where you would found yourself in brightest of colors of silk, handmade coppers, precious jewels, luxurious rugs, not less than that of the Arabian Nights. I would say, it's hard to describe the Quetta valley without getting carried away.

However, I landed Quetta in the later afternoon, where I was surprised with the hospitality of locals who went so far to communicate with me even in signs as I don’t understand Pushto, to tell me about the beautiful surroundings and their rich culture. However, it was just a little episode as the hotel driver was waving the board with my name and the shuttle was waiting outside with a basket full of fruits and assorted fritters for my aftar. Really grateful for the hospitality of Serena.

I checked into the Quetta Serena Hotel, as is Serena is my favorite, reasoning its remarkable hospitality and the best services, moreover you can find them all over the country.

Quetta Serena Hotel, Quetta's plushest hotel by a comfortable margin, the Serena is unusual among top-end hotels in that it looks like it actually belongs to its surroundings - its design echoes local architectural styles, with Baloch textiles, woodwork and local marble continuing the decorative theme inside. The rooms (all with wi-fi) are suitably refined with high-quality service from staff, plus there are two good restaurants, a food court, a coffee shop, a tennis court, outside pool also a good bookshop from where am planning to fill some left place in my personal library.

Quetta Serena has 140 rooms set in beautiful landscaped grounds.Yet despite the recent unrest all the rooms were booked, and the uniformed staff have been kept on the normal day to day business and some of the rehabilitation task, and they were truly delighted in warmly welcoming me. It surprised and equally delighted me to find out the unbending spark and encouragement in the hotel staff that is truly reflected in their hardwork.

By the by it was dinner time, so after making myself easy, I went straight to the Xuelian Restaurant. The handsome restaurantwith a wonderfully opulent dining area and an outdoor terrace overlooking the gardens, the manager told me Xuelian Restaurant is known for serving the best Chinese and Thai food in Quetta.

"Would you like to order dinner, madam?" a saffron-suited waiter asked on my first night.

I mumbled something about whatever they could rustle up in the kitchen being fine. His face registered surprise. 

"We have everything listed on the menu, madam. Fish and chips with mushy peas, sizzling beef fillet, traditional Chinese or Pakistani cuisine."

"How can you?" I asked. "Hotel must be busy in rehabilitation”.

"But we are a five-star hotel madam," he said proudly. "We must maintain standards at all times."

A few minutes later a steaming plate of delicious Shashlik and Egg Fried Rice with Mint Margaretta arrived at my table.

Next morning, I woke up for Sahoor by a polite wakeup call and avail myself with the room service menu that has everything from the classic club sandwich to delicately spiced curry.  Later I spent much of the day in the handsome garden filled with numerous roses and beside the pool with a book that I bought from the hotel book shop.

By the time of late afternoon my appetite was getting increased later evening I was ravenous equally by the day pass and by the increasingly tasty smell of cooking from the hotel food court, which made me slip from the luxury of book to the live kitchen. And there what I seen is worthy of national award, the sight of hotel staff working with much diligence was a feeling of intense proud and delight, besides it was a massage enclosed in their behaviors that “we are strong enough to resist any storm, because we have the unity, faith and discipline”.

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Munaza Kazmi has recently done Master of Philosophy from Bahria University Islamabad. Her debut novel is Unrequited Love.

She’s an author, columnist writing in different newspapers and a researcher having seven publications till yet, she’s been writing since 2016.

You can connect to Kazmi at twitter @munaza_kazmi or on research gate as munaza kazmi.

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Domestic Political Instability Foster Terrorism

Munaza Kazmi

Since September 2001, terrorism has been on the red carpet, around the worlds public and private bodies have tried to bring to the light the factors that foster terrorism. Unveiling the root cause and deriving sound policy advice is important as terrorism is a costly business to the affected country. 

Even though if its immediate cost is marginal, however the indirect political, economic and social cost may be substantial. For instance, terrorism may reduce government stability, trade and capital flows, reduction in tourism, economic development and loss of individual and collective life.

Although there seems a numerous reason, including the poor education causing the radical minds, poverty, unemployment, and antigovernment agencies, etc. But all of above domestic political instability ranked the high on fostering terrorist attacks. It is because when a tree’s roots are not secure how it will face the winding storms? Also, it has been observed that countries or geographical regions exhibiting various forms of political unrest will also potentially exhibit greater levels of terrorist acts.

In other words, a political environment marked by instability is likely to include acts of violence, including the worst of all terrorism.

The specific forms of domestic political instability, which can be rank ordered from the least to the most severe: antigovernment demonstrations, general strikes, major government crises, government purges, riots, assassination, guerrilla insurgencies, civil wars, revolutions.

At the most basic level are anti-government demonstrations and general strikes, which capture public dissatisfaction with the government. Next one can explore the government side of the equation, including major government crises that may lead to the downfall of the ruling regime, as well as a government’s more proactive attempt at consolidating power by purging itself of unwanted classes of members. The more violent end of the domestic political instability spectrum begins with riots and assassinations, and subsequently includes guerrilla insurgencies and civil wars. Revolutions, or the complete overthrow of the government represent the most intense dimension of domestic political instability. The assumption, of course, is that each of these forms of domestic political instability will foster terrorist activity, together contributing to what is perhaps best referred to as the “domestic political instability–terrorism nexus.”

The specific causal mechanisms underpinning the domestic political instability terrorism nexus are two folds.

First, domestic political instability, ranging from antigovernment demonstrations to revolutions, is indicative of public disenchantment with a ruling regime that can either spawn or be exploited by domestic terrorist actors in search of additional willing partners.

Second, domestic political instability is also representative of declining regime control, which permits disenchanted, terrorist actors to move more freely within a given country or geographical region. It therefore should be easier for such actors to carry out terrorist attacks.

Moreover, domestic political instability provides the environment necessary to carry out more, and increasingly sophisticated, terrorist attacks. More precisely, the escalation effect posits that the growing intensity of domestic political instability will lead to increasing numbers of terrorist attacks. It also posits that more severe forms of domestic political instability, ranging from anti-government demonstrations to revolutions, should also lead to greater levels of terrorism.

In short, domestic political instability escalates into terrorist attacks. It provides an environment that is conducive for terrorist organizations to organize nationally, regionally, and globally, to accumulate and perfect violent terrorist knowledge, and perhaps most importantly, to recruit the human capital necessary to carry out increasingly sophisticated forms of terrorist attacks. The mere existence of domestic political instability provides the perfect opportunity to recruit terrorists who are both disenchanted with their current socioeconomic and political military situations as well as committed to undertaking violence.

Here I should say, if you have seen the rainbow, consider how many colors are there in it? as such they are seven, but have you noticed how closely attached they are. had they been alone, there would be no such concept of rainbow.  Same is the case with the nation.

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Munaza Kazmi has recently done Master of Philosophy from Bahria University Islamabad. Her debut novel is Unrequited Love.

She’s an author, columnist writing in different newspapers and a researcher having seven publications till yet, she’s been writing since 2016.

You can connect to Kazmi at twitter @munaza_kazmi or on research gate as munaza kazmi.

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A Journey Towards Liberation: Aghdam City, Azerbaijan

Khalid Taimur Akram

While visiting Azerbaijan for the International Conference on “New Vision for South Caucasus: Post Conflict Development and Cooperation” I had the opportunity to visit the liberated territories of Azerbaijan. On 12th April 2021, at the invitation of the Azerbaijan government, I visited Aghdam city. I witnessed the repercussions of the war on the region by the brutal actions of the Armenian forces.

The Nagorno-Karabakh Region: Historical Perspective

The conflict between Azerbaijan and its neighbour Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions continued before its independence from the Soviet Republic in 1991. The territory was disputed even before the creation of the Soviet Union. The brutal Armenian military illegaly occupied the Azerbaijani territory. With several disputes and border skirmishes, Azerbaijan had left no stone unturned to liberate its occupied territory from Armenia. Internationally, the Nagorno- Karabakh and its seven adjacent regions were recognized as a part of Azerbaijan. However,  Armenia illegally occupied the territory.

The Second Karabakh War: A Turning Point

Azerbaijan and Armenia had indulged in clashes over the past three decades. The events of September 2020 changed the whole landscape of the conflict. As the conflict started in the region, Azerbaijan was able to liberate its towns and nearly 300 settlements from the Armenian occupation. The fighting continued for six weeks and Moscow brokered ceasefire deal that Azerbaijan and Armenia signed.

The aftermath of the ceasefire, Azerbaijan came along with a robust agenda of rebuilding the liberated lands.

Post-war Effects

The Armenian forces had been destroying cities and districts of Azerbaijan since their occupation. There was the destruction of buildings, infrastructures, plundering of natural resources. The religious, historical, and cultural sites were also vandalized. There are more than 2,600 cultural and historical sites and monuments in liberated regions of Azerbaijan in the preliminary estimate. Out of those, 706 of the monuments are included in the State registry.

With 11 of those monuments holding world significance, including six architectural and five archaeology items. There are also 240 monuments of national significance, 455 monuments of local importance including, 23 botanical gardens, parks, and monumental statues.

Unfortunately, a large number of these sites, monuments, cultural properties, and objects have been vandalized, taken, or demolished by the Armenian forces.

There were also over 40 thousand art objects conserved and collected in 22 museums. 4.6 million books amassed in 927 libraries, 808 clubs, 85 musical schools, two concert halls, eight parks of culture and leisure, four theatres, and  art galleries. The brutal Armenian forces destroyed 150 thousand houses, 7000 public buildings that included 855 kindergartens, 693 schools, and 695 medical facilities. They did not spare houses of worship with, 65 out of the total 67 mosques having been razed to the ground and the two others severely damaged.

The flora and fauna-enriched region has been known for their minerals and thermal waters. The district of Istisu of Kalbajar is known to have curing mineral waters that are perceived to be richer than any place in the world.

Moreover, the district of Zanglin had been known for its lush and green forests before the Armenian occupation. It was home to the Basitchay State Natural Reserve and the forests of the Kalbajar district that covered 24000 hectares. These all areas have been cut down significantly under the Armenian occupation. This is the material cost of the occupation and war. It does not include the human cost of the region’s people.

Since the early 1990s,theoccupied region has been littered with mines and unexploded ammunition. It has been referred to as a “ carpet of land mines” by both military experts of Azerbaijan and Armenia. The worse affected areas are near Tartar, Aghdam, and the districts of Fuzuli and Cabrayil. Experts from the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action have estimated that it could take up to 10 years to demine the territory.

After all these atrocities, Armenia has refused to provide any map of the land mines. It is a massive task to clear mines and ammunition from the battlefields in and around the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Many civilians and military personnel have been killed or injured due to these mines. Thousands of civilians were displaced from their homes over the years due to illegal occupation.

The Journey to Aghdam city

Explaining the atrocities and damage caused in statistics is nothing compared to seeing in person the actual loss and devastation caused by decades-long conflict. The district of Aghdam is situated in the Northern-Eastern foothills of the Karabakh Mountain Chain. It was occupied since 23 July 1993, till its liberation on 20 November 2020. It was one of the largest districts by population among the occupied districts of Azerbaijan.

On my visit to the city of Aghdam, I witness the devastation caused by the war. Roads were destroyed, tank trenches dug out and driving around the area was difficult. The land was razed to the ground, and mines scattered all around. We were taken to the Tomb of the Khans of Karabakh, which were abandoned and destroyed. At a closer look, we also saw the desecration of gravesites all over the city and around the tomb.

The downtown area of the city was also destroyed, with not a single standing build in garound. It was hard to imagine that the area was once the cultural hub of the city. As we drove around the city, we saw every part of the city was vandalized or destroyed by the Armenian troops. There were abandoned army posts, trenches dug out by Armenian forces, showing remnants of war. We also visited the  areas where land mines had been planted, again restating the atrocities of Armenian forces.  Journalists were right in calling this place the ‘Hiroshima of the 21st Century ‘or the ‘Hiroshima of the Caucusas’ because the devastation cannot be denied.

The Aftermath of the War: Prospects and Policies

There is hope and high moral among Azerbaijan’s people that they will rebuild and return to their homes as the conflict is finally over. They have a high spirit to reconstruct and reconcile the area. Azerbaijan is very proud of its secular stance among its population and hopes to continue this with the local Armenian population. Recently, a multi-faith congregation was hosted in the Aghdam city’s mosque with religious leaders of Muslims, Jewish and Christian populations of the nation. This joint prayer exemplified the religious tolerance, coexistence, and inter-religious dialogue and harmony among the people of all faiths in the country.

The government has always been keen on promoting multi-religious coexistence to show tolerance, diversity, and moderation. Even with a Muslim majority population, Azerbaijan has worked hard to peacefully coexistwith its minority population. The Christian and Jewish populations have also played their part in the restoration of the nation's territorial integrity.

They will work towards reconciliation among the populations in the liberated territories. It might be a difficult path, but with determination and faith, there is hope that the Armenian and Azerbaijani populations that once lived side by side in the Nagorno-Karabakh region can once again find ways for peaceful coexistence.

I must commend the visionary leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, who, with a firm resolve guided his country into an exceptional path of prosperity. His tenacity under such a complex situation helped him liberate the occupied territories and restore the original borders of Azerbaijan. It was a pleasure to meet him in person and commend his visionary policies  towards this tremendous victory and plans to restore and rehabilitate the liberated territories. He was gracious to personally thank Pakistan for its support of Azerbaijan over the years and during the war. He reiterated Pakistan’s supportive stance for Azerbaijan.

It was an honor to visit Azerbaijan and witness the steps towards peace, stability and building nation’s resilience.

Many of us take peace and freedom for granted, but witnessing the actual situation in the Karabakh region shed light on the fact that peace is a luxury, we must all be grateful. Now, the prospects for peace and a bright future in the Nagorno-Karabakh region are high. Azerbaijan plays a vital geostrategic role in the Caucasus region, and its victory is a clear sign of its significant role in the region’s strategic future.

 

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The writer of this Article is Khalid Taimur Akram, Executive Director, Center for Global & Strategic Studies (CGSS), Islamabad