FARUKH SHEHZAD

• Imran stresses importance of improved internet connectivity in GB

• Aide says cultural heritage to be preserved while working on Ravi project

ISLAMABAD, APR 3: With regards to the Economic Coordination Committee’s (ECC) decision to allow import of sugar, cotton and cotton yarn from India, Prime Minister Imran Khan held consultations with key members of his cabinet on Friday and decided that Pakistan could not go ahead with any trade with India under the current circumstances.

Pakistan has constantly stated that any forward movement requires India to create an enabling environment by revisiting its unilateral and illegal measures of August 5, 2019 regarding India-held Kashmir.

Sources said that the prime minister instructed the Ministry of Commerce and his economic team to immediately take steps to facilitate the relevant sectors, value added, apparel and sugar, by finding alternative cheap sources of import of the needed commodities.

According to the sources, various proposals have been presented to the ECC which considers these suggestions from economic and commercial point of view. After consideration by the ECC, its decisions are presented to the cabinet for ratification and final approval.

The source said that in the present case, a proposal was presented to the ECC to allow import of cotton, cotton yarn and sugar from India keeping in view domestic requirements.

The ECC had decided on commercial grounds to recommend these imports for the cabinet’s consideration.

While this decision was not on the formal agenda of the cabinet meeting, the issue was brought up by cabinet members and the prime minister instructed that the ECCs decision be deferred and immediately reviewed.

Internet facilities in GB

Prime Minister Khan said that provision of 3G and 4G internet services and improving connectivity in Gilgit Baltistan were vital for exploiting the true potential of local youth and promoting tourism in the area.

It would also help the youth in getting online education and utilising their capabilities through information technology, besides benefiting from the potential of tourism, he said.

The prime minister was presiding over a meeting held here for bringing about further improvement in connectivity in Gilgit Baltistan.

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Ali Ameen Gandapur, Minister for Information Technology Amin-ul-Haq, GB Chief Minister Muhammad Khalid Khursheed and senior officials.

The meeting deliberated on various projects for bringing about further improvement in communication links and internet facilities in GB.

The prime minister said that the government was committed to development of Gilgit Baltistan and had approved a historic development package for GB, which would herald a new era of progress in the region.

He said that as compared to past the incumbent government was giving special attention to improving connectivity in GB and its commitment was evident from 250 per cent increase in allocation of funds for communication links in the region.

The prime minister directed the Ministry of Information Technology, Special Communications Organisation and Pakistan Telecommunications Authority to continue to strive for improved connectivity in GB.

Ravi river project

Special Assistant to the PM (SAPM) on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill said on Friday that with the commencement of work on Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project, preservation of relics of ancient civilisation and cultural heritage along the banks of the river would be ensured with special focus on environmental aspect of the project.

He said deliberations were being made for installation of water treatment plants on the pattern of River Thames.

He said the prime minister was constantly seeking updates about the project on daily basis for the last one year, which would be initiated after reviewing its economic viability.

He said that the prime minister had given approval for construction of residential flats for media persons in Lahore besides reserving quota for them in housing schemes of other cities. “The government is giving subsidy of Rs300,000 against each residential unit on first 100,000 houses to be built under the Naya Pakistan Housing Programme,” he added.

Addressing a press conference along with Minister for Finance Hammad Azhar, the SAPM said earlier deliberations and attempts were made by different governments for execution of an urban development project along Ravi River during last 40 years but each time it remained inconclusive.

The government had for the first time seriously started working on the project as the prime minister always accepted challenges, he added.

During a presentation, the prime minister was told by the Punjab chief secretary about the two times rapid horizontal growth of Lahore city during last 20 years, he said, adding that it was all due to ill planning and ruthless land grabbing by political land mafia backed by different regimes.

Mr Gill said that Prime Minister Khan himself belonged to Lahore city and had concern about the growing civic issues of the city and lowering of its underground water table.

Responding to a question about the Supreme Court verdict in Daska by-election case, he said that the PTI had always respected decisions by courts and the recent verdict of the apex court would be accepted with same spirit.

He said the accused in sugar scam had been exposed for the first time under the incumbent government which had fixed standard market rate of the commodity. He said that a new law to monitor supply chain of sugar had been introduced in Punjab.

About the economic growth rate, he claimed that the domestic car manufacturing in March had broken the record of last 30 years.

--------------------------------------------------------------

COURTESY DAWN NEWS

-----------

SUPERSPORT PARK CENTURION, APR 3: A century by Babar Azam set up a three-wicket, last-ball win for Pakistan in the first one-day international against South Africa at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Friday.

The Pakistan captain hit a stroke-filled 103 off 104 balls but his dismissal started a collapse in which fast bowler Anrich Nortje took four wickets in four overs.

Rassie van der Dussen hit 123 not out, his maiden international century.

But South Africa's total of 273 for six did not seem enough as Babar and Imam-ul-Haq (70) put on 177 for Pakistan's second wicket, taking them to within 88 runs of victory with 18.2 overs left before Babar was caught behind off Nortje.

Four wickets fell for 17 runs.

Mohammad Rizwan and Shadab Khan steadied the innings in a partnership of 53 but both were dismissed in the closing overs before Faheem Ashraf hit the winning run off the final ball.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam earlier said the presence of some moisture in the pitch influenced his decision to bowl first. Pakistan gave a first cap to batsman Danish Aziz.

Temba Bavuma, captaining South Africa for the first time, said the hosts would seek to post a total of about 280.

“There might be something in the wicket for the bowlers but on this ground we can score quite a lot at the end if there are wickets in hand.”

Both teams opted for pace-based bowling attacks, with three specialist fast bowlers, one spinner and a seam-bowling all-rounder.

The three-match series is part of the International Cricket Council's World Cup Super League.

Teams:

South Africa: Temba Bavuma (capt), Quinton de Kock (wkt), Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi

Pakistan: Babar Azam (capt), Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan (wkt), Danish Aziz, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Haris Rauf

Umpires: Marais Erasmus, Adrian Holdstock (both RSA) TV umpire: Allahudien Paleker (RSA) Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)

-------------------------------------------------

COURTESY DAWN NEWS

-----------

ISLAMABAD, APR 3: Britain said on Friday it would add Bangladesh, Kenya, Pakistan and the Philippines to its travel “red list”, banning entry to people arriving from those countries unless they are British or Irish nationals.

British High Commissioner Christian Turner made the announcement on Twitter.

Those who come to Britain from countries on the red list will be refused entry, while returning Britons must submit to 10 days of mandatory quarantine in hotels.

In his message, Turner said that direct flights between Pakistan and the UK would continue to operate but schedules could change.

During their quarantine, people from red list countries will have to get tested for the coronavirus twice. However, a negative test result does not mean they will be allowed to shorten the time they stay under quarantine, according to the BBC.

From 4am on April 9, Pakistan, Kenya, the Philippines and Bangladesh will be put on the list, the government said, joining about three dozen other nations mainly in Africa, the Middle East and South America.

Other countries included on the list are Angola, Argentina, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burundi, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Eswatini, Ethiopia, French Guiana, Guyana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Suriname, Tanzania, UAE, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

There have been calls for the inclusion of some European countries where Covid-19 cases have surged, but the government has said it currently has no plans to do so.

The UK has also banned its own citizens from travelling abroad for leisure.

Virus situation in Pakistan

The third wave of the coronavirus in Pakistan has been intensifying over the last few weeks with daily cases reaching levels last seen in June and July of 2020.

During the last 24 hours, the country reported 5,234 cases. This is the highest number of cases reported so far this year, and the highest since June 20, 2020, when 5,948 cases were recorded.

The total number of cases in the country is 678,165. Deaths have risen to 14,613 after 83 fatalities were reported during the last 24 hours.

Government officials have blamed the UK variant of Covid-19 for the third wave, with Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar saying there was "no doubt" that the third wave had started in the country and the spread of the UK variant was the reason behind it.

"The phenomenon that is driving [the third wave] is the spread of the UK strain," he said at the time.

Umar had said that when the government looked at districts where a higher number of cases were reported, it found that these were areas where a large population of Pakistanis residing in Britain lived.

Similar statements were made by the health ministers of Punjab and Sindh as well.

-------------------------------------------------------

COURTESY DAWN NEWS

-------------

ISLAMABAD, APR 2: Alliance Francaise recently signed an agreement with PayPro (Private) Limited in concomitance of digitization and disruption in the economic ecosystem within the country, Alliance Francaise all set to increase accessibility and bring more digitally enabled avenues of subscription management to members, students and event participants, powered by PayPro's proprietary smart invoicing solution and digital bill collection services.

Alliance Francaise, with its rich cultural history, has given unforgettable memories to Karachi and is all set to revolutionize the way French language, entertainment and cultural diversity is brought to the heart of the city.

Alliance Francaise will now offer all those looking to benefit from their offerings,the option to book and avail services on-the-go and make their payments remotely through digital channels. Members, students and visitors can now pay for the institution’s services through any bank’s ADC channels, which include Bank Transfers through Internet Banking Portal and Mobile Banking Apps directly from their respective bank accounts, as well as their Master & Visa Debit/Credit Cards, through PayPro’s Internet Payment Gateway enabled platform specifically designed to cater brick and mortar establishments with limited online presence.

Additionally, users will be able to make payments through any 1LINK ATM, or even through cash at PayPro’s partner OTC collection points accessible throughout Pakistan.

Mr. Gilles Pascal, Director, Alliance Francaise said in a statement, “In these constantly changing times, the world is moving towards digitization at a faster pace than ever before. Evolution in daily practices and activities has become key to sustainability and it was not long before Alliance Francaise adopted these systems as well.

Through this partnership with PayPro we are not only broadening our reach to make French culture more accessible, but also determining key insights to better cater to those intrigued by it. We are constantly in search for innovative ways in which we can seamlessly deliver our services across the board.”

Chief Operating Officer, PayPro, Taimur Ahmad said on the occasion, “Alliance Francaise serves as a center for promotion of French language and heritage in Pakistan. It is a source for our countries and their respective citizens to come together and form bonds that transcend physical borders.

At PayPro, we are continuously pushing the envelope for the promotion of digital financial solutions across the country and in this regard, we rely on continuously forging new partnerships with a variety of stakeholders like Alliance Francaise.”

About Alliance Francaise

The Alliance Francaise de Karachi is a Pakistani nonprofit organization registered under the Societies Registration Act, XXI of 1860, and affiliated to the Alliance Francaise, an international organization with the mission of promoting French language, Francophone culture, and cultural diversity in cities around the world. Its Karachi chapter is more than just a language school; it is the epicenter of French heritage located at the heart of the city, offering year-round events ranging from concerts to talks featuring local and international guests. Alliance Francaise is the largest French cultural center in Pakistan.

About PayPro

PayPro is a SECP registered Private Limited company which develops financial technology products with a vision to digitize the SME and informal sector in Pakistan. PayPro provides smart invoicing and subscription management services with integrated payment solutions.

PayPro’s proprietary billing solution is powered through a strategic alliance with 1LINK while the platform itself is integrated with 30+ financial institutions including banks, digital wallets, branchless banking services and OTC collection points with a nationwide presence to ensure a seamless payment process for end consumers.

Today, the company has 500+ established enterprises accepting payments through digital channels, transforming their business operations for the new normal.

-------------------------------------------------

ISLAMABAD, APR 2: The Supreme Court on Friday rejected the PTI's appeal against the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) directives to conduct re-polling in the entire constituency of NA-75 Daska.

A three-judge Supreme Court bench hea­ded by Justice Umar Ata Bandial had taken up an ap­­peal filed by PTI candidate Ali Asjad Malhi challenging the ECP’s Feb 25 decision to order re-election in the constituency.

In the short order, Justice Bandial said the court had taken the decision in light of the law, the Constitution and its own jurisdiction. The judge also remarked that "guidelines" will be issued to prevent similar incidents in the future.

A detailed verdict is expected to be issued later.

On March 25, the Supreme Court had ordered the ECP to postpone the schedule for holding the by-poll on April 10 in the contentious constituency.

Speaking to the media, Malhi said that the PTI will think about filing a review petition after the detailed judgement is released. "We are confident about beating the PML-N," he said, adding that he respected the apex court's decision.

----------------------------------------------------

COURTESY DAWN NEWS

-------------

TAIPEI, APR 2: Dozens of people are feared dead after a packed train derailed inside a tunnel in eastern Taiwan on Friday at the start of a long holiday weekend, with rescuers still scrambling to reach others trapped inside.

Police said at least 36 people were classified as showing no signs of life when rescuers reached them in what looks set to be the island's worst rail disaster in decades.

A further 70 people were still thought to be trapped in carriages inside the tunnel while around 60 were rushed to hospital.

Officials said the accident could have been caused by a maintenance vehicle sliding down an embankment and striking the train before it entered the tunnel near the coastal city of Hualien.

“There was a construction vehicle that didn't park properly and slid onto the rail track,” Hualien county police chief Tsai Ding-hsien told reporters.

“This is our initial understanding and we are clarifying the cause of the incident,” he added.

Local media pictures from the scene showed the back of a yellow flatbed truck on its side next to the train.

President Tsai Ing-wen's office said she had ordered hospitals to prepare for a mass casualty event. “The top priority now is to rescue the stranded people,” it said in a statement.

The accident occurred on Taiwan's eastern railway line around 9:30am (0130 GMT).

Pictures published by local news website UDN showed the front of the train inside the tunnel had been pulverised into a twisted mesh of metal.

The Central Emergency Operation Center gave a lower suspected death toll of 26 people showing no signs of life.

Escape by roof

People further back in the train were able to walk away from the crash comparatively unscathed.

A live broadcast by UDN outside the tunnel showed a row of undamaged train carriages with rescuers helping passengers escape.

“It felt like there was a sudden violent jolt and I found myself falling to the floor,” an unidentified female survivor told the network, saying she suffered a cut to her head.

“We broke the window to climb to the roof of the train to get out,” she added.

The eight-car train was travelling from Taipei to the southeastern city of Taitung and was carrying about 350 passengers.

The accident occurred at the start of the busy annual Tomb Sweeping Festival, a long holiday weekend when Taiwan's roads and railways are usually packed.

During the festival, people return to ancestral villages to tidy up the graves of their relatives and make offerings.

Taiwan's eastern railway line is usually a popular tourist draw down its dramatic and less populated eastern coastline.

With the help of multiple tunnels and bridges, it winds its way through towering mountains and dramatic gorges before entering the picturesque Huadong Valley.

Friday's crash looks set to be one of Taiwan's worst railway accidents in recent decades.

The last major train derailment in Taiwan was in 2018 and left 18 people dead at the southern end of the same line.

The driver of the eight-carriage train was later charged with negligent homicide. More than 200 of the 366 people on board were also injured.

That crash was the island's worst since 1991, when 30 passengers were killed and 112 injured after two trains collided in Miaoli.

Thirty were also killed in 1981 after a truck collided with a passenger train at a level crossing and sent coaches over a bridge in Hsinchu.

And in 2003, 17 died and 156 were injured after a train on the Alishan mountain railway plunged into a chasm at the side of the track.

--------------------------------------------------------

COURTESY DAWN NEWS

----------------

ISLAMABAD, APR 2: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will arrive here next week to hold talks with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi on the Afghan peace process, sources told Dawn.

This will be the first visit of a Russian foreign minister to Pakistan since 2012.

Before arriving in Islamabad on April 6, Mr Lavrov is scheduled to visit New Delhi. He will be accompanied by Russia’s special envoy on Afghanistan Zamir Kaboluv.

With the Afghan situation on top of the agenda, the two foreign ministers will also discuss bilateral ties, including economic cooperation and counterterrorism and socio-economic ramifications of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Leaving the bitterness of the past behind, Islamabad and Moscow have developed strategic trust and share views on various issues, including the Afghan problem.

Russia recently hosted a conference of Pakistan, the United States, China and representatives from the Afghan government and the Taliban as part of its efforts to break the stalemate in the ongoing Afghan peace process.

Russia, like Pakistan, China and Iran, is concerned that the US withdrawal from Afghanistan without a prior peace deal could jeopardise regional security.

--------------------------------------------------

COURTESY DAWN NEWS

-------------

BAKU, APR 1: A draft agreement between the governments of Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan on air traffic was approved at the meeting of the Committee of the Jogorku Kenesh (unicameral parliament of Kyrgyzstan, the legislative state body) on transport, communications, architecture and construction on March 30, Trend reports with reference to the Kyrgyz media.

It is planned to launch flights between the countries within this agreement.

Minister of Transport, Architecture, Construction and Communications of Kyrgyzstan Gulmira Abdralieva said that two carrier airlines - Air Manas - from Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) - from Azerbaijan were chosen upon the agreement of the sides.

Abdralieva stressed that the sale of tickets in the direction of both countries is planned to be launched in May 2021.

Kyrgyzstan will receive two new Airbus 220 aircraft in April.

-----------------------------------------------------

COURTESY en.trend.az

------------------

ISLAMABAD, APR 1: The federal cabinet on Thursday deferred the Economic Coordination Committee's (ECC) decision to allow the import of sugar, cotton and cotton yarn from India through land and sea routes.

The decision has been deferred until India reinstates Article 370 of its Constitution, which guaranteed a semi-autonomous status for Indian-occupied Kashmir. Pakistan had suspended all bilateral trade with Indian following New Delhi's decision to revoke Article 370 in August 2019.

"Today Cabinet stated clearly NO trade with India," Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari tweeted.

She said Prime Minister Imran Khan had made it clear that "there can be no normalisation of relations with India until they reverse their illegal actions" regarding occupied Kashmir taken on Aug 5, 2019.

Speaking to Geo News, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi also said the cabinet had ruled that "normalising relations with India will not be possible" until it overturned the measures it took regarding occupied Kashmir's special status.

"A perception was emerging that relations with India have moved towards normalisation and trade has been opened," Qureshi said. "There was an exchange of thoughts on this and there was a unanimous opinion on this and it was the prime minister's [opinion] as well that as long as India does not review the unilateral steps it took on August 5, 2019, normalising relations with India will not be possible."

Earlier today, Mazari had stated that all ECC decisions "have to be approved by the federal cabinet".

"Only then they can be seen as 'approved by government'," she said, adding that the "media should be aware of this at least".

Finance Minister Hammad Azhar had made the decision to restore trade ties with India public on Wednesday, stating that the price of sugar in India is "significantly cheaper than Pakistan; therefore, we have decided to open its trade and allow commercial import of 500,000 tonnes of white sugar”.

The minister had said the decision was taken to improve supplies and discourage price hike in Pakistan as sugar in India was 15pc to 20pc cheaper.

An official statement had said the ECC allowed the commercial import of white sugar from India till June 30, 2021, through land and sea routes, on the basis of the quota issued by the Ministry of Commerce. The decision would be time and cost effective and would also stabilise the prices of sugar in the domestic markets, it had added.

Prime Minister Imran, who is also Minister-in-Charge of Commerce and Textile, had approved the summaries for import of cotton, cotton yarn and sugar to be placed before the ECC for approval. It meant that the prime minister was already in support of lifting the ban on these products' imports from India.

------------------------------------------------

COURTESY DAWN NEWS

------------

ISLAMABAD, APR 1: Huawei released its 2020 Annual Report. Growth slowed, but the company's business performance was largely in line with forecast. Huawei's sales revenue in 2020 rounded off at approximately US$136.7 billion, up 3.8% year-on-year, and its net profit reached US$9.9 billion, up 3.2% year-on-year.

ISLAMABAD, APR 1: An Online International Conference on “Evolving Global Security Challenges in the Post-COVID World” was organized by the Center for Global & Strategic Studies (CGSS), Islamabad.

The conference commenced with the opening remarks of Dr. Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan, Member Board of Experts, Center for Global & Strategic Studies (CGSS), Islamabad& Regional Geopolitical Analyst.

He stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has further disorganized existing global challenges, further exposing the underlying causes of insecurity, social and economic inequality with overtones of racial tension and nationalism. Furthermore, it is the knowledge that must be provided to decision-makers in-charge of internal and civil security to shift from forecasts to informed actions.

Mr. TolgaSakman, Chairman, Center for Diplomatic Affairs and Political Studies (DIPAM), Istanbul, Turkey discussed re-evaluating the international security architecture in the Post-Covid-19 era, potential areas, and policy options for Eurasia.

He further highlighted that the post-covid era has altered the security architecture. In recent years central Asia, East Asia, and the Baltic sea have become crucial as Russia and China work on post-liberal political and economic arenas.

Post covid security architecture has resulted in new consequences as the global supply chains have high effects on how democratic establishments can rescale peoples’ employment. He mentioned the idea of Global Partnership Cooperation to be the most essential ingredient for this new change.

Prof. Dr. Iram Khalid, Chairperson, Department of Political Science & IR, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan emphasized the impact of COVID-19 on the security dynamics of Asia

According to Dr. Iram, there are three major components to security dynamics that first and foremost include compartment reservation of Asia. It has become challenging to practice nontraditional security power. She emphasized the contemporary concepts where national security depends greatly upon the tangible and non-tangible interests and elements. 

Furthermore, keeping in view the concept of commonality on an international scale, paradigms of new discussions have opened for foreign policymakers. She also mentioned that interconnectivity has altered the designs of traditional security into non-traditional security. Therefore, orthodox paradigms need revision to facilitate the worldwide new connections.

Dr. Adam Saud, Dean, Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences, Bahria University, Islamabad, Pakistan discussed the shifting of focus from the War on terror towards the strategic competition between the US, China, and Russia.

He further commented that the post-cold war political scenario changed as the US wanted to establish its global might. War on terrorism dominated global politics previously but post 2008, as the US underwent an economic crisis China began to revitalize the geo-economics realm. He emphasized that on the creation of geopolitical capital there is a gap to know who is the great power coefficient of the future? According to Dr. Adam Saud, the economic crisis and problems arising from lack of consensus can be tackled if the US recognizes China's strategic competitiveness. Furthermore, in the contemporary era, the position holders will be visible as per their positive role.

Dr. Shafiah F Muhibat, Director of International Relations, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Jakarta, Indonesia discussed the Security Challenges and Alignments in East Asia.

She further elaborated some major areas to illustrate the regional security challenges; maritime security, great power politics, humanitarian challenges, and challenges posed by Covid-19. She believed that further assistance and cooperation of regional states can enhance Maritime security. Dr. Shafiah further added to the discussion by signifying the cooperative role of hyper-potential countries like Korea in peacefully settling clashes. She also emphasized that despite the great power politics and tensions South Asia carries huge potential to smoothen the scenario by setting regional order as the top priority. This can be done by establishing trust and covering relations by efficiently responding to the challenges.

Dr. Aiysha Safdar, Head of International Relations Department, Kinnaird College For Women University, Lahore, Pakistan shared her views on redefining national security in the context of Pakistan

She also discussed that the arrival of Covid-19 has exposed the vulnerabilities on several fronts. Human security is a huge part of the national security caused by poverty, terrorism, economic downturns, etc. As the insecurities overlap they expand and take roots in several domains of societal strata. Highlighting the issues faced by the educational institutions she mentioned that the education sector has suffered due to lacking sustainable developmental goals as traditional learning shifted to online learning. Hence, the heavy long-term changes and challenges to mankind require a reinvention of new paradigms of national security and geo-strategies and heavy investments in human health.

Mr. Shakeel Ahmed Ramay, Director, China Study Center, Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Islamabad, Pakistan highlighted how the Covid-19 pandemic is reshaping the China-US competition

He also discussed that given the global pandemic future changes are introducing new competitions in two major areas i.e. in the economy and the mobility capacity. In the present-day globalization process, technological emergence leads to competition in the better mechanized technological supply chains. Thus, having technology as the key area there is serious increasing competitiveness between China and the US. Therefore, the advantage can only be gained by countering the negative impacts of this growth and securing positive productive outcomes.

Dr. Naheed S. Goraya, Assistant Professor, Centre for South Asian Studies, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan discussed the collaborative approach worldwide to counter Non-Traditional Security Threats.

She further discussed that keeping in view rising Islamophobia it is important to give rise to cohesion and economic cooperation. We have to understand that the lack of knowledge is hindering integration and resulting in a rise to the vulnerability of isolation. If the issue is not addressed in time it will generate identity-based extremism because of politicizing of religion. We have to understand the main drivers of Islamophobias and its relation with radicalism. To counter this symbiotic relation, Muslim leaders must actively promote Islamic theologies, to create trust and understanding. This would create harmony on inter-cultural grounds.

Prof. Sun Lu, Associate Professor, School of Government &  Public Affairs, Communication University of China, Beijing, China discussed China’s approach in the context of rising Multi-polarity and the Emerging geopolitical environment

She also highlighted that from the historic content of almost a hundred years ago, it can be seen that the various wars like the Iraq war and the Syrian war are the practical depiction of the Clash of Civilizations approach. In the past pandemic times and changing world dynamics, Sino-US relations are splitting the world into geopolitical groups. Therefore, China in efforts of introducing the new ideals aims to resolve this potential division. She further mentioned the idea of a community with a shared future and the potential positive impacts on the global community.

The conference was moderated by Miss Laraib, Communication & Coordination Manager, Center for Global & Strategic Studies (CGSS), Islamabad, and was attended by 100 participants including regional experts, members of academia, and students of International Relations and related fields.

The conference was also viewed live on various social media platforms by 200 viewers.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

COURTESY CGSS

---------