Baloch House

Brussels, 19 September 2018 Questions & Answers What is 'connectivity' for the European Union? Connectivity is essentially about networks. These can be in the form of transport links: by air, land or sea. Connectivity can be digital networks: mobile or fixed, from cables to satellites, from the internet backbone to the last mile. Connectivity also includes energy networks and flows: from gas, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) to electricity grids, from renewables to energy efficiency. Finally, connectivity has a very obvious human dimension: from cooperation in education, research and innovation to travel and tourism. Connectivity serves and facilitates human interaction. Connectivity brings people, places and opportunities closer, which is why it has to be approached and managed well. To work efficiently, connectivity requires internationally agreed practices, rules, conventions and technical standards, supported by international organisations and institutions tha

Robin Emmott BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission proposed on Wednesday a foreign policy plan to improve transport, energy and digital infrastructure links with Asia but denied seeking to counter China’s ambitions that have raised suspicion in Western capitals. FILE PHOTO: Construction workers work on the new standard gauge railway line near Voi town, Kenya, March 16, 2016. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic/File Photo The plan, which would be backed by additional funds from the EU’s common budget from 2021, private sector loans and development banks, amounts to a strategic response to China’s largesse in much of central Asia and south-eastern Europe, where Beijing has invested billions of dollars. SPONSORED The 13-page strategy outlined by the EU executive did not specify how much the bloc would spend, but the Commission is relying on a proposed 60 billion euro ($70 billion) fund that would act as an insurance for investors if projects fail. That fund could raise more than 300 bil

Europe unveils its answer to China’s Belt and Road plan Brussels concerned that Beijing is dividing bloc with ‘16+1’ regional initiative Federica Mogherini, EU foreign policy chief Michael Peel in Salzburg YESTERDAY 27 The EU has launched proposals for its answer to China’s Belt and Road Initiative to build infrastructure across Europe and Asia. Federica Mogherini, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said the plans would represent a “European way” of connecting the two continents, an implied contrast with some Beijing-backed projects that have loaded countries with debt or offered poor value for money. Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative refers to a swath of Chinese infrastructure projects in dozens of countries, and is a signature foreign policy for Xi Jinping, China’s president, linking the country more closely to neighbours while promoting development. Ms Mogherini insisted that the plan was not a reaction to Belt and Road or any other international initiative, “be it in Beijing, Was

2018-09-20 09:58:44 China Daily Mo Hong'e Sculptures stand out against the harsh desert background at an outdoor exhibition in Wuwei, Gansu province, on Aug 22, 2018.　(Photo/Xinhua) BRI offers mutual benefits, says head of NDRC China will manage well the financial risks in projects related to the Belt and Road Initiative as the initiative is designed to benefit all parties involved, according to officials and financial experts. "The fundamentals to promote the initiative are to make sure it can be a mutual learning experience and mutually beneficial," He Lifeng, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, said during the annual World Economic Forum in Tianjin on Wednesday. Since the initiative was launched in late 2013, China has signed 150 cooperation documents with 106 countries and 29 international organizations. More than $86 billion has been invested in parties involved in the BRI, and 82 economic and trade development zones have been built. The i

Among the more visible areas of involvement is finance, with British banks quick to join China’s global trade initiative Nazvi Careem UPDATED : Thursday, 20 Sep 2018, 12:31PM British Prime Minister Theresa May was careful to ensure that there was no official backing for China’s “Belt and Road Initiative” when she led a major trade delegation to Beijing in January. But there is indirect support as Britain searches for strategic partners in a post-Brexit era. “For the UK, the recognition of its new status – clearly out of the European Union and most likely a hard Brexit scenario – has pushed May towards an intermediary role,” Natixis said in a report summarising May’s visit with about 50 ministers and business leaders. The UK will become the first large advanced economy to support the initiative, if not directly. London is also identified as a key participant for financing. British and Chinese banks are invited to collaborate in financing the initiative, and the UK government has ag

China is at risk of becoming colonialist power   Jamil Anderlini   https://www.ft.com/content/186743b8-bb25-11e8-94b2-17176fbf93f5 The British high commissioner ordered the destruction as retribution for the murder of 20 emissaries, including a British journalist, who had been sent to negotiate a truce with the Manchu empire. But this crucial detail is never mentioned in the Chinese government’s official version of the event. The sanitised historical record taught in schools and drummed into every Chinese citizen today is part of a decades-old propaganda effort to portray imperialism and colonialism as the exclusive preserve of evil foreigners. According to this narrative, China is a peace-loving nation lacking any ill intentions and constitutionally incapable of acting like a bully or coloniser. Many countries (and people) think this way about themselves. But China’s attitude raises a danger when combined with its new-found position as a rising superpower with an explicit plan to

Saleem Shahid Updated September 17, 2018 QUETTA: Around 20,000 personnel of police, Levies force and Frontier Corps will be deployed in Balochistan to provide security to mourning processions on the 7th and 10th of Muharram. This information was given to Home Minister Mir Saleem Ahmed Khosa in a meeting held here to review the overall security situation in the province. The minister presided over the meeting. “The Muharram security plan was reviewed in the meeting keeping in view the recent remote control blast in Pishin and a security alert issued by the authorities concerned,” official sources said. ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER AD The security apparatus, they said, was highly alert in provincial capital Quetta where heavy contingents of police and FC personnel had been deployed at all Imambargahs and routes leading to the venues of Majalis. The home minister was told that checking of hotels and rented houses had begun in Quetta. “Checking of the record of the families living in re

Saleem Shahid Updated September 20, 2018 Balochistan's rich reserves of marble, chromite, limestone, coal and other minerals await proper planning and exploration.—File photo QUETTA: A research and investment Chinese company — MCC Tongsin Resources Ltd — has expressed its keen interest in developing the mineral sector of Balochistan. In a meeting with Chief Minister Jam Mir Kamal Khan Alyani on Wednesday, the MCC Tongsin President Wang Jincheng offered to explore natural resources of the province. He informed the chief minister that his company has merged with the Chinese firm working on the Saindak project. He asked the provincial government to allow the company so it could expand Saindak project that would increase jobs opportunities for local people and beneficial for the provincial economy. “Our company has been working to explore minerals in various countries and owns assets worth $50 billion worldwide,” he said, adding that MCC will recommend the Chinese government to

Syed Ali Shah September 18, 2018 Two Levies personnel were martyred and another injured when unidentified armed men opened fire at the security officials in Balochistan's Killa Saifullah district on Tuesday evening,  DawnNewsTV  reported. According to the Levies officials, the incident occurred at Junction Chowk area of Killa Saifullah. The martyred soldiers, identified as Munir and Akram, died on the spot and their bodies were shifted to District Headquarters Hospital in Kila Saifullah along with the injured officer. Police and Levies officials reached the spot soon after and cordoned off the area as an investigation into the incident went underway. ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER AD However, the assailants managed to escape unhurt. This incident comes two days after armed men martyred a Levies Risaldar in Killa Saifullah. 265 militants surrender in Quetta As a part of a reconciliation policy, 265 Ferraris belonging to various banned militant organisations, surrendered before the

PERSPECTIVES Short-term and long-term strategies are being used in CPEC in the field of energy, transportation infrastructure, and the Gwadar port Yasir Habib Khan SEPTEMBER 20, 2018 Pakistan is never going to rollback and abandon   China Pakistan Economic Corridor  (CPEC), Asia’s first transport corridor and the lifeline of Xi’s global Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Considering the avalanche of benefits some which have already been reaped and the rest will take effect soon. Reason to keep the ball rolling on the CPEC project is that the civil and military leadership underpinned by a league of economists are all on the same page with no misgivings. Moreover, the understanding between both Islamabad and Beijing marks the immortalization of the project. For Pakistan, CPEC is as beneficial as atomic technology policy, since both serve national interests on security and economic landscapes. Earlier Pakistan was battling energy dearth, economic meltdown, insecurity, withering govern

* Senate chairman says Pakistan and Turkey have time tested relations and are connected through religious, cultural and historic bonds SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 ISLAMABAD:  Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani on Tuesday invited over Turkish businessmen to invest in Gwadar free economic zone and benefit from the economic potential of the development activities in the country. He expressed these views while talking to a delegation of Turkish businessmen including parliamentarians. Pakistan Turkey Friendship Group Chairman Senator Talha Mahmood and Senate Secretary Amjad Parvez Malik were also present in the meeting. Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani said that Pakistan and Turkey have time tested relations and are connected through religious, cultural and historic bonds. He said that Pakistan cannot forget the support provided during the earthquake in Pakistan by Turkey. Sadiq Sanjrani said that the cooperation of Turkey in social and economic development of Pakistan is also unprecedented. He sa

KARACHI: Milestone, a real estate developer, has connected Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) to important Japanese investors with interest in real estate, tourism, and beach area development for the first time in Pakistan. The visiting Japanese delegation expressed a huge interest in real estate, tourism, beach area development, golf course development, infrastructure development, and public-private partnerships especially in Karachi and Gwadar, a statement said on Wednesday. The visiting delegation comprised of Cosmo Ec Co Ltd Senior Managing Director Atsushi Isutani, Bros Japan directors Yukio Nishihata and Syed Rehan Ali, Angles National Golf Club President and CEO Shinjiro Nakano, and Milestone Managing Partner and CEO Umer Khalid. They met with government of Pakistan Ministry of Maritime Affairs Chairman Dostain Khan Jamaldini, Gwadar Free Zone Company Limited Deputy General Manager Peter Hu, and GDA Director General Dr Sajjad Hussain Baloch at Gwadar. The GDA is a public a

CPEC will only be an opportunity if Pakistan invests to develop skills among young cadres. There should be nine Special Economic Zones spatially distributed among provinces. Each SEZ should provide unique opportunities to engage the local community, especially the youth Shakeel Ahmad Ramay SEPTEMBER 20, 2018 Pakistan is home to one of the largest youth bulge in the world. Statistics show that almost 31.36 percent population fall in the category between the 0-14 years age group, and 21.14 percent are between the ages of 15-24 years. It represents almost 55 percent of the population.  Despite being blessed with this youth capital, Pakistan finds it hard to realise the youth dividend. It faces challenges in meeting the prerequisites to benefit from the youth bulge which mainly includes good quality education, skill development, quality health facilities and good environment for development. Specifically, two very important groups of youth namely  madrasa  students and uneducated youth

Dawn.com September 19, 2018 Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Bajwa in a meeting with the President of China Xi Jinping. —DawnNewsTV Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Bajwa calling on the President of China Xi Jinping. —DawnNewsTV Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Bajwa in a meeting with the President of China Xi Jinping. —DawnNewsTV Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Bajwa calling on the President of China Xi Jinping. —DawnNewsTV Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Bajwa in a meeting with the President of China Xi Jinping. —DawnNewsTV Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Bajwa, on special invitation, called on the President of China Xi Jinping in China on Wednesday to discuss the region's security and the challenges it is faced with, the military's media wing said. The Chinese president acknowledged that Pakistan has been a "time-tested iron friend" to China and the Pakistan Army has had a role in this lasting relation

* Chinese president says Beijing will continue to support Islamabad as a strategic partner * Gen Bajwa says Pakistan Army will ensure security of CPEC at all costs Staff Report SEPTEMBER 20, 2018 ISLAMABAD:  Chinese President Xi Jinping Wednesday said those who oppose the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) or the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC) will never succeed. “Those who oppose Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) or China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC)shall never succeed as this is an initiative of peace and development not only for China but for the whole region and beyond,” a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) quoted the Chinese president as having said during a meeting with Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who is on a two-day official visit to China. “Pakistan is our time-tested iron friend and Pakistan Army has a pivotal role towards this lasting relationship,” the Chinese president told the COAS. He appreciated professionalism o

Ted Piccone September 2018 Download the full paper Executive Summary Consistent with its ambitions to play a central role in leading the international order, China is emerging as a pivotal player in the international human rights system. In the past few years, China has shifted from its traditionally more defensive posture to a more activist role, particularly on the U.N. Human Rights Council. This stems from a two-part strategy that seeks to 1) block international criticism of its repressive human rights record, and 2) promote orthodox interpretations of national sovereignty and noninterference in internal affairs that weaken international norms of human rights, transparency, and accountability. While these goals are not new, the more proactive tactics that Chinese officials are using, especially since the reappointment of Premier Xi Jinping, suggest the start of a more wholesale campaign to reshape the rules and instruments of the international human rights system. This paper lo

19/9/2018 DASHT:- According to residents of Dasht, Today Pakistani forces raided in a house in Teeran desk, Dasht Where occupying army abducted Riyaz S/o Uzman R/o Teeran Desk, Dasht. 19/9/2018 GRESHAG:- According to reports Today Pakistani army and Local death squads Raided in house of Bahoot in Reesh, Where occupying tired to abduct 9 years old Taheer S/o Bahoot, On the same time his mother Bibi Jumaithi tried not to let them to abduct her son, Unfortunately Pakistani forces Brutally Tortured Bibi Jumaithi Civilians told us Pakistani army extremely beat Bibi Jumaithi due to which her foot were broken by Security forces & her 9 years old abducted Taheer S/o Bahoot.

TRIVIUM CHINA DRIVING THE DAY 1.  China retaliates in the trade war It didn’t take long for China to retaliate against the latest round of US tariffs  (CNN): "The Chinese government said Tuesday that it would impose tariffs on US goods worth $60 billion following the Trump administration's announcement that it was hitting $200 billion worth of Chinese goods with new tariffs." "China's new tariffs will be levied at rates of 5% or 10%, depending on the product." "More than 5,000 US goods will be affected, including meat, nuts, alcoholic drinks, chemicals, clothes, machinery, furniture and auto parts." The Chinese are clearly frustrated: "'The Chinese side has repeatedly emphasized that the only correct way to solve the trade dispute between China and the United States is through talk and consultation on the basis of equity, integrity and mutual respect,' [Ministry of Foreign Affairs] spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular news brief

Source: Xinhua |  2018-09-19 11:36:51 | HANGZHOU, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- China will invest 100 billion yuan (about 14.6 billion U.S. dollars) for developing the digital economy in the next five years. The investments will go to projects on big data, internet of things (IoT), cloud computing, smart cities and the digital Silk Road, according to an agreement signed by China Development Bank and the National Development and Reform Commission at the International Conference on Digital Economy and Digital Silk Road that opened Tuesday. Development of digital economy is listed as an important task for building modern economic setup in China and achieve high-quality development. China has attained vital progress in the cause over the past years by way of rolling out a raft of measures, including a national big data strategy. A report released by the Cyberspace Administration of China said that the size of China's digital economy grew to 27.2 trillion yuan last year, up 20.3 percent yea

SEP 18TH, 2018    BEIJING China will establish cross-border "green economic belts" partnerships with Pakistan and the other countries that involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. Three belts will be created using poplar trees, under a plan released by the China Green Foundation at the Belt and Road International Forum on Public Cooperation for Ecological Remediation , which was held in Wuwei, Gansu province. It was announced that the belts' initiative will start in Northwest China and connect countries in Central and West Asia, such as Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Iran and Turkey. That is line concept of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to promote healthy environment, better living of the people. "Under the plan, a cooperative partnership will be established to encourage more exchanges of experience in developing a green economy in different countries," said Chen Shuxian, chairman of the foundation. Poplar trees now cover about 648,000 hectares worldwide, accor

Syed Ali Zafar September 18, 2018 Listen According to ancient legend in Japan, the emperor’s throne (the state) is guarded by four lions. While three of them are conventional: the legislature, the judiciary and the executive, the most important is the fourth. Lean and active, it represents the ‘people’. When the three traditional lions are unable to protect the throne, being sluggish and corrupted, the fourth lion rises and saves the state and its ideology. This legend, though a folk story, contains a philosophy which political philosophers have defined and fine-tuned. Aristotle based the concept of the collective will of the people on the very DNA of humans when he said that “Man is a social animal”. Indeed, just as in the animal kingdom one has a pack of wolves, a pride of lions, a parade of elephants and parliament of monkeys (no reference to Pakistan), so too in a nation there must always be a civil society, without which there can be no state, only banana republics. An equal