NOT-BY-PROFIT IMF and US InFlUence In PakIStan

ISLAMABAD

News desk

Islamabad: The Government of Pakistan announced three days protest on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day. On second day of the occasion, a range of activities were organized by the departments under the umbrella of Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training, to show their support for the people of Kashmir and to raise awareness about the ongoing human rights situation in the region. In a statement, the Federal Minister for Education said: "We stand in solidarity with the people of Kashmir and call for the international community to take action to protect their human rights. The ongoing violence and oppression in the region is unacceptable and must be addressed. We call on all people of conscience to support the cause of Kashmir and to demand an end to the suffering of its people." Secretary IBCC, Dr Ghulam Ali Mallah visited Sports Complex Islamabad to witness the ongoing sports activities of Sports Gala 2022-23 organized by Inter Board Sports Committee and distributed the prizes and medals among the winners. The closing ceremony of the sports gala will be held on February 5 at hockey ground, Sports Complex Islamabad at 11:00 am along with the interactive session with the youth of Pakistan to celebrate Kashmir Solidarity Day. Islamabad Model School (I-V) and various Islamabad Model College for Girls and Boys organized Kashmir Cultural Festival Shows, National Commission of Human Development organized an awareness campaign at NCHD federal schools in Sindh. Pr

1,279 days of Indian terror: IIOJ&K-In the eyes of the World

Despite all the failed efforts and dramas of India, the world has come to know that serious violations of human rights are continuing in Occupied Kashmir. The worst siege in human history has been going on for 1279 days in Occupied Kashmir. Today, voices are being raised in the halls of world in favor of the Kashmiri people. Members of the British Parliament openly raised their voices against Indian state terrorism and in favor of the oppressed people of Occupied Kashmir. Members of the British Parliament also strongly condemned the ongoing massacres and sexual violence against women in Occupied Kashmir. Honorable members said that Kashmiris have been living in a hell for more than seventy years and today their existence is in danger apart from the right to selfdetermination. Kashmir has been under continuous control for 7 decades. India has massacred more than 96 thousand Kashmiris so far. About 23,000 women were widowed, more than 1,07,000 children were orphaned, and more than 11,000 women were molested. The world has repeatedly rejected India's baseless claim that Kashmir is an internal matter of India. The eye-opening report of the EU DisinfoLab has badly exposed India's global propaganda. Today, when democracy and human rights are being talked about in Western capitals, more loud and effective voices will be raised against the continuous violation of the rights of the subjugated people of Kashmir. After so many decades, Kashmir is being discussed twice in the Security Council. United Nations General Secretary Antonio Guterres emphasized that no military solution to the Kashmir issue is possible and any kind of confrontation between Pakistan and India would have disastrous consequences for the region and the world. Since August 2019, the international media has been condemning India's inhumane and undemocratic actions in Occupied Kashmir. The Washington Post called this unconstitutional move as India's Dark Moment in Kashmir. Pr

Police Khidmat Markaz facilitate 726 citizens during last 24 hours

Islamabad: Islamabad capital police, khidmat markazs have facilitated 726 citizens with different services relating to issuance of character certificate, foreigner’s registration, registration of tenants and house servants, general police verification and report of missing items, a police public relations officer said. He said that, following the direction of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Dr. Akbar Nasir Khan, the Islamabad capital police are taking all possible measures and initiatives in order to provide maximum facilities to the citizens of Islamabad. While, Islamabad capital police khidmat markaz has provided several services to the citizens including issuance of75 character certificates after the complete verification by concerned police stations, while 301 general police verification, 45 reports of missing documents and valuables, 40 vehicles verification, 195 foreigners registration 60 tenants and 10 domestic servants data have been entered during the last 24 hours. Police Mobile facilitation van service has also been working while khidmat markaz in different areas including sectors F-6, G10/4, H-11, Bani Gala, Swan Garden, Khanna and at various police stations were also facilitating the citizens. IGP Islamabad said that, well trained staff has been appointed there who are providing best services to Pakistani nationals and foreigners. Such steps would improve the trust of people in the police, he maintained. Pr

WRITINGfor Dawn, Sakib Sherani, a noted economist and former advisor to the finance ministry of Pakistan, raises questions about the extent to which the IMF is responsible for the country's economic woes and if the Bretton Woods Institutions (IMF and World Bank) are indeed agents of influence and control acting at the behest of the US.

According to the US Army Special Operations Forces manual, the instruments of national power as codified in US policy include the use of diplomatic, informational, military, economic, financial, intelligence, and law enforcement means, with the application of economic or financial incentives being among the most powerful. The manual also states that the US has the ability to influence international financial institutions, including the IMF, which can have significant impacts on exchange rates, interest rates, credit availability, and money supplies.

A report to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the US Senate in 2010 stated that the international financial institutions have been an important element of US foreign policy and provide the US with an opportunity to maintain its influence and ad- dress national security issues.

The IMF is part of the US-constructed rules-based global order but Sherani argues that Pakistan's economic problems are homegrown and a result of poor policy choices and failure to collect taxes, promote exports, curb runaway consumption, and provide a conducive environment for private investment.

Sherani also refutes the conventional wisdom in Pakistan that the IMF has been the cause of the country's economic crisis, calling it a manifestation of an external locus of control and a way to avoid introspection and responsibility. He argues that with 34 years of IMF engagement, it would be useful to introspect if the IMF has actually been the roadblock to real eco- nomic reform in the country or if it is the result of poor policy choices.

He compares Pakistan's situation to India, which after a balance-of-payments crisis in 1991 and a Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF, implemented structural reforms and has not returned to the Fund since, becoming an economic powerhouse.

In conclusion, Sherani suggests that instead of blaming external agents, it is important to examine the root causes of Pakistan's economic problems and to make meaningful and sustainable reforms to achieve longterm growth and development.

To read the full article visit www.dawn.com

Pakistan to see huge increase in unemployment, poverty in 2022-23

ISLAMABAD News desk

Writing for Business Recorder, Dr Hafiz A Pasha reports that a combination of negative factors is likely to result in a significant exponential increase in the number of unemployed and poor people in Pakistan in 202223. The causes of this increase include damage to agriculture due to floods, physical restrictions on imports, switch to a market-based exchange rate policy, and the implementation of contractionary monetary and fiscal policies. These factors are expected to lead to stagflation, with a devastating impact on the people of Pakistan in the form of a significant increase in unemployment and poverty.

The current national unemployment rate is 6.3%, but it is likely to be understated, with a "true" rate of 8.5%. The size of the GDP is expected to decrease by at least 1%, resulting in a disproportionate drop in employment, particularly in labor-intensive sectors such as agriculture, construction, and wholesale and retail trade.

As a result, it is projected that 8 million workers will be unemployed in 2022-23, with the number increasing by over 2 million during the year, and the unemployment rate reaching 10% for the first time.

The incidence of poverty is also expected to rise, driven by a fall in real per capita income, faster increase in food prices, and higher income inequality due to the increase in unemployment. The projected incidence of poverty is 42.5% in 2022-23, which could result in as many as 18 million people falling below the poverty line during the year.

To read the full article visit www.brecorder.com