De/Cypher Data Dive 📈
“Digital Connectivity: Internet Users and Speed in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh”
Af-Pak De/Cypher
11 March, 2024
Election Update
Asif Zardari sworn in as 14th president of Pakistan
Asif Zardari was sworn in as Pakistan’s 14th President after winning a one-sided election with 411 electoral votes, defeating his opponent Mehmood Khan Achakzai. Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa administered the oath in Islamabad, with PM Shehbaz Sharif and outgoing President Dr. Arif Alvi in attendance, alongside military leaders. Many political figures, including Nawaz Sharif and international leaders such as Iran’s President Raeesi, China’s Xi Jinping, and Turkiye’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, congratulated Zardari. Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz Sharif expressed gratitude to various world leaders for their congratulatory messages, emphasizing Pakistan’s support for Palestine’s cause.
Top Stories📜 this week
Remittances and Foreign Reserves Fall
During the first eight months of fiscal year 2024, Pakistan received home remittances totaling $18.1 billion, showing a slight decrease of 1.2 percent from the same period last year. Despite a drop in remittances from Saudi Arabia, which remains the largest contributor, inflows from the USA and UK saw increases of 4.7 and 1.8 percent respectively. Analysts predict a positive growth in March due to Ramzan and Eid.
On March 7, 2024, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reported a $54 million decrease in its foreign exchange reserves, now standing at $7.9 billion. This contributed to the total liquid foreign reserves of the country, amounting to $13.02 billion, including reserves held by commercial banks. The decline was attributed to debt repayments, with SBP reserves having also dropped by $63 million the previous week.
Senator Faisal Saleem becomes first Pakistani on IMF, World Bank boards
Senator Faisal Saleem has made history by becoming the first Pakistani parliamentarian to join the Boards of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. His appointment is significant, placing him among global figures in formulating poverty alleviation and economic stability recommendations. Read more: Pakistan Today
Pakistan urges UNSC to ask Taliban to cut ties with TTP
Pakistan has urged the UN Security Council to demand that the Taliban sever ties with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), known for attacks on Pakistani military and civilian targets. Ambassador Munir Akram warned of a potential global terrorist threat if the TTP, backed by Al-Qaeda and state sponsors, is not restrained. Read more: The Nation
Hundreds attend women’s day marches, counter-protests in Pakistan
Hundreds of women rallied for Pakistan’s Aurat March on International Women’s Day, addressing issues like street harassment and lack of representation. Lead organizer Farzana Bari highlighted various forms of violence against women. Pakistan faces low female workforce and education rates, prompting concerns from the Human Rights Commission. Right-wing groups staged counter-protests, opposing what they see as Western influences of the march. Previous years saw legal battles and online harassment against organizers. Read more: Arab News
Pakistan court awards death penalty to student, 22, and life term to teen for ‘blasphemous’ WhatsApp messages
A Pakistani court has sentenced a 22-year-old student to death and a teenager to life imprisonment for blasphemy, over WhatsApp messages with alleged blasphemous content. Pakistan’s blasphemy law, carrying the death penalty for insults against Islam and Prophet Mohammad, has its roots in colonial-era legislation and was strengthened during General Zia ul-Haq’s regime. Read more: The Independent
Afghanistan’s Security Challenges under the Taliban
Published in International Crisis Group; Summarized By De/Cypher Team
The report from the CRISIS group suggests that the Taliban’s trajectory is focused on experimenting with their approach to controlling militant groups within Afghanistan. Rather than cracking down on these groups, the Taliban aim to weaken them, relocate their fighters, and integrate jihadists into civilian life. The Taliban’s strategy appears to prioritize stability and security within Afghanistan, with efforts to prevent the resurgence of factional chaos that plagued the country in the past.
Additionally, the Taliban’s military dominance has led regional capitals to view a somewhat stable Afghanistan under Taliban rule as a preferable alternative to a return to civil war. However, the regional consensus regarding the Taliban’s rule is fragile, with concerns about the potential for instability and the need to fortify borders to prevent infiltration of militants.
Overall, the Taliban’s direction seems to be centred on maintaining control, managing internal security challenges, and seeking stability within Afghanistan, while also engaging with neighbouring countries to address shared security concerns and economic stability in the region.
The document outlines several challenges associated with the Taliban’s approach to governance and regional diplomacy:
- Internal Dynamics: The Taliban’s internal power centres in Kabul and Kandahar compete for influence, coupled with opaque and erratic policies, which create concerns among external actors. The discrimination against women and lack of transparency in governance tarnish the Taliban’s reputation globally, making it difficult to attract ethical business partners and investors.
- Economic Development: The lack of regulatory frameworks, transparency, and predictability for investors poses obstacles to large-scale investments and economic growth in Afghanistan. The absence of detailed budgets and unexplored natural resources hinders economic development and integration with regional markets.
- Water Disputes: Regional stability is at risk due to unresolved water issues, particularly river management and trade access to ports like Iran’s Chabahar. The lack of cooperation on water-sharing treaties with neighbouring Central Asian states could lead to tensions and hinder economic progress.
- Western Sanctions: Western sanctions and banking regulations impede Afghanistan’s regional economic connectivity and development projects. The reliance on Western support or acquiescence for progress in various sectors, including aviation, infrastructure, and trade, presents a significant challenge to the Taliban’s governance and regional cooperation efforts.
- Human Rights and International Recognition: The Taliban’s restrictive policies, especially regarding women’s rights, have raised concerns among international actors and hindered their efforts to gain broader recognition and support. Pressure to address human rights issues while balancing security and economic challenges presents a complex dilemma for the Taliban’s leadership.
- Security Challenges: Neighboring countries fear the potential spillover of violence and militant activities from Afghanistan into their territories. Concerns exist about the Taliban’s control over Islamist militant groups and their ability to prevent violence from spreading across borders, particularly to regions like Indian-administered Kashmir and the Fergana Valley in Central Asia.
In summary, the concerns from the region regarding Afghanistan under Taliban rule include security challenges, economic integration issues, water disputes, humanitarian concerns, and the impact of Western sanctions on regional cooperation and stability. Addressing these concerns and fostering collaboration between Afghanistan and its neighbors is crucial for promoting the region’s peace, economic development, and stability. Overall, the challenges associated with the Taliban’s governance approach and regional diplomacy include internal power struggles, economic constraints, water disputes, Western sanctions, and human rights considerations, all of which impact their ability to achieve stability, economic growth, and regional cooperation.
Read the full report here.
Terrorist Threats in Pakistan: Recent Operations and Arrests
Date: March 7, 2024
In separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, two terrorists, including a ring leader named Shmrooz Sheenay, were killed. Another operation in Dera Ismail Khan resulted in the neutralization of terrorist Mansoor. The military recovered weapons and explosives, with locals supporting the actions.
Date: March 8-9, 2024
On March 8-9, security forces in Pakistan conducted two separate operations resulting in the elimination of ten terrorists. Four militants were killed in an IBO, and others were neutralized during a follow-up sanitization operation.
Date: March 9, 2024
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in Punjab carried out operations leading to the arrest of 23 suspects linked to banned outfits. Explosives, weapons, and other materials were seized during the arrests.
Date: March 10, 2024
A blast near Peshawar’s Board Bazaar claimed two lives and injured others. The explosives were reportedly being transported on a motorcycle. Authorities, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, condemned the attack and vowed to eliminate terrorism.
Global Terrorism Index 2024: South Asia
The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) is an annual report by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) providing a comprehensive summary of global trends and patterns in terrorism since 2012. It ranks countries based on their relative impact of terrorism, assessing factors such as deaths, incidents, and intensity of attacks.
It is calculated using a weighted average of four indicators—terrorist incidents, fatalities, injuries, and property damage—each scaled from 0 to 10. The resulting GTI score reflects a country’s relative impact of terrorism, with higher scores indicating a greater impact.
The Global Terrorism Index 2024, published by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), reveals a 22% increase in terrorism-related deaths to 8,352 in 2023.
South Asian countries show varying impacts in the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2023. The region maintained the highest average GTI score, improving since 2019 due to declines in deaths and attacks in some countries. Pakistan and Bangladesh saw score deteriorations, making Pakistan the region’s highest scored country since 2014. Deaths in the region fell below 900 for the first time since 2007, largely due to a drop in Afghanistan. Nepal had the most significant improvement, with no attacks or deaths recorded in 2023. Afghanistan’s remarkable decline in deaths and attacks was attributed to Taliban control. Pakistan remains the most affected, with a notable rise in both attacks and deaths in 2023, despite improvements compared to a decade ago.
Addressing Gender Gaps in Pakistan: Progress, Challenges, and Calls for Action
As the globe marks International Women’s Day, Pakistan’s own celebration reflects its complex landscape of gender rights activism amid cultural conservatism.
The UN Resident Coordinator Office in Pakistan, UN Women, and the Embassy of Denmark recently hosted a gala with a potent message: “Empowering Women: A Smart Investment for Pakistan.” Parallel to these formal celebrations, the grassroots Aurat March on March 8th took place. Since 2018 this protest became a national movement against gender violence and systemic impunity. Every year this march typically triggers strong hostility. This year, right-wing religious parties staged modesty rallies calling for the protection of Islamic values.
Delving deeper to understand the status of women in Pakistan, it is evident that there are positive strides. For instance, Pakistan’s parliament has passed a bill that significantly strengthens protections for women in the workplace against violence and harassment. This amendment improves upon the far weaker 2010 law. Additionally, Pakistan stands out as the only South Asian country to see an improvement in the Women, Business and Law Index from 55.6 to 58.8 according to the World Bank – making it an outlier in South Asia for its progress.
However, these strides coexist with significant challenges.
In terms of political participation, representation is notably lacking, as women occupy a mere 12 out of 266 directly elected parliamentary seats. Additionally, women’s voter turnout has seen increases, yet a significant number remain excluded from participating in politics.
In the educational sector, only a fraction of girls—less than 10%—completed secondary school, which hampers their future economic participation, according to the Pakistan Demographic Survey 2020. This limited educational access contributes to women’s workforce involvement being remarkably low, with just 21% of Pakistani women employed. The situation is further exacerbated in the transition to the labour market, where a substantial gap persists: while 83% of educated adult men are part of the labour force, only 30% of their female counterparts can say the same. The digital gender gap further hampers progress, with women lagging in mobile phone ownership (37% compared to 89% for men) and internet access (20% for women versus 51% for men).
Read the full article here.
Bangladesh De/Cypher
11 March, 2024
Top Stories📜 this week
PM meets SB officials involved in publishing Secret Documents on Bangabandhu
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met with Special Branch (SB) officials involved in publishing “The Secret Documents of Intelligence Branch on Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman” at her official Ganabhaban residence in the capital. The meeting aimed to recognize their efforts in the publication. Read more: The Business Standard
BNP leader Hafiz Uddin secures bail in 12-yr-old case
Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, a vice-chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has been granted bail in a 12-year-old vandalism and arson case. Read more: Prothom Alo
Will form a cell for global recognition of 1971 genocide
Foreign Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud has announced plans to establish a cell at the Foreign Ministry to facilitate coordinated efforts in obtaining global recognition for the genocide committed by Pakistani forces during Bangladesh’s liberation war in 1971. Read more: The Daily Star
UAE FM stresses signing of CEPA, activating JBC
UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan emphasized partnership with Bangladesh, focusing on signing the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and activating the Joint Business Council (JBC). Hasan Mahmud, Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister, highlighted historical ties and discussed potential UAE investments in projects like the Matarbari Exclusive Economic Zone. They also addressed regional issues such as Rohingya repatriation and simplifying visa processes for Bangladeshis in the UAE. Read more: The Business Post
Dr. Yunus again loses in HC, ordered to pay Tk 119cr tax
Economist Dr. Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank, has been ordered by the High Court to pay Tk 119 crore in taxes for the years starting from 2011. Yunus Center clarified that the money discussed in media is from his legitimate earnings, mainly from fees, book sales, and prize money earned abroad, all declared in his income tax returns. Read more: Daily Bangladesh
Addressing Gender Gaps in Bangladesh’s Economy
A recent study by the Centre for Research and Development reveals a 6.91% gender gap in financial inclusion in Bangladesh, with 67.42% of men and 60.51% of women using banking, mobile financial, and micro-credit services. This study, conducted over two and a half years, sheds light on disparities between urban and rural areas, revealing that women lag behind in banking and mobile financial services but lead in Micro Finance Institutions. Meanwhile, Bangladesh faces challenges in workplace rights, trailing South Asian countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, and India. The World Bank’s ‘Women, Business, and the Law 2024’ report identifies challenges in mobility, the workplace, pay, marriage, entrepreneurship, and other areas. Only 3.7% of Bangladesh’s female workforce works in the formal sector, with a shortage of women in managerial positions and businesses. Despite their educational advancements, women face limited job opportunities and are frequently subjected to early marriages, violence, and social norms. Efforts are underway to address these issues, with a focus on social transformation, mindset changes, and policy interventions to ensure women’s rights and equal opportunity in Bangladesh.
Asia Headlines Quick Recap 🌏
South Korea Deploys Military, Public Health Doctors To Strike-Hit Hospitals
South Korea deployed military physicians and public health doctors to assist hospitals affected by the ongoing strike by nearly 12,000 trainee doctors from 100 hospitals. Read more: Arise News
Japan Q4 GDP revised up to slight expansion, economy avoids recession
Japan’s Q4 GDP was revised up to a slight 0.4% expansion, surpassing the initial 0.4% contraction estimate, avoiding a recession. Read more: CNA
North Korean missiles developed with foreign help, Nikkei finds
According to a Nikkei investigation, North Korea likely conducted joint research with other countries, including China, to develop military technologies, with over 110 papers indicating violations of UN sanctions. Read more: Nikkei Asia
Thousands of Chinese workers leave Africa as lack of funding and impact of pandemic take their toll
Thousands of Chinese workers have left Africa over the past decade, with a 64% decline since 2015 attributed to dwindling project funding and the pandemic. Read more: SCMP
Thank you for Reading!!!
