Israeli PM Netanyahu met with Saudi Crown Prince Israeli Education Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed, Saudi foreign minister denied reports

Posted on November 23, 2020

asgharalimubarakblog

BY;ASGHAR ALI MUBARAK

Israeli PM Netanyahu met with Saudi Crown Prince Israeli Education Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed, Saudi foreign minister denied reports

BY;ASGHAR ALI MUBARAK

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday in the Saudi city of Neom, in the first meeting between the two leaders, an Israeli minister confirmed but Saudi foreign minister has denied reports of a groundbreaking meeting Sunday between top Israeli officials and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“I have seen press reports about a purported meeting between His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Israeli officials during the recent visit by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. No such meeting occurred,” Faisal bin Farhan said on Twitter on Monday. “The only officials present were American and Saudi.”

Israeli media alleged Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly traveled with Pompeo to Saudi Arabia for a meeting…

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Israeli PM Netanyahu met with Saudi Crown Prince Israeli Education Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed, Saudi foreign minister denied reports

Posted on November 23, 2020

BY;ASGHAR ALI MUBARAK

Israeli PM Netanyahu met with Saudi Crown Prince Israeli Education Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed, Saudi foreign minister denied reports

BY;ASGHAR ALI MUBARAK

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday in the Saudi city of Neom, in the first meeting between the two leaders, an Israeli minister confirmed but Saudi foreign minister has denied reports of a groundbreaking meeting Sunday between top Israeli officials and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“I have seen press reports about a purported meeting between His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Israeli officials during the recent visit by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. No such meeting occurred,” Faisal bin Farhan said on Twitter on Monday. “The only officials present were American and Saudi.”

Israeli media alleged Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly traveled with Pompeo to Saudi Arabia for a meeting with the crown prince.

If the reports were true, it would be the first known meeting between leaders of Israel and Saudi Arabia, amid a controversial Israeli push to normalize ties with Arab states.

Reports from Haaretz and Walla news said the meeting was held in Saudi Arabia with the participation of Yossi Cohen, the head of the Israeli spy agency Mossad.

Netanyahu’s office did not deny the news, the outlets noted.

Recently, Farhan said normalization with Israel would eventually take place within the framework of a Palestinian-Israeli peace plan.

Mean while according to media reports speaking on Israel’s Army Radio, Education Minister Yoav Gallant, a member of the Prime Minister’s Likud party, called the meeting an “incredible achievement” and congratulated Netanyahu.

“Let us say that the very existence of the meeting, the fact that it was put out publicly, even if it is only half-official at the moment, [is] a matter of great importance from any aspect and matter,” Gallant said when asked by the radio interviewer about the meeting.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was also in the city of Neom as part of his swing through the region, two days after he had been in Israel.

The Israeli and Saudi governments have not commented officially on the meeting, which was first reported by Barak Ravid of Walla! News and Axios. Netanyahu was joined by Mossad head Yossi Cohen, who has spearheaded the normalization efforts between Israel and the Sunni Gulf states.

A private business jet often used by Israeli officials was tracked flying from Israel toward Saudi Arabia and the city of Neom on Sunday, according to flight tracking websites ADS-B Exchange, Flight Aware, and others. The flight returned to Israel a few hours later.

The meeting is the first of its kind between the Israeli Prime Minister and the Saudi Crown Prince, and it comes just months after the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain normalized relations with Israel. Bahrain almost certainly had tacit Saudi approval for the move, given the tiny kingdom’s reliance and closeness to Saudi Arabia, analysts have said.

A short time before the flight left Israel; Netanyahu foreshadowed the continued change in relations with more Gulf States.

Speaking at a memorial ceremony for Israel’s first leader, David Ben-Gurion, Netanyahu said, “Following the peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan, recently, within six weeks, we brought three new peace agreements and normalization agreements: with the UAE, with Bahrain, and with Sudan. If we continue down this path of strengthening Israel’s power, and strengthening the ties with the moderate Arab world that push toward stability and advancement — we will see more Arab states that widen the circle of peace.”

National Commission for Minorities (NCM) Act, 2020 draft bill meeting held

Posted on November 23, 2020 Updated on November 23, 2020

National Commission for Minorities (NCM) Act, 2020 draft bill meeting held

By;Asghar Ali Mubarak

Islamabad; A meeting to discuss the draft bill for National Commission for Minorities (NCM) Act, 2020, was held today under the chairmanship of Hon’ble Dr. Muhammad Shoaib Suddle, One-Member Commission, appointed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Sardar Ajaz Ahmad Khan Jaffar, Secretary, Ministry of Religious Affaris & Interfaith Harmony (MORA), Mr. Muhammad Arshad, DG, Ministry of Human Rights, Mr. Saqib Jillani, ASC, Member Committee, Suddle Commission and Mr. Chela Ram Kewlani, Chairman and twelve members of National Commission for Minorities attended the meeting, in addition to representatives from the Ministry of Law and Justice.

2.            Draft bill for the establishment of a fully empowered and independent National Commission for Minorities conforming to Paris Principles was discussed. After through discussion/deliberations, a Sub-Committee to finalize the “Draft Bill’ was formed comprising the following members:-

i.              Mr. Sqib Jillan, ASC (Representation from the One-Man Commission)

ii.            Ms. Saira Safdar, (Representation from National Commission for Minorities)

3.            The Sub-Committee was asked to finalize the draft bill on priority so that this long-pending matter could be put to rest at the earliest.

4.            Dr. Suddle particularly appreciated the cooperation extended by the Secretary, Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Chairman and members of the National Commission for Minorities.

Earlier Pakistani minorities, non-Muslim citizens of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and human rights organizations have refused the newly formed minority commission by the government of Pakistan, as it was constituted by an executive order rather an act of Parliament. Moreover, its membership process is not transparent. Many Muslim members are included, while Ahmadi community is excluded because of the pressure from the right-wing Muslim groups. The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) was notified on 11 May by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony (MRAIH). The cabinet approved it on 5 May, but it opposed the inclusion of the Ahmaddiya community’s representative. Pakistan’s civil society organisations, lawyers, media persons across the country opposed the newly formed body, because it is established through the executive order than the act of Parliament. Executive Director of the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), and Chairman People’s Commission for Minority Rights (PCMR) Peter Jacob observed that government had tried to mislead public opinion by creating a toothless body for minorities through a cabinet decision. Jacob has been campaigning for instituting a statutory National Commission for Minorities Rights, which Pakistan has pledged to under international norms several times without delivering on it. The former Senate (upper house of the parliament) chairman Mian Raza Rabbani declared it illegal, as its formation is in violation of a judgment given by then Chief Justice of Pakistan Tasaduq Hussain Jilani on 19 June 2014. Dr. Shoaib Suddle’sone-man commission on minorities filed a petition in the Supreme Court on 7 May and informed the court that the Ministry of Religious Affairs is non-cooperative in establishing a council for the protection of minorities’ right in the light of court’s 2014 ruling. Suddle’s commission was established by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in January 2019 in the light of apex court’s landmark judgment of 2014, in which the court required government to establish council to protect minority rights. The verdict came after the sue moto case of the supreme court. Peter Jacob, a veteran human rights activist, told The Diplomate, “The Suddle Commission was an implementation commission working purely on the judicial orders. Therefore, it is not a substitute to a permanent National Commission for Minorities Rights.”    There will be 6 official and 12 non-official members on the commission. Chela Ram Kewlani, a Hindu by faith, and a leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the ruling party, has been appointed as the chairman of the commission, who will serve the commission for a three-year term. Minority rights organisations demanded that the chairman should be a neutral person rather member of the ruling party. The commission will formulate suggestions for development of a national policy to promote peace and harmony in the country and ensure effective participation of minorities into the national life.  Human rights organisations ask the government to establish an independent commission through an adequate, fair and consultative process, where minorities are consulted. Furthermore, it should be done by the parliament rather as a body in Ministry of Religious Affairs. Furthermore, its members’ selection criteria were not transparent. There is no representation of Schedule Casts in the commission, who formed the biggest section of the Hindu community. It should be an autonomous body as The National Commission on Human Rights, the National Commission on the Status of Women, and the Commission on the Rights of the Child. A Christian political leader Sarfraz Clement said, “the way the commission has formed will not resolve minorities issues, such as cases under blasphemy laws and forced conversion of Christian and Hindu girls. Moreover, the issues like, church property disputes, and denationalisation of Christian schools.”   Interestingly, two members of the commission are Muslim. The six official members are from various ministries, all Muslim, and the chairman of the Islamic Council of Ideology (ICI) is also Muslim. Minority leaders said if non-Muslim cannot be part of the Islamic Ideology Council, a constitutional body, then why include Muslim members in the minority commission? They claimed that the inclusion of Muslims and bureaucrats will undermine the representation of minorities. Th members of the commission belong to the Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Parsi and Kalash communities. The three Christian members of the commission are: Roman Catholic Archbishop Sebastian Francis Shaw of Lahore, Prof. Dr. Sarah Safdar, and Mr. Albert David. There is no representation of Ahmadis. Rabwah Times, a digital media publication of the Ahmadi community in Pakistan, stated that originally on 29 April, the cabinet ordered to include the Ahmadis in the commission, but later Imran Khan’s cabinet backpedalled after being pressured by the Muslim religious groups. As the news about the inclusion of the Ahmadi members in the commission surfaced, many Muslims strongly condemned the government’s move. Some anchors of the current affair TV shows also took hard-line on this issue. However, international organisations, such as Human Rights Watch (HRW), showed their concerns on the issue and demanded that the government should immediately reverse its decision against the Ahmadis, a persecuted community in the country. In the latest development, the Punjab Assembly demanded through a resolution on 12 May that Ahmadis should be included into the body if their top leadership submit a written request by accepting their status as non-Muslim. Ahmadis were declared non-Muslim by the parliament in 1974. Muslims perceive them as heretic; therefore, they are badly treated socially and politically. A petition was also filed at Islamabad High Court (IHC) by Shohda Foundation of Pakistan against the federal cabinet’s decision and requested that the court should issue a direction for the inclusion of Ahmadis as non-Muslim in the NCM. This is not the first minority commission. The first commission was constituted in 1990. Later, it was re-formed several times with changing governments. Pakistan is an Islamic country, where non-Muslims are considered minorities under the constitution. According to the national population census 2017, Muslims make up 96.47% of the total population, while minorities make up only 3.53%. Hindus are 1.73%, while Christians are 1.27%. Other minority communities include Ahmadis, Sikh, Kalash and Schedule Casts. Generally, minorities face discrimination and experience persecution because of their faith.

Rangers, ISI officers involved in ‘Karachi incident’ removed: Pakistan Army

Posted on November 10, 2020

Rangers, ISI officers involved in ‘Karachi incident’ removed: Pakistan Army

By;Asghar Ali Mubarak

Rawalpindi; ISPR chief Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar addresses the media during a past briefing. ISPR said on Tuesday that the security officials involved in the Karachi incident are being removed for acting imprudently.

The Court of Inquiry formed on the orders of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has recommended the removal of Pakistan Rangers and Inter-Services Intelligence (IS) officials involved in the ‘Karachi incident’ for creating “an unwarranted situation that led to misunderstanding between two state institutions”.

The inquiry had been ordered by the army chief after the Sindh police chief and several senior officers of the provincial police force had sought extended leave from duty saying they had been left demoralised due to the circumstances surrounding the arrest of PML-N leader Capt Muhammad Safdar on October 19. 

The statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations on Tuesday notified that the inquiry “pertaining to the issue of redress of Inspector General of Police Sindh’s grievances” had been completed and that it had recommended the removal of all security agencies’ officers found involved in the events of October 18 and 19, 2020. 

“The Court of Inquiry has established that on the night of October 18/19, officers from Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) and the ISI sector Headquarters Karachi were considerably seized with the fallout of the desecration of Mazar-e-Quaid,” the statement read.

“They [the security officers] were under increasing public pressure to ensure prompt action as per the law. Assessing the response of police authorities against this developing yet volatile situation to be slow and wanting, in a charged environment, the concerned ISI/Rangers officers decided to act, rather over-zealously,” the statement added.

“They were indeed experienced enough to have acted more prudently and could have avoided creating an unwarranted situation that led to misunderstanding between the two state institutions,” it said.

The ISPR statement said that “it has been decided to remove the concerned officers from their current assignments for further departmental proceedings and disposal at [the Army’s] General Headquarters (GHQ).”

Mean while PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari welcomed the Court of Inquiry’s decision to remove the Rangers and ISI officials involved in the incident.

“To take action against those found guilty of an act is the democratic way,” he said during a jalsa in Nagar. “Such actions enhance the prestige of institutions. I hope we will take this initiative forward and join hands to work together,” he said. 

Bilawal appreciated army chief General Bajwa for taking notice of the incident and ordering an inquiry into it. More over reacting to the ISPR statement, Information Minister Shibli Faraz appreciated the army chief for initiating the inquiry and implementing the recommendations.

Information Minister Shibli Faraz, who had termed the incident as a political gimmick by the PPP, appreciated the army chief for initiating the inquiry and implementing the recommendations.

“We accept what happened. Since the issue was concerning Quaid-e-Azam, they [security officials] acted emotionally which I feel they should not have.”

“But the ISPR has given its decision and we welcome it,” he added.

When reminded that the federal government hadn’t taken it seriously, Faraz said this was a provincial issue. “The federal government had nothing to do with it. The Sindh government and institutions that operate in the province were responsible for it.”

“In our experience, the Sindh government politicizes everything – be it the coronavirus or the wheat crisis. Hence we had our reservations,” he stressed. “Now that the ISPR has issued the finding, the Sindh IG Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar should also investigate the ‘mutiny’ in police.” mean while Sindh Police’s Digital Media Cell had tweeted, then deleted, then tweeted again a statement defending Captain Safdar’s arrest, saying it was done “according to the law”.

The department’s Twitter activity, which indicated that not all was well within the provincial police, had raised eyebrows.

On October 19, several high ranking officers of the Sindh Police requested to proceed on leave. 

However, the army chief personally took note of the situation, ordering an inquiry into the matter and promising action once it was completed.

In a series of tweets, Sindh Police had subsequently thanked the army chief for “realising the sense of hurt that prevailed within a uniformed force and for promptly ordering an inquiry into the matter”.

A day later, IG Sindh Mushtaq Mahar deferred his own leave and ordered Sindh police officers to set aside their leave applications for 10 days, “pending the conclusion of the inquiry”.

Pakistani 15-member squad announced for the third ODI against Zimbabwe

Posted on November 2, 2020

Pakistani 15-member squad announced for the third ODI against Zimbabwe

By;Asghar Ali Mubarak

A 15-member national squad has been announced for the third ODI against Zimbabwe.Three changes have been made to the squad. Three young Pakistani cricketers Zafar Gohar, Abdullah Shafiq and Muhammad Hasnain are ready set to make their ODI debut in the third ODI against Zimbabwe in Rawalpindi. Zafar Gohar, Abdullah Shafiq and Muhammad Hasnain named in the 15-man squad for the last ODI match, all three players have been included in the squad in place of Abid Ali, Emad Wasim and Haris Rauf . Where Pakistan is looking to go 3-0 clean sweep after winning the two ODI on Friday by 26 runs and on Sunday by six wickets.15 member squad for Third ODI is as under ;

1. Imam ul Haq

2. Fakhar Zaman

3. Haider Ali

4. Babar Azam- captain

5. Abdullah Shafiq

6. Mohammad Rizwan- wk

7. Iftikhar Ahmed

8. Khushdil Shah

9. Faheem Ashraf

10. Zafar Gohar

11. Usman Qadir

12. Wahab Riaz

13. Shaheen Shah Afridi

14. Mohammad Hasnain

15. Musa Khan

Four-member delegation of ‘Cricket South Africa’ arrives in Islamabad

Posted on November 2, 2020 Updated on November 2, 2020

Four-member delegation of ‘Cricket South Africa’ arrives in Islamabad

By;Asghar Ali Mubarak

Islamabad: A South African cricket delegation has arrived in Pakistan to review arrangements for upcoming series against Pakistan. According to details; a four-member delegation of Cricket South Africa (CSA) has arrived in Islamabad to review security arrangements ahead of South Africa’s proposed tour to Pakistan.The delegation headed by CSA’s Cricket Operation Manager Mike Gajjar also includes South Africa Players Association representative Stephen Craig Cook, CSA’s security consultant Rory Steyn and South Africa’s team security manager Mohamed Zunaid Wadee. The four-member team underwent corona virus tests upon their arrival in Islamabad and will start activities in Islamabad after tests are negative.During stay in Rawalpindi, representatives of the African cricket board will also watch match between Pakistan and Zimbabwe. Pakistan Cricket Board and Cricket South Africa are holding talks regarding proposed series scheduled to be held next year.

The delegation will review various aspects of the South African team’s visit to Pakistan. After observation and review, the delegation will submit its report to Cricket South Africa for final decision.

The South African team is scheduled to visit Pakistan in early 2021, with first Test planned in Karachi from January 26.The Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced on Tuesday to send a security assessment delegation to Pakistan this weekend with a view to playing in the country in early 2021.

If the tour goes ahead it will be South Africa’s first visit to Pakistan since 2007/08.

Two subsequent “away” tours were staged in the United Arab Emirates because of security concerns following a 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore.

According to the International Cricket Council’s future tours programme, South Africa are due to play in two world Test championship matches as well as three Twenty20 internationals in January and February.The first Test will be in Centurion from December 26 to 30 and the second Test will be in Johannesburg from January 3 to 7. It is pertinent mentioned here that the entire board of Cricket South Africa (CSA) has resigned ahead of a government-imposed deadline for it to co-operate in an investigation of misconduct within the sport’s national governing body. The acting president and a group of board members resigned at a meeting Sunday and the remainder stepped down, Cricket South Africa said. Three board members will stay in their roles temporarily “to ensure the continuity and stability of the organisation,” CSA said.It’s unclear how a new board will operate in the short-term but the South African sports ministry and the national Olympic committee wants to appoint a team to investigate the allegations.CSA fired its CEO for serious misconduct in August but refused to make the results of an investigation of him public. It also refused to allow the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, an umbrella body for sports in South Africa, to conduct their own investigation.

That prompted the sports ministry to become involved. It gave CSA  a week to co-operate or the government would intervene. Government intervention would put South Africa at risk of being banned from international cricket by the sport’s global governing body.
Six ‘non-independent’ board members — elected from cricket structures — were also part of the members’ council.

CSA president Beresford Williams resigned from both bodies but the other four non-independent board members who resigned on Sunday said they would remain part of the members’ council.

All three of the directors who will remain in place until the formation of an interim board are non-independent directors — Zola Thamae, John Mogodi and Donovan May.After the CSA’s entire board resigned , acting chief executive Kugandrie Govender said the matches against Sri Lanka, like those for the upcoming white-ball series against England, would be played without spectators because of Covid-19 restrictions.On their previous visit to South Africa in 2018-19, Sri Lanka gained an upset 2-0 series win — the first by an Asian team in a Test series in South Africa.CSA also announced Australia would visit South Africa for three world Test championship matches in March and April 2021, to be followed by Pakistan, who will play three one-day internationals and three T20 internationals. Dates for these tours will be announced later.It was previously announced South Africa will host England in three T20 and three one-day internationals in Cape Town and Paarl between November 27 and December 9.The South African men’s team has not been in action since a one-day tour of India was called off because of the corona virus pandemic in March.

Special Training for Women Law Enforcement Officers on Investigative Techniques related to Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants Held

Posted on November 2, 2020

Special Training for Women Law Enforcement Officers on Investigative Techniques related to Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants Held

Posted on November 2, 2020

Special Training for Women Law Enforcement Officers on Investigative Techniques related to Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants

BY;ASGHAR ALI MUBARAK

Islamabad – The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), under the framework of the Global Action to Prevent and Address Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants in Asia and the Middle East (GLO.ACT – Asia and the Middle East), is organizing from 2 to 6 November 2020 a special training for 25 female law enforcement officers on investigative techniques related to Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and the Smuggling of Migrants (SOM) at the Ramada Hotel Islamabad, Pakistan.

GLO.ACT-Asia and the Middle East is a four year joint initiative by the European Union (EU) and UNODC implemented in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in four countries in the region of Asia and Middle East, including Pakistan. The project reaffirms that combating human trafficking and migrant smuggling is of the highest importance for the EU and the United Nations as a whole.

Welcoming the participants, Jeremy Milsom, Representative, UNODC Pakistan said “As a woman who is raising a family while pursuing a career you face the challenge of doing two full-time jobs at once. Yet your positions as law enforcement officers place additional burdens on you at work and at home, requiring you to intervene, console, and protect other families while also maintaining peace within your community. We deeply admire the dedication, skills and enthusiasm you bring to both these tasks.”

Wajid Zia, Director General FIA, in his opeining remarks, while thanking UNODC and EU said“ The presence of all these women law enfrocememet officers here is evidence of a strong partnership and a shared recognition in the indisputable correlation between women’s empowerment and global peace.” He further added that “during the past few years, our joint efforts have resulted in several accomplishments. These include the development of Pakistan’s National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling (2015-2020), the enactment of TIP and SOM Laws in June 2018. These efforts show our strong commitment to address problems related to human trafficking and migrant smuggling.”

Highlighting the importance of women’s role in policing, Androulla Kaminara, Ambassador of the European Union to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan said, “There are many benefits when women are better represented in law enforcement. In gender-based forms of violence, such as trafficking in persons, the security needs of men and women differ.  Women bring skills that strengthen and improve the police force – and are less likely to resort to force. Women police officers are able to connect with communities on a different level- and their presence can help improve internal team dynamics. I hope to see more women represented in law enforcement to make justice more accessible to a broader spectrum of society”

17 female officers from the Federal Investigation Agecny (FIA) and 8 female police officers of the Punjab police will participate in the training. Upon conclusion of the training the participants will understand the differences and connections between TIP and SOM, and will have gained a demonstrable understanding of both, international and national legal frameworks, concerning those crimes. Participants will also understand how human trafficking and migrant smuggling intersect with other crimes, and how other articles of law can be relevant in such cases.  GLO.ACT seeks to address the heavly gendered nature of TIP and SOM through such specialized training and is hopeful that middle and senior managers will be encouraged to ensure that the training participants will be given access to the full range of police duties.

The training is being in strict adherence to  the government COVID-19 guidelines and is made possible with the financial support of the European Union.

Pakistan wins the One Day International series against Zimbabwe at Rawalpindi

Posted on November 1, 2020

Pakistan wins the One Day International series against Zimbabwe at Rawalpindi

By;Asghar Ali Mubarak

Rawalpindi; Pakistan cricket team wins the one day international series against Zimbabwe in the the second ODI played at Rawalpindi by six wicket victory. The victory gave Pakistan an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. Pakistani team also earned 10 additional super league points; they now have 20 points (two wins in two matches). Overall, today’s win was Pakistan’s eight consecutive in the ODI format. The Pakistani talented off-spinner Iftikhar Ahmed’s maiden five-wicket haul helped Pakistan record a comprehensive six-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the second match of the three-match ODI series that is a part of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on Sunday evening.Earlier Zimbabwe won the toss and opted to bat first. Pakistan gave ODI caps to Haider Ali and Musa Khan, fast bowler Haris Rauf appearing in his second ODI picked his first wicket in the format when he dismissed Zimbabwe skipper Chamu Chibhabha (6) with wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan taking the catch Craig Ervine became Musa’s first international wicket when he was bowled for three; Musa had played one Test and one T20I before today’s match but had remained wicket-less.Brian Chari was dismissed for 25 runs by Faheem Ashraf which left Zimbabwe 59 for three in the 16^th over. Iftikhar then took the centre stage; his first wicket was of Brendan Taylor who fell for 36 off 45 balls (three fours, two sixes) with Imam-ul-Haq taking the catch. Man-of-the-match Iftikhar kept chipping away with wickets while bowling a probing line and length with his off-spin as Zimbabwe slipped from 120 for three to 206 all out in the 46^th over of their innings. Iftikhar ended with figures of 10-2-40-5. Musa added Carl Mumba’s wicket to finish off the Zimbabwe innings, the right-armer took two wickets for 21 runs in 6.1 overs.In reply, Pakistan openers Imam and Abid Ali provided a 68-run start which was broken when Abid was sent packing by Tendai Chisoro for 22. Chisoro made the second breakthrough when he had Imam caught behind for 49 (five fours, 61 balls). Imam fell with 100 runs on the board in 16.2 overs.Haider Ali  displayed his shot range in a breezy 29 off 24 balls which included two sixes and one four. He was dismissed lbw by Williams with the total at 137 in the 22^nd over. Sikander Raza accounted for Rizwan who fell for one with the total at 162 in 26.1 overs. Iftikhar (16 not out, 24 balls, one four) finished the game in the company of his captain Babar Azam who remained not out on a typically stylish 77 off 74 balls (seven fours, two sixes) as Pakistan completed the chase with six wickets and 88 balls to spare.The pair of Babar and Iftikhar added 46 runs for the unbroken fifth-wicket partnership. Babar’s fifty was the 16^th of his prolific ODI career; he also has 11 hundreds to his name. Chisoro took two wickets for 49 runs in his 10 overs.The third and final ODI of the series will be played on Tuesday at the same venue.

Scores in brief:

Zimbabwe 206, all out in 45.1 overs (Sean Williams 75, Brendan Taylor 36; Iftikhar Ahmed 5-40, Musa Khan 2-21)

Pakistan 208-4 35.2 overs (Babar Azam 77 not out, Imam-ul-Haq 49, Haider Ali 29; Tendai Chisoro 2-49)

Result: Pakistan won by six wickets

Man-of-the-match – Iftikhar Ahmed 

Next match:

3 Nov – 3^rd ODI, Rawalpindi. Aleem Dar and Rashid Riaz (on-field umpires), Ahsan Raza (third umpire), Asif Yaqoob (fourth umpire); Javed Malik (match referee)

USA 2020 election will be held on November 3, voters having to choose between incumbent Republican President, Donald Trump, and Democratic challenger Joe Biden…

Posted on November 1, 2020

USA 2020 election will be held on November 3, voters having to choose between incumbent Republican President, Donald Trump, and Democratic challenger Joe Biden…
AsgharAli Mubarak. .
The 2020 US election will be held on November 3, with voters having to choose between incumbent Republican President, Donald Trump, and Democratic challenger Joe Biden. While the build-up to the elections will most likely focus on the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and the current state of racism in the US, the issue of nuclear disarmament could easily be pushed to the side. Given the vast ideological differences between the two candidates, the result of the 2020 US election will determine future US nuclear weapons policy for years to come.
President Trump’s Nuclear Weapons Policy
Since taking office in January 2017, President Trump has overseen a nuclear weapons policy that was in many ways a massive shift from the typical US approach.

In terms of foreign policy, President Trump has preferred unilateralism over multilateralism. The Trump administration’s swift withdrawals from the JCPOA (Iran nuclear deal) and the INF treaty, as well as an imminent withdrawal from the Open Skies Treaty are a reversal of several decades of US belief in international cooperation when it comes to the nuclear arena. A possible withdrawal from the New START and a return to nuclear testing for the first time in 28 years only confirm President Trump’s disregard for nuclear disarmament.

President Trump has, on more than one occasion, resorted to a nuclear weapons policy that can only be described as nuclear brinksmanship. He withdrew from the JCPOA in the hopes of forcing Iran into signing a new deal; a move which almost resulted in a military conflict between the two states. He has used the same tactics, without much success, in the New START negotiations with Russia, where he initially refused to extend the treaty unless China was brought to the table. Indeed, his talks with North Korean Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-un have followed the same pattern after he threatened North Korea with “fire and fury like the world has never seen.”
On the domestic front, President Trump’s nuclear spending is another cause for concern. According to a report by ICAN, the US spent US$35.4 billion on nuclear weapons in 2019,an increase from the $29.6 billion spent the previous year.[2]The US nuclear weapon spending in 2019 accounted for almost half of global nuclear spending. A Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report on the Projected Costs of US Nuclear Forces, 2019 to 2028shows that if the current trend for nuclear spending is followed, the US nuclear forces would cost US$494 billion over the next 10years, US$94 billion more than CBO’s previous estimate for the 2017-2026 period.

Source: “Surging US Nuclear Weapons Budget a Growing Danger,” Arms Control Association, March 18, 2020,

https://www.armscontrol.org/issue-briefs/2020-03/surging-us-nuclear-weapons-budget-growing-danger

This dramatic increase in nuclear spending, however, was simply a continuation of previous US policy of nuclear modernization. The former US President, Barack Obama, had authorized a nuclear modernization of US nuclear triad and production facilities; a program that would cost $1.2 trillion over 30-years.[4]Therefore, in terms of nuclear spending, President Trump has simply built on the foundation set by his predecessor.

The Trump Administration has also introduced plans to develop and deploy two new types of missiles armed with low-yield nuclear warheads; one a submarine-launched cruise missile and the other a submarine-launched ballistic missile.[5] Another disturbing development was highlighted in the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review, which signalled a change in the US policy by stating that the US could use nuclear weapons in response to “significant non-nuclear strategic attacks,”[6] as opposed to against nuclear attacks only. Such actions lower the threshold of nuclear weapons use and make global cooperation on nuclear disarmament difficult.

It is safe to say that if re-elected in November, President Trump would carry on with the same nuclear weapons policy. This combination of unilateralism, nuclear brinksmanship and increased nuclear spending will only serve to destabilize the global nuclear disarmament regime and increase tensions between major nuclear states. There are already many indications that a modern nuclear arms race is underway, with rapid advancements being made in missile systems, cyber warfare and artificial intelligence, to name a few. Four more years of similar aggressive actions from President Trump would only give major states more incentives to invest in this arms race, which could have disastrous consequences.

Joe Biden’s Possible Nuclear Weapons Policy
If Joe Biden were to win the election in November, one could very well see an attempt to return to many Obama era nuclear weapons policies.

Biden, who was Vice-President during the Obama administration, has been an advocate of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation for many years. He has stated that he will restore “arms control and non-proliferation as a central pillar of the US global leadership.”[7]He has repeatedly criticized President Trump’s nuclear policies and has vowed to move away from them. Biden called a possible return to nuclear testing by President Trump “as reckless as it is dangerous.”[8]He has stated that he will re-enter, strengthen and extend the JCPOA, while also pursuing an extension of the New START. He is against the deployment of low-yield nuclear warheads and has stated his commitment to a No-First-Use (NFU) policy. While the Biden campaign has not explicitly stated its nuclear weapons policies towards other nuclear weapons states, a shift from President Trump’s policies seems likely.

To what extent a possible Biden administration would be able to overturn President Trump’s nuclear policies though, is still unclear. Re-entering the JCPOA would be no easy feat and a possible Biden administration would only have two weeks to extend the New START after the inauguration. Given President Trump’s unilateralism over the past 4 years, Biden might have to make major concessions to other states for the US to be seen as a global leader again.

Biden’s stance on nuclear modernization and spending, however, is expected to be quite similar to that of President Trump’s. Earlier in 2017, he credited former President Obama’s nuclear modernization program with “setting in motion steps to preserve a safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrent.”[9]He has indicated that he would not cut the Pentagon budgets, and has said: “We have to focus more on unmanned capacity, cyber and IT…some (advisors) have suggested in certain areas the budget is going to have to be increased.”[10]Indeed, nuclear modernization is an issue which has historically had bipartisan support in the US Congress.

When trying to predict what nuclear weapons policy a possible Biden administration might have, it is important to consider the vastly different global environment today than the one under the Obama administration. A resurgent Russia and rapidly growing China mean that the US will find it difficult to cut back on defense spending. Indeed, the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review recognizes this return to great power competition.[11] North Korea and Iran have also stated their desire to build up their nuclear programs. All these factors mean that, if elected President in November, Joe Biden will certainly have a tough time backing up his words when it comes to nuclear disarmament.

Conclusion
When it comes to the future of both the US and global nuclear weapons policy, the significance of the 2020 US elections cannot be overstated. Both President Trump and former Vice-President Biden have proposed vastly different policies when it comes to nuclear disarmament but mostly agree on the direction the US is going in terms of nuclear modernization and spending. Russia, China and other nuclear states will be eagerly following the upcoming US election, as their future nuclear weapons policies will be affected. The next few years are crucial in terms of global nuclear disarmament, as not only is the global environment constantly changing, but important advancements are being made in terms of emerging technologies. Global cooperation will be necessary now more than ever to navigate these uncharted waters. Whoever occupies the Oval Office come January, be it, Trump or Biden, will certainly have some important decisions to make.