1. Minerals fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of provinces. As per Aghaaz Huqooq Balochistan package, ownership of #Saindak should have been transferred to GoB upon expiry of lease in 2012.

Qs for you:
I) Why GoP still manages the project? Why SML remains a GoP-owned Co.?

https://twitter.com/hammad_azhar/status/1493531309586759687

2. In original negotiations held in 2001-02, it was agreed tht a copper refinery would be established in Balochistan in 10 years’ time.

Why has the refinery not been setup after 20 years?

Does an independent mechanism exist to verify quantity of gold & copper being produced?

I wrote this op-Ed on establishing durable piece in #Balochistan 3 years ago. Every word still relevant.

“Military needs to realise that hard approach alone can ensure only temporary peace & that a low-level insurgency could continue almost indefinitely”. dawn.com/news/1478672 A. Recipe 4 Peace in #Balochistan:
1) Recognise that #Baloch insurgency is mainly home-grown & that there is genuine local grievance caused by pol failures.
2) Appreciate tht kinetic measures alone can’t eliminate insurgency. A low-scale conflict could continue almost indefinitly

1. The position taken by @HinaRKhar is the same that military est has been peddling for 10 years. Just bec she says it makes it no less problematic.
Here is why:
1) Pak claims that it has no favourites in AFG but at same time maintains that it can’t act against Taliban in Pak.

https://twitter.com/mehdihasanshow/status/1427430352386207745

2. This position has inherent paradox. If #Taliban are using your territory to launch war against AFG govt, you are reluctant to use whatever it takes to prevent them from using ur territory, then u are FAVOURING Taliban agnst AFG Govt. So the “neutrality” claim is untenable.

@mjdawar addressing #PDMKarachiJalsa

Welcomes the leadership of PDM, says words of special thanks for @BBhuttoZardari for inviting him and greets the people of Karachi. He has put on a Sindhi ajrak and calls Karachi a mini Pakistan. Pays tribute to the martyrs of #Karsaaz. @mjdawar starts from where Mian Nawaz Sharif had finished his speech in Gujranwala. He endorses the hard-hitting speech of MNS and criticises PM IK for failing to respond to the genuine questions asked by MNS.

Demands a “Truth Commission” to investigate these allegations.

Thread on #chamanborder situation

1. Chaman is the most imp border town along Durand Line in BAL. Social setup here is tribal. The DL has divided villages, tribes and relatives.

There are houses with one gate in Pak’s territory & another gate falling Afghan territory. 2. Border towns like Chaman & Taftan r backbone of BAL’s largely-informal economy. Closure of borders literally chokes economic activity in province.

Across #Chaman is the Waish Mandi, where Transit trade goods are offloaded. What we know as smuggling is trade for local people.

To all the opponents of #AuratAzadiMarch2020

Here is why I support Aurat March:

1)Most women in my region are treated inhumanely. They conceive 12 times on average, lack access to even basic healthcare, go 4 first ante-natal checkup only during last 2 months of pregnancy. 2) I know women who are regularly subjected to physical violence by husbands but they can’t even complain bec it might lead to even worse consequence ie divorce. Parents are usually aware but they are helpless in such circumstances.

Even people in pos of authority are of no help

1. Many are furious over Afghans 4 reported violence of some fans yesterday. I made a tweet tht condemned this behaviour & tried to explain why ordinary Afghans hate us.

Reponses I got were full of hatred & lies--making me realise how ill-informed we are abt Pak-Afghan relations 2. Most referred to pre-1979 history of hostility.

Pre-1979, AFG remained a good neighbour except when Dawood was ruling. AFG provided us discreet help in 1965 & 1971 wars. In 1971, Brezhnev offerred King Zahir to join him & India in eliminating Pak. KZ rejected it.

@FinancialTimes story has reignited the debate on CPEC in Pak. Impassioned & heated debate on the subject has precluded nuanced discussion. CPEC is neither another East India Co nor a game changer. It is an opportunity that can go in our favour if we do our homework & vice versa Few areas of legitimate concern reg CPEC are:
Sovereign guarantee crisis related to FDI in energy sector
High project costs proposed by Chinese feasibilities nd conflict of interest issues
Uncertainty abt mpact on local industries & regional disparities
Lack of transparency