ISLAMABAD, MAY 27 / DNA / = China cannot remain oblivious to India’s illegal constructions in Ladakh, says Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

He has warned that India’s aggressive policy towards its neighbours is putting regional peace and security at stake.

Talking to a private news channel on Wednesday, he said the world community must take notice of it.

The foreign minister expressed concerns over the construction of air strips and other infrastructure in the disputed territory of Ladakh. He said China does not want confrontation with India and desires to sort out issues through dialogue.

Qureshi said the Indian atrocities in occupied Jammu and Kashmir are before everybody and it is bent upon changing the demographic composition of the territory.

He said India has also used the land of Afghanistan against Pakistan.

  Sajjad Shaukat

Showing aggressive designs against Pakistan, on May 11, 1998, India conducted three nuclear tests and on May 13, 1998, two nuclear tests.

Notably, both the countries have waged three wars, especially on the issue of the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). Therefore, in response, Pakistan successfully carried out its five nuclear tests on May 28, 1998 and the sixth one on May 30, 1998.

In this regard, it took only 17 days for Pakistan to successfully carry out its five nuclear tests on May 28, 1998 and the sixth one on May 30, 1998, at Chaghi in Balochistan. For the purpose, about five thousands scientists including Dr Samarmand Mubarik and particularly Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan had worked day and night and made the defence of the country impregnable.

Therefore, with national zeal and fervour in different parts of the country, Youm-e-Takbeer (The day of greatness) is celebrated every year on May 28 as the national day to mark the conduction of nuclear tests.

It is noteworthy that in 1974, India conducted first nuclear test in Rajhistan’s Pokhran to pressurise Islamabad.

When Zulfikar Ali Bhutto came to power, he paid much attention to the nuclear programme, as he knew that India would apply its coercive diplomacy on Islamabad or could attack Pakistan.

Meanwhile, during many crises such as Kargil issue of 1999 and attack on the Indian parliament by the militants in 2001, New Delhi concentrated its troops across the Pakistan’s border, with the intention to invade Pakistan, while raising a series of false allegations against Islamabad. Pakistan was also compelled to deploy its Army along the Pak-India border. But, India did not dare to initiate a war because of Pakistan’s ‘Nukes.’ Similarly, in the past, Indian rulers had intended to implement their doctrine of limited war in Kashmir, but they could not do so owing to Pakistan’s atomic weapons.

And in the aftermath of false flag Mumbai terror attacks of 2008, India accused Pakistan’s primary spy agency ISI of supporting the militants. Although Pak diplomats denied Indian self-fabricated story, but New Delhi adopted a threatening posture against Islamabad. Once again, it deployed its troops across the Pakistani border. Again, Pakistan also concentrated its military to give a matching response to India.

Likewise, in the aftermath of the false flag terror of Pulwama, very tension escalated rapidly between the two countries on February 27, 2019. In response to the Indian so-called pre-emptive air strike near the town of Balakot, close to the border with Pakistan’s sector of Kashmir, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) shot down two Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets and launched aerial strikes at six targets in the (IOK). Pak Army also captured an Indian pilot.

The truth about India’s surgical strikes exposed, when Indian top civil and military leaders failed in providing any evidence. The then Indian India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also demitted that no Pakistani soldier or citizen died in the air strike in Balakot.

Nevertheless, after the Pulwama assault, India tried to make ground for a prospective invasion of Pakistan. But, it failed in acting upon its plans to wage a conventional war due to Pakistan’s atomic weapons.

In fact, since Narendar Modi, the leader of the ruling party BJP, became Indian Prime Minister; he has been implementing ideology of Hindutva (Hindu Nationalism) by persecuting the Muslims and creating war-hysteria among the Hindus against Pakistan.

In this respect, Indian extremist rulers’ various moves such as abrogation of the special status of the Jummu and Kashmir to turn Muslim majority into minority in the Indian Held Kashmir, continued lockdown in that region, martyrdom of thousands of the Kashmiris there, issuance of a notorious map to bifurcate the Kashmir region into two union territories and introduction of new domicile law against the majority of Kashmiris, including continued shelling by the Indian forces show that New Delhi has completely ended any sort of dialogue with Islamabad to settle the Kashmir dispute.

Now, the entire world is facing the coronavirus pandemic which has, rapidly, been taking the lives of many persons. At this crucial juncture, international community is coping with this deadly virus. But, under the guise of coronavirus, India has politicised the COVID-19 epidemic by accusing the Indian Muslims and Pakistan for spreading the virus in India. Availing the opportunity, Indian rulers have imposed various kinds of restrictions on the Muslims, while Hindu extremists have set off a series of assaults against Muslims across the country.

In this connection, DG of Inter-services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj-Gen Babar Iftikhar said on April 24, this year: “Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa stated…India’s attempt to link coronavirus with Muslims and Pakistan has failed badly…New Delhi has been promoting Hindutva and saffron terrorism…The fire of hatred which was first ignited in Indian-Occupied Kashmir has now spread across India…the whole world is facing the crises due to the coronavirus pandemic…India is still adamant on promoting RSS agenda in the region”.

In its reaction to the Indian 15-Corps Command interview with BBC on April 13, 2020,  Maj-Gen Babar Iftikhar termed India’s insinuation about infiltration and ceasefire violations (CFVs) “baseless” and elaborated that they were “designed to divert global and domestic attention from the “unending fiasco…No less delusional are the allegations about Pakistan infiltrating COVID-affected individuals into IOJK”.

Referring to the LoC, in a statement, ISPR pointed out on April 29, this year, “A Pakistan Army soldier and two civilians embraced martyrdom when Indian Army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violations along the Line of Control…Pakistan Army responded effectively, resulting in heavy losses to Indian troops, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa said the Indian Army will always get a befitting response to ceasefire violations…The Indian forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary have been continuously targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars…India has committed 913 ceasefire violations this year”.

It is mentionable that Indian Defence Rajnath Singh on August 16, 2014 had threatened Pakistan with nuclear war, while BJP leader Dr. Subramaniam Swami had also stated in the same year that India needed only two years to defeat Pakistan militarily, and the only solution of Kashmir was war, as “there is no peaceful, democratic solution”.

Taking cognizance of Indian war-like diplomacy, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has, repeatedly, been stating to inform the international community and the UNO that New Delhi can arrange any Pulwama-type false flag operation to carry out another military adventure inside Pakistani side of Kashmir—and any conventional war between both the countries could result into atomic war, having “severe repercussions, if they “silently witness ethnic cleansing of Muslims in IOK… they have failed to implement the UN resolutions on Kashmir…[which] remains a nuclear flashpoint in the South Asian region”.

It is worth-mentioning that the US dropped atomic bombs on Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as Tokyo had no such devices to retaliate. After the World War 11, nuclear weapons were never used. These were only employed as a strategic threat.

Nonetheless, unlike the former Soviet Union and the US who followed the principles of nuclear deterrence, popularly known as balance of terror, war-like situation exists between New Delhi and Islamabad due to the perennial firing by the Indian forces across the LoC in wake of the unsettled issue of Kashmir. So, India’s any military adventure or a prolonged conventional conflict with Pakistan could culminate into nuclear war.

Moreover, it is owing to atomic bombs that Pakistan can talk to India with honour and dignity, discouraging India from casting an evil eye on our motherland.

However, May 28 is celebrated as Youm-e-Takbeer by all the segments of society, including general masses; as on this very day, Pakistan became the 7th declared nuclear power in the world.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: [email protected]

Tashkent, Uzbekistan, MAY 27 — According to the results of January-April 2020, the foreign trade turnover (FTT) of Uzbekistan reached US$10.82 billion, which, compared with the same period of last year, decreased by US$1.3 billion.

Of the total FTT, exports reached US$4.41 billion (a decrease of 10.6% compared to January-April 2019 was recorded), while imports reached US$6.4 billion (a decrease of 10.8%) A passive balance of foreign trade turnover in the amount of US$1.99 billion was registered.

Uzbekistan has trade relations with more than 150 countries of the world. The largest volume of its foreign trade turnover among them was recorded with the Russian Federation (16.7%), China (16.6%), Kazakhstan (8.3%), the Republic of Korea (7.4%), Turkey (5.6%), Kyrgyzstan (2.0%) and Germany (2.0%).

Significant changes have been achieved in the structure of exports as a result of increased production of products that replaced imported goods and diversification of industrial production.

In addition, there is a strengthening of relations with neighboring countries, and a lot of work is being done to develop relations in the socio-economic, commercial, industrial and cultural spheres with these countries.

In particular, there have been significant changes in the FTT in recent years with neighboring countries, such as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The presence of an active foreign trade balance with Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan can be considered as a positive result in the country’s foreign trade.

The largest volume of the FTT with other states (except for neighboring countries) falls on Russia, China, the Republic of Korea and Turkey.

Among the 20 major partner countries in foreign economic activity, there is also an active foreign trade balance with six countries, in particular with Afghanistan (US$213.7 million), Kyrgyzstan (US$138.8 million), Tajikistan (US$93.7 million), Turkey (US$42.8 million), France (US$23.6 million) and Iran (US$8.0 million). With the remaining 14 countries, a passive balance of foreign trade is maintained.

One third of the FTT volume falls on the CIS countries and, in recent years, there is a tendency to increase this indicator. This, in turn, indicates the expansion of foreign economic relations with the CIS countries.

As a result of measures taken by the government of the republic to strengthen cooperation with the CIS countries and comprehensive support for foreign trade, the share of foreign trade of the CIS countries, compared to the same period of 2018, increased by 3.1% and their share in foreign trade, according to the results of January-April 2020, made up 35.1%.

The volume of foreign trade turnover of other states in January-April 2020 decreased (a decrease of 10.5%) and made up 64.9% of the total foreign trade turnover.

In January-April of the current year, the total number of exporting entities made up 3 651 units and this ensured that the volume of exports, excluding special exports, reached up to US$2.86 billion (a decrease of 22.9% compared to the same period of 2019).

In the export structure, 83.0% is occupied by goods, which mainly account for industrial goods (17.1%), mineral fuels, lubricating oils and similar materials (8.0%), food products and live animals (6.2%).

There is a difference in the direction of export of goods and services between the CIS countries and other foreign countries. So, 27.5% of exports to the CIS countries primarily accounted for services, followed by industrial goods, various finished products, as well as mineral fuel, lubricating oils and similar materials.

During the reporting period, the export of beverages, tobacco, non-food raw materials (except fuel), machinery and transport equipment, various finished products, as well as animal and vegetable oil to the CIS countries increased at the fastest pace, the decline was primarily noted in the export of mineral fuels, food and chemicals.

An analysis of the structure of exported goods and services in January-April 2020, sent to other countries, showed that, compared with January-April 2019, the volume of exports of machinery and transport equipment, raw materials of non-food, mineral fuels, lubricants and similar materials, as well as services declined.

Over the past three years, the volume of exports to the CIS countries has increased and their share in its total volume has increased from 24.2% to 30.2%. Accordingly, the share of the total exports of other foreign countries decreased from 75.8% to 69.8%.

Compared with January-April 2018-2019, our main partners in the export of goods and services in foreign trade in January-April 2020 were such countries as the Russian Federation (11.9% of total exports), China (11, 6%), Turkey (7.3%), Kazakhstan (5.3%), Afghanistan (4.9%), Kyrgyzstan (4.1%) and Tajikistan (2.8%). Their share in total exports reached 47.8%.

In January-April 2020, compared to the same period, among the seven major partner countries for the export of goods and services, China went down one position, losing its leading position in the share of exports to the Russian Federation. The geography of partner countries for the export of goods and services, compared with the same period of 2019, increased from 135 to 140 countries.

The largest volume of exported goods among major partner countries accounted for mineral fuel, lubricating oil and similar materials, industrial goods, and various finished products.

According to the results of January-April 2020, the volume of export of services made up US$749.3 million, or 17.0% of its total volume and decreased by 22.8% compared to the same period of 2019. Over the past three years, the share of services in total exports has increased due to growth. In the export of services, the largest share falls on transport services (61.6%) and travel (tourism) (27.1%).

The volume of exports of fruits and vegetables in physical terms made up more than 362.6 thousand tons and, in value terms, exceeded US$185.4 million (the rate of decline compared to the same period of 2019 was 19.1% and 42 ,4 %).

Of these, 308.8 thousand tons of vegetables were exported in the amount of US$121.0 million, as well as 26.8 thousand tons of fruits and berries in the amount of US$34.2 million (the rate of decline in value terms, compared with the same period of 2019, respectively, made up 31.9% and 43.0%).

The main export markets for fruits and vegetables are Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan.

Due to the fact that the government pays considerable attention to the development of agriculture and horticulture, the quality and volume of exported goods are increasing from year to year. So, in January-April 2020, the share of fruits and vegetables in total exports made up 4.2%.

The largest volume in value terms of export of fruits and vegetables falls on Kazakhstan (25.4% of the total volume of fruits and vegetables), which exceeds the volume of exports to the Russian Federation by 1.2 times.

The increase in textile exports can directly be seen as the result of reforms to produce finished products and create value added instead of raw cotton production. For example, according to the results of January-April 2020, textile products were exported in the amount of US$527.7 million, which accounted for 11.9% of the total export volume and, compared to January-April 2019, it increased by 2.5%.

In the structure of textile exports, the main share is cotton yarn (51.3%), as well as finished knitwear and garments (25.6%). In January-April 2020, more than 326 types of textile products were exported to 52 countries.

As a result of practical work to diversify the textile industry of the republic and stimulate the export of finished products, our country’s potential in this area is growing.

The largest share of textile exports falls on the Russian Federation (US$210.9 million – 40.0%), China (US$101.4 million – 19.2%) and Turkey (US$66.6 million – 12.6%).

During the reporting period, imports made up US$6.4 billion (a decrease in the growth rate compared to January-April 2019 was 10.8%).

The main share in its structure is occupied by machinery and transport equipment (36.3%), industrial goods (16.5%), as well as chemicals and similar products (13.3%).

An analysis of the dynamics of imports of goods and services also showed that in January-April 2020, compared with the same period of 2019, the volume of imports of goods decreased by US$632.6 million and made up US$5 884.6 million, and imports of services reached US$521.7 million.

The largest share of imports of mineral fuels, lubricating oils and similar materials (95.8%), animal and vegetable oil, fats and wax (84.9%), as well as non-food raw materials, except for fuel (80.1%) falls on countries CIS, while in other foreign countries the largest share falls on machinery and transport equipment (86.7%), chemicals and similar products (74.6%).

An analysis of the structure of imported goods and services in January-April 2020 also showed that, compared with January-April 2019, the share of imports of non-food raw materials increased from 4.6% to 5.2%, and the share of machinery and transport equipment, industrial of goods decreased from 38.6% to 36.3%, from 17.5% to 16.5%, respectively.

An analysis of service imports also showed that in January-April 2020, compared to the same period of 2018, the share in total imports decreased from 11.6% to 8.1%.

The decrease in food imports is due to sugar, sugar and honey products (by 31.8%), cereals and products from them (by 3.6%).

There is also a decrease in imports of manufactured goods, products from non-metallic minerals (by 30.4%), products from corks and wood (except furniture) (by 25.3%).

In dynamics, a stable ratio of the share of imports with the CIS countries and other foreign countries remains, which, within, is the ratio of 38.4:61.6.

At the end of the reporting period, China kept the first place among the major partner countries for imports with share of imports in the total volume of 20.1% and the Russian Federation, which, with a share of 19.9 %, is in second place.

Compared to the same period of 2019, the top six import partner countries have not changed.

In general, in January-April 2020, goods and services from 128 countries were imported to the Republic of Uzbekistan

Seven major partner countries (China, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Korea, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Germany and Lithuania) in the total volume of imports have a share of 72.0%, which amounts to US$4.61 billion.

As the investment climate in the country improves and as a result of reforms implemented in this area, growth in imports of machinery and transport equipment is natural. So, taking into account large volumes of investments from China, Korea, Russia, Germany and Turkey, a high share of these countries in the volume of imports of these products remains.

The volume of imports of services in January-April 2020 made up US$521.7 million, or 8.1% of its total volume, and decreased by 21.2% compared to the same period of 2019. The main share in the import of services is travel (tourism – 64.3%) and transport services (16.0%).

According to the results of January-April 2020, the volume of imports of building materials in its total volume made up 5.1% and reached US$328.0 million.

The main share in its structure is wood and products from it (49.0%), glass and products from it (5.8%), cement (7.1%), as well as asbestos (1.8%).

In general, the volume of imports of building materials in January-April 2020, compared with 2019, decreased (a decrease of 20.1%).

The increase in imports of construction materials, compared to previous years, is directly related to large-scale reforms in the field of landscaping, in particular, housing construction, reconstruction and improvement of settlements.

The WTO partnership with the above countries can be regarded as the result of visits by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan over the past three years to 15 countries, in particular, visits and bilateral mutually beneficial agreements signed there with partner countries.

Tashkent, Uzbekistan , MAY 27  — The U.S. Government through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has committed US$2 million dollars to protect migrants in Central Asia during the COVID-19 pandemic. This support will be delivered through the ongoing USAID-funded Safe Migration in Central Asia project, implemented by Winrock International, and includes support to migrants from Uzbekistan.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a humanitarian and financial crisis for millions of migrants in Central Asia, many of whom have been stranded in transit and destination countries across Central Asia.

The loss of jobs and remittances has left families without adequate resources and legal protections. Migrants also lack information about how to protect themselves from the virus, as well as the resources to do so.

Through the Safe Migration in Central Asia project, USAID will deliver much-needed assistance including informational resources; referrals to essential services; alternative livelihoods support; and skills training to help migrants navigate the difficult situation they are facing. The project will also ensure that migrants’ rights are protected through access to legal and psychological support.

The Safe Migration in Central Asia project supports five Central Asian republics with evidence-based practices and cross-border connections to strengthen the mutual accountability and effectiveness of governments, NGOs, and the private sector to prevent trafficking-in-persons (TIP), protect survivors, and promote safe migration.

USAID is working to better understand the unique challenges experienced by migrants and their families throughout Asia, which have been exacerbated during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Migrants can be negatively impacted by policies meant to protect the general population, experience limited access to systems of support, and may have to rely on dwindling natural resources for survival. As in Central Asia, investments are being made across the region to decrease vulnerabilities and strengthen systems for all.