By Sirojidin Aslov
The development of the Central Asia South Asia Regional Electricity Market (CASAREM) is envisaged as a phased development of institutional arrangements and infrastructure to link Central Asias power resources with South Asia’s energy shortages and growing energy demand. The improved electricity interconnections offer an opportunity to alleviate energy poverty and contribute to stability and growth in Afghanistan, and boost inter-dependent prosperity in all the countries involved. The proposed CASA-1000 project will facilitate the first electricity trade of 1,300 megawatts (MW) of existing summertime hydropower surplus from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in Central Asia to Afghanistan and Pakistan in South Asia.
The Perspectives of the Central Asia, South Asia Regional Electricity Market
Pakistan–European Union relations: prospects and challenges
DNA
Introduction
The Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS) is a non-partisan think tank established with a vision to Innovate future prospects for peace and security in the region and beyond through intellectual discourse and contribute ito sustainable social, political and economic development. To this end, CPGS has organized this roundtable discussion under the initiative the Centre has embarked upon, i.e., ‘CPGS Foreign Policy Roundtable Series’ , with an aim to review the foreign policy of Pakistan towards its partner states and the major powers of the World. ‘Pakistan-China Relations – Prospects & Challenges’ is the fourth roundtable of the series; the first was on ‘Pakistan-U.S. Relations:
SERENA HOTELS – CENTRELINE PARTNERSHIP
ISLAMABAD: Serena Hotels and Centreline magazine have joined hands for mutual collaboration. Aziz Boolani, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Serena Hotels East and South Asia, and Ansar Mahmood Bhatti Editor-in-Chief /CEO of Centreline magazine posing for a photo with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). As per the MoU, Centreline shall now be available in the following Serena Hotels properties countrywide. Islamabad Serena Hotel, Faisalabad Serena Hotel, Quetta Serena Hotel, Serena Shigar Fort, Serena Khaplu Palace, Gilgit Serena Hotel, Hunza Serena Inn and Swat Serena Hotel.
The double standards and the world security
Ansar Mahmood Bhatti
The world has changed since last month. The Ukraine crisis represents the most recent culmination of an extended process of estrangement between Russia and the West.After the annexation of Crimea by Russia that was veiled by referendum the tension raised in South-Eastern parts of Ukraine as well. As it was the case in the WWII that one European country annexed a part of another European state. This move disseminated a fear in Europe and pushed leading world players to retaliate.
What is meant by New Turkey? By Aasia Khatoon Khattak
Turkey’s ruling AKP (Justice and Development Party) won the local elections by getting the majority votes by 46 % on March 30, 2014. AKP’s election victory was largely unprecedented when there are ongoing and severe corruption allegations against Prime Minister Erdoğan as well as three of the cabinet ministers. All this took place while the repercussions of the Gezi Park protests in the summer of 2013 will still fresh coupled with the leakage of sound and video tapes by December 2013 suggestive of the graft claims. The Turkish public opinion fulminated with a number of protests as the common people, opposition and ruling-party politicians, the business sector, and the university youth intensely questioned and pressured the government to be frank to prove or deny the allegations of corruption. Despite the wishful thinking that the election results would end severe discussions and even after the significant victory of the AKP, the questions and claims on corruption are still holding ground.
The double standards and the world security
Ansar Mahmood Bhatti
The world has changed since last month. The Ukraine crisis represents the most recent culmination of an extended process of estrangement between Russia and the West. After the annexation of Crimea by Russia that was veiled by referendum the tension raised in South-Eastern parts of Ukraine as well. As it was the case in the WWII that one European country annexed a part of another European state. This move disseminated a fear in Europe and pushed leading world players to retaliate.
Gunmen storm S.Sudan UN base, wound dozens of civilians
JUBA: Gunmen stormed a UN base in South Sudan Thursday, wounding dozens of civilians from a rival tribe in an “unprovoked “attack before peacekeepers fought them off, the UN said. UN chief Ban Ki-moon condemned the assault in the war-ravaged town of Bor which also left two peacekeepers wounded, warning any attack on UN troops constitutes a war crime. Almost 5,000 civilians are sheltering inside the fortified base of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), one of the most bitterly contested regions in the four-month-long conflict splitting the country.
Olympic Committee warns Pakistan of possible suspension
BELEK: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday warned Pakistan that the country’s Olympic committee will be suspended in July unless it complies with rules banning government interference. The IOC had set a previous deadline of December 1 for Pakistan to show that its Olympic committee and sports federations are being run without interference.
S. Arabia has no hidden agenda, says ambassador
ISLAMABAD: Ambassador Ali Saeed Asseri, who remained Saudi Arabia’s envoy to Pakistan for nine years, is returning to Islamabad for a second stint. Mr Asseri will succeed Abdul Aziz Al-Ghadeer who would be leaving after completing his tenure in a couple of months. Talking to Dawn in his office, Mr Ghadeer described his over five-year stay in Pakistan as eventful. Speaking for the first time about criticism in Pakistan of the $1.5 billion aid given by the kingdom, he said Saudi Arabia “had no hidden agenda”. During Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud’s visit to Islamabad Saudi Arabia donated $1.5 billion with the condition that the source of donation should not be identified.
Two Afghan poll candidates see victory as run-off looms
KABUL: Two leading candidates in Afghanistan’s presidential election each claimed on Wednesday to be winning the vote count easily, but said they would be ready to contest a second-round run-off if necessary. More than seven million people defied Taliban threats of violence in Saturday’s election to elect a successor to President Hamid Karzai as US-led troops prepare to exit the country. Unless one candidate gets more than 50 per cent of the vote, the top two names will go head-to-head in another election scheduled for late May.
