In Conversation with Hussain Shah – Minister for IT and Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Gilgit Baltistan | Rizwan Haider Shah
In Conversation with H.E Andrei Metelitsa – Ambassador of The Republic of Belarus to Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Reviving JCPOA: Prospects and Challenges | Zeeshan Naveed
Belarus to participate in the International Trade & Industry Fair (ITIF) Karachi
Taliban at the Crossroads: Inclusive Decentralized Governance or Continued Chaos
PM Imran holds meetings with Presidents of Kazakhstan, Belarus and Iran
Middle East & the Rentier State Dilemma
Pakistan unveils dossier on war crimes, rights violations in Indian-occupied Kashmir
NCA hints at upgrade of strategic capabilities
Naila Kiani on what made her submit an 8,000m peak in her first attempt at mountaineering
Latest Updates:
From The Editor’s Desk
As the Chief Editor of Global Affairs, it is my honor to present the December 2021 Edition for our esteemed audience. My team and I have put our heart and souls into this edition and we hope you will find it informative and engaging.
This month’s Title is dedicated to This month’s title is dedicated to Olaf Scholz – the new German Chancellor. The Edition includes insights about his political career while also exploring and promoting 70 Years of Pakistan-Germany Bilateral Ties.
Oman has celebrated its 51st National Day of the Renaissance on which I would like to congratulate the entire nation and leadership of Oman. Moreover, Turkey & UAE have signed financial cooperation deals and Malaysia has expressed interest in fostering trade ties with Pakistan while Dubai’s top Realtors are all set to enter Pakistan.
In the context of evolving situation in Afghanistan, Pakistan’s National Security Advisor Mr. Moeed Yusuf has offered air and land routes for international donors to support Afghanistan, Prime Minister Khan has approved Rs. 5 billion humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, Moscow has expressed concerns regarding the Afghan Humanitarian Crisis and UN has warned of a collosal collapse of the Afghan Banking System.
In the context of Strategic Affairs, Russia presented the latest Checkmate Jet at Dubai which has gathered international attention among the strategic communities. US has announced to pursue Over the Horizon missions in Afghanistan.
This edition also has a healthy blend of stories pertaining to various categories including but not limited to business, opinion, diplomacy, politics and current affairs. This edition covers the latest developments in the context of CPEC and BRI, Metaverse, COVID-19 Pandemic, Kyrgyzstan Polls, the Afghanistan Issue, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) amongst others.
Lastly, we have also added some opinion pieces as writers and analysts around the world have penned down their thoughts on important world affairs. Opinions by our valuable contributors also encompass a wide range including on the Duality of Social Media, Human Enhancement Technologies and the Indian Farmer Protests.
We hope you will enjoy this edition thoroughly and remain updated with significant developments happening at the Global and National scale. I am always looking forward to reading the reviews of my readers so please don’t hesitate in sending us your valuable feedback.
Diplomacy
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in DiplomacyForeign Minister Qureshi visits Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran to discuss the evolving situation in Afghanistan
According to Foreign Office (FO), FM Qureshi had high-level interactions to exchange views on the evolving situation in Afghanistan and on enhancing bilateral relations. The foreign minister also shared Pakistan’s perspective on the latest developments in Afghanistan. The FO Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said Pakistan believed the neighboring countries had a vital stake in the […] More
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in Diplomacy
Biden and Xi speak on phone for first time in seven months
The leaders of the world’s two-biggest economies discussed areas where US, China interests ‘converge, diverge’
United States President Joe Biden and China’s leader Xi Jinping have spoken by phone, ending a nearly seven-month gap in direct communication between the leaders of the world’s two biggest economies. The call was confirmed by the White House and China’s state media, which said the two men spoke early on Friday morning. The discussion, […] More
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in Diplomacy
ASEAN Grants United Kingdom ‘Dialogue Partner’ Status
Britain has been granted “dialogue partner” status by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the first nation to be accorded the privilege in a quarter-century. The move marks a milestone in London’s push to strengthen its diplomatic and economic ties with Asia following its exit from the European Union. “We agreed to accord […] More
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in Diplomacy
3rd Meeting of Central Asian Leaders: A Small Step Toward the Formation of a Regional Order?
Presidential meetings in Central Asia are often dismissed for a lack of concrete results and for their exclusively ceremonial character. But there are good reasons to take the latest meeting seriously.
The third consultative meeting of the heads of state of Central Asia that took place in Avaza, on the Caspian shore of Turkmenistan, marked an important moment of trust-building, dialogue, and incremental pragmatism among regional leaders. All five Central Asian presidents were present at the event, which had been postponed last year because of the […] More
Politics
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in Politics
PTI’s Abdul Qayyum Niazi elected new Prime Minister of AJK
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Abdul Qayyum Niazi has been elected the 13th prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He received 33 votes in the newly formed Legislative Assembly of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, whereas joint opposition's candidate Chaudhry Latif Akbar garnered 15 votes. Niazi succeeds PML-N’s Raja Farooq Haider, whose tenure in the AJK PM's office […] More
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in Politics
How an Afghan refugee crisis at sea transformed Australia policy
Twenty years ago, a Norwegian freighter rescued hundreds of Afghan asylum seekers off a sinking Indonesian vessel, triggering a crisis that ushered in Australia’s hard line immigration policies. Melbourne, Australia – In August 2001, an Indonesian fishing boat carrying 433 asylum seekers was en route to Australia’s Christmas Island, when its engine failed in international […] More
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in Politics
9/11 – 90 minutes that changed the world
On September 11, 2001, four hijacked aircraft smashed into the iconic landmarks of the United States of America – a 90-minute event that triggered a domino effect across the world with its reverberations that continue to be felt even 20 years later. Over the two decades, the world has seen the threat of al-Qaeda diminish […] More
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in Politics
New Zealand’s Relationship With Japan May Be About to Change
As the Tokyo Olympics come to an end, the very successful Japan-New Zealand partnership may be about to become a lot more complicated.
As New Zealand’s very successful Olympic campaign in Tokyo draws to a close, it’s easy to be equally positive and optimistic about the state of New Zealand’s wider relationship with Japan. If New Zealand’s trading relationships were Olympic sports, Japan would miss out on a medal – but not by much. Japan is New […] More
Current Affairs
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Foreign Governments, Experts Urge Peace After Myanmar Opposition Announces Mass Uprising
The National Unity Government’s declaration of a “people’s defensive war” has raised a host of political and ethical questions. Southeast Asian and Western countries have urged all sides in Myanmar to refrain from violence and allow in humanitarian aid, after the country’s shadow government declared a nationwide uprising against the junta that took power in […] More
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Pakistan’s Civil-Military Leadership vow to meet all security challenges
The country’s civil and military leadership on 9th September 2021 vowed to meet all external and internal security challenges vigorously by eliminating re-emerging terrorists and extremist groups through coordinated efforts of all relevant authorities. They also reviewed and revised the National Action Plan (NAP) launched in January 2015 to crack down on terrorism and supplement […] More
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US, UK and Australia form a new Indo-Pacific security pact – AUKUS
Australia will get nuclear-powered submarines as part of the deal, dubbed AUKUS, which is seen as an attempt to counter China
Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom have announced a new trilateral security alliance, including a joint effort to help the Australian military acquire nuclear-powered submarines, in an apparent attempt to counter China. The leaders of all three countries unveiled the alliance – dubbed AUKUS – on Wednesday. They stressed that the submarines would […] More
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The Evolving Situation in Afghanistan
President Biden announced after assuming charge as the new President that the United States will not meet the deadline set under the U.S.-Taliban agreement to withdraw all troops by May 1 and instead releases a plan for a full withdrawal by September 11, 2021. “It’s time to end America’s longest war,” he says. The remaining […] More
Opinion
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in Opinion
Taliban at the Crossroads: Inclusive Decentralized Governance or Continued Chaos
On September 7, 2021, the Taliban poured cold water on Afghans’ expectation for a broadly-based and inclusive government by announcing an almost mono-ethnic, Pashtun-dominated cabinet. Based on Afghanistan’s contentious history, the Taliban’s decision to monopolize power and bar non-Pashtuns from the corridors of power will not bode well for the country. Needless to say the […] More
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in Opinion
Middle East & the Rentier State Dilemma
Middle East is one of the most significant regions in the world as it collectively holds around fifty percent of world’s oil reserves. However, oil is not the sole defining feature of this region, it is also widely authoritarian. Ever since the region was divided by departing British and French colonizers, majority of the states […] More
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in Opinion
Nuclear Postures of India and Pakistan: Implications for South Asia
The South Asian region works like a chess board on which great powers are fighting and shaping the security dynamics and stability of the region. The Strategic Competition between U.S and U.S.S.R during the Cold War led to the inception of the concept of strategic stability which is a combination of crisis stability & arms […] More
Science & Technology
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How VR is Redefining eLearning Experience
Along with the advancement of technology, there has been a revolution in the educational industry as well. Whether it is print media or web, we have acknowledged richer and easily accessible information. Therefore, the idea of web-based learning systems has always made sense to us. As we are turning more and more digital with online […] More
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PTCL Group Successfully Conducts 5G trial in a Limited Environment
PTCL Group, one of the country’s largest telecom groups and the backbone of connectivity in Pakistan, has successfully tested 5G technology at a special ceremony held at PTCL Headquarters, which was graced by Syed Amin Ul Haque, Federal Minister for Information Technology & Telecommunication as the Chief Guest. The 5G trial was conducted in a limited environment on a non-commercial basis.
The ceremony was attended by Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui, Federal Secretary IT & Telecom and Chair- man Board of Directors, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), Major General (R) Amir Azeem Bajwa HI (M), Chairman, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), H.E. Nong Rong, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, H.E. Ha- mad Obaid Ibrahimi Alzabbi, UAE Ambassador to Pakistan, along […] More
Tourism
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in Tourism
Villages of Gojal – Khudaabad
Geographically, the village of Khudaabad is located at the confluence of the Khunjerab and Chapursan rivers in front of the border town of Sost. The village can be divided into three sub-villages, Imamabad, Karimabad and Khudaabad according to the locals. One hundred percent of the village’s population is made up of Broshki speakers. The village […] More
Strategic Affairs
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CIA director meets Bajwa, ISI chief at GHQ
Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns discussed the situation in Afghanistan with Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt Gen Faiz Hamid, the ISPR said on Thursday September 9th. “Mr William Joseph Burns, Director of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), USA, called on General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of […] More
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Both North and South Korea fire ballistic missiles as tensions rise on peninsula
Both North and South Korea tested ballistic missiles on Wednesday September 15th, ratcheting up tensions exponentially in what was already one of the most volatile regions on the planet. Pyongyang fired the first missiles on Wednesday, sending two into waters off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula five minutes apart, at 12:38 p.m. and […] More
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Azerbaijan, Turkey, Pakistan wrap up joint exercises of Special Forces
A solemn ceremony dedicated to the completion of the “Three Brothers-2021” international exercises involving representatives of the special forces of Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Pakistan was held in Baku on September 20, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. According to the ministry, the Commander of the Special Forces of Azerbaijan, Lieutenant General Hikmat Mirzayev congratulated […] More
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The Quest for Strategic Balance and South Korea’s Indo-Pacific Conundrum
Seoul is walking a fine line, carefully calibrating its cooperation with U.S. initiatives in the Indo-Pacific.
Given the fact that the Moon Jae-in government in South Korea had never expressed explicit support for or earnestly cooperated with the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy before, the level of agreement reached at the Moon-Biden Summit in May 2021 was surprisingly high. The U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK) Leaders’ Joint Statement states that the two countries “share […] More
Art & Culture
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Art Therapy During Pandemic
Art Therapy is designed to identify and rectify the imbalances of people’s mental, emotional and physical conditions.
You must have seen art geeks standing for hours in museums and art galleries staring at one gigantic artifact or another. Have you ever wondered what possibly keeps them entranced? Why does it happen that certain types of music leave numbing effect on you? Why do you get so attached to some characters in certain […] More
Business
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in Business
What is China’s common-prosperity strategy that calls for an even distribution of wealth?
What is common prosperity? At an economic leadership meeting in August, Chinese leaders agreed that China must pursue a goal of “common prosperity” – where citizens share in the opportunity to be wealthy – as the main objective for the next stage of its development, while stressing the need to maintain an airtight economy that […] More
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in Business
China reiterates readiness to work with Pakistan to make CPEC a great success
China reiterated on Friday its readiness to work with the Pakistan government for a mutual goal of making the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a great success. “China is ready to work with Pakistani side to create a sound environment for the CPEC and bilateral practical cooperation to achieve mutual benefit and common development, the […] More
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in Business
Russia Drops the US Dollar from National Wealth Fund
The Russian Minister of Finance has just declared that the National Wellbeing Fund, its oil fund, will completely divest from its exposure to the US dollar, which still amounts to 40 billion dollars. Russia’s plan is now to move into the Chinese yuan, the euro, but also gold: “Today we have about 35% of NWF […] More
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in Business
A world of opportunities has opened up for Pakistan: Secretary Board of Investment Pakistan
While addressing the Belt and Road Investment Promotion Conference in Ningxia Hui region, the Secretary of Board of Investment, Fareena Mazhar apprised the audience about attracting high-quality investments in Pakistan. She said that since the launch of CPEC, China has contributed 36% of the overall net investment to Pakistan, and said that any country can […] More
Sports
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in Sports
‘Welcome back’: Manchester United agree €20m deal for Cristiano Ronaldo
Manchester United have confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo will make a sensational return to Old Trafford after they agreed a fee with Juventus for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner. Ronaldo is expected to sign a two-year deal subject to being granted a visa and passing a medical, with United having agreed to pay an initial €15m […] More
Health & Foods
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The World Isn’t Ready for the Next Outbreak
Andrew C. Heinrich and Saad B. Omer
The COVID-19 pandemic is the greatest global health crisis in at least a generation, and international organizations have responded accordingly. By building on measures initially developed to counter the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the global community’s response has easily been the most multilateral public health campaign in human history. By April 2020, for […] More
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Here’s why fully vaccinated people might need boosters
It sounds confusing — federal health officials say the Covid-19 vaccines are working well, providing more than 90% protection against severe disease and death. They’re keeping people out of the hospitals. Yet they also say studies are showing that even vaccinated people are more likely to become infected now, so they are laying plans […] More
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