assad-syria_2653335c[1]UNSC is the decision making body of the UN that mandates the use of force under Chapter VII of the UN Charter; it decides when military action in any capacity has become necessary to maintain global peace and security. Currently UNSC has to decide whether collective military action should be taken against Syria given the Assad regime’s alleged use of Chemical Weapons against civilians.

A consensus exists that any such action (i.e. collective military action)  can only be initiated with the formal approval of the UNSC, and on the basis of hard facts. In this context, the UN Secretary General has clearly asked that “no action should be taken until the U.N. chemical weapons inspectors’ finish their work”. Currently UN experts are processing the evidence collected in Syria, and a final report remains pending.

Ironically, three permanent members of UNSC – the USA, UK and France – wish to run UNSC business by a different set of rules. These three states are calling for immediate military action in Syria, with or without a UN mandate and are not willing to fulfill international law requirements or formal procedures.

It would be a better option for maintaining legitimacy of action and upholding international law that all states refrain from taking unilateral military action against Syria, till such time that the UNSC report is released and allows for collective military action.

Wednesday, 28 August 2013

Experts at a seminar on “Innovating means to resolve radical extremism in Pakistan” on Wednesday suggested the government to establish Counter Terrorism Strategy and following others countries role model who controlled extremism in their countries through appropriate measures.

 Several countries have confronted the menace of radicalism, extremism and made progress by taking appropriate measures. Violent extremism is undoubtedly a vital issue today, and one that is actively destroying the very fabric of our society by creating and expanding the existing divides and damaging the image of Pakistan abroad, as well as constituting a serious threat to the peace and security both within the country and beyond its borders. Pakistan has suffered greatly in the war on terror both physically and economically and expressed dissatisfaction that still the country don’t have proper counter terrorism policy. Therefore, the experts suggested the government to establish counter terrorism policy as early as possible and get ride of it once for ever.

 The Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS) though a nascent think tank embarked upon project Sensitizing, Accessing, Linking, Acting, Monitoring (SALAM), which aims at mobilizing our national resources to wind-down the menace of radicalization. President of the CPGS Senator Sehar Kamran said Pakistan needs broad base policy over radical extremism and properly required political will and commitment not only on part of government but all segment of society.  Change can’t be achieved over night, but it will take a long and consistent effort—perhaps as long as it took to radicalize a peaceful society into a radical one. But if there is the political will and a comprehensive and well defined policy, the change becomes inevitable.

 In carrying forward the project, she expressed the hoping to undertake a multidimensional approach and carry out a comprehensive plan of action under our mega Project SALAM, that entails sensitizing the society, accessing all possible groups and institutions, link their efforts, act to persuade decision makers and finally manage and monitor the progress.

 Former Joint Chief of Staff Committee Gen (Retd) Ehsanul Haq told the participants that Pakistan has been in the forefront against the scourge of violent extremism and terrorism. After 9/11 incident, he said a mushroom growth of Madrassahs was founded and Jehadi fervor promoted in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border regions. This was to provide the base for creation of Alqaeda and the Taliban. The 9/11 incident was a game-changer in the global security dynamic but Pakistan has borne the brunt of its fall out and suffered heavily in the war on terror and causalities has crossed 40,000. He also claimed that the challenges of extremism and fundamentalism lie deep in Muslim conscious.

 Haq further said we have to view the situation in its border ideological context and endeavor to seek effective response, through shared experiences, amongst the Muslim states and not restricted to national domain. The success model of others countries, who controlled extremism should be adopted and the mis-use of Islam stopped immediately.

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Friday 23 August 2013

Pakistan is not alone in facing the menace of radicalism and extremism, as several other countries too face similar problems, and are having their own respective measures to contain the scourge, said experts at the conclusion of a two-day seminar on ‘Innovating means to resolve radical extremism in Pakistan.’ They advised Pakistan to study and follow these role models while tackling the problem in the country.

Organized by a nascent think tank, Center for Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS), in Islamabad, the seminar on Wednesday urged the Pakistan government to establish a Counter Terrorism Strategy (CTS), which will be based on the intensive studies and analyses of the role models that other countries have successful implemented.

In her concluding remarks after the end of the two-day deliberations, CPGS President Sen. Sehar Kamran, said: “The exercise has drawn a comprehensive outline for a national policy toward achieving societal harmony that should be the flag-bearer of future action if so adopted by the political leadership.”

Sen. Sehar Kamran, the recipient of Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, said Pakistan needs a broad base policy over radical extremism and properly required political will and commitment not only on part of government but all segment of society.

The idea to formulate CTS came as “Pakistan doesn’t have a proper counter terrorism policy despite having suffered greatly in the war on terror, both physically and economically,” a final communiqué, issued at the end of the seminar, said. Such a move will get Pakistan rid of the menace for good, the experts observed.

The CPGS on the occasion launched an ambitious project called SALAM, which aims at mobilizing “our national resources to wind-down the menace of radicalization,” according to CPGS Sen. Kamran. “Change can’t be achieved overnight, but it will take a long and consistent effort — perhaps as long as it took to radicalize a peaceful society into a radical one,” she said.

Kamran stressed on a “political will and a comprehensive and well defined policy,” which she said will surely make the change possible.”

Former Joint Chief of Staff Committee Gen (Retd) Ehsanul Haq held those madrassahs responsible that promoted “Jehadi fervor” and squarely blamed Al-Qaeda and Taleban that changed the global security dynamic.

He said Pakistan bore the brunt of its fall out and suffered heavily in the war on terror and causalities has crossed 40,000.

Sen. Mushahid Hussain Syed praised Kamran and stressed for a permanent solution of the radicalism as other countries like Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other Western and Gulf countries already adopted.

Others who presented their viewpoints on radicalism included Prof. Dr. Jamil Qalandar, who spoke on ‘Growth of radicalization and its evolution in Pakistan,’ Prof. Dr. Richard Bonney on ‘Western perspective of contemporary radicalism and extremism,’ Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Khan on ‘Islamic perspective of contemporary radicalism’; Prof. Dir Nazir Hussain on ‘Contemporary radical extremism and challenges and way forward,’ Prof. Dr. Tahir Amin on ‘Innovating means to resolve radical extremism-case study of FATA,’ and Ahmer Bilal Soofi Advocate of SC on ‘De-radicalization in Pakistan-legal structure, anomalies and recommendations.’

Source: http://www.arabnews.com/news/462179

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