The year 2021 ended with a fair share of bittersweet moments for Pakistan. Many important bills were passed and policy initiatives were taken by the incumbent government. Some important bills include the use of EVMs in the upcoming general elections, and the granting of voting rights to the Overseas Pakistanis, allowing of chemical castration of repeat offenders and the establishment of special courts nationwide to expedite rape trials and many more.
The government launched a Single National Curriculum with the broader objectives of ensuring ” all children have a fair and equal opportunity to receive a high quality education”, “equal opportunities for upward social mobility”, and “the alleviation of disparities in education content across the multiple streams.”
Pakistan also adopted its first National Security Policy in 2021. Albeit, the policy is yet to be made public but it is promised to be “citizen-centric with economic security at the core”.
The recent pledges in the OIC moot, like the agreement to establish a humanitarian trust fund, the launch of the Afghan Food Security Program and the aid of 1 billion Riyals, are all supportive of Pakistan’s stance on Afghanistan
The usual disagreement between the government and the opposition continued resulting in political turmoil throughout the year. Though analysts are predicting economic recovery, inflation kept on surging throughout the year hence creating problems for the people.
The mob lynching of a Sri Lankan national remains the saddest moment of 2021 for the country as it resulted in a bad image of the country and was a moment of shame for the whole nation. The response of the government and the people should be appreciated. That the incident can neither be forgotten nor justified, one can hope that the response to the incident will bring positive change in the attitudes and conducts of the people. And no one will think of perpetrating violence in the name of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) who taught everyone to be peaceful, kind, compassionate and respectful to others, and is a blessing of Allah for humankind.
Having said that, there were some moments, decisions, events, and actions that stood out from Pakistan in the year 2021 and the whole nation can cherish and be proud of those decisions and moments.
The first important moment in this regard is Pakistan’s decision to not allow the USA to use its territory for military actions in Afghanistan. The USA had asked for air bases in Pakistan. But, Pakistan, instead of succumbing to the demands and pressures of a superpower, made the decision based on its internal dynamics and needs.
It was indeed one of the best moments for Pakistan in 2021. Although Pakistan’s relations with the USA further deteriorated after Pakistan’s “absolute not”, it was the decision of a sovereign state that saved its future generations from indulging in further conflicts.
Secondly, after the fall of Kabul, the one state that was at a total loss was India. India invested billions of dollars in Afghanistan, not for development purpose but to destabilize Pakistan, especially Balochistan. It showed its frustration by not inviting Pakistan to address the UNSC meetings on Afghanistan. India denied Pakistan the opportunity to address the UNSC meetings on Afghanistan held under its Presidency in August despite knowing the fact that Pakistan was the second most affected state after Afghanistan as a result of the decades-long tumultuous conflicts.
It was unvisionary, authoritarian and intentional on the part of India to make an attempt to isolate Pakistan. But the OIC moot on Afghanistan hosted enthusiastically by Pakistan ensured that Pakistan is not diplomatically isolated at all.
The pledges made during the OIC moot and the resolution 2615 adopted in UNSC to facilitate aid to Afghanistan meant that the word is buying Pakistan’s humanitarian stance on Afghanistan.
The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken thanked Pakistan for hosting a session of the OIC on Afghanistan. “We thank Pakistan for hosting this vital meeting and inviting the global community to continue cooperating to support the Afghan people ”, he said.
The OIC session was attended by the Foreign Ministers, Deputy Foreign Ministers, and envoys of the OIC member states. The session was also attended by the UN, US, EU and UK special envoys. It was the biggest international gathering on Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover.
It was a great diplomatic success for Pakistan and a standout moment for Pakistan in 2021.
Thirdly, after the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul, it was speculated that Pakistan will recognise the Taliban government instantly as they did in the past. It was a complicated situation for Pakistan. Some analysts were predicting that Pakistan would even think of revisiting its old strategy of strategic depth in Afghanistan.
But despite the whatsoever advantage Pakistan is said to have on the Taliban, Pakistan’s stance has been a calculated one and is based on humanitarian grounds. It pointed out the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and the need for help.
According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report, around 23 million people were at the risk of acute food insecurity and 9 million were at the risk of famine in Afghanistan this winter.
Similarly, the WHO warned that 3.2 million children under the age of 5 were expected to suffer from acute malnutrition while 1 million among them were at the risk of dying due to malnutrition at the end of 2021.
Moreover, 97 percent of the population in Afghanistan is at the risk of falling below the poverty line by mid-2022, according to the UNDP.
Pakistan has been pointing out the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan from the very beginning. It pledged $28 million humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and had been providing relief assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
The recent pledges in the OIC moot, like the agreement to establish a humanitarian trust fund, the launch of the Afghan Food Security Program and the aid of 1 billion Riyals, are all supportive of Pakistan’s stance on Afghanistan.
All this effort for the sake of the people of Afghanistan is among the key achievements of Pakistan in the year 2021.
