Focus: An Insight into Pakistan Election 2024

Pakistan held its highly anticipated 12th general elections on Feb. 8, 2024. The polls took place amid a highly schismatic atmosphere, political fluidity, intense economic turbulence, and pressing security concerns. Despite some extreme political repressions and the absence of a level playing field, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan stole the show by claiming 93 seats out of 265 contestable seats. It left behind seasoned, traditional political parties like Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with 75, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) with 54 and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (P) with just 17 seats in the National Assembly (NA). A simple majority in parliament necessitates a mandate of 169 seats, including 70 reserve seats, as per the strength of each party in the NA.

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Focus An Insight into Pakistan Election 2024
Is Iran strengthening or becoming isolated

Is Iran strengthening or becoming isolated?

Against the backdrop of Israel's massacre in Gaza, attention has been shifting to Iran. Following the bombardment of the Houthis by the United States and the United Kingdom for disrupting commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Iran and Pakistan experienced an escalation, with both sides firing missiles over terrorism. Moreover, Israel killed five members of the Revolutionary Guards Corps in Damascus last weekend, resuming its past operations against the Iranian presence in Syria. The seeming purpose of such strikes is to stop Iran from sending military aid to the Axis of Resistance – namely Hezbollah and Hamas. More important, however, is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's commitment to ensuring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict's regionwide spillover – which contradicts the Biden administration.

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A series of attacks and clashes sent shockwaves through the Middle East over the last week. Israel's massacres in Gaza and low-intensity conflict with Hezbollah at the Lebanese border remain underway. Meanwhile, in the Red Sea, the United States and Britain bombed Yemen's Houthis for the fourth time on Thursday. Washington also relisted the Houthis as a global terrorist group.

The recent developments in the Middle East region have led to a deepening instability, with the possibility of conflict increasing day by day. In 2023, we witnessed a period of relative normalization in the Middle East. While countries in the region were trying to minimize the potential for conflict, they had come a long way in developing common potential.

As the 14th day of the Israeli offensive in Gaza unfolds, the humanitarian crisis associated with this conflict continues to intensify. The unwavering support from the United States and a significant contingent of Western nations for Israel’s aggressive military campaign has created an exceptional situation, allowing Israel’s actions to go unchecked. The adoption of collective punishment as a war strategy by both Israel and the U.S., with their resolute backing, threatens to destabilize the region and jeopardize global security on an unprecedented scale.

Legal rulings of the European Convention on Human Rights clearly show that the burning of the Quran is contrary to the Convention. Here is the legal aspect.

UK's 'ground-breaking' asylum bill to tackle irregular migration

U.K. follows a strict policy to minimize irregular migration toward its borders. For this, it tries to alleviate the burden of combating irregular migration by making legal arrangements within itself and signing agreements with other countries. Based on these, it can be said that the U.K. will continue to make new and concrete decisions against irregular migration in the upcoming period.

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UK's 'ground-breaking' asylum bill to tackle irregular migration
Türkiye s Call for International Assistance and the International Community

Türkiye’s Call for International Assistance and the International Community’s Response

Natural disasters, wars, and economic collapse tend to seriously undermine social order and make it impossible to address even people’s most basic needs. During such periods, it becomes difficult for communities to feed themselves, find shelter, receive medical attention, relocate, and communicate with others. Individuals and communities have provided emergency assistance to such individuals, without expecting anything in return, to address basic needs like food, shelter, and medical treatment throughout history.

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It is necessary to uphold the sense of solidarity, which emerged among states after the earthquakes. Last but not least, one would hope that the humane way of thinking can triumph over the idea of interest and exploitation in international relations. This is a time to focus on moral values and solidarity – not realpolitik.

NGO volunteers work on the ground around the clock. In the recent past during the coronavirus pandemic, they delivered aid to people alongside government agencies. In the holy month of Ramadan, they serve meals. Every year, around Eid Al-Adha, volunteers work extra hard to help people around the globe by building bridges between donors and people in need. As such, they represent Türkiye through their excellent work.

The disaster in Türkiye has once again shown how states with problems in bilateral relations forget their hurdles when faced with a humanitarian crisis

‘Samarkand and New York summits have shown Türkiye’s determination of following an independent, diversified and global-scale foreign policy’

Turkish, Pakistani scholars discuss how 2 countries can aid each other and build mechanisms to face common challenges

The political situation in Pakistan is still not stable, and a new government is expected to be formed soon. However, at this point, it is important to understand the reasons that led to this turmoil and what the removal of Khan from office means for Pakistan. Within this framework, several experts from Turkey and Pakistan have briefly analyzed the events and their implications, not only for Pakistan but for the region and the world as well.

Pakistani academic says people in Pakistan need to look beyond US

On October 31, 2021, during the G20 Summit in Rome, President Erdoğan is going to meet with U.S. President Biden. This will be their second meeting in a couple of months after Biden came to the White House.

With its regional mindset and strategy, there is now a way for Tehran to be productive in the South Caucasus

Afghans have a historic opportunity to decide their future and neighboring countries must help them by recognizing the new realities emerging in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan turned out to be an area of cooperation between Ankara and Washington, as U.S. policymakers began to describe Turkey as 'an invaluable partner in the region' – instead of 'our so-called ally.'

Turkey is viewed favorably in Afghanistan due to the long-standing ties between the countries, though Ankara has stressed that it will act in coordination with its allies

The United States and the European Union do not share the same views on Afghanistan. In the midst of a new crisis, Europe needs more autonomous foreign policy planning and implementation