Suddenly, this area became very important to US foreign policy. The United States needed a dependable and reliable ally in the region to execute its sinister ideas. Nobody could serve US interests in the area better than Pakistan could. The United States and Pakistan have never had a balanced relationship in their alliances.
The US bloc always gains the most through its partnership with Pakistan, and Pak always has to face the consequences. Whether it be the Cold War alliance or the War on Terror alliance. Pakistan has always been on the side where costs are higher than benefits.
Pakistan and the US Alliance
The United States of America relied on Pakistan whenever it was convenient for them, but they stopped doing so when their needs were met. But this time, Pakistan made full use of its alliance with the US. Through wise decisions, we reaped many decisive advantages from this partnership.
Before conducting an analysis of Pakistan’s choice to stand with the US bloc, it is necessary to first assess the international context that pertains to Pakistan. Pakistan’s relationship with the United States has deteriorated. Its foreign policy was fragile. Security threats from India were at hand.
Golden Opportunity for Pakistan
The efforts that Pakistan was making to create a nuclear power program were roundly criticized at all times. Its economy was unstable, and its military and infrastructure were based on traditional patterns. As a result, Pakistan desperately needed a bang from hegemonic support to lift its game. The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan gave Pakistan a golden opportunity to revive itself and re-establish its importance to the US. This time, not as a puppet but as a partner on equal terms, which Pakistan eventually did.
US Policies over Pakistan’s Nuclear Program
Acquiring the prestige that comes with nuclear power is, without a doubt and by a wide margin, Pakistan’s most astounding accomplishment to date. At the same time, the US has been bashing Pakistan’s efforts to go nuclear by pressuring the government to abandon the Pak-France deal (1976). Also threatened to destabilize Pakistan’s government (during Bhutto’s reign) by imposing aid embargos upon Pakistan.
The Symington Amendment
The US changed its policies fortnightly to accommodate Pakistan’s nuclear program. Even to the extent of making an amendment to its own constitution, i.e., the Symington Amendment. Pakistan’s leaders took advantage of this policy change and sped up the project twice.
In 1984, Pakistan had nuclear weapons, which they tested in 1999, in such a short amount of time. The resumption of US-Pakistan relations has deteriorated. Since the US abandoned Pakistan during the 1965-1971 wars and Pakistan left the SEATO-CENTO treaties.
Pakistan and the US Bilateral Programs
In the wake of the Afghan invasion, the United States extended its hand of cooperation toward Pakistan, and Pakistan welcomed this approach.
Carter and Zia came to a one-on-one relationship, with Carter reviving its policy of ignorance towards Pakistan into an engagement policy. Different bilateral programs were initiated, and Pakistan gained the US as its ally back again. Pakistan, ever wanting to modernize it’s military (due to the Indian threat and after the fall of Dhaka).
Economic and Military Aid
The economy got its opportunity in 1979 when the US lifted an economic aid embargo on Pakistan. Military cooperation between the two countries benefited Pakistan very much.
In 1985, Pakistan became the 4th largest recipient of US bilateral military assistance. This economic and military aid of $7.4 billion modernized Pakistan’s defense and communication systems by providing conventional and non-conventional weapons and security systems. With financial aid, Pakistan’s economic growth was boosted, and its currency deficit was bridged.
Another principal advantage Pakistan gained by supporting the Afghan Jihad was the setting up of a Pak-friendly government in its immediate neighborhood, the dissolution of anti-Pak and Pukhtoonistan sentiments, and the official recognition of the Durand Line by President Karamatullah Moosa Qazi in 1989.
Consequences of Siding with the US bloc
Pakistan has achieved many enormous breakthroughs at the state level but has lost much. Siding with the US bloc gave Pakistan an aggressive enemy in the form of the Soviet Union. The Soviet regime exploited Baloch separatist movements to create inter-state violence to shame the Zia government.
They conducted airstrikes throughout the Afghan invasion and are even speculated to have been involved in Zia’s assassination. This partnership provided Zia with US backing and legitimacy, and he continued to enforce a non-democratic system, which made Pakistan suffer a lot in the long run.
Another disgraceful consequence was the shaming of the army’s repute by the revelation made by the CIA report. That authorities inside Pakistan’s military were complicit in the theft of American weaponry and subsequent sale of those guns on the underground and grey markets.
The Coalition of the CIA and General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
In coalition with the CIA, Zia used religion for their vested interests. The US promoted Islam as a way to counter communism, and Zia introduced the Islamization of institutions to legalize his dictatorial rule among the masses.
It was these policies of Zia which infused the poison of religious injustice, fanaticism, and bigotry and the feeling of sect against sect, which have ignited events of sectarian and ethnic killings ever since.
Millions of Afghan Refugees
This partnership decision also proved to be the root cause of many inter-state issues which Pakistan is dealing with to date. Amongst them, the rehabilitation of 3.5 million Afghan refugees and the baggage of their issues stand at the top.
Impact on Society Due to the Afghan Refugees
Deforestation, floods, and landslides are on the rise due to the wild grazing of the millions of cattle brought by migrants. As a result of the high number of jobless Afghans, there has been an upsurge in petty crimes like robberies, snatchings, kidnappings, and ransom demands. There is an increase in feelings of hatred and enmity among the locals because of the influx of refugees.
Goods, from tea to furniture to crockery to electronics, automobiles, and weapons. Even opium, heroin, hashish, and other kinds of drugs, were smuggled cross-border during and after the Afghan war. Inflicting economic losses of millions of rupees on the government of Pakistan and the exchequer, as well as the social and societal loss of our young succumbing to the plague of drug addiction, which can still be seen today.
Pakistan’s participation in the Afghan Jihad as a US extension made it an essential country for making, smuggling, and using drugs in the region. It also resulted in the establishment of an unofficial arms industry at Darra Adam Khel. Which specializes in modern weapons and poses a severe threat to national security.
Conclusion
After analyzing both sides of the picture, one can ask himself, “Was it the right decision?” Yes, given the national and international context. It was the right decision to side with the US and maximize one’s gains (and that, too, of momentous importance). Concerning the costs Pakistan had to bear, I believe they resulted from administrative, political, and institutional failure rather than consequences.
Whatever benefits Pakistan received as a result of this relationship could not have been accomplished via any other means. It could have coped with the issues through better management and planning. Which it could not, and we, as a nation, are still paying the price for it.
Pakistan and the IMF have a long history together, and Pakistan can thrive without it. Pakistan joined the IMF right after its independence.
Pakistan’s economy is dependent on agriculture, but factors like global warming, climate change, and changing seasons have primarily affected the country’s GDP.
Pakistan is not a big industrial country. The government is one of the world’s developing countries, which is surviving half on its agriculture and loans from the IMF, China, and other Arab countries.
How much does Pakistan have to pay IMF?
Pakistan has been taking loans from the IMF since 1958. The country went to the IMF 23 times to take loans. Today, the outstanding loans in Pakistan are about 5194 million dollars. Pakistan’s standing was at about 70 billion rupees before PTI came into power. Every Pakistani was indebted to IMF for 1,44,000 rupees till 2018, but that increased to 2,35,000 in April, 2022.
The PTI leader and former prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, took the loan amount to double to about 1.4 trillion rupees in just three and a half years. The domestic and external loans have increased by about 80 to 90 percent in each sector, making them about double the previous whole debt.
Miftah Ismail, the current finance minister of Pakistan, has asked the IMF to pay two billion dollars instead of loans. Still, the IMF has given Pakistan a list of commitments that need to be fulfilled before they give Pakistan the loan of one billion dollars. Pakistan is soon going to receive a loan from the IMF.
Loan of China and other countries to Pakistan:
Other than the IMF, Pakistan has been taking loans from China and other Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia. About 80 per cent of the total debt in Pakistan is imported from China.
Pakistan is standing at the back with a deficit of 60 trillion rupees. An estimated 6.7 billion USD is pending as a loan from China to Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Economical Survey (2021-22) gives a glimpse of just how deeply it is indebted to China. It has a current debt of 87.7 billion USD. A major portion of this debt is in the form of investment in the form of development of infrastructural setups like CPEC, motorways, and Gawadar Port and City etc.
Is Pakistan going to default?
Pakistan has taken a lot of loans from many countries, but still, the reserves of the state bank of Pakistan and GDP do not show that it will ever default. Pakistan has to cut its expenditures to get back on track with economic growth.
The institution which lends money to a person or a sovereign state has the authority to declare that country as a defaulter. All the reserves are taken away, and the government is recorded as having a high inflation rate. But, in most cases, these institutions do not declare sovereign states as defaulters; instead, they make arrangements with that state to get their money back.
Can Pakistan be debt free?
Pakistan is an essential agro-based country; many of its reserves and exports are based on agriculture. The critical thing that needs to be cut down is the country’s expenditures. We, as a nation, need to focus on ending crises.
Not only has the number of exports been cut down in the last few years, but the supply in our country has also been shortened, which has caused the massive hike in food prices in recent years. Pakistan is trying its best to improve the national reserves by putting extra taxes on the rich and poor people.
The salaried class is also being taxed, and one central act is that NAB has also been taxed. Prices of diesel and petro have tremendously increased. Furthermore, power tariffs and fuel price adjustments are also being imposed on the nation.
Some good initiatives must be taken in the agriculture and industrial sectors to make this country’s debt manageable. This will provide youth with employment. Oversees need to be investing in Pakistan so we may make our economy better.
Why is Pakistan in debt?
The IMF is one of the sub-agencies of the United Nations. Pakistan became a member of the UN and joined the IMF in 1995. A government takes up the loan to make the country work smoothly, adjust the expenditures, and invest in the country’s development.
Pakistan took its first loan in 1958, after which that money was put into the country’s development. Pakistan’s relations with China resulted in the development of Pakistan in the form of CPEC. Pakistan is in debt to China largely because of CPEC.
From Saudia Arabia and other Islamic countries, Pakistan took debt because sometimes it is IMF policy to clear IMF bailout. In this fiscal year of 2022–2023, the IMF asked Pakistan to take the amount from Saudia or China to make an IMF bailout, after which it will release 1 billion dollars as a loan.
The Maritime Labor Convention (2006) was approved by The International Labor Conference of ILO in February 2006. The treaty was accepted by worldwide Seafarers’ Unions, Ship-owners’ Associations, and Governments (port and flag states). Formulate a revised, unified, realistic, and all-inclusive treaty to defend seafarers’ rights and shipowners’ interests. There are two underlying principles of MLC:
Protect the socio-economic and health rights of the crew members of vessels (seafarers) and provide them with improved working conditions.
To safeguard shipowners and governments who respect ship and labor standards from unfair competition.
Why is there a need for MLC?
Despite previous maritime decisions, the Maritime Labor Convention (2006) was adopted because:
With the globalization of the marine sector, the naval workforce has mixed nationalities and citizenships. Therefore, an international framework must be in action to protect their rights.
Existing declarations were lengthy, making it difficult for nations to ratify or change them. Due to which states were not approving them enthusiastically.
Moreover, most prior treaties and conventions didn’t meet the evolving needs of the maritime sector and workforce.
The 68 traditions which MLC incorporates lack structural and administrative essence. They had no compliance or regulatory authority to ensure the clauses’ effective implementation.
Non-compliance with past accords was cheaper than compliance, and both contenders were treated equally; Therefore, a few shipowners abided by the rules as there were no punishments otherwise.
MLC combines all maritime sector stakeholders, the Tripartite, onto one page. Other than that, no other pact includes port and flag states, seafarer organizations, and shipowners. This contraction of interests shall lead to prospects of shared, coordinated, and communicated trade in the maritime sector.
What does MLC offer?
The Maritime Labor Convention offers many guarantees and incentives for its three constituents; the governments, the Seafarers, and the Ship-owners.
Seafarers
An Employment Agreement with clearly outlined terms and conditions
Moreover, improved access to health facilities (mental and physical) on vessels
Better working conditions on ships.
Training and vocational programs to enhance their skill sets and increase their career opportunities.
They should also have the right to make complaints.
Well-aware of their rights and duties.
For Ship-owners
To level the playing field by excluding subpar ships, they faced unfair competition and were undercut by substandard ship owners.
The certification system will save time, energy, and money during the inspection process at port states.
Minimum standards will ensure better-conditioned staff and fewer accidents or mishaps at sea.
It is easy to meet standards.
More economic opportunities through connected regional and international frameworks.
Assurance that these profits will not be decreased if they meet the criteria as previously occurred.
For Governments
Increase in shipping fleet, which in turn increases economic statistics.
Flexibility in terms of ratifying and amending the MLC clauses
Not accommodating the “non-ratifying countries” and incentivizing the ratifying countries.
The shipping sector will ensure new standards of quality.
International consensus over maritime affairs can be reached through cooperative efforts.
A certification system can provide the state’s security and ships’ validity.
Adoption of one convention over hundreds.
Challenges to Pakistan Maritime sector and how can MLC remove that?
Pakistan’s marine industry has several obstacles that may be significantly reduced by signing the Maritime Labor Convention.
Pakistani mariners
Pakistani mariners undergo humiliating port-state inspections and interrogations that not only victimize but also and target them. MLC can restore Pakistan’s international maritime standing. Its certification system can make the inspection process less tiresome without being subjected to disgraceful behavior.
Pakistani seafarers
Despite being equally competent and well trained, Pakistani seafarers often face discrimination by European powers, the United States, and Australia. Even Japan, which usually does not issue visas, or the system is too perplexed to proceed. Either way, the shipping companies refuse to hire Pakistani marine labor raising unemployment. Being a member of MLC, Pakistan can raise this issue at top forums and, through the international framework, ensure job security and dismiss discriminatory behavior against their crew members. Similarly, many Pakistani shipowners have registered their vessels in another country under the pretext of convenience. So, by being a signatory, Pakistan can seek involvement in the international maritime community and increase levels of cooperation and alliances on seas.
Another challenge for Pakistan’s Maritime Sector is the lack of infrastructure due to the low preference of governments over the maritime sector. However, MLC can be a blessing in disguise as the government will then have to ensure a state-of-the-art and up-to-date structure and improve its administration if it aims to deal with other well-established maritime states.
The Certification system in Pakistan’s maritime infrastructure
The Certification system in Pakistan’s maritime infrastructure is highly outdated, with a shortage of examiners and the cumbersome activity of generating these certificates. This costs time and money to the seafarers. MLC, in this regard, can prove beneficial as it provides a framework for inspecting and issuing certificates to the vessels. The certificates are either to be issued from the flag state or through another International Organization on behalf of the state. Therefore, there will be enough supervisors and an efficient certification system.
Pakistan’s fleet
Pakistan’s fleet consists of a limited number of vessels. For most of our trade, we have to rely on foreign vessels amounting to billions of dollars for our economy. This is due to strict registration laws for dishes that do not allow most native and foreign ships to be registered here. What MLC can do in this matter is it will incentivize Pakistan and relax its vessel registration system, which will result in an increase in the fleet and more job opportunities for the Navy cadets.
Pakistan as an MLC Member
Being an MLC member, Pakistan can gain in areas diplomatically, politically, strategically, and economically by improving its relations with regional and international maritime states, increasing its circle of allies, strengthening its naval security, better the socio-economic conditions of its seafarers, attracting ship and vessel owners due to convenient and internationally conjoined system, earn advantages of being a ratifying country, gain billions through remittances of seafarers and increase trade through its fleet rather than relying on foreign vessels.
Conclusion
Maritime Labor Convention (2006) is an inclusive maritime convention aimed at enhancing the seafarers’ working and living conditions while simultaneously incentivizing the shipowners to maintain the standards of maritime law. For Pakistan, this convention poses many prospects to facilitate and no severe concerns to be careful of. Therefore, implying my analysis, I would suggest that Pakistan should be a member of MLC, which can prove to be a cornerstone in its maritime trade and sector efforts.
Social media addiction has grown to be a problem. The student’s education is being hampered, and it is having an impact on their grades. Both the work-makers and the domestic manufacturers now struggle with work. This link is also problematic and contributes to illnesses like anorexia and depression.
People now compete with them on social media instead of using it to interact with close pals. They want their profiles to be the best, so they post better pictures and status updates than other users. Most of the time, people addicted to social media think about how they can make their profile better than others.
Addicts on social media have a constant temptation to glance through their accounts. They often update their information, browse through profiles, change their status, add photographs, and leave random comments.
Facebook and other social media platforms provide access to a variety of games. All these games have an addictive quality. Players aim to outdo one another by competing with others on their buddy list. They often play these games to raise their level and score. When they are unsuccessful in obtaining it, they feel irate and upset.
It’s essential to know the signs of being addicted to social media and to do something about it before it’s too late.
Addiction to social media effects
The following are the effects of social media addiction:
Damaging Young Minds
Social media is beneficial when used properly, but if someone becomes used to it, it can also be detrimental.
People, especially young people, are increasingly using social media, which is not good. It is also having harmful effects on people.
Crazed for approval
Social networking sites allow us to post images, videos, and status updates while also sharing details about our lives. Essentially, they will enable us to take pride in who we are.
We want to provide a positive image of ourselves to the outside world by feeling and looking nice. According to a Harvard University study, we feel joyful and elevated when we speak about ourselves.
Social media facilitates its influence. We share excellent pictures on social media and talk extensively about you and your family. We want to convey how much fun we are having in life. But things don’t work that way. So, we want the approval of others. We are interested in finding out who likes us and how we are doing in life.
When others compliment our images and status updates, it feels much better. People addicted to social media appear to have a wild list of friends. When someone speaks well, it gives them a high, which is normal. The issue is that when people do not welcome or like those who post online, they get anxious and depressed.
Feelings of jealousy
One of the worst emotions a person may feel is envy. Young social media abusers strive to imitate others rather than being content with what they already have and feel envious when unsuccessful. They experience constant resentment and suffering.
They often feel frustrated and dissatisfied. Social media addicts often experience depression because they do not feel good about themselves or their lives.
Is Social Media Addiction: Isolating Us from Society?
Facebook and Twitter are two examples of social media sites that can help us get in touch with long-lost friends and distant relatives. However, our addiction to social media is making it harder for us to spend time with our close friends and family.
People who use social media spend hours on these networks. They don’t give a damn whether their family members are seated next to them or attempting to bargain.
Everyone is interested in who posted updates on social media and the number of likes and comments they received.
Social media abusers often check their alerts and updates. If they include their posts, the likelihood of seeing a new notice is very high. However, its absence might make people dissatisfied and despondent.
Maintaining an appealing social media presence is the only need for social media addiction. During the gateway, they are mainly observed by clicking on photos of most social events, family get-togethers, and even pals. They barely engage in conversation or appreciate the surroundings. They are just interested in taking pictures to post on social media or are occupied with monitoring and commenting on their friend’s status updates.
While, in fact, they seldom even speak appropriately to anybody around them, they publish updates claiming to be having fun with their family or friends. It is a sobering reality for social media addicts. The social media site still affects their thoughts, even when they are with other individuals.
The Symptoms and Consequences of Social Media Addiction
Addiction to social media is a genuine issue with adverse effects. Social media platforms are becoming more and more commonplace, and they are having an increasing impact on people’s personal and professional lives. They are not only squandering their lives, but they are also affecting others around them.
Symptoms of Social Media Addiction:
Some of the features of social media addicts have been discussed in detail below.
Urge to check for consistent information
People who use social media compulsively have a constant impulse to check their alerts. Regardless of any new notifications, they often restrict their phones. When someone does not experience sadness when they get a new job, they feel cheerful.
Social media is all over.
Addicts on social media prioritize it over anything else in their lives. They look at this first thing in the morning and last thing before going to bed. Everyone, including their job, friends, and family, takes a back seat.
Internet access is required.
They must always have access to the internet because they must check their social media accounts often. When they are in locations without excellent internet access, they get restless.
Remuneration
Abusers of social media spend their time on Facebook, Instagram, and other sites. The actual tasks they must perform during the day are postponed or delayed by them.
Not interested in honest conversations.
Addicts to social media may be in your vicinity, but they won’t engage in conversation with you. It’s the only thing they are interested in, so they are occupied browsing through various social media sites. Instead, they would be linked to people via any other means than these sites.
Results of Social Media Addiction
Here are the effects of social media addiction:
Productivity declines.
Someone who is accustomed to social media disregards their job. He is continuously engaged in making improvements to his internet presence as well as those of others. As social media takes precedence, work begins to suffer. Addicts to social media frequently arrive late at work, leave critical meetings early, and cannot meet their job deadlines. Depending on the day, their output declines.
Social isolation
Addicts of social media do not like face-to-face interactions with others. They enjoy interacting with users on social networking sites. They often skip social gatherings or go there to publish images on their page. Addicts of social media rarely ever socialize or have fun at such meetings. They gradually start to act oddly and differently in society.
Impact on academic performance.
Addiction to social media harms students. They hinder their schoolwork because of this addiction. Their performance in class deteriorates. Sports and other hobbies no longer appeal to them. Their future is in jeopardy.
Stress and depression
Addicts of social media seek new activities on their sites all the time. Although many individuals are engaged on social media, we cannot count on them to always like or comment on our posts.
Social media addicts grow agitated and irritated when they don’t receive any new alerts. Additionally, they suffer when their photographs are disliked or others get likes. Over time, a large number of individuals develop depression.
Health issues
People hooked on social media often get migraines and have poor eyesight. Also, they don’t exercise, which makes health problems like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease worse.
Ways to Overcome Social Media Addiction
Using social media, we may stay in touch with friends and family who live abroad. It’s a terrific location to network with like-minded individuals, advertise our businesses, keep up with our favorite celebrities, learn more, and be informed about global events. However, using social media in excess might have unfavorable effects. Many people’s daily lives are affected by how much they use social media because they have become used to it.
Social media addiction is growing day by day.
Social networking has lowered distances between people. Around the globe, there are social media profiles for individuals in various age groups. While many social media users don’t update their pages often, some do. Another group of people utilizes social media. These individuals spend most of their waking hours reading through various social media websites, posting practically everything that occurs in their life. They are hooked to social media and have accounts on all its sites.
The number of people addicted to social media is growing every day because social media is coming up with many new and exciting ways to stop bullying and laziness.
Ways to Overcome Social Media Addictions
Even while you may make relatively little effort over time, it might be challenging to break your social media addiction all at once. Here are some strategies for overcoming social media addiction:
Limit time
You may set limits on how long you spend using specific mobile applications with the aid of apps. When you use a particular program for too long, it alerts you. To restrict your social media usage, it’s a good idea to use an app like this.
Stop notifications
On your phone, disable alerts for all your social media accounts. You won’t wait for your phone to beep or ask to check the notification continually if you know you haven’t received any new update notifications. There won’t be any interruptions, allowing you to focus more clearly on your current tasks.
Delete app
You should use a select few social media platforms and delete others from your phone. Keep these applications off your home screen as well. This one tip might go a long way toward helping you kick your social media addiction.
Spend time with family and friends.
When spending time with family and friends, keep your phone to yourself. Engage in enjoyable activities, converse with them, and pay attention to what they say. Please plan to spend as much time with them as you can while you do your best to break your social media addiction. It might be a worthwhile diversion from the illusory world you have created.
Indulge in your favorite activity.
Find out what you like doing the most. It may be singing, dancing, gardening, walking, or anything else. Do this daily for an hour or two to take your attention off social media.
Conclusion
Addicts on social media exhibit compulsive behavior. They often become socially isolated and cut off from the outside world. Identifying and fixing this issue is crucial if you want to live a happy and healthy life.
It’s essential to monitor how much time you spend on social media. You should consider it a caution if you constantly ask to verify the information or updates. You should pick one of the many ways to get over this addiction to live healthier lives.
Instead of considering their future occupations and concentrating on their academics, young people are ensnared in mainly pointless activities on social networking platforms. This addiction hurts their growth and the country’s growth as a whole.
After weeks of U.S. warnings, China said it would “resolutely smash any effort” and go to war against Taiwan’s independence.
China’s defense minister said the U.S. is “violating its vow to Taiwan” and “interfering” in Chinese affairs by backing Taiwan’s independence.
“Please understand that we will not hesitate to fight for Taiwan’s independence if anybody tries. We will fight till the very end, no matter what the cost. China has no other option, “speaking in Singapore as part of the Shangri-la Dialogue, an Asia-Pacific security meeting.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said China’s flights near Taiwan were “dangerous.” However, he said that the island’s military would be ready to defend it in the event of an assault.
China has always claimed Taiwan, which views itself as an independent country. However, the US is Taiwan’s best friend, and the law requires it to protect the island.
China is sending more planes into Taiwan’s air defense zone, and the U.S. has placed naval ships in Taiwan’s waters. China recently flew its biggest sortie of the year last month.
So, are the United States and China on the verge of a military confrontation?
Minding the Gap To Avoid War
One main concern is that if China invades Taiwan, it will start a war. Beijing has already said it is prepared to use force to recapture the island. Though many experts believe this is unlikely in the near term.
Taiwan has increased its air and sea defenses in case China invades. However, many feel Beijing knows such a move would be costly and harmful to the world.
Despite the rhetoric, the Chinese must stay their distance if they invade Taiwan. Compared to Russia’s economy, China is significantly more globally networked, “Professor of Southeast Asian Studies William Choong admits.
Gen Wei said China supported “peaceful reunification” with Taiwan and would only strike if provoked.
Taiwan’s official declaration of independence might serve as a catalyst. However, there has been considerable resistance to this from President Tsai Ing-wen, who believes Taiwan is already sovereign.
Most Taiwanese, known for “maintaining the status quo,” is in favor of this viewpoint. However, a tiny percentage are increasingly saying they wish to break away from China.
A New Cold War
The U.S. has said it doesn’t desire an expensive military war in Asia.
“A new Cold War” isn’t something we’d want to see in the future, according to U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who also spoke at the Dialogue.
“In Taiwan, both sides are clinging to their beliefs.” They don’t want to be seen as sluggish or hesitant, so they need to seem challenging. ” S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies research fellow Collin Koh made comments.
At the same time, they take great care not to become involved in a full-blown fight. Each side is keeping an eye on the other’s rhetoric, but they’re doing it cautiously. “
At the Shangri-La Dialogue, both sides showed “they are still prepared to sit down and speak it out, come to an agreement, and agree to disagree,” said Mr. Koh, which was a promising omen for the two countries.
He added that there would be more active conversations between the two forces to avoid on-the-ground miscalculations that may lead to confrontation and an overall “reinvigoration of communication” lacking under Donald Trump’s presidency.
Conclusion
China and the United States are anticipated to keep up their rhetoric for the foreseeable future. However, according to Dr. Ian Chong, a China researcher at the National University of Singapore, disinformation campaigns or deploying additional airplanes may be among China’s options to wear out Taiwan’s military and patience.
Polls on Taiwan’s main island are scheduled for December, and the island has previously accused China of launching misinformation operations ahead of the island’s elections.
“There is no political will to change their positions” for the time being, at least for the United States and China. This is especially true given upcoming events like the midterm U.S. elections in November and China’s 20th Communist Party congress, where President Xi Jinping is expected to solidify his hold on power further.
It’s a good thing, says Dr. Chong, because neither side wants things to go worse. “On the other hand, just because we don’t escalate things doesn’t imply we’ll become any better. That means we’ll be here for a long.”
Commentators have expressed concern that the war in Ukraine might lead to World War III since Russia’s invasion of the country. NBC News quoted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as saying in mid-March that a third global war had “actually begun.” Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuck went a step farther and said that “World War Three… has already started.” Journalists in the West have followed suit, with Bret Stephens saying, “This is how World War III starts” and the British press questioning whether “World War 3 [is] now a reality in Europe?”
These statements seem grossly inflated at first glance. There were millions of casualties on all sides during the two world wars, but Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine is a struggle between only two countries. There is no analogue to England and France declaring war on Germany two days after it invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, despite international declarations of sympathy for Ukrainian soldiers. The influx of western volunteers into Ukraine is reminiscent of the Spanish Civil War, which lasted from 1936 to 1939 but was not a part of World War II.
So, how might a third world war look?
A “global war” idea has roots in the past and today, and a Third World War will only happen when people accept it has. As long as the battle stays inside its existing boundaries, the war’s name will be a political argument.
Before the outbreak of Global War I, the term “world war” had been coined.
When Servia received the Austrian ultimatum in July 1914, the American media warned that “Europe would enter a world war” if Servia did not comply. The French were worried about a “guerre mondiale,” while the Germans dreaded a “Weltkrieg.”
Global war II
Historians and viewers have used a wide variety of phrases to characterize World War II. In American media, references to “world war warriors” and “the ongoing global fight” were common.
English and French pundits used “Great War” and “La Grande Guerre” at the time. Lenin called the Russian Revolution a “world war” and “capitalist war.” All countries could describe the conflict in their own words, giving it weight and purpose.
World War I didn’t begin until 1939, when a new war began. Both phrases were made up before the fighting started, just like World War II and the “Second World War.” American intellectuals seeking a harsh peace for Germany in 1918 say it must not acquire “sinew for a second world war.”
The term “World War II” didn’t catch on for a long time. Many Europeans did not refer to the fight as a “numerical war” during the period. “Never in the realm of human strife was so much due by so many to so few,” Churchill said in a famous 1940 address, referring to “British pilots who, undeterred by odds… are reversing the tide of World War I.” The term “World War II” was only sanctified in Western awareness after 1945, with the benefit of hindsight.
Conclusion
In contrast, the potential of a third global war first surfaced during World War II. William Shirer, Rex Stout, and Emil Ludwig founded the Society to Prevent World War III in 1944.
Many worried after 1945. In the Korean, Cuban, and Vietnam conflicts, journalists feared a third global war. After the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1980, newspapers ran headlines like “World War III?” The potential for a Third World War has been used on several occasions to prevent regional wars from becoming global catastrophes.
Of fact, none of these worries came to fruition at all. Even if “World War III” isn’t in any history books, it’s still a terrifying possibility.
It’s possible that the gap between reality and imagination might be causally related.
The constant warnings of World War III may have prevented it from happening. There may be a price to pay, though, for adopting this rhetorical position. Repeated exposure to information about a potential danger might make people less fearful, increasing the odds that it will never materialize.
Risky behavior may be encouraged by it. People who think World War III has started in Ukraine want Western support for an imminent confrontation with Russia. This allegation, amplified by social media, might lead to nuclear escalation, the reverse of what others are attempting to avoid.
History books won’t record World War III until it actually happens. Obviously, we need to hope and pray that this doesn’t happen and that the notion continues to prosper. If this were to occur, it might cause widespread destruction. I can’t predict the tactics of the next global conflict, but I can say with confidence that rocks will play a crucial part in the fifth. In 1948, Albert Einstein made a now-famous prediction.
The Tuskegee Airmen, forerunners of the United States Air Force (USAF), were the first black members of the United States Army Air Corps (AAC).
Over 15,000 sorties were flown by the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II after training at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama. Over 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses got award for their outstanding performance, which served to support the ultimate merger of US military forces.
Segregation in the Armed Forces
For decades in the twenties and thirties, American public attention was on the exploits of record-breaking aviators like Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart.
The young African Americans who wished to become pilots faced tremendous barriers, beginning with the popular (racist) perception that black people could not learn to fly or operate modern aircraft. Roosevelt said in 1938 that he would increase civilian pilot training programs in the United States as Europe was on the verge of another major conflict.
Racial segregation persisted not just in the military services of the United States but also throughout the rest of the nation at the time. The black troops were seen to be inferior to whites and to perform badly in battle by the military establishment (especially in the South).
As the AAC started implementing its training program, black publications like the Chicago Defender and Pittsburgh Courier joined civil rights organizations like the NAACP in urging that black Americans should be involved.
The Tuskegee Training Camp
It was in September 1940 when President Franklin Roosevelt’s White House announced that the AAC would soon start training black pilots. The Tuskegee Army Air Field in Tuskegee, Alabama, then under construction, was the choice of the War Department as the training location.
Booker T. Washington
Booker T. Washington established the famed Tuskegee Institute in this Jim Crow-era city, which was home to the Tuskegee Institute. Almost the majority of the program’s participants were college graduates or undergraduates.
Tuskegee also taught almost 14,000 navigators, bombardiers, instructors, and technicians, as well as control tower operators and maintenance personnel. He was one of just two African-American officers in the whole United States military (the other being a chaplain) in 1941’s inaugural class of aviation cadets. Which included West Point alumnus Benjamin O. Davis Jr.
Eleanor Roosevelt’s visit to Tuskegee Airfield
Eleanor Roosevelt‘s visit to Tuskegee Airfield in April 1941 aided the “Tuskegee Experiment” tremendously. During that time, Charles Alfred Anderson Sr., the program’s chief flying instructor, took the first lady on an aerial tour. This tour is documented on video and in pictures.
The Tuskegee Airmen in World War II
After the Allies took control of North Africa, the Tuskegee-trained 99th Pursuit Squadron went there in April 1943.
When the commander of the 99th’s assigned fighter group complained about the squadron’s performance, Davis had to defend his soldiers before a War Department committee.
The 99th was off to Italy, where they operated alongside the white pilots of the 79th Fighter Group, rather than going back to the United States.
During the first two days of 1944, the 99th Fighter Squadron’s pilots shot down 12 German planes. The 100th, 301st, and 302nd fighter squadrons landed in Italy in February 1944, and they formed the new 332nd Fighter Group with the 99th.
P-51 Mustangs, flown by the 332nd to support the heavy bombers of the 15th Air Force on missions deep into enemy territory after this transfer. For identification reasons, the tails of their aircraft were in red paint, giving them the moniker “Red Tails.”
The 477th Bombardment Group
The 477th Bombardment Group, founded in 1944, had black aviators in addition to the more well-known Tuskegee Airmen. The Tuskegee Airmen got credit of never losing a bomber in more than 200 escort flights during World War II.
Years later, an in-depth investigation revealed that the enemy aircraft that accompanied the bombers had shot down at least 25 of them. The 15th Air Force’s escort groups, on the other hand, lost an average of 46 bombers every mission.
Legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen
The Tuskegee Airmen flew more than 15,000 sorties over two years of combat by the time the 332nd flew its last combat mission on April 26, 1945, two weeks before the German capitulation.
Nearly 1,000 rail cars and transport vehicles, a German destroyer, 36 enemy aircraft, and 237 enemy vehicles on the ground were in destruction or damage. Over the course of World War II, Tuskegee-trained aviators lost 66 lives and captured 32 more as POWs.
Armed Forces Integrated
Many of the Tuskegee Airmen met with hostility upon their return to the United States after their heroic service in Vietnam. These laws were a crucial precursor to President Harry Truman’s issuing Executive Order 9981, desegregating the United States Armed Forces on July 26, 1948, and ensuring equal opportunity and treatment for everyone.
There were a number of original Tuskegee Airmen who went on to have long military careers, including Davis, the first Black general in the new US Air Force; George S. “Spanky” Roberts, who became the first Black commander of a racially integrated Air Force unit; and Daniel “Chappie” James Jr., the nation’s first Black four-star general in 1975.
The Congressional Gold Medal awarded to the Tuskegee Airmen by President George W. Bush in 2007 was a great commendation. When Barack Obama became the nation’s first African American president in 2009, the remaining Tuskegee Airmen attended the ceremony on special invitation.
The world is not the same as it was in terms of weather change. The temperature of the earth is rising every passing day due to the activities of mankind. Global warming is a serious and irrefutable phenomenon. But still, some people are unaware of the gravity of the situation and are reluctant to accept it. Another misconception among people is that they confuse the term ‘global warming with ‘climate change. Whereas, global warming is the average increase in the earth’s temperature due to greenhouse gas emissions. These gasses are entrapped in the atmospheric layers surrounding the earth hence causing temperature rise. The average temperature of the earth is 15 degrees Celsius and by 2100, a 2–4-degree Celsius rise is prospective.
Whereas climate change is the umbrella term that encompasses global warming. It shows the greatest and long-term changes in the overall climate of the earth. For instance, the extreme and harsh conditions of the weather, average humidity level, frequent floods, rains, melting of glaciers, and the rise in the sea level. Global warming is one of the effects of climate change.
What authorities are responsible to take countermeasures?
Global warming and climate change are rising problems for everyone living on this earth. These issues required a collective and global response for framing a solution. United Nations is a universal institute that understood the problem and took the lead to initiate counter aims for resolving this problem. To tackle different universal issues UN has established a separate entity.
Similarly for climate change, the UN has a special agency called the United Nations Framework on Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC). UN has a separate environment program. To deal with environmental matters, the UN has established special organizations and framed laws to tackle climate change and global warming issues.
What is IPCC?
In collaboration with World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the UN established a research organization called Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC. Its head office is located in Geneva, Switzerland in the building of WMO. It has 196 member countries. IPCC functions to keep the member countries informed about the recent climate situations. IPCC has three different working groups that work on the physics of climate change, its impact, and how to mitigate such adverse effects. the recommendations of IPCC are not binding on the governments of member parties. They only have persuasive nature.
What is the Kyoto protocol?
Kyoto protocol (pdf) is the document that operationalized UNFCCC. It was adopted in 1997 but came into force in 2005. It has 192 member states which makes it a universal agreement. This protocol was signed and accepted by the UN member states to limit the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG). Industrialized member countries showed the intention not to cross a specific limit of Carbon emission. This protocol is binding on the developed countries that they are responsible according to their capabilities.
An amendment was adopted in 2012 in Doha, Qatar, to extend the commitment period from 2013 to 2020. In the amended instrument, the GHG list was revised for the countries and the target was changed.
What is Paris Agreement?
Kyoto protocol binds the industrialized states to no to cross a certain limit of GHG eruption. Paris agreement (Pdf) is a remarkable achievement because it brought 196 countries to a common cause and that is to stop the rise in earth’s temperature. It was signed in 2015 at COP21 (Conference of Parties) in Paris. Its goal is to keep the earth’s temperature below 2 degrees Celsius.
The Paris agreement works in two stages, the short-term and the other one is long-term. It welcomes the party states to come up with their strategy on how they want to work on climate change. Paris agreement calls this stage Nationally determined contribution (NDC). These are short-term plans for 5 years. Whereas, the long-term plans are the extension of these where the Paris Agreement demands the party states develop a Long-term low greenhouse gas emission development stage (LT-LEDS). This shows that the main focus of this agreement is to maintain the earth’s temperature at around 1.5 degrees Celsius by emitting less GHG.
10 misconceptions about global warming
Despite developing research bodies under the supervision of the UN and framing special laws to tackle climate change and global warming still, people have some misconceptions about global warming.
1. It’s a natural process
There is no doubt that climate has a natural cycle of variation. What we observe in one year is the change in weather instead of climate. Weather is the atmospheric condition of a place whereas climate is the long-term weather of a specific region and doesn’t change abruptly. Over the past few decades, we have seen an abrupt change in the climate of several regions of the earth. Scientists have studied the CO2 level in the ice core of Antarctica and reached a conclusion that they are higher than in the past. Hence, the abrupt change in the weather extremes is due to a rise in CO2 levels.
2. The reason is the sun
People believe that the sun has started burning more than in the past. Sun sends its energy in varying intensity on the earth. Earth’s orbit and tilt towards the sun change in a periodic manner. What amount of energy that reaches earth depends on these interactions of tilt and orbits with the sun.
3. Carbon dioxide does not make a huge impact
Some argue that the ratio of Carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is small therefore a little increase cannot make a huge impact. CO2 concentration is indeed low but its heat-trapping capacity is high exponentially. Therefore, a little rise makes a manifold impact.
The power of CO2: Even though carbon dioxide is a tiny part of our atmosphere…(280 parts per million (ppm) in 1800s, Now 410 – i.e. 410 molecules of each 1 million molecules are CO2)…that CO2 has a huge effect. If you remove all CO2 Global temps drop 50 degrees F in 50 years! https://t.co/uWIaOle8yt
Religious and elderly people notice the harsh realities of the weather and reminiscence the moderate climatic conditions from their childhood or adulthood. They believe that a harsh climatic condition is an act of God only. They don’t believe that the reason for these abrupt changes is the act of God but the act of mankind.
5. No consensus among the scientific community
Some believe that scientists have no agreement on the reason for climate change. Whereas the whole scientific community has built a consensus that global warming is due to the activities of mankind. According to a 2013 paper, there is consensus among 97% community on the reason for global warming.
credits; skeptical science
6. There is a hole in the ozone layer
Another big misconception that is found in most people is that the ozone layer (in the stratosphere) is the reason for the rising temperature of the earth. The ozone layer protects the earth from UV radiations coming from the sun. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) cause a hole in the ozone layer. These CFCs were banned in Montreal Protocol. This hole is causing the UV radiation to reach the earth which does not cause the temperature to rise.
7. Global warming is a good thing
People who face long and harsh winters are in favor of global warming because they can get rid of frigid winter. But they don’t understand that some places have beautiful winter. Although winter is losing its intensity which is due to global warming. Those people who are in favor of global warming need to check the realities that this thing can cause a rise in sea levels, frequent flooding, wildfires, and massive die-offs of coral reefs. Global warming will affect the different parts of the world differently.
8. Grand solar minimum
Many scientists believe that we are going to enter an age where the solar activity will decrease and this will reduce global warming. This age is called the grand solar minimum. But it’s still a myth because there is no consensus on it.
9. Global warming will destroy the world
Such false news and conspiracy theories spread among the people and by the people to achieve some political gains. Several websites on the internet are run by conspirators who publish and public such false and fictitious news that global warming will destroy the world by 2025 or 2030. This is really not true.
10. There is nothing we can do
A most common misconception is that there is nothing we can do about global warming. It is irreversible. Well, this isn’t true. We can do a lot to undo what we have done already. To counter the global warming issue, we need to plant trees, reduce the consumption of fossil fuels, meet the criteria of the Paris Agreement and Kyoto protocol, start recycling products, reduce the consumption of plastic, and find nature-based and sustainable solutions to our problems.
Domestic violence is described by the World Health Organization as “physical, psychological, or sexual coercive actions against women by an intimate partner, either present or past.”
It is also defined as “any acts of gender-based and other physical or psychological abuse perpetrated by a responder against women, children, or other vulnerable individuals” under Pakistan’s historic Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act, which was enacted by the Senate in 2012.
Domestic violence includes acts such as assault, attempted assault, criminal force, criminal intimidation, emotional, psychological, verbal, stalking, sexual, physical, and economic abuse, as further specified by the term.
As a major public health and social issue, domestic violence is pervasive in Pakistan. Human Rights Watch conducted a survey of women in Pakistan in 2009 and found that between 10% and 20% of them had experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. About 5,000 women a year lose their lives to intimate partner abuse, and many more suffer permanent injuries.
Numerous reports detail instances of assault against women.
Over half of the 1974 people who were reported murdered in 1998 had family members who committed the crimes.
According to research by the Thomson Reuters Foundation, Pakistan is, behind Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the third most hazardous nation in the world for women. Most victims of violence can do little to protect themselves legally. In most circumstances, police departments will not file reports of domestic abuse because they do not consider it a criminal offence. Victims of violence often have nowhere to go since there are so few women’s shelters in the nation.
Types of Domestic Violence
When people think of domestic violence, they usually picture the abusive spouse physically harming the victim. Domestic violence can be physical, emotional, sexual, financial, psychological, or any combination of these. Physical abuse is only one sort of abuse; there are other forms as well.
It is crucial to recognize the various indications of abuse so that you can spot the issue and get treatment. Being the victim of domestic violence can lead to emotions of helplessness and even self-doubt.
Physical Abuse
The most obvious domestic violence is physical abuse. It involves using force against the victim and hurting them as a result (a punch or a kick, stabbing, shooting, choking, slapping, forcing you to use drugs, etc.).
But the injury does not have to be bad. For example, your abuser slaps you a few times, but you do not need to go to the hospital because the injuries are not serious. Even though the damage is not bad, the slap is still domestic violence.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse destroys the victim’s sense of self-worth through repeated insults, humiliations, or criticism. It’s a sort of domestic abuse that’s hard for people to grasp since it’s a typical element of unstable relationships.
Most states do not recognize emotional abuse as a basis for domestic violence cases unless the abuse is so severe and pervasive that the relationship may be classified as very coercive. Typically, a domestic violence claim requires proof of emotional abuse in addition to physical, financial, sexual, or psychological assault.
Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse is a common type of domestic violence. It includes not only sexual assault and rape, but also harassment, such as unwanted touching and other demeaning actions.
Many victims do not realize how broadly sexual abuse is defined. For example, if you have ever been forced not to use birth control (the pill, a condom, an IUD, etc.) or to have an abortion, you may have been sexually abused. This kind of abuse is known as reproductive coercion.
Financial Abuse
Financial abuse is the least obvious type of domestic violence. It can come in many forms, like when a husband does not let his wife go to school or get a job outside of the house. Financial abuse happens a lot, especially when families put their money into joint accounts that one person controls and there is little or no family support to help. Money abuse is a means to dominate someone, however it’s not as evident as physical or sexual abuse.
Often, the victim depends on their partner for all their money. Since the abusive partner is the only way the victim can get money, the abusive partner has complete control over the victim. The abusive partner might not give you money for food, clothes, and other things you need. If there are children involved, this can be the same thing as neglect.
Psychological Abuse
Psychological abuse is a catch-all term for behavior that is intimidating, threatening, or causes fear. This behavior must be consistent and important. Most of the time, a one-time event will not be enough to bring a domestic violence action. Like emotional abuse, psychological abuse may not be enough on its own to start a domestic violence case unless it is very severe.
Psychological abuse covers a wide range of actions. Some common examples include:
Keeping the victim from talking to people unless they have “permission”; keeping the victim from leaving the house; threatening the victim with violence or emotional extortion if they do something the abusive partner does not like.
Domestic violence against women in Pakistan
Based on the results of a study conducted by the Thomas Reuters Foundation (an organization dedicated to raising awareness throughout the world to the most pressing problems facing humankind), Pakistan is the sixth most hazardous nation for women (Sukhera, 2021).
The Global Gender Gap 2021 ranking released by the World Economic Forum places Pakistan at position 153 out of 156 nations (Waheed, 2021). Human Rights Commission Pakistan (HRCP) data shows an increase in reports of domestic and cyber-based violence in merely 2020 and 2021. In 2020, the HRCP documented 430 occurrences of honor murders, including 263 female victims.
After just four months of 2021, police in Punjab province reported fifty-three gang rapes (Sukhera, 2021). According to the Pakistan Ministry of Human Rights, which relied on data from the country’s 2017–2018 Demographic and Health Survey, around 28% of Pakistani women aged 15–29 had suffered physical abuse (Saifi, 2021).
The Aurat Foundation is a women’s rights organisation located in Islamabad, Pakistan, and they report that in 2021 there were 2,297 incidences of violence against women throughout four provinces. Murder, kidnappings, rapes, gang rapes, honour murders, and domestic violence were all part of these episodes. Researchers have said that numbers are too low and do not accurately reflect the true extent of violence against women in Pakistan (Sukhera, 2021).
There is a lot of violence against women in Pakistan, and it would be helpful to give some examples.
Khadija Siddiqui
In 2016, when Khadija Siddiqui was still in law school, Shah Hussain stabbed her twenty-three times. He only got five years in prison for his brutal attack, and he got out at the beginning of 2021. Amnesty International’s South Asia Campaigner, Rimmel Mohydin, said, “Every day a victim doesn’t get justice, or a perpetrator walks free after killing or abusing another woman in this country should be a turning point” (Hafeez, 2021).
Siddiqui later said that no official told her about the initial release, and she finds it scary that no steps are taken to make sure she is safe when a criminal is let out of prison early or when she is fighting for justice.
Mariam
Mariam works as a housekeeper, and she is the only one in her family who makes money because her husband refuses to work. He hurts her physically and verbally. She says, “As soon as I get home, tired from working all day at different homes, before I’ve even set foot in the house, he starts with his tyranny and starts beating me.”
Mariam married her husband via the practice of watta satta, a marriage swap widespread in rural Pakistan. The daughter of her husband was married to Mariam’s brother in exchange for Mariam. If Mariam tries to leave him, she risks being shunned by her friends and her brother’s marriage would end. Mariam’s husband not only hurts her physically, but he also hurts her mentally.
She is also abused by her seven-year-old stepson, who beats her “so hard that my clothes were covered in blood.” Mariam’s stories are not isolated events. She is one of the thousands of women in Pakistan who face gender-based violence but don’t show up in the statistics because they never officially report their abusers for different reasons. (Hafeez, 2021). For example, most women don’t report cases of domestic violence to the police because they think husbands have the right to beat their wives and sweep the problem under the rug. (Qayyum, 2017)
Ayesha Ikram
More than 400 men harassed and groped TikTok creator Ayesha Ikram on the grounds of the Minar-e-Pakistan, a major national monument of the country’s independence (Bain, 2021).
Many people in Pakistan refer to the problem of gender-based violence as “femicide” to draw attention to how big the problem is and how systemic it is (Kirmani, 2021).
Qandeel Baloch
In 2016, Qandeel Baloch’s youngest brother killed her because of what he called her “intolerable behavior.”
Baloch was a big deal on social media because she was out and proud about being gay. The killing of Qandeel started a debate about women’s sexuality and blaming the victim (Kirmani, 2021).
how domestic violence affects the victim
Domestic violence victims show a wide range of effects, just like anyone else who has been hurt. Abusive behavior from the offender can lead to a wide range of health problems and physical injuries. Victims may need immediate medical care for injuries, hospitalization for severe attacks, or long-term care for health problems caused by the attacker that make them unable to work. Domestic violence can cause cuts, bruises, broken bones, and sexually transmitted diseases. Domestic abuse may induce headaches, stomachaches, and serious health issues that can’t be cured without medical care or medicine.
Many people who have been abused go to the doctor often for health problems and injuries caused by domestic violence. Research shows, though, that many victims won’t talk about the abuse unless the doctor asks them directly or checks for domestic violence. So, it is very important that health care providers directly ask about possible domestic violence. This way, victims can get the right care for their injuries or illnesses and get more help to stop the abuse.
Domestic violence can cause victims to have short-term and long-term mental health problems. Some victims, though, have a history of mental health problems that may be made worse by the abuse. Other victims may develop mental health problems because of the abuse. There are many common ways to deal with trauma that can be seen as emotional and behavioral effects of domestic violence.
Emotional withdrawal
Denial or minimization of the abuse
Impulsivity or aggressiveness
Apprehension or fear
Helplessness
Anger
Anxiety or hypervigilance
Disturbance of eating or sleeping patterns
Substance abuse
Depression
Suicide
post-traumatic stress disorder
Some of these effects also help victims deal with the trauma. For instance, some victims of abuse utilize drugs or alcohol to numb the discomfort of their condition. Unfortunately, these ways of coping can make it hard for people to get help or leave abusive relationships. Psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, and counsellors who screen, do a full assessment, and treat victims can help them deal with or leave the abuse.
how domestic violence affects mental health
Over the past few decades, people have become more aware and concerned about their mental health. Many people think about their physical health when they think about their health, and they tend to pay more attention to it when they have symptoms. Somatic (body) symptoms like chronic back and neck pain, fibromyalgia, migraines, digestive problems, spastic colon/irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue, and some forms of asthma are common in traumatized children and adults.
These physical symptoms may be indicators of emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, environmental, and vocational imbalances. Holistic health looks at all these parts of a person’s life and sees how they all affect each other. So, when someone goes through something traumatic, like domestic violence, their whole body and all parts of their health are affected, especially their emotional health.
Everyone’s mind is in good shape. Whether it’s problems with mental health, good mental health, or something in between. “Our emotional, psychological, and social well-being are all part of our mental health. It changes what we think, feel, and do. It also affects how we deal with stress, get along with others, and make decisions. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence to adulthood. Domestic abuse causes stress, worry, dread, humiliation, and despair, which may damage mental health.
Link Between Mental Health and Domestic Violence: The Statistics
The majority of women who seek help in psychiatric hospitals report experiencing domestic violence.
Some of the most common diagnoses for these women are post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety.
Traumatic events cause deep and long-lasting changes in the body, emotions, thoughts, and memories, but these changes don’t always lead to a psychological diagnosis.
Someone’s mental health can be affected even if they don’t have PTSD, depression, or anxiety. Some victims of domestic abuse develop post-traumatic stress disorder, although this is not the case for everyone.
A victim-mental survivor may have difficulty in work, school, caring for others, developing and maintaining strong relationships, adjusting to change, and coping with obstacles.
It is possible for a victim-mental health survivor to use their condition to harm others. Coercion directed against the victim-mental survivor’s health is a frequent abuse and control method.
Other common ways to hurt mental health are through other kinds of emotional abuse, like gaslighting.
Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2020
The Ministry of Human Rights introduced the bill for the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2020 to the National Assembly on July 8, 2020. The measure aims to “create a system of protection, assistance, and rehabilitation for domestic abuse victims”
Domestic violence is defined in the bill as “all acts of physical, emotional, psychological, sexual, and economic abuse committed by a respondent against women, children, vulnerable persons, or any other person with whom the respondent is or has been in a domestic relationship that causes fear, physical, or psychological harm to the aggrieved person.” The bill also covers the Islamabad Capital Territory.
It’s envy that invades privacy, freedom, integrity, and security. False allegations of infertility, deliberate or thoughtless desertion, stalking, harassment, or compelling the wife to live with another.
It’s prohibited to degrade or lie about a lady or household member. Deliberately denying someone economic or financial resources is also illegal.
Shireen Mazari, the Federal Human Rights Minister, talked about the bill. According to her, the punishment for domestic abuse in Pakistan ranges from six months to three years, depending on the severity of the incident, even though it is not explicitly addressed in the Pakistan Penal Code. When a PPC violation occurs in a marriage or domestic partnership, the same penalties apply.
The individual who committed domestic violence would also have to pay a punishment of between Rs20,000 and Rs100,000. If a fine is not paid, the person who broke the law could get three months in jail. The bill proposes for a Protection Committee to assist wrongdoers handle their legal cases.
Science and Technology Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Interior Minister Mirza Shahzad Akbar, and Law and Justice Minister Faroogh Naseem met to finalize the Bill.
Conclusion
Domestic violence is getting worse everywhere. Most of the time, less is said about it in Pakistan because it is a sensitive subject. But there are still a lot of women who live with the effects of DV every day. These studies suggest that identifying DV against women requires educational and health awareness measures to minimize and control violence. In addition, new, more stringent, and uniform rules and regulations are required.
In the end, violence against women is a part of the culture in Pakistan. This is clear from the problems that have come up around the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill 2021. Pakistani government and police blame women for what happens to them.
Women feel like they can’t tell anyone about what happens to them because of all these things and more. Depending on their social and economic background, they may have to fight the justice system for years. Women in Pakistan are right to criticize the state and its officials for not protecting them.
Khadija Siddiqui, Mariam, Ayesha Ikram, and Qandeel Baloch are victims of increasing violence in Pakistan. Information from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan supports this conclusion as well.
Sultan Salahuddin Ayubi was born in the Iraqi city of Tikrit. His real name was Abul Muzaffar Yousaf ibn Ayub, but people in the West called him Salahuddin or Saladin.
Salahuddin Ayubi came from a prominent Kurdish family. His father, Najm al-Dn Ayyb, relocated his family to Aleppo the night he was born to work for Imad al-Dn Zang ibn Aq Sonqur.
Saladin seems to have had a normal childhood in Balbek and Damascus. He was more interested in studying religion than in becoming a soldier.
Salahuddin Ayubi a Great Leader
In Islamic history, several courageous generals achieved much for Islam’s grandeur. One of these generals was Salahuddin Ayubi. Who is at the top of the list for his great leadership not only made up for the fact that his army was smaller. And didn’t have as many weapons.
Building Islamic Empire
Salahuddin may have been the most famous Muslim soldier after Ali ibn Abu Talib (r). He had a strong will and changed the way history went. It is well known that he was able to get the Crusaders out of Palestine and Syria.
The fact that he was able to create a single, solid Islamic government with no internal cracks is less well-known. This gave Muslims the chance to run the world for a short time.
Salahuddin’s generation retook Jerusalem, founded an Islamic empire in India, and prevented the Crusaders from capturing Spain and North Africa.
He also inspired his troops to do things in battle that were beyond brave. He was called “Scourge of God” and “Retribution from the Lord.” The European kings respected him as a worthy enemy.
Start of Military Career
Salahuddin Ayubi went to Egypt with his uncle Shirkuh in 1167. They were sent there by Nurdin Zengi, the ruler of Mosul and Aleppo. To help the ruler of Fatamid fight off the Crusaders.
Salahuddin took over as vizier of Egypt after the death of his uncle. His dominion once extended from the highlands of Kurdistan to Libya. The Seljuks conquered the Byzantine Empire in the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 and also presented a threat to Constantinople.
The Byzantine ruler, Alexious, immediately requested assistance from the European rulers to prevent the collapse of his empire. At the Pope’s direction, forces assembled, but instead of supporting the Byzantine emperor, they marched to liberate Jerusalem.
Jerusalem
The Crusades showed that the West didn’t think Muslims were better than them. The goal was to get back to the Holy Land, and it was spread all over Europe by the Pope. The Crusader armies took control of the Holy City on July 13, 1099, after a week-long siege.
It happened 462 years to the day after Caliph Umar came to the city. With the Seljuk Empire now fragmented into several kingdoms, Muslims faced formidable challenges in their war against the Crusaders.
Turkish Leaders
A Turkish Emir named Imad al-Din Zengi unified Mosul and Aleppo into a single empire and took on the Crusaders. However, because of two separate occurrences, the work of ousting the Franks from Jerusalem was put off for some time.
Kara Khitai, a barbaric Turkoman, beat the Seljuks in 1141, and they never got back on their feet. Assassins working for the Fatimids took Zengi’s life in the year 1146.
Nur al-Din Zengi, his son, kept up this work to bring Muslims together. Nuruddin, a man of exceptional skill, orchestrated a methodical operation to drive the Crusaders from West Asia.
Nuruddin was a devout, prejudice-free guy of excellent character. As a result of the many chances afforded by the unstable military environment, other troops ascended fast through the ranks of the army as a result of the many chances.
Two of them, Ayyub and Shirkuh, were officers. Shirkuh was also Salahuddin’s uncle. Nuruddin’s officers went on a careful campaign to take over all of northern Iraq, eastern Syria, and eastern Anatolia.
Damascus was incorporated in the year 1154.Nuruddin was prepared to confront the Crusaders in Palestine and take control of Egypt with these vast domains. Both of these conflicts would take place in Palestine.
Egypt had the answer to the question of Palestine. As long as the Fatimids controlled Egypt, the Crusaders couldn’t attack.
Situation of Cairo
In the year 1163, Cairo was ruled by two competing viziers. One of them extended an invitation to the Franks to participate in the conflict in Egypt. The other individual made a pitch to Nuruddin. Shirkuh was sent to Cairo in response to Nuruddin’s directive. In the year 1165, both the Seljuks and the Crusaders made an appearance in Egypt. However, neither group was successful in establishing a permanent stronghold there.
After a gap of two years, Shirkuh eventually made his way back to Egypt with his nephew Salahuddin. He attempted to reassert his control in the Nile Delta once again, and this time he was successful. Shirkuh was appointed as Mustadi, the last Caliph of the Fatimid dynasty, though Mustadi was under duress to do so. Shirkuh passed away in 1169, and his nephew Salahuddin was chosen to succeed him as Caliph of Baghdad.
Salahuddin Ayubi became an independent ruler when Nur Din Zengi passed away. He went on to conquer Syria and become the Sultan of Egypt, Hijaz, Yemen, and Syria.
In addition to these territories, he also ruled Yemen. Salahuddin Ayubi is credited with repelling Crusader attacks, putting down army revolts, and easing Egypt’s internal unrest.
End of Fatmid’s Rule
Despite three centuries of Fatimid rule, most Egyptians remained Sunni and followed Sunnah fiqh. The Fatimid Caliphate was overthrown by Salahuddin in the year 1171.
The khutba was revised such that it now includes the title of the Abbasid Empire’s Caliph. The Fatimid Caliph Mustadi did not know about the transfer and died peacefully a few weeks later.
The Fatimids previously ruled Mecca, Madina, and Jerusalem. However, they are no longer remembered today. The Turks’ promotion of a Sunni interpretation of history ultimately proved to be correct. By eliminating the Fatimid division, orthodox Islam was able to unify and issue a challenge to the Crusaders.
Historians disagree on whether or not man is the driving force behind history, or if rather, man’s circumstances and environment determine historical events. Totally missing the idea here. Human behaviour and the conditions in which it occurs are intrinsically linked.
Those who shape history have immense influence, shaping the course of events to their liking and leaving a path of destruction for posterity to decipher. However, luck plays a role in their success.
What is less well known about him is his skill in establishing an united political framework inside Islam that was free of internal struggle. This achievement gave Muslims the opportunity to dominate the events of the globe for a period of time.
It was Salahuddin’s generation that not only retook Jerusalem but also established the Islamic Empire in India and temporarily halted the Crusader expansion in Spain and North Africa.
Decision to Free Jerusalem
Ayubi made the decision to free Jerusalem because he felt it was his religious duty to free the Holy City. However, during this period, a group known as the Hashashin, sometimes known as assassins, rose to prominence and made two unsuccessful attempts to kill Ayubi.
Salahuddin Ayubi agreed to a cease-fire with Knight Reynald of Jerusalem, but Reynald broke the agreement on many occasions by attacking and murdering Muslim pilgrims and stealing from their caravans. Ayubi marched his army towards Jerusalem with the hopes of teaching him a lesson and freeing the Holy City in the process.
Lusignan led the Crusader army as they travelled 20 kilometres to meet Ayubi’s soldiers and set up camp at Hattin. Ayubi soldiers successfully obstructed access to the region’s one and only water supply. After many days of skirmishing and hard battle, Ayubi’s men were able to inflict a catastrophic loss upon the Crusaders, which resulted in the Crusaders being routed.
The soldiers led by Ayubi arrived on the outskirts of Jerusalem in September 1187. On October 2, 1187, following an attack that lasted for ten days, the city eventually capitulated to his men and surrendered.
The Holy City was freed on the 27th of Rajab, which was also the same day that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) joined all of the prior prophets in prayer and ascended to heaven from the Al-Aqsa mosque.
Following the success of this conquest, Ayubi’s reputation for valour quickly spread throughout Europe. After Jerusalem was conquered, all of the kings of Europe came together to organise their armies with the purpose of retaking the city. After a siege that lasted for two years, the Crusaders were finally successful in taking control of the town of Acre. Which was located in the southern region of Palestine.
The Battle of Arsouf
This resulted in the battle of Arsouf, which took place during the third crusade in 1191 and was a defeat for Ayubi’s soldiers. In spite of some early failures, he was successful in preventing the Crusaders from entering Jerusalem. Richard made two efforts to reach the city, but both of them were unsuccessful, and he eventually withdrew from the area. The third crusade was ultimately unsuccessful, and as a result, Richard made peace with Ayubi.
Under the stipulations of the agreement, Richard’s sibling would wed Salahuddin’s younger brother, Saifuddin. As part of the wedding dowry, the Crusaders would present the shoreline to the bride. Salahuddin was going to give Jerusalem to Saifuddin.
Then, Jerusalem would serve as the kingdom’s capital, and the bride and groom would rule as king and queen, respectively, to bring the two faiths together in a familial relationship. Salahuddin was pleased with their suggestions.
However, many Franks, including the priests, took a stand against this. Threats were made to exclude King Richard from the fellowship of the church. Richard yearned to go back to his own country because he was worn out and appalled by the narrow-mindedness of his fellow soldiers.
Richard and Salahuddin finally made peace. Jerusalem would remain under the Sultan’s administration, but it would be available to all faiths desiring to visit the Holy Land..
Protected would be the freedom of individuals to freely practise their religion of choice. The bulk of Syria and Palestine would continue to be ruled by Muslims, but the Franks would maintain possession of a thin strip of territory along the coast that would span from Jaffa to Tyre. This strip of land would be located between the two cities of Jaffa and Tyre.
The Third Crusade
The Third Crusade focused all of Europe’s efforts on a single goal—namely, the conquest of Jerusalem—in order to accomplish its goals. Acre was the only thing that the united might of Europe’s kings and their continent’s military strength were able to declare victory over. Acre was a very minor fortification.
Salahuddin made his way back to Damascus after his victory, where his countrymen greeted him as a hero and acclaimed him as a model of gallantry and bravery. He had accomplished something that very few people had done before him, and that was to unify the ummah against a common adversary.
LEGACY OF SULTAN SALAHUDDIN AYUBI
Salahuddin Yusuf ibn Ayyub, often known as Saladin in the Western world, had a reputation for being a courageous and forgiving warrior who was renowned for showing kindness even to his adversaries.
In addition to praying at various times during the day, he would always have an imam there to guide him through his prayers. Nevertheless, in the case that the imam was not there, he would pray behind any other pious researcher or Muslim. Except for the last three days of his life, when he was in a coma before he passed away, he never skipped a prayer in his whole life.
He would spend the most of his money on Sadqa (discretionary altruism), yet he never had enough to pay Zakat (mandatory offerings). Despite his continual desire to go Hajj, he was unable to do so since he was always immersed in jihad and required more money to do so.
The remainder of his days were spent devoting himself to prayer and acts of kindness, as well as establishing a just government and building schools and hospitals throughout his kingdoms. Salahuddin Ayubi died on March 4, 1193, at the age of 57. The Ayubi dynasty continued to control Syria and Egypt for decades after his death.
His residence was worth 47 dirhams and one dinar at the time, and he left no land or other property behind him. He was a great military commander who was revered even by his adversaries.
He had a strong trust in God, which gave him strength. After the conquest of Jerusalem, he was kind and merciful, and he showed tremendous magnanimity to Christians and Jews. Faith in God and affection for his people were the keys to his success.
