Course Foreign Policy of Pakistan-II (4662) Semester Spring 2019
Level M Sc
ASSIGNMENT No 2
Q1 What were the contributions of Pakistan in helping people of Indonesia in getting rid of Dutch
colonialism
Ans India has been urging its former colonial master Britain for decades to return the Koh-i-
Noor diamond to the country it was taken from It seems my Pakistanis brothers have also at
last realised that they were also subjected to the British rule for 200 years The Lahore High
Court has agreed to hear a petition asking Queen Elizabeth II to return the precious stone more
than 150 years after it was surrendered by a young Sikh prince to the island nation following
their conquest of the Punjab in 1849
I wish Pakistanis all the very best in this regard and I hope they succeed in making the British do
the right thing a task in which we have been rather unsuccessful in doing so far The former
colonialists do not turn a hair
For 200 years Britain plundered and tormented India to the hilt to the extent that the word lsquolootrsquo
has become a part of their dictionaries Why at the beginning of the 18th century when the East
India Company treacherously set its foot in India the ancient countryrsquos share of the world
economy was 23 per cent and by the time they bid farewell to their slaves in 1947 it had dropped
to less than four per cent
Indiarsquos first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru ndash who in my view was in a class of his own ndash
wrote in his book The Discovery of India ndash how Britainrsquos so-called lsquoIndustrial Revolutionrsquo was a
result of the deindustrialisation of India They destroyed the flourishing business of Indian
textiles so that their people could manufacture goods using Indian raw materials and export
finished products back to the Colony and the rest of the world
Q2 Critically analyze Pakistanrsquos efforts for nuclear non-proliferation on the international forums
To what extent Pakistan succeeded in checking nuclear proliferation in the world
Ans irmation that it is involved in at least six nuclear power projects in Pakistan underscores
long-standing concerns over both the manner in which both China and Pakistan have gone about
engaging in nuclear commerce and the lack of transparency around China-Pakistan nuclear
cooperation in general The guidelines of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) a 48-nation body
that regulates the export of civilian nuclear technology prohibit the export of such technology to
states like Pakistan that have not adopted full-scope International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) safeguards Yet over the last decade China has accelerated nuclear commerce with
Pakistan while contending that its actions are in compliance with NSG guidelines an argument
that is not entirely convincing
Today China is not only a violator of global nuclear non-proliferation norms but also presents
the most convincing evidence of the non-proliferation regimersquos ineffectiveness The pattern of its
behavior on the nuclear front as it relates to Pakistan goes well beyond the scope of what may be
construed as the statersquos legitimate ambition to be a leader in the supply of civilian nuclear
technology
Some writers blame the 2005 US-India nuclear agreement as having been a catalyst to China-
Pakistan nuclear cooperation But this is a false proposition since Chinarsquos nuclear relationship
with Pakistan both military and civilian precedes the US-India nuclear deal by decades
Moreover while the US-India agreement was aimed at bringing India into the mainstream of
nuclear commerce and global nonproliferation efforts the China-Pakistan relationship is
designed to operate effectively outside of the mainstream
Enjoying this article Click here to subscribe for full access Just $5 a month
As Ashley Tellis senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace noted in
2010 ldquohellipthe Bush administration spent considerable energy from October 2005 until the final
extraordinary plenary in September 2008mdashconsulting with its NSG partners during eight
meetings over four yearshellipto finally secure the special waiver for India that exempted it from the
constraining condition of full-scope safeguards The current Sino-Pakistani nuclear transaction
could not be more differentrdquo
Pakistanrsquos own interest in nuclear technology dates back to the 1960s In March 1965 Pakistanrsquos
then-Foreign Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto declared in an interview with the Manchester
Guardian that if India were to produce a nuclear weapon Pakistan ldquoshould have to eat grass and
get one or build one of our ownrdquo A few months prior to Indiarsquos ldquoSmiling Buddhardquo nuclear test
in 1974 Bhutto met with top Pakistani scientists to begin work on a Pakistani nuclear device
codenamed Project 706 Bhutto enlisted the services of the now-infamous AQ Khan who stole
blueprints for centrifuge technology and contact information of vendors that sold centrifuge
components from his employer a research laboratory in the Netherlands
Back in Pakistan AQ Khan began work on the development of Pakistanrsquos indigenous uranium
enrichment capability at a gas centrifuge facility in Kahuta near Rawalpindi The first signs of
Sino-Pakistani nuclear cooperation emerged in 1977 US government officials noted Chinarsquos
commitment to Pakistan to provide ldquofuel servicesrdquo and that Chinese technicians visited at
Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP) to familiarize themselves with the operation of the
reactor By 1978 Khan was able to produce small quantities of enriched reactor-grade uranium
at Kahuta
Chinarsquos assistance ultimately proved to be pivotal in Pakistanrsquos pursuit of the nuclear bomb In
1982 according to AQ Khan China provided Pakistan 50 kilograms of weapons-grade uranium
enough to make two nuclear bombs as part of a ldquobroad-ranging secret nuclear dealrdquo between
Mao Zedong and Bhutto The following year China reportedly provided Pakistan the complete
design for a 25 kt nuclear bomb A State Department memo at the time concluded that ldquoChina
has provided assistance to Pakistanrsquos program to develop a nuclear weapons capability Over the
past several years China and Pakistan have maintained contacts in the nuclear fieldhellip[w]e now
believe cooperation has taken place in the area of fissile material production and possibly also
nuclear weapons designrdquo
The US Atomic Energy Act (1954) requires termination of US nuclear exports if countries are
determined by the president to be assisting non-nuclear weapons states in acquiring nuclear
weapons capabilities Although successive US administrations were aware of Pakistan and
Chinarsquos clandestine nuclear cooperation they did not sufficiently press either China or Pakistan
nor threaten to terminate nuclear commerce with China
China for its part continued to stringently deny any role in providing assistance to the Pakistani
nuclear program At a state dinner in Washington DC Premier Zhao Ziyang declared ldquoWe do
not advocate or encourage nuclear proliferation We do not engage in nuclear proliferation
ourselves nor do we help other countries develop nuclear weaponsrdquo But by 1985 Pakistanrsquos
Kahuta facility as a result of technical assistance from China had successfully been able to
produce the quantities of highly-enriched uranium needed to build a nuclear bomb For the first
time since discovering Pakistanrsquos nuclear ambitions and Chinarsquos illegal assistance the US
government refused to certify that Pakistan had not assembled a nuclear device in 1990 which
resulted in the suspension of US military and economic aid to Pakistan per the Pressler
Amendment
US pressure however did little to constrain Chinese assistance to Pakistanrsquos nuclear program
even as China moved toward becoming a signatory to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
(NPT) In January 1992 barely two months before it acceded to the NPT China announced the
construction of a nuclear power plant in Pakistan Concerns that Chinese safeguards were not
tough enough to prevent a diversion of nuclear resources to Pakistanrsquos nuclear weapons program
resulted in the US issuing a demarche to China
Chinarsquos appetite for proliferation remained undiminished even after it acceded to the NPT In
1995 it allegedly sold Pakistan 5000 ring magnets needed for high-speed gas centrifuges while
a US intelligence report in 1997 held that ldquoChina was the single most important supplier of
equipment and technology for weapons of mass destructionrdquo in the world
Chinarsquos civil nuclear trade commitments with Pakistan have gained considerable momentum
since Pakistanrsquos nuclear tests in May 1998 The China-Pakistan Power Plant Corporationrsquos
Chashma-1 and Chashma-2 power reactors which were under item-specific IAEA safeguards
were held not to be in violation of NSG guidelines as they were pre-existing commitments and
thus ldquograndfatheredrdquo in at the time of Chinarsquos induction into the NSG in 2004 However China
then entered into agreements in 2009 for the construction of two new 340 MW power plants
(Chashma-3 and Chashma-4) There have since been reports of undertakings for the construction
of additional plants in Chashma and Karachi
Some in Pakistan have argued that these commitments date back to a 1986 agreement with China
on cooperation in construction and operation of nuclear reactors for an initial period of 30 years
and thus not in violation of NSG guidelines This spurious argument if accepted implies that
China can continue to commit to any number of additional nuclear projects in Pakistan without
any repercussions It is another matter that the actual text of the so-called 1986 agreement
remains unreleased and shrouded in mystery thereby preventing the international community
from validating Chinese and Pakistani representations
China has demonstrated remarkable consistency over four decades in acting in ways that
undermine with impunity the global non-proliferation regime Its nuclear deals with Pakistan ndash
both military and civilian ndash were conceived and executed in secrecy The recent news articles
now confirm that China remains committed to a long-term nuclear relationship with Pakistan
under its own terms This is a pattern of behavior that is unlikely to change without the
application of sustained international pressure to bring China into compli
Q3 Make a critical analysis of efforts of Pakistan in collaboration with Non-Aligned Movement
(NAM) for solving the problems of the countries of the South
Ans The chief architect of the Non-aligned Movement was Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Ahmed
Sukarno the President of Indonesia Gamal Abdel Nasser the President of Egypt and Marshall
Tito the President of Yugoslavia Kwame Nkumah the President of Ghana were also the leading
personalities who championed the cause of Non-aligned Movement (NAM)
Causes of NAM
ADVERTISEMENTS
Various causes were responsible for the Non-aligned Movement
Firstly the countries of Asia and Africa did not like to remain under a capitalist country like
America or a Communist country like Soviet Russia
Secondly all the nation states of Asia and Africa wanted to negotiate themselves for economic
development
Thirdly they realised that the race for armament is bad for every nation
ADVERTISEMENTS
Fourthly they imagined a lsquoThird Worldrsquo which will help them in developing the economic and
cultural cooperation
Finally the underdeveloped nations tried to develop by helping each other and decided not to
interfere in internal affairs of any country So these countries came together to from the Non-
aligned Movement
Primary Steps for NAM
Primary Steps were taken for Non-aligned Movement in 18 April 1955 A Conference was held
at Bandung the capital of Indonesia in which 29 countries from Asia and 6 from Africa
participated This conference not only united Asian and African countries but also strictly
opposed Colonialism
The former Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehrursquos Principles of lsquoPanchaseelrsquo
(Mutual respect for each otherrsquos territorial integrity and Sovereignty Non-aggression Non-
intervention in each otherrsquos domestic affairs Mutual benefit and equally and Peaceful co-
existence) were adopted by this Conference
This Conference took resolution to fight against apartheid to establish friendship with all
member countries to solve the intentional problems in a peaceful way to respect otherrsquos
territorial sovereignty to give respect to the law and ideas of the UNO etc The Afro-Assian
countries were inspired
NAM Summits
In order to activate NAM various Summit were held An account of different NAM summits has
been given below
Belgrade Conference (1961)
In 1960 on the occasion of the meeting of the General Assembly Nehru Tito Nasser and
Nkrumah met together and decided to start Non- aligned Movement
According the First Conference was held at Belgrade in 1961 in which 26 Afro-Asian countries
and One European country participated Three countries of Latin America joined in this
conference as observers This conference opposed the apartheid as well as praised the revolution
for independence in Alzeria Congo Tunisia etc
This Conference attached importance to destruction of Colonialism opposed military alliances
encouraged disarmament adopted the attitude of respect for Human Rights and also encouraged
the establishment of equality among countries and to create a society without exploitation
Cairo Conference (1964)
The Second Conference of the NAM was held at Cairo (Egypt) in 1964 In this conference 47
countries participated and 11 countries joined as observers In the mean time Indo-China War
had taken place in 1962 The Cuban Missile Crisis also occurred and the exponent of
lsquoPanchaseelrsquo Jawaharlal Nehru had died However in this Conference ldquoProgramme for Peace
and International Co-operationrdquo was declared It was also decided to take severe actions against
imperialism and colonialism
Lusaka Summit (1970)
In 1970 the Third Conference was held at Lusaka (Zambia) In this Conference 54 member
countries were present and nine countries sent their observers It was accepted unanimously by
the Non-aligned countries to refrain Super Powers (Russia and America) from the race of
armament
Besides that the member nations decided to help each other for economic progress This
conference was also decided that the member countries had to resign from military pacts In this
Conference a request was made to Israel to return from occupied Arab territories
Algiers Conference (1973)
In 1973 the Fourth Conference of the NAM was held at Algiers This Conference was
represented by 76 countries and nine countries sent their observers This Conference also
inspired many countries for their struggle for freedom and Detente It also sent message to Israel
to return from the Arab territories The former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi formed her
opinion about this conference as such ldquoWe are responsible not to our individual countries alone
but to peace and prosperity of the whole Worldrdquo
Colombo Conference (1976)
In 1976 the Fifth Conference of the NAM was held at Colombo In this Conference 86 countries
participated This was the first NAM summit in the continent of Asia This conference deeply
discussed about various problems of Africa and Latin America It also proposed to put an end to
the Veto Power in Security Council of the UNO It also attached importance on world economy
Havana Conference (1979)
The Sixth NAM Conference was held at Havana in 1979 in which 94 member countries
participated This Conference was very crucial The then President of Cuba Fidel Castro
emphasised that the countries like Cuba and Vietnam should establish relation with Russia On
the other hand Singapore and Zaire wanted to join hand with America
So this was a great blow for NAM Besides that Arab countries wanted to exclude Egypt from
NAM because it signed Camp David Agreement with Israel At last a warning was given to both
powers to destroy the military stations In this conference the Indian Ocean was declared as the
Peaceful Zone
New Delhi Summit (1983)
The Seventh NAM Summit was held at New Delhi in 1983 in which 99 countries participated
and 20 countries sent their observers and 19 countries attended this summit as guests It created a
new milestone in the foreign relation of Smt Indira Gandhi This summit attached importance on
the restriction on nuclear weapons disarmament and establishment of nuclear free zone
To return Diago Gracia to Mauritius unconditional withdrawal or Israel from Palestine
returning back of foreign army from Afghanistan and Kampuchea etc were discussed in this
Conference It also put emphasis on solving economical problems by signing bi-lateral and
multi-lateral pacts among the member nations The United States of America became angry with
this summit because it was criticised vehemently in this Conference
Harare Summit (1986)
Harare the Capital of Zimbabwe was selected for the Eighth NAM Summit This conference was
attended by 101 nation states In this conference the apartheid in Pretoria was criticised A
Committee was framed by the members to visit America England West Germany and Japan to
pursue them to support NAM This conference also criticised American attack on Libya At last
this summit gave clarian call to fight against Imperialism Colonialism Caste System and New
Colonialism
Belgrade Summit (1989)
The Ninth NAM Summit was held at Belgrade in 1989 in which 102 member countries
participated This Summit gave importance on total disarmament It also raised voice against
apartheid in Africa The Belgrade Summit gave proposal to solve the Arab-Israel Conflict This
Summit also decided to solve the Afghan Crisis
Jakarta Summit (1992)
In the meantime in 1991 a conference was held at Akra in Ghana by the foreign Secretary of the
member states of NAM The Tenth NAM Summit was held in Jakarta in 1992 Through this
Summit a request was made to the UNO to solve the problem between Bosnia and Harzigovina
This conference wanted to see a nuclear free world
Cartagena Summit (1995)
The Eleventh Summit of NAM was held at Cartagena (Colombia) in 1955 This Conference
attached importance to establish a nuclear free zone It also gave advice to bring reform in IMF
(International Monetary Fund) and lsquoWorld Bankrsquo The Cartagena Summit vehemently criticised
global terrorism
Durban Summit (1998)
The Durban Summit was the Twelfth NAM Summit which was held in 1998 and attended by 114
countries This Conference opposed the testing of Nuclear Armaments In this Conference a
decision was taken to make the relationship strong between developed and developing countries
This summit declared that there is no need of nuclear armaments after the end of Cold War
Kualalampur Summit (2003)
It was the Thirteenth NAM Summit which was held in Kualalampur (Malaysia) in 24-25 March
2003 The Prime Minister of that country Mahtir Muhammad inaugurated the Summit In this
conference the Pakistani President Parvez Musharaf raised Kashmir issue The Prime Minister
of India Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee in his speech asserted that Kashmir is the integral part of
India This conference put emphasis on economic development and globalisation
Havana Summit (2006)
The Fourteenth NAM Summit was held at Havana during 15-17 September 2006 Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh participated in this summit He advised to galvanise the UNO The
member countries decided to render help to each other in political economic and intellectual
fields
Merits of NAM
The Non-aligned Movement has various merits
At first through this movement the Cold War could not spread
Secondly this movement imparted courage and morality to the weak and dependant nations
Thirdly the unity among the independent NAM countries brought forth a Third World and the
member countries kept themselves away from the Eastern and Western blocs
Fourthly a good relation was established between Asia and Africa in the UNO It not only paved
the way for economic cooperation but also accelerated the progress of the Third World
Danger to NAM
Inspite of the success of the NAM it faces danger from various quarters At first the member
countries of NAM are resorting to conflicts instead of solving their problems peacefully
Secondly many member countries of NAM increase their armaments by spending huge money
Thirdly lack of trust among the member countries mars the progress of NAM
NAMmdashan Analysis
Many experts on international politics opine that after the cold war disintegration of Soviet
Union and freezing of the importance of the super powers there is no need for Non-aligned
Movement Now the developing countries accept the policy of democracy by which the NAM
seems meaningless In the age of globalisation the NAM is not able to play its role properly and
perfectly
Be that as it may Non-aligned Movement is ever green even today It has exhibited its role every
time It attaches importance to economic progress Besides that it takes some programmes which
produce good result In the 21st Century it raises voice against cross-border terrorism It also
takes step for mutual co-operation
Infact the Non-aligned Movement has created a novel chapter in the history of the contemporary
world As long as war poverty exploitation terrorism exist the NAM will be asserting itself to
put an end to all their problems This is infact a great characteristic of the Non-aligned
Movement
Q4 Discuss in detail the prospects of economic cooperation amongst the member countries of
OIC What sort of role Pakistan could play to help increase economic cooperation amongst
OIC members
Ans Greater interaction between Pakistan and global organizations particularly within region will
contribute to the dialogue of economic trade culture and civilization The Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) is a Eurasian political economic security organization which was founded
by China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Russia and Tajikistan It is a permanent intergovernmental
international organization formally created in 2001 in Shanghai China and has established itself
as an internationally recognized and authoritative multilateral association
In the 21st century the Globalization has increased interdependence of states which enhances the
prosperity and progress Economic integration and cooperation among SCO members on the
basis of principles of equality and mutual benefits is very important for trade creation
employment generation efficient movement of goods and services through greater market
expansion
The organization provides the means to share development progress and prosperity and help in
stabilizing the region Pakistans participation in SCO as member will strengthen its economic
ties with Eurasian The SCO members are jointly counteract emergent challenges and threats to
boost economic trade and other available potentials for members states as well as neighbors
Pakistan has become the full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the
17th Summit of Heads of States held in Astana Kazakhstan on June 9 2017 The permanent
membership is a milestone which will strengthen deep-rooted historical and cultural links as well
as strong economic and strategic relations with all the members countries of the SCO
China has supported Pakistans entry in SCO and the membership particularly in the backdrop of
China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is a flagship of One Belt One Road project
will further enhance Pakistans importance in the entire region aimed at further enhancing the
connectivity regional stability development economic prosperity and trade with the members
nations
SCO is now a group of eight countries ie Russia China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan
Uzbekistan Pakistan and India Among its member states the Russia and China have significant
role because of their global and regional importance as major powers At present Iran
Afghanistan Belarus and Mongolia are observer members of SCO will get full memberships in
the forthcoming years Azerbaijan Armenia Cambodia Nepal Turkey and Sri Lanka are the
dialogue partner of SCO
With the expansion of organization the region has become vibrant covering 60 percent of total
territory of Europe and Asia will now represent over 40 percent of the world population (35
billion) and nearly 25 percent of the global GDP The membership of SCO gives the opportunity
to Pakistan to create new linkages in the world economy and also expand its trade relations with
member countries and avail the trade concessional opportunities which are currently under
negotiation
Currently share of SCO in Pakistans total trade is 32 percent which indicates that there exist
opportunities for trade and economic relations The SCO region not only has geographical
proximity with Pakistan but also provides easy accessibility and makes a very profitable market
for Pakistans exports
Pakistan has dynamic relations with SCO members China is a time tested friend while Central
Asian countries have historical ties with Pakistan Russia is also on the way of developing
relations with Pakistan While mega project a game changer-China - Pakistan Economic Corridor
(CPEC) is at implementation stage and also provides market access to Central Asian states
The development of Gwadar port makes Pakistan an indispensable link for SCO member states
The Central Asian countries have enormous resources of oil natural gas liquefied gas uranium
and hydropower that could be channelized to market electricity to the members nations of SCO
such as China Pakistan Russia and observer members like Afghanistan and Iran
In the economic domain Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) and CASA-1000 are
important projects for both Pakistan and Central Asian States TAPIs long 1735km pipeline is
planned to transmit 27 billion cubic meters of gas annually to Afghanistan Pakistan and India
from Turkmenistan and Tajikistan respectively with a potential to enhance the capacity to 33
billion cubic meters
On the other hand CASA-1000 project also provides a landmark cooperation opportunity
between Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Afghanistan and Pakistan The plan envisage export of a total of
1300 MW of excess electricity available during summers from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan 1000
MW for Pakistan and 300 MW for Afghanistan
Pakistan China Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have also agreed to initiate a bus service that would
not only enhance trade but also be an important tool to promote people-to-people contacts
between the four countries Similarly Pakistan can attract the investments in the energy and
infrastructure sector in which some of the SCO countries have a comparative advantage
The strategic location of Pakistan in the region and its economic potential can also help the SCO
members to exploit their economic potential With the prospects of Afghanistan and Iran and
possibly Turkey also joining the Organization in the near future SCO is likely to emerge as a
very strong regional Organization and may merge the Economic Cooperation Organization
A part from trade there is a huge potential in culture sports tourism education science and
technologyThe Shanghai Business Council created in 2006 with its headquarters in Moscow
Russia aims to boost economic cooperation in the framework of the Organization establishing
direct links and dialogue among business and financial circles of the SCO member states
assisting practical promotion of multilateral projects determined by the heads of government in
the Programme of trade and economic cooperation
To explore opportunities of the Shanghai Business Council the FPCCI may introduce itself in
the Council This forum will give opportunities to Pakistani Businessmen to interact with the
businessmen of the members countries for trade and joint ventures investment It is concluded
the regional economic integration may need to transform into cooperative-union in framework of
SCO to stabilize the region and to evolve the socioeconomic prosperity
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
TRADE BETWEEN PAKISTAN amp SCO COUNTRIES
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
(MILLION US$)
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Countries 2014 2015 2016
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Exports Imports Total Trade Exports Imports Total Trade
Exports Imports Total Trade
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
China 27539 132445 159984 24748 164419 189167
19126 172327 191453
Kazakhstan 307 29 336 329 15 344 229
27 256
Kyrgyzstan 22 05 27 26 01 27 33 03
36
Russia 3109 1431 4540 2985 966 3951 2720
1330 4050
Tajikistan 91 01 92 40 01 41 44 190
234
Uzbekistan 23 07 30 20 11 31 34 32
66
India 5299 21699 26998 4563 19635 24198 4613
15914 20527
Pakistans Total Trade with SCO Countries 36390 155617 192007 32711 185048
217759 26799 189823 216622
Pakistans Total Trade with World 247222 475449 722671 220890 439897
660787 204350 471550 675900
Pakistans share of trade with SCO Countries 15 33 27 15 42 33
13 40 32
The OIC Charter
The OIC Charter approved in March 1972 included a commitment to act through all means
both political and military for the liberation of the Holy City of Al-Quds from Zionist
occupation It also reiterated the Islamic statesrsquo resolve to act in unison for the establishment of
world peace and reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nationrsquos charter and to fundamental
human rights The OIC Charter was registered at the United Nations on 1 February 1974
The main objectives of the Charter were to[1]
1 Strengthen
1 Islamic solidarity among Member States
2 Cooperation in the political economic social cultural and scientific fields
3 The struggle of all Muslim people to safeguard their dignity independence and
national rights
2 Coordinate action to
1 Safeguard Islamic Holy Places
2 Support the struggle of the Palestinian people and assist them in recovering their
rights and liberating their occupied territory
3 Work to
1 Eliminate racial discrimination and all forms of colonialism
2 Create a favourable atmosphere for the promotion of cooperation and
understanding between Member States and other countries
The Charter also enumerates the principles governing OIC activities namely
Full equality among Member States
Support for the right to self determination and non-interference in the internal affairs of
Member States
Support for the sovereignty independence and territorial integrity of each State
The settlement of any dispute that might arise among Member States by peaceful means
such as negotiations mediation conciliation and arbitration
A pledge to refrain in relations among Member States from resorting to force or
threatening to resort to the use of force against the unity and territorial integrity or the
political independence of any one of them[2]
Main Bodies and Committees
The OIC is composed of two main bodies
The Conference of Kings and Heads of State and Government which is the supreme
authority of the Organization which meets once every three years to lay down the
Organizationrsquos policy and
The Conference of Foreign Ministers which meets once a year to examine progress on
the implementation of its decisions taken within the framework of the policy defined by
the Islamic Summit
The OIC set up a number of committees to ensure the coordination of its activities and the
attainment of optimal results in all fields of political economic social scientific and intellectual
cooperation The main committees include the Al Quds the Standing Committee for Information
and Cultural Affairs Committee for Economic and Trade Cooperation and Scientific and
Technological Cooperation[3] Fifteen of the committees are concerned with various political
issues such as Palestine Afghanistan Bosnia and Herzegovina etc The others relate to cultural
scientific economic legal financial technical educational informational social and human
affairs institutions Their headquarters have been distributed among the various Islamic
capitals[4]
Evaluation
It has been stated above that the creation of the OIC at the Rabat Summit was primarily in
response to the situation created by the sacrilege of Al Quds Hence the resolution adopted on 25
September 1969 while reaffirming the fraternal and spiritual bonds existing between their
peoples declared ldquofull support to the Palestinian people for the restitution of their rights and in
their struggle for national liberationrdquo It asked the international community to ldquosecure the
speedy withdrawal of Israeli military forces from all the territories occupied as a result of the
war of June 1967rdquo
Organizational issues occupied the next few years The OICrsquos Secretariat was set up in March
1970 and two years later its Charter was approved (in March 1972) Subsequent developments
in the Middle East particularly the Ramadan War of October 1973 forced the OIC to embrace
all issues relating to the ummah and to broaden its canvas of activities The October 1973 war
had not only restored the pride of Arabs but oil diplomacy had forced the European nations to
take a second look at their pro-Israel policies It was against this background that the second
summit was held in Lahore in February 1974
The Lahore Summit was a landmark in the political struggle of Muslims to secure an influential
role in international affairs The leadership provided by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the presence of
Arab leaders like King Faisal Sadat Qaddafi Boumedienne and Arafat among 37 heads of
statesgovernments participating in the Summit conferred on it a unique importance The
Summit decided to address the following issues
1 eradication of poverty disease and ignorance from Islamic countries
2 regulation of the terms of trade between developed countries and developing Muslim
countries especially the supply of raw materials and import of manufactured goods and
know-how
3 ensuring the sovereignty and full control of developing countries over their natural
resources and
4 mutual economic cooperation and solidarity among Muslim countries
It was also decided to establish a committee of eight countries including Pakistan to devise
ways and means for attainment of these objectives
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was recognized as the sole and legitimate
representative of the Palestinians and it was declared that ldquothe Arab cause is the cause of all
countries which oppose aggression and will not tolerate that the use of force be rewarded by
territory or by other gainsrdquo
The OIC has till now held 10 summits interspersed at regular three-year intervals and numerous
meetings at the ministerial and expert levels to oversee summit decisions Unfortunately these
summits have been characterized more by empty rhetoric rather than concrete action Through
the years the configuration of political and economic forces in international affairs has rendered
the Muslim states more vulnerable and their leaders increasingly dependent on the US for their
survival This has emasculated the OIC and weighed heavily on its decisions Its leaders find
themselves in a quandary They are unable or unwilling to exert any meaningful pressure on the
US-led west regarded as allies of Israel to mitigate the hardships of the Muslim people living in
the occupied territories
The mid-70s were the unprecedented but short-lived years of Arab ascendancy and prestige The
diplomatic influence and political clout of the Arab countries was in evidence with dramatic
triumphs in the UN Arabic was accepted as one of the official UN languages The General
Assembly recognized the Palestinian people as ldquothe principal party to the question of
Palestinerdquo Arafat was invited to address the General Assembly on 13 November 1974 and the
PLO was given observer status at the UN In the same year the UNGA established a Committee
on ldquothe exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian peoplerdquoThus the Palestinian issue
was placed in focus drawing increasing international attention and support
The Arab achievements in the UN were crowned with the adoption of UNGA Resolution 3379
of 10 November 1975 by which the General Assembly ldquodetermined that Zionism is a form of
racism and racial discriminationrdquo The Resolution was adopted with 72 in favour 35 against
and 32 abstentions With Zionism as its ideology the reaction in Israel was severe and it
campaigned hard to have the resolution annulled The opportunity came in 1991 Israel with the
encouragement of the US and European states declared its intention to get 3379 revoked The
OIC Summit held in Senegal in August 1991 took note of these efforts and passed a unanimous
resolution to defeat Israeli efforts in the UN by voting for the continuation of 3379
The Israeli resolution when moved in the UNGA after a couple of weeks was carried and the
majority of OIC member states either abstained or voted for the resolution This was illustrative
of the hypocrisy of Muslim potentates of playing to the domestic gallery while keeping the US
in good humour
Since the establishment of the OIC the Islamic world has suffered five major catastrophes
which have reduced it to almost a non-factor in international politics The break up of Pakistan
through armed intervention by India in 1971 the invasion of Lebanon by Israel in 1982 that led
to yet another Palestinian diaspora the Iran-Iraq war the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and
the US occupation of Iraq have dealt a crippling blow to the unity dignity and image of the
Muslim world
The OIC failed to respond meaningfully to any of these crises or demonstrate unity other than
issuing high-sounding declarations at the end of each summit In some cases the OIC even
remained a silent spectator
This attitude not only disappointed Muslims around the world but also encouraged the
Organizationrsquos adversaries to pursue their designs against Muslim countries with impunity The
history of the Palestine problem ostensibly the raison drsquoecirctre of the OIC is a living testimony to
the impotence and paralysis of the Organisation The Palestine issue is now no longer seen as the
vacation of the occupied territories by Israel and restoration of the inalienable rights of the
Palestinians but has been re-designated as a struggle between terrorists (Palestinians) and
civilians (Israelis) The creeping annexation has eroded all possibilities of any settlement as
Israeli policies have completely marginalised the Palestinians
The OIC also espoused the Kashmir and Afghanistan issues but failed to play any important or
significant role in their resolution The gathering of potentates at OIC summits and their empty
calls for unity of action initially stirred Muslim hearts but soon it became obvious that these
speeches laced with rhetoric and insincere sentiments were meaningless and of no use for
confronting the challenges faced by the Islamic ummah
On the Kashmir issue the OIC has failed to muster the courage to challenge New Delhirsquos
policies of repression and widespread violation of human rights in Indian-held Kashmir The
inaction and indifference on Israeli massacres in Sabra and Shattila (Beirut 1982) in Bosnia and
Herzegovina (1992) and the recent US military intervention and brutalities in Iraq and
Afghanistan have many believe rendered the OIC totally irrelevant to the needs and
requirements of ummah The resolutions adopted by the OIC thus betray a lack of seriousness
and sincerity and hence carry no meaning or significance thereby accentuating the frustration of
the ummah
The underlying causes of the inability of the OIC to be reckoned with as an institution of
political significance in global affairs besides the lack of political will of Muslim leaders have
originated from a lack of democratic set-up in those states in addition to structural weaknesses
such as an absence of an institutional framework poverty and illiteracy and failure to recognize
the absolute importance of science and technology for social emancipation and economic
development
10th Summit ndash Kuala Lampur
The last OIC summit held in Putrajaya Malaysia in 2003 was a milestone in the history of the
OIC Under the dynamic leadership of then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad the leaders
decided to make a realistic appraisal of the international situation and the role that the OIC could
play to preserve and protect the interests of member-states against a sustained negative media
campaign and political pressures circumscribing their economic and political rights It was
decided to dispassionately analyse the causes of decline and decay of Muslim societies and the
political marginalization of the member-states and evolve a comprehensive strategy to pull them
out of this morass
President Musharraf who led the Pakistan delegation to the 10th summit in Malaysia gave a
clarion call to all Muslims in support of Mahathirrsquos appeal In a stirring message President
Musharraf outlined the existing realities He referred to turbulent and troubled international
developments ldquoThe world is in turmoil Reliance on military action and force define solutions to
world disputes Foreign occupation persists Suppression of peoples has intensified Power
asymmetries are widening Terrorism is taking its toll Economic recession threatens the world
fabric Poverty is growing Inequality is increasingrdquo
In the context of this world view President Musharraf warned that the Muslim world was in the
vortex of this emerging global crisis Most of those under foreign occupation were Muslim
peoples He cited the tragedies of Palestine and Kashmir ldquoIslamic nations are perceived as the
sponsors of terrorism and proliferators of WMDs Muslims are subjected to discrimination and
exclusion The insidious thesis of an inevitable clash of civilizations between Islam and the West
is being openly propoundedrdquo5
Making this bold and frank analysis of ground realities and the political climate he urged some
soul-searching and stock-taking by the Muslim countries since he believed that the crisis
confronting the Islamic world was both external and internal ldquoIt is rooted in our own weaknesses
and vulnerabilities It flows from our economic social and human underdevelopment from
dependencies and vulnerabilities from the divisions and differences within and amongst our
societies and nestsrdquo
Q5 Elaborate diplomacy of Pakistan on the platform of Southeast Asian Treaty Organization
(SEATO)
Ans In September of 1954 the United States France Great Britain New Zealand Australia the
Philippines Thailand and Pakistan formed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization or SEATO
The purpose of the organization was to prevent communism from gaining ground in the region
Although called the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization only two Southeast Asian countries
became members The Philippines joined in part because of its close ties with the United States
and in part out of concern over the nascent communist insurgency threatening its own
government Thailand similarly joined after learning of a newly established Thai Autonomous
Region in Yunnan Province in South China expressing concern about the potential for Chinese
communist subversion on its own soil The rest of the region was far less concerned about the
threat of communism to internal stability Burma and Indonesia both preferred to maintain their
neutrality rather than join the organization Malaya (including Singapore) found it politically
difficult to give formal support to the organization though through its ties with Great Britain it
learned of key developments Finally the terms of the Geneva Agreements of 1954 signed after
the fall of French Indochina prevented Vietnam Cambodia and Laos from joining any
international military alliance though these countries were ultimately included in the area
protected under SEATO and granted observers status
Most of the SEATO member states were countries located elsewhere but with an interest in the
region or the organization Australia and New Zealand were interested in Asian affairs because
of their geographic position in the Pacific Great Britain and France had long maintained
colonies in the region and were interested in developments in the greater Indochina region For
Pakistan the appeal of the pact was the potential for receiving support in its struggles against
India in spite of the fact that neither country was located in the area under the organizations
jurisdiction Finally US officials believed Southeast Asia to be a crucial frontier in the fight
against communist expansion so it viewed SEATO as essential to its global Cold War policy of
containment
Headquartered in Bangkok Thailand SEATO had only a few formal functions It maintained no
military forces of its own but the organization hosted joint military exercises for member states
each year As the communist threat appeared to change from one of outright attack to one of
internal subversion SEATO worked to strengthen the economic foundations and living standards
of the Southeast Asian States It sponsored a variety of meetings and exhibitions on cultural
religious and historical topics and the non-Asian member states sponsored fellowships for
Southeast Asian scholars
Beyond its activities the SEATO charter was also vitally important to the American rationale for
the Vietnam War The United States used the organization as its justification for refusing to go
forward with the 1956 elections intended to reunify Vietnam instead maintaining the divide
between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel As the conflict in
Vietnam unfolded the inclusion of Vietnam as a territory under SEATO protection gave the
United States the legal framework for its continued involvement there
The organization had a number of weaknesses as well To address the problems attached to the
guerrilla movements and local insurrections that plagued the region in the post-colonial years
the SEATO defense treaty called only for consultation leaving each individual nation to react
individually to internal threats Unlike the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) SEATO
had no independent mechanism for obtaining intelligence or deploying military forces so the
potential for collective action was necessarily limited Moreover because it incorporated only
three Asian members SEATO faced charges of being a new form of Western colonialism
Linguistic and cultural difficulties between the member states also compounded its problems
making it difficult for SEATO to accomplish many of its goals
By the early 1970s members began to withdraw from the organization Neither Pakistan nor
France supported the US intervention in Vietnam and both nations were pulling away from the
organization in the early 1970s Pakistan formally left SEATO in 1973 because the organization
had failed to provide it with assistance in its ongoing conflict against India When the Vietnam
War ended in 1975 the most prominent reason for SEATOs existence disappeared As a result
SEATO formally disbanded in 1977
Some writers blame the 2005 US-India nuclear agreement as having been a catalyst to China-
Pakistan nuclear cooperation But this is a false proposition since Chinarsquos nuclear relationship
with Pakistan both military and civilian precedes the US-India nuclear deal by decades
Moreover while the US-India agreement was aimed at bringing India into the mainstream of
nuclear commerce and global nonproliferation efforts the China-Pakistan relationship is
designed to operate effectively outside of the mainstream
Enjoying this article Click here to subscribe for full access Just $5 a month
As Ashley Tellis senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace noted in
2010 ldquohellipthe Bush administration spent considerable energy from October 2005 until the final
extraordinary plenary in September 2008mdashconsulting with its NSG partners during eight
meetings over four yearshellipto finally secure the special waiver for India that exempted it from the
constraining condition of full-scope safeguards The current Sino-Pakistani nuclear transaction
could not be more differentrdquo
Pakistanrsquos own interest in nuclear technology dates back to the 1960s In March 1965 Pakistanrsquos
then-Foreign Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto declared in an interview with the Manchester
Guardian that if India were to produce a nuclear weapon Pakistan ldquoshould have to eat grass and
get one or build one of our ownrdquo A few months prior to Indiarsquos ldquoSmiling Buddhardquo nuclear test
in 1974 Bhutto met with top Pakistani scientists to begin work on a Pakistani nuclear device
codenamed Project 706 Bhutto enlisted the services of the now-infamous AQ Khan who stole
blueprints for centrifuge technology and contact information of vendors that sold centrifuge
components from his employer a research laboratory in the Netherlands
Back in Pakistan AQ Khan began work on the development of Pakistanrsquos indigenous uranium
enrichment capability at a gas centrifuge facility in Kahuta near Rawalpindi The first signs of
Sino-Pakistani nuclear cooperation emerged in 1977 US government officials noted Chinarsquos
commitment to Pakistan to provide ldquofuel servicesrdquo and that Chinese technicians visited at
Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP) to familiarize themselves with the operation of the
reactor By 1978 Khan was able to produce small quantities of enriched reactor-grade uranium
at Kahuta
Chinarsquos assistance ultimately proved to be pivotal in Pakistanrsquos pursuit of the nuclear bomb In
1982 according to AQ Khan China provided Pakistan 50 kilograms of weapons-grade uranium
enough to make two nuclear bombs as part of a ldquobroad-ranging secret nuclear dealrdquo between
Mao Zedong and Bhutto The following year China reportedly provided Pakistan the complete
design for a 25 kt nuclear bomb A State Department memo at the time concluded that ldquoChina
has provided assistance to Pakistanrsquos program to develop a nuclear weapons capability Over the
past several years China and Pakistan have maintained contacts in the nuclear fieldhellip[w]e now
believe cooperation has taken place in the area of fissile material production and possibly also
nuclear weapons designrdquo
The US Atomic Energy Act (1954) requires termination of US nuclear exports if countries are
determined by the president to be assisting non-nuclear weapons states in acquiring nuclear
weapons capabilities Although successive US administrations were aware of Pakistan and
Chinarsquos clandestine nuclear cooperation they did not sufficiently press either China or Pakistan
nor threaten to terminate nuclear commerce with China
China for its part continued to stringently deny any role in providing assistance to the Pakistani
nuclear program At a state dinner in Washington DC Premier Zhao Ziyang declared ldquoWe do
not advocate or encourage nuclear proliferation We do not engage in nuclear proliferation
ourselves nor do we help other countries develop nuclear weaponsrdquo But by 1985 Pakistanrsquos
Kahuta facility as a result of technical assistance from China had successfully been able to
produce the quantities of highly-enriched uranium needed to build a nuclear bomb For the first
time since discovering Pakistanrsquos nuclear ambitions and Chinarsquos illegal assistance the US
government refused to certify that Pakistan had not assembled a nuclear device in 1990 which
resulted in the suspension of US military and economic aid to Pakistan per the Pressler
Amendment
US pressure however did little to constrain Chinese assistance to Pakistanrsquos nuclear program
even as China moved toward becoming a signatory to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
(NPT) In January 1992 barely two months before it acceded to the NPT China announced the
construction of a nuclear power plant in Pakistan Concerns that Chinese safeguards were not
tough enough to prevent a diversion of nuclear resources to Pakistanrsquos nuclear weapons program
resulted in the US issuing a demarche to China
Chinarsquos appetite for proliferation remained undiminished even after it acceded to the NPT In
1995 it allegedly sold Pakistan 5000 ring magnets needed for high-speed gas centrifuges while
a US intelligence report in 1997 held that ldquoChina was the single most important supplier of
equipment and technology for weapons of mass destructionrdquo in the world
Chinarsquos civil nuclear trade commitments with Pakistan have gained considerable momentum
since Pakistanrsquos nuclear tests in May 1998 The China-Pakistan Power Plant Corporationrsquos
Chashma-1 and Chashma-2 power reactors which were under item-specific IAEA safeguards
were held not to be in violation of NSG guidelines as they were pre-existing commitments and
thus ldquograndfatheredrdquo in at the time of Chinarsquos induction into the NSG in 2004 However China
then entered into agreements in 2009 for the construction of two new 340 MW power plants
(Chashma-3 and Chashma-4) There have since been reports of undertakings for the construction
of additional plants in Chashma and Karachi
Some in Pakistan have argued that these commitments date back to a 1986 agreement with China
on cooperation in construction and operation of nuclear reactors for an initial period of 30 years
and thus not in violation of NSG guidelines This spurious argument if accepted implies that
China can continue to commit to any number of additional nuclear projects in Pakistan without
any repercussions It is another matter that the actual text of the so-called 1986 agreement
remains unreleased and shrouded in mystery thereby preventing the international community
from validating Chinese and Pakistani representations
China has demonstrated remarkable consistency over four decades in acting in ways that
undermine with impunity the global non-proliferation regime Its nuclear deals with Pakistan ndash
both military and civilian ndash were conceived and executed in secrecy The recent news articles
now confirm that China remains committed to a long-term nuclear relationship with Pakistan
under its own terms This is a pattern of behavior that is unlikely to change without the
application of sustained international pressure to bring China into compli
Q3 Make a critical analysis of efforts of Pakistan in collaboration with Non-Aligned Movement
(NAM) for solving the problems of the countries of the South
Ans The chief architect of the Non-aligned Movement was Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Ahmed
Sukarno the President of Indonesia Gamal Abdel Nasser the President of Egypt and Marshall
Tito the President of Yugoslavia Kwame Nkumah the President of Ghana were also the leading
personalities who championed the cause of Non-aligned Movement (NAM)
Causes of NAM
ADVERTISEMENTS
Various causes were responsible for the Non-aligned Movement
Firstly the countries of Asia and Africa did not like to remain under a capitalist country like
America or a Communist country like Soviet Russia
Secondly all the nation states of Asia and Africa wanted to negotiate themselves for economic
development
Thirdly they realised that the race for armament is bad for every nation
ADVERTISEMENTS
Fourthly they imagined a lsquoThird Worldrsquo which will help them in developing the economic and
cultural cooperation
Finally the underdeveloped nations tried to develop by helping each other and decided not to
interfere in internal affairs of any country So these countries came together to from the Non-
aligned Movement
Primary Steps for NAM
Primary Steps were taken for Non-aligned Movement in 18 April 1955 A Conference was held
at Bandung the capital of Indonesia in which 29 countries from Asia and 6 from Africa
participated This conference not only united Asian and African countries but also strictly
opposed Colonialism
The former Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehrursquos Principles of lsquoPanchaseelrsquo
(Mutual respect for each otherrsquos territorial integrity and Sovereignty Non-aggression Non-
intervention in each otherrsquos domestic affairs Mutual benefit and equally and Peaceful co-
existence) were adopted by this Conference
This Conference took resolution to fight against apartheid to establish friendship with all
member countries to solve the intentional problems in a peaceful way to respect otherrsquos
territorial sovereignty to give respect to the law and ideas of the UNO etc The Afro-Assian
countries were inspired
NAM Summits
In order to activate NAM various Summit were held An account of different NAM summits has
been given below
Belgrade Conference (1961)
In 1960 on the occasion of the meeting of the General Assembly Nehru Tito Nasser and
Nkrumah met together and decided to start Non- aligned Movement
According the First Conference was held at Belgrade in 1961 in which 26 Afro-Asian countries
and One European country participated Three countries of Latin America joined in this
conference as observers This conference opposed the apartheid as well as praised the revolution
for independence in Alzeria Congo Tunisia etc
This Conference attached importance to destruction of Colonialism opposed military alliances
encouraged disarmament adopted the attitude of respect for Human Rights and also encouraged
the establishment of equality among countries and to create a society without exploitation
Cairo Conference (1964)
The Second Conference of the NAM was held at Cairo (Egypt) in 1964 In this conference 47
countries participated and 11 countries joined as observers In the mean time Indo-China War
had taken place in 1962 The Cuban Missile Crisis also occurred and the exponent of
lsquoPanchaseelrsquo Jawaharlal Nehru had died However in this Conference ldquoProgramme for Peace
and International Co-operationrdquo was declared It was also decided to take severe actions against
imperialism and colonialism
Lusaka Summit (1970)
In 1970 the Third Conference was held at Lusaka (Zambia) In this Conference 54 member
countries were present and nine countries sent their observers It was accepted unanimously by
the Non-aligned countries to refrain Super Powers (Russia and America) from the race of
armament
Besides that the member nations decided to help each other for economic progress This
conference was also decided that the member countries had to resign from military pacts In this
Conference a request was made to Israel to return from occupied Arab territories
Algiers Conference (1973)
In 1973 the Fourth Conference of the NAM was held at Algiers This Conference was
represented by 76 countries and nine countries sent their observers This Conference also
inspired many countries for their struggle for freedom and Detente It also sent message to Israel
to return from the Arab territories The former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi formed her
opinion about this conference as such ldquoWe are responsible not to our individual countries alone
but to peace and prosperity of the whole Worldrdquo
Colombo Conference (1976)
In 1976 the Fifth Conference of the NAM was held at Colombo In this Conference 86 countries
participated This was the first NAM summit in the continent of Asia This conference deeply
discussed about various problems of Africa and Latin America It also proposed to put an end to
the Veto Power in Security Council of the UNO It also attached importance on world economy
Havana Conference (1979)
The Sixth NAM Conference was held at Havana in 1979 in which 94 member countries
participated This Conference was very crucial The then President of Cuba Fidel Castro
emphasised that the countries like Cuba and Vietnam should establish relation with Russia On
the other hand Singapore and Zaire wanted to join hand with America
So this was a great blow for NAM Besides that Arab countries wanted to exclude Egypt from
NAM because it signed Camp David Agreement with Israel At last a warning was given to both
powers to destroy the military stations In this conference the Indian Ocean was declared as the
Peaceful Zone
New Delhi Summit (1983)
The Seventh NAM Summit was held at New Delhi in 1983 in which 99 countries participated
and 20 countries sent their observers and 19 countries attended this summit as guests It created a
new milestone in the foreign relation of Smt Indira Gandhi This summit attached importance on
the restriction on nuclear weapons disarmament and establishment of nuclear free zone
To return Diago Gracia to Mauritius unconditional withdrawal or Israel from Palestine
returning back of foreign army from Afghanistan and Kampuchea etc were discussed in this
Conference It also put emphasis on solving economical problems by signing bi-lateral and
multi-lateral pacts among the member nations The United States of America became angry with
this summit because it was criticised vehemently in this Conference
Harare Summit (1986)
Harare the Capital of Zimbabwe was selected for the Eighth NAM Summit This conference was
attended by 101 nation states In this conference the apartheid in Pretoria was criticised A
Committee was framed by the members to visit America England West Germany and Japan to
pursue them to support NAM This conference also criticised American attack on Libya At last
this summit gave clarian call to fight against Imperialism Colonialism Caste System and New
Colonialism
Belgrade Summit (1989)
The Ninth NAM Summit was held at Belgrade in 1989 in which 102 member countries
participated This Summit gave importance on total disarmament It also raised voice against
apartheid in Africa The Belgrade Summit gave proposal to solve the Arab-Israel Conflict This
Summit also decided to solve the Afghan Crisis
Jakarta Summit (1992)
In the meantime in 1991 a conference was held at Akra in Ghana by the foreign Secretary of the
member states of NAM The Tenth NAM Summit was held in Jakarta in 1992 Through this
Summit a request was made to the UNO to solve the problem between Bosnia and Harzigovina
This conference wanted to see a nuclear free world
Cartagena Summit (1995)
The Eleventh Summit of NAM was held at Cartagena (Colombia) in 1955 This Conference
attached importance to establish a nuclear free zone It also gave advice to bring reform in IMF
(International Monetary Fund) and lsquoWorld Bankrsquo The Cartagena Summit vehemently criticised
global terrorism
Durban Summit (1998)
The Durban Summit was the Twelfth NAM Summit which was held in 1998 and attended by 114
countries This Conference opposed the testing of Nuclear Armaments In this Conference a
decision was taken to make the relationship strong between developed and developing countries
This summit declared that there is no need of nuclear armaments after the end of Cold War
Kualalampur Summit (2003)
It was the Thirteenth NAM Summit which was held in Kualalampur (Malaysia) in 24-25 March
2003 The Prime Minister of that country Mahtir Muhammad inaugurated the Summit In this
conference the Pakistani President Parvez Musharaf raised Kashmir issue The Prime Minister
of India Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee in his speech asserted that Kashmir is the integral part of
India This conference put emphasis on economic development and globalisation
Havana Summit (2006)
The Fourteenth NAM Summit was held at Havana during 15-17 September 2006 Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh participated in this summit He advised to galvanise the UNO The
member countries decided to render help to each other in political economic and intellectual
fields
Merits of NAM
The Non-aligned Movement has various merits
At first through this movement the Cold War could not spread
Secondly this movement imparted courage and morality to the weak and dependant nations
Thirdly the unity among the independent NAM countries brought forth a Third World and the
member countries kept themselves away from the Eastern and Western blocs
Fourthly a good relation was established between Asia and Africa in the UNO It not only paved
the way for economic cooperation but also accelerated the progress of the Third World
Danger to NAM
Inspite of the success of the NAM it faces danger from various quarters At first the member
countries of NAM are resorting to conflicts instead of solving their problems peacefully
Secondly many member countries of NAM increase their armaments by spending huge money
Thirdly lack of trust among the member countries mars the progress of NAM
NAMmdashan Analysis
Many experts on international politics opine that after the cold war disintegration of Soviet
Union and freezing of the importance of the super powers there is no need for Non-aligned
Movement Now the developing countries accept the policy of democracy by which the NAM
seems meaningless In the age of globalisation the NAM is not able to play its role properly and
perfectly
Be that as it may Non-aligned Movement is ever green even today It has exhibited its role every
time It attaches importance to economic progress Besides that it takes some programmes which
produce good result In the 21st Century it raises voice against cross-border terrorism It also
takes step for mutual co-operation
Infact the Non-aligned Movement has created a novel chapter in the history of the contemporary
world As long as war poverty exploitation terrorism exist the NAM will be asserting itself to
put an end to all their problems This is infact a great characteristic of the Non-aligned
Movement
Q4 Discuss in detail the prospects of economic cooperation amongst the member countries of
OIC What sort of role Pakistan could play to help increase economic cooperation amongst
OIC members
Ans Greater interaction between Pakistan and global organizations particularly within region will
contribute to the dialogue of economic trade culture and civilization The Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) is a Eurasian political economic security organization which was founded
by China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Russia and Tajikistan It is a permanent intergovernmental
international organization formally created in 2001 in Shanghai China and has established itself
as an internationally recognized and authoritative multilateral association
In the 21st century the Globalization has increased interdependence of states which enhances the
prosperity and progress Economic integration and cooperation among SCO members on the
basis of principles of equality and mutual benefits is very important for trade creation
employment generation efficient movement of goods and services through greater market
expansion
The organization provides the means to share development progress and prosperity and help in
stabilizing the region Pakistans participation in SCO as member will strengthen its economic
ties with Eurasian The SCO members are jointly counteract emergent challenges and threats to
boost economic trade and other available potentials for members states as well as neighbors
Pakistan has become the full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the
17th Summit of Heads of States held in Astana Kazakhstan on June 9 2017 The permanent
membership is a milestone which will strengthen deep-rooted historical and cultural links as well
as strong economic and strategic relations with all the members countries of the SCO
China has supported Pakistans entry in SCO and the membership particularly in the backdrop of
China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is a flagship of One Belt One Road project
will further enhance Pakistans importance in the entire region aimed at further enhancing the
connectivity regional stability development economic prosperity and trade with the members
nations
SCO is now a group of eight countries ie Russia China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan
Uzbekistan Pakistan and India Among its member states the Russia and China have significant
role because of their global and regional importance as major powers At present Iran
Afghanistan Belarus and Mongolia are observer members of SCO will get full memberships in
the forthcoming years Azerbaijan Armenia Cambodia Nepal Turkey and Sri Lanka are the
dialogue partner of SCO
With the expansion of organization the region has become vibrant covering 60 percent of total
territory of Europe and Asia will now represent over 40 percent of the world population (35
billion) and nearly 25 percent of the global GDP The membership of SCO gives the opportunity
to Pakistan to create new linkages in the world economy and also expand its trade relations with
member countries and avail the trade concessional opportunities which are currently under
negotiation
Currently share of SCO in Pakistans total trade is 32 percent which indicates that there exist
opportunities for trade and economic relations The SCO region not only has geographical
proximity with Pakistan but also provides easy accessibility and makes a very profitable market
for Pakistans exports
Pakistan has dynamic relations with SCO members China is a time tested friend while Central
Asian countries have historical ties with Pakistan Russia is also on the way of developing
relations with Pakistan While mega project a game changer-China - Pakistan Economic Corridor
(CPEC) is at implementation stage and also provides market access to Central Asian states
The development of Gwadar port makes Pakistan an indispensable link for SCO member states
The Central Asian countries have enormous resources of oil natural gas liquefied gas uranium
and hydropower that could be channelized to market electricity to the members nations of SCO
such as China Pakistan Russia and observer members like Afghanistan and Iran
In the economic domain Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) and CASA-1000 are
important projects for both Pakistan and Central Asian States TAPIs long 1735km pipeline is
planned to transmit 27 billion cubic meters of gas annually to Afghanistan Pakistan and India
from Turkmenistan and Tajikistan respectively with a potential to enhance the capacity to 33
billion cubic meters
On the other hand CASA-1000 project also provides a landmark cooperation opportunity
between Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Afghanistan and Pakistan The plan envisage export of a total of
1300 MW of excess electricity available during summers from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan 1000
MW for Pakistan and 300 MW for Afghanistan
Pakistan China Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have also agreed to initiate a bus service that would
not only enhance trade but also be an important tool to promote people-to-people contacts
between the four countries Similarly Pakistan can attract the investments in the energy and
infrastructure sector in which some of the SCO countries have a comparative advantage
The strategic location of Pakistan in the region and its economic potential can also help the SCO
members to exploit their economic potential With the prospects of Afghanistan and Iran and
possibly Turkey also joining the Organization in the near future SCO is likely to emerge as a
very strong regional Organization and may merge the Economic Cooperation Organization
A part from trade there is a huge potential in culture sports tourism education science and
technologyThe Shanghai Business Council created in 2006 with its headquarters in Moscow
Russia aims to boost economic cooperation in the framework of the Organization establishing
direct links and dialogue among business and financial circles of the SCO member states
assisting practical promotion of multilateral projects determined by the heads of government in
the Programme of trade and economic cooperation
To explore opportunities of the Shanghai Business Council the FPCCI may introduce itself in
the Council This forum will give opportunities to Pakistani Businessmen to interact with the
businessmen of the members countries for trade and joint ventures investment It is concluded
the regional economic integration may need to transform into cooperative-union in framework of
SCO to stabilize the region and to evolve the socioeconomic prosperity
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
TRADE BETWEEN PAKISTAN amp SCO COUNTRIES
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
(MILLION US$)
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Countries 2014 2015 2016
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Exports Imports Total Trade Exports Imports Total Trade
Exports Imports Total Trade
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
China 27539 132445 159984 24748 164419 189167
19126 172327 191453
Kazakhstan 307 29 336 329 15 344 229
27 256
Kyrgyzstan 22 05 27 26 01 27 33 03
36
Russia 3109 1431 4540 2985 966 3951 2720
1330 4050
Tajikistan 91 01 92 40 01 41 44 190
234
Uzbekistan 23 07 30 20 11 31 34 32
66
India 5299 21699 26998 4563 19635 24198 4613
15914 20527
Pakistans Total Trade with SCO Countries 36390 155617 192007 32711 185048
217759 26799 189823 216622
Pakistans Total Trade with World 247222 475449 722671 220890 439897
660787 204350 471550 675900
Pakistans share of trade with SCO Countries 15 33 27 15 42 33
13 40 32
The OIC Charter
The OIC Charter approved in March 1972 included a commitment to act through all means
both political and military for the liberation of the Holy City of Al-Quds from Zionist
occupation It also reiterated the Islamic statesrsquo resolve to act in unison for the establishment of
world peace and reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nationrsquos charter and to fundamental
human rights The OIC Charter was registered at the United Nations on 1 February 1974
The main objectives of the Charter were to[1]
1 Strengthen
1 Islamic solidarity among Member States
2 Cooperation in the political economic social cultural and scientific fields
3 The struggle of all Muslim people to safeguard their dignity independence and
national rights
2 Coordinate action to
1 Safeguard Islamic Holy Places
2 Support the struggle of the Palestinian people and assist them in recovering their
rights and liberating their occupied territory
3 Work to
1 Eliminate racial discrimination and all forms of colonialism
2 Create a favourable atmosphere for the promotion of cooperation and
understanding between Member States and other countries
The Charter also enumerates the principles governing OIC activities namely
Full equality among Member States
Support for the right to self determination and non-interference in the internal affairs of
Member States
Support for the sovereignty independence and territorial integrity of each State
The settlement of any dispute that might arise among Member States by peaceful means
such as negotiations mediation conciliation and arbitration
A pledge to refrain in relations among Member States from resorting to force or
threatening to resort to the use of force against the unity and territorial integrity or the
political independence of any one of them[2]
Main Bodies and Committees
The OIC is composed of two main bodies
The Conference of Kings and Heads of State and Government which is the supreme
authority of the Organization which meets once every three years to lay down the
Organizationrsquos policy and
The Conference of Foreign Ministers which meets once a year to examine progress on
the implementation of its decisions taken within the framework of the policy defined by
the Islamic Summit
The OIC set up a number of committees to ensure the coordination of its activities and the
attainment of optimal results in all fields of political economic social scientific and intellectual
cooperation The main committees include the Al Quds the Standing Committee for Information
and Cultural Affairs Committee for Economic and Trade Cooperation and Scientific and
Technological Cooperation[3] Fifteen of the committees are concerned with various political
issues such as Palestine Afghanistan Bosnia and Herzegovina etc The others relate to cultural
scientific economic legal financial technical educational informational social and human
affairs institutions Their headquarters have been distributed among the various Islamic
capitals[4]
Evaluation
It has been stated above that the creation of the OIC at the Rabat Summit was primarily in
response to the situation created by the sacrilege of Al Quds Hence the resolution adopted on 25
September 1969 while reaffirming the fraternal and spiritual bonds existing between their
peoples declared ldquofull support to the Palestinian people for the restitution of their rights and in
their struggle for national liberationrdquo It asked the international community to ldquosecure the
speedy withdrawal of Israeli military forces from all the territories occupied as a result of the
war of June 1967rdquo
Organizational issues occupied the next few years The OICrsquos Secretariat was set up in March
1970 and two years later its Charter was approved (in March 1972) Subsequent developments
in the Middle East particularly the Ramadan War of October 1973 forced the OIC to embrace
all issues relating to the ummah and to broaden its canvas of activities The October 1973 war
had not only restored the pride of Arabs but oil diplomacy had forced the European nations to
take a second look at their pro-Israel policies It was against this background that the second
summit was held in Lahore in February 1974
The Lahore Summit was a landmark in the political struggle of Muslims to secure an influential
role in international affairs The leadership provided by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the presence of
Arab leaders like King Faisal Sadat Qaddafi Boumedienne and Arafat among 37 heads of
statesgovernments participating in the Summit conferred on it a unique importance The
Summit decided to address the following issues
1 eradication of poverty disease and ignorance from Islamic countries
2 regulation of the terms of trade between developed countries and developing Muslim
countries especially the supply of raw materials and import of manufactured goods and
know-how
3 ensuring the sovereignty and full control of developing countries over their natural
resources and
4 mutual economic cooperation and solidarity among Muslim countries
It was also decided to establish a committee of eight countries including Pakistan to devise
ways and means for attainment of these objectives
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was recognized as the sole and legitimate
representative of the Palestinians and it was declared that ldquothe Arab cause is the cause of all
countries which oppose aggression and will not tolerate that the use of force be rewarded by
territory or by other gainsrdquo
The OIC has till now held 10 summits interspersed at regular three-year intervals and numerous
meetings at the ministerial and expert levels to oversee summit decisions Unfortunately these
summits have been characterized more by empty rhetoric rather than concrete action Through
the years the configuration of political and economic forces in international affairs has rendered
the Muslim states more vulnerable and their leaders increasingly dependent on the US for their
survival This has emasculated the OIC and weighed heavily on its decisions Its leaders find
themselves in a quandary They are unable or unwilling to exert any meaningful pressure on the
US-led west regarded as allies of Israel to mitigate the hardships of the Muslim people living in
the occupied territories
The mid-70s were the unprecedented but short-lived years of Arab ascendancy and prestige The
diplomatic influence and political clout of the Arab countries was in evidence with dramatic
triumphs in the UN Arabic was accepted as one of the official UN languages The General
Assembly recognized the Palestinian people as ldquothe principal party to the question of
Palestinerdquo Arafat was invited to address the General Assembly on 13 November 1974 and the
PLO was given observer status at the UN In the same year the UNGA established a Committee
on ldquothe exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian peoplerdquoThus the Palestinian issue
was placed in focus drawing increasing international attention and support
The Arab achievements in the UN were crowned with the adoption of UNGA Resolution 3379
of 10 November 1975 by which the General Assembly ldquodetermined that Zionism is a form of
racism and racial discriminationrdquo The Resolution was adopted with 72 in favour 35 against
and 32 abstentions With Zionism as its ideology the reaction in Israel was severe and it
campaigned hard to have the resolution annulled The opportunity came in 1991 Israel with the
encouragement of the US and European states declared its intention to get 3379 revoked The
OIC Summit held in Senegal in August 1991 took note of these efforts and passed a unanimous
resolution to defeat Israeli efforts in the UN by voting for the continuation of 3379
The Israeli resolution when moved in the UNGA after a couple of weeks was carried and the
majority of OIC member states either abstained or voted for the resolution This was illustrative
of the hypocrisy of Muslim potentates of playing to the domestic gallery while keeping the US
in good humour
Since the establishment of the OIC the Islamic world has suffered five major catastrophes
which have reduced it to almost a non-factor in international politics The break up of Pakistan
through armed intervention by India in 1971 the invasion of Lebanon by Israel in 1982 that led
to yet another Palestinian diaspora the Iran-Iraq war the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and
the US occupation of Iraq have dealt a crippling blow to the unity dignity and image of the
Muslim world
The OIC failed to respond meaningfully to any of these crises or demonstrate unity other than
issuing high-sounding declarations at the end of each summit In some cases the OIC even
remained a silent spectator
This attitude not only disappointed Muslims around the world but also encouraged the
Organizationrsquos adversaries to pursue their designs against Muslim countries with impunity The
history of the Palestine problem ostensibly the raison drsquoecirctre of the OIC is a living testimony to
the impotence and paralysis of the Organisation The Palestine issue is now no longer seen as the
vacation of the occupied territories by Israel and restoration of the inalienable rights of the
Palestinians but has been re-designated as a struggle between terrorists (Palestinians) and
civilians (Israelis) The creeping annexation has eroded all possibilities of any settlement as
Israeli policies have completely marginalised the Palestinians
The OIC also espoused the Kashmir and Afghanistan issues but failed to play any important or
significant role in their resolution The gathering of potentates at OIC summits and their empty
calls for unity of action initially stirred Muslim hearts but soon it became obvious that these
speeches laced with rhetoric and insincere sentiments were meaningless and of no use for
confronting the challenges faced by the Islamic ummah
On the Kashmir issue the OIC has failed to muster the courage to challenge New Delhirsquos
policies of repression and widespread violation of human rights in Indian-held Kashmir The
inaction and indifference on Israeli massacres in Sabra and Shattila (Beirut 1982) in Bosnia and
Herzegovina (1992) and the recent US military intervention and brutalities in Iraq and
Afghanistan have many believe rendered the OIC totally irrelevant to the needs and
requirements of ummah The resolutions adopted by the OIC thus betray a lack of seriousness
and sincerity and hence carry no meaning or significance thereby accentuating the frustration of
the ummah
The underlying causes of the inability of the OIC to be reckoned with as an institution of
political significance in global affairs besides the lack of political will of Muslim leaders have
originated from a lack of democratic set-up in those states in addition to structural weaknesses
such as an absence of an institutional framework poverty and illiteracy and failure to recognize
the absolute importance of science and technology for social emancipation and economic
development
10th Summit ndash Kuala Lampur
The last OIC summit held in Putrajaya Malaysia in 2003 was a milestone in the history of the
OIC Under the dynamic leadership of then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad the leaders
decided to make a realistic appraisal of the international situation and the role that the OIC could
play to preserve and protect the interests of member-states against a sustained negative media
campaign and political pressures circumscribing their economic and political rights It was
decided to dispassionately analyse the causes of decline and decay of Muslim societies and the
political marginalization of the member-states and evolve a comprehensive strategy to pull them
out of this morass
President Musharraf who led the Pakistan delegation to the 10th summit in Malaysia gave a
clarion call to all Muslims in support of Mahathirrsquos appeal In a stirring message President
Musharraf outlined the existing realities He referred to turbulent and troubled international
developments ldquoThe world is in turmoil Reliance on military action and force define solutions to
world disputes Foreign occupation persists Suppression of peoples has intensified Power
asymmetries are widening Terrorism is taking its toll Economic recession threatens the world
fabric Poverty is growing Inequality is increasingrdquo
In the context of this world view President Musharraf warned that the Muslim world was in the
vortex of this emerging global crisis Most of those under foreign occupation were Muslim
peoples He cited the tragedies of Palestine and Kashmir ldquoIslamic nations are perceived as the
sponsors of terrorism and proliferators of WMDs Muslims are subjected to discrimination and
exclusion The insidious thesis of an inevitable clash of civilizations between Islam and the West
is being openly propoundedrdquo5
Making this bold and frank analysis of ground realities and the political climate he urged some
soul-searching and stock-taking by the Muslim countries since he believed that the crisis
confronting the Islamic world was both external and internal ldquoIt is rooted in our own weaknesses
and vulnerabilities It flows from our economic social and human underdevelopment from
dependencies and vulnerabilities from the divisions and differences within and amongst our
societies and nestsrdquo
Q5 Elaborate diplomacy of Pakistan on the platform of Southeast Asian Treaty Organization
(SEATO)
Ans In September of 1954 the United States France Great Britain New Zealand Australia the
Philippines Thailand and Pakistan formed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization or SEATO
The purpose of the organization was to prevent communism from gaining ground in the region
Although called the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization only two Southeast Asian countries
became members The Philippines joined in part because of its close ties with the United States
and in part out of concern over the nascent communist insurgency threatening its own
government Thailand similarly joined after learning of a newly established Thai Autonomous
Region in Yunnan Province in South China expressing concern about the potential for Chinese
communist subversion on its own soil The rest of the region was far less concerned about the
threat of communism to internal stability Burma and Indonesia both preferred to maintain their
neutrality rather than join the organization Malaya (including Singapore) found it politically
difficult to give formal support to the organization though through its ties with Great Britain it
learned of key developments Finally the terms of the Geneva Agreements of 1954 signed after
the fall of French Indochina prevented Vietnam Cambodia and Laos from joining any
international military alliance though these countries were ultimately included in the area
protected under SEATO and granted observers status
Most of the SEATO member states were countries located elsewhere but with an interest in the
region or the organization Australia and New Zealand were interested in Asian affairs because
of their geographic position in the Pacific Great Britain and France had long maintained
colonies in the region and were interested in developments in the greater Indochina region For
Pakistan the appeal of the pact was the potential for receiving support in its struggles against
India in spite of the fact that neither country was located in the area under the organizations
jurisdiction Finally US officials believed Southeast Asia to be a crucial frontier in the fight
against communist expansion so it viewed SEATO as essential to its global Cold War policy of
containment
Headquartered in Bangkok Thailand SEATO had only a few formal functions It maintained no
military forces of its own but the organization hosted joint military exercises for member states
each year As the communist threat appeared to change from one of outright attack to one of
internal subversion SEATO worked to strengthen the economic foundations and living standards
of the Southeast Asian States It sponsored a variety of meetings and exhibitions on cultural
religious and historical topics and the non-Asian member states sponsored fellowships for
Southeast Asian scholars
Beyond its activities the SEATO charter was also vitally important to the American rationale for
the Vietnam War The United States used the organization as its justification for refusing to go
forward with the 1956 elections intended to reunify Vietnam instead maintaining the divide
between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel As the conflict in
Vietnam unfolded the inclusion of Vietnam as a territory under SEATO protection gave the
United States the legal framework for its continued involvement there
The organization had a number of weaknesses as well To address the problems attached to the
guerrilla movements and local insurrections that plagued the region in the post-colonial years
the SEATO defense treaty called only for consultation leaving each individual nation to react
individually to internal threats Unlike the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) SEATO
had no independent mechanism for obtaining intelligence or deploying military forces so the
potential for collective action was necessarily limited Moreover because it incorporated only
three Asian members SEATO faced charges of being a new form of Western colonialism
Linguistic and cultural difficulties between the member states also compounded its problems
making it difficult for SEATO to accomplish many of its goals
By the early 1970s members began to withdraw from the organization Neither Pakistan nor
France supported the US intervention in Vietnam and both nations were pulling away from the
organization in the early 1970s Pakistan formally left SEATO in 1973 because the organization
had failed to provide it with assistance in its ongoing conflict against India When the Vietnam
War ended in 1975 the most prominent reason for SEATOs existence disappeared As a result
SEATO formally disbanded in 1977
China for its part continued to stringently deny any role in providing assistance to the Pakistani
nuclear program At a state dinner in Washington DC Premier Zhao Ziyang declared ldquoWe do
not advocate or encourage nuclear proliferation We do not engage in nuclear proliferation
ourselves nor do we help other countries develop nuclear weaponsrdquo But by 1985 Pakistanrsquos
Kahuta facility as a result of technical assistance from China had successfully been able to
produce the quantities of highly-enriched uranium needed to build a nuclear bomb For the first
time since discovering Pakistanrsquos nuclear ambitions and Chinarsquos illegal assistance the US
government refused to certify that Pakistan had not assembled a nuclear device in 1990 which
resulted in the suspension of US military and economic aid to Pakistan per the Pressler
Amendment
US pressure however did little to constrain Chinese assistance to Pakistanrsquos nuclear program
even as China moved toward becoming a signatory to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
(NPT) In January 1992 barely two months before it acceded to the NPT China announced the
construction of a nuclear power plant in Pakistan Concerns that Chinese safeguards were not
tough enough to prevent a diversion of nuclear resources to Pakistanrsquos nuclear weapons program
resulted in the US issuing a demarche to China
Chinarsquos appetite for proliferation remained undiminished even after it acceded to the NPT In
1995 it allegedly sold Pakistan 5000 ring magnets needed for high-speed gas centrifuges while
a US intelligence report in 1997 held that ldquoChina was the single most important supplier of
equipment and technology for weapons of mass destructionrdquo in the world
Chinarsquos civil nuclear trade commitments with Pakistan have gained considerable momentum
since Pakistanrsquos nuclear tests in May 1998 The China-Pakistan Power Plant Corporationrsquos
Chashma-1 and Chashma-2 power reactors which were under item-specific IAEA safeguards
were held not to be in violation of NSG guidelines as they were pre-existing commitments and
thus ldquograndfatheredrdquo in at the time of Chinarsquos induction into the NSG in 2004 However China
then entered into agreements in 2009 for the construction of two new 340 MW power plants
(Chashma-3 and Chashma-4) There have since been reports of undertakings for the construction
of additional plants in Chashma and Karachi
Some in Pakistan have argued that these commitments date back to a 1986 agreement with China
on cooperation in construction and operation of nuclear reactors for an initial period of 30 years
and thus not in violation of NSG guidelines This spurious argument if accepted implies that
China can continue to commit to any number of additional nuclear projects in Pakistan without
any repercussions It is another matter that the actual text of the so-called 1986 agreement
remains unreleased and shrouded in mystery thereby preventing the international community
from validating Chinese and Pakistani representations
China has demonstrated remarkable consistency over four decades in acting in ways that
undermine with impunity the global non-proliferation regime Its nuclear deals with Pakistan ndash
both military and civilian ndash were conceived and executed in secrecy The recent news articles
now confirm that China remains committed to a long-term nuclear relationship with Pakistan
under its own terms This is a pattern of behavior that is unlikely to change without the
application of sustained international pressure to bring China into compli
Q3 Make a critical analysis of efforts of Pakistan in collaboration with Non-Aligned Movement
(NAM) for solving the problems of the countries of the South
Ans The chief architect of the Non-aligned Movement was Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Ahmed
Sukarno the President of Indonesia Gamal Abdel Nasser the President of Egypt and Marshall
Tito the President of Yugoslavia Kwame Nkumah the President of Ghana were also the leading
personalities who championed the cause of Non-aligned Movement (NAM)
Causes of NAM
ADVERTISEMENTS
Various causes were responsible for the Non-aligned Movement
Firstly the countries of Asia and Africa did not like to remain under a capitalist country like
America or a Communist country like Soviet Russia
Secondly all the nation states of Asia and Africa wanted to negotiate themselves for economic
development
Thirdly they realised that the race for armament is bad for every nation
ADVERTISEMENTS
Fourthly they imagined a lsquoThird Worldrsquo which will help them in developing the economic and
cultural cooperation
Finally the underdeveloped nations tried to develop by helping each other and decided not to
interfere in internal affairs of any country So these countries came together to from the Non-
aligned Movement
Primary Steps for NAM
Primary Steps were taken for Non-aligned Movement in 18 April 1955 A Conference was held
at Bandung the capital of Indonesia in which 29 countries from Asia and 6 from Africa
participated This conference not only united Asian and African countries but also strictly
opposed Colonialism
The former Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehrursquos Principles of lsquoPanchaseelrsquo
(Mutual respect for each otherrsquos territorial integrity and Sovereignty Non-aggression Non-
intervention in each otherrsquos domestic affairs Mutual benefit and equally and Peaceful co-
existence) were adopted by this Conference
This Conference took resolution to fight against apartheid to establish friendship with all
member countries to solve the intentional problems in a peaceful way to respect otherrsquos
territorial sovereignty to give respect to the law and ideas of the UNO etc The Afro-Assian
countries were inspired
NAM Summits
In order to activate NAM various Summit were held An account of different NAM summits has
been given below
Belgrade Conference (1961)
In 1960 on the occasion of the meeting of the General Assembly Nehru Tito Nasser and
Nkrumah met together and decided to start Non- aligned Movement
According the First Conference was held at Belgrade in 1961 in which 26 Afro-Asian countries
and One European country participated Three countries of Latin America joined in this
conference as observers This conference opposed the apartheid as well as praised the revolution
for independence in Alzeria Congo Tunisia etc
This Conference attached importance to destruction of Colonialism opposed military alliances
encouraged disarmament adopted the attitude of respect for Human Rights and also encouraged
the establishment of equality among countries and to create a society without exploitation
Cairo Conference (1964)
The Second Conference of the NAM was held at Cairo (Egypt) in 1964 In this conference 47
countries participated and 11 countries joined as observers In the mean time Indo-China War
had taken place in 1962 The Cuban Missile Crisis also occurred and the exponent of
lsquoPanchaseelrsquo Jawaharlal Nehru had died However in this Conference ldquoProgramme for Peace
and International Co-operationrdquo was declared It was also decided to take severe actions against
imperialism and colonialism
Lusaka Summit (1970)
In 1970 the Third Conference was held at Lusaka (Zambia) In this Conference 54 member
countries were present and nine countries sent their observers It was accepted unanimously by
the Non-aligned countries to refrain Super Powers (Russia and America) from the race of
armament
Besides that the member nations decided to help each other for economic progress This
conference was also decided that the member countries had to resign from military pacts In this
Conference a request was made to Israel to return from occupied Arab territories
Algiers Conference (1973)
In 1973 the Fourth Conference of the NAM was held at Algiers This Conference was
represented by 76 countries and nine countries sent their observers This Conference also
inspired many countries for their struggle for freedom and Detente It also sent message to Israel
to return from the Arab territories The former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi formed her
opinion about this conference as such ldquoWe are responsible not to our individual countries alone
but to peace and prosperity of the whole Worldrdquo
Colombo Conference (1976)
In 1976 the Fifth Conference of the NAM was held at Colombo In this Conference 86 countries
participated This was the first NAM summit in the continent of Asia This conference deeply
discussed about various problems of Africa and Latin America It also proposed to put an end to
the Veto Power in Security Council of the UNO It also attached importance on world economy
Havana Conference (1979)
The Sixth NAM Conference was held at Havana in 1979 in which 94 member countries
participated This Conference was very crucial The then President of Cuba Fidel Castro
emphasised that the countries like Cuba and Vietnam should establish relation with Russia On
the other hand Singapore and Zaire wanted to join hand with America
So this was a great blow for NAM Besides that Arab countries wanted to exclude Egypt from
NAM because it signed Camp David Agreement with Israel At last a warning was given to both
powers to destroy the military stations In this conference the Indian Ocean was declared as the
Peaceful Zone
New Delhi Summit (1983)
The Seventh NAM Summit was held at New Delhi in 1983 in which 99 countries participated
and 20 countries sent their observers and 19 countries attended this summit as guests It created a
new milestone in the foreign relation of Smt Indira Gandhi This summit attached importance on
the restriction on nuclear weapons disarmament and establishment of nuclear free zone
To return Diago Gracia to Mauritius unconditional withdrawal or Israel from Palestine
returning back of foreign army from Afghanistan and Kampuchea etc were discussed in this
Conference It also put emphasis on solving economical problems by signing bi-lateral and
multi-lateral pacts among the member nations The United States of America became angry with
this summit because it was criticised vehemently in this Conference
Harare Summit (1986)
Harare the Capital of Zimbabwe was selected for the Eighth NAM Summit This conference was
attended by 101 nation states In this conference the apartheid in Pretoria was criticised A
Committee was framed by the members to visit America England West Germany and Japan to
pursue them to support NAM This conference also criticised American attack on Libya At last
this summit gave clarian call to fight against Imperialism Colonialism Caste System and New
Colonialism
Belgrade Summit (1989)
The Ninth NAM Summit was held at Belgrade in 1989 in which 102 member countries
participated This Summit gave importance on total disarmament It also raised voice against
apartheid in Africa The Belgrade Summit gave proposal to solve the Arab-Israel Conflict This
Summit also decided to solve the Afghan Crisis
Jakarta Summit (1992)
In the meantime in 1991 a conference was held at Akra in Ghana by the foreign Secretary of the
member states of NAM The Tenth NAM Summit was held in Jakarta in 1992 Through this
Summit a request was made to the UNO to solve the problem between Bosnia and Harzigovina
This conference wanted to see a nuclear free world
Cartagena Summit (1995)
The Eleventh Summit of NAM was held at Cartagena (Colombia) in 1955 This Conference
attached importance to establish a nuclear free zone It also gave advice to bring reform in IMF
(International Monetary Fund) and lsquoWorld Bankrsquo The Cartagena Summit vehemently criticised
global terrorism
Durban Summit (1998)
The Durban Summit was the Twelfth NAM Summit which was held in 1998 and attended by 114
countries This Conference opposed the testing of Nuclear Armaments In this Conference a
decision was taken to make the relationship strong between developed and developing countries
This summit declared that there is no need of nuclear armaments after the end of Cold War
Kualalampur Summit (2003)
It was the Thirteenth NAM Summit which was held in Kualalampur (Malaysia) in 24-25 March
2003 The Prime Minister of that country Mahtir Muhammad inaugurated the Summit In this
conference the Pakistani President Parvez Musharaf raised Kashmir issue The Prime Minister
of India Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee in his speech asserted that Kashmir is the integral part of
India This conference put emphasis on economic development and globalisation
Havana Summit (2006)
The Fourteenth NAM Summit was held at Havana during 15-17 September 2006 Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh participated in this summit He advised to galvanise the UNO The
member countries decided to render help to each other in political economic and intellectual
fields
Merits of NAM
The Non-aligned Movement has various merits
At first through this movement the Cold War could not spread
Secondly this movement imparted courage and morality to the weak and dependant nations
Thirdly the unity among the independent NAM countries brought forth a Third World and the
member countries kept themselves away from the Eastern and Western blocs
Fourthly a good relation was established between Asia and Africa in the UNO It not only paved
the way for economic cooperation but also accelerated the progress of the Third World
Danger to NAM
Inspite of the success of the NAM it faces danger from various quarters At first the member
countries of NAM are resorting to conflicts instead of solving their problems peacefully
Secondly many member countries of NAM increase their armaments by spending huge money
Thirdly lack of trust among the member countries mars the progress of NAM
NAMmdashan Analysis
Many experts on international politics opine that after the cold war disintegration of Soviet
Union and freezing of the importance of the super powers there is no need for Non-aligned
Movement Now the developing countries accept the policy of democracy by which the NAM
seems meaningless In the age of globalisation the NAM is not able to play its role properly and
perfectly
Be that as it may Non-aligned Movement is ever green even today It has exhibited its role every
time It attaches importance to economic progress Besides that it takes some programmes which
produce good result In the 21st Century it raises voice against cross-border terrorism It also
takes step for mutual co-operation
Infact the Non-aligned Movement has created a novel chapter in the history of the contemporary
world As long as war poverty exploitation terrorism exist the NAM will be asserting itself to
put an end to all their problems This is infact a great characteristic of the Non-aligned
Movement
Q4 Discuss in detail the prospects of economic cooperation amongst the member countries of
OIC What sort of role Pakistan could play to help increase economic cooperation amongst
OIC members
Ans Greater interaction between Pakistan and global organizations particularly within region will
contribute to the dialogue of economic trade culture and civilization The Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) is a Eurasian political economic security organization which was founded
by China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Russia and Tajikistan It is a permanent intergovernmental
international organization formally created in 2001 in Shanghai China and has established itself
as an internationally recognized and authoritative multilateral association
In the 21st century the Globalization has increased interdependence of states which enhances the
prosperity and progress Economic integration and cooperation among SCO members on the
basis of principles of equality and mutual benefits is very important for trade creation
employment generation efficient movement of goods and services through greater market
expansion
The organization provides the means to share development progress and prosperity and help in
stabilizing the region Pakistans participation in SCO as member will strengthen its economic
ties with Eurasian The SCO members are jointly counteract emergent challenges and threats to
boost economic trade and other available potentials for members states as well as neighbors
Pakistan has become the full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the
17th Summit of Heads of States held in Astana Kazakhstan on June 9 2017 The permanent
membership is a milestone which will strengthen deep-rooted historical and cultural links as well
as strong economic and strategic relations with all the members countries of the SCO
China has supported Pakistans entry in SCO and the membership particularly in the backdrop of
China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is a flagship of One Belt One Road project
will further enhance Pakistans importance in the entire region aimed at further enhancing the
connectivity regional stability development economic prosperity and trade with the members
nations
SCO is now a group of eight countries ie Russia China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan
Uzbekistan Pakistan and India Among its member states the Russia and China have significant
role because of their global and regional importance as major powers At present Iran
Afghanistan Belarus and Mongolia are observer members of SCO will get full memberships in
the forthcoming years Azerbaijan Armenia Cambodia Nepal Turkey and Sri Lanka are the
dialogue partner of SCO
With the expansion of organization the region has become vibrant covering 60 percent of total
territory of Europe and Asia will now represent over 40 percent of the world population (35
billion) and nearly 25 percent of the global GDP The membership of SCO gives the opportunity
to Pakistan to create new linkages in the world economy and also expand its trade relations with
member countries and avail the trade concessional opportunities which are currently under
negotiation
Currently share of SCO in Pakistans total trade is 32 percent which indicates that there exist
opportunities for trade and economic relations The SCO region not only has geographical
proximity with Pakistan but also provides easy accessibility and makes a very profitable market
for Pakistans exports
Pakistan has dynamic relations with SCO members China is a time tested friend while Central
Asian countries have historical ties with Pakistan Russia is also on the way of developing
relations with Pakistan While mega project a game changer-China - Pakistan Economic Corridor
(CPEC) is at implementation stage and also provides market access to Central Asian states
The development of Gwadar port makes Pakistan an indispensable link for SCO member states
The Central Asian countries have enormous resources of oil natural gas liquefied gas uranium
and hydropower that could be channelized to market electricity to the members nations of SCO
such as China Pakistan Russia and observer members like Afghanistan and Iran
In the economic domain Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) and CASA-1000 are
important projects for both Pakistan and Central Asian States TAPIs long 1735km pipeline is
planned to transmit 27 billion cubic meters of gas annually to Afghanistan Pakistan and India
from Turkmenistan and Tajikistan respectively with a potential to enhance the capacity to 33
billion cubic meters
On the other hand CASA-1000 project also provides a landmark cooperation opportunity
between Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Afghanistan and Pakistan The plan envisage export of a total of
1300 MW of excess electricity available during summers from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan 1000
MW for Pakistan and 300 MW for Afghanistan
Pakistan China Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have also agreed to initiate a bus service that would
not only enhance trade but also be an important tool to promote people-to-people contacts
between the four countries Similarly Pakistan can attract the investments in the energy and
infrastructure sector in which some of the SCO countries have a comparative advantage
The strategic location of Pakistan in the region and its economic potential can also help the SCO
members to exploit their economic potential With the prospects of Afghanistan and Iran and
possibly Turkey also joining the Organization in the near future SCO is likely to emerge as a
very strong regional Organization and may merge the Economic Cooperation Organization
A part from trade there is a huge potential in culture sports tourism education science and
technologyThe Shanghai Business Council created in 2006 with its headquarters in Moscow
Russia aims to boost economic cooperation in the framework of the Organization establishing
direct links and dialogue among business and financial circles of the SCO member states
assisting practical promotion of multilateral projects determined by the heads of government in
the Programme of trade and economic cooperation
To explore opportunities of the Shanghai Business Council the FPCCI may introduce itself in
the Council This forum will give opportunities to Pakistani Businessmen to interact with the
businessmen of the members countries for trade and joint ventures investment It is concluded
the regional economic integration may need to transform into cooperative-union in framework of
SCO to stabilize the region and to evolve the socioeconomic prosperity
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
TRADE BETWEEN PAKISTAN amp SCO COUNTRIES
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
(MILLION US$)
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Countries 2014 2015 2016
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Exports Imports Total Trade Exports Imports Total Trade
Exports Imports Total Trade
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
China 27539 132445 159984 24748 164419 189167
19126 172327 191453
Kazakhstan 307 29 336 329 15 344 229
27 256
Kyrgyzstan 22 05 27 26 01 27 33 03
36
Russia 3109 1431 4540 2985 966 3951 2720
1330 4050
Tajikistan 91 01 92 40 01 41 44 190
234
Uzbekistan 23 07 30 20 11 31 34 32
66
India 5299 21699 26998 4563 19635 24198 4613
15914 20527
Pakistans Total Trade with SCO Countries 36390 155617 192007 32711 185048
217759 26799 189823 216622
Pakistans Total Trade with World 247222 475449 722671 220890 439897
660787 204350 471550 675900
Pakistans share of trade with SCO Countries 15 33 27 15 42 33
13 40 32
The OIC Charter
The OIC Charter approved in March 1972 included a commitment to act through all means
both political and military for the liberation of the Holy City of Al-Quds from Zionist
occupation It also reiterated the Islamic statesrsquo resolve to act in unison for the establishment of
world peace and reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nationrsquos charter and to fundamental
human rights The OIC Charter was registered at the United Nations on 1 February 1974
The main objectives of the Charter were to[1]
1 Strengthen
1 Islamic solidarity among Member States
2 Cooperation in the political economic social cultural and scientific fields
3 The struggle of all Muslim people to safeguard their dignity independence and
national rights
2 Coordinate action to
1 Safeguard Islamic Holy Places
2 Support the struggle of the Palestinian people and assist them in recovering their
rights and liberating their occupied territory
3 Work to
1 Eliminate racial discrimination and all forms of colonialism
2 Create a favourable atmosphere for the promotion of cooperation and
understanding between Member States and other countries
The Charter also enumerates the principles governing OIC activities namely
Full equality among Member States
Support for the right to self determination and non-interference in the internal affairs of
Member States
Support for the sovereignty independence and territorial integrity of each State
The settlement of any dispute that might arise among Member States by peaceful means
such as negotiations mediation conciliation and arbitration
A pledge to refrain in relations among Member States from resorting to force or
threatening to resort to the use of force against the unity and territorial integrity or the
political independence of any one of them[2]
Main Bodies and Committees
The OIC is composed of two main bodies
The Conference of Kings and Heads of State and Government which is the supreme
authority of the Organization which meets once every three years to lay down the
Organizationrsquos policy and
The Conference of Foreign Ministers which meets once a year to examine progress on
the implementation of its decisions taken within the framework of the policy defined by
the Islamic Summit
The OIC set up a number of committees to ensure the coordination of its activities and the
attainment of optimal results in all fields of political economic social scientific and intellectual
cooperation The main committees include the Al Quds the Standing Committee for Information
and Cultural Affairs Committee for Economic and Trade Cooperation and Scientific and
Technological Cooperation[3] Fifteen of the committees are concerned with various political
issues such as Palestine Afghanistan Bosnia and Herzegovina etc The others relate to cultural
scientific economic legal financial technical educational informational social and human
affairs institutions Their headquarters have been distributed among the various Islamic
capitals[4]
Evaluation
It has been stated above that the creation of the OIC at the Rabat Summit was primarily in
response to the situation created by the sacrilege of Al Quds Hence the resolution adopted on 25
September 1969 while reaffirming the fraternal and spiritual bonds existing between their
peoples declared ldquofull support to the Palestinian people for the restitution of their rights and in
their struggle for national liberationrdquo It asked the international community to ldquosecure the
speedy withdrawal of Israeli military forces from all the territories occupied as a result of the
war of June 1967rdquo
Organizational issues occupied the next few years The OICrsquos Secretariat was set up in March
1970 and two years later its Charter was approved (in March 1972) Subsequent developments
in the Middle East particularly the Ramadan War of October 1973 forced the OIC to embrace
all issues relating to the ummah and to broaden its canvas of activities The October 1973 war
had not only restored the pride of Arabs but oil diplomacy had forced the European nations to
take a second look at their pro-Israel policies It was against this background that the second
summit was held in Lahore in February 1974
The Lahore Summit was a landmark in the political struggle of Muslims to secure an influential
role in international affairs The leadership provided by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the presence of
Arab leaders like King Faisal Sadat Qaddafi Boumedienne and Arafat among 37 heads of
statesgovernments participating in the Summit conferred on it a unique importance The
Summit decided to address the following issues
1 eradication of poverty disease and ignorance from Islamic countries
2 regulation of the terms of trade between developed countries and developing Muslim
countries especially the supply of raw materials and import of manufactured goods and
know-how
3 ensuring the sovereignty and full control of developing countries over their natural
resources and
4 mutual economic cooperation and solidarity among Muslim countries
It was also decided to establish a committee of eight countries including Pakistan to devise
ways and means for attainment of these objectives
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was recognized as the sole and legitimate
representative of the Palestinians and it was declared that ldquothe Arab cause is the cause of all
countries which oppose aggression and will not tolerate that the use of force be rewarded by
territory or by other gainsrdquo
The OIC has till now held 10 summits interspersed at regular three-year intervals and numerous
meetings at the ministerial and expert levels to oversee summit decisions Unfortunately these
summits have been characterized more by empty rhetoric rather than concrete action Through
the years the configuration of political and economic forces in international affairs has rendered
the Muslim states more vulnerable and their leaders increasingly dependent on the US for their
survival This has emasculated the OIC and weighed heavily on its decisions Its leaders find
themselves in a quandary They are unable or unwilling to exert any meaningful pressure on the
US-led west regarded as allies of Israel to mitigate the hardships of the Muslim people living in
the occupied territories
The mid-70s were the unprecedented but short-lived years of Arab ascendancy and prestige The
diplomatic influence and political clout of the Arab countries was in evidence with dramatic
triumphs in the UN Arabic was accepted as one of the official UN languages The General
Assembly recognized the Palestinian people as ldquothe principal party to the question of
Palestinerdquo Arafat was invited to address the General Assembly on 13 November 1974 and the
PLO was given observer status at the UN In the same year the UNGA established a Committee
on ldquothe exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian peoplerdquoThus the Palestinian issue
was placed in focus drawing increasing international attention and support
The Arab achievements in the UN were crowned with the adoption of UNGA Resolution 3379
of 10 November 1975 by which the General Assembly ldquodetermined that Zionism is a form of
racism and racial discriminationrdquo The Resolution was adopted with 72 in favour 35 against
and 32 abstentions With Zionism as its ideology the reaction in Israel was severe and it
campaigned hard to have the resolution annulled The opportunity came in 1991 Israel with the
encouragement of the US and European states declared its intention to get 3379 revoked The
OIC Summit held in Senegal in August 1991 took note of these efforts and passed a unanimous
resolution to defeat Israeli efforts in the UN by voting for the continuation of 3379
The Israeli resolution when moved in the UNGA after a couple of weeks was carried and the
majority of OIC member states either abstained or voted for the resolution This was illustrative
of the hypocrisy of Muslim potentates of playing to the domestic gallery while keeping the US
in good humour
Since the establishment of the OIC the Islamic world has suffered five major catastrophes
which have reduced it to almost a non-factor in international politics The break up of Pakistan
through armed intervention by India in 1971 the invasion of Lebanon by Israel in 1982 that led
to yet another Palestinian diaspora the Iran-Iraq war the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and
the US occupation of Iraq have dealt a crippling blow to the unity dignity and image of the
Muslim world
The OIC failed to respond meaningfully to any of these crises or demonstrate unity other than
issuing high-sounding declarations at the end of each summit In some cases the OIC even
remained a silent spectator
This attitude not only disappointed Muslims around the world but also encouraged the
Organizationrsquos adversaries to pursue their designs against Muslim countries with impunity The
history of the Palestine problem ostensibly the raison drsquoecirctre of the OIC is a living testimony to
the impotence and paralysis of the Organisation The Palestine issue is now no longer seen as the
vacation of the occupied territories by Israel and restoration of the inalienable rights of the
Palestinians but has been re-designated as a struggle between terrorists (Palestinians) and
civilians (Israelis) The creeping annexation has eroded all possibilities of any settlement as
Israeli policies have completely marginalised the Palestinians
The OIC also espoused the Kashmir and Afghanistan issues but failed to play any important or
significant role in their resolution The gathering of potentates at OIC summits and their empty
calls for unity of action initially stirred Muslim hearts but soon it became obvious that these
speeches laced with rhetoric and insincere sentiments were meaningless and of no use for
confronting the challenges faced by the Islamic ummah
On the Kashmir issue the OIC has failed to muster the courage to challenge New Delhirsquos
policies of repression and widespread violation of human rights in Indian-held Kashmir The
inaction and indifference on Israeli massacres in Sabra and Shattila (Beirut 1982) in Bosnia and
Herzegovina (1992) and the recent US military intervention and brutalities in Iraq and
Afghanistan have many believe rendered the OIC totally irrelevant to the needs and
requirements of ummah The resolutions adopted by the OIC thus betray a lack of seriousness
and sincerity and hence carry no meaning or significance thereby accentuating the frustration of
the ummah
The underlying causes of the inability of the OIC to be reckoned with as an institution of
political significance in global affairs besides the lack of political will of Muslim leaders have
originated from a lack of democratic set-up in those states in addition to structural weaknesses
such as an absence of an institutional framework poverty and illiteracy and failure to recognize
the absolute importance of science and technology for social emancipation and economic
development
10th Summit ndash Kuala Lampur
The last OIC summit held in Putrajaya Malaysia in 2003 was a milestone in the history of the
OIC Under the dynamic leadership of then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad the leaders
decided to make a realistic appraisal of the international situation and the role that the OIC could
play to preserve and protect the interests of member-states against a sustained negative media
campaign and political pressures circumscribing their economic and political rights It was
decided to dispassionately analyse the causes of decline and decay of Muslim societies and the
political marginalization of the member-states and evolve a comprehensive strategy to pull them
out of this morass
President Musharraf who led the Pakistan delegation to the 10th summit in Malaysia gave a
clarion call to all Muslims in support of Mahathirrsquos appeal In a stirring message President
Musharraf outlined the existing realities He referred to turbulent and troubled international
developments ldquoThe world is in turmoil Reliance on military action and force define solutions to
world disputes Foreign occupation persists Suppression of peoples has intensified Power
asymmetries are widening Terrorism is taking its toll Economic recession threatens the world
fabric Poverty is growing Inequality is increasingrdquo
In the context of this world view President Musharraf warned that the Muslim world was in the
vortex of this emerging global crisis Most of those under foreign occupation were Muslim
peoples He cited the tragedies of Palestine and Kashmir ldquoIslamic nations are perceived as the
sponsors of terrorism and proliferators of WMDs Muslims are subjected to discrimination and
exclusion The insidious thesis of an inevitable clash of civilizations between Islam and the West
is being openly propoundedrdquo5
Making this bold and frank analysis of ground realities and the political climate he urged some
soul-searching and stock-taking by the Muslim countries since he believed that the crisis
confronting the Islamic world was both external and internal ldquoIt is rooted in our own weaknesses
and vulnerabilities It flows from our economic social and human underdevelopment from
dependencies and vulnerabilities from the divisions and differences within and amongst our
societies and nestsrdquo
Q5 Elaborate diplomacy of Pakistan on the platform of Southeast Asian Treaty Organization
(SEATO)
Ans In September of 1954 the United States France Great Britain New Zealand Australia the
Philippines Thailand and Pakistan formed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization or SEATO
The purpose of the organization was to prevent communism from gaining ground in the region
Although called the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization only two Southeast Asian countries
became members The Philippines joined in part because of its close ties with the United States
and in part out of concern over the nascent communist insurgency threatening its own
government Thailand similarly joined after learning of a newly established Thai Autonomous
Region in Yunnan Province in South China expressing concern about the potential for Chinese
communist subversion on its own soil The rest of the region was far less concerned about the
threat of communism to internal stability Burma and Indonesia both preferred to maintain their
neutrality rather than join the organization Malaya (including Singapore) found it politically
difficult to give formal support to the organization though through its ties with Great Britain it
learned of key developments Finally the terms of the Geneva Agreements of 1954 signed after
the fall of French Indochina prevented Vietnam Cambodia and Laos from joining any
international military alliance though these countries were ultimately included in the area
protected under SEATO and granted observers status
Most of the SEATO member states were countries located elsewhere but with an interest in the
region or the organization Australia and New Zealand were interested in Asian affairs because
of their geographic position in the Pacific Great Britain and France had long maintained
colonies in the region and were interested in developments in the greater Indochina region For
Pakistan the appeal of the pact was the potential for receiving support in its struggles against
India in spite of the fact that neither country was located in the area under the organizations
jurisdiction Finally US officials believed Southeast Asia to be a crucial frontier in the fight
against communist expansion so it viewed SEATO as essential to its global Cold War policy of
containment
Headquartered in Bangkok Thailand SEATO had only a few formal functions It maintained no
military forces of its own but the organization hosted joint military exercises for member states
each year As the communist threat appeared to change from one of outright attack to one of
internal subversion SEATO worked to strengthen the economic foundations and living standards
of the Southeast Asian States It sponsored a variety of meetings and exhibitions on cultural
religious and historical topics and the non-Asian member states sponsored fellowships for
Southeast Asian scholars
Beyond its activities the SEATO charter was also vitally important to the American rationale for
the Vietnam War The United States used the organization as its justification for refusing to go
forward with the 1956 elections intended to reunify Vietnam instead maintaining the divide
between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel As the conflict in
Vietnam unfolded the inclusion of Vietnam as a territory under SEATO protection gave the
United States the legal framework for its continued involvement there
The organization had a number of weaknesses as well To address the problems attached to the
guerrilla movements and local insurrections that plagued the region in the post-colonial years
the SEATO defense treaty called only for consultation leaving each individual nation to react
individually to internal threats Unlike the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) SEATO
had no independent mechanism for obtaining intelligence or deploying military forces so the
potential for collective action was necessarily limited Moreover because it incorporated only
three Asian members SEATO faced charges of being a new form of Western colonialism
Linguistic and cultural difficulties between the member states also compounded its problems
making it difficult for SEATO to accomplish many of its goals
By the early 1970s members began to withdraw from the organization Neither Pakistan nor
France supported the US intervention in Vietnam and both nations were pulling away from the
organization in the early 1970s Pakistan formally left SEATO in 1973 because the organization
had failed to provide it with assistance in its ongoing conflict against India When the Vietnam
War ended in 1975 the most prominent reason for SEATOs existence disappeared As a result
SEATO formally disbanded in 1977
Q3 Make a critical analysis of efforts of Pakistan in collaboration with Non-Aligned Movement
(NAM) for solving the problems of the countries of the South
Ans The chief architect of the Non-aligned Movement was Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Ahmed
Sukarno the President of Indonesia Gamal Abdel Nasser the President of Egypt and Marshall
Tito the President of Yugoslavia Kwame Nkumah the President of Ghana were also the leading
personalities who championed the cause of Non-aligned Movement (NAM)
Causes of NAM
ADVERTISEMENTS
Various causes were responsible for the Non-aligned Movement
Firstly the countries of Asia and Africa did not like to remain under a capitalist country like
America or a Communist country like Soviet Russia
Secondly all the nation states of Asia and Africa wanted to negotiate themselves for economic
development
Thirdly they realised that the race for armament is bad for every nation
ADVERTISEMENTS
Fourthly they imagined a lsquoThird Worldrsquo which will help them in developing the economic and
cultural cooperation
Finally the underdeveloped nations tried to develop by helping each other and decided not to
interfere in internal affairs of any country So these countries came together to from the Non-
aligned Movement
Primary Steps for NAM
Primary Steps were taken for Non-aligned Movement in 18 April 1955 A Conference was held
at Bandung the capital of Indonesia in which 29 countries from Asia and 6 from Africa
participated This conference not only united Asian and African countries but also strictly
opposed Colonialism
The former Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehrursquos Principles of lsquoPanchaseelrsquo
(Mutual respect for each otherrsquos territorial integrity and Sovereignty Non-aggression Non-
intervention in each otherrsquos domestic affairs Mutual benefit and equally and Peaceful co-
existence) were adopted by this Conference
This Conference took resolution to fight against apartheid to establish friendship with all
member countries to solve the intentional problems in a peaceful way to respect otherrsquos
territorial sovereignty to give respect to the law and ideas of the UNO etc The Afro-Assian
countries were inspired
NAM Summits
In order to activate NAM various Summit were held An account of different NAM summits has
been given below
Belgrade Conference (1961)
In 1960 on the occasion of the meeting of the General Assembly Nehru Tito Nasser and
Nkrumah met together and decided to start Non- aligned Movement
According the First Conference was held at Belgrade in 1961 in which 26 Afro-Asian countries
and One European country participated Three countries of Latin America joined in this
conference as observers This conference opposed the apartheid as well as praised the revolution
for independence in Alzeria Congo Tunisia etc
This Conference attached importance to destruction of Colonialism opposed military alliances
encouraged disarmament adopted the attitude of respect for Human Rights and also encouraged
the establishment of equality among countries and to create a society without exploitation
Cairo Conference (1964)
The Second Conference of the NAM was held at Cairo (Egypt) in 1964 In this conference 47
countries participated and 11 countries joined as observers In the mean time Indo-China War
had taken place in 1962 The Cuban Missile Crisis also occurred and the exponent of
lsquoPanchaseelrsquo Jawaharlal Nehru had died However in this Conference ldquoProgramme for Peace
and International Co-operationrdquo was declared It was also decided to take severe actions against
imperialism and colonialism
Lusaka Summit (1970)
In 1970 the Third Conference was held at Lusaka (Zambia) In this Conference 54 member
countries were present and nine countries sent their observers It was accepted unanimously by
the Non-aligned countries to refrain Super Powers (Russia and America) from the race of
armament
Besides that the member nations decided to help each other for economic progress This
conference was also decided that the member countries had to resign from military pacts In this
Conference a request was made to Israel to return from occupied Arab territories
Algiers Conference (1973)
In 1973 the Fourth Conference of the NAM was held at Algiers This Conference was
represented by 76 countries and nine countries sent their observers This Conference also
inspired many countries for their struggle for freedom and Detente It also sent message to Israel
to return from the Arab territories The former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi formed her
opinion about this conference as such ldquoWe are responsible not to our individual countries alone
but to peace and prosperity of the whole Worldrdquo
Colombo Conference (1976)
In 1976 the Fifth Conference of the NAM was held at Colombo In this Conference 86 countries
participated This was the first NAM summit in the continent of Asia This conference deeply
discussed about various problems of Africa and Latin America It also proposed to put an end to
the Veto Power in Security Council of the UNO It also attached importance on world economy
Havana Conference (1979)
The Sixth NAM Conference was held at Havana in 1979 in which 94 member countries
participated This Conference was very crucial The then President of Cuba Fidel Castro
emphasised that the countries like Cuba and Vietnam should establish relation with Russia On
the other hand Singapore and Zaire wanted to join hand with America
So this was a great blow for NAM Besides that Arab countries wanted to exclude Egypt from
NAM because it signed Camp David Agreement with Israel At last a warning was given to both
powers to destroy the military stations In this conference the Indian Ocean was declared as the
Peaceful Zone
New Delhi Summit (1983)
The Seventh NAM Summit was held at New Delhi in 1983 in which 99 countries participated
and 20 countries sent their observers and 19 countries attended this summit as guests It created a
new milestone in the foreign relation of Smt Indira Gandhi This summit attached importance on
the restriction on nuclear weapons disarmament and establishment of nuclear free zone
To return Diago Gracia to Mauritius unconditional withdrawal or Israel from Palestine
returning back of foreign army from Afghanistan and Kampuchea etc were discussed in this
Conference It also put emphasis on solving economical problems by signing bi-lateral and
multi-lateral pacts among the member nations The United States of America became angry with
this summit because it was criticised vehemently in this Conference
Harare Summit (1986)
Harare the Capital of Zimbabwe was selected for the Eighth NAM Summit This conference was
attended by 101 nation states In this conference the apartheid in Pretoria was criticised A
Committee was framed by the members to visit America England West Germany and Japan to
pursue them to support NAM This conference also criticised American attack on Libya At last
this summit gave clarian call to fight against Imperialism Colonialism Caste System and New
Colonialism
Belgrade Summit (1989)
The Ninth NAM Summit was held at Belgrade in 1989 in which 102 member countries
participated This Summit gave importance on total disarmament It also raised voice against
apartheid in Africa The Belgrade Summit gave proposal to solve the Arab-Israel Conflict This
Summit also decided to solve the Afghan Crisis
Jakarta Summit (1992)
In the meantime in 1991 a conference was held at Akra in Ghana by the foreign Secretary of the
member states of NAM The Tenth NAM Summit was held in Jakarta in 1992 Through this
Summit a request was made to the UNO to solve the problem between Bosnia and Harzigovina
This conference wanted to see a nuclear free world
Cartagena Summit (1995)
The Eleventh Summit of NAM was held at Cartagena (Colombia) in 1955 This Conference
attached importance to establish a nuclear free zone It also gave advice to bring reform in IMF
(International Monetary Fund) and lsquoWorld Bankrsquo The Cartagena Summit vehemently criticised
global terrorism
Durban Summit (1998)
The Durban Summit was the Twelfth NAM Summit which was held in 1998 and attended by 114
countries This Conference opposed the testing of Nuclear Armaments In this Conference a
decision was taken to make the relationship strong between developed and developing countries
This summit declared that there is no need of nuclear armaments after the end of Cold War
Kualalampur Summit (2003)
It was the Thirteenth NAM Summit which was held in Kualalampur (Malaysia) in 24-25 March
2003 The Prime Minister of that country Mahtir Muhammad inaugurated the Summit In this
conference the Pakistani President Parvez Musharaf raised Kashmir issue The Prime Minister
of India Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee in his speech asserted that Kashmir is the integral part of
India This conference put emphasis on economic development and globalisation
Havana Summit (2006)
The Fourteenth NAM Summit was held at Havana during 15-17 September 2006 Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh participated in this summit He advised to galvanise the UNO The
member countries decided to render help to each other in political economic and intellectual
fields
Merits of NAM
The Non-aligned Movement has various merits
At first through this movement the Cold War could not spread
Secondly this movement imparted courage and morality to the weak and dependant nations
Thirdly the unity among the independent NAM countries brought forth a Third World and the
member countries kept themselves away from the Eastern and Western blocs
Fourthly a good relation was established between Asia and Africa in the UNO It not only paved
the way for economic cooperation but also accelerated the progress of the Third World
Danger to NAM
Inspite of the success of the NAM it faces danger from various quarters At first the member
countries of NAM are resorting to conflicts instead of solving their problems peacefully
Secondly many member countries of NAM increase their armaments by spending huge money
Thirdly lack of trust among the member countries mars the progress of NAM
NAMmdashan Analysis
Many experts on international politics opine that after the cold war disintegration of Soviet
Union and freezing of the importance of the super powers there is no need for Non-aligned
Movement Now the developing countries accept the policy of democracy by which the NAM
seems meaningless In the age of globalisation the NAM is not able to play its role properly and
perfectly
Be that as it may Non-aligned Movement is ever green even today It has exhibited its role every
time It attaches importance to economic progress Besides that it takes some programmes which
produce good result In the 21st Century it raises voice against cross-border terrorism It also
takes step for mutual co-operation
Infact the Non-aligned Movement has created a novel chapter in the history of the contemporary
world As long as war poverty exploitation terrorism exist the NAM will be asserting itself to
put an end to all their problems This is infact a great characteristic of the Non-aligned
Movement
Q4 Discuss in detail the prospects of economic cooperation amongst the member countries of
OIC What sort of role Pakistan could play to help increase economic cooperation amongst
OIC members
Ans Greater interaction between Pakistan and global organizations particularly within region will
contribute to the dialogue of economic trade culture and civilization The Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) is a Eurasian political economic security organization which was founded
by China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Russia and Tajikistan It is a permanent intergovernmental
international organization formally created in 2001 in Shanghai China and has established itself
as an internationally recognized and authoritative multilateral association
In the 21st century the Globalization has increased interdependence of states which enhances the
prosperity and progress Economic integration and cooperation among SCO members on the
basis of principles of equality and mutual benefits is very important for trade creation
employment generation efficient movement of goods and services through greater market
expansion
The organization provides the means to share development progress and prosperity and help in
stabilizing the region Pakistans participation in SCO as member will strengthen its economic
ties with Eurasian The SCO members are jointly counteract emergent challenges and threats to
boost economic trade and other available potentials for members states as well as neighbors
Pakistan has become the full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the
17th Summit of Heads of States held in Astana Kazakhstan on June 9 2017 The permanent
membership is a milestone which will strengthen deep-rooted historical and cultural links as well
as strong economic and strategic relations with all the members countries of the SCO
China has supported Pakistans entry in SCO and the membership particularly in the backdrop of
China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is a flagship of One Belt One Road project
will further enhance Pakistans importance in the entire region aimed at further enhancing the
connectivity regional stability development economic prosperity and trade with the members
nations
SCO is now a group of eight countries ie Russia China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan
Uzbekistan Pakistan and India Among its member states the Russia and China have significant
role because of their global and regional importance as major powers At present Iran
Afghanistan Belarus and Mongolia are observer members of SCO will get full memberships in
the forthcoming years Azerbaijan Armenia Cambodia Nepal Turkey and Sri Lanka are the
dialogue partner of SCO
With the expansion of organization the region has become vibrant covering 60 percent of total
territory of Europe and Asia will now represent over 40 percent of the world population (35
billion) and nearly 25 percent of the global GDP The membership of SCO gives the opportunity
to Pakistan to create new linkages in the world economy and also expand its trade relations with
member countries and avail the trade concessional opportunities which are currently under
negotiation
Currently share of SCO in Pakistans total trade is 32 percent which indicates that there exist
opportunities for trade and economic relations The SCO region not only has geographical
proximity with Pakistan but also provides easy accessibility and makes a very profitable market
for Pakistans exports
Pakistan has dynamic relations with SCO members China is a time tested friend while Central
Asian countries have historical ties with Pakistan Russia is also on the way of developing
relations with Pakistan While mega project a game changer-China - Pakistan Economic Corridor
(CPEC) is at implementation stage and also provides market access to Central Asian states
The development of Gwadar port makes Pakistan an indispensable link for SCO member states
The Central Asian countries have enormous resources of oil natural gas liquefied gas uranium
and hydropower that could be channelized to market electricity to the members nations of SCO
such as China Pakistan Russia and observer members like Afghanistan and Iran
In the economic domain Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) and CASA-1000 are
important projects for both Pakistan and Central Asian States TAPIs long 1735km pipeline is
planned to transmit 27 billion cubic meters of gas annually to Afghanistan Pakistan and India
from Turkmenistan and Tajikistan respectively with a potential to enhance the capacity to 33
billion cubic meters
On the other hand CASA-1000 project also provides a landmark cooperation opportunity
between Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Afghanistan and Pakistan The plan envisage export of a total of
1300 MW of excess electricity available during summers from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan 1000
MW for Pakistan and 300 MW for Afghanistan
Pakistan China Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have also agreed to initiate a bus service that would
not only enhance trade but also be an important tool to promote people-to-people contacts
between the four countries Similarly Pakistan can attract the investments in the energy and
infrastructure sector in which some of the SCO countries have a comparative advantage
The strategic location of Pakistan in the region and its economic potential can also help the SCO
members to exploit their economic potential With the prospects of Afghanistan and Iran and
possibly Turkey also joining the Organization in the near future SCO is likely to emerge as a
very strong regional Organization and may merge the Economic Cooperation Organization
A part from trade there is a huge potential in culture sports tourism education science and
technologyThe Shanghai Business Council created in 2006 with its headquarters in Moscow
Russia aims to boost economic cooperation in the framework of the Organization establishing
direct links and dialogue among business and financial circles of the SCO member states
assisting practical promotion of multilateral projects determined by the heads of government in
the Programme of trade and economic cooperation
To explore opportunities of the Shanghai Business Council the FPCCI may introduce itself in
the Council This forum will give opportunities to Pakistani Businessmen to interact with the
businessmen of the members countries for trade and joint ventures investment It is concluded
the regional economic integration may need to transform into cooperative-union in framework of
SCO to stabilize the region and to evolve the socioeconomic prosperity
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
TRADE BETWEEN PAKISTAN amp SCO COUNTRIES
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
(MILLION US$)
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Countries 2014 2015 2016
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Exports Imports Total Trade Exports Imports Total Trade
Exports Imports Total Trade
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
China 27539 132445 159984 24748 164419 189167
19126 172327 191453
Kazakhstan 307 29 336 329 15 344 229
27 256
Kyrgyzstan 22 05 27 26 01 27 33 03
36
Russia 3109 1431 4540 2985 966 3951 2720
1330 4050
Tajikistan 91 01 92 40 01 41 44 190
234
Uzbekistan 23 07 30 20 11 31 34 32
66
India 5299 21699 26998 4563 19635 24198 4613
15914 20527
Pakistans Total Trade with SCO Countries 36390 155617 192007 32711 185048
217759 26799 189823 216622
Pakistans Total Trade with World 247222 475449 722671 220890 439897
660787 204350 471550 675900
Pakistans share of trade with SCO Countries 15 33 27 15 42 33
13 40 32
The OIC Charter
The OIC Charter approved in March 1972 included a commitment to act through all means
both political and military for the liberation of the Holy City of Al-Quds from Zionist
occupation It also reiterated the Islamic statesrsquo resolve to act in unison for the establishment of
world peace and reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nationrsquos charter and to fundamental
human rights The OIC Charter was registered at the United Nations on 1 February 1974
The main objectives of the Charter were to[1]
1 Strengthen
1 Islamic solidarity among Member States
2 Cooperation in the political economic social cultural and scientific fields
3 The struggle of all Muslim people to safeguard their dignity independence and
national rights
2 Coordinate action to
1 Safeguard Islamic Holy Places
2 Support the struggle of the Palestinian people and assist them in recovering their
rights and liberating their occupied territory
3 Work to
1 Eliminate racial discrimination and all forms of colonialism
2 Create a favourable atmosphere for the promotion of cooperation and
understanding between Member States and other countries
The Charter also enumerates the principles governing OIC activities namely
Full equality among Member States
Support for the right to self determination and non-interference in the internal affairs of
Member States
Support for the sovereignty independence and territorial integrity of each State
The settlement of any dispute that might arise among Member States by peaceful means
such as negotiations mediation conciliation and arbitration
A pledge to refrain in relations among Member States from resorting to force or
threatening to resort to the use of force against the unity and territorial integrity or the
political independence of any one of them[2]
Main Bodies and Committees
The OIC is composed of two main bodies
The Conference of Kings and Heads of State and Government which is the supreme
authority of the Organization which meets once every three years to lay down the
Organizationrsquos policy and
The Conference of Foreign Ministers which meets once a year to examine progress on
the implementation of its decisions taken within the framework of the policy defined by
the Islamic Summit
The OIC set up a number of committees to ensure the coordination of its activities and the
attainment of optimal results in all fields of political economic social scientific and intellectual
cooperation The main committees include the Al Quds the Standing Committee for Information
and Cultural Affairs Committee for Economic and Trade Cooperation and Scientific and
Technological Cooperation[3] Fifteen of the committees are concerned with various political
issues such as Palestine Afghanistan Bosnia and Herzegovina etc The others relate to cultural
scientific economic legal financial technical educational informational social and human
affairs institutions Their headquarters have been distributed among the various Islamic
capitals[4]
Evaluation
It has been stated above that the creation of the OIC at the Rabat Summit was primarily in
response to the situation created by the sacrilege of Al Quds Hence the resolution adopted on 25
September 1969 while reaffirming the fraternal and spiritual bonds existing between their
peoples declared ldquofull support to the Palestinian people for the restitution of their rights and in
their struggle for national liberationrdquo It asked the international community to ldquosecure the
speedy withdrawal of Israeli military forces from all the territories occupied as a result of the
war of June 1967rdquo
Organizational issues occupied the next few years The OICrsquos Secretariat was set up in March
1970 and two years later its Charter was approved (in March 1972) Subsequent developments
in the Middle East particularly the Ramadan War of October 1973 forced the OIC to embrace
all issues relating to the ummah and to broaden its canvas of activities The October 1973 war
had not only restored the pride of Arabs but oil diplomacy had forced the European nations to
take a second look at their pro-Israel policies It was against this background that the second
summit was held in Lahore in February 1974
The Lahore Summit was a landmark in the political struggle of Muslims to secure an influential
role in international affairs The leadership provided by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the presence of
Arab leaders like King Faisal Sadat Qaddafi Boumedienne and Arafat among 37 heads of
statesgovernments participating in the Summit conferred on it a unique importance The
Summit decided to address the following issues
1 eradication of poverty disease and ignorance from Islamic countries
2 regulation of the terms of trade between developed countries and developing Muslim
countries especially the supply of raw materials and import of manufactured goods and
know-how
3 ensuring the sovereignty and full control of developing countries over their natural
resources and
4 mutual economic cooperation and solidarity among Muslim countries
It was also decided to establish a committee of eight countries including Pakistan to devise
ways and means for attainment of these objectives
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was recognized as the sole and legitimate
representative of the Palestinians and it was declared that ldquothe Arab cause is the cause of all
countries which oppose aggression and will not tolerate that the use of force be rewarded by
territory or by other gainsrdquo
The OIC has till now held 10 summits interspersed at regular three-year intervals and numerous
meetings at the ministerial and expert levels to oversee summit decisions Unfortunately these
summits have been characterized more by empty rhetoric rather than concrete action Through
the years the configuration of political and economic forces in international affairs has rendered
the Muslim states more vulnerable and their leaders increasingly dependent on the US for their
survival This has emasculated the OIC and weighed heavily on its decisions Its leaders find
themselves in a quandary They are unable or unwilling to exert any meaningful pressure on the
US-led west regarded as allies of Israel to mitigate the hardships of the Muslim people living in
the occupied territories
The mid-70s were the unprecedented but short-lived years of Arab ascendancy and prestige The
diplomatic influence and political clout of the Arab countries was in evidence with dramatic
triumphs in the UN Arabic was accepted as one of the official UN languages The General
Assembly recognized the Palestinian people as ldquothe principal party to the question of
Palestinerdquo Arafat was invited to address the General Assembly on 13 November 1974 and the
PLO was given observer status at the UN In the same year the UNGA established a Committee
on ldquothe exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian peoplerdquoThus the Palestinian issue
was placed in focus drawing increasing international attention and support
The Arab achievements in the UN were crowned with the adoption of UNGA Resolution 3379
of 10 November 1975 by which the General Assembly ldquodetermined that Zionism is a form of
racism and racial discriminationrdquo The Resolution was adopted with 72 in favour 35 against
and 32 abstentions With Zionism as its ideology the reaction in Israel was severe and it
campaigned hard to have the resolution annulled The opportunity came in 1991 Israel with the
encouragement of the US and European states declared its intention to get 3379 revoked The
OIC Summit held in Senegal in August 1991 took note of these efforts and passed a unanimous
resolution to defeat Israeli efforts in the UN by voting for the continuation of 3379
The Israeli resolution when moved in the UNGA after a couple of weeks was carried and the
majority of OIC member states either abstained or voted for the resolution This was illustrative
of the hypocrisy of Muslim potentates of playing to the domestic gallery while keeping the US
in good humour
Since the establishment of the OIC the Islamic world has suffered five major catastrophes
which have reduced it to almost a non-factor in international politics The break up of Pakistan
through armed intervention by India in 1971 the invasion of Lebanon by Israel in 1982 that led
to yet another Palestinian diaspora the Iran-Iraq war the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and
the US occupation of Iraq have dealt a crippling blow to the unity dignity and image of the
Muslim world
The OIC failed to respond meaningfully to any of these crises or demonstrate unity other than
issuing high-sounding declarations at the end of each summit In some cases the OIC even
remained a silent spectator
This attitude not only disappointed Muslims around the world but also encouraged the
Organizationrsquos adversaries to pursue their designs against Muslim countries with impunity The
history of the Palestine problem ostensibly the raison drsquoecirctre of the OIC is a living testimony to
the impotence and paralysis of the Organisation The Palestine issue is now no longer seen as the
vacation of the occupied territories by Israel and restoration of the inalienable rights of the
Palestinians but has been re-designated as a struggle between terrorists (Palestinians) and
civilians (Israelis) The creeping annexation has eroded all possibilities of any settlement as
Israeli policies have completely marginalised the Palestinians
The OIC also espoused the Kashmir and Afghanistan issues but failed to play any important or
significant role in their resolution The gathering of potentates at OIC summits and their empty
calls for unity of action initially stirred Muslim hearts but soon it became obvious that these
speeches laced with rhetoric and insincere sentiments were meaningless and of no use for
confronting the challenges faced by the Islamic ummah
On the Kashmir issue the OIC has failed to muster the courage to challenge New Delhirsquos
policies of repression and widespread violation of human rights in Indian-held Kashmir The
inaction and indifference on Israeli massacres in Sabra and Shattila (Beirut 1982) in Bosnia and
Herzegovina (1992) and the recent US military intervention and brutalities in Iraq and
Afghanistan have many believe rendered the OIC totally irrelevant to the needs and
requirements of ummah The resolutions adopted by the OIC thus betray a lack of seriousness
and sincerity and hence carry no meaning or significance thereby accentuating the frustration of
the ummah
The underlying causes of the inability of the OIC to be reckoned with as an institution of
political significance in global affairs besides the lack of political will of Muslim leaders have
originated from a lack of democratic set-up in those states in addition to structural weaknesses
such as an absence of an institutional framework poverty and illiteracy and failure to recognize
the absolute importance of science and technology for social emancipation and economic
development
10th Summit ndash Kuala Lampur
The last OIC summit held in Putrajaya Malaysia in 2003 was a milestone in the history of the
OIC Under the dynamic leadership of then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad the leaders
decided to make a realistic appraisal of the international situation and the role that the OIC could
play to preserve and protect the interests of member-states against a sustained negative media
campaign and political pressures circumscribing their economic and political rights It was
decided to dispassionately analyse the causes of decline and decay of Muslim societies and the
political marginalization of the member-states and evolve a comprehensive strategy to pull them
out of this morass
President Musharraf who led the Pakistan delegation to the 10th summit in Malaysia gave a
clarion call to all Muslims in support of Mahathirrsquos appeal In a stirring message President
Musharraf outlined the existing realities He referred to turbulent and troubled international
developments ldquoThe world is in turmoil Reliance on military action and force define solutions to
world disputes Foreign occupation persists Suppression of peoples has intensified Power
asymmetries are widening Terrorism is taking its toll Economic recession threatens the world
fabric Poverty is growing Inequality is increasingrdquo
In the context of this world view President Musharraf warned that the Muslim world was in the
vortex of this emerging global crisis Most of those under foreign occupation were Muslim
peoples He cited the tragedies of Palestine and Kashmir ldquoIslamic nations are perceived as the
sponsors of terrorism and proliferators of WMDs Muslims are subjected to discrimination and
exclusion The insidious thesis of an inevitable clash of civilizations between Islam and the West
is being openly propoundedrdquo5
Making this bold and frank analysis of ground realities and the political climate he urged some
soul-searching and stock-taking by the Muslim countries since he believed that the crisis
confronting the Islamic world was both external and internal ldquoIt is rooted in our own weaknesses
and vulnerabilities It flows from our economic social and human underdevelopment from
dependencies and vulnerabilities from the divisions and differences within and amongst our
societies and nestsrdquo
Q5 Elaborate diplomacy of Pakistan on the platform of Southeast Asian Treaty Organization
(SEATO)
Ans In September of 1954 the United States France Great Britain New Zealand Australia the
Philippines Thailand and Pakistan formed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization or SEATO
The purpose of the organization was to prevent communism from gaining ground in the region
Although called the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization only two Southeast Asian countries
became members The Philippines joined in part because of its close ties with the United States
and in part out of concern over the nascent communist insurgency threatening its own
government Thailand similarly joined after learning of a newly established Thai Autonomous
Region in Yunnan Province in South China expressing concern about the potential for Chinese
communist subversion on its own soil The rest of the region was far less concerned about the
threat of communism to internal stability Burma and Indonesia both preferred to maintain their
neutrality rather than join the organization Malaya (including Singapore) found it politically
difficult to give formal support to the organization though through its ties with Great Britain it
learned of key developments Finally the terms of the Geneva Agreements of 1954 signed after
the fall of French Indochina prevented Vietnam Cambodia and Laos from joining any
international military alliance though these countries were ultimately included in the area
protected under SEATO and granted observers status
Most of the SEATO member states were countries located elsewhere but with an interest in the
region or the organization Australia and New Zealand were interested in Asian affairs because
of their geographic position in the Pacific Great Britain and France had long maintained
colonies in the region and were interested in developments in the greater Indochina region For
Pakistan the appeal of the pact was the potential for receiving support in its struggles against
India in spite of the fact that neither country was located in the area under the organizations
jurisdiction Finally US officials believed Southeast Asia to be a crucial frontier in the fight
against communist expansion so it viewed SEATO as essential to its global Cold War policy of
containment
Headquartered in Bangkok Thailand SEATO had only a few formal functions It maintained no
military forces of its own but the organization hosted joint military exercises for member states
each year As the communist threat appeared to change from one of outright attack to one of
internal subversion SEATO worked to strengthen the economic foundations and living standards
of the Southeast Asian States It sponsored a variety of meetings and exhibitions on cultural
religious and historical topics and the non-Asian member states sponsored fellowships for
Southeast Asian scholars
Beyond its activities the SEATO charter was also vitally important to the American rationale for
the Vietnam War The United States used the organization as its justification for refusing to go
forward with the 1956 elections intended to reunify Vietnam instead maintaining the divide
between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel As the conflict in
Vietnam unfolded the inclusion of Vietnam as a territory under SEATO protection gave the
United States the legal framework for its continued involvement there
The organization had a number of weaknesses as well To address the problems attached to the
guerrilla movements and local insurrections that plagued the region in the post-colonial years
the SEATO defense treaty called only for consultation leaving each individual nation to react
individually to internal threats Unlike the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) SEATO
had no independent mechanism for obtaining intelligence or deploying military forces so the
potential for collective action was necessarily limited Moreover because it incorporated only
three Asian members SEATO faced charges of being a new form of Western colonialism
Linguistic and cultural difficulties between the member states also compounded its problems
making it difficult for SEATO to accomplish many of its goals
By the early 1970s members began to withdraw from the organization Neither Pakistan nor
France supported the US intervention in Vietnam and both nations were pulling away from the
organization in the early 1970s Pakistan formally left SEATO in 1973 because the organization
had failed to provide it with assistance in its ongoing conflict against India When the Vietnam
War ended in 1975 the most prominent reason for SEATOs existence disappeared As a result
SEATO formally disbanded in 1977
intervention in each otherrsquos domestic affairs Mutual benefit and equally and Peaceful co-
existence) were adopted by this Conference
This Conference took resolution to fight against apartheid to establish friendship with all
member countries to solve the intentional problems in a peaceful way to respect otherrsquos
territorial sovereignty to give respect to the law and ideas of the UNO etc The Afro-Assian
countries were inspired
NAM Summits
In order to activate NAM various Summit were held An account of different NAM summits has
been given below
Belgrade Conference (1961)
In 1960 on the occasion of the meeting of the General Assembly Nehru Tito Nasser and
Nkrumah met together and decided to start Non- aligned Movement
According the First Conference was held at Belgrade in 1961 in which 26 Afro-Asian countries
and One European country participated Three countries of Latin America joined in this
conference as observers This conference opposed the apartheid as well as praised the revolution
for independence in Alzeria Congo Tunisia etc
This Conference attached importance to destruction of Colonialism opposed military alliances
encouraged disarmament adopted the attitude of respect for Human Rights and also encouraged
the establishment of equality among countries and to create a society without exploitation
Cairo Conference (1964)
The Second Conference of the NAM was held at Cairo (Egypt) in 1964 In this conference 47
countries participated and 11 countries joined as observers In the mean time Indo-China War
had taken place in 1962 The Cuban Missile Crisis also occurred and the exponent of
lsquoPanchaseelrsquo Jawaharlal Nehru had died However in this Conference ldquoProgramme for Peace
and International Co-operationrdquo was declared It was also decided to take severe actions against
imperialism and colonialism
Lusaka Summit (1970)
In 1970 the Third Conference was held at Lusaka (Zambia) In this Conference 54 member
countries were present and nine countries sent their observers It was accepted unanimously by
the Non-aligned countries to refrain Super Powers (Russia and America) from the race of
armament
Besides that the member nations decided to help each other for economic progress This
conference was also decided that the member countries had to resign from military pacts In this
Conference a request was made to Israel to return from occupied Arab territories
Algiers Conference (1973)
In 1973 the Fourth Conference of the NAM was held at Algiers This Conference was
represented by 76 countries and nine countries sent their observers This Conference also
inspired many countries for their struggle for freedom and Detente It also sent message to Israel
to return from the Arab territories The former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi formed her
opinion about this conference as such ldquoWe are responsible not to our individual countries alone
but to peace and prosperity of the whole Worldrdquo
Colombo Conference (1976)
In 1976 the Fifth Conference of the NAM was held at Colombo In this Conference 86 countries
participated This was the first NAM summit in the continent of Asia This conference deeply
discussed about various problems of Africa and Latin America It also proposed to put an end to
the Veto Power in Security Council of the UNO It also attached importance on world economy
Havana Conference (1979)
The Sixth NAM Conference was held at Havana in 1979 in which 94 member countries
participated This Conference was very crucial The then President of Cuba Fidel Castro
emphasised that the countries like Cuba and Vietnam should establish relation with Russia On
the other hand Singapore and Zaire wanted to join hand with America
So this was a great blow for NAM Besides that Arab countries wanted to exclude Egypt from
NAM because it signed Camp David Agreement with Israel At last a warning was given to both
powers to destroy the military stations In this conference the Indian Ocean was declared as the
Peaceful Zone
New Delhi Summit (1983)
The Seventh NAM Summit was held at New Delhi in 1983 in which 99 countries participated
and 20 countries sent their observers and 19 countries attended this summit as guests It created a
new milestone in the foreign relation of Smt Indira Gandhi This summit attached importance on
the restriction on nuclear weapons disarmament and establishment of nuclear free zone
To return Diago Gracia to Mauritius unconditional withdrawal or Israel from Palestine
returning back of foreign army from Afghanistan and Kampuchea etc were discussed in this
Conference It also put emphasis on solving economical problems by signing bi-lateral and
multi-lateral pacts among the member nations The United States of America became angry with
this summit because it was criticised vehemently in this Conference
Harare Summit (1986)
Harare the Capital of Zimbabwe was selected for the Eighth NAM Summit This conference was
attended by 101 nation states In this conference the apartheid in Pretoria was criticised A
Committee was framed by the members to visit America England West Germany and Japan to
pursue them to support NAM This conference also criticised American attack on Libya At last
this summit gave clarian call to fight against Imperialism Colonialism Caste System and New
Colonialism
Belgrade Summit (1989)
The Ninth NAM Summit was held at Belgrade in 1989 in which 102 member countries
participated This Summit gave importance on total disarmament It also raised voice against
apartheid in Africa The Belgrade Summit gave proposal to solve the Arab-Israel Conflict This
Summit also decided to solve the Afghan Crisis
Jakarta Summit (1992)
In the meantime in 1991 a conference was held at Akra in Ghana by the foreign Secretary of the
member states of NAM The Tenth NAM Summit was held in Jakarta in 1992 Through this
Summit a request was made to the UNO to solve the problem between Bosnia and Harzigovina
This conference wanted to see a nuclear free world
Cartagena Summit (1995)
The Eleventh Summit of NAM was held at Cartagena (Colombia) in 1955 This Conference
attached importance to establish a nuclear free zone It also gave advice to bring reform in IMF
(International Monetary Fund) and lsquoWorld Bankrsquo The Cartagena Summit vehemently criticised
global terrorism
Durban Summit (1998)
The Durban Summit was the Twelfth NAM Summit which was held in 1998 and attended by 114
countries This Conference opposed the testing of Nuclear Armaments In this Conference a
decision was taken to make the relationship strong between developed and developing countries
This summit declared that there is no need of nuclear armaments after the end of Cold War
Kualalampur Summit (2003)
It was the Thirteenth NAM Summit which was held in Kualalampur (Malaysia) in 24-25 March
2003 The Prime Minister of that country Mahtir Muhammad inaugurated the Summit In this
conference the Pakistani President Parvez Musharaf raised Kashmir issue The Prime Minister
of India Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee in his speech asserted that Kashmir is the integral part of
India This conference put emphasis on economic development and globalisation
Havana Summit (2006)
The Fourteenth NAM Summit was held at Havana during 15-17 September 2006 Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh participated in this summit He advised to galvanise the UNO The
member countries decided to render help to each other in political economic and intellectual
fields
Merits of NAM
The Non-aligned Movement has various merits
At first through this movement the Cold War could not spread
Secondly this movement imparted courage and morality to the weak and dependant nations
Thirdly the unity among the independent NAM countries brought forth a Third World and the
member countries kept themselves away from the Eastern and Western blocs
Fourthly a good relation was established between Asia and Africa in the UNO It not only paved
the way for economic cooperation but also accelerated the progress of the Third World
Danger to NAM
Inspite of the success of the NAM it faces danger from various quarters At first the member
countries of NAM are resorting to conflicts instead of solving their problems peacefully
Secondly many member countries of NAM increase their armaments by spending huge money
Thirdly lack of trust among the member countries mars the progress of NAM
NAMmdashan Analysis
Many experts on international politics opine that after the cold war disintegration of Soviet
Union and freezing of the importance of the super powers there is no need for Non-aligned
Movement Now the developing countries accept the policy of democracy by which the NAM
seems meaningless In the age of globalisation the NAM is not able to play its role properly and
perfectly
Be that as it may Non-aligned Movement is ever green even today It has exhibited its role every
time It attaches importance to economic progress Besides that it takes some programmes which
produce good result In the 21st Century it raises voice against cross-border terrorism It also
takes step for mutual co-operation
Infact the Non-aligned Movement has created a novel chapter in the history of the contemporary
world As long as war poverty exploitation terrorism exist the NAM will be asserting itself to
put an end to all their problems This is infact a great characteristic of the Non-aligned
Movement
Q4 Discuss in detail the prospects of economic cooperation amongst the member countries of
OIC What sort of role Pakistan could play to help increase economic cooperation amongst
OIC members
Ans Greater interaction between Pakistan and global organizations particularly within region will
contribute to the dialogue of economic trade culture and civilization The Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) is a Eurasian political economic security organization which was founded
by China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Russia and Tajikistan It is a permanent intergovernmental
international organization formally created in 2001 in Shanghai China and has established itself
as an internationally recognized and authoritative multilateral association
In the 21st century the Globalization has increased interdependence of states which enhances the
prosperity and progress Economic integration and cooperation among SCO members on the
basis of principles of equality and mutual benefits is very important for trade creation
employment generation efficient movement of goods and services through greater market
expansion
The organization provides the means to share development progress and prosperity and help in
stabilizing the region Pakistans participation in SCO as member will strengthen its economic
ties with Eurasian The SCO members are jointly counteract emergent challenges and threats to
boost economic trade and other available potentials for members states as well as neighbors
Pakistan has become the full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the
17th Summit of Heads of States held in Astana Kazakhstan on June 9 2017 The permanent
membership is a milestone which will strengthen deep-rooted historical and cultural links as well
as strong economic and strategic relations with all the members countries of the SCO
China has supported Pakistans entry in SCO and the membership particularly in the backdrop of
China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is a flagship of One Belt One Road project
will further enhance Pakistans importance in the entire region aimed at further enhancing the
connectivity regional stability development economic prosperity and trade with the members
nations
SCO is now a group of eight countries ie Russia China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan
Uzbekistan Pakistan and India Among its member states the Russia and China have significant
role because of their global and regional importance as major powers At present Iran
Afghanistan Belarus and Mongolia are observer members of SCO will get full memberships in
the forthcoming years Azerbaijan Armenia Cambodia Nepal Turkey and Sri Lanka are the
dialogue partner of SCO
With the expansion of organization the region has become vibrant covering 60 percent of total
territory of Europe and Asia will now represent over 40 percent of the world population (35
billion) and nearly 25 percent of the global GDP The membership of SCO gives the opportunity
to Pakistan to create new linkages in the world economy and also expand its trade relations with
member countries and avail the trade concessional opportunities which are currently under
negotiation
Currently share of SCO in Pakistans total trade is 32 percent which indicates that there exist
opportunities for trade and economic relations The SCO region not only has geographical
proximity with Pakistan but also provides easy accessibility and makes a very profitable market
for Pakistans exports
Pakistan has dynamic relations with SCO members China is a time tested friend while Central
Asian countries have historical ties with Pakistan Russia is also on the way of developing
relations with Pakistan While mega project a game changer-China - Pakistan Economic Corridor
(CPEC) is at implementation stage and also provides market access to Central Asian states
The development of Gwadar port makes Pakistan an indispensable link for SCO member states
The Central Asian countries have enormous resources of oil natural gas liquefied gas uranium
and hydropower that could be channelized to market electricity to the members nations of SCO
such as China Pakistan Russia and observer members like Afghanistan and Iran
In the economic domain Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) and CASA-1000 are
important projects for both Pakistan and Central Asian States TAPIs long 1735km pipeline is
planned to transmit 27 billion cubic meters of gas annually to Afghanistan Pakistan and India
from Turkmenistan and Tajikistan respectively with a potential to enhance the capacity to 33
billion cubic meters
On the other hand CASA-1000 project also provides a landmark cooperation opportunity
between Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Afghanistan and Pakistan The plan envisage export of a total of
1300 MW of excess electricity available during summers from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan 1000
MW for Pakistan and 300 MW for Afghanistan
Pakistan China Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have also agreed to initiate a bus service that would
not only enhance trade but also be an important tool to promote people-to-people contacts
between the four countries Similarly Pakistan can attract the investments in the energy and
infrastructure sector in which some of the SCO countries have a comparative advantage
The strategic location of Pakistan in the region and its economic potential can also help the SCO
members to exploit their economic potential With the prospects of Afghanistan and Iran and
possibly Turkey also joining the Organization in the near future SCO is likely to emerge as a
very strong regional Organization and may merge the Economic Cooperation Organization
A part from trade there is a huge potential in culture sports tourism education science and
technologyThe Shanghai Business Council created in 2006 with its headquarters in Moscow
Russia aims to boost economic cooperation in the framework of the Organization establishing
direct links and dialogue among business and financial circles of the SCO member states
assisting practical promotion of multilateral projects determined by the heads of government in
the Programme of trade and economic cooperation
To explore opportunities of the Shanghai Business Council the FPCCI may introduce itself in
the Council This forum will give opportunities to Pakistani Businessmen to interact with the
businessmen of the members countries for trade and joint ventures investment It is concluded
the regional economic integration may need to transform into cooperative-union in framework of
SCO to stabilize the region and to evolve the socioeconomic prosperity
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
TRADE BETWEEN PAKISTAN amp SCO COUNTRIES
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
(MILLION US$)
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Countries 2014 2015 2016
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Exports Imports Total Trade Exports Imports Total Trade
Exports Imports Total Trade
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
China 27539 132445 159984 24748 164419 189167
19126 172327 191453
Kazakhstan 307 29 336 329 15 344 229
27 256
Kyrgyzstan 22 05 27 26 01 27 33 03
36
Russia 3109 1431 4540 2985 966 3951 2720
1330 4050
Tajikistan 91 01 92 40 01 41 44 190
234
Uzbekistan 23 07 30 20 11 31 34 32
66
India 5299 21699 26998 4563 19635 24198 4613
15914 20527
Pakistans Total Trade with SCO Countries 36390 155617 192007 32711 185048
217759 26799 189823 216622
Pakistans Total Trade with World 247222 475449 722671 220890 439897
660787 204350 471550 675900
Pakistans share of trade with SCO Countries 15 33 27 15 42 33
13 40 32
The OIC Charter
The OIC Charter approved in March 1972 included a commitment to act through all means
both political and military for the liberation of the Holy City of Al-Quds from Zionist
occupation It also reiterated the Islamic statesrsquo resolve to act in unison for the establishment of
world peace and reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nationrsquos charter and to fundamental
human rights The OIC Charter was registered at the United Nations on 1 February 1974
The main objectives of the Charter were to[1]
1 Strengthen
1 Islamic solidarity among Member States
2 Cooperation in the political economic social cultural and scientific fields
3 The struggle of all Muslim people to safeguard their dignity independence and
national rights
2 Coordinate action to
1 Safeguard Islamic Holy Places
2 Support the struggle of the Palestinian people and assist them in recovering their
rights and liberating their occupied territory
3 Work to
1 Eliminate racial discrimination and all forms of colonialism
2 Create a favourable atmosphere for the promotion of cooperation and
understanding between Member States and other countries
The Charter also enumerates the principles governing OIC activities namely
Full equality among Member States
Support for the right to self determination and non-interference in the internal affairs of
Member States
Support for the sovereignty independence and territorial integrity of each State
The settlement of any dispute that might arise among Member States by peaceful means
such as negotiations mediation conciliation and arbitration
A pledge to refrain in relations among Member States from resorting to force or
threatening to resort to the use of force against the unity and territorial integrity or the
political independence of any one of them[2]
Main Bodies and Committees
The OIC is composed of two main bodies
The Conference of Kings and Heads of State and Government which is the supreme
authority of the Organization which meets once every three years to lay down the
Organizationrsquos policy and
The Conference of Foreign Ministers which meets once a year to examine progress on
the implementation of its decisions taken within the framework of the policy defined by
the Islamic Summit
The OIC set up a number of committees to ensure the coordination of its activities and the
attainment of optimal results in all fields of political economic social scientific and intellectual
cooperation The main committees include the Al Quds the Standing Committee for Information
and Cultural Affairs Committee for Economic and Trade Cooperation and Scientific and
Technological Cooperation[3] Fifteen of the committees are concerned with various political
issues such as Palestine Afghanistan Bosnia and Herzegovina etc The others relate to cultural
scientific economic legal financial technical educational informational social and human
affairs institutions Their headquarters have been distributed among the various Islamic
capitals[4]
Evaluation
It has been stated above that the creation of the OIC at the Rabat Summit was primarily in
response to the situation created by the sacrilege of Al Quds Hence the resolution adopted on 25
September 1969 while reaffirming the fraternal and spiritual bonds existing between their
peoples declared ldquofull support to the Palestinian people for the restitution of their rights and in
their struggle for national liberationrdquo It asked the international community to ldquosecure the
speedy withdrawal of Israeli military forces from all the territories occupied as a result of the
war of June 1967rdquo
Organizational issues occupied the next few years The OICrsquos Secretariat was set up in March
1970 and two years later its Charter was approved (in March 1972) Subsequent developments
in the Middle East particularly the Ramadan War of October 1973 forced the OIC to embrace
all issues relating to the ummah and to broaden its canvas of activities The October 1973 war
had not only restored the pride of Arabs but oil diplomacy had forced the European nations to
take a second look at their pro-Israel policies It was against this background that the second
summit was held in Lahore in February 1974
The Lahore Summit was a landmark in the political struggle of Muslims to secure an influential
role in international affairs The leadership provided by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the presence of
Arab leaders like King Faisal Sadat Qaddafi Boumedienne and Arafat among 37 heads of
statesgovernments participating in the Summit conferred on it a unique importance The
Summit decided to address the following issues
1 eradication of poverty disease and ignorance from Islamic countries
2 regulation of the terms of trade between developed countries and developing Muslim
countries especially the supply of raw materials and import of manufactured goods and
know-how
3 ensuring the sovereignty and full control of developing countries over their natural
resources and
4 mutual economic cooperation and solidarity among Muslim countries
It was also decided to establish a committee of eight countries including Pakistan to devise
ways and means for attainment of these objectives
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was recognized as the sole and legitimate
representative of the Palestinians and it was declared that ldquothe Arab cause is the cause of all
countries which oppose aggression and will not tolerate that the use of force be rewarded by
territory or by other gainsrdquo
The OIC has till now held 10 summits interspersed at regular three-year intervals and numerous
meetings at the ministerial and expert levels to oversee summit decisions Unfortunately these
summits have been characterized more by empty rhetoric rather than concrete action Through
the years the configuration of political and economic forces in international affairs has rendered
the Muslim states more vulnerable and their leaders increasingly dependent on the US for their
survival This has emasculated the OIC and weighed heavily on its decisions Its leaders find
themselves in a quandary They are unable or unwilling to exert any meaningful pressure on the
US-led west regarded as allies of Israel to mitigate the hardships of the Muslim people living in
the occupied territories
The mid-70s were the unprecedented but short-lived years of Arab ascendancy and prestige The
diplomatic influence and political clout of the Arab countries was in evidence with dramatic
triumphs in the UN Arabic was accepted as one of the official UN languages The General
Assembly recognized the Palestinian people as ldquothe principal party to the question of
Palestinerdquo Arafat was invited to address the General Assembly on 13 November 1974 and the
PLO was given observer status at the UN In the same year the UNGA established a Committee
on ldquothe exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian peoplerdquoThus the Palestinian issue
was placed in focus drawing increasing international attention and support
The Arab achievements in the UN were crowned with the adoption of UNGA Resolution 3379
of 10 November 1975 by which the General Assembly ldquodetermined that Zionism is a form of
racism and racial discriminationrdquo The Resolution was adopted with 72 in favour 35 against
and 32 abstentions With Zionism as its ideology the reaction in Israel was severe and it
campaigned hard to have the resolution annulled The opportunity came in 1991 Israel with the
encouragement of the US and European states declared its intention to get 3379 revoked The
OIC Summit held in Senegal in August 1991 took note of these efforts and passed a unanimous
resolution to defeat Israeli efforts in the UN by voting for the continuation of 3379
The Israeli resolution when moved in the UNGA after a couple of weeks was carried and the
majority of OIC member states either abstained or voted for the resolution This was illustrative
of the hypocrisy of Muslim potentates of playing to the domestic gallery while keeping the US
in good humour
Since the establishment of the OIC the Islamic world has suffered five major catastrophes
which have reduced it to almost a non-factor in international politics The break up of Pakistan
through armed intervention by India in 1971 the invasion of Lebanon by Israel in 1982 that led
to yet another Palestinian diaspora the Iran-Iraq war the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and
the US occupation of Iraq have dealt a crippling blow to the unity dignity and image of the
Muslim world
The OIC failed to respond meaningfully to any of these crises or demonstrate unity other than
issuing high-sounding declarations at the end of each summit In some cases the OIC even
remained a silent spectator
This attitude not only disappointed Muslims around the world but also encouraged the
Organizationrsquos adversaries to pursue their designs against Muslim countries with impunity The
history of the Palestine problem ostensibly the raison drsquoecirctre of the OIC is a living testimony to
the impotence and paralysis of the Organisation The Palestine issue is now no longer seen as the
vacation of the occupied territories by Israel and restoration of the inalienable rights of the
Palestinians but has been re-designated as a struggle between terrorists (Palestinians) and
civilians (Israelis) The creeping annexation has eroded all possibilities of any settlement as
Israeli policies have completely marginalised the Palestinians
The OIC also espoused the Kashmir and Afghanistan issues but failed to play any important or
significant role in their resolution The gathering of potentates at OIC summits and their empty
calls for unity of action initially stirred Muslim hearts but soon it became obvious that these
speeches laced with rhetoric and insincere sentiments were meaningless and of no use for
confronting the challenges faced by the Islamic ummah
On the Kashmir issue the OIC has failed to muster the courage to challenge New Delhirsquos
policies of repression and widespread violation of human rights in Indian-held Kashmir The
inaction and indifference on Israeli massacres in Sabra and Shattila (Beirut 1982) in Bosnia and
Herzegovina (1992) and the recent US military intervention and brutalities in Iraq and
Afghanistan have many believe rendered the OIC totally irrelevant to the needs and
requirements of ummah The resolutions adopted by the OIC thus betray a lack of seriousness
and sincerity and hence carry no meaning or significance thereby accentuating the frustration of
the ummah
The underlying causes of the inability of the OIC to be reckoned with as an institution of
political significance in global affairs besides the lack of political will of Muslim leaders have
originated from a lack of democratic set-up in those states in addition to structural weaknesses
such as an absence of an institutional framework poverty and illiteracy and failure to recognize
the absolute importance of science and technology for social emancipation and economic
development
10th Summit ndash Kuala Lampur
The last OIC summit held in Putrajaya Malaysia in 2003 was a milestone in the history of the
OIC Under the dynamic leadership of then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad the leaders
decided to make a realistic appraisal of the international situation and the role that the OIC could
play to preserve and protect the interests of member-states against a sustained negative media
campaign and political pressures circumscribing their economic and political rights It was
decided to dispassionately analyse the causes of decline and decay of Muslim societies and the
political marginalization of the member-states and evolve a comprehensive strategy to pull them
out of this morass
President Musharraf who led the Pakistan delegation to the 10th summit in Malaysia gave a
clarion call to all Muslims in support of Mahathirrsquos appeal In a stirring message President
Musharraf outlined the existing realities He referred to turbulent and troubled international
developments ldquoThe world is in turmoil Reliance on military action and force define solutions to
world disputes Foreign occupation persists Suppression of peoples has intensified Power
asymmetries are widening Terrorism is taking its toll Economic recession threatens the world
fabric Poverty is growing Inequality is increasingrdquo
In the context of this world view President Musharraf warned that the Muslim world was in the
vortex of this emerging global crisis Most of those under foreign occupation were Muslim
peoples He cited the tragedies of Palestine and Kashmir ldquoIslamic nations are perceived as the
sponsors of terrorism and proliferators of WMDs Muslims are subjected to discrimination and
exclusion The insidious thesis of an inevitable clash of civilizations between Islam and the West
is being openly propoundedrdquo5
Making this bold and frank analysis of ground realities and the political climate he urged some
soul-searching and stock-taking by the Muslim countries since he believed that the crisis
confronting the Islamic world was both external and internal ldquoIt is rooted in our own weaknesses
and vulnerabilities It flows from our economic social and human underdevelopment from
dependencies and vulnerabilities from the divisions and differences within and amongst our
societies and nestsrdquo
Q5 Elaborate diplomacy of Pakistan on the platform of Southeast Asian Treaty Organization
(SEATO)
Ans In September of 1954 the United States France Great Britain New Zealand Australia the
Philippines Thailand and Pakistan formed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization or SEATO
The purpose of the organization was to prevent communism from gaining ground in the region
Although called the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization only two Southeast Asian countries
became members The Philippines joined in part because of its close ties with the United States
and in part out of concern over the nascent communist insurgency threatening its own
government Thailand similarly joined after learning of a newly established Thai Autonomous
Region in Yunnan Province in South China expressing concern about the potential for Chinese
communist subversion on its own soil The rest of the region was far less concerned about the
threat of communism to internal stability Burma and Indonesia both preferred to maintain their
neutrality rather than join the organization Malaya (including Singapore) found it politically
difficult to give formal support to the organization though through its ties with Great Britain it
learned of key developments Finally the terms of the Geneva Agreements of 1954 signed after
the fall of French Indochina prevented Vietnam Cambodia and Laos from joining any
international military alliance though these countries were ultimately included in the area
protected under SEATO and granted observers status
Most of the SEATO member states were countries located elsewhere but with an interest in the
region or the organization Australia and New Zealand were interested in Asian affairs because
of their geographic position in the Pacific Great Britain and France had long maintained
colonies in the region and were interested in developments in the greater Indochina region For
Pakistan the appeal of the pact was the potential for receiving support in its struggles against
India in spite of the fact that neither country was located in the area under the organizations
jurisdiction Finally US officials believed Southeast Asia to be a crucial frontier in the fight
against communist expansion so it viewed SEATO as essential to its global Cold War policy of
containment
Headquartered in Bangkok Thailand SEATO had only a few formal functions It maintained no
military forces of its own but the organization hosted joint military exercises for member states
each year As the communist threat appeared to change from one of outright attack to one of
internal subversion SEATO worked to strengthen the economic foundations and living standards
of the Southeast Asian States It sponsored a variety of meetings and exhibitions on cultural
religious and historical topics and the non-Asian member states sponsored fellowships for
Southeast Asian scholars
Beyond its activities the SEATO charter was also vitally important to the American rationale for
the Vietnam War The United States used the organization as its justification for refusing to go
forward with the 1956 elections intended to reunify Vietnam instead maintaining the divide
between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel As the conflict in
Vietnam unfolded the inclusion of Vietnam as a territory under SEATO protection gave the
United States the legal framework for its continued involvement there
The organization had a number of weaknesses as well To address the problems attached to the
guerrilla movements and local insurrections that plagued the region in the post-colonial years
the SEATO defense treaty called only for consultation leaving each individual nation to react
individually to internal threats Unlike the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) SEATO
had no independent mechanism for obtaining intelligence or deploying military forces so the
potential for collective action was necessarily limited Moreover because it incorporated only
three Asian members SEATO faced charges of being a new form of Western colonialism
Linguistic and cultural difficulties between the member states also compounded its problems
making it difficult for SEATO to accomplish many of its goals
By the early 1970s members began to withdraw from the organization Neither Pakistan nor
France supported the US intervention in Vietnam and both nations were pulling away from the
organization in the early 1970s Pakistan formally left SEATO in 1973 because the organization
had failed to provide it with assistance in its ongoing conflict against India When the Vietnam
War ended in 1975 the most prominent reason for SEATOs existence disappeared As a result
SEATO formally disbanded in 1977
Besides that the member nations decided to help each other for economic progress This
conference was also decided that the member countries had to resign from military pacts In this
Conference a request was made to Israel to return from occupied Arab territories
Algiers Conference (1973)
In 1973 the Fourth Conference of the NAM was held at Algiers This Conference was
represented by 76 countries and nine countries sent their observers This Conference also
inspired many countries for their struggle for freedom and Detente It also sent message to Israel
to return from the Arab territories The former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi formed her
opinion about this conference as such ldquoWe are responsible not to our individual countries alone
but to peace and prosperity of the whole Worldrdquo
Colombo Conference (1976)
In 1976 the Fifth Conference of the NAM was held at Colombo In this Conference 86 countries
participated This was the first NAM summit in the continent of Asia This conference deeply
discussed about various problems of Africa and Latin America It also proposed to put an end to
the Veto Power in Security Council of the UNO It also attached importance on world economy
Havana Conference (1979)
The Sixth NAM Conference was held at Havana in 1979 in which 94 member countries
participated This Conference was very crucial The then President of Cuba Fidel Castro
emphasised that the countries like Cuba and Vietnam should establish relation with Russia On
the other hand Singapore and Zaire wanted to join hand with America
So this was a great blow for NAM Besides that Arab countries wanted to exclude Egypt from
NAM because it signed Camp David Agreement with Israel At last a warning was given to both
powers to destroy the military stations In this conference the Indian Ocean was declared as the
Peaceful Zone
New Delhi Summit (1983)
The Seventh NAM Summit was held at New Delhi in 1983 in which 99 countries participated
and 20 countries sent their observers and 19 countries attended this summit as guests It created a
new milestone in the foreign relation of Smt Indira Gandhi This summit attached importance on
the restriction on nuclear weapons disarmament and establishment of nuclear free zone
To return Diago Gracia to Mauritius unconditional withdrawal or Israel from Palestine
returning back of foreign army from Afghanistan and Kampuchea etc were discussed in this
Conference It also put emphasis on solving economical problems by signing bi-lateral and
multi-lateral pacts among the member nations The United States of America became angry with
this summit because it was criticised vehemently in this Conference
Harare Summit (1986)
Harare the Capital of Zimbabwe was selected for the Eighth NAM Summit This conference was
attended by 101 nation states In this conference the apartheid in Pretoria was criticised A
Committee was framed by the members to visit America England West Germany and Japan to
pursue them to support NAM This conference also criticised American attack on Libya At last
this summit gave clarian call to fight against Imperialism Colonialism Caste System and New
Colonialism
Belgrade Summit (1989)
The Ninth NAM Summit was held at Belgrade in 1989 in which 102 member countries
participated This Summit gave importance on total disarmament It also raised voice against
apartheid in Africa The Belgrade Summit gave proposal to solve the Arab-Israel Conflict This
Summit also decided to solve the Afghan Crisis
Jakarta Summit (1992)
In the meantime in 1991 a conference was held at Akra in Ghana by the foreign Secretary of the
member states of NAM The Tenth NAM Summit was held in Jakarta in 1992 Through this
Summit a request was made to the UNO to solve the problem between Bosnia and Harzigovina
This conference wanted to see a nuclear free world
Cartagena Summit (1995)
The Eleventh Summit of NAM was held at Cartagena (Colombia) in 1955 This Conference
attached importance to establish a nuclear free zone It also gave advice to bring reform in IMF
(International Monetary Fund) and lsquoWorld Bankrsquo The Cartagena Summit vehemently criticised
global terrorism
Durban Summit (1998)
The Durban Summit was the Twelfth NAM Summit which was held in 1998 and attended by 114
countries This Conference opposed the testing of Nuclear Armaments In this Conference a
decision was taken to make the relationship strong between developed and developing countries
This summit declared that there is no need of nuclear armaments after the end of Cold War
Kualalampur Summit (2003)
It was the Thirteenth NAM Summit which was held in Kualalampur (Malaysia) in 24-25 March
2003 The Prime Minister of that country Mahtir Muhammad inaugurated the Summit In this
conference the Pakistani President Parvez Musharaf raised Kashmir issue The Prime Minister
of India Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee in his speech asserted that Kashmir is the integral part of
India This conference put emphasis on economic development and globalisation
Havana Summit (2006)
The Fourteenth NAM Summit was held at Havana during 15-17 September 2006 Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh participated in this summit He advised to galvanise the UNO The
member countries decided to render help to each other in political economic and intellectual
fields
Merits of NAM
The Non-aligned Movement has various merits
At first through this movement the Cold War could not spread
Secondly this movement imparted courage and morality to the weak and dependant nations
Thirdly the unity among the independent NAM countries brought forth a Third World and the
member countries kept themselves away from the Eastern and Western blocs
Fourthly a good relation was established between Asia and Africa in the UNO It not only paved
the way for economic cooperation but also accelerated the progress of the Third World
Danger to NAM
Inspite of the success of the NAM it faces danger from various quarters At first the member
countries of NAM are resorting to conflicts instead of solving their problems peacefully
Secondly many member countries of NAM increase their armaments by spending huge money
Thirdly lack of trust among the member countries mars the progress of NAM
NAMmdashan Analysis
Many experts on international politics opine that after the cold war disintegration of Soviet
Union and freezing of the importance of the super powers there is no need for Non-aligned
Movement Now the developing countries accept the policy of democracy by which the NAM
seems meaningless In the age of globalisation the NAM is not able to play its role properly and
perfectly
Be that as it may Non-aligned Movement is ever green even today It has exhibited its role every
time It attaches importance to economic progress Besides that it takes some programmes which
produce good result In the 21st Century it raises voice against cross-border terrorism It also
takes step for mutual co-operation
Infact the Non-aligned Movement has created a novel chapter in the history of the contemporary
world As long as war poverty exploitation terrorism exist the NAM will be asserting itself to
put an end to all their problems This is infact a great characteristic of the Non-aligned
Movement
Q4 Discuss in detail the prospects of economic cooperation amongst the member countries of
OIC What sort of role Pakistan could play to help increase economic cooperation amongst
OIC members
Ans Greater interaction between Pakistan and global organizations particularly within region will
contribute to the dialogue of economic trade culture and civilization The Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) is a Eurasian political economic security organization which was founded
by China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Russia and Tajikistan It is a permanent intergovernmental
international organization formally created in 2001 in Shanghai China and has established itself
as an internationally recognized and authoritative multilateral association
In the 21st century the Globalization has increased interdependence of states which enhances the
prosperity and progress Economic integration and cooperation among SCO members on the
basis of principles of equality and mutual benefits is very important for trade creation
employment generation efficient movement of goods and services through greater market
expansion
The organization provides the means to share development progress and prosperity and help in
stabilizing the region Pakistans participation in SCO as member will strengthen its economic
ties with Eurasian The SCO members are jointly counteract emergent challenges and threats to
boost economic trade and other available potentials for members states as well as neighbors
Pakistan has become the full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the
17th Summit of Heads of States held in Astana Kazakhstan on June 9 2017 The permanent
membership is a milestone which will strengthen deep-rooted historical and cultural links as well
as strong economic and strategic relations with all the members countries of the SCO
China has supported Pakistans entry in SCO and the membership particularly in the backdrop of
China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is a flagship of One Belt One Road project
will further enhance Pakistans importance in the entire region aimed at further enhancing the
connectivity regional stability development economic prosperity and trade with the members
nations
SCO is now a group of eight countries ie Russia China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan
Uzbekistan Pakistan and India Among its member states the Russia and China have significant
role because of their global and regional importance as major powers At present Iran
Afghanistan Belarus and Mongolia are observer members of SCO will get full memberships in
the forthcoming years Azerbaijan Armenia Cambodia Nepal Turkey and Sri Lanka are the
dialogue partner of SCO
With the expansion of organization the region has become vibrant covering 60 percent of total
territory of Europe and Asia will now represent over 40 percent of the world population (35
billion) and nearly 25 percent of the global GDP The membership of SCO gives the opportunity
to Pakistan to create new linkages in the world economy and also expand its trade relations with
member countries and avail the trade concessional opportunities which are currently under
negotiation
Currently share of SCO in Pakistans total trade is 32 percent which indicates that there exist
opportunities for trade and economic relations The SCO region not only has geographical
proximity with Pakistan but also provides easy accessibility and makes a very profitable market
for Pakistans exports
Pakistan has dynamic relations with SCO members China is a time tested friend while Central
Asian countries have historical ties with Pakistan Russia is also on the way of developing
relations with Pakistan While mega project a game changer-China - Pakistan Economic Corridor
(CPEC) is at implementation stage and also provides market access to Central Asian states
The development of Gwadar port makes Pakistan an indispensable link for SCO member states
The Central Asian countries have enormous resources of oil natural gas liquefied gas uranium
and hydropower that could be channelized to market electricity to the members nations of SCO
such as China Pakistan Russia and observer members like Afghanistan and Iran
In the economic domain Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) and CASA-1000 are
important projects for both Pakistan and Central Asian States TAPIs long 1735km pipeline is
planned to transmit 27 billion cubic meters of gas annually to Afghanistan Pakistan and India
from Turkmenistan and Tajikistan respectively with a potential to enhance the capacity to 33
billion cubic meters
On the other hand CASA-1000 project also provides a landmark cooperation opportunity
between Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Afghanistan and Pakistan The plan envisage export of a total of
1300 MW of excess electricity available during summers from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan 1000
MW for Pakistan and 300 MW for Afghanistan
Pakistan China Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have also agreed to initiate a bus service that would
not only enhance trade but also be an important tool to promote people-to-people contacts
between the four countries Similarly Pakistan can attract the investments in the energy and
infrastructure sector in which some of the SCO countries have a comparative advantage
The strategic location of Pakistan in the region and its economic potential can also help the SCO
members to exploit their economic potential With the prospects of Afghanistan and Iran and
possibly Turkey also joining the Organization in the near future SCO is likely to emerge as a
very strong regional Organization and may merge the Economic Cooperation Organization
A part from trade there is a huge potential in culture sports tourism education science and
technologyThe Shanghai Business Council created in 2006 with its headquarters in Moscow
Russia aims to boost economic cooperation in the framework of the Organization establishing
direct links and dialogue among business and financial circles of the SCO member states
assisting practical promotion of multilateral projects determined by the heads of government in
the Programme of trade and economic cooperation
To explore opportunities of the Shanghai Business Council the FPCCI may introduce itself in
the Council This forum will give opportunities to Pakistani Businessmen to interact with the
businessmen of the members countries for trade and joint ventures investment It is concluded
the regional economic integration may need to transform into cooperative-union in framework of
SCO to stabilize the region and to evolve the socioeconomic prosperity
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
TRADE BETWEEN PAKISTAN amp SCO COUNTRIES
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
(MILLION US$)
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Countries 2014 2015 2016
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Exports Imports Total Trade Exports Imports Total Trade
Exports Imports Total Trade
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
China 27539 132445 159984 24748 164419 189167
19126 172327 191453
Kazakhstan 307 29 336 329 15 344 229
27 256
Kyrgyzstan 22 05 27 26 01 27 33 03
36
Russia 3109 1431 4540 2985 966 3951 2720
1330 4050
Tajikistan 91 01 92 40 01 41 44 190
234
Uzbekistan 23 07 30 20 11 31 34 32
66
India 5299 21699 26998 4563 19635 24198 4613
15914 20527
Pakistans Total Trade with SCO Countries 36390 155617 192007 32711 185048
217759 26799 189823 216622
Pakistans Total Trade with World 247222 475449 722671 220890 439897
660787 204350 471550 675900
Pakistans share of trade with SCO Countries 15 33 27 15 42 33
13 40 32
The OIC Charter
The OIC Charter approved in March 1972 included a commitment to act through all means
both political and military for the liberation of the Holy City of Al-Quds from Zionist
occupation It also reiterated the Islamic statesrsquo resolve to act in unison for the establishment of
world peace and reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nationrsquos charter and to fundamental
human rights The OIC Charter was registered at the United Nations on 1 February 1974
The main objectives of the Charter were to[1]
1 Strengthen
1 Islamic solidarity among Member States
2 Cooperation in the political economic social cultural and scientific fields
3 The struggle of all Muslim people to safeguard their dignity independence and
national rights
2 Coordinate action to
1 Safeguard Islamic Holy Places
2 Support the struggle of the Palestinian people and assist them in recovering their
rights and liberating their occupied territory
3 Work to
1 Eliminate racial discrimination and all forms of colonialism
2 Create a favourable atmosphere for the promotion of cooperation and
understanding between Member States and other countries
The Charter also enumerates the principles governing OIC activities namely
Full equality among Member States
Support for the right to self determination and non-interference in the internal affairs of
Member States
Support for the sovereignty independence and territorial integrity of each State
The settlement of any dispute that might arise among Member States by peaceful means
such as negotiations mediation conciliation and arbitration
A pledge to refrain in relations among Member States from resorting to force or
threatening to resort to the use of force against the unity and territorial integrity or the
political independence of any one of them[2]
Main Bodies and Committees
The OIC is composed of two main bodies
The Conference of Kings and Heads of State and Government which is the supreme
authority of the Organization which meets once every three years to lay down the
Organizationrsquos policy and
The Conference of Foreign Ministers which meets once a year to examine progress on
the implementation of its decisions taken within the framework of the policy defined by
the Islamic Summit
The OIC set up a number of committees to ensure the coordination of its activities and the
attainment of optimal results in all fields of political economic social scientific and intellectual
cooperation The main committees include the Al Quds the Standing Committee for Information
and Cultural Affairs Committee for Economic and Trade Cooperation and Scientific and
Technological Cooperation[3] Fifteen of the committees are concerned with various political
issues such as Palestine Afghanistan Bosnia and Herzegovina etc The others relate to cultural
scientific economic legal financial technical educational informational social and human
affairs institutions Their headquarters have been distributed among the various Islamic
capitals[4]
Evaluation
It has been stated above that the creation of the OIC at the Rabat Summit was primarily in
response to the situation created by the sacrilege of Al Quds Hence the resolution adopted on 25
September 1969 while reaffirming the fraternal and spiritual bonds existing between their
peoples declared ldquofull support to the Palestinian people for the restitution of their rights and in
their struggle for national liberationrdquo It asked the international community to ldquosecure the
speedy withdrawal of Israeli military forces from all the territories occupied as a result of the
war of June 1967rdquo
Organizational issues occupied the next few years The OICrsquos Secretariat was set up in March
1970 and two years later its Charter was approved (in March 1972) Subsequent developments
in the Middle East particularly the Ramadan War of October 1973 forced the OIC to embrace
all issues relating to the ummah and to broaden its canvas of activities The October 1973 war
had not only restored the pride of Arabs but oil diplomacy had forced the European nations to
take a second look at their pro-Israel policies It was against this background that the second
summit was held in Lahore in February 1974
The Lahore Summit was a landmark in the political struggle of Muslims to secure an influential
role in international affairs The leadership provided by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the presence of
Arab leaders like King Faisal Sadat Qaddafi Boumedienne and Arafat among 37 heads of
statesgovernments participating in the Summit conferred on it a unique importance The
Summit decided to address the following issues
1 eradication of poverty disease and ignorance from Islamic countries
2 regulation of the terms of trade between developed countries and developing Muslim
countries especially the supply of raw materials and import of manufactured goods and
know-how
3 ensuring the sovereignty and full control of developing countries over their natural
resources and
4 mutual economic cooperation and solidarity among Muslim countries
It was also decided to establish a committee of eight countries including Pakistan to devise
ways and means for attainment of these objectives
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was recognized as the sole and legitimate
representative of the Palestinians and it was declared that ldquothe Arab cause is the cause of all
countries which oppose aggression and will not tolerate that the use of force be rewarded by
territory or by other gainsrdquo
The OIC has till now held 10 summits interspersed at regular three-year intervals and numerous
meetings at the ministerial and expert levels to oversee summit decisions Unfortunately these
summits have been characterized more by empty rhetoric rather than concrete action Through
the years the configuration of political and economic forces in international affairs has rendered
the Muslim states more vulnerable and their leaders increasingly dependent on the US for their
survival This has emasculated the OIC and weighed heavily on its decisions Its leaders find
themselves in a quandary They are unable or unwilling to exert any meaningful pressure on the
US-led west regarded as allies of Israel to mitigate the hardships of the Muslim people living in
the occupied territories
The mid-70s were the unprecedented but short-lived years of Arab ascendancy and prestige The
diplomatic influence and political clout of the Arab countries was in evidence with dramatic
triumphs in the UN Arabic was accepted as one of the official UN languages The General
Assembly recognized the Palestinian people as ldquothe principal party to the question of
Palestinerdquo Arafat was invited to address the General Assembly on 13 November 1974 and the
PLO was given observer status at the UN In the same year the UNGA established a Committee
on ldquothe exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian peoplerdquoThus the Palestinian issue
was placed in focus drawing increasing international attention and support
The Arab achievements in the UN were crowned with the adoption of UNGA Resolution 3379
of 10 November 1975 by which the General Assembly ldquodetermined that Zionism is a form of
racism and racial discriminationrdquo The Resolution was adopted with 72 in favour 35 against
and 32 abstentions With Zionism as its ideology the reaction in Israel was severe and it
campaigned hard to have the resolution annulled The opportunity came in 1991 Israel with the
encouragement of the US and European states declared its intention to get 3379 revoked The
OIC Summit held in Senegal in August 1991 took note of these efforts and passed a unanimous
resolution to defeat Israeli efforts in the UN by voting for the continuation of 3379
The Israeli resolution when moved in the UNGA after a couple of weeks was carried and the
majority of OIC member states either abstained or voted for the resolution This was illustrative
of the hypocrisy of Muslim potentates of playing to the domestic gallery while keeping the US
in good humour
Since the establishment of the OIC the Islamic world has suffered five major catastrophes
which have reduced it to almost a non-factor in international politics The break up of Pakistan
through armed intervention by India in 1971 the invasion of Lebanon by Israel in 1982 that led
to yet another Palestinian diaspora the Iran-Iraq war the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and
the US occupation of Iraq have dealt a crippling blow to the unity dignity and image of the
Muslim world
The OIC failed to respond meaningfully to any of these crises or demonstrate unity other than
issuing high-sounding declarations at the end of each summit In some cases the OIC even
remained a silent spectator
This attitude not only disappointed Muslims around the world but also encouraged the
Organizationrsquos adversaries to pursue their designs against Muslim countries with impunity The
history of the Palestine problem ostensibly the raison drsquoecirctre of the OIC is a living testimony to
the impotence and paralysis of the Organisation The Palestine issue is now no longer seen as the
vacation of the occupied territories by Israel and restoration of the inalienable rights of the
Palestinians but has been re-designated as a struggle between terrorists (Palestinians) and
civilians (Israelis) The creeping annexation has eroded all possibilities of any settlement as
Israeli policies have completely marginalised the Palestinians
The OIC also espoused the Kashmir and Afghanistan issues but failed to play any important or
significant role in their resolution The gathering of potentates at OIC summits and their empty
calls for unity of action initially stirred Muslim hearts but soon it became obvious that these
speeches laced with rhetoric and insincere sentiments were meaningless and of no use for
confronting the challenges faced by the Islamic ummah
On the Kashmir issue the OIC has failed to muster the courage to challenge New Delhirsquos
policies of repression and widespread violation of human rights in Indian-held Kashmir The
inaction and indifference on Israeli massacres in Sabra and Shattila (Beirut 1982) in Bosnia and
Herzegovina (1992) and the recent US military intervention and brutalities in Iraq and
Afghanistan have many believe rendered the OIC totally irrelevant to the needs and
requirements of ummah The resolutions adopted by the OIC thus betray a lack of seriousness
and sincerity and hence carry no meaning or significance thereby accentuating the frustration of
the ummah
The underlying causes of the inability of the OIC to be reckoned with as an institution of
political significance in global affairs besides the lack of political will of Muslim leaders have
originated from a lack of democratic set-up in those states in addition to structural weaknesses
such as an absence of an institutional framework poverty and illiteracy and failure to recognize
the absolute importance of science and technology for social emancipation and economic
development
10th Summit ndash Kuala Lampur
The last OIC summit held in Putrajaya Malaysia in 2003 was a milestone in the history of the
OIC Under the dynamic leadership of then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad the leaders
decided to make a realistic appraisal of the international situation and the role that the OIC could
play to preserve and protect the interests of member-states against a sustained negative media
campaign and political pressures circumscribing their economic and political rights It was
decided to dispassionately analyse the causes of decline and decay of Muslim societies and the
political marginalization of the member-states and evolve a comprehensive strategy to pull them
out of this morass
President Musharraf who led the Pakistan delegation to the 10th summit in Malaysia gave a
clarion call to all Muslims in support of Mahathirrsquos appeal In a stirring message President
Musharraf outlined the existing realities He referred to turbulent and troubled international
developments ldquoThe world is in turmoil Reliance on military action and force define solutions to
world disputes Foreign occupation persists Suppression of peoples has intensified Power
asymmetries are widening Terrorism is taking its toll Economic recession threatens the world
fabric Poverty is growing Inequality is increasingrdquo
In the context of this world view President Musharraf warned that the Muslim world was in the
vortex of this emerging global crisis Most of those under foreign occupation were Muslim
peoples He cited the tragedies of Palestine and Kashmir ldquoIslamic nations are perceived as the
sponsors of terrorism and proliferators of WMDs Muslims are subjected to discrimination and
exclusion The insidious thesis of an inevitable clash of civilizations between Islam and the West
is being openly propoundedrdquo5
Making this bold and frank analysis of ground realities and the political climate he urged some
soul-searching and stock-taking by the Muslim countries since he believed that the crisis
confronting the Islamic world was both external and internal ldquoIt is rooted in our own weaknesses
and vulnerabilities It flows from our economic social and human underdevelopment from
dependencies and vulnerabilities from the divisions and differences within and amongst our
societies and nestsrdquo
Q5 Elaborate diplomacy of Pakistan on the platform of Southeast Asian Treaty Organization
(SEATO)
Ans In September of 1954 the United States France Great Britain New Zealand Australia the
Philippines Thailand and Pakistan formed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization or SEATO
The purpose of the organization was to prevent communism from gaining ground in the region
Although called the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization only two Southeast Asian countries
became members The Philippines joined in part because of its close ties with the United States
and in part out of concern over the nascent communist insurgency threatening its own
government Thailand similarly joined after learning of a newly established Thai Autonomous
Region in Yunnan Province in South China expressing concern about the potential for Chinese
communist subversion on its own soil The rest of the region was far less concerned about the
threat of communism to internal stability Burma and Indonesia both preferred to maintain their
neutrality rather than join the organization Malaya (including Singapore) found it politically
difficult to give formal support to the organization though through its ties with Great Britain it
learned of key developments Finally the terms of the Geneva Agreements of 1954 signed after
the fall of French Indochina prevented Vietnam Cambodia and Laos from joining any
international military alliance though these countries were ultimately included in the area
protected under SEATO and granted observers status
Most of the SEATO member states were countries located elsewhere but with an interest in the
region or the organization Australia and New Zealand were interested in Asian affairs because
of their geographic position in the Pacific Great Britain and France had long maintained
colonies in the region and were interested in developments in the greater Indochina region For
Pakistan the appeal of the pact was the potential for receiving support in its struggles against
India in spite of the fact that neither country was located in the area under the organizations
jurisdiction Finally US officials believed Southeast Asia to be a crucial frontier in the fight
against communist expansion so it viewed SEATO as essential to its global Cold War policy of
containment
Headquartered in Bangkok Thailand SEATO had only a few formal functions It maintained no
military forces of its own but the organization hosted joint military exercises for member states
each year As the communist threat appeared to change from one of outright attack to one of
internal subversion SEATO worked to strengthen the economic foundations and living standards
of the Southeast Asian States It sponsored a variety of meetings and exhibitions on cultural
religious and historical topics and the non-Asian member states sponsored fellowships for
Southeast Asian scholars
Beyond its activities the SEATO charter was also vitally important to the American rationale for
the Vietnam War The United States used the organization as its justification for refusing to go
forward with the 1956 elections intended to reunify Vietnam instead maintaining the divide
between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel As the conflict in
Vietnam unfolded the inclusion of Vietnam as a territory under SEATO protection gave the
United States the legal framework for its continued involvement there
The organization had a number of weaknesses as well To address the problems attached to the
guerrilla movements and local insurrections that plagued the region in the post-colonial years
the SEATO defense treaty called only for consultation leaving each individual nation to react
individually to internal threats Unlike the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) SEATO
had no independent mechanism for obtaining intelligence or deploying military forces so the
potential for collective action was necessarily limited Moreover because it incorporated only
three Asian members SEATO faced charges of being a new form of Western colonialism
Linguistic and cultural difficulties between the member states also compounded its problems
making it difficult for SEATO to accomplish many of its goals
By the early 1970s members began to withdraw from the organization Neither Pakistan nor
France supported the US intervention in Vietnam and both nations were pulling away from the
organization in the early 1970s Pakistan formally left SEATO in 1973 because the organization
had failed to provide it with assistance in its ongoing conflict against India When the Vietnam
War ended in 1975 the most prominent reason for SEATOs existence disappeared As a result
SEATO formally disbanded in 1977
Conference It also put emphasis on solving economical problems by signing bi-lateral and
multi-lateral pacts among the member nations The United States of America became angry with
this summit because it was criticised vehemently in this Conference
Harare Summit (1986)
Harare the Capital of Zimbabwe was selected for the Eighth NAM Summit This conference was
attended by 101 nation states In this conference the apartheid in Pretoria was criticised A
Committee was framed by the members to visit America England West Germany and Japan to
pursue them to support NAM This conference also criticised American attack on Libya At last
this summit gave clarian call to fight against Imperialism Colonialism Caste System and New
Colonialism
Belgrade Summit (1989)
The Ninth NAM Summit was held at Belgrade in 1989 in which 102 member countries
participated This Summit gave importance on total disarmament It also raised voice against
apartheid in Africa The Belgrade Summit gave proposal to solve the Arab-Israel Conflict This
Summit also decided to solve the Afghan Crisis
Jakarta Summit (1992)
In the meantime in 1991 a conference was held at Akra in Ghana by the foreign Secretary of the
member states of NAM The Tenth NAM Summit was held in Jakarta in 1992 Through this
Summit a request was made to the UNO to solve the problem between Bosnia and Harzigovina
This conference wanted to see a nuclear free world
Cartagena Summit (1995)
The Eleventh Summit of NAM was held at Cartagena (Colombia) in 1955 This Conference
attached importance to establish a nuclear free zone It also gave advice to bring reform in IMF
(International Monetary Fund) and lsquoWorld Bankrsquo The Cartagena Summit vehemently criticised
global terrorism
Durban Summit (1998)
The Durban Summit was the Twelfth NAM Summit which was held in 1998 and attended by 114
countries This Conference opposed the testing of Nuclear Armaments In this Conference a
decision was taken to make the relationship strong between developed and developing countries
This summit declared that there is no need of nuclear armaments after the end of Cold War
Kualalampur Summit (2003)
It was the Thirteenth NAM Summit which was held in Kualalampur (Malaysia) in 24-25 March
2003 The Prime Minister of that country Mahtir Muhammad inaugurated the Summit In this
conference the Pakistani President Parvez Musharaf raised Kashmir issue The Prime Minister
of India Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee in his speech asserted that Kashmir is the integral part of
India This conference put emphasis on economic development and globalisation
Havana Summit (2006)
The Fourteenth NAM Summit was held at Havana during 15-17 September 2006 Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh participated in this summit He advised to galvanise the UNO The
member countries decided to render help to each other in political economic and intellectual
fields
Merits of NAM
The Non-aligned Movement has various merits
At first through this movement the Cold War could not spread
Secondly this movement imparted courage and morality to the weak and dependant nations
Thirdly the unity among the independent NAM countries brought forth a Third World and the
member countries kept themselves away from the Eastern and Western blocs
Fourthly a good relation was established between Asia and Africa in the UNO It not only paved
the way for economic cooperation but also accelerated the progress of the Third World
Danger to NAM
Inspite of the success of the NAM it faces danger from various quarters At first the member
countries of NAM are resorting to conflicts instead of solving their problems peacefully
Secondly many member countries of NAM increase their armaments by spending huge money
Thirdly lack of trust among the member countries mars the progress of NAM
NAMmdashan Analysis
Many experts on international politics opine that after the cold war disintegration of Soviet
Union and freezing of the importance of the super powers there is no need for Non-aligned
Movement Now the developing countries accept the policy of democracy by which the NAM
seems meaningless In the age of globalisation the NAM is not able to play its role properly and
perfectly
Be that as it may Non-aligned Movement is ever green even today It has exhibited its role every
time It attaches importance to economic progress Besides that it takes some programmes which
produce good result In the 21st Century it raises voice against cross-border terrorism It also
takes step for mutual co-operation
Infact the Non-aligned Movement has created a novel chapter in the history of the contemporary
world As long as war poverty exploitation terrorism exist the NAM will be asserting itself to
put an end to all their problems This is infact a great characteristic of the Non-aligned
Movement
Q4 Discuss in detail the prospects of economic cooperation amongst the member countries of
OIC What sort of role Pakistan could play to help increase economic cooperation amongst
OIC members
Ans Greater interaction between Pakistan and global organizations particularly within region will
contribute to the dialogue of economic trade culture and civilization The Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) is a Eurasian political economic security organization which was founded
by China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Russia and Tajikistan It is a permanent intergovernmental
international organization formally created in 2001 in Shanghai China and has established itself
as an internationally recognized and authoritative multilateral association
In the 21st century the Globalization has increased interdependence of states which enhances the
prosperity and progress Economic integration and cooperation among SCO members on the
basis of principles of equality and mutual benefits is very important for trade creation
employment generation efficient movement of goods and services through greater market
expansion
The organization provides the means to share development progress and prosperity and help in
stabilizing the region Pakistans participation in SCO as member will strengthen its economic
ties with Eurasian The SCO members are jointly counteract emergent challenges and threats to
boost economic trade and other available potentials for members states as well as neighbors
Pakistan has become the full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the
17th Summit of Heads of States held in Astana Kazakhstan on June 9 2017 The permanent
membership is a milestone which will strengthen deep-rooted historical and cultural links as well
as strong economic and strategic relations with all the members countries of the SCO
China has supported Pakistans entry in SCO and the membership particularly in the backdrop of
China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is a flagship of One Belt One Road project
will further enhance Pakistans importance in the entire region aimed at further enhancing the
connectivity regional stability development economic prosperity and trade with the members
nations
SCO is now a group of eight countries ie Russia China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan
Uzbekistan Pakistan and India Among its member states the Russia and China have significant
role because of their global and regional importance as major powers At present Iran
Afghanistan Belarus and Mongolia are observer members of SCO will get full memberships in
the forthcoming years Azerbaijan Armenia Cambodia Nepal Turkey and Sri Lanka are the
dialogue partner of SCO
With the expansion of organization the region has become vibrant covering 60 percent of total
territory of Europe and Asia will now represent over 40 percent of the world population (35
billion) and nearly 25 percent of the global GDP The membership of SCO gives the opportunity
to Pakistan to create new linkages in the world economy and also expand its trade relations with
member countries and avail the trade concessional opportunities which are currently under
negotiation
Currently share of SCO in Pakistans total trade is 32 percent which indicates that there exist
opportunities for trade and economic relations The SCO region not only has geographical
proximity with Pakistan but also provides easy accessibility and makes a very profitable market
for Pakistans exports
Pakistan has dynamic relations with SCO members China is a time tested friend while Central
Asian countries have historical ties with Pakistan Russia is also on the way of developing
relations with Pakistan While mega project a game changer-China - Pakistan Economic Corridor
(CPEC) is at implementation stage and also provides market access to Central Asian states
The development of Gwadar port makes Pakistan an indispensable link for SCO member states
The Central Asian countries have enormous resources of oil natural gas liquefied gas uranium
and hydropower that could be channelized to market electricity to the members nations of SCO
such as China Pakistan Russia and observer members like Afghanistan and Iran
In the economic domain Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) and CASA-1000 are
important projects for both Pakistan and Central Asian States TAPIs long 1735km pipeline is
planned to transmit 27 billion cubic meters of gas annually to Afghanistan Pakistan and India
from Turkmenistan and Tajikistan respectively with a potential to enhance the capacity to 33
billion cubic meters
On the other hand CASA-1000 project also provides a landmark cooperation opportunity
between Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Afghanistan and Pakistan The plan envisage export of a total of
1300 MW of excess electricity available during summers from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan 1000
MW for Pakistan and 300 MW for Afghanistan
Pakistan China Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have also agreed to initiate a bus service that would
not only enhance trade but also be an important tool to promote people-to-people contacts
between the four countries Similarly Pakistan can attract the investments in the energy and
infrastructure sector in which some of the SCO countries have a comparative advantage
The strategic location of Pakistan in the region and its economic potential can also help the SCO
members to exploit their economic potential With the prospects of Afghanistan and Iran and
possibly Turkey also joining the Organization in the near future SCO is likely to emerge as a
very strong regional Organization and may merge the Economic Cooperation Organization
A part from trade there is a huge potential in culture sports tourism education science and
technologyThe Shanghai Business Council created in 2006 with its headquarters in Moscow
Russia aims to boost economic cooperation in the framework of the Organization establishing
direct links and dialogue among business and financial circles of the SCO member states
assisting practical promotion of multilateral projects determined by the heads of government in
the Programme of trade and economic cooperation
To explore opportunities of the Shanghai Business Council the FPCCI may introduce itself in
the Council This forum will give opportunities to Pakistani Businessmen to interact with the
businessmen of the members countries for trade and joint ventures investment It is concluded
the regional economic integration may need to transform into cooperative-union in framework of
SCO to stabilize the region and to evolve the socioeconomic prosperity
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
TRADE BETWEEN PAKISTAN amp SCO COUNTRIES
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
(MILLION US$)
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Countries 2014 2015 2016
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Exports Imports Total Trade Exports Imports Total Trade
Exports Imports Total Trade
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
China 27539 132445 159984 24748 164419 189167
19126 172327 191453
Kazakhstan 307 29 336 329 15 344 229
27 256
Kyrgyzstan 22 05 27 26 01 27 33 03
36
Russia 3109 1431 4540 2985 966 3951 2720
1330 4050
Tajikistan 91 01 92 40 01 41 44 190
234
Uzbekistan 23 07 30 20 11 31 34 32
66
India 5299 21699 26998 4563 19635 24198 4613
15914 20527
Pakistans Total Trade with SCO Countries 36390 155617 192007 32711 185048
217759 26799 189823 216622
Pakistans Total Trade with World 247222 475449 722671 220890 439897
660787 204350 471550 675900
Pakistans share of trade with SCO Countries 15 33 27 15 42 33
13 40 32
The OIC Charter
The OIC Charter approved in March 1972 included a commitment to act through all means
both political and military for the liberation of the Holy City of Al-Quds from Zionist
occupation It also reiterated the Islamic statesrsquo resolve to act in unison for the establishment of
world peace and reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nationrsquos charter and to fundamental
human rights The OIC Charter was registered at the United Nations on 1 February 1974
The main objectives of the Charter were to[1]
1 Strengthen
1 Islamic solidarity among Member States
2 Cooperation in the political economic social cultural and scientific fields
3 The struggle of all Muslim people to safeguard their dignity independence and
national rights
2 Coordinate action to
1 Safeguard Islamic Holy Places
2 Support the struggle of the Palestinian people and assist them in recovering their
rights and liberating their occupied territory
3 Work to
1 Eliminate racial discrimination and all forms of colonialism
2 Create a favourable atmosphere for the promotion of cooperation and
understanding between Member States and other countries
The Charter also enumerates the principles governing OIC activities namely
Full equality among Member States
Support for the right to self determination and non-interference in the internal affairs of
Member States
Support for the sovereignty independence and territorial integrity of each State
The settlement of any dispute that might arise among Member States by peaceful means
such as negotiations mediation conciliation and arbitration
A pledge to refrain in relations among Member States from resorting to force or
threatening to resort to the use of force against the unity and territorial integrity or the
political independence of any one of them[2]
Main Bodies and Committees
The OIC is composed of two main bodies
The Conference of Kings and Heads of State and Government which is the supreme
authority of the Organization which meets once every three years to lay down the
Organizationrsquos policy and
The Conference of Foreign Ministers which meets once a year to examine progress on
the implementation of its decisions taken within the framework of the policy defined by
the Islamic Summit
The OIC set up a number of committees to ensure the coordination of its activities and the
attainment of optimal results in all fields of political economic social scientific and intellectual
cooperation The main committees include the Al Quds the Standing Committee for Information
and Cultural Affairs Committee for Economic and Trade Cooperation and Scientific and
Technological Cooperation[3] Fifteen of the committees are concerned with various political
issues such as Palestine Afghanistan Bosnia and Herzegovina etc The others relate to cultural
scientific economic legal financial technical educational informational social and human
affairs institutions Their headquarters have been distributed among the various Islamic
capitals[4]
Evaluation
It has been stated above that the creation of the OIC at the Rabat Summit was primarily in
response to the situation created by the sacrilege of Al Quds Hence the resolution adopted on 25
September 1969 while reaffirming the fraternal and spiritual bonds existing between their
peoples declared ldquofull support to the Palestinian people for the restitution of their rights and in
their struggle for national liberationrdquo It asked the international community to ldquosecure the
speedy withdrawal of Israeli military forces from all the territories occupied as a result of the
war of June 1967rdquo
Organizational issues occupied the next few years The OICrsquos Secretariat was set up in March
1970 and two years later its Charter was approved (in March 1972) Subsequent developments
in the Middle East particularly the Ramadan War of October 1973 forced the OIC to embrace
all issues relating to the ummah and to broaden its canvas of activities The October 1973 war
had not only restored the pride of Arabs but oil diplomacy had forced the European nations to
take a second look at their pro-Israel policies It was against this background that the second
summit was held in Lahore in February 1974
The Lahore Summit was a landmark in the political struggle of Muslims to secure an influential
role in international affairs The leadership provided by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the presence of
Arab leaders like King Faisal Sadat Qaddafi Boumedienne and Arafat among 37 heads of
statesgovernments participating in the Summit conferred on it a unique importance The
Summit decided to address the following issues
1 eradication of poverty disease and ignorance from Islamic countries
2 regulation of the terms of trade between developed countries and developing Muslim
countries especially the supply of raw materials and import of manufactured goods and
know-how
3 ensuring the sovereignty and full control of developing countries over their natural
resources and
4 mutual economic cooperation and solidarity among Muslim countries
It was also decided to establish a committee of eight countries including Pakistan to devise
ways and means for attainment of these objectives
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was recognized as the sole and legitimate
representative of the Palestinians and it was declared that ldquothe Arab cause is the cause of all
countries which oppose aggression and will not tolerate that the use of force be rewarded by
territory or by other gainsrdquo
The OIC has till now held 10 summits interspersed at regular three-year intervals and numerous
meetings at the ministerial and expert levels to oversee summit decisions Unfortunately these
summits have been characterized more by empty rhetoric rather than concrete action Through
the years the configuration of political and economic forces in international affairs has rendered
the Muslim states more vulnerable and their leaders increasingly dependent on the US for their
survival This has emasculated the OIC and weighed heavily on its decisions Its leaders find
themselves in a quandary They are unable or unwilling to exert any meaningful pressure on the
US-led west regarded as allies of Israel to mitigate the hardships of the Muslim people living in
the occupied territories
The mid-70s were the unprecedented but short-lived years of Arab ascendancy and prestige The
diplomatic influence and political clout of the Arab countries was in evidence with dramatic
triumphs in the UN Arabic was accepted as one of the official UN languages The General
Assembly recognized the Palestinian people as ldquothe principal party to the question of
Palestinerdquo Arafat was invited to address the General Assembly on 13 November 1974 and the
PLO was given observer status at the UN In the same year the UNGA established a Committee
on ldquothe exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian peoplerdquoThus the Palestinian issue
was placed in focus drawing increasing international attention and support
The Arab achievements in the UN were crowned with the adoption of UNGA Resolution 3379
of 10 November 1975 by which the General Assembly ldquodetermined that Zionism is a form of
racism and racial discriminationrdquo The Resolution was adopted with 72 in favour 35 against
and 32 abstentions With Zionism as its ideology the reaction in Israel was severe and it
campaigned hard to have the resolution annulled The opportunity came in 1991 Israel with the
encouragement of the US and European states declared its intention to get 3379 revoked The
OIC Summit held in Senegal in August 1991 took note of these efforts and passed a unanimous
resolution to defeat Israeli efforts in the UN by voting for the continuation of 3379
The Israeli resolution when moved in the UNGA after a couple of weeks was carried and the
majority of OIC member states either abstained or voted for the resolution This was illustrative
of the hypocrisy of Muslim potentates of playing to the domestic gallery while keeping the US
in good humour
Since the establishment of the OIC the Islamic world has suffered five major catastrophes
which have reduced it to almost a non-factor in international politics The break up of Pakistan
through armed intervention by India in 1971 the invasion of Lebanon by Israel in 1982 that led
to yet another Palestinian diaspora the Iran-Iraq war the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and
the US occupation of Iraq have dealt a crippling blow to the unity dignity and image of the
Muslim world
The OIC failed to respond meaningfully to any of these crises or demonstrate unity other than
issuing high-sounding declarations at the end of each summit In some cases the OIC even
remained a silent spectator
This attitude not only disappointed Muslims around the world but also encouraged the
Organizationrsquos adversaries to pursue their designs against Muslim countries with impunity The
history of the Palestine problem ostensibly the raison drsquoecirctre of the OIC is a living testimony to
the impotence and paralysis of the Organisation The Palestine issue is now no longer seen as the
vacation of the occupied territories by Israel and restoration of the inalienable rights of the
Palestinians but has been re-designated as a struggle between terrorists (Palestinians) and
civilians (Israelis) The creeping annexation has eroded all possibilities of any settlement as
Israeli policies have completely marginalised the Palestinians
The OIC also espoused the Kashmir and Afghanistan issues but failed to play any important or
significant role in their resolution The gathering of potentates at OIC summits and their empty
calls for unity of action initially stirred Muslim hearts but soon it became obvious that these
speeches laced with rhetoric and insincere sentiments were meaningless and of no use for
confronting the challenges faced by the Islamic ummah
On the Kashmir issue the OIC has failed to muster the courage to challenge New Delhirsquos
policies of repression and widespread violation of human rights in Indian-held Kashmir The
inaction and indifference on Israeli massacres in Sabra and Shattila (Beirut 1982) in Bosnia and
Herzegovina (1992) and the recent US military intervention and brutalities in Iraq and
Afghanistan have many believe rendered the OIC totally irrelevant to the needs and
requirements of ummah The resolutions adopted by the OIC thus betray a lack of seriousness
and sincerity and hence carry no meaning or significance thereby accentuating the frustration of
the ummah
The underlying causes of the inability of the OIC to be reckoned with as an institution of
political significance in global affairs besides the lack of political will of Muslim leaders have
originated from a lack of democratic set-up in those states in addition to structural weaknesses
such as an absence of an institutional framework poverty and illiteracy and failure to recognize
the absolute importance of science and technology for social emancipation and economic
development
10th Summit ndash Kuala Lampur
The last OIC summit held in Putrajaya Malaysia in 2003 was a milestone in the history of the
OIC Under the dynamic leadership of then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad the leaders
decided to make a realistic appraisal of the international situation and the role that the OIC could
play to preserve and protect the interests of member-states against a sustained negative media
campaign and political pressures circumscribing their economic and political rights It was
decided to dispassionately analyse the causes of decline and decay of Muslim societies and the
political marginalization of the member-states and evolve a comprehensive strategy to pull them
out of this morass
President Musharraf who led the Pakistan delegation to the 10th summit in Malaysia gave a
clarion call to all Muslims in support of Mahathirrsquos appeal In a stirring message President
Musharraf outlined the existing realities He referred to turbulent and troubled international
developments ldquoThe world is in turmoil Reliance on military action and force define solutions to
world disputes Foreign occupation persists Suppression of peoples has intensified Power
asymmetries are widening Terrorism is taking its toll Economic recession threatens the world
fabric Poverty is growing Inequality is increasingrdquo
In the context of this world view President Musharraf warned that the Muslim world was in the
vortex of this emerging global crisis Most of those under foreign occupation were Muslim
peoples He cited the tragedies of Palestine and Kashmir ldquoIslamic nations are perceived as the
sponsors of terrorism and proliferators of WMDs Muslims are subjected to discrimination and
exclusion The insidious thesis of an inevitable clash of civilizations between Islam and the West
is being openly propoundedrdquo5
Making this bold and frank analysis of ground realities and the political climate he urged some
soul-searching and stock-taking by the Muslim countries since he believed that the crisis
confronting the Islamic world was both external and internal ldquoIt is rooted in our own weaknesses
and vulnerabilities It flows from our economic social and human underdevelopment from
dependencies and vulnerabilities from the divisions and differences within and amongst our
societies and nestsrdquo
Q5 Elaborate diplomacy of Pakistan on the platform of Southeast Asian Treaty Organization
(SEATO)
Ans In September of 1954 the United States France Great Britain New Zealand Australia the
Philippines Thailand and Pakistan formed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization or SEATO
The purpose of the organization was to prevent communism from gaining ground in the region
Although called the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization only two Southeast Asian countries
became members The Philippines joined in part because of its close ties with the United States
and in part out of concern over the nascent communist insurgency threatening its own
government Thailand similarly joined after learning of a newly established Thai Autonomous
Region in Yunnan Province in South China expressing concern about the potential for Chinese
communist subversion on its own soil The rest of the region was far less concerned about the
threat of communism to internal stability Burma and Indonesia both preferred to maintain their
neutrality rather than join the organization Malaya (including Singapore) found it politically
difficult to give formal support to the organization though through its ties with Great Britain it
learned of key developments Finally the terms of the Geneva Agreements of 1954 signed after
the fall of French Indochina prevented Vietnam Cambodia and Laos from joining any
international military alliance though these countries were ultimately included in the area
protected under SEATO and granted observers status
Most of the SEATO member states were countries located elsewhere but with an interest in the
region or the organization Australia and New Zealand were interested in Asian affairs because
of their geographic position in the Pacific Great Britain and France had long maintained
colonies in the region and were interested in developments in the greater Indochina region For
Pakistan the appeal of the pact was the potential for receiving support in its struggles against
India in spite of the fact that neither country was located in the area under the organizations
jurisdiction Finally US officials believed Southeast Asia to be a crucial frontier in the fight
against communist expansion so it viewed SEATO as essential to its global Cold War policy of
containment
Headquartered in Bangkok Thailand SEATO had only a few formal functions It maintained no
military forces of its own but the organization hosted joint military exercises for member states
each year As the communist threat appeared to change from one of outright attack to one of
internal subversion SEATO worked to strengthen the economic foundations and living standards
of the Southeast Asian States It sponsored a variety of meetings and exhibitions on cultural
religious and historical topics and the non-Asian member states sponsored fellowships for
Southeast Asian scholars
Beyond its activities the SEATO charter was also vitally important to the American rationale for
the Vietnam War The United States used the organization as its justification for refusing to go
forward with the 1956 elections intended to reunify Vietnam instead maintaining the divide
between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel As the conflict in
Vietnam unfolded the inclusion of Vietnam as a territory under SEATO protection gave the
United States the legal framework for its continued involvement there
The organization had a number of weaknesses as well To address the problems attached to the
guerrilla movements and local insurrections that plagued the region in the post-colonial years
the SEATO defense treaty called only for consultation leaving each individual nation to react
individually to internal threats Unlike the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) SEATO
had no independent mechanism for obtaining intelligence or deploying military forces so the
potential for collective action was necessarily limited Moreover because it incorporated only
three Asian members SEATO faced charges of being a new form of Western colonialism
Linguistic and cultural difficulties between the member states also compounded its problems
making it difficult for SEATO to accomplish many of its goals
By the early 1970s members began to withdraw from the organization Neither Pakistan nor
France supported the US intervention in Vietnam and both nations were pulling away from the
organization in the early 1970s Pakistan formally left SEATO in 1973 because the organization
had failed to provide it with assistance in its ongoing conflict against India When the Vietnam
War ended in 1975 the most prominent reason for SEATOs existence disappeared As a result
SEATO formally disbanded in 1977
It was the Thirteenth NAM Summit which was held in Kualalampur (Malaysia) in 24-25 March
2003 The Prime Minister of that country Mahtir Muhammad inaugurated the Summit In this
conference the Pakistani President Parvez Musharaf raised Kashmir issue The Prime Minister
of India Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee in his speech asserted that Kashmir is the integral part of
India This conference put emphasis on economic development and globalisation
Havana Summit (2006)
The Fourteenth NAM Summit was held at Havana during 15-17 September 2006 Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh participated in this summit He advised to galvanise the UNO The
member countries decided to render help to each other in political economic and intellectual
fields
Merits of NAM
The Non-aligned Movement has various merits
At first through this movement the Cold War could not spread
Secondly this movement imparted courage and morality to the weak and dependant nations
Thirdly the unity among the independent NAM countries brought forth a Third World and the
member countries kept themselves away from the Eastern and Western blocs
Fourthly a good relation was established between Asia and Africa in the UNO It not only paved
the way for economic cooperation but also accelerated the progress of the Third World
Danger to NAM
Inspite of the success of the NAM it faces danger from various quarters At first the member
countries of NAM are resorting to conflicts instead of solving their problems peacefully
Secondly many member countries of NAM increase their armaments by spending huge money
Thirdly lack of trust among the member countries mars the progress of NAM
NAMmdashan Analysis
Many experts on international politics opine that after the cold war disintegration of Soviet
Union and freezing of the importance of the super powers there is no need for Non-aligned
Movement Now the developing countries accept the policy of democracy by which the NAM
seems meaningless In the age of globalisation the NAM is not able to play its role properly and
perfectly
Be that as it may Non-aligned Movement is ever green even today It has exhibited its role every
time It attaches importance to economic progress Besides that it takes some programmes which
produce good result In the 21st Century it raises voice against cross-border terrorism It also
takes step for mutual co-operation
Infact the Non-aligned Movement has created a novel chapter in the history of the contemporary
world As long as war poverty exploitation terrorism exist the NAM will be asserting itself to
put an end to all their problems This is infact a great characteristic of the Non-aligned
Movement
Q4 Discuss in detail the prospects of economic cooperation amongst the member countries of
OIC What sort of role Pakistan could play to help increase economic cooperation amongst
OIC members
Ans Greater interaction between Pakistan and global organizations particularly within region will
contribute to the dialogue of economic trade culture and civilization The Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) is a Eurasian political economic security organization which was founded
by China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Russia and Tajikistan It is a permanent intergovernmental
international organization formally created in 2001 in Shanghai China and has established itself
as an internationally recognized and authoritative multilateral association
In the 21st century the Globalization has increased interdependence of states which enhances the
prosperity and progress Economic integration and cooperation among SCO members on the
basis of principles of equality and mutual benefits is very important for trade creation
employment generation efficient movement of goods and services through greater market
expansion
The organization provides the means to share development progress and prosperity and help in
stabilizing the region Pakistans participation in SCO as member will strengthen its economic
ties with Eurasian The SCO members are jointly counteract emergent challenges and threats to
boost economic trade and other available potentials for members states as well as neighbors
Pakistan has become the full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the
17th Summit of Heads of States held in Astana Kazakhstan on June 9 2017 The permanent
membership is a milestone which will strengthen deep-rooted historical and cultural links as well
as strong economic and strategic relations with all the members countries of the SCO
China has supported Pakistans entry in SCO and the membership particularly in the backdrop of
China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is a flagship of One Belt One Road project
will further enhance Pakistans importance in the entire region aimed at further enhancing the
connectivity regional stability development economic prosperity and trade with the members
nations
SCO is now a group of eight countries ie Russia China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan
Uzbekistan Pakistan and India Among its member states the Russia and China have significant
role because of their global and regional importance as major powers At present Iran
Afghanistan Belarus and Mongolia are observer members of SCO will get full memberships in
the forthcoming years Azerbaijan Armenia Cambodia Nepal Turkey and Sri Lanka are the
dialogue partner of SCO
With the expansion of organization the region has become vibrant covering 60 percent of total
territory of Europe and Asia will now represent over 40 percent of the world population (35
billion) and nearly 25 percent of the global GDP The membership of SCO gives the opportunity
to Pakistan to create new linkages in the world economy and also expand its trade relations with
member countries and avail the trade concessional opportunities which are currently under
negotiation
Currently share of SCO in Pakistans total trade is 32 percent which indicates that there exist
opportunities for trade and economic relations The SCO region not only has geographical
proximity with Pakistan but also provides easy accessibility and makes a very profitable market
for Pakistans exports
Pakistan has dynamic relations with SCO members China is a time tested friend while Central
Asian countries have historical ties with Pakistan Russia is also on the way of developing
relations with Pakistan While mega project a game changer-China - Pakistan Economic Corridor
(CPEC) is at implementation stage and also provides market access to Central Asian states
The development of Gwadar port makes Pakistan an indispensable link for SCO member states
The Central Asian countries have enormous resources of oil natural gas liquefied gas uranium
and hydropower that could be channelized to market electricity to the members nations of SCO
such as China Pakistan Russia and observer members like Afghanistan and Iran
In the economic domain Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) and CASA-1000 are
important projects for both Pakistan and Central Asian States TAPIs long 1735km pipeline is
planned to transmit 27 billion cubic meters of gas annually to Afghanistan Pakistan and India
from Turkmenistan and Tajikistan respectively with a potential to enhance the capacity to 33
billion cubic meters
On the other hand CASA-1000 project also provides a landmark cooperation opportunity
between Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Afghanistan and Pakistan The plan envisage export of a total of
1300 MW of excess electricity available during summers from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan 1000
MW for Pakistan and 300 MW for Afghanistan
Pakistan China Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have also agreed to initiate a bus service that would
not only enhance trade but also be an important tool to promote people-to-people contacts
between the four countries Similarly Pakistan can attract the investments in the energy and
infrastructure sector in which some of the SCO countries have a comparative advantage
The strategic location of Pakistan in the region and its economic potential can also help the SCO
members to exploit their economic potential With the prospects of Afghanistan and Iran and
possibly Turkey also joining the Organization in the near future SCO is likely to emerge as a
very strong regional Organization and may merge the Economic Cooperation Organization
A part from trade there is a huge potential in culture sports tourism education science and
technologyThe Shanghai Business Council created in 2006 with its headquarters in Moscow
Russia aims to boost economic cooperation in the framework of the Organization establishing
direct links and dialogue among business and financial circles of the SCO member states
assisting practical promotion of multilateral projects determined by the heads of government in
the Programme of trade and economic cooperation
To explore opportunities of the Shanghai Business Council the FPCCI may introduce itself in
the Council This forum will give opportunities to Pakistani Businessmen to interact with the
businessmen of the members countries for trade and joint ventures investment It is concluded
the regional economic integration may need to transform into cooperative-union in framework of
SCO to stabilize the region and to evolve the socioeconomic prosperity
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
TRADE BETWEEN PAKISTAN amp SCO COUNTRIES
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
(MILLION US$)
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Countries 2014 2015 2016
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Exports Imports Total Trade Exports Imports Total Trade
Exports Imports Total Trade
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
China 27539 132445 159984 24748 164419 189167
19126 172327 191453
Kazakhstan 307 29 336 329 15 344 229
27 256
Kyrgyzstan 22 05 27 26 01 27 33 03
36
Russia 3109 1431 4540 2985 966 3951 2720
1330 4050
Tajikistan 91 01 92 40 01 41 44 190
234
Uzbekistan 23 07 30 20 11 31 34 32
66
India 5299 21699 26998 4563 19635 24198 4613
15914 20527
Pakistans Total Trade with SCO Countries 36390 155617 192007 32711 185048
217759 26799 189823 216622
Pakistans Total Trade with World 247222 475449 722671 220890 439897
660787 204350 471550 675900
Pakistans share of trade with SCO Countries 15 33 27 15 42 33
13 40 32
The OIC Charter
The OIC Charter approved in March 1972 included a commitment to act through all means
both political and military for the liberation of the Holy City of Al-Quds from Zionist
occupation It also reiterated the Islamic statesrsquo resolve to act in unison for the establishment of
world peace and reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nationrsquos charter and to fundamental
human rights The OIC Charter was registered at the United Nations on 1 February 1974
The main objectives of the Charter were to[1]
1 Strengthen
1 Islamic solidarity among Member States
2 Cooperation in the political economic social cultural and scientific fields
3 The struggle of all Muslim people to safeguard their dignity independence and
national rights
2 Coordinate action to
1 Safeguard Islamic Holy Places
2 Support the struggle of the Palestinian people and assist them in recovering their
rights and liberating their occupied territory
3 Work to
1 Eliminate racial discrimination and all forms of colonialism
2 Create a favourable atmosphere for the promotion of cooperation and
understanding between Member States and other countries
The Charter also enumerates the principles governing OIC activities namely
Full equality among Member States
Support for the right to self determination and non-interference in the internal affairs of
Member States
Support for the sovereignty independence and territorial integrity of each State
The settlement of any dispute that might arise among Member States by peaceful means
such as negotiations mediation conciliation and arbitration
A pledge to refrain in relations among Member States from resorting to force or
threatening to resort to the use of force against the unity and territorial integrity or the
political independence of any one of them[2]
Main Bodies and Committees
The OIC is composed of two main bodies
The Conference of Kings and Heads of State and Government which is the supreme
authority of the Organization which meets once every three years to lay down the
Organizationrsquos policy and
The Conference of Foreign Ministers which meets once a year to examine progress on
the implementation of its decisions taken within the framework of the policy defined by
the Islamic Summit
The OIC set up a number of committees to ensure the coordination of its activities and the
attainment of optimal results in all fields of political economic social scientific and intellectual
cooperation The main committees include the Al Quds the Standing Committee for Information
and Cultural Affairs Committee for Economic and Trade Cooperation and Scientific and
Technological Cooperation[3] Fifteen of the committees are concerned with various political
issues such as Palestine Afghanistan Bosnia and Herzegovina etc The others relate to cultural
scientific economic legal financial technical educational informational social and human
affairs institutions Their headquarters have been distributed among the various Islamic
capitals[4]
Evaluation
It has been stated above that the creation of the OIC at the Rabat Summit was primarily in
response to the situation created by the sacrilege of Al Quds Hence the resolution adopted on 25
September 1969 while reaffirming the fraternal and spiritual bonds existing between their
peoples declared ldquofull support to the Palestinian people for the restitution of their rights and in
their struggle for national liberationrdquo It asked the international community to ldquosecure the
speedy withdrawal of Israeli military forces from all the territories occupied as a result of the
war of June 1967rdquo
Organizational issues occupied the next few years The OICrsquos Secretariat was set up in March
1970 and two years later its Charter was approved (in March 1972) Subsequent developments
in the Middle East particularly the Ramadan War of October 1973 forced the OIC to embrace
all issues relating to the ummah and to broaden its canvas of activities The October 1973 war
had not only restored the pride of Arabs but oil diplomacy had forced the European nations to
take a second look at their pro-Israel policies It was against this background that the second
summit was held in Lahore in February 1974
The Lahore Summit was a landmark in the political struggle of Muslims to secure an influential
role in international affairs The leadership provided by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the presence of
Arab leaders like King Faisal Sadat Qaddafi Boumedienne and Arafat among 37 heads of
statesgovernments participating in the Summit conferred on it a unique importance The
Summit decided to address the following issues
1 eradication of poverty disease and ignorance from Islamic countries
2 regulation of the terms of trade between developed countries and developing Muslim
countries especially the supply of raw materials and import of manufactured goods and
know-how
3 ensuring the sovereignty and full control of developing countries over their natural
resources and
4 mutual economic cooperation and solidarity among Muslim countries
It was also decided to establish a committee of eight countries including Pakistan to devise
ways and means for attainment of these objectives
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was recognized as the sole and legitimate
representative of the Palestinians and it was declared that ldquothe Arab cause is the cause of all
countries which oppose aggression and will not tolerate that the use of force be rewarded by
territory or by other gainsrdquo
The OIC has till now held 10 summits interspersed at regular three-year intervals and numerous
meetings at the ministerial and expert levels to oversee summit decisions Unfortunately these
summits have been characterized more by empty rhetoric rather than concrete action Through
the years the configuration of political and economic forces in international affairs has rendered
the Muslim states more vulnerable and their leaders increasingly dependent on the US for their
survival This has emasculated the OIC and weighed heavily on its decisions Its leaders find
themselves in a quandary They are unable or unwilling to exert any meaningful pressure on the
US-led west regarded as allies of Israel to mitigate the hardships of the Muslim people living in
the occupied territories
The mid-70s were the unprecedented but short-lived years of Arab ascendancy and prestige The
diplomatic influence and political clout of the Arab countries was in evidence with dramatic
triumphs in the UN Arabic was accepted as one of the official UN languages The General
Assembly recognized the Palestinian people as ldquothe principal party to the question of
Palestinerdquo Arafat was invited to address the General Assembly on 13 November 1974 and the
PLO was given observer status at the UN In the same year the UNGA established a Committee
on ldquothe exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian peoplerdquoThus the Palestinian issue
was placed in focus drawing increasing international attention and support
The Arab achievements in the UN were crowned with the adoption of UNGA Resolution 3379
of 10 November 1975 by which the General Assembly ldquodetermined that Zionism is a form of
racism and racial discriminationrdquo The Resolution was adopted with 72 in favour 35 against
and 32 abstentions With Zionism as its ideology the reaction in Israel was severe and it
campaigned hard to have the resolution annulled The opportunity came in 1991 Israel with the
encouragement of the US and European states declared its intention to get 3379 revoked The
OIC Summit held in Senegal in August 1991 took note of these efforts and passed a unanimous
resolution to defeat Israeli efforts in the UN by voting for the continuation of 3379
The Israeli resolution when moved in the UNGA after a couple of weeks was carried and the
majority of OIC member states either abstained or voted for the resolution This was illustrative
of the hypocrisy of Muslim potentates of playing to the domestic gallery while keeping the US
in good humour
Since the establishment of the OIC the Islamic world has suffered five major catastrophes
which have reduced it to almost a non-factor in international politics The break up of Pakistan
through armed intervention by India in 1971 the invasion of Lebanon by Israel in 1982 that led
to yet another Palestinian diaspora the Iran-Iraq war the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and
the US occupation of Iraq have dealt a crippling blow to the unity dignity and image of the
Muslim world
The OIC failed to respond meaningfully to any of these crises or demonstrate unity other than
issuing high-sounding declarations at the end of each summit In some cases the OIC even
remained a silent spectator
This attitude not only disappointed Muslims around the world but also encouraged the
Organizationrsquos adversaries to pursue their designs against Muslim countries with impunity The
history of the Palestine problem ostensibly the raison drsquoecirctre of the OIC is a living testimony to
the impotence and paralysis of the Organisation The Palestine issue is now no longer seen as the
vacation of the occupied territories by Israel and restoration of the inalienable rights of the
Palestinians but has been re-designated as a struggle between terrorists (Palestinians) and
civilians (Israelis) The creeping annexation has eroded all possibilities of any settlement as
Israeli policies have completely marginalised the Palestinians
The OIC also espoused the Kashmir and Afghanistan issues but failed to play any important or
significant role in their resolution The gathering of potentates at OIC summits and their empty
calls for unity of action initially stirred Muslim hearts but soon it became obvious that these
speeches laced with rhetoric and insincere sentiments were meaningless and of no use for
confronting the challenges faced by the Islamic ummah
On the Kashmir issue the OIC has failed to muster the courage to challenge New Delhirsquos
policies of repression and widespread violation of human rights in Indian-held Kashmir The
inaction and indifference on Israeli massacres in Sabra and Shattila (Beirut 1982) in Bosnia and
Herzegovina (1992) and the recent US military intervention and brutalities in Iraq and
Afghanistan have many believe rendered the OIC totally irrelevant to the needs and
requirements of ummah The resolutions adopted by the OIC thus betray a lack of seriousness
and sincerity and hence carry no meaning or significance thereby accentuating the frustration of
the ummah
The underlying causes of the inability of the OIC to be reckoned with as an institution of
political significance in global affairs besides the lack of political will of Muslim leaders have
originated from a lack of democratic set-up in those states in addition to structural weaknesses
such as an absence of an institutional framework poverty and illiteracy and failure to recognize
the absolute importance of science and technology for social emancipation and economic
development
10th Summit ndash Kuala Lampur
The last OIC summit held in Putrajaya Malaysia in 2003 was a milestone in the history of the
OIC Under the dynamic leadership of then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad the leaders
decided to make a realistic appraisal of the international situation and the role that the OIC could
play to preserve and protect the interests of member-states against a sustained negative media
campaign and political pressures circumscribing their economic and political rights It was
decided to dispassionately analyse the causes of decline and decay of Muslim societies and the
political marginalization of the member-states and evolve a comprehensive strategy to pull them
out of this morass
President Musharraf who led the Pakistan delegation to the 10th summit in Malaysia gave a
clarion call to all Muslims in support of Mahathirrsquos appeal In a stirring message President
Musharraf outlined the existing realities He referred to turbulent and troubled international
developments ldquoThe world is in turmoil Reliance on military action and force define solutions to
world disputes Foreign occupation persists Suppression of peoples has intensified Power
asymmetries are widening Terrorism is taking its toll Economic recession threatens the world
fabric Poverty is growing Inequality is increasingrdquo
In the context of this world view President Musharraf warned that the Muslim world was in the
vortex of this emerging global crisis Most of those under foreign occupation were Muslim
peoples He cited the tragedies of Palestine and Kashmir ldquoIslamic nations are perceived as the
sponsors of terrorism and proliferators of WMDs Muslims are subjected to discrimination and
exclusion The insidious thesis of an inevitable clash of civilizations between Islam and the West
is being openly propoundedrdquo5
Making this bold and frank analysis of ground realities and the political climate he urged some
soul-searching and stock-taking by the Muslim countries since he believed that the crisis
confronting the Islamic world was both external and internal ldquoIt is rooted in our own weaknesses
and vulnerabilities It flows from our economic social and human underdevelopment from
dependencies and vulnerabilities from the divisions and differences within and amongst our
societies and nestsrdquo
Q5 Elaborate diplomacy of Pakistan on the platform of Southeast Asian Treaty Organization
(SEATO)
Ans In September of 1954 the United States France Great Britain New Zealand Australia the
Philippines Thailand and Pakistan formed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization or SEATO
The purpose of the organization was to prevent communism from gaining ground in the region
Although called the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization only two Southeast Asian countries
became members The Philippines joined in part because of its close ties with the United States
and in part out of concern over the nascent communist insurgency threatening its own
government Thailand similarly joined after learning of a newly established Thai Autonomous
Region in Yunnan Province in South China expressing concern about the potential for Chinese
communist subversion on its own soil The rest of the region was far less concerned about the
threat of communism to internal stability Burma and Indonesia both preferred to maintain their
neutrality rather than join the organization Malaya (including Singapore) found it politically
difficult to give formal support to the organization though through its ties with Great Britain it
learned of key developments Finally the terms of the Geneva Agreements of 1954 signed after
the fall of French Indochina prevented Vietnam Cambodia and Laos from joining any
international military alliance though these countries were ultimately included in the area
protected under SEATO and granted observers status
Most of the SEATO member states were countries located elsewhere but with an interest in the
region or the organization Australia and New Zealand were interested in Asian affairs because
of their geographic position in the Pacific Great Britain and France had long maintained
colonies in the region and were interested in developments in the greater Indochina region For
Pakistan the appeal of the pact was the potential for receiving support in its struggles against
India in spite of the fact that neither country was located in the area under the organizations
jurisdiction Finally US officials believed Southeast Asia to be a crucial frontier in the fight
against communist expansion so it viewed SEATO as essential to its global Cold War policy of
containment
Headquartered in Bangkok Thailand SEATO had only a few formal functions It maintained no
military forces of its own but the organization hosted joint military exercises for member states
each year As the communist threat appeared to change from one of outright attack to one of
internal subversion SEATO worked to strengthen the economic foundations and living standards
of the Southeast Asian States It sponsored a variety of meetings and exhibitions on cultural
religious and historical topics and the non-Asian member states sponsored fellowships for
Southeast Asian scholars
Beyond its activities the SEATO charter was also vitally important to the American rationale for
the Vietnam War The United States used the organization as its justification for refusing to go
forward with the 1956 elections intended to reunify Vietnam instead maintaining the divide
between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel As the conflict in
Vietnam unfolded the inclusion of Vietnam as a territory under SEATO protection gave the
United States the legal framework for its continued involvement there
The organization had a number of weaknesses as well To address the problems attached to the
guerrilla movements and local insurrections that plagued the region in the post-colonial years
the SEATO defense treaty called only for consultation leaving each individual nation to react
individually to internal threats Unlike the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) SEATO
had no independent mechanism for obtaining intelligence or deploying military forces so the
potential for collective action was necessarily limited Moreover because it incorporated only
three Asian members SEATO faced charges of being a new form of Western colonialism
Linguistic and cultural difficulties between the member states also compounded its problems
making it difficult for SEATO to accomplish many of its goals
By the early 1970s members began to withdraw from the organization Neither Pakistan nor
France supported the US intervention in Vietnam and both nations were pulling away from the
organization in the early 1970s Pakistan formally left SEATO in 1973 because the organization
had failed to provide it with assistance in its ongoing conflict against India When the Vietnam
War ended in 1975 the most prominent reason for SEATOs existence disappeared As a result
SEATO formally disbanded in 1977
Be that as it may Non-aligned Movement is ever green even today It has exhibited its role every
time It attaches importance to economic progress Besides that it takes some programmes which
produce good result In the 21st Century it raises voice against cross-border terrorism It also
takes step for mutual co-operation
Infact the Non-aligned Movement has created a novel chapter in the history of the contemporary
world As long as war poverty exploitation terrorism exist the NAM will be asserting itself to
put an end to all their problems This is infact a great characteristic of the Non-aligned
Movement
Q4 Discuss in detail the prospects of economic cooperation amongst the member countries of
OIC What sort of role Pakistan could play to help increase economic cooperation amongst
OIC members
Ans Greater interaction between Pakistan and global organizations particularly within region will
contribute to the dialogue of economic trade culture and civilization The Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) is a Eurasian political economic security organization which was founded
by China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Russia and Tajikistan It is a permanent intergovernmental
international organization formally created in 2001 in Shanghai China and has established itself
as an internationally recognized and authoritative multilateral association
In the 21st century the Globalization has increased interdependence of states which enhances the
prosperity and progress Economic integration and cooperation among SCO members on the
basis of principles of equality and mutual benefits is very important for trade creation
employment generation efficient movement of goods and services through greater market
expansion
The organization provides the means to share development progress and prosperity and help in
stabilizing the region Pakistans participation in SCO as member will strengthen its economic
ties with Eurasian The SCO members are jointly counteract emergent challenges and threats to
boost economic trade and other available potentials for members states as well as neighbors
Pakistan has become the full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the
17th Summit of Heads of States held in Astana Kazakhstan on June 9 2017 The permanent
membership is a milestone which will strengthen deep-rooted historical and cultural links as well
as strong economic and strategic relations with all the members countries of the SCO
China has supported Pakistans entry in SCO and the membership particularly in the backdrop of
China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is a flagship of One Belt One Road project
will further enhance Pakistans importance in the entire region aimed at further enhancing the
connectivity regional stability development economic prosperity and trade with the members
nations
SCO is now a group of eight countries ie Russia China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan
Uzbekistan Pakistan and India Among its member states the Russia and China have significant
role because of their global and regional importance as major powers At present Iran
Afghanistan Belarus and Mongolia are observer members of SCO will get full memberships in
the forthcoming years Azerbaijan Armenia Cambodia Nepal Turkey and Sri Lanka are the
dialogue partner of SCO
With the expansion of organization the region has become vibrant covering 60 percent of total
territory of Europe and Asia will now represent over 40 percent of the world population (35
billion) and nearly 25 percent of the global GDP The membership of SCO gives the opportunity
to Pakistan to create new linkages in the world economy and also expand its trade relations with
member countries and avail the trade concessional opportunities which are currently under
negotiation
Currently share of SCO in Pakistans total trade is 32 percent which indicates that there exist
opportunities for trade and economic relations The SCO region not only has geographical
proximity with Pakistan but also provides easy accessibility and makes a very profitable market
for Pakistans exports
Pakistan has dynamic relations with SCO members China is a time tested friend while Central
Asian countries have historical ties with Pakistan Russia is also on the way of developing
relations with Pakistan While mega project a game changer-China - Pakistan Economic Corridor
(CPEC) is at implementation stage and also provides market access to Central Asian states
The development of Gwadar port makes Pakistan an indispensable link for SCO member states
The Central Asian countries have enormous resources of oil natural gas liquefied gas uranium
and hydropower that could be channelized to market electricity to the members nations of SCO
such as China Pakistan Russia and observer members like Afghanistan and Iran
In the economic domain Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) and CASA-1000 are
important projects for both Pakistan and Central Asian States TAPIs long 1735km pipeline is
planned to transmit 27 billion cubic meters of gas annually to Afghanistan Pakistan and India
from Turkmenistan and Tajikistan respectively with a potential to enhance the capacity to 33
billion cubic meters
On the other hand CASA-1000 project also provides a landmark cooperation opportunity
between Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Afghanistan and Pakistan The plan envisage export of a total of
1300 MW of excess electricity available during summers from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan 1000
MW for Pakistan and 300 MW for Afghanistan
Pakistan China Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have also agreed to initiate a bus service that would
not only enhance trade but also be an important tool to promote people-to-people contacts
between the four countries Similarly Pakistan can attract the investments in the energy and
infrastructure sector in which some of the SCO countries have a comparative advantage
The strategic location of Pakistan in the region and its economic potential can also help the SCO
members to exploit their economic potential With the prospects of Afghanistan and Iran and
possibly Turkey also joining the Organization in the near future SCO is likely to emerge as a
very strong regional Organization and may merge the Economic Cooperation Organization
A part from trade there is a huge potential in culture sports tourism education science and
technologyThe Shanghai Business Council created in 2006 with its headquarters in Moscow
Russia aims to boost economic cooperation in the framework of the Organization establishing
direct links and dialogue among business and financial circles of the SCO member states
assisting practical promotion of multilateral projects determined by the heads of government in
the Programme of trade and economic cooperation
To explore opportunities of the Shanghai Business Council the FPCCI may introduce itself in
the Council This forum will give opportunities to Pakistani Businessmen to interact with the
businessmen of the members countries for trade and joint ventures investment It is concluded
the regional economic integration may need to transform into cooperative-union in framework of
SCO to stabilize the region and to evolve the socioeconomic prosperity
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
TRADE BETWEEN PAKISTAN amp SCO COUNTRIES
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
(MILLION US$)
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Countries 2014 2015 2016
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Exports Imports Total Trade Exports Imports Total Trade
Exports Imports Total Trade
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
China 27539 132445 159984 24748 164419 189167
19126 172327 191453
Kazakhstan 307 29 336 329 15 344 229
27 256
Kyrgyzstan 22 05 27 26 01 27 33 03
36
Russia 3109 1431 4540 2985 966 3951 2720
1330 4050
Tajikistan 91 01 92 40 01 41 44 190
234
Uzbekistan 23 07 30 20 11 31 34 32
66
India 5299 21699 26998 4563 19635 24198 4613
15914 20527
Pakistans Total Trade with SCO Countries 36390 155617 192007 32711 185048
217759 26799 189823 216622
Pakistans Total Trade with World 247222 475449 722671 220890 439897
660787 204350 471550 675900
Pakistans share of trade with SCO Countries 15 33 27 15 42 33
13 40 32
The OIC Charter
The OIC Charter approved in March 1972 included a commitment to act through all means
both political and military for the liberation of the Holy City of Al-Quds from Zionist
occupation It also reiterated the Islamic statesrsquo resolve to act in unison for the establishment of
world peace and reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nationrsquos charter and to fundamental
human rights The OIC Charter was registered at the United Nations on 1 February 1974
The main objectives of the Charter were to[1]
1 Strengthen
1 Islamic solidarity among Member States
2 Cooperation in the political economic social cultural and scientific fields
3 The struggle of all Muslim people to safeguard their dignity independence and
national rights
2 Coordinate action to
1 Safeguard Islamic Holy Places
2 Support the struggle of the Palestinian people and assist them in recovering their
rights and liberating their occupied territory
3 Work to
1 Eliminate racial discrimination and all forms of colonialism
2 Create a favourable atmosphere for the promotion of cooperation and
understanding between Member States and other countries
The Charter also enumerates the principles governing OIC activities namely
Full equality among Member States
Support for the right to self determination and non-interference in the internal affairs of
Member States
Support for the sovereignty independence and territorial integrity of each State
The settlement of any dispute that might arise among Member States by peaceful means
such as negotiations mediation conciliation and arbitration
A pledge to refrain in relations among Member States from resorting to force or
threatening to resort to the use of force against the unity and territorial integrity or the
political independence of any one of them[2]
Main Bodies and Committees
The OIC is composed of two main bodies
The Conference of Kings and Heads of State and Government which is the supreme
authority of the Organization which meets once every three years to lay down the
Organizationrsquos policy and
The Conference of Foreign Ministers which meets once a year to examine progress on
the implementation of its decisions taken within the framework of the policy defined by
the Islamic Summit
The OIC set up a number of committees to ensure the coordination of its activities and the
attainment of optimal results in all fields of political economic social scientific and intellectual
cooperation The main committees include the Al Quds the Standing Committee for Information
and Cultural Affairs Committee for Economic and Trade Cooperation and Scientific and
Technological Cooperation[3] Fifteen of the committees are concerned with various political
issues such as Palestine Afghanistan Bosnia and Herzegovina etc The others relate to cultural
scientific economic legal financial technical educational informational social and human
affairs institutions Their headquarters have been distributed among the various Islamic
capitals[4]
Evaluation
It has been stated above that the creation of the OIC at the Rabat Summit was primarily in
response to the situation created by the sacrilege of Al Quds Hence the resolution adopted on 25
September 1969 while reaffirming the fraternal and spiritual bonds existing between their
peoples declared ldquofull support to the Palestinian people for the restitution of their rights and in
their struggle for national liberationrdquo It asked the international community to ldquosecure the
speedy withdrawal of Israeli military forces from all the territories occupied as a result of the
war of June 1967rdquo
Organizational issues occupied the next few years The OICrsquos Secretariat was set up in March
1970 and two years later its Charter was approved (in March 1972) Subsequent developments
in the Middle East particularly the Ramadan War of October 1973 forced the OIC to embrace
all issues relating to the ummah and to broaden its canvas of activities The October 1973 war
had not only restored the pride of Arabs but oil diplomacy had forced the European nations to
take a second look at their pro-Israel policies It was against this background that the second
summit was held in Lahore in February 1974
The Lahore Summit was a landmark in the political struggle of Muslims to secure an influential
role in international affairs The leadership provided by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the presence of
Arab leaders like King Faisal Sadat Qaddafi Boumedienne and Arafat among 37 heads of
statesgovernments participating in the Summit conferred on it a unique importance The
Summit decided to address the following issues
1 eradication of poverty disease and ignorance from Islamic countries
2 regulation of the terms of trade between developed countries and developing Muslim
countries especially the supply of raw materials and import of manufactured goods and
know-how
3 ensuring the sovereignty and full control of developing countries over their natural
resources and
4 mutual economic cooperation and solidarity among Muslim countries
It was also decided to establish a committee of eight countries including Pakistan to devise
ways and means for attainment of these objectives
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was recognized as the sole and legitimate
representative of the Palestinians and it was declared that ldquothe Arab cause is the cause of all
countries which oppose aggression and will not tolerate that the use of force be rewarded by
territory or by other gainsrdquo
The OIC has till now held 10 summits interspersed at regular three-year intervals and numerous
meetings at the ministerial and expert levels to oversee summit decisions Unfortunately these
summits have been characterized more by empty rhetoric rather than concrete action Through
the years the configuration of political and economic forces in international affairs has rendered
the Muslim states more vulnerable and their leaders increasingly dependent on the US for their
survival This has emasculated the OIC and weighed heavily on its decisions Its leaders find
themselves in a quandary They are unable or unwilling to exert any meaningful pressure on the
US-led west regarded as allies of Israel to mitigate the hardships of the Muslim people living in
the occupied territories
The mid-70s were the unprecedented but short-lived years of Arab ascendancy and prestige The
diplomatic influence and political clout of the Arab countries was in evidence with dramatic
triumphs in the UN Arabic was accepted as one of the official UN languages The General
Assembly recognized the Palestinian people as ldquothe principal party to the question of
Palestinerdquo Arafat was invited to address the General Assembly on 13 November 1974 and the
PLO was given observer status at the UN In the same year the UNGA established a Committee
on ldquothe exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian peoplerdquoThus the Palestinian issue
was placed in focus drawing increasing international attention and support
The Arab achievements in the UN were crowned with the adoption of UNGA Resolution 3379
of 10 November 1975 by which the General Assembly ldquodetermined that Zionism is a form of
racism and racial discriminationrdquo The Resolution was adopted with 72 in favour 35 against
and 32 abstentions With Zionism as its ideology the reaction in Israel was severe and it
campaigned hard to have the resolution annulled The opportunity came in 1991 Israel with the
encouragement of the US and European states declared its intention to get 3379 revoked The
OIC Summit held in Senegal in August 1991 took note of these efforts and passed a unanimous
resolution to defeat Israeli efforts in the UN by voting for the continuation of 3379
The Israeli resolution when moved in the UNGA after a couple of weeks was carried and the
majority of OIC member states either abstained or voted for the resolution This was illustrative
of the hypocrisy of Muslim potentates of playing to the domestic gallery while keeping the US
in good humour
Since the establishment of the OIC the Islamic world has suffered five major catastrophes
which have reduced it to almost a non-factor in international politics The break up of Pakistan
through armed intervention by India in 1971 the invasion of Lebanon by Israel in 1982 that led
to yet another Palestinian diaspora the Iran-Iraq war the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and
the US occupation of Iraq have dealt a crippling blow to the unity dignity and image of the
Muslim world
The OIC failed to respond meaningfully to any of these crises or demonstrate unity other than
issuing high-sounding declarations at the end of each summit In some cases the OIC even
remained a silent spectator
This attitude not only disappointed Muslims around the world but also encouraged the
Organizationrsquos adversaries to pursue their designs against Muslim countries with impunity The
history of the Palestine problem ostensibly the raison drsquoecirctre of the OIC is a living testimony to
the impotence and paralysis of the Organisation The Palestine issue is now no longer seen as the
vacation of the occupied territories by Israel and restoration of the inalienable rights of the
Palestinians but has been re-designated as a struggle between terrorists (Palestinians) and
civilians (Israelis) The creeping annexation has eroded all possibilities of any settlement as
Israeli policies have completely marginalised the Palestinians
The OIC also espoused the Kashmir and Afghanistan issues but failed to play any important or
significant role in their resolution The gathering of potentates at OIC summits and their empty
calls for unity of action initially stirred Muslim hearts but soon it became obvious that these
speeches laced with rhetoric and insincere sentiments were meaningless and of no use for
confronting the challenges faced by the Islamic ummah
On the Kashmir issue the OIC has failed to muster the courage to challenge New Delhirsquos
policies of repression and widespread violation of human rights in Indian-held Kashmir The
inaction and indifference on Israeli massacres in Sabra and Shattila (Beirut 1982) in Bosnia and
Herzegovina (1992) and the recent US military intervention and brutalities in Iraq and
Afghanistan have many believe rendered the OIC totally irrelevant to the needs and
requirements of ummah The resolutions adopted by the OIC thus betray a lack of seriousness
and sincerity and hence carry no meaning or significance thereby accentuating the frustration of
the ummah
The underlying causes of the inability of the OIC to be reckoned with as an institution of
political significance in global affairs besides the lack of political will of Muslim leaders have
originated from a lack of democratic set-up in those states in addition to structural weaknesses
such as an absence of an institutional framework poverty and illiteracy and failure to recognize
the absolute importance of science and technology for social emancipation and economic
development
10th Summit ndash Kuala Lampur
The last OIC summit held in Putrajaya Malaysia in 2003 was a milestone in the history of the
OIC Under the dynamic leadership of then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad the leaders
decided to make a realistic appraisal of the international situation and the role that the OIC could
play to preserve and protect the interests of member-states against a sustained negative media
campaign and political pressures circumscribing their economic and political rights It was
decided to dispassionately analyse the causes of decline and decay of Muslim societies and the
political marginalization of the member-states and evolve a comprehensive strategy to pull them
out of this morass
President Musharraf who led the Pakistan delegation to the 10th summit in Malaysia gave a
clarion call to all Muslims in support of Mahathirrsquos appeal In a stirring message President
Musharraf outlined the existing realities He referred to turbulent and troubled international
developments ldquoThe world is in turmoil Reliance on military action and force define solutions to
world disputes Foreign occupation persists Suppression of peoples has intensified Power
asymmetries are widening Terrorism is taking its toll Economic recession threatens the world
fabric Poverty is growing Inequality is increasingrdquo
In the context of this world view President Musharraf warned that the Muslim world was in the
vortex of this emerging global crisis Most of those under foreign occupation were Muslim
peoples He cited the tragedies of Palestine and Kashmir ldquoIslamic nations are perceived as the
sponsors of terrorism and proliferators of WMDs Muslims are subjected to discrimination and
exclusion The insidious thesis of an inevitable clash of civilizations between Islam and the West
is being openly propoundedrdquo5
Making this bold and frank analysis of ground realities and the political climate he urged some
soul-searching and stock-taking by the Muslim countries since he believed that the crisis
confronting the Islamic world was both external and internal ldquoIt is rooted in our own weaknesses
and vulnerabilities It flows from our economic social and human underdevelopment from
dependencies and vulnerabilities from the divisions and differences within and amongst our
societies and nestsrdquo
Q5 Elaborate diplomacy of Pakistan on the platform of Southeast Asian Treaty Organization
(SEATO)
Ans In September of 1954 the United States France Great Britain New Zealand Australia the
Philippines Thailand and Pakistan formed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization or SEATO
The purpose of the organization was to prevent communism from gaining ground in the region
Although called the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization only two Southeast Asian countries
became members The Philippines joined in part because of its close ties with the United States
and in part out of concern over the nascent communist insurgency threatening its own
government Thailand similarly joined after learning of a newly established Thai Autonomous
Region in Yunnan Province in South China expressing concern about the potential for Chinese
communist subversion on its own soil The rest of the region was far less concerned about the
threat of communism to internal stability Burma and Indonesia both preferred to maintain their
neutrality rather than join the organization Malaya (including Singapore) found it politically
difficult to give formal support to the organization though through its ties with Great Britain it
learned of key developments Finally the terms of the Geneva Agreements of 1954 signed after
the fall of French Indochina prevented Vietnam Cambodia and Laos from joining any
international military alliance though these countries were ultimately included in the area
protected under SEATO and granted observers status
Most of the SEATO member states were countries located elsewhere but with an interest in the
region or the organization Australia and New Zealand were interested in Asian affairs because
of their geographic position in the Pacific Great Britain and France had long maintained
colonies in the region and were interested in developments in the greater Indochina region For
Pakistan the appeal of the pact was the potential for receiving support in its struggles against
India in spite of the fact that neither country was located in the area under the organizations
jurisdiction Finally US officials believed Southeast Asia to be a crucial frontier in the fight
against communist expansion so it viewed SEATO as essential to its global Cold War policy of
containment
Headquartered in Bangkok Thailand SEATO had only a few formal functions It maintained no
military forces of its own but the organization hosted joint military exercises for member states
each year As the communist threat appeared to change from one of outright attack to one of
internal subversion SEATO worked to strengthen the economic foundations and living standards
of the Southeast Asian States It sponsored a variety of meetings and exhibitions on cultural
religious and historical topics and the non-Asian member states sponsored fellowships for
Southeast Asian scholars
Beyond its activities the SEATO charter was also vitally important to the American rationale for
the Vietnam War The United States used the organization as its justification for refusing to go
forward with the 1956 elections intended to reunify Vietnam instead maintaining the divide
between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel As the conflict in
Vietnam unfolded the inclusion of Vietnam as a territory under SEATO protection gave the
United States the legal framework for its continued involvement there
The organization had a number of weaknesses as well To address the problems attached to the
guerrilla movements and local insurrections that plagued the region in the post-colonial years
the SEATO defense treaty called only for consultation leaving each individual nation to react
individually to internal threats Unlike the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) SEATO
had no independent mechanism for obtaining intelligence or deploying military forces so the
potential for collective action was necessarily limited Moreover because it incorporated only
three Asian members SEATO faced charges of being a new form of Western colonialism
Linguistic and cultural difficulties between the member states also compounded its problems
making it difficult for SEATO to accomplish many of its goals
By the early 1970s members began to withdraw from the organization Neither Pakistan nor
France supported the US intervention in Vietnam and both nations were pulling away from the
organization in the early 1970s Pakistan formally left SEATO in 1973 because the organization
had failed to provide it with assistance in its ongoing conflict against India When the Vietnam
War ended in 1975 the most prominent reason for SEATOs existence disappeared As a result
SEATO formally disbanded in 1977
SCO is now a group of eight countries ie Russia China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan
Uzbekistan Pakistan and India Among its member states the Russia and China have significant
role because of their global and regional importance as major powers At present Iran
Afghanistan Belarus and Mongolia are observer members of SCO will get full memberships in
the forthcoming years Azerbaijan Armenia Cambodia Nepal Turkey and Sri Lanka are the
dialogue partner of SCO
With the expansion of organization the region has become vibrant covering 60 percent of total
territory of Europe and Asia will now represent over 40 percent of the world population (35
billion) and nearly 25 percent of the global GDP The membership of SCO gives the opportunity
to Pakistan to create new linkages in the world economy and also expand its trade relations with
member countries and avail the trade concessional opportunities which are currently under
negotiation
Currently share of SCO in Pakistans total trade is 32 percent which indicates that there exist
opportunities for trade and economic relations The SCO region not only has geographical
proximity with Pakistan but also provides easy accessibility and makes a very profitable market
for Pakistans exports
Pakistan has dynamic relations with SCO members China is a time tested friend while Central
Asian countries have historical ties with Pakistan Russia is also on the way of developing
relations with Pakistan While mega project a game changer-China - Pakistan Economic Corridor
(CPEC) is at implementation stage and also provides market access to Central Asian states
The development of Gwadar port makes Pakistan an indispensable link for SCO member states
The Central Asian countries have enormous resources of oil natural gas liquefied gas uranium
and hydropower that could be channelized to market electricity to the members nations of SCO
such as China Pakistan Russia and observer members like Afghanistan and Iran
In the economic domain Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) and CASA-1000 are
important projects for both Pakistan and Central Asian States TAPIs long 1735km pipeline is
planned to transmit 27 billion cubic meters of gas annually to Afghanistan Pakistan and India
from Turkmenistan and Tajikistan respectively with a potential to enhance the capacity to 33
billion cubic meters
On the other hand CASA-1000 project also provides a landmark cooperation opportunity
between Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Afghanistan and Pakistan The plan envisage export of a total of
1300 MW of excess electricity available during summers from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan 1000
MW for Pakistan and 300 MW for Afghanistan
Pakistan China Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have also agreed to initiate a bus service that would
not only enhance trade but also be an important tool to promote people-to-people contacts
between the four countries Similarly Pakistan can attract the investments in the energy and
infrastructure sector in which some of the SCO countries have a comparative advantage
The strategic location of Pakistan in the region and its economic potential can also help the SCO
members to exploit their economic potential With the prospects of Afghanistan and Iran and
possibly Turkey also joining the Organization in the near future SCO is likely to emerge as a
very strong regional Organization and may merge the Economic Cooperation Organization
A part from trade there is a huge potential in culture sports tourism education science and
technologyThe Shanghai Business Council created in 2006 with its headquarters in Moscow
Russia aims to boost economic cooperation in the framework of the Organization establishing
direct links and dialogue among business and financial circles of the SCO member states
assisting practical promotion of multilateral projects determined by the heads of government in
the Programme of trade and economic cooperation
To explore opportunities of the Shanghai Business Council the FPCCI may introduce itself in
the Council This forum will give opportunities to Pakistani Businessmen to interact with the
businessmen of the members countries for trade and joint ventures investment It is concluded
the regional economic integration may need to transform into cooperative-union in framework of
SCO to stabilize the region and to evolve the socioeconomic prosperity
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
TRADE BETWEEN PAKISTAN amp SCO COUNTRIES
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
(MILLION US$)
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Countries 2014 2015 2016
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Exports Imports Total Trade Exports Imports Total Trade
Exports Imports Total Trade
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
China 27539 132445 159984 24748 164419 189167
19126 172327 191453
Kazakhstan 307 29 336 329 15 344 229
27 256
Kyrgyzstan 22 05 27 26 01 27 33 03
36
Russia 3109 1431 4540 2985 966 3951 2720
1330 4050
Tajikistan 91 01 92 40 01 41 44 190
234
Uzbekistan 23 07 30 20 11 31 34 32
66
India 5299 21699 26998 4563 19635 24198 4613
15914 20527
Pakistans Total Trade with SCO Countries 36390 155617 192007 32711 185048
217759 26799 189823 216622
Pakistans Total Trade with World 247222 475449 722671 220890 439897
660787 204350 471550 675900
Pakistans share of trade with SCO Countries 15 33 27 15 42 33
13 40 32
The OIC Charter
The OIC Charter approved in March 1972 included a commitment to act through all means
both political and military for the liberation of the Holy City of Al-Quds from Zionist
occupation It also reiterated the Islamic statesrsquo resolve to act in unison for the establishment of
world peace and reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nationrsquos charter and to fundamental
human rights The OIC Charter was registered at the United Nations on 1 February 1974
The main objectives of the Charter were to[1]
1 Strengthen
1 Islamic solidarity among Member States
2 Cooperation in the political economic social cultural and scientific fields
3 The struggle of all Muslim people to safeguard their dignity independence and
national rights
2 Coordinate action to
1 Safeguard Islamic Holy Places
2 Support the struggle of the Palestinian people and assist them in recovering their
rights and liberating their occupied territory
3 Work to
1 Eliminate racial discrimination and all forms of colonialism
2 Create a favourable atmosphere for the promotion of cooperation and
understanding between Member States and other countries
The Charter also enumerates the principles governing OIC activities namely
Full equality among Member States
Support for the right to self determination and non-interference in the internal affairs of
Member States
Support for the sovereignty independence and territorial integrity of each State
The settlement of any dispute that might arise among Member States by peaceful means
such as negotiations mediation conciliation and arbitration
A pledge to refrain in relations among Member States from resorting to force or
threatening to resort to the use of force against the unity and territorial integrity or the
political independence of any one of them[2]
Main Bodies and Committees
The OIC is composed of two main bodies
The Conference of Kings and Heads of State and Government which is the supreme
authority of the Organization which meets once every three years to lay down the
Organizationrsquos policy and
The Conference of Foreign Ministers which meets once a year to examine progress on
the implementation of its decisions taken within the framework of the policy defined by
the Islamic Summit
The OIC set up a number of committees to ensure the coordination of its activities and the
attainment of optimal results in all fields of political economic social scientific and intellectual
cooperation The main committees include the Al Quds the Standing Committee for Information
and Cultural Affairs Committee for Economic and Trade Cooperation and Scientific and
Technological Cooperation[3] Fifteen of the committees are concerned with various political
issues such as Palestine Afghanistan Bosnia and Herzegovina etc The others relate to cultural
scientific economic legal financial technical educational informational social and human
affairs institutions Their headquarters have been distributed among the various Islamic
capitals[4]
Evaluation
It has been stated above that the creation of the OIC at the Rabat Summit was primarily in
response to the situation created by the sacrilege of Al Quds Hence the resolution adopted on 25
September 1969 while reaffirming the fraternal and spiritual bonds existing between their
peoples declared ldquofull support to the Palestinian people for the restitution of their rights and in
their struggle for national liberationrdquo It asked the international community to ldquosecure the
speedy withdrawal of Israeli military forces from all the territories occupied as a result of the
war of June 1967rdquo
Organizational issues occupied the next few years The OICrsquos Secretariat was set up in March
1970 and two years later its Charter was approved (in March 1972) Subsequent developments
in the Middle East particularly the Ramadan War of October 1973 forced the OIC to embrace
all issues relating to the ummah and to broaden its canvas of activities The October 1973 war
had not only restored the pride of Arabs but oil diplomacy had forced the European nations to
take a second look at their pro-Israel policies It was against this background that the second
summit was held in Lahore in February 1974
The Lahore Summit was a landmark in the political struggle of Muslims to secure an influential
role in international affairs The leadership provided by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the presence of
Arab leaders like King Faisal Sadat Qaddafi Boumedienne and Arafat among 37 heads of
statesgovernments participating in the Summit conferred on it a unique importance The
Summit decided to address the following issues
1 eradication of poverty disease and ignorance from Islamic countries
2 regulation of the terms of trade between developed countries and developing Muslim
countries especially the supply of raw materials and import of manufactured goods and
know-how
3 ensuring the sovereignty and full control of developing countries over their natural
resources and
4 mutual economic cooperation and solidarity among Muslim countries
It was also decided to establish a committee of eight countries including Pakistan to devise
ways and means for attainment of these objectives
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was recognized as the sole and legitimate
representative of the Palestinians and it was declared that ldquothe Arab cause is the cause of all
countries which oppose aggression and will not tolerate that the use of force be rewarded by
territory or by other gainsrdquo
The OIC has till now held 10 summits interspersed at regular three-year intervals and numerous
meetings at the ministerial and expert levels to oversee summit decisions Unfortunately these
summits have been characterized more by empty rhetoric rather than concrete action Through
the years the configuration of political and economic forces in international affairs has rendered
the Muslim states more vulnerable and their leaders increasingly dependent on the US for their
survival This has emasculated the OIC and weighed heavily on its decisions Its leaders find
themselves in a quandary They are unable or unwilling to exert any meaningful pressure on the
US-led west regarded as allies of Israel to mitigate the hardships of the Muslim people living in
the occupied territories
The mid-70s were the unprecedented but short-lived years of Arab ascendancy and prestige The
diplomatic influence and political clout of the Arab countries was in evidence with dramatic
triumphs in the UN Arabic was accepted as one of the official UN languages The General
Assembly recognized the Palestinian people as ldquothe principal party to the question of
Palestinerdquo Arafat was invited to address the General Assembly on 13 November 1974 and the
PLO was given observer status at the UN In the same year the UNGA established a Committee
on ldquothe exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian peoplerdquoThus the Palestinian issue
was placed in focus drawing increasing international attention and support
The Arab achievements in the UN were crowned with the adoption of UNGA Resolution 3379
of 10 November 1975 by which the General Assembly ldquodetermined that Zionism is a form of
racism and racial discriminationrdquo The Resolution was adopted with 72 in favour 35 against
and 32 abstentions With Zionism as its ideology the reaction in Israel was severe and it
campaigned hard to have the resolution annulled The opportunity came in 1991 Israel with the
encouragement of the US and European states declared its intention to get 3379 revoked The
OIC Summit held in Senegal in August 1991 took note of these efforts and passed a unanimous
resolution to defeat Israeli efforts in the UN by voting for the continuation of 3379
The Israeli resolution when moved in the UNGA after a couple of weeks was carried and the
majority of OIC member states either abstained or voted for the resolution This was illustrative
of the hypocrisy of Muslim potentates of playing to the domestic gallery while keeping the US
in good humour
Since the establishment of the OIC the Islamic world has suffered five major catastrophes
which have reduced it to almost a non-factor in international politics The break up of Pakistan
through armed intervention by India in 1971 the invasion of Lebanon by Israel in 1982 that led
to yet another Palestinian diaspora the Iran-Iraq war the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and
the US occupation of Iraq have dealt a crippling blow to the unity dignity and image of the
Muslim world
The OIC failed to respond meaningfully to any of these crises or demonstrate unity other than
issuing high-sounding declarations at the end of each summit In some cases the OIC even
remained a silent spectator
This attitude not only disappointed Muslims around the world but also encouraged the
Organizationrsquos adversaries to pursue their designs against Muslim countries with impunity The
history of the Palestine problem ostensibly the raison drsquoecirctre of the OIC is a living testimony to
the impotence and paralysis of the Organisation The Palestine issue is now no longer seen as the
vacation of the occupied territories by Israel and restoration of the inalienable rights of the
Palestinians but has been re-designated as a struggle between terrorists (Palestinians) and
civilians (Israelis) The creeping annexation has eroded all possibilities of any settlement as
Israeli policies have completely marginalised the Palestinians
The OIC also espoused the Kashmir and Afghanistan issues but failed to play any important or
significant role in their resolution The gathering of potentates at OIC summits and their empty
calls for unity of action initially stirred Muslim hearts but soon it became obvious that these
speeches laced with rhetoric and insincere sentiments were meaningless and of no use for
confronting the challenges faced by the Islamic ummah
On the Kashmir issue the OIC has failed to muster the courage to challenge New Delhirsquos
policies of repression and widespread violation of human rights in Indian-held Kashmir The
inaction and indifference on Israeli massacres in Sabra and Shattila (Beirut 1982) in Bosnia and
Herzegovina (1992) and the recent US military intervention and brutalities in Iraq and
Afghanistan have many believe rendered the OIC totally irrelevant to the needs and
requirements of ummah The resolutions adopted by the OIC thus betray a lack of seriousness
and sincerity and hence carry no meaning or significance thereby accentuating the frustration of
the ummah
The underlying causes of the inability of the OIC to be reckoned with as an institution of
political significance in global affairs besides the lack of political will of Muslim leaders have
originated from a lack of democratic set-up in those states in addition to structural weaknesses
such as an absence of an institutional framework poverty and illiteracy and failure to recognize
the absolute importance of science and technology for social emancipation and economic
development
10th Summit ndash Kuala Lampur
The last OIC summit held in Putrajaya Malaysia in 2003 was a milestone in the history of the
OIC Under the dynamic leadership of then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad the leaders
decided to make a realistic appraisal of the international situation and the role that the OIC could
play to preserve and protect the interests of member-states against a sustained negative media
campaign and political pressures circumscribing their economic and political rights It was
decided to dispassionately analyse the causes of decline and decay of Muslim societies and the
political marginalization of the member-states and evolve a comprehensive strategy to pull them
out of this morass
President Musharraf who led the Pakistan delegation to the 10th summit in Malaysia gave a
clarion call to all Muslims in support of Mahathirrsquos appeal In a stirring message President
Musharraf outlined the existing realities He referred to turbulent and troubled international
developments ldquoThe world is in turmoil Reliance on military action and force define solutions to
world disputes Foreign occupation persists Suppression of peoples has intensified Power
asymmetries are widening Terrorism is taking its toll Economic recession threatens the world
fabric Poverty is growing Inequality is increasingrdquo
In the context of this world view President Musharraf warned that the Muslim world was in the
vortex of this emerging global crisis Most of those under foreign occupation were Muslim
peoples He cited the tragedies of Palestine and Kashmir ldquoIslamic nations are perceived as the
sponsors of terrorism and proliferators of WMDs Muslims are subjected to discrimination and
exclusion The insidious thesis of an inevitable clash of civilizations between Islam and the West
is being openly propoundedrdquo5
Making this bold and frank analysis of ground realities and the political climate he urged some
soul-searching and stock-taking by the Muslim countries since he believed that the crisis
confronting the Islamic world was both external and internal ldquoIt is rooted in our own weaknesses
and vulnerabilities It flows from our economic social and human underdevelopment from
dependencies and vulnerabilities from the divisions and differences within and amongst our
societies and nestsrdquo
Q5 Elaborate diplomacy of Pakistan on the platform of Southeast Asian Treaty Organization
(SEATO)
Ans In September of 1954 the United States France Great Britain New Zealand Australia the
Philippines Thailand and Pakistan formed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization or SEATO
The purpose of the organization was to prevent communism from gaining ground in the region
Although called the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization only two Southeast Asian countries
became members The Philippines joined in part because of its close ties with the United States
and in part out of concern over the nascent communist insurgency threatening its own
government Thailand similarly joined after learning of a newly established Thai Autonomous
Region in Yunnan Province in South China expressing concern about the potential for Chinese
communist subversion on its own soil The rest of the region was far less concerned about the
threat of communism to internal stability Burma and Indonesia both preferred to maintain their
neutrality rather than join the organization Malaya (including Singapore) found it politically
difficult to give formal support to the organization though through its ties with Great Britain it
learned of key developments Finally the terms of the Geneva Agreements of 1954 signed after
the fall of French Indochina prevented Vietnam Cambodia and Laos from joining any
international military alliance though these countries were ultimately included in the area
protected under SEATO and granted observers status
Most of the SEATO member states were countries located elsewhere but with an interest in the
region or the organization Australia and New Zealand were interested in Asian affairs because
of their geographic position in the Pacific Great Britain and France had long maintained
colonies in the region and were interested in developments in the greater Indochina region For
Pakistan the appeal of the pact was the potential for receiving support in its struggles against
India in spite of the fact that neither country was located in the area under the organizations
jurisdiction Finally US officials believed Southeast Asia to be a crucial frontier in the fight
against communist expansion so it viewed SEATO as essential to its global Cold War policy of
containment
Headquartered in Bangkok Thailand SEATO had only a few formal functions It maintained no
military forces of its own but the organization hosted joint military exercises for member states
each year As the communist threat appeared to change from one of outright attack to one of
internal subversion SEATO worked to strengthen the economic foundations and living standards
of the Southeast Asian States It sponsored a variety of meetings and exhibitions on cultural
religious and historical topics and the non-Asian member states sponsored fellowships for
Southeast Asian scholars
Beyond its activities the SEATO charter was also vitally important to the American rationale for
the Vietnam War The United States used the organization as its justification for refusing to go
forward with the 1956 elections intended to reunify Vietnam instead maintaining the divide
between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel As the conflict in
Vietnam unfolded the inclusion of Vietnam as a territory under SEATO protection gave the
United States the legal framework for its continued involvement there
The organization had a number of weaknesses as well To address the problems attached to the
guerrilla movements and local insurrections that plagued the region in the post-colonial years
the SEATO defense treaty called only for consultation leaving each individual nation to react
individually to internal threats Unlike the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) SEATO
had no independent mechanism for obtaining intelligence or deploying military forces so the
potential for collective action was necessarily limited Moreover because it incorporated only
three Asian members SEATO faced charges of being a new form of Western colonialism
Linguistic and cultural difficulties between the member states also compounded its problems
making it difficult for SEATO to accomplish many of its goals
By the early 1970s members began to withdraw from the organization Neither Pakistan nor
France supported the US intervention in Vietnam and both nations were pulling away from the
organization in the early 1970s Pakistan formally left SEATO in 1973 because the organization
had failed to provide it with assistance in its ongoing conflict against India When the Vietnam
War ended in 1975 the most prominent reason for SEATOs existence disappeared As a result
SEATO formally disbanded in 1977
members to exploit their economic potential With the prospects of Afghanistan and Iran and
possibly Turkey also joining the Organization in the near future SCO is likely to emerge as a
very strong regional Organization and may merge the Economic Cooperation Organization
A part from trade there is a huge potential in culture sports tourism education science and
technologyThe Shanghai Business Council created in 2006 with its headquarters in Moscow
Russia aims to boost economic cooperation in the framework of the Organization establishing
direct links and dialogue among business and financial circles of the SCO member states
assisting practical promotion of multilateral projects determined by the heads of government in
the Programme of trade and economic cooperation
To explore opportunities of the Shanghai Business Council the FPCCI may introduce itself in
the Council This forum will give opportunities to Pakistani Businessmen to interact with the
businessmen of the members countries for trade and joint ventures investment It is concluded
the regional economic integration may need to transform into cooperative-union in framework of
SCO to stabilize the region and to evolve the socioeconomic prosperity
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
TRADE BETWEEN PAKISTAN amp SCO COUNTRIES
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
(MILLION US$)
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Countries 2014 2015 2016
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
Exports Imports Total Trade Exports Imports Total Trade
Exports Imports Total Trade
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
China 27539 132445 159984 24748 164419 189167
19126 172327 191453
Kazakhstan 307 29 336 329 15 344 229
27 256
Kyrgyzstan 22 05 27 26 01 27 33 03
36
Russia 3109 1431 4540 2985 966 3951 2720
1330 4050
Tajikistan 91 01 92 40 01 41 44 190
234
Uzbekistan 23 07 30 20 11 31 34 32
66
India 5299 21699 26998 4563 19635 24198 4613
15914 20527
Pakistans Total Trade with SCO Countries 36390 155617 192007 32711 185048
217759 26799 189823 216622
Pakistans Total Trade with World 247222 475449 722671 220890 439897
660787 204350 471550 675900
Pakistans share of trade with SCO Countries 15 33 27 15 42 33
13 40 32
The OIC Charter
The OIC Charter approved in March 1972 included a commitment to act through all means
both political and military for the liberation of the Holy City of Al-Quds from Zionist
occupation It also reiterated the Islamic statesrsquo resolve to act in unison for the establishment of
world peace and reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nationrsquos charter and to fundamental
human rights The OIC Charter was registered at the United Nations on 1 February 1974
The main objectives of the Charter were to[1]
1 Strengthen
1 Islamic solidarity among Member States
2 Cooperation in the political economic social cultural and scientific fields
3 The struggle of all Muslim people to safeguard their dignity independence and
national rights
2 Coordinate action to
1 Safeguard Islamic Holy Places
2 Support the struggle of the Palestinian people and assist them in recovering their
rights and liberating their occupied territory
3 Work to
1 Eliminate racial discrimination and all forms of colonialism
2 Create a favourable atmosphere for the promotion of cooperation and
understanding between Member States and other countries
The Charter also enumerates the principles governing OIC activities namely
Full equality among Member States
Support for the right to self determination and non-interference in the internal affairs of
Member States
Support for the sovereignty independence and territorial integrity of each State
The settlement of any dispute that might arise among Member States by peaceful means
such as negotiations mediation conciliation and arbitration
A pledge to refrain in relations among Member States from resorting to force or
threatening to resort to the use of force against the unity and territorial integrity or the
political independence of any one of them[2]
Main Bodies and Committees
The OIC is composed of two main bodies
The Conference of Kings and Heads of State and Government which is the supreme
authority of the Organization which meets once every three years to lay down the
Organizationrsquos policy and
The Conference of Foreign Ministers which meets once a year to examine progress on
the implementation of its decisions taken within the framework of the policy defined by
the Islamic Summit
The OIC set up a number of committees to ensure the coordination of its activities and the
attainment of optimal results in all fields of political economic social scientific and intellectual
cooperation The main committees include the Al Quds the Standing Committee for Information
and Cultural Affairs Committee for Economic and Trade Cooperation and Scientific and
Technological Cooperation[3] Fifteen of the committees are concerned with various political
issues such as Palestine Afghanistan Bosnia and Herzegovina etc The others relate to cultural
scientific economic legal financial technical educational informational social and human
affairs institutions Their headquarters have been distributed among the various Islamic
capitals[4]
Evaluation
It has been stated above that the creation of the OIC at the Rabat Summit was primarily in
response to the situation created by the sacrilege of Al Quds Hence the resolution adopted on 25
September 1969 while reaffirming the fraternal and spiritual bonds existing between their
peoples declared ldquofull support to the Palestinian people for the restitution of their rights and in
their struggle for national liberationrdquo It asked the international community to ldquosecure the
speedy withdrawal of Israeli military forces from all the territories occupied as a result of the
war of June 1967rdquo
Organizational issues occupied the next few years The OICrsquos Secretariat was set up in March
1970 and two years later its Charter was approved (in March 1972) Subsequent developments
in the Middle East particularly the Ramadan War of October 1973 forced the OIC to embrace
all issues relating to the ummah and to broaden its canvas of activities The October 1973 war
had not only restored the pride of Arabs but oil diplomacy had forced the European nations to
take a second look at their pro-Israel policies It was against this background that the second
summit was held in Lahore in February 1974
The Lahore Summit was a landmark in the political struggle of Muslims to secure an influential
role in international affairs The leadership provided by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the presence of
Arab leaders like King Faisal Sadat Qaddafi Boumedienne and Arafat among 37 heads of
statesgovernments participating in the Summit conferred on it a unique importance The
Summit decided to address the following issues
1 eradication of poverty disease and ignorance from Islamic countries
2 regulation of the terms of trade between developed countries and developing Muslim
countries especially the supply of raw materials and import of manufactured goods and
know-how
3 ensuring the sovereignty and full control of developing countries over their natural
resources and
4 mutual economic cooperation and solidarity among Muslim countries
It was also decided to establish a committee of eight countries including Pakistan to devise
ways and means for attainment of these objectives
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was recognized as the sole and legitimate
representative of the Palestinians and it was declared that ldquothe Arab cause is the cause of all
countries which oppose aggression and will not tolerate that the use of force be rewarded by
territory or by other gainsrdquo
The OIC has till now held 10 summits interspersed at regular three-year intervals and numerous
meetings at the ministerial and expert levels to oversee summit decisions Unfortunately these
summits have been characterized more by empty rhetoric rather than concrete action Through
the years the configuration of political and economic forces in international affairs has rendered
the Muslim states more vulnerable and their leaders increasingly dependent on the US for their
survival This has emasculated the OIC and weighed heavily on its decisions Its leaders find
themselves in a quandary They are unable or unwilling to exert any meaningful pressure on the
US-led west regarded as allies of Israel to mitigate the hardships of the Muslim people living in
the occupied territories
The mid-70s were the unprecedented but short-lived years of Arab ascendancy and prestige The
diplomatic influence and political clout of the Arab countries was in evidence with dramatic
triumphs in the UN Arabic was accepted as one of the official UN languages The General
Assembly recognized the Palestinian people as ldquothe principal party to the question of
Palestinerdquo Arafat was invited to address the General Assembly on 13 November 1974 and the
PLO was given observer status at the UN In the same year the UNGA established a Committee
on ldquothe exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian peoplerdquoThus the Palestinian issue
was placed in focus drawing increasing international attention and support
The Arab achievements in the UN were crowned with the adoption of UNGA Resolution 3379
of 10 November 1975 by which the General Assembly ldquodetermined that Zionism is a form of
racism and racial discriminationrdquo The Resolution was adopted with 72 in favour 35 against
and 32 abstentions With Zionism as its ideology the reaction in Israel was severe and it
campaigned hard to have the resolution annulled The opportunity came in 1991 Israel with the
encouragement of the US and European states declared its intention to get 3379 revoked The
OIC Summit held in Senegal in August 1991 took note of these efforts and passed a unanimous
resolution to defeat Israeli efforts in the UN by voting for the continuation of 3379
The Israeli resolution when moved in the UNGA after a couple of weeks was carried and the
majority of OIC member states either abstained or voted for the resolution This was illustrative
of the hypocrisy of Muslim potentates of playing to the domestic gallery while keeping the US
in good humour
Since the establishment of the OIC the Islamic world has suffered five major catastrophes
which have reduced it to almost a non-factor in international politics The break up of Pakistan
through armed intervention by India in 1971 the invasion of Lebanon by Israel in 1982 that led
to yet another Palestinian diaspora the Iran-Iraq war the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and
the US occupation of Iraq have dealt a crippling blow to the unity dignity and image of the
Muslim world
The OIC failed to respond meaningfully to any of these crises or demonstrate unity other than
issuing high-sounding declarations at the end of each summit In some cases the OIC even
remained a silent spectator
This attitude not only disappointed Muslims around the world but also encouraged the
Organizationrsquos adversaries to pursue their designs against Muslim countries with impunity The
history of the Palestine problem ostensibly the raison drsquoecirctre of the OIC is a living testimony to
the impotence and paralysis of the Organisation The Palestine issue is now no longer seen as the
vacation of the occupied territories by Israel and restoration of the inalienable rights of the
Palestinians but has been re-designated as a struggle between terrorists (Palestinians) and
civilians (Israelis) The creeping annexation has eroded all possibilities of any settlement as
Israeli policies have completely marginalised the Palestinians
The OIC also espoused the Kashmir and Afghanistan issues but failed to play any important or
significant role in their resolution The gathering of potentates at OIC summits and their empty
calls for unity of action initially stirred Muslim hearts but soon it became obvious that these
speeches laced with rhetoric and insincere sentiments were meaningless and of no use for
confronting the challenges faced by the Islamic ummah
On the Kashmir issue the OIC has failed to muster the courage to challenge New Delhirsquos
policies of repression and widespread violation of human rights in Indian-held Kashmir The
inaction and indifference on Israeli massacres in Sabra and Shattila (Beirut 1982) in Bosnia and
Herzegovina (1992) and the recent US military intervention and brutalities in Iraq and
Afghanistan have many believe rendered the OIC totally irrelevant to the needs and
requirements of ummah The resolutions adopted by the OIC thus betray a lack of seriousness
and sincerity and hence carry no meaning or significance thereby accentuating the frustration of
the ummah
The underlying causes of the inability of the OIC to be reckoned with as an institution of
political significance in global affairs besides the lack of political will of Muslim leaders have
originated from a lack of democratic set-up in those states in addition to structural weaknesses
such as an absence of an institutional framework poverty and illiteracy and failure to recognize
the absolute importance of science and technology for social emancipation and economic
development
10th Summit ndash Kuala Lampur
The last OIC summit held in Putrajaya Malaysia in 2003 was a milestone in the history of the
OIC Under the dynamic leadership of then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad the leaders
decided to make a realistic appraisal of the international situation and the role that the OIC could
play to preserve and protect the interests of member-states against a sustained negative media
campaign and political pressures circumscribing their economic and political rights It was
decided to dispassionately analyse the causes of decline and decay of Muslim societies and the
political marginalization of the member-states and evolve a comprehensive strategy to pull them
out of this morass
President Musharraf who led the Pakistan delegation to the 10th summit in Malaysia gave a
clarion call to all Muslims in support of Mahathirrsquos appeal In a stirring message President
Musharraf outlined the existing realities He referred to turbulent and troubled international
developments ldquoThe world is in turmoil Reliance on military action and force define solutions to
world disputes Foreign occupation persists Suppression of peoples has intensified Power
asymmetries are widening Terrorism is taking its toll Economic recession threatens the world
fabric Poverty is growing Inequality is increasingrdquo
In the context of this world view President Musharraf warned that the Muslim world was in the
vortex of this emerging global crisis Most of those under foreign occupation were Muslim
peoples He cited the tragedies of Palestine and Kashmir ldquoIslamic nations are perceived as the
sponsors of terrorism and proliferators of WMDs Muslims are subjected to discrimination and
exclusion The insidious thesis of an inevitable clash of civilizations between Islam and the West
is being openly propoundedrdquo5
Making this bold and frank analysis of ground realities and the political climate he urged some
soul-searching and stock-taking by the Muslim countries since he believed that the crisis
confronting the Islamic world was both external and internal ldquoIt is rooted in our own weaknesses
and vulnerabilities It flows from our economic social and human underdevelopment from
dependencies and vulnerabilities from the divisions and differences within and amongst our
societies and nestsrdquo
Q5 Elaborate diplomacy of Pakistan on the platform of Southeast Asian Treaty Organization
(SEATO)
Ans In September of 1954 the United States France Great Britain New Zealand Australia the
Philippines Thailand and Pakistan formed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization or SEATO
The purpose of the organization was to prevent communism from gaining ground in the region
Although called the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization only two Southeast Asian countries
became members The Philippines joined in part because of its close ties with the United States
and in part out of concern over the nascent communist insurgency threatening its own
government Thailand similarly joined after learning of a newly established Thai Autonomous
Region in Yunnan Province in South China expressing concern about the potential for Chinese
communist subversion on its own soil The rest of the region was far less concerned about the
threat of communism to internal stability Burma and Indonesia both preferred to maintain their
neutrality rather than join the organization Malaya (including Singapore) found it politically
difficult to give formal support to the organization though through its ties with Great Britain it
learned of key developments Finally the terms of the Geneva Agreements of 1954 signed after
the fall of French Indochina prevented Vietnam Cambodia and Laos from joining any
international military alliance though these countries were ultimately included in the area
protected under SEATO and granted observers status
Most of the SEATO member states were countries located elsewhere but with an interest in the
region or the organization Australia and New Zealand were interested in Asian affairs because
of their geographic position in the Pacific Great Britain and France had long maintained
colonies in the region and were interested in developments in the greater Indochina region For
Pakistan the appeal of the pact was the potential for receiving support in its struggles against
India in spite of the fact that neither country was located in the area under the organizations
jurisdiction Finally US officials believed Southeast Asia to be a crucial frontier in the fight
against communist expansion so it viewed SEATO as essential to its global Cold War policy of
containment
Headquartered in Bangkok Thailand SEATO had only a few formal functions It maintained no
military forces of its own but the organization hosted joint military exercises for member states
each year As the communist threat appeared to change from one of outright attack to one of
internal subversion SEATO worked to strengthen the economic foundations and living standards
of the Southeast Asian States It sponsored a variety of meetings and exhibitions on cultural
religious and historical topics and the non-Asian member states sponsored fellowships for
Southeast Asian scholars
Beyond its activities the SEATO charter was also vitally important to the American rationale for
the Vietnam War The United States used the organization as its justification for refusing to go
forward with the 1956 elections intended to reunify Vietnam instead maintaining the divide
between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel As the conflict in
Vietnam unfolded the inclusion of Vietnam as a territory under SEATO protection gave the
United States the legal framework for its continued involvement there
The organization had a number of weaknesses as well To address the problems attached to the
guerrilla movements and local insurrections that plagued the region in the post-colonial years
the SEATO defense treaty called only for consultation leaving each individual nation to react
individually to internal threats Unlike the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) SEATO
had no independent mechanism for obtaining intelligence or deploying military forces so the
potential for collective action was necessarily limited Moreover because it incorporated only
three Asian members SEATO faced charges of being a new form of Western colonialism
Linguistic and cultural difficulties between the member states also compounded its problems
making it difficult for SEATO to accomplish many of its goals
By the early 1970s members began to withdraw from the organization Neither Pakistan nor
France supported the US intervention in Vietnam and both nations were pulling away from the
organization in the early 1970s Pakistan formally left SEATO in 1973 because the organization
had failed to provide it with assistance in its ongoing conflict against India When the Vietnam
War ended in 1975 the most prominent reason for SEATOs existence disappeared As a result
SEATO formally disbanded in 1977
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
====
China 27539 132445 159984 24748 164419 189167
19126 172327 191453
Kazakhstan 307 29 336 329 15 344 229
27 256
Kyrgyzstan 22 05 27 26 01 27 33 03
36
Russia 3109 1431 4540 2985 966 3951 2720
1330 4050
Tajikistan 91 01 92 40 01 41 44 190
234
Uzbekistan 23 07 30 20 11 31 34 32
66
India 5299 21699 26998 4563 19635 24198 4613
15914 20527
Pakistans Total Trade with SCO Countries 36390 155617 192007 32711 185048
217759 26799 189823 216622
Pakistans Total Trade with World 247222 475449 722671 220890 439897
660787 204350 471550 675900
Pakistans share of trade with SCO Countries 15 33 27 15 42 33
13 40 32
The OIC Charter
The OIC Charter approved in March 1972 included a commitment to act through all means
both political and military for the liberation of the Holy City of Al-Quds from Zionist
occupation It also reiterated the Islamic statesrsquo resolve to act in unison for the establishment of
world peace and reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nationrsquos charter and to fundamental
human rights The OIC Charter was registered at the United Nations on 1 February 1974
The main objectives of the Charter were to[1]
1 Strengthen
1 Islamic solidarity among Member States
2 Cooperation in the political economic social cultural and scientific fields
3 The struggle of all Muslim people to safeguard their dignity independence and
national rights
2 Coordinate action to
1 Safeguard Islamic Holy Places
2 Support the struggle of the Palestinian people and assist them in recovering their
rights and liberating their occupied territory
3 Work to
1 Eliminate racial discrimination and all forms of colonialism
2 Create a favourable atmosphere for the promotion of cooperation and
understanding between Member States and other countries
The Charter also enumerates the principles governing OIC activities namely
Full equality among Member States
Support for the right to self determination and non-interference in the internal affairs of
Member States
Support for the sovereignty independence and territorial integrity of each State
The settlement of any dispute that might arise among Member States by peaceful means
such as negotiations mediation conciliation and arbitration
A pledge to refrain in relations among Member States from resorting to force or
threatening to resort to the use of force against the unity and territorial integrity or the
political independence of any one of them[2]
Main Bodies and Committees
The OIC is composed of two main bodies
The Conference of Kings and Heads of State and Government which is the supreme
authority of the Organization which meets once every three years to lay down the
Organizationrsquos policy and
The Conference of Foreign Ministers which meets once a year to examine progress on
the implementation of its decisions taken within the framework of the policy defined by
the Islamic Summit
The OIC set up a number of committees to ensure the coordination of its activities and the
attainment of optimal results in all fields of political economic social scientific and intellectual
cooperation The main committees include the Al Quds the Standing Committee for Information
and Cultural Affairs Committee for Economic and Trade Cooperation and Scientific and
Technological Cooperation[3] Fifteen of the committees are concerned with various political
issues such as Palestine Afghanistan Bosnia and Herzegovina etc The others relate to cultural
scientific economic legal financial technical educational informational social and human
affairs institutions Their headquarters have been distributed among the various Islamic
capitals[4]
Evaluation
It has been stated above that the creation of the OIC at the Rabat Summit was primarily in
response to the situation created by the sacrilege of Al Quds Hence the resolution adopted on 25
September 1969 while reaffirming the fraternal and spiritual bonds existing between their
peoples declared ldquofull support to the Palestinian people for the restitution of their rights and in
their struggle for national liberationrdquo It asked the international community to ldquosecure the
speedy withdrawal of Israeli military forces from all the territories occupied as a result of the
war of June 1967rdquo
Organizational issues occupied the next few years The OICrsquos Secretariat was set up in March
1970 and two years later its Charter was approved (in March 1972) Subsequent developments
in the Middle East particularly the Ramadan War of October 1973 forced the OIC to embrace
all issues relating to the ummah and to broaden its canvas of activities The October 1973 war
had not only restored the pride of Arabs but oil diplomacy had forced the European nations to
take a second look at their pro-Israel policies It was against this background that the second
summit was held in Lahore in February 1974
The Lahore Summit was a landmark in the political struggle of Muslims to secure an influential
role in international affairs The leadership provided by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the presence of
Arab leaders like King Faisal Sadat Qaddafi Boumedienne and Arafat among 37 heads of
statesgovernments participating in the Summit conferred on it a unique importance The
Summit decided to address the following issues
1 eradication of poverty disease and ignorance from Islamic countries
2 regulation of the terms of trade between developed countries and developing Muslim
countries especially the supply of raw materials and import of manufactured goods and
know-how
3 ensuring the sovereignty and full control of developing countries over their natural
resources and
4 mutual economic cooperation and solidarity among Muslim countries
It was also decided to establish a committee of eight countries including Pakistan to devise
ways and means for attainment of these objectives
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was recognized as the sole and legitimate
representative of the Palestinians and it was declared that ldquothe Arab cause is the cause of all
countries which oppose aggression and will not tolerate that the use of force be rewarded by
territory or by other gainsrdquo
The OIC has till now held 10 summits interspersed at regular three-year intervals and numerous
meetings at the ministerial and expert levels to oversee summit decisions Unfortunately these
summits have been characterized more by empty rhetoric rather than concrete action Through
the years the configuration of political and economic forces in international affairs has rendered
the Muslim states more vulnerable and their leaders increasingly dependent on the US for their
survival This has emasculated the OIC and weighed heavily on its decisions Its leaders find
themselves in a quandary They are unable or unwilling to exert any meaningful pressure on the
US-led west regarded as allies of Israel to mitigate the hardships of the Muslim people living in
the occupied territories
The mid-70s were the unprecedented but short-lived years of Arab ascendancy and prestige The
diplomatic influence and political clout of the Arab countries was in evidence with dramatic
triumphs in the UN Arabic was accepted as one of the official UN languages The General
Assembly recognized the Palestinian people as ldquothe principal party to the question of
Palestinerdquo Arafat was invited to address the General Assembly on 13 November 1974 and the
PLO was given observer status at the UN In the same year the UNGA established a Committee
on ldquothe exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian peoplerdquoThus the Palestinian issue
was placed in focus drawing increasing international attention and support
The Arab achievements in the UN were crowned with the adoption of UNGA Resolution 3379
of 10 November 1975 by which the General Assembly ldquodetermined that Zionism is a form of
racism and racial discriminationrdquo The Resolution was adopted with 72 in favour 35 against
and 32 abstentions With Zionism as its ideology the reaction in Israel was severe and it
campaigned hard to have the resolution annulled The opportunity came in 1991 Israel with the
encouragement of the US and European states declared its intention to get 3379 revoked The
OIC Summit held in Senegal in August 1991 took note of these efforts and passed a unanimous
resolution to defeat Israeli efforts in the UN by voting for the continuation of 3379
The Israeli resolution when moved in the UNGA after a couple of weeks was carried and the
majority of OIC member states either abstained or voted for the resolution This was illustrative
of the hypocrisy of Muslim potentates of playing to the domestic gallery while keeping the US
in good humour
Since the establishment of the OIC the Islamic world has suffered five major catastrophes
which have reduced it to almost a non-factor in international politics The break up of Pakistan
through armed intervention by India in 1971 the invasion of Lebanon by Israel in 1982 that led
to yet another Palestinian diaspora the Iran-Iraq war the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and
the US occupation of Iraq have dealt a crippling blow to the unity dignity and image of the
Muslim world
The OIC failed to respond meaningfully to any of these crises or demonstrate unity other than
issuing high-sounding declarations at the end of each summit In some cases the OIC even
remained a silent spectator
This attitude not only disappointed Muslims around the world but also encouraged the
Organizationrsquos adversaries to pursue their designs against Muslim countries with impunity The
history of the Palestine problem ostensibly the raison drsquoecirctre of the OIC is a living testimony to
the impotence and paralysis of the Organisation The Palestine issue is now no longer seen as the
vacation of the occupied territories by Israel and restoration of the inalienable rights of the
Palestinians but has been re-designated as a struggle between terrorists (Palestinians) and
civilians (Israelis) The creeping annexation has eroded all possibilities of any settlement as
Israeli policies have completely marginalised the Palestinians
The OIC also espoused the Kashmir and Afghanistan issues but failed to play any important or
significant role in their resolution The gathering of potentates at OIC summits and their empty
calls for unity of action initially stirred Muslim hearts but soon it became obvious that these
speeches laced with rhetoric and insincere sentiments were meaningless and of no use for
confronting the challenges faced by the Islamic ummah
On the Kashmir issue the OIC has failed to muster the courage to challenge New Delhirsquos
policies of repression and widespread violation of human rights in Indian-held Kashmir The
inaction and indifference on Israeli massacres in Sabra and Shattila (Beirut 1982) in Bosnia and
Herzegovina (1992) and the recent US military intervention and brutalities in Iraq and
Afghanistan have many believe rendered the OIC totally irrelevant to the needs and
requirements of ummah The resolutions adopted by the OIC thus betray a lack of seriousness
and sincerity and hence carry no meaning or significance thereby accentuating the frustration of
the ummah
The underlying causes of the inability of the OIC to be reckoned with as an institution of
political significance in global affairs besides the lack of political will of Muslim leaders have
originated from a lack of democratic set-up in those states in addition to structural weaknesses
such as an absence of an institutional framework poverty and illiteracy and failure to recognize
the absolute importance of science and technology for social emancipation and economic
development
10th Summit ndash Kuala Lampur
The last OIC summit held in Putrajaya Malaysia in 2003 was a milestone in the history of the
OIC Under the dynamic leadership of then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad the leaders
decided to make a realistic appraisal of the international situation and the role that the OIC could
play to preserve and protect the interests of member-states against a sustained negative media
campaign and political pressures circumscribing their economic and political rights It was
decided to dispassionately analyse the causes of decline and decay of Muslim societies and the
political marginalization of the member-states and evolve a comprehensive strategy to pull them
out of this morass
President Musharraf who led the Pakistan delegation to the 10th summit in Malaysia gave a
clarion call to all Muslims in support of Mahathirrsquos appeal In a stirring message President
Musharraf outlined the existing realities He referred to turbulent and troubled international
developments ldquoThe world is in turmoil Reliance on military action and force define solutions to
world disputes Foreign occupation persists Suppression of peoples has intensified Power
asymmetries are widening Terrorism is taking its toll Economic recession threatens the world
fabric Poverty is growing Inequality is increasingrdquo
In the context of this world view President Musharraf warned that the Muslim world was in the
vortex of this emerging global crisis Most of those under foreign occupation were Muslim
peoples He cited the tragedies of Palestine and Kashmir ldquoIslamic nations are perceived as the
sponsors of terrorism and proliferators of WMDs Muslims are subjected to discrimination and
exclusion The insidious thesis of an inevitable clash of civilizations between Islam and the West
is being openly propoundedrdquo5
Making this bold and frank analysis of ground realities and the political climate he urged some
soul-searching and stock-taking by the Muslim countries since he believed that the crisis
confronting the Islamic world was both external and internal ldquoIt is rooted in our own weaknesses
and vulnerabilities It flows from our economic social and human underdevelopment from
dependencies and vulnerabilities from the divisions and differences within and amongst our
societies and nestsrdquo
Q5 Elaborate diplomacy of Pakistan on the platform of Southeast Asian Treaty Organization
(SEATO)
Ans In September of 1954 the United States France Great Britain New Zealand Australia the
Philippines Thailand and Pakistan formed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization or SEATO
The purpose of the organization was to prevent communism from gaining ground in the region
Although called the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization only two Southeast Asian countries
became members The Philippines joined in part because of its close ties with the United States
and in part out of concern over the nascent communist insurgency threatening its own
government Thailand similarly joined after learning of a newly established Thai Autonomous
Region in Yunnan Province in South China expressing concern about the potential for Chinese
communist subversion on its own soil The rest of the region was far less concerned about the
threat of communism to internal stability Burma and Indonesia both preferred to maintain their
neutrality rather than join the organization Malaya (including Singapore) found it politically
difficult to give formal support to the organization though through its ties with Great Britain it
learned of key developments Finally the terms of the Geneva Agreements of 1954 signed after
the fall of French Indochina prevented Vietnam Cambodia and Laos from joining any
international military alliance though these countries were ultimately included in the area
protected under SEATO and granted observers status
Most of the SEATO member states were countries located elsewhere but with an interest in the
region or the organization Australia and New Zealand were interested in Asian affairs because
of their geographic position in the Pacific Great Britain and France had long maintained
colonies in the region and were interested in developments in the greater Indochina region For
Pakistan the appeal of the pact was the potential for receiving support in its struggles against
India in spite of the fact that neither country was located in the area under the organizations
jurisdiction Finally US officials believed Southeast Asia to be a crucial frontier in the fight
against communist expansion so it viewed SEATO as essential to its global Cold War policy of
containment
Headquartered in Bangkok Thailand SEATO had only a few formal functions It maintained no
military forces of its own but the organization hosted joint military exercises for member states
each year As the communist threat appeared to change from one of outright attack to one of
internal subversion SEATO worked to strengthen the economic foundations and living standards
of the Southeast Asian States It sponsored a variety of meetings and exhibitions on cultural
religious and historical topics and the non-Asian member states sponsored fellowships for
Southeast Asian scholars
Beyond its activities the SEATO charter was also vitally important to the American rationale for
the Vietnam War The United States used the organization as its justification for refusing to go
forward with the 1956 elections intended to reunify Vietnam instead maintaining the divide
between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel As the conflict in
Vietnam unfolded the inclusion of Vietnam as a territory under SEATO protection gave the
United States the legal framework for its continued involvement there
The organization had a number of weaknesses as well To address the problems attached to the
guerrilla movements and local insurrections that plagued the region in the post-colonial years
the SEATO defense treaty called only for consultation leaving each individual nation to react
individually to internal threats Unlike the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) SEATO
had no independent mechanism for obtaining intelligence or deploying military forces so the
potential for collective action was necessarily limited Moreover because it incorporated only
three Asian members SEATO faced charges of being a new form of Western colonialism
Linguistic and cultural difficulties between the member states also compounded its problems
making it difficult for SEATO to accomplish many of its goals
By the early 1970s members began to withdraw from the organization Neither Pakistan nor
France supported the US intervention in Vietnam and both nations were pulling away from the
organization in the early 1970s Pakistan formally left SEATO in 1973 because the organization
had failed to provide it with assistance in its ongoing conflict against India When the Vietnam
War ended in 1975 the most prominent reason for SEATOs existence disappeared As a result
SEATO formally disbanded in 1977
1 Strengthen
1 Islamic solidarity among Member States
2 Cooperation in the political economic social cultural and scientific fields
3 The struggle of all Muslim people to safeguard their dignity independence and
national rights
2 Coordinate action to
1 Safeguard Islamic Holy Places
2 Support the struggle of the Palestinian people and assist them in recovering their
rights and liberating their occupied territory
3 Work to
1 Eliminate racial discrimination and all forms of colonialism
2 Create a favourable atmosphere for the promotion of cooperation and
understanding between Member States and other countries
The Charter also enumerates the principles governing OIC activities namely
Full equality among Member States
Support for the right to self determination and non-interference in the internal affairs of
Member States
Support for the sovereignty independence and territorial integrity of each State
The settlement of any dispute that might arise among Member States by peaceful means
such as negotiations mediation conciliation and arbitration
A pledge to refrain in relations among Member States from resorting to force or
threatening to resort to the use of force against the unity and territorial integrity or the
political independence of any one of them[2]
Main Bodies and Committees
The OIC is composed of two main bodies
The Conference of Kings and Heads of State and Government which is the supreme
authority of the Organization which meets once every three years to lay down the
Organizationrsquos policy and
The Conference of Foreign Ministers which meets once a year to examine progress on
the implementation of its decisions taken within the framework of the policy defined by
the Islamic Summit
The OIC set up a number of committees to ensure the coordination of its activities and the
attainment of optimal results in all fields of political economic social scientific and intellectual
cooperation The main committees include the Al Quds the Standing Committee for Information
and Cultural Affairs Committee for Economic and Trade Cooperation and Scientific and
Technological Cooperation[3] Fifteen of the committees are concerned with various political
issues such as Palestine Afghanistan Bosnia and Herzegovina etc The others relate to cultural
scientific economic legal financial technical educational informational social and human
affairs institutions Their headquarters have been distributed among the various Islamic
capitals[4]
Evaluation
It has been stated above that the creation of the OIC at the Rabat Summit was primarily in
response to the situation created by the sacrilege of Al Quds Hence the resolution adopted on 25
September 1969 while reaffirming the fraternal and spiritual bonds existing between their
peoples declared ldquofull support to the Palestinian people for the restitution of their rights and in
their struggle for national liberationrdquo It asked the international community to ldquosecure the
speedy withdrawal of Israeli military forces from all the territories occupied as a result of the
war of June 1967rdquo
Organizational issues occupied the next few years The OICrsquos Secretariat was set up in March
1970 and two years later its Charter was approved (in March 1972) Subsequent developments
in the Middle East particularly the Ramadan War of October 1973 forced the OIC to embrace
all issues relating to the ummah and to broaden its canvas of activities The October 1973 war
had not only restored the pride of Arabs but oil diplomacy had forced the European nations to
take a second look at their pro-Israel policies It was against this background that the second
summit was held in Lahore in February 1974
The Lahore Summit was a landmark in the political struggle of Muslims to secure an influential
role in international affairs The leadership provided by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the presence of
Arab leaders like King Faisal Sadat Qaddafi Boumedienne and Arafat among 37 heads of
statesgovernments participating in the Summit conferred on it a unique importance The
Summit decided to address the following issues
1 eradication of poverty disease and ignorance from Islamic countries
2 regulation of the terms of trade between developed countries and developing Muslim
countries especially the supply of raw materials and import of manufactured goods and
know-how
3 ensuring the sovereignty and full control of developing countries over their natural
resources and
4 mutual economic cooperation and solidarity among Muslim countries
It was also decided to establish a committee of eight countries including Pakistan to devise
ways and means for attainment of these objectives
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was recognized as the sole and legitimate
representative of the Palestinians and it was declared that ldquothe Arab cause is the cause of all
countries which oppose aggression and will not tolerate that the use of force be rewarded by
territory or by other gainsrdquo
The OIC has till now held 10 summits interspersed at regular three-year intervals and numerous
meetings at the ministerial and expert levels to oversee summit decisions Unfortunately these
summits have been characterized more by empty rhetoric rather than concrete action Through
the years the configuration of political and economic forces in international affairs has rendered
the Muslim states more vulnerable and their leaders increasingly dependent on the US for their
survival This has emasculated the OIC and weighed heavily on its decisions Its leaders find
themselves in a quandary They are unable or unwilling to exert any meaningful pressure on the
US-led west regarded as allies of Israel to mitigate the hardships of the Muslim people living in
the occupied territories
The mid-70s were the unprecedented but short-lived years of Arab ascendancy and prestige The
diplomatic influence and political clout of the Arab countries was in evidence with dramatic
triumphs in the UN Arabic was accepted as one of the official UN languages The General
Assembly recognized the Palestinian people as ldquothe principal party to the question of
Palestinerdquo Arafat was invited to address the General Assembly on 13 November 1974 and the
PLO was given observer status at the UN In the same year the UNGA established a Committee
on ldquothe exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian peoplerdquoThus the Palestinian issue
was placed in focus drawing increasing international attention and support
The Arab achievements in the UN were crowned with the adoption of UNGA Resolution 3379
of 10 November 1975 by which the General Assembly ldquodetermined that Zionism is a form of
racism and racial discriminationrdquo The Resolution was adopted with 72 in favour 35 against
and 32 abstentions With Zionism as its ideology the reaction in Israel was severe and it
campaigned hard to have the resolution annulled The opportunity came in 1991 Israel with the
encouragement of the US and European states declared its intention to get 3379 revoked The
OIC Summit held in Senegal in August 1991 took note of these efforts and passed a unanimous
resolution to defeat Israeli efforts in the UN by voting for the continuation of 3379
The Israeli resolution when moved in the UNGA after a couple of weeks was carried and the
majority of OIC member states either abstained or voted for the resolution This was illustrative
of the hypocrisy of Muslim potentates of playing to the domestic gallery while keeping the US
in good humour
Since the establishment of the OIC the Islamic world has suffered five major catastrophes
which have reduced it to almost a non-factor in international politics The break up of Pakistan
through armed intervention by India in 1971 the invasion of Lebanon by Israel in 1982 that led
to yet another Palestinian diaspora the Iran-Iraq war the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and
the US occupation of Iraq have dealt a crippling blow to the unity dignity and image of the
Muslim world
The OIC failed to respond meaningfully to any of these crises or demonstrate unity other than
issuing high-sounding declarations at the end of each summit In some cases the OIC even
remained a silent spectator
This attitude not only disappointed Muslims around the world but also encouraged the
Organizationrsquos adversaries to pursue their designs against Muslim countries with impunity The
history of the Palestine problem ostensibly the raison drsquoecirctre of the OIC is a living testimony to
the impotence and paralysis of the Organisation The Palestine issue is now no longer seen as the
vacation of the occupied territories by Israel and restoration of the inalienable rights of the
Palestinians but has been re-designated as a struggle between terrorists (Palestinians) and
civilians (Israelis) The creeping annexation has eroded all possibilities of any settlement as
Israeli policies have completely marginalised the Palestinians
The OIC also espoused the Kashmir and Afghanistan issues but failed to play any important or
significant role in their resolution The gathering of potentates at OIC summits and their empty
calls for unity of action initially stirred Muslim hearts but soon it became obvious that these
speeches laced with rhetoric and insincere sentiments were meaningless and of no use for
confronting the challenges faced by the Islamic ummah
On the Kashmir issue the OIC has failed to muster the courage to challenge New Delhirsquos
policies of repression and widespread violation of human rights in Indian-held Kashmir The
inaction and indifference on Israeli massacres in Sabra and Shattila (Beirut 1982) in Bosnia and
Herzegovina (1992) and the recent US military intervention and brutalities in Iraq and
Afghanistan have many believe rendered the OIC totally irrelevant to the needs and
requirements of ummah The resolutions adopted by the OIC thus betray a lack of seriousness
and sincerity and hence carry no meaning or significance thereby accentuating the frustration of
the ummah
The underlying causes of the inability of the OIC to be reckoned with as an institution of
political significance in global affairs besides the lack of political will of Muslim leaders have
originated from a lack of democratic set-up in those states in addition to structural weaknesses
such as an absence of an institutional framework poverty and illiteracy and failure to recognize
the absolute importance of science and technology for social emancipation and economic
development
10th Summit ndash Kuala Lampur
The last OIC summit held in Putrajaya Malaysia in 2003 was a milestone in the history of the
OIC Under the dynamic leadership of then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad the leaders
decided to make a realistic appraisal of the international situation and the role that the OIC could
play to preserve and protect the interests of member-states against a sustained negative media
campaign and political pressures circumscribing their economic and political rights It was
decided to dispassionately analyse the causes of decline and decay of Muslim societies and the
political marginalization of the member-states and evolve a comprehensive strategy to pull them
out of this morass
President Musharraf who led the Pakistan delegation to the 10th summit in Malaysia gave a
clarion call to all Muslims in support of Mahathirrsquos appeal In a stirring message President
Musharraf outlined the existing realities He referred to turbulent and troubled international
developments ldquoThe world is in turmoil Reliance on military action and force define solutions to
world disputes Foreign occupation persists Suppression of peoples has intensified Power
asymmetries are widening Terrorism is taking its toll Economic recession threatens the world
fabric Poverty is growing Inequality is increasingrdquo
In the context of this world view President Musharraf warned that the Muslim world was in the
vortex of this emerging global crisis Most of those under foreign occupation were Muslim
peoples He cited the tragedies of Palestine and Kashmir ldquoIslamic nations are perceived as the
sponsors of terrorism and proliferators of WMDs Muslims are subjected to discrimination and
exclusion The insidious thesis of an inevitable clash of civilizations between Islam and the West
is being openly propoundedrdquo5
Making this bold and frank analysis of ground realities and the political climate he urged some
soul-searching and stock-taking by the Muslim countries since he believed that the crisis
confronting the Islamic world was both external and internal ldquoIt is rooted in our own weaknesses
and vulnerabilities It flows from our economic social and human underdevelopment from
dependencies and vulnerabilities from the divisions and differences within and amongst our
societies and nestsrdquo
Q5 Elaborate diplomacy of Pakistan on the platform of Southeast Asian Treaty Organization
(SEATO)
Ans In September of 1954 the United States France Great Britain New Zealand Australia the
Philippines Thailand and Pakistan formed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization or SEATO
The purpose of the organization was to prevent communism from gaining ground in the region
Although called the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization only two Southeast Asian countries
became members The Philippines joined in part because of its close ties with the United States
and in part out of concern over the nascent communist insurgency threatening its own
government Thailand similarly joined after learning of a newly established Thai Autonomous
Region in Yunnan Province in South China expressing concern about the potential for Chinese
communist subversion on its own soil The rest of the region was far less concerned about the
threat of communism to internal stability Burma and Indonesia both preferred to maintain their
neutrality rather than join the organization Malaya (including Singapore) found it politically
difficult to give formal support to the organization though through its ties with Great Britain it
learned of key developments Finally the terms of the Geneva Agreements of 1954 signed after
the fall of French Indochina prevented Vietnam Cambodia and Laos from joining any
international military alliance though these countries were ultimately included in the area
protected under SEATO and granted observers status
Most of the SEATO member states were countries located elsewhere but with an interest in the
region or the organization Australia and New Zealand were interested in Asian affairs because
of their geographic position in the Pacific Great Britain and France had long maintained
colonies in the region and were interested in developments in the greater Indochina region For
Pakistan the appeal of the pact was the potential for receiving support in its struggles against
India in spite of the fact that neither country was located in the area under the organizations
jurisdiction Finally US officials believed Southeast Asia to be a crucial frontier in the fight
against communist expansion so it viewed SEATO as essential to its global Cold War policy of
containment
Headquartered in Bangkok Thailand SEATO had only a few formal functions It maintained no
military forces of its own but the organization hosted joint military exercises for member states
each year As the communist threat appeared to change from one of outright attack to one of
internal subversion SEATO worked to strengthen the economic foundations and living standards
of the Southeast Asian States It sponsored a variety of meetings and exhibitions on cultural
religious and historical topics and the non-Asian member states sponsored fellowships for
Southeast Asian scholars
Beyond its activities the SEATO charter was also vitally important to the American rationale for
the Vietnam War The United States used the organization as its justification for refusing to go
forward with the 1956 elections intended to reunify Vietnam instead maintaining the divide
between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel As the conflict in
Vietnam unfolded the inclusion of Vietnam as a territory under SEATO protection gave the
United States the legal framework for its continued involvement there
The organization had a number of weaknesses as well To address the problems attached to the
guerrilla movements and local insurrections that plagued the region in the post-colonial years
the SEATO defense treaty called only for consultation leaving each individual nation to react
individually to internal threats Unlike the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) SEATO
had no independent mechanism for obtaining intelligence or deploying military forces so the
potential for collective action was necessarily limited Moreover because it incorporated only
three Asian members SEATO faced charges of being a new form of Western colonialism
Linguistic and cultural difficulties between the member states also compounded its problems
making it difficult for SEATO to accomplish many of its goals
By the early 1970s members began to withdraw from the organization Neither Pakistan nor
France supported the US intervention in Vietnam and both nations were pulling away from the
organization in the early 1970s Pakistan formally left SEATO in 1973 because the organization
had failed to provide it with assistance in its ongoing conflict against India When the Vietnam
War ended in 1975 the most prominent reason for SEATOs existence disappeared As a result
SEATO formally disbanded in 1977
Evaluation
It has been stated above that the creation of the OIC at the Rabat Summit was primarily in
response to the situation created by the sacrilege of Al Quds Hence the resolution adopted on 25
September 1969 while reaffirming the fraternal and spiritual bonds existing between their
peoples declared ldquofull support to the Palestinian people for the restitution of their rights and in
their struggle for national liberationrdquo It asked the international community to ldquosecure the
speedy withdrawal of Israeli military forces from all the territories occupied as a result of the
war of June 1967rdquo
Organizational issues occupied the next few years The OICrsquos Secretariat was set up in March
1970 and two years later its Charter was approved (in March 1972) Subsequent developments
in the Middle East particularly the Ramadan War of October 1973 forced the OIC to embrace
all issues relating to the ummah and to broaden its canvas of activities The October 1973 war
had not only restored the pride of Arabs but oil diplomacy had forced the European nations to
take a second look at their pro-Israel policies It was against this background that the second
summit was held in Lahore in February 1974
The Lahore Summit was a landmark in the political struggle of Muslims to secure an influential
role in international affairs The leadership provided by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the presence of
Arab leaders like King Faisal Sadat Qaddafi Boumedienne and Arafat among 37 heads of
statesgovernments participating in the Summit conferred on it a unique importance The
Summit decided to address the following issues
1 eradication of poverty disease and ignorance from Islamic countries
2 regulation of the terms of trade between developed countries and developing Muslim
countries especially the supply of raw materials and import of manufactured goods and
know-how
3 ensuring the sovereignty and full control of developing countries over their natural
resources and
4 mutual economic cooperation and solidarity among Muslim countries
It was also decided to establish a committee of eight countries including Pakistan to devise
ways and means for attainment of these objectives
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was recognized as the sole and legitimate
representative of the Palestinians and it was declared that ldquothe Arab cause is the cause of all
countries which oppose aggression and will not tolerate that the use of force be rewarded by
territory or by other gainsrdquo
The OIC has till now held 10 summits interspersed at regular three-year intervals and numerous
meetings at the ministerial and expert levels to oversee summit decisions Unfortunately these
summits have been characterized more by empty rhetoric rather than concrete action Through
the years the configuration of political and economic forces in international affairs has rendered
the Muslim states more vulnerable and their leaders increasingly dependent on the US for their
survival This has emasculated the OIC and weighed heavily on its decisions Its leaders find
themselves in a quandary They are unable or unwilling to exert any meaningful pressure on the
US-led west regarded as allies of Israel to mitigate the hardships of the Muslim people living in
the occupied territories
The mid-70s were the unprecedented but short-lived years of Arab ascendancy and prestige The
diplomatic influence and political clout of the Arab countries was in evidence with dramatic
triumphs in the UN Arabic was accepted as one of the official UN languages The General
Assembly recognized the Palestinian people as ldquothe principal party to the question of
Palestinerdquo Arafat was invited to address the General Assembly on 13 November 1974 and the
PLO was given observer status at the UN In the same year the UNGA established a Committee
on ldquothe exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian peoplerdquoThus the Palestinian issue
was placed in focus drawing increasing international attention and support
The Arab achievements in the UN were crowned with the adoption of UNGA Resolution 3379
of 10 November 1975 by which the General Assembly ldquodetermined that Zionism is a form of
racism and racial discriminationrdquo The Resolution was adopted with 72 in favour 35 against
and 32 abstentions With Zionism as its ideology the reaction in Israel was severe and it
campaigned hard to have the resolution annulled The opportunity came in 1991 Israel with the
encouragement of the US and European states declared its intention to get 3379 revoked The
OIC Summit held in Senegal in August 1991 took note of these efforts and passed a unanimous
resolution to defeat Israeli efforts in the UN by voting for the continuation of 3379
The Israeli resolution when moved in the UNGA after a couple of weeks was carried and the
majority of OIC member states either abstained or voted for the resolution This was illustrative
of the hypocrisy of Muslim potentates of playing to the domestic gallery while keeping the US
in good humour
Since the establishment of the OIC the Islamic world has suffered five major catastrophes
which have reduced it to almost a non-factor in international politics The break up of Pakistan
through armed intervention by India in 1971 the invasion of Lebanon by Israel in 1982 that led
to yet another Palestinian diaspora the Iran-Iraq war the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and
the US occupation of Iraq have dealt a crippling blow to the unity dignity and image of the
Muslim world
The OIC failed to respond meaningfully to any of these crises or demonstrate unity other than
issuing high-sounding declarations at the end of each summit In some cases the OIC even
remained a silent spectator
This attitude not only disappointed Muslims around the world but also encouraged the
Organizationrsquos adversaries to pursue their designs against Muslim countries with impunity The
history of the Palestine problem ostensibly the raison drsquoecirctre of the OIC is a living testimony to
the impotence and paralysis of the Organisation The Palestine issue is now no longer seen as the
vacation of the occupied territories by Israel and restoration of the inalienable rights of the
Palestinians but has been re-designated as a struggle between terrorists (Palestinians) and
civilians (Israelis) The creeping annexation has eroded all possibilities of any settlement as
Israeli policies have completely marginalised the Palestinians
The OIC also espoused the Kashmir and Afghanistan issues but failed to play any important or
significant role in their resolution The gathering of potentates at OIC summits and their empty
calls for unity of action initially stirred Muslim hearts but soon it became obvious that these
speeches laced with rhetoric and insincere sentiments were meaningless and of no use for
confronting the challenges faced by the Islamic ummah
On the Kashmir issue the OIC has failed to muster the courage to challenge New Delhirsquos
policies of repression and widespread violation of human rights in Indian-held Kashmir The
inaction and indifference on Israeli massacres in Sabra and Shattila (Beirut 1982) in Bosnia and
Herzegovina (1992) and the recent US military intervention and brutalities in Iraq and
Afghanistan have many believe rendered the OIC totally irrelevant to the needs and
requirements of ummah The resolutions adopted by the OIC thus betray a lack of seriousness
and sincerity and hence carry no meaning or significance thereby accentuating the frustration of
the ummah
The underlying causes of the inability of the OIC to be reckoned with as an institution of
political significance in global affairs besides the lack of political will of Muslim leaders have
originated from a lack of democratic set-up in those states in addition to structural weaknesses
such as an absence of an institutional framework poverty and illiteracy and failure to recognize
the absolute importance of science and technology for social emancipation and economic
development
10th Summit ndash Kuala Lampur
The last OIC summit held in Putrajaya Malaysia in 2003 was a milestone in the history of the
OIC Under the dynamic leadership of then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad the leaders
decided to make a realistic appraisal of the international situation and the role that the OIC could
play to preserve and protect the interests of member-states against a sustained negative media
campaign and political pressures circumscribing their economic and political rights It was
decided to dispassionately analyse the causes of decline and decay of Muslim societies and the
political marginalization of the member-states and evolve a comprehensive strategy to pull them
out of this morass
President Musharraf who led the Pakistan delegation to the 10th summit in Malaysia gave a
clarion call to all Muslims in support of Mahathirrsquos appeal In a stirring message President
Musharraf outlined the existing realities He referred to turbulent and troubled international
developments ldquoThe world is in turmoil Reliance on military action and force define solutions to
world disputes Foreign occupation persists Suppression of peoples has intensified Power
asymmetries are widening Terrorism is taking its toll Economic recession threatens the world
fabric Poverty is growing Inequality is increasingrdquo
In the context of this world view President Musharraf warned that the Muslim world was in the
vortex of this emerging global crisis Most of those under foreign occupation were Muslim
peoples He cited the tragedies of Palestine and Kashmir ldquoIslamic nations are perceived as the
sponsors of terrorism and proliferators of WMDs Muslims are subjected to discrimination and
exclusion The insidious thesis of an inevitable clash of civilizations between Islam and the West
is being openly propoundedrdquo5
Making this bold and frank analysis of ground realities and the political climate he urged some
soul-searching and stock-taking by the Muslim countries since he believed that the crisis
confronting the Islamic world was both external and internal ldquoIt is rooted in our own weaknesses
and vulnerabilities It flows from our economic social and human underdevelopment from
dependencies and vulnerabilities from the divisions and differences within and amongst our
societies and nestsrdquo
Q5 Elaborate diplomacy of Pakistan on the platform of Southeast Asian Treaty Organization
(SEATO)
Ans In September of 1954 the United States France Great Britain New Zealand Australia the
Philippines Thailand and Pakistan formed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization or SEATO
The purpose of the organization was to prevent communism from gaining ground in the region
Although called the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization only two Southeast Asian countries
became members The Philippines joined in part because of its close ties with the United States
and in part out of concern over the nascent communist insurgency threatening its own
government Thailand similarly joined after learning of a newly established Thai Autonomous
Region in Yunnan Province in South China expressing concern about the potential for Chinese
communist subversion on its own soil The rest of the region was far less concerned about the
threat of communism to internal stability Burma and Indonesia both preferred to maintain their
neutrality rather than join the organization Malaya (including Singapore) found it politically
difficult to give formal support to the organization though through its ties with Great Britain it
learned of key developments Finally the terms of the Geneva Agreements of 1954 signed after
the fall of French Indochina prevented Vietnam Cambodia and Laos from joining any
international military alliance though these countries were ultimately included in the area
protected under SEATO and granted observers status
Most of the SEATO member states were countries located elsewhere but with an interest in the
region or the organization Australia and New Zealand were interested in Asian affairs because
of their geographic position in the Pacific Great Britain and France had long maintained
colonies in the region and were interested in developments in the greater Indochina region For
Pakistan the appeal of the pact was the potential for receiving support in its struggles against
India in spite of the fact that neither country was located in the area under the organizations
jurisdiction Finally US officials believed Southeast Asia to be a crucial frontier in the fight
against communist expansion so it viewed SEATO as essential to its global Cold War policy of
containment
Headquartered in Bangkok Thailand SEATO had only a few formal functions It maintained no
military forces of its own but the organization hosted joint military exercises for member states
each year As the communist threat appeared to change from one of outright attack to one of
internal subversion SEATO worked to strengthen the economic foundations and living standards
of the Southeast Asian States It sponsored a variety of meetings and exhibitions on cultural
religious and historical topics and the non-Asian member states sponsored fellowships for
Southeast Asian scholars
Beyond its activities the SEATO charter was also vitally important to the American rationale for
the Vietnam War The United States used the organization as its justification for refusing to go
forward with the 1956 elections intended to reunify Vietnam instead maintaining the divide
between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel As the conflict in
Vietnam unfolded the inclusion of Vietnam as a territory under SEATO protection gave the
United States the legal framework for its continued involvement there
The organization had a number of weaknesses as well To address the problems attached to the
guerrilla movements and local insurrections that plagued the region in the post-colonial years
the SEATO defense treaty called only for consultation leaving each individual nation to react
individually to internal threats Unlike the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) SEATO
had no independent mechanism for obtaining intelligence or deploying military forces so the
potential for collective action was necessarily limited Moreover because it incorporated only
three Asian members SEATO faced charges of being a new form of Western colonialism
Linguistic and cultural difficulties between the member states also compounded its problems
making it difficult for SEATO to accomplish many of its goals
By the early 1970s members began to withdraw from the organization Neither Pakistan nor
France supported the US intervention in Vietnam and both nations were pulling away from the
organization in the early 1970s Pakistan formally left SEATO in 1973 because the organization
had failed to provide it with assistance in its ongoing conflict against India When the Vietnam
War ended in 1975 the most prominent reason for SEATOs existence disappeared As a result
SEATO formally disbanded in 1977
themselves in a quandary They are unable or unwilling to exert any meaningful pressure on the
US-led west regarded as allies of Israel to mitigate the hardships of the Muslim people living in
the occupied territories
The mid-70s were the unprecedented but short-lived years of Arab ascendancy and prestige The
diplomatic influence and political clout of the Arab countries was in evidence with dramatic
triumphs in the UN Arabic was accepted as one of the official UN languages The General
Assembly recognized the Palestinian people as ldquothe principal party to the question of
Palestinerdquo Arafat was invited to address the General Assembly on 13 November 1974 and the
PLO was given observer status at the UN In the same year the UNGA established a Committee
on ldquothe exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian peoplerdquoThus the Palestinian issue
was placed in focus drawing increasing international attention and support
The Arab achievements in the UN were crowned with the adoption of UNGA Resolution 3379
of 10 November 1975 by which the General Assembly ldquodetermined that Zionism is a form of
racism and racial discriminationrdquo The Resolution was adopted with 72 in favour 35 against
and 32 abstentions With Zionism as its ideology the reaction in Israel was severe and it
campaigned hard to have the resolution annulled The opportunity came in 1991 Israel with the
encouragement of the US and European states declared its intention to get 3379 revoked The
OIC Summit held in Senegal in August 1991 took note of these efforts and passed a unanimous
resolution to defeat Israeli efforts in the UN by voting for the continuation of 3379
The Israeli resolution when moved in the UNGA after a couple of weeks was carried and the
majority of OIC member states either abstained or voted for the resolution This was illustrative
of the hypocrisy of Muslim potentates of playing to the domestic gallery while keeping the US
in good humour
Since the establishment of the OIC the Islamic world has suffered five major catastrophes
which have reduced it to almost a non-factor in international politics The break up of Pakistan
through armed intervention by India in 1971 the invasion of Lebanon by Israel in 1982 that led
to yet another Palestinian diaspora the Iran-Iraq war the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and
the US occupation of Iraq have dealt a crippling blow to the unity dignity and image of the
Muslim world
The OIC failed to respond meaningfully to any of these crises or demonstrate unity other than
issuing high-sounding declarations at the end of each summit In some cases the OIC even
remained a silent spectator
This attitude not only disappointed Muslims around the world but also encouraged the
Organizationrsquos adversaries to pursue their designs against Muslim countries with impunity The
history of the Palestine problem ostensibly the raison drsquoecirctre of the OIC is a living testimony to
the impotence and paralysis of the Organisation The Palestine issue is now no longer seen as the
vacation of the occupied territories by Israel and restoration of the inalienable rights of the
Palestinians but has been re-designated as a struggle between terrorists (Palestinians) and
civilians (Israelis) The creeping annexation has eroded all possibilities of any settlement as
Israeli policies have completely marginalised the Palestinians
The OIC also espoused the Kashmir and Afghanistan issues but failed to play any important or
significant role in their resolution The gathering of potentates at OIC summits and their empty
calls for unity of action initially stirred Muslim hearts but soon it became obvious that these
speeches laced with rhetoric and insincere sentiments were meaningless and of no use for
confronting the challenges faced by the Islamic ummah
On the Kashmir issue the OIC has failed to muster the courage to challenge New Delhirsquos
policies of repression and widespread violation of human rights in Indian-held Kashmir The
inaction and indifference on Israeli massacres in Sabra and Shattila (Beirut 1982) in Bosnia and
Herzegovina (1992) and the recent US military intervention and brutalities in Iraq and
Afghanistan have many believe rendered the OIC totally irrelevant to the needs and
requirements of ummah The resolutions adopted by the OIC thus betray a lack of seriousness
and sincerity and hence carry no meaning or significance thereby accentuating the frustration of
the ummah
The underlying causes of the inability of the OIC to be reckoned with as an institution of
political significance in global affairs besides the lack of political will of Muslim leaders have
originated from a lack of democratic set-up in those states in addition to structural weaknesses
such as an absence of an institutional framework poverty and illiteracy and failure to recognize
the absolute importance of science and technology for social emancipation and economic
development
10th Summit ndash Kuala Lampur
The last OIC summit held in Putrajaya Malaysia in 2003 was a milestone in the history of the
OIC Under the dynamic leadership of then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad the leaders
decided to make a realistic appraisal of the international situation and the role that the OIC could
play to preserve and protect the interests of member-states against a sustained negative media
campaign and political pressures circumscribing their economic and political rights It was
decided to dispassionately analyse the causes of decline and decay of Muslim societies and the
political marginalization of the member-states and evolve a comprehensive strategy to pull them
out of this morass
President Musharraf who led the Pakistan delegation to the 10th summit in Malaysia gave a
clarion call to all Muslims in support of Mahathirrsquos appeal In a stirring message President
Musharraf outlined the existing realities He referred to turbulent and troubled international
developments ldquoThe world is in turmoil Reliance on military action and force define solutions to
world disputes Foreign occupation persists Suppression of peoples has intensified Power
asymmetries are widening Terrorism is taking its toll Economic recession threatens the world
fabric Poverty is growing Inequality is increasingrdquo
In the context of this world view President Musharraf warned that the Muslim world was in the
vortex of this emerging global crisis Most of those under foreign occupation were Muslim
peoples He cited the tragedies of Palestine and Kashmir ldquoIslamic nations are perceived as the
sponsors of terrorism and proliferators of WMDs Muslims are subjected to discrimination and
exclusion The insidious thesis of an inevitable clash of civilizations between Islam and the West
is being openly propoundedrdquo5
Making this bold and frank analysis of ground realities and the political climate he urged some
soul-searching and stock-taking by the Muslim countries since he believed that the crisis
confronting the Islamic world was both external and internal ldquoIt is rooted in our own weaknesses
and vulnerabilities It flows from our economic social and human underdevelopment from
dependencies and vulnerabilities from the divisions and differences within and amongst our
societies and nestsrdquo
Q5 Elaborate diplomacy of Pakistan on the platform of Southeast Asian Treaty Organization
(SEATO)
Ans In September of 1954 the United States France Great Britain New Zealand Australia the
Philippines Thailand and Pakistan formed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization or SEATO
The purpose of the organization was to prevent communism from gaining ground in the region
Although called the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization only two Southeast Asian countries
became members The Philippines joined in part because of its close ties with the United States
and in part out of concern over the nascent communist insurgency threatening its own
government Thailand similarly joined after learning of a newly established Thai Autonomous
Region in Yunnan Province in South China expressing concern about the potential for Chinese
communist subversion on its own soil The rest of the region was far less concerned about the
threat of communism to internal stability Burma and Indonesia both preferred to maintain their
neutrality rather than join the organization Malaya (including Singapore) found it politically
difficult to give formal support to the organization though through its ties with Great Britain it
learned of key developments Finally the terms of the Geneva Agreements of 1954 signed after
the fall of French Indochina prevented Vietnam Cambodia and Laos from joining any
international military alliance though these countries were ultimately included in the area
protected under SEATO and granted observers status
Most of the SEATO member states were countries located elsewhere but with an interest in the
region or the organization Australia and New Zealand were interested in Asian affairs because
of their geographic position in the Pacific Great Britain and France had long maintained
colonies in the region and were interested in developments in the greater Indochina region For
Pakistan the appeal of the pact was the potential for receiving support in its struggles against
India in spite of the fact that neither country was located in the area under the organizations
jurisdiction Finally US officials believed Southeast Asia to be a crucial frontier in the fight
against communist expansion so it viewed SEATO as essential to its global Cold War policy of
containment
Headquartered in Bangkok Thailand SEATO had only a few formal functions It maintained no
military forces of its own but the organization hosted joint military exercises for member states
each year As the communist threat appeared to change from one of outright attack to one of
internal subversion SEATO worked to strengthen the economic foundations and living standards
of the Southeast Asian States It sponsored a variety of meetings and exhibitions on cultural
religious and historical topics and the non-Asian member states sponsored fellowships for
Southeast Asian scholars
Beyond its activities the SEATO charter was also vitally important to the American rationale for
the Vietnam War The United States used the organization as its justification for refusing to go
forward with the 1956 elections intended to reunify Vietnam instead maintaining the divide
between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel As the conflict in
Vietnam unfolded the inclusion of Vietnam as a territory under SEATO protection gave the
United States the legal framework for its continued involvement there
The organization had a number of weaknesses as well To address the problems attached to the
guerrilla movements and local insurrections that plagued the region in the post-colonial years
the SEATO defense treaty called only for consultation leaving each individual nation to react
individually to internal threats Unlike the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) SEATO
had no independent mechanism for obtaining intelligence or deploying military forces so the
potential for collective action was necessarily limited Moreover because it incorporated only
three Asian members SEATO faced charges of being a new form of Western colonialism
Linguistic and cultural difficulties between the member states also compounded its problems
making it difficult for SEATO to accomplish many of its goals
By the early 1970s members began to withdraw from the organization Neither Pakistan nor
France supported the US intervention in Vietnam and both nations were pulling away from the
organization in the early 1970s Pakistan formally left SEATO in 1973 because the organization
had failed to provide it with assistance in its ongoing conflict against India When the Vietnam
War ended in 1975 the most prominent reason for SEATOs existence disappeared As a result
SEATO formally disbanded in 1977
The OIC also espoused the Kashmir and Afghanistan issues but failed to play any important or
significant role in their resolution The gathering of potentates at OIC summits and their empty
calls for unity of action initially stirred Muslim hearts but soon it became obvious that these
speeches laced with rhetoric and insincere sentiments were meaningless and of no use for
confronting the challenges faced by the Islamic ummah
On the Kashmir issue the OIC has failed to muster the courage to challenge New Delhirsquos
policies of repression and widespread violation of human rights in Indian-held Kashmir The
inaction and indifference on Israeli massacres in Sabra and Shattila (Beirut 1982) in Bosnia and
Herzegovina (1992) and the recent US military intervention and brutalities in Iraq and
Afghanistan have many believe rendered the OIC totally irrelevant to the needs and
requirements of ummah The resolutions adopted by the OIC thus betray a lack of seriousness
and sincerity and hence carry no meaning or significance thereby accentuating the frustration of
the ummah
The underlying causes of the inability of the OIC to be reckoned with as an institution of
political significance in global affairs besides the lack of political will of Muslim leaders have
originated from a lack of democratic set-up in those states in addition to structural weaknesses
such as an absence of an institutional framework poverty and illiteracy and failure to recognize
the absolute importance of science and technology for social emancipation and economic
development
10th Summit ndash Kuala Lampur
The last OIC summit held in Putrajaya Malaysia in 2003 was a milestone in the history of the
OIC Under the dynamic leadership of then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad the leaders
decided to make a realistic appraisal of the international situation and the role that the OIC could
play to preserve and protect the interests of member-states against a sustained negative media
campaign and political pressures circumscribing their economic and political rights It was
decided to dispassionately analyse the causes of decline and decay of Muslim societies and the
political marginalization of the member-states and evolve a comprehensive strategy to pull them
out of this morass
President Musharraf who led the Pakistan delegation to the 10th summit in Malaysia gave a
clarion call to all Muslims in support of Mahathirrsquos appeal In a stirring message President
Musharraf outlined the existing realities He referred to turbulent and troubled international
developments ldquoThe world is in turmoil Reliance on military action and force define solutions to
world disputes Foreign occupation persists Suppression of peoples has intensified Power
asymmetries are widening Terrorism is taking its toll Economic recession threatens the world
fabric Poverty is growing Inequality is increasingrdquo
In the context of this world view President Musharraf warned that the Muslim world was in the
vortex of this emerging global crisis Most of those under foreign occupation were Muslim
peoples He cited the tragedies of Palestine and Kashmir ldquoIslamic nations are perceived as the
sponsors of terrorism and proliferators of WMDs Muslims are subjected to discrimination and
exclusion The insidious thesis of an inevitable clash of civilizations between Islam and the West
is being openly propoundedrdquo5
Making this bold and frank analysis of ground realities and the political climate he urged some
soul-searching and stock-taking by the Muslim countries since he believed that the crisis
confronting the Islamic world was both external and internal ldquoIt is rooted in our own weaknesses
and vulnerabilities It flows from our economic social and human underdevelopment from
dependencies and vulnerabilities from the divisions and differences within and amongst our
societies and nestsrdquo
Q5 Elaborate diplomacy of Pakistan on the platform of Southeast Asian Treaty Organization
(SEATO)
Ans In September of 1954 the United States France Great Britain New Zealand Australia the
Philippines Thailand and Pakistan formed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization or SEATO
The purpose of the organization was to prevent communism from gaining ground in the region
Although called the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization only two Southeast Asian countries
became members The Philippines joined in part because of its close ties with the United States
and in part out of concern over the nascent communist insurgency threatening its own
government Thailand similarly joined after learning of a newly established Thai Autonomous
Region in Yunnan Province in South China expressing concern about the potential for Chinese
communist subversion on its own soil The rest of the region was far less concerned about the
threat of communism to internal stability Burma and Indonesia both preferred to maintain their
neutrality rather than join the organization Malaya (including Singapore) found it politically
difficult to give formal support to the organization though through its ties with Great Britain it
learned of key developments Finally the terms of the Geneva Agreements of 1954 signed after
the fall of French Indochina prevented Vietnam Cambodia and Laos from joining any
international military alliance though these countries were ultimately included in the area
protected under SEATO and granted observers status
Most of the SEATO member states were countries located elsewhere but with an interest in the
region or the organization Australia and New Zealand were interested in Asian affairs because
of their geographic position in the Pacific Great Britain and France had long maintained
colonies in the region and were interested in developments in the greater Indochina region For
Pakistan the appeal of the pact was the potential for receiving support in its struggles against
India in spite of the fact that neither country was located in the area under the organizations
jurisdiction Finally US officials believed Southeast Asia to be a crucial frontier in the fight
against communist expansion so it viewed SEATO as essential to its global Cold War policy of
containment
Headquartered in Bangkok Thailand SEATO had only a few formal functions It maintained no
military forces of its own but the organization hosted joint military exercises for member states
each year As the communist threat appeared to change from one of outright attack to one of
internal subversion SEATO worked to strengthen the economic foundations and living standards
of the Southeast Asian States It sponsored a variety of meetings and exhibitions on cultural
religious and historical topics and the non-Asian member states sponsored fellowships for
Southeast Asian scholars
Beyond its activities the SEATO charter was also vitally important to the American rationale for
the Vietnam War The United States used the organization as its justification for refusing to go
forward with the 1956 elections intended to reunify Vietnam instead maintaining the divide
between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel As the conflict in
Vietnam unfolded the inclusion of Vietnam as a territory under SEATO protection gave the
United States the legal framework for its continued involvement there
The organization had a number of weaknesses as well To address the problems attached to the
guerrilla movements and local insurrections that plagued the region in the post-colonial years
the SEATO defense treaty called only for consultation leaving each individual nation to react
individually to internal threats Unlike the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) SEATO
had no independent mechanism for obtaining intelligence or deploying military forces so the
potential for collective action was necessarily limited Moreover because it incorporated only
three Asian members SEATO faced charges of being a new form of Western colonialism
Linguistic and cultural difficulties between the member states also compounded its problems
making it difficult for SEATO to accomplish many of its goals
By the early 1970s members began to withdraw from the organization Neither Pakistan nor
France supported the US intervention in Vietnam and both nations were pulling away from the
organization in the early 1970s Pakistan formally left SEATO in 1973 because the organization
had failed to provide it with assistance in its ongoing conflict against India When the Vietnam
War ended in 1975 the most prominent reason for SEATOs existence disappeared As a result
SEATO formally disbanded in 1977
exclusion The insidious thesis of an inevitable clash of civilizations between Islam and the West
is being openly propoundedrdquo5
Making this bold and frank analysis of ground realities and the political climate he urged some
soul-searching and stock-taking by the Muslim countries since he believed that the crisis
confronting the Islamic world was both external and internal ldquoIt is rooted in our own weaknesses
and vulnerabilities It flows from our economic social and human underdevelopment from
dependencies and vulnerabilities from the divisions and differences within and amongst our
societies and nestsrdquo
Q5 Elaborate diplomacy of Pakistan on the platform of Southeast Asian Treaty Organization
(SEATO)
Ans In September of 1954 the United States France Great Britain New Zealand Australia the
Philippines Thailand and Pakistan formed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization or SEATO
The purpose of the organization was to prevent communism from gaining ground in the region
Although called the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization only two Southeast Asian countries
became members The Philippines joined in part because of its close ties with the United States
and in part out of concern over the nascent communist insurgency threatening its own
government Thailand similarly joined after learning of a newly established Thai Autonomous
Region in Yunnan Province in South China expressing concern about the potential for Chinese
communist subversion on its own soil The rest of the region was far less concerned about the
threat of communism to internal stability Burma and Indonesia both preferred to maintain their
neutrality rather than join the organization Malaya (including Singapore) found it politically
difficult to give formal support to the organization though through its ties with Great Britain it
learned of key developments Finally the terms of the Geneva Agreements of 1954 signed after
the fall of French Indochina prevented Vietnam Cambodia and Laos from joining any
international military alliance though these countries were ultimately included in the area
protected under SEATO and granted observers status
Most of the SEATO member states were countries located elsewhere but with an interest in the
region or the organization Australia and New Zealand were interested in Asian affairs because
of their geographic position in the Pacific Great Britain and France had long maintained
colonies in the region and were interested in developments in the greater Indochina region For
Pakistan the appeal of the pact was the potential for receiving support in its struggles against
India in spite of the fact that neither country was located in the area under the organizations
jurisdiction Finally US officials believed Southeast Asia to be a crucial frontier in the fight
against communist expansion so it viewed SEATO as essential to its global Cold War policy of
containment
Headquartered in Bangkok Thailand SEATO had only a few formal functions It maintained no
military forces of its own but the organization hosted joint military exercises for member states
each year As the communist threat appeared to change from one of outright attack to one of
internal subversion SEATO worked to strengthen the economic foundations and living standards
of the Southeast Asian States It sponsored a variety of meetings and exhibitions on cultural
religious and historical topics and the non-Asian member states sponsored fellowships for
Southeast Asian scholars
Beyond its activities the SEATO charter was also vitally important to the American rationale for
the Vietnam War The United States used the organization as its justification for refusing to go
forward with the 1956 elections intended to reunify Vietnam instead maintaining the divide
between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel As the conflict in
Vietnam unfolded the inclusion of Vietnam as a territory under SEATO protection gave the
United States the legal framework for its continued involvement there
The organization had a number of weaknesses as well To address the problems attached to the
guerrilla movements and local insurrections that plagued the region in the post-colonial years
the SEATO defense treaty called only for consultation leaving each individual nation to react
individually to internal threats Unlike the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) SEATO
had no independent mechanism for obtaining intelligence or deploying military forces so the
potential for collective action was necessarily limited Moreover because it incorporated only
three Asian members SEATO faced charges of being a new form of Western colonialism
Linguistic and cultural difficulties between the member states also compounded its problems
making it difficult for SEATO to accomplish many of its goals
By the early 1970s members began to withdraw from the organization Neither Pakistan nor
France supported the US intervention in Vietnam and both nations were pulling away from the
organization in the early 1970s Pakistan formally left SEATO in 1973 because the organization
had failed to provide it with assistance in its ongoing conflict against India When the Vietnam
War ended in 1975 the most prominent reason for SEATOs existence disappeared As a result
SEATO formally disbanded in 1977
of the Southeast Asian States It sponsored a variety of meetings and exhibitions on cultural
religious and historical topics and the non-Asian member states sponsored fellowships for
Southeast Asian scholars
Beyond its activities the SEATO charter was also vitally important to the American rationale for
the Vietnam War The United States used the organization as its justification for refusing to go
forward with the 1956 elections intended to reunify Vietnam instead maintaining the divide
between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel As the conflict in
Vietnam unfolded the inclusion of Vietnam as a territory under SEATO protection gave the
United States the legal framework for its continued involvement there
The organization had a number of weaknesses as well To address the problems attached to the
guerrilla movements and local insurrections that plagued the region in the post-colonial years
the SEATO defense treaty called only for consultation leaving each individual nation to react
individually to internal threats Unlike the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) SEATO
had no independent mechanism for obtaining intelligence or deploying military forces so the
potential for collective action was necessarily limited Moreover because it incorporated only
three Asian members SEATO faced charges of being a new form of Western colonialism
Linguistic and cultural difficulties between the member states also compounded its problems
making it difficult for SEATO to accomplish many of its goals
By the early 1970s members began to withdraw from the organization Neither Pakistan nor
France supported the US intervention in Vietnam and both nations were pulling away from the
organization in the early 1970s Pakistan formally left SEATO in 1973 because the organization
had failed to provide it with assistance in its ongoing conflict against India When the Vietnam
War ended in 1975 the most prominent reason for SEATOs existence disappeared As a result
SEATO formally disbanded in 1977