This study examines the role of an “enabling environment”, an atmosphere of good governance and e... more This study examines the role of an “enabling environment”, an atmosphere of good governance and effective public financial management (PFM), in mobilising resources needed for the implementation of the ambitious 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires substantial financial resources, and generation of those resources is largely contingent on the presence of an enabling institutional and policy environment. If an environment of good governance with effective PFM institutions can be ensured, the domestic and external resources necessary for the achievement of the SDGs can be mobilised. In environments where PFM systems are ineffective, corruption is rampant, and transparency and accountability are minimal, it is unlikely that sufficient resources for sustainable development will be mobilised. There are four principal financing sources: domestic, international, public and private. While the sources have grown in recen...
The Palgrave Handbook of Development Cooperation for Achieving the 2030 Agenda, 2020
Pakistan is a key country in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) where the China–Pakistan Econ... more Pakistan is a key country in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) where the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is under implementation. An investment model of financing through loans, grants and private investments, CPEC is an example of South-South cooperation (SSC) having a number of benefits for both countries. Aimed at developing energy, industry, and communication infrastructure, the corridor initially valued at $46 billion but is now worth $62 billion. CPEC is expected to contribute significantly to socio-economic development and regional connectivity and trade. The main research question is, while implementing projects in Pakistan, to what extent China adheres to its avowed principles comprising features such as mutual respect, non-conditionality, equality, building local capacity and addressing actual needs of partner countries. Based mainly on the analysis of primary data collected during fieldwork in Pakistan, this research explores the extent to which the official...
The United States (US) has been one of the pioneering aid donors that passed legislative amendmen... more The United States (US) has been one of the pioneering aid donors that passed legislative amendments in the Foreign Assistance Act and linked US economic and military assistance to human rights performance of aid recipient governments. These were indeed watershed moments for human rights activists not only in the US but elsewhere. However, the US has rarely implemented these laws since their enactment in the mid1970s. Focusing on past as well as contemporary US aid policies towards Pakistan, this paper examines the extent to which the US has actually linked aid to human rights. Analyzing US economic and military aid to Pakistan during three distinct periods: the Cold War, the post-Cold War and the ‘war on terror’, the study illustrates that the US has conveniently ignored human rights violations of respective regimes that were vital for safeguarding US foreign policy goals in the region. The paper concludes that when US geo-strategic, security and political interests are at stake, hu...
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2019
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Pakistan ranked third among the countries fac... more According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Pakistan ranked third among the countries facing severe water shortage. In May 2018, the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) announced that by 2025, there will be very little or no clean water available in the country (Shukla 2018). It must be noted that while per capita availability in the 1950s was approximately 5000 m 3 per annum, it has now declined to below 1000 m 3 , which is an internationally recognized threshold of water scarcity (Aziz et al. 2018). Currently, only 20% of the country's population has access to clean drinking water. The remaining 80% populations depends on polluted water primarily contaminated by sewerage (fecal, total coliforms, E. coli colonies), and secondarily by fertilizer, pesticides, and industrial effluents (Daud et al. 2017; Sahoutara 2017). Such water pollution is responsible for approximately 80% of all diseases and 30% of deaths (Daud et al. 2017). In the dried-out pipeline, a single E. coli bacterium can multiply into trillions in just a week (Ebrahim 2017), and such pipes are used for the water supply without any treatment. Consuming such polluted waters has not only resulted in the death of several people, but also cause bone and teeth diseases, diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid, hepatitis, cancer, and other waterborne diseases (Daud et al. 2017).
China Quarterly of International Strategic Studies, 2018
The year 2015 marked the deadline for finishing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as the Un... more The year 2015 marked the deadline for finishing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as the United Nations (UN) member states launched the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN 2030 Agenda encompassing 17 goals and 169 targets aims at eradicating global poverty, combating inequalities and utilizing natural resources in a sustainable manner so that “no one is left behind.” All stakeholders have committed to proceeding with the incomplete agenda of the MDGs and achieve the SDGs by 2030. Also in 2015, China initiated the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a collection of projects to develop energy, industry and communication infrastructure costing US$46 billion as a key part of the “Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).” This paper examines different components of the CPEC and explores the extensive convergence between the main goals envisioned under the CPEC and the universally accepted SDGs. It posits that if successfully imp...
This paper examines United States (US) bilateral aid flows to Pakistan from 1947 to 2006 to deter... more This paper examines United States (US) bilateral aid flows to Pakistan from 1947 to 2006 to determine the extent to which the assistance has been linked with the strengthening of democracy in Pakistan vis-à-vis US perceived geo-strategic and security interests. ...
Prologue The ideological imprudence and political short-sightedness of Indian leadership has neve... more Prologue The ideological imprudence and political short-sightedness of Indian leadership has never allowed it to win the hearts and minds of Kashmiris. Treating the Kashmiris with an iron fist would never complement Indian grand strategy in the region and beyond. The human sufferings in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) would also continue to jeopardize India's self-proclaimed world shining image. The Kashmir conflict has long begun to cease as a 'mere territorial dispute' between India and Pakistan given the strategic pattern of regional and international politics in the last few decades, large-scale western influence in the region, proxy wars, dynamics of alliances and coalitions within and beyond the region, and most importantly, the rise and spread of dissident elements in IHK with strong linkages elsewhere. Becoming well aware of these socio-political dynamics, New Delhi has lately realized the futility of any solution of Kashmir issue without taking into account the diverse political aspirations of Kashmiris living in the region. What is still missing in New Delhi's policy vision, however, is her stiffness over not allowing a trilateral dialogue to break the impasse of political negotiations and finding a win-win solution on all three fronts, i.e., India, Pakistan, and Kashmir. The nature of India-Pakistan peace parleys and the strategic issues involved in them often fail to complement whatever New Delhi and Kashmiri leadership arrives at and vice versa. The peace process on Kashmir is a broad subject to be dealt with in a single study. This paper, therefore, limits itself to socio-political and military dynamics through which IHK has been passing during the past six decades, making it vulnerable to communal wrangling just like the rest of India.
The United States (US) has been one of the pioneering aid donors that passed legislative amendmen... more The United States (US) has been one of the pioneering aid donors that passed legislative amendments in the Foreign Assistance Act and linked US economic and military assistance to human rights performance of aid recipient governments. These were indeed watershed moments for human rights activists not only in the US but elsewhere. However, the US has rarely implemented these laws since their enactment in the mid-1970s. Focusing on past as well as contemporary US aid policies towards Pakistan, this paper examines the extent to which the US has actually linked aid to human rights. Analyzing US economic and military aid to Pakistan during three distinct periods: the Cold War, the post-Cold War and the 'war on terror', the study illustrates that the US has conveniently ignored human rights violations of respective regimes that were vital for safeguarding US foreign policy goals in the region. The paper concludes that when US geo-strategic, security and political interests are at stake, human rights are not a significant determinant in US aid allocation. The contribution of this paper is that it is the first study of its kind that has comprehensively analyzed US aid policies vis-à-vis human rights in the context of Pakistan.
This paper examines United States (US) bilateral aid flows to Pakistan from 1947 to 2006 to deter... more This paper examines United States (US) bilateral aid flows to Pakistan from 1947 to 2006 to determine the extent to which the assistance has been linked with the strengthening of democracy in Pakistan vis-à-vis US perceived geo-strategic and security interests. Comparing the allocation of US economic and military aid to democratic and dictatorial regimes in Pakistan (in terms of total, average annual, and per capita per year), the paper finds that US aid shows a consistent pattern of high flows for military dictatorships and low or negligible flows for democratic governments, indicating that US aid has not been used to promote democracy in Pakistan; in fact, it has undermined it. The national and regional events responsible for the ebb and flow of US aid are discussed, showing that the US has maintained warm cooperative relationships with military dictators to use Pakistan to pursue its own political, security and geo-strategic goals.
This article examines the allocation of economic and military aid from the United States (U.S.) t... more This article examines the allocation of economic and military aid from the United States (U.S.) to Pakistan during the tenures of Democrat and Republican presidents. Focusing on the aggregate and annual U.S. bilateral aid to Pakistan from 1948 to 2015 covering key regional and global events including the Cold War, the post-Cold War and the War on Terror periods, the analysis illustrates that there are many fluctuations during the administrations of both political parties. It concludes that the ebb and flow in foreign (aid) policy vis-à-vis Pakistan highlights the irrelevance of U.S. presidential party affiliation, especially during times of crisis. The numbers show that regardless of which administration sits in Congress or the White House, America " s foreign policy goals are to safeguard its global interests, rather than its allies.
This study examines the role of an “enabling environment”, an atmosphere of good governance and e... more This study examines the role of an “enabling environment”, an atmosphere of good governance and effective public financial management (PFM), in mobilising resources needed for the implementation of the ambitious 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires substantial financial resources, and generation of those resources is largely contingent on the presence of an enabling institutional and policy environment. If an environment of good governance with effective PFM institutions can be ensured, the domestic and external resources necessary for the achievement of the SDGs can be mobilised. In environments where PFM systems are ineffective, corruption is rampant, and transparency and accountability are minimal, it is unlikely that sufficient resources for sustainable development will be mobilised. There are four principal financing sources: domestic, international, public and private. While the sources have grown in recen...
The Palgrave Handbook of Development Cooperation for Achieving the 2030 Agenda, 2020
Pakistan is a key country in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) where the China–Pakistan Econ... more Pakistan is a key country in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) where the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is under implementation. An investment model of financing through loans, grants and private investments, CPEC is an example of South-South cooperation (SSC) having a number of benefits for both countries. Aimed at developing energy, industry, and communication infrastructure, the corridor initially valued at $46 billion but is now worth $62 billion. CPEC is expected to contribute significantly to socio-economic development and regional connectivity and trade. The main research question is, while implementing projects in Pakistan, to what extent China adheres to its avowed principles comprising features such as mutual respect, non-conditionality, equality, building local capacity and addressing actual needs of partner countries. Based mainly on the analysis of primary data collected during fieldwork in Pakistan, this research explores the extent to which the official...
The United States (US) has been one of the pioneering aid donors that passed legislative amendmen... more The United States (US) has been one of the pioneering aid donors that passed legislative amendments in the Foreign Assistance Act and linked US economic and military assistance to human rights performance of aid recipient governments. These were indeed watershed moments for human rights activists not only in the US but elsewhere. However, the US has rarely implemented these laws since their enactment in the mid1970s. Focusing on past as well as contemporary US aid policies towards Pakistan, this paper examines the extent to which the US has actually linked aid to human rights. Analyzing US economic and military aid to Pakistan during three distinct periods: the Cold War, the post-Cold War and the ‘war on terror’, the study illustrates that the US has conveniently ignored human rights violations of respective regimes that were vital for safeguarding US foreign policy goals in the region. The paper concludes that when US geo-strategic, security and political interests are at stake, hu...
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2019
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Pakistan ranked third among the countries fac... more According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Pakistan ranked third among the countries facing severe water shortage. In May 2018, the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) announced that by 2025, there will be very little or no clean water available in the country (Shukla 2018). It must be noted that while per capita availability in the 1950s was approximately 5000 m 3 per annum, it has now declined to below 1000 m 3 , which is an internationally recognized threshold of water scarcity (Aziz et al. 2018). Currently, only 20% of the country's population has access to clean drinking water. The remaining 80% populations depends on polluted water primarily contaminated by sewerage (fecal, total coliforms, E. coli colonies), and secondarily by fertilizer, pesticides, and industrial effluents (Daud et al. 2017; Sahoutara 2017). Such water pollution is responsible for approximately 80% of all diseases and 30% of deaths (Daud et al. 2017). In the dried-out pipeline, a single E. coli bacterium can multiply into trillions in just a week (Ebrahim 2017), and such pipes are used for the water supply without any treatment. Consuming such polluted waters has not only resulted in the death of several people, but also cause bone and teeth diseases, diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid, hepatitis, cancer, and other waterborne diseases (Daud et al. 2017).
China Quarterly of International Strategic Studies, 2018
The year 2015 marked the deadline for finishing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as the Un... more The year 2015 marked the deadline for finishing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as the United Nations (UN) member states launched the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN 2030 Agenda encompassing 17 goals and 169 targets aims at eradicating global poverty, combating inequalities and utilizing natural resources in a sustainable manner so that “no one is left behind.” All stakeholders have committed to proceeding with the incomplete agenda of the MDGs and achieve the SDGs by 2030. Also in 2015, China initiated the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a collection of projects to develop energy, industry and communication infrastructure costing US$46 billion as a key part of the “Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).” This paper examines different components of the CPEC and explores the extensive convergence between the main goals envisioned under the CPEC and the universally accepted SDGs. It posits that if successfully imp...
This paper examines United States (US) bilateral aid flows to Pakistan from 1947 to 2006 to deter... more This paper examines United States (US) bilateral aid flows to Pakistan from 1947 to 2006 to determine the extent to which the assistance has been linked with the strengthening of democracy in Pakistan vis-à-vis US perceived geo-strategic and security interests. ...
Prologue The ideological imprudence and political short-sightedness of Indian leadership has neve... more Prologue The ideological imprudence and political short-sightedness of Indian leadership has never allowed it to win the hearts and minds of Kashmiris. Treating the Kashmiris with an iron fist would never complement Indian grand strategy in the region and beyond. The human sufferings in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) would also continue to jeopardize India's self-proclaimed world shining image. The Kashmir conflict has long begun to cease as a 'mere territorial dispute' between India and Pakistan given the strategic pattern of regional and international politics in the last few decades, large-scale western influence in the region, proxy wars, dynamics of alliances and coalitions within and beyond the region, and most importantly, the rise and spread of dissident elements in IHK with strong linkages elsewhere. Becoming well aware of these socio-political dynamics, New Delhi has lately realized the futility of any solution of Kashmir issue without taking into account the diverse political aspirations of Kashmiris living in the region. What is still missing in New Delhi's policy vision, however, is her stiffness over not allowing a trilateral dialogue to break the impasse of political negotiations and finding a win-win solution on all three fronts, i.e., India, Pakistan, and Kashmir. The nature of India-Pakistan peace parleys and the strategic issues involved in them often fail to complement whatever New Delhi and Kashmiri leadership arrives at and vice versa. The peace process on Kashmir is a broad subject to be dealt with in a single study. This paper, therefore, limits itself to socio-political and military dynamics through which IHK has been passing during the past six decades, making it vulnerable to communal wrangling just like the rest of India.
The United States (US) has been one of the pioneering aid donors that passed legislative amendmen... more The United States (US) has been one of the pioneering aid donors that passed legislative amendments in the Foreign Assistance Act and linked US economic and military assistance to human rights performance of aid recipient governments. These were indeed watershed moments for human rights activists not only in the US but elsewhere. However, the US has rarely implemented these laws since their enactment in the mid-1970s. Focusing on past as well as contemporary US aid policies towards Pakistan, this paper examines the extent to which the US has actually linked aid to human rights. Analyzing US economic and military aid to Pakistan during three distinct periods: the Cold War, the post-Cold War and the 'war on terror', the study illustrates that the US has conveniently ignored human rights violations of respective regimes that were vital for safeguarding US foreign policy goals in the region. The paper concludes that when US geo-strategic, security and political interests are at stake, human rights are not a significant determinant in US aid allocation. The contribution of this paper is that it is the first study of its kind that has comprehensively analyzed US aid policies vis-à-vis human rights in the context of Pakistan.
This paper examines United States (US) bilateral aid flows to Pakistan from 1947 to 2006 to deter... more This paper examines United States (US) bilateral aid flows to Pakistan from 1947 to 2006 to determine the extent to which the assistance has been linked with the strengthening of democracy in Pakistan vis-à-vis US perceived geo-strategic and security interests. Comparing the allocation of US economic and military aid to democratic and dictatorial regimes in Pakistan (in terms of total, average annual, and per capita per year), the paper finds that US aid shows a consistent pattern of high flows for military dictatorships and low or negligible flows for democratic governments, indicating that US aid has not been used to promote democracy in Pakistan; in fact, it has undermined it. The national and regional events responsible for the ebb and flow of US aid are discussed, showing that the US has maintained warm cooperative relationships with military dictators to use Pakistan to pursue its own political, security and geo-strategic goals.
This article examines the allocation of economic and military aid from the United States (U.S.) t... more This article examines the allocation of economic and military aid from the United States (U.S.) to Pakistan during the tenures of Democrat and Republican presidents. Focusing on the aggregate and annual U.S. bilateral aid to Pakistan from 1948 to 2015 covering key regional and global events including the Cold War, the post-Cold War and the War on Terror periods, the analysis illustrates that there are many fluctuations during the administrations of both political parties. It concludes that the ebb and flow in foreign (aid) policy vis-à-vis Pakistan highlights the irrelevance of U.S. presidential party affiliation, especially during times of crisis. The numbers show that regardless of which administration sits in Congress or the White House, America " s foreign policy goals are to safeguard its global interests, rather than its allies.
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Papers by Murad Ali