Exclusively with Junaid Khan - Bracing for New Challenges - Matrix Mag
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Bracing for New Challenges
VOLUME-1 | ISSUE-9 | JANUARY 2020
American Absolutism &
Dangerous Neo-Normal
Why is the Taxation System
Bleeding?
Success Demands Clarity &
Exclusively with Commitment
Junaid Khan Tribute to Kobe Bean Bryant
Editor in Chief
Imtiaz Gul
TEAM MATRIX
Managing Editor
Sameena Durrani
Associate Editor
Saad Gul
Content Editor
Aliya Naseer Farooq
Editor at large
Zeeshan Salahudin
Content Writer
Mawara Tahir
Faizah Gilani - London
Jehangir Khattak - New york
Nazir Gillani - London
Lubna Khan - Toronto
Durdana Najam-Lahore
Syed Ibrahim (Production Manager)
M. Ziauddin
Saddam Hussein
EDITOR’S NOTE
During their mee ng in Davos (January 21, 2020) “When the Chinese came to help us with this Belt
CONTENTS PAGE President Donald Trump called Prime Minister Imran and Road Ini a ve (BRI) and CPEC, we were really at
Khan as a “very good friend of mine”, adding, the rock bo om . They came and pumped in, not just
The Futile Quest for Civilian Supremacy 04 “…we’ve never been closer with Pakistan than we they gave us loans – and the loans, by the way are
are right now.” Almost at the same me, Alice Wells, barely five or six percent of the total por olio. (The
Merits of Bilateral Engagement on Kashmir 06
Trump’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State sugges on that the CPEC is a debt-trap) is nonsense.
Ugly Geopolitics Hypocrisy at Best 08 for South and Central Asia, made li le secret of the They are especially helping us in agriculture because
US aversion to China and its globe-spanning Belt and Chinese technology (can boost) development (in this
Outlaw Use of Drones for Political Assassinations 11
Road Ini a ve (BRI). sector) much be er than Pakistan’s.
American Absolutism and the Dangerous Neo-normal 12
Between her appearance at Woodrow Wilson Centre The Chinese ministry of foreign affairs snapped back
Post Solemani: Is the World Safer? 14
in November last year, and her exchanges in in the same unequivocal terms.
Violence Continues to Pile Misery on Afghans 15 Islamabad in January, the content of Wells’
Why is the taxation system bleeding? conversa on on the China Pakistan Economic “The comments hold nothing new, but the same
16
Corridor (CPEC) has hardly changed - consistently cliché in her speech in November, 2019, which has
Science & Technology 18 resona ng “reserva ons” about the BRI. been repeatedly rejected by China and Pakistan.
“We must not let the truth be distorted and the lies
Omer Chaudhary – A Lifestyle Icon 20
Common elements of her speeches - disguised in run wild. The en re process is open and transparent
Success Demands Clarity and Commitment 22 “advice” to Pakistan - are geo-poli cal in nature at and is in line with interna onal norm… it is agreed
best, simply because they flow from the challenge that the CPEC is clean… we reject the nega ve
Self-Forgiveness 24 posed by the Chinese economic model to the US and propaganda by the US.”
Exclusive with Junaid Khan 26 the West.
The US and western officials, driven by their dislike, if
Happening Islamabad 28
Wherever Wells goes, she complains of a lack of not contempt, for the phenomenal economic rise of
In Conversation with Daniyal Raheel 30 transparency in CPEC projects, warns of the growing China, overlook a fundamental reality rooted in the
Chinese debt burden on Pakistan, and cau ons Chinese civiliza onal norms: never be overbearing
5 Best Homemade Hair Packs 31
against involving Chinese companies which have to your friends; never forget the good that friends
For Sama: Predicament of the Syrians Documented 32 been “blacklisted by the World Bank.” and neighbors bring you - even if decades go by;
never project your superiority onto economically
Recipes: Lemon Butter Chicken & Keto Peanut 34
Wells’ harsh assessment – which borders on disadvantaged friends, and never speak with your
Butter Cup Fat Bombs
unqualified prejudicial cri cism of the Chinese friends in two tongues.
Giorgio Armani's Prive Collection: Paris Show 36 support to Pakistan – drew unusually strong
governmental reac ons from both Islamabad and Both China and Pakistan have rescued each other
PSL Schedule 38 Beijing. and collaborated on many fronts umpteen mes,
Tribute to Kobe Bean Bryant 39 and hence PM Khan’s righ ul asser on that “this
Pakistan’s strongest ever response came from Prime rela onship goes beyond BRI (and CPEC).” It stands
Pakistan Bracing for New Challenges in 2020 40 Minister Imran Khan himself during his interview out as a real friendship anchored in the principle of
with the CNBC News in Davos. In unambiguous mutual respect and sincere support for economic
terms, Khan offered a categorical defense of China development. Had it been a transac onal
and the coopera on with it. Here is a summary of rela onship accompanied by decep on, bullying,
what Khan said, as reported by several na onal and s cks, and gunpowder, it would have long dissipated.
foreign media outlets.
POLITICS
The Futile Quest for
Civilian Supremacy!
M. Ziauddin
What will it take for the civilians to establish their authority? Is decides, one fine morning, to go back to the barracks for good,
mere electoral exercise enough or does it require financial never to return.
integrity as an addi onal criteria?
But that is not going to happen tomorrow. And a empts by
The military (M) supremacy is too deep rooted to respond to civilians to wrench power from M has ended only in the
such noble no ons as 'financial integrity'. More so because M's ignominious ouster of those who made the mistake. ZAB was
own 'financial integrity' has never been known to be hanged and Nawaz was disqualified for life and jailed on
aboveboard. corrup on charges.
M's commercial ventures, especially the Army Welfare Trust M did not take over the country on the day Pakistan was born. being and why it won't exist for long without a cons tu on is During the nine-year rule of General Musharraf, the grip of the
(AWT), the Fauji Founda on, and the Fron er Works That happened in October 1958. But things had started directly related to the mindset of our military officers. M further ghtened over the country. During his six years as
Organisa on (FWO) are not cost-efficient. Audit reports of the happening around 1954 when Pakistan joined the Central the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General (retd.) Ashfaq Pervez
government have also established the fact that resources are Treaty Organiza on (CENTO) and Southeast Asia Treaty During the first three decades of our independence, the career Kiyani also tried to further deepen the Army's role in the
con nuously transferred from the government's treasury to Organiza on (SEATO), US backed military pacts aimed at preference of the brightest among our educated youth would government.
these companies, although they are supposed to operate in keeping the region insulated from incursions of communism. be according to the following order: 1) medicine, 2)
the private sector. And perhaps by the 1970s the General Headquarters (GHQ) engineering, 3) the central superior services, 4) the air force, 5) The reac on of M to the guilty verdict of President General
was framing almost all the na onal policies including those the navy, 6) the army, and 7) the private sector. (retd.) Musharraf on treason charges was too abrupt and too
Defense Housing Authori es (DHAs) are the biggest and related to internal, economic, defence and foreign affairs. The terse, reflec ng M's self-image of feeling superior even to the
richest housing projects in the country. The Na onal Logis cs elected houses were being used only as civilian façade to cover judiciary.
That is the kind of stuff that had reached the staff colleges in
Cell (NLC) is the country's biggest goods transport company. up the reality of being a security state.
the early decades following independence. Things have only
FWO is the country's biggest construc on company. The Fauji worsened subsequently. Now, it is the private sector, mostly Nawaz has been replaced by Prime Minister Imran Khan, a
Founda on is the country's biggest corporate conglomerate. Had Ayub abdicated as per the cons tu on in favour of the mul na onals which a ract most of our brightest and not-so cricket celebrity and a world famous social worker, being the
Askari Bank, Askari Insurance, and Askari Leasing are highly then Speaker of the Na onal Assembly Abdul Jabbar Khan and brightest educated youth. That is why most of the bright founder of Shaukat Khanum Cancer hospitals. So far PM Khan
lucra ve financial organiza ons. not tried to hand over the country to General Yahya Khan, youngsters today are joining business schools. has tried not to leave M's page. And to prove the point that the
perhaps we would have escaped the humilia on of civil war in two are con nuing on the same page the current incumbent
The defence services have job quotas in civil services, including the then East Pakistan. We did not have a cons tu on when COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa has been given an extension
Despite the wide intellectual gap between the civil and military
the police and railway services from the top slot down to the Bangladesh was born. of three years.
mindsets, M occupies a higher moral ground rela ve to
level of coolies. On every promo on officers are allo ed plots civilians in its own self-image and also in the eyes of the general
at throwaway prices and newly built houses in DHAs are sold to Pakistan is a product of a cons tu onal process and it was born public. This is because of the heroic metaphors it has Finally, most of those craving for civilian supremacy ignore the
officers at nominal prices which the owners sell to private out of Bri sh India Act of 1935. So, while the na on of Pakistan developed on its own, wri ng the narra ves of all the wars it elephant in the room – the judiciary. Power flows through the
par es at market rates pocke ng huge profits. All of these M- flowed out of a cons tu onal process, most of the has fought since the one it waged for Kashmir immediately barrel of the gun, said Mao; and our judiciary meanwhile owns
specific concessions have been designed to promote legalised cons tu ons of na on states that came into being in the 17th a er independence, equa ng by associa on our 'heroes' with this dictum as faith.
corrup on. century subsequent to the Treaty of Westphalia were drawn up those of early Islamic history.
a er the fact. The writer is the former Resident Editor, Dawn Islamabad, former
Moreover, most of the country's poli cal families – primarily During the 11-year rule of President General Ziaul Haq the Editor, The News, former Execu ve Editor, The Express Tribune,
represen ng the feudal aristocracy and big business – owe But for Pakistani Generals the cons tu on is because of the general reinforced with a vengeance the supremacy of M. former Assistant Secretary General, PFUJ
their presence in the power corridors to M. Both Zulfiqar Ali country and not the other way around. That is why every me a During the 1990s the M ruled from behind the civilian façade.
Bhu o (ZAB) and Nawaz Sharif were picked up by M. military takeover has happened the author of the coup did not
think twice before doing away with the cons tu on.
In fact, the civilian supremacy can only happen if M on its own This undergraduate understanding of how Pakistan came into
04 05
POLITICS
situa on in occupied Kashmir and our head of states have
conveyed their concerns to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. You Bilateral engagement is a component in ar cle 33 of UN
Merits of Bilateral cannot expect the interna onal community to solve your
territorial dispute however the thing which is direly needed
Charter, but it would be ar cle 103 that would restrain infinite
fu le engagement and failure in the bilateral dialogue. The
Engagement on Kashmir from both sides is strong poli cal will.” Document III submi ed by Pakistan on 15 January 1948, to the
UN Security Council, containing Par culars of Pakistan's Case
The diplomat is not to be blamed for this gap in the stand of his has admi ed that “They have already unsuccessfully tried over
Syed Nazir Gilani, London country at the UN Security Council and his own understanding a period of many months to seek a solu on of the disputes
today. We should have remained around, all these years between the two Dominions by the methods described in
India as democra c, secular and plural State, could convince Kashmir, against its obliga ons and the Charter of the United perfec ng our narra ve on Kashmir. We did not and the gaps Ar cle 33 of the Charter.”
and impress any cons tuency, to the extent that sins Na ons. Kashmir was a concern at the UN Security Council in have appeared. We welcome the interest of France on the
commi ed against the people of Kashmir, in par cular the August 2019 and in January 2020. It is misdirected situa on in Indian occupied Kashmir but the remainder part of There is a peculiar feature of the Kashmir dispute. It was at the
Muslims, were overlooked. Very few people outside India understanding of UN Jurisprudence of Kashmir case, that it is a the statement is far remote from the con nued posi on taken 765th mee ng of the UN Security Council held on 24 January
would find me to take account of the plight of Indian territorial or a bilateral dispute between India and Pakistan. by France at the UN Security Council, during debates on 1957 that China highlighted the peculiar feature, that is,
minori es and the growing influence of radical Hindus. Kashmir ques on. agreement between India and Pakistan, on the Kashmir
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar also known as Babasaheb Ambedka, A na onal newspaper has very rightly said in its editorial on 25 Dispute before coming to UN Security Council. The peculiar
author of Indian cons tu on felt uncomfortable and along January that “The UN needs to understand that Kashmir is as Kashmir is not a bilateral territorial dispute as stated by the feature has remained undisputed. China has said:
with many thousands of his lower caste Hindus at the end had much a poli cal dispute as it is a legal one.” We need to address Ambassador. It is contrary to the posi on taken by France at
to renounce Hinduism and convert to Buddhism. The the four components of Kashmir case, namely, “Rights and the “539th mee ng of the UN Security Council held on 30 “”Para 68. This dispute has another peculiar feature. From the
cons tu on of India could not keep its promise of equality to Dignity” and “Security and Self-Determina on”, individually March 1951. French posi on has remained that, “Resolu ons very beginning, the Council began with an agreement between
its author either. and simultaneously. of 13 August 1948 and 5 January 1949, to which we must two par es. In fact, before the two par es directly concerned
always return because they won the express agreement of ever appeared before the Council, the two par es agreed that
The radical India has decided to pack all the principles and We have to admit that the new genera on of diplomats all over both India and Pakistan. If the par es are unable to reach the plebiscite should be the answer. What did the Council do?
guarantees given in Indian cons tu on and has decided to take the world would not be up to date on the jurisprudence of agreement on the plan submi ed to them, provision is made The Council tried to build a solu on on this prior agreement
Indian Muslims head on for a fight and keeps the Muslims in Kashmir case, for a variety of reasons. Unless the ma ers is for arbitra on, and, to make assurance doubly sure, arbitra on that the two par es had before they came to this Council. So
the valley of Kashmir under lock and key from 05 August 2019. ac vely debated at the UN Security Council or at other forums, is to be carried out b by an arbitrator or panel of arbitrators the idea of a plebiscite was not imposed by the Council on the
The lock down has passed 176 days. However, history tells us diplomats do not have enough me to research into a case. Out appointed not by a poli cal body but by the President of the two par es.”
Interna onal Court of Jus ce.”
Even the bilateral agreement has to be just and consistent with
France should not only honour her commitments made at the the principles of UN Charter. Bilateral engagement has failed in
UN Security Council but also highlight the “posi ve duty” of 1948 and the two countries had to pe on the UN Security
the Security Council, pointed out in respect of Jammu and Council. Bilateral engagement could not be infinite. Ar cle 103
Kashmir Situa on in February 1957. United States of America of UN Charter has to intervene and prevail.
was the first UN Security Council member to address the
ques on of a “Posi ve Duty of the Security Council”. United The author is President of London based Jammu and Kashmir
States of America at the 768th mee ng of the UN Security Council for Human Rights – NGO in Special Consulta ve Status
Council held on 15 February 1957 pointed out that Security with the United Na ons.
Council had a 'posi ve duty' and “unless the par es are able to
agree upon some other solu on, the solu on which was
recommended by the Security Council should prevail.” Let us The writer is Chairman, (JKCHR) Jammu and Kashmir Council
remain around, so that gaps do not intervene. of Human Rights.
that occupa on and oppression have a sell-by-date. of the 72 years, Kashmir has not featured at the UN Security
Council for about 54 years. Therefore, the new genera on of
It is important to point out that at the 230th Mee ng of UN diplomats had no reason to keep themselves abreast on
Security Council on 20 January 1948, presided over by Belgium Kashmir in general and in par cular on the stand that their
India has conceded that Kashmir is a Core issue. Indian respec ve country had taken at the UN Security Council,
representa ve Mr. GOPALASWAMI AYYANGAR said “We hope during the debates.
to be able to convince the Security Council that once we have
dealt with· the Kashmir ques on, there will probably not be The gap in the understanding of Kashmir case by the new
anything of substance which will divide India and Pakistan to genera on of diplomats could be easily understood by the
the extent of endangering interna onal peace and security”. statement made by Ambassador of France Mr. Marc Baréty, at
Na onal University of Science and Technology (NUST) during a
India has waged a war against the people of Jammu and ques on answer session. He has said, “We are mindful of the
06 07
POLITICS
Ugly Geopolitics
Hypocrisy at Best
Im az Gul
Two videos out of Washington explain the duality of the sole A few weeks later when US was bombing in Afghanistan he
super power -the United State of America; the reality of said: I just got this memo from the office of Secretary of
contradic ons and lies. The first video – from a news Defense' that describes how we're going to take out seven
conference at the State Department on January 7 – features countries in five years star ng with Iraq and then Syria,
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, where he explained the Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and finishing off, Iran.
reasons why the Iranian General Qasim Sulemani was drone-
killed. Here are a few lessons we can draw from these two videos;
Geo-poli cal considera ons and commercial interests – not
Pompeo named the Taliban as one of the militant groups he morality and principles -currently define interna onal
accused Iran of using to undermine Afghanistan peace efforts. rela ons not a single country has condemned the killing of the
He also referred to the “Tora Bora and the Mullah Dadullah Iranian general as a flagrant viola on of the UN charter. Almost
Group,” li le-known organiza ons whose strengths, relevance all direct threats to Israel – Syria, Libya and Iraq – have been
and contacts with Iran were not immediately clear. marginalized.
Don't we know that Tora Bora is a mountain in eastern Iran remains the only major potent threat to Israel and thus on
Afghanistan, where Osama bin Laden reportedly spent a few the edge. It is vola le and exposed to crippling US sanc ons as
days in 2001? Dont we know that Mulla Dadullah was a Taliban well as gullible to the lethal American firepower, exhibited in
commander killed by NATO-US troops in May 2007. the drone-killing of General Solemani in Baghdad, a third
country. under the 2017 Na onal Security Strategy – which treats delega on. This visit, too, reflected the close bond that the US
That is why now nobody ever heard of these names in recent Russia and China, as “rivals” and poten al challenge to the US has knit with India as its “pivot in Asia” to countervail the ever
years. In a clear expression of geo-poli cal considera ons, the French hegemony. growing Chinese influence in the region.
President Emanuel Macron declared at the the NATO
Strangely, Pompeo warned that “the Taliban's entanglement in Anniversary summit at WTFORD, UK on December 5 that At the same me, the “Hong Kong Human Rights and Ironically, US State Department re-designated Pakistan a
Iran's dirty work will only harm the Afghanistan peace “China should be collec ve objec ve of our defense.” Democracy Act,” (November 2019) and the Uyghur Human 'country of par cular concern' (December 2019) for “having
process.” “Iran has refused to join the regional and Rights Policy Act (passed by the House of Representa ves engaged in or tolerated 'systema c, ongoing, [and] egregious
interna onal consensus for peace and is, in fact, ac vely This basically amounts to a declara on of war against a leading December 4) underscore the US excep onalism on rights and viola ons of religious freedom,” quo ng The designa on is
working to undermine the peace process by con nuing its long member of the United Na ons and one of the five permanent interna onal law. Through these laws, the US publicly supports based on an evalua on carried out by the US Commission on
global effort to support militant groups there,” Pompeo said. on the Security Council. It is a country that imported nearly $2 the opposi on of these territories against a permanent Interna onal Religious Freedom (USCIRF). In its 2019 report,
trillion of goods from the rest of the world in 2019, and is the member of the Security Council. the USCIRF said Pakistan had failed to adequately protect its
Didn't Pompeo claim ini ally that General Solemani was taken largest exporter to over 40 other countries. Why treat it as an minori es and failed to ensure religious freedom for all,
out because he was planning to target American interests. enemy? The 2+2 Indo-US dialogue between foreign and defense including members of the majority.
Should we believe him? The US con nues to push its unilateral interven onist agenda ministers (December 19, 2019 ) also exposed the American
duplicity in foreign affairs; while Kashmir remained under total Why shouldn't such designa on be called out as a blatant
Quite a revela on! It also begs the ques on as to when did it lockdown, and most of India simmered with protests against instrument of blackmail if it singles out Pakistan but totally
dawn on the US that the Taliban were doing some dirty work ci zenship amendment act (CAA), the US-Indo ministers called glosses over the nine million Kashmiris under siege since
for Iran? Wasn't the group invited in November last year to their partnership “grounded in mutual trust and friendship, August 5, and over 60 percent of India's popula on is up in
Camp David to sign the Peace Deal that President Trump's democra c values, ……. and rooted in shared values of arms against CAA?
envoy Zalmay Khalizdad had painstakingly nego ated? freedom, jus ce, human rights, and commitment to the rule of
law.” Condemned globally for the hitherto unexplained murder of
The other video is a statement at a seminar by Wesley Clark, a journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018, Saudi Arabia
former decorated US general. The 2+2 dialogue specifically men oned Pakistan and much of remains an integral part of the US geopoli cs, and the current
the coopera on discussed (cyberspace, mari me, trade) president of the pres gious G-20, a club of the most influen al
Here is the transcript of what he told the audience: indirectly targeted China as an adversary that needs to be na ons.
Some 10 days a er 9/1 a general in the Pentagon said: We've contained.
made the decision. We're going to war with Iraq. When asked These few examples illustrate the ugliness of global poli cs –
why he said: I guess they don't know what else to do. To the total disregard of the countrywide raging protests which are clearly determined by bloc interests and commercial
against CAA by over 60 percent of its popula on (the BJP-RSS considera ons and not really rooted in the theore cal rule of
When asked if they found some informa on connec ng won only about 37 per cent of the popular vote in the 2018 law and respect for sovereignty of other countries and regard
Saddam to al Qaeda he said: No there is nothing new that way. elec on), and the con nued lockdown in Kashmir since August for fundamental rights. It represents a litany of contradic ons
They just made the decision to go to war with Iraq. I guess it's 5, the US ambassador Kenneth Juster led a 15-member guided coming out of the West, in contrast to the very values that
like we don't know what to do about terrorists but we've got a diploma c stock-taking mission (largely US allies) to besieged leading western na ons preach.
good military and we can take down governments. I guess if the Srinagar on January 10.
only tool you have is a hammer, every problem has to look like a The European Union decided against becoming part of the
nail.
08 09
POLITICS
Outlaw Use of Drones for
Political Assassinations
Matrix Media Interview
Salman Bashir
Matrix Media sat with Salman Bashir, Pakistan's former top to be construed as the new normal, Pakistan while developing or
diplomat, to discuss the regional situa on arising out of the acquiring requisite technology should strongly desist from its use
assassina on of the Iranian General Qassim Soleimani. He for cold blooded murder of individuals or groups deemed inimical
advocates ban on the use of drones for termina on missions i.e. to state interests.
elimina on of individuals or groups of poli cal a state views as
enemies. He also says Pakistan should work with like-minded Matrix Media: Does it expose Pakistan to similar ac ons by India?
states in outlawing the use or threat of use of weapons such as Will India dare doing something like what happened to Solemani?
drones and prevent this from becoming a NEOMORMAL. The
annexa on of Kashmir by India, insists Salman Bashir, will have to Salman Bashir: India with its great power pretensions has the
be reversed, as history does not “allow horrors of foreign unique dis nc on of trying to emulate the US. It believes that the
occupa on to stand.” An unjust societal order cannot last short cut to ambi on is imita on. Thus the Indian government has
indefinitely, says the former secretary. on several occasions threatened to take unilateral ac on against
individuals or groups in Pakistan that it considers as indulging in
Matrix Media: How US President has tried to impose a neo- acts of terrorism. The February 2019 strike by aircra s at Balakot
normal on world by elimina ng an Iranian general in a third are a case in point. Of course these were unsuccessful and costed
country? Can we call it neo-normal? India a lot in terms of its military reputa on. Pakistan will not allow
India to get away with such ac ons. The dangers of serious military
Salman Bashir: The assasina on of Gen Qassim Soleimani by US escala on are inherent in such situa ons. Pakistan will not allow
forces in Baghdad cannot be jus fied. It was viola ve of such ac ons by India to go unpunished. The response will be
Neo interna onal law and recognized principles of inter state conduct.
It was a unilateral ac on mandated at the highest levels of the US
government. The US is not officially in a declared war against Iran.
The argument of preemp ve self defense is dubious and does not
provide sufficient grounds for jus fying this ac on. Of course, the
US has used drones to eliminate opponents in cold blood with
considerable collateral damages such as in the erstwhile tribal
regions of Pakistan and elsewhere. If such ac ons were to
forthright and effec ve. Pakistan's own technological capabili es
are well demonstrated.
Matrix Media: Or is China the shield for Pakistan in such
situa ons?
Salman Bashir: China is a trusted friend of Pakistan. We are
grateful to China for its steadfast support for Pakistan's security
cons tute a new normal, then before long other states with drone
Normal
and development. China has also supported Pakistan at the
capabili es could resort to similar ac ons. Drone technology is United Na ons. Both Pakistan and China are law abiding states
now common place. There is a strong case to outlaw the use of and work together at interna onal forums to uphold law and
drones by states for assassina ons or elimina ng individuals or jus ce. It is primarily in this diploma c field that we could expect
groups deemed prejudicial to their interests. strong support and coopera on from China.
Matrix Media: What are implica ons of this neo-normal for Matrix Media: What the neonormal means for Kashmir? Is August
Pakistan? 5 Indian ac on in Kashmir fate accompli as NOT A SINGLE
COUNTRY HAS DEMANDED REVERSAL OF THAT ACTION?
Salman Bashir: Pakistan should along with other like-minded
states work for outlawing the use or threat of use of weapons such Salman Bashir: The annexa on of Kashmir by India is not the new
as drones or missiles for targeted assassina on in situa ons of non normal. This a empted annexa on will have to be reversed. It is
declared wars or armed conflicts. Prolifera on of such incidents true that the interna onal community par cularly major powers
carry serious consequences for regional security. Even if this were except China seem to have acquiesced. But in the broader span of
me, such evidently self serving a empts at
appeasing India will prove wrong and are
self damaging. Nature has a strange way of
vindica ng wrongs and injus ces. History
will not allow horrors of foreign occupa on
to stand. We already are seeing the excesses
of the BJP government catch up. Indian
society is all roiled up in contradic ons and
conflicts within. All of this has
consequences. An unjust societal order
cannot last indefinitely. This is evident from
human history. So will it be for Kashmir and
India.
Salman Bashir is a Pakistani diplomat who
served as the Foreign Secretary of Pakistan
and as the High Commissioner of Pakistan
to India.
11
POLITICS
Using its Shiite appeal, Iran has weaponized sectarianism in
much of the region, in a s ff compe on with the Salafite Arab The Democra c Party's overall impeachment strategy also le
American Absolutism monarchies, especially Saudi Arabia. many people scratching their heads. The me Speaker Nancy
& the Dangerous Neo Normal Palosi chose for sending the ar cles of impeachment to the
New ques ons are being raised about how instability in Iran, its Senate, just days before the Iowa caucus, was also perplexing.
interna onal isola on and economic squeeze could impact its She resisted calls for sending the impeachment ar cles since
Jehangir Kha ak control of these mili as is unclear. December 18, 2019, when the House of Representa ves
impeached Trump.
Three I's were the high points of January 2020 for the United House of Representa ves' 435 members are veterans. The
States: Iran, impeachment and Iowa. These are not just words non-binding resolu on, prac cally of no consequence to
but symbols of monumental consequences for the US and the President Trump, shows how much the Americans, despite
world. President Donald Trump's impeachment trial, the s ff despising General Suleimani's proxy wars in the region,
compe on among the Democra c presiden al candidates to opposed the move. it's divisive, dangerous and fraught with
score a victory in Iowa caucus for an early momentum for the unintended consequences of accidental wars.
cket to the White House besides the US-Iran spat, all set new
neo normal of different shades and kinds. Such wars become a real threat when transparency is lost in
the hyped rhetoric and bellicosity. It happened both in the US
Thankfully, the two sides, for now, have avoided a full blow war and Iran. The public in both the countries demanded more
following the assassina on of General Qassem Suleiman in transparency on the drama c chain of events that unfolded
Baghdad on January 3. However, it has set the stage for a since the targe ng of General Suleimani, the downing of a
poten ally protracted proxy conflict in the Middle East that Ukrainian airliner in a bloody mistake by the Iranian military on
could well become the new neo normal for the region, experts January 8 and the extent of damage the Iranian missile strikes
in the US fear. caused to the American men and military assets at the Al Asad
base hours earlier.
Legally, according to American experts, Suleimani's
assassina on was a viola on of the interna onal law. Iran
construed it as an act of war. "As a Harvard Law School President Trump was contradicted by the US military over his
graduate who has wri en extensively on the subject, I view claim that there were no casual es in the Iranian missile
such immoral ac on as a clear viola on of na onal and strikes. Pentagon admi ed on January 24 that the Iranian
interna onal law," Benjamin B Ferencz, 99, a World War II missiles had le 34 US service members with brain injuries.
veteran, wrote in a le er in The New York Times. Its illegality Trump's claim of General Suleimani's plo ng to a ack four US
aside, the ac on set a dangerous precedent that can become a embassies has also been contested by his own Defense
neo normal for interna onal adversarial engagement. Under Secretary Mark Esper. Asked on CBS' Face the Na on if there
the US Cons tu on, only the US Congress has the authority to had been a specific or tangible threat from Suleimani, Esper
declare war. said: “I didn't see one with regards to four embassies.”
The Iranian government on its part has been facing similar
ques ons over its ini al denials of the accidental shoo ng of Did Impeachment and the US Elec ons Stoke Iran Tensions?
the airliner by its military. Tehran is trying to pacify its res ve Many in the US consider President Trump's handling of the Iowa caucus has tradi onally played a cri cal role in US
ci zens over the shoo ng and has announced a few arrests as crisis in poli cal rather than strategic context. His cri cs claim presiden al elec ons. Since its introduc on in 1972, the
well. However, it is neither handing over the Black Box for one of the reasons for Trump's stunning ac on was to shi caucus winners from both par es have become nominee in the
analysis to a third country nor giving an explana on as to why it public focus from his impeachment trial and to keep his base general elec ons over half the me. However, only three won
kept its airspace open on January 8 at a me of an expected US energized. These cri cs insist that Trump's deliberate a empt the presiden al elec on to reach White House
a ack. It remains unclear if it was poor Iranian planning or to avoid war with Iran was also more of a domes c poli cal
deliberate use of civilian air traffic as a human shield against a compulsion than a strategic necessity. Doing so would have The Senate impeachment trial virtually le the campaign stage
possible US a ack. broken his elec on promise – no new unending wars! to the front runner Joe Biden and the surging Pete Bu gieg.
The US Senate enforced rigid rules during the trail – no
Pakistan closed its airspace on more than one occasion for Such inferences may carry weight. The Iran tensions did give cellphone and absence from the floor allowed. Even the
civilian flights every me tensions go high with India. President Trump centerstage, away from the humilia ng Senators could not drink coffee during the proceedings. They
limelight of impeachment trial. But did it expand his support could enjoy only water and milk! Thus, Biden's key rivals –
base? There is li le evidence to show that it did, even though it Senators Bernie Sanders, Elizbeth Warren, and Amy Klobuchar
Neo normal proxy wars did re-solidify his support base, which remains largely intact. – were literally bound to the Senate floor for the trial, at a me
General Suleimani's assassina on has raised new ques ons when they should have been in Iowa, canvassing support. Was
about Iran's own risky and long-sustained neo normal — use of However, the incident did not shi the Americans' a en on it Palosi's miscalcula on or the Democra c Party
mili as to expand its influence in the Middle East, South and from the impeachment trial for too long. The trial reached its establishment's neo normal of engineering the success of its
West Asia. Media has been abuzz with reports of Iranian logical conclusion but le behind deeper divisions among on favorite candidate, is anybody's guess. But the Democra c
Revolu onary Guards Corps' support and control of dozens of both sides of the isle. For Democrats, whose sole objec ve Party supporters s ll remember familiar machina ons of
mili as in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and seemed to be convincing the American voters that the Trump 2016!
Unsurprisingly, six days a er the drone strike on General Yemen. Iran has used these mili as, which outnumber the administra on is dishonest and unfair. Their failed efforts to
Suleimani's vehicle near Baghdad Airport, the Democra c- strength of the revolu onary guards itself, to challenge the get important documents and bring key witnesses to build the The writer is a New York based senior journalist and
controlled House of Representa ves passed a resolu on to influence and footprints of the US, its Arab allies and Israel. case against Trump also seemed part of this strategy. commentator. He tweets @JehangirKha ak
limit the president's war powers. Seventy-seven of the current
12 13
POLITICS POLITICS
Violence Continues to
Post Solemani:
Is the world safer? Pile Misery on Afghans
Matrix Report
Faizah Gillani, London
Is the world a safer place a er the drone-killing of the Iranian all possibili es to cripple the Iranian regime and the economy, Two latest reports indicate the unprecedented levels of 18,957 person increase from last quarter is a ributed to
general Qasem Soleimani? How many ramifica ons will the US which will sadly impact the people, who will ul mately suffer. violence that Afghanistan endured during 2019; according to con nued enrollment and personnel cleansing ac ons in the
ac ons entail for the world over? There may be many “bad the US central command, it dropped 7,423 bombs and other Afghan Pay and Personnel System (APPS), according to CSTC-A.
guys” all over the world but can they be simply dealt with in this If US imposes more sanc ons on Iran, its economy may not be muni ons on Afghanistan, the highest in any year since 2006 - a This quarter's assigned ANDSF strength stands at 77.5%
fashion? Is it not dangerous precedent that has the poten al to able to bear the burden of new sanc ons. The Iranian regime is staggering eigh old increase from 2015. According to UN data, (roughly 79,000 personnel short) of its authorized strength.
spiral out of control. conscious of its limita ons too and therefore it relies more on the US accounted for half the 1,149 civilian deaths a ributed to
rhetoric and exchange of harsh words with Trump. pro-government forces in Afghanistan over the first three- -- For the first me, DOD reported that the amount of funds
Some cri cs here drew comparisons with the Iraq war in 2003, quarters of 2019. appropriated for Opera on Enduring Freedom and Opera on
under George. W. Bush, which turned out to be a complete In this explosive scenario, Pakistan was fortunate not to have Freedom's Sen nel in Afghanistan ($776.0 billion, as of
foreign policy disaster. The world was then led to believe that been sandwiched between the US and Iran. Coincidentally, Within days, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan September 30, 2019) surpassed the amount ($771.1 billion)
Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruc on. Prime Minister Imran Khan has always maintained an an -war Reconstruc on (SIGAR) released his forty-sixth Quarterly obligated for the U.S. missions begun in Iraq in 2003, Opera on
posture and has been a huge cri c of Pakistan’s role in the war Report (January 31), repor ng an unprecedented number of “ New Dawn and Opera on Inherent Resolve.
on terror, arguing that it was not Pakistan’s war to begin with. enemy-ini ated a acks ” (EIA) in the last quarter (Oct-Dec
And in recent mes, Pakistan’s foreign policy has shi ed more 2019) -- Afghanistan will require at least $4.6 billion - and perhaps as
towards neutrality, probably based on the lessons learnt from much as $8.2 billion - of donor funding per year through 2024,
the mistakes commi ed in the post 9/11 years. SIGAR's mission includes supervision of audits and according to the World Bank. Even in a best-case scenario in
inves ga ons rela ng to the US-funded programs and which the Afghan government's organically generated
America and Iran may not be going to war, and a major world opera ons for the reconstruc on of Afghanistan. Its mandate is revenues doubled to $5 billion, nearly half of all public
crisis may have also to keep the Secretary of State and the Secretary of expenditures would need to be financed by donors, the Bank
been averted. Defense fully and currently informed about problems and reports.
But the extent to deficiencies rela ng to the administra on of such programs
which egois c and opera on and the necessity for and progress on correc ve -- According to the UNODC, the overall value of opiates
leaders will go to ac on. available for export in Afghanistan in 2018 (between $1.1 billion
gain the upper and $2.1 billion) was much larger than the combined value of all
hand and show Below are the some of the salient features of the SIGAR's latest of the country's licit exports ($875 million).
superiority quarterly report:
The US s ll finds itself ed up in Iraq and the American public in should never be
general have become a lot smarter and poli cally a uned since underes mated. – The month of the Afghan presiden al elec on (September --Between November 2019 and March 2020, an es mated 11.3
then. The youth are also much more socially and poli cally Conflict is just a 2019) saw the highest number of enemy-ini ated a acks (EIA) million Afghans - more than one-third of the country's
aware and seem to have a be er understanding of the world vicious cycle that in any month since June 2012, and the highest number of popula on - are an cipated to face acute food insecurity,
and foreign policy today, mostly due to the new age of social never sees an end, and history stands as a witness to it. effec ve enemy-ini ated a acks (EEIA) since recording began according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classifica on
media. So, it is understandable that an an -war protest took in January 2010. The high level of violence con nued a er the (USAID's source for Afghan food security analysis).
place in the US, with slogans saying, “no war with Iran.” Coupled with the US-Iran stand-off, poli cally explosive presiden al elec on; October 2019 had the second highest
situa ons across the Middle East – Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq and number of EIA in any month since July 2013. -- The number of new polio cases reported in Afghanistan rose
Unlike the protests at home, Trump did receive near Iran – remains a source of worry in Europe at large. There is a by 33% in 2019: 28 new cases were reported, compared to 21
unqualified support from the Bri sh Prime Minister Boris greater realisa on that frustra ons with the status quo – the -- The Afghan Special Security Forces (ASSF) conducted fewer cases in 2018 (and 14 cases in 2017). This quarter, authori es
Johnson as much on the Solemani killing as on the issue of the unresolved Pales nian issue, an -government riots in ground opera ons (534) in the fourth quarter (October - registered a new case in Baghlan Province, reportedly the first
2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Ac on (JCPOA. Trump had Lebanon and Iraq – are now boiling over and its ripples are December), than any other quarter in 2019. Only 31% of those new case in the province since 2011.
walked out of the deal but other major powers have stuck to it. being felt elsewhere as well. missions were completely independently, without U.S. or
So did Iran but it , too, announced to resume enrichment a er Coali on support. Less than half (43%) of all ASSF opera ons in -- In December, USAID provided $60 million in ARTF funds
the elimina on of its General. 2019 were completed independently, compared to 55% in despite a public statement from the State Department on
We are indeed living in mes loaded with tension and divisions
2018. September 19 that the funding would be withheld due to the
– largely driven by poli cs of populism – epitomised by leaders
France and Germany had also cri cised Tehran, expressing Afghan government's failure to meet unspecified benchmarks
like Trump, Boris Johnson and Nrendra Modi (India). Events of
concerns over viola on of previous terms that had been -- Between May and October 2019, ANDSF casual es increased for transparency and accountability in public financial
the past six months have shown that all three have the
outlined. Tehran’s rejec on of the deal comes as no surprise. slightly compared to the same period in 2018, according to a management.
capability to ini ate or ins gate conflicts. This indeed is a bad
There is no trust between Washington and Tehran, with the general assessment provided by DOD. The number of ANDSF
omen for the world.
la er expressing displeasure over not receiving economic casual es while conduc ng local patrols, checkpoint -- Sixty-four percent of respondents believed that reconcilia on
benefits of the previous deal. opera ons, and offensive opera ons did not change between the Afghan government and the Taliban is possible (a
significantly during this period in 2019 compared to the same significant increase from 53.5% in 2017), according to the Asia
The US is already weighing up op ons to target Iran’s period in 2018. Founda on's 2019 "Survey of the Afghan People.”
“The writer has studied History and Poli cs at Queen Mary,
This reflected the common man's op mism associated with the
construc on, mining and manufacturing sectors as. There is University of London. And Middle East Studies at SOAS,
-- CSTC-A reported a 7% increase in ANDSF personnel strength peace talks.
also talks of sanc ons targe ng Iranian state shipping lines that University of London.”
last quarter. As of October 31, 2019, there were 272,807 ANDSF
will most likely take effect from June. Trump is really looking at
personnel biometrically enrolled and eligible for pay. The
14 15
ECONOMY
Why is the taxation
system bleeding?
Saddam Hussein
Shabbar Zaidi, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman, untenable exchange rate, ul mately reflected in large twin
says the current taxa on regime is doomed if it is not radically deficits and a substan al erosion of external reserves. Not to
reformed. During his address at the All Pakistan Chambers forget, Pakistan's huge fiscal deficit is par ally related to the
Presidents Conclave, organized by the Islamabad Chamber of fact that it has one of the lowest tax-to-GDP ra os in the world.
Commerce and Industry on January 21, 2020, Zaidi delivered a Throughout its history, Pakistan has confronted the tax
s nging warning on the inadequacies of the current system. He collec on imbroglio with largescale tax evasion by the affluent
stated that automa on was the only key to fix issues such tax and tax mobiliza on strategies that rely on regressive taxa on.
evasion, arbitrary taxa on, collec on of advance taxes, and This dispropor onately affects the lowest rungs of the socio-
under-invoicing. The human interac on between taxman and economic ladder.
the taxpayer must be minimized to encourage honest tax
appraisal and payment by all and sundry. Pakistan tax-to-GDP ra o is about 12%. In contrast,
Organiza on for Economic Coopera on and Development
and unworkable. The voluntary part of the tax system has jurisdic ons, with popula ons ranging from 12 million to over
failed and it cannot run for long. FBR collects 90% taxes 110 million. As managing ci es is not the central func on of
indirectly, i.e., through withholding taxes and deduc on at these governments, most have not developed effec ve urban
source. Only up to 10% comes through voluntary compliance. administra on mechanisms.
Likewise, total wholesale and retail traders across Pakistan
contribute only PKR 9 billion. FBR collects about 45 percent on Moreover, Pakistan will also have to focus on converging the
imports. Tax collec on in the first half (Jul-Dec) of the current incen ves of the bureaucrats linked with tax collec on. This is
fiscal year stands at PKR 2,085 billion. In the last financial year the classic principal-agent problem: poli cians delegate tax
(2018-19) out of PKR 3,850 billion, the FBR had collected PKR collec on power to bureaucrats, but cannot monitor them
70 to 80 billion as advance taxes. Under-invoicing, which once perfectly. At the same me, the frontline bureaucrat will most
stood in the range of USD 6 billion per annum, con nues to likely have be er informa on, but can distort it. Due to this
hurt the economy. informa on asymmetry, tax collectors need to be effec vely
incen vized to fully and fairly enforce taxes.
Four major sectors - manufacturing, agriculture, services, and
retail trade and wholesale - contribute to the country's GDP Another crucial issue in Pakistan's taxa on machinery is that of
growth and economy. Yet, the brunt is borne by the a percep on - a nega ve image of revenue authority and the
manufacturing sector with 70 percent contribu on to the government. The public is not ready to trust the government
na onal ki y. This massive tax burden on one sector is even if it is benevolent and is commi ed to work for the
resul ng in the deindustrializa on of the economy, Zaidi people. Obviously, people too have logical and historical
added. reasons for their angst. However, the government can use
smart methods to win the trust of the people and help in
On reforms within FBR, Zaidi also opined that the FBR cannot changing percep on.
be fixed with sacking and transfers of officers. It will have to be
automated to minimize human interac on. It is not possible for If Zaidi's vision is technically correct, then what is all the fuss
any human to check 8,000 containers on a daily basis so the about? Why is there resistance? Any corrupt system generally
solu on lies in installa on of scanners and mechaniza on of tends to offers kickbacks to many. The beneficiaries of such
processes. systems, i.e., would-be losers of reforms, have a strong
inclina on to resist change. The same is the case with rent-
Zaidi is correct in his vision for digi za on of the taxa on seeking – an a empt to increase one's wealth without
system, but there are other aspects to consider. Formalizing contribu ng to its crea on by making use of one's authority for
It is per nent to note that Zaidi, soon a er taking the reins of (OECD) countries raise taxes equivalent to about 34% of their
the economy and paving the way for impersonal transac ons personal gains. So just as the introduc on of any system that
the revenue authority, wrote a le er to Prime Minister Imran GDP. This hinders Pakistan's capacity to make funds available
are both steps in the right direc on. Addi onally, we need to curbs corrup on is resisted by the corrupt, rent-seekers will
Khan sta ng that the exis ng system will not work. Zaidi for public investment. Where it does collect taxes then? It
look for innova ve ways to increase revenues. resist any system that diminishes their rent-seeking prospects -
termed the country's tax system lethal for the economy and predominantly depends on indirect taxes on goods and
and such opportuni es are countless.
not sustainable for the future genera ons. He likely had a plan services, which account for 6.3% of the GDP. The other 4.2% of
For instance, about 38% of Pakistanis live in ci es, yet they
in mind and wanted a green signal from Khan to enact his the GDP that make up direct taxes are collected mainly by
contribute to about 55% of the GDP. This implies that there is
reforms blueprint. A few months down the line, his perspec ve businesses withholding a percentage of economic transac ons
further revenue poten al if Pakistan effectually manages the “The author Saddam Hussein is a Development Economist, while
seems to have changed li le, if at all. for the government. Henceforth, they do not necessitate he serves as a Research Fellow at Center for Research and Security
tax collec on in ci es. Currently, Pakistan does not have
voluntary tax compliance from individuals, which resultantly Studies (CRSS), and Program Officer for CRSS' sister organiza on –
financially empowered local urban governments. Instead,
It is quite obvious that Pakistan's current economic problems remains extremely low. Afghan Studies Center, Islamabad. He tweets @saddampide.”
most urban taxes are implemented by the provincial
are rooted in unsustainable policies of the past that tried to
governments. These provincial governments have large
maintain a high rate of consump on-led growth and an This is why Zaidi calls the exis ng taxa on system extor onist
16 17Science & Technology
Elon Musk plans to send 1 million people to the Mars by 2050
Elon Musk has revealed his plans to send a million people to the
Xenobots Red Planet in the next three decades. Musk detailed that SpaceX
will send three Starship flights daily – or around 1,000 a year.
Meet Xenobots! SpaceX's billionaire founder and CEO outlined some ambi ous
goals for the company's Starship Mars-coloniza on system. The
These ny living robots have been created using cells taken from frog Starship architecture consists of a big spaceship called Starship,
embryos, heart and skin. These organisms are able to heal a human body which Musk has said will be capable of carrying up to 100 people,
a er injury and could be the future of drug delivery, to deliver a drug and a giant rocket named Super Heavy. The vehicle will be
payload to a specific area in a pa ent. These aqua c organisms live for up reusable; indeed, rapid and frequent reuse is key to Musk's
to seven days and a er seven days, they die and completely biodegrade. overall vision, which involves cu ng the cost of spaceflight
They deliver drugs into people's bloodstreams, they also have the ability enough to make Mars coloniza on and other bold explora on
to clean up micro plas cs from the ocean, or manage radioac ve waste feats economically feasible. Also each Starship will be able to
spills. A number of varia ons of the 0.7 millimeter-long robots are carry about 100 tons of payloads to orbit, so, at that flight rate, every vehicle would lo about 100,000 tons annually.
designed using a computer algorithm. It is the survival of the fi est, Musk wants all of this ac vity to lead to the establishment of a sustainable se lement on the Red Planet. This goal —
inside the computer. The manufactured organisms are currently able to making humanity a mul -planet species — is close to the entrepreneur's heart. He has repeatedly stressed that it's
walk and push things, and work collabora vely with other xenobots in a why he founded SpaceX back in 2002, and why he has been amassing wealth for the past few decades.
swarm. Their advantage over metal micro-robots is that they can heal themselves if they sustain damage. Xenobots
can stand temperatures between four and 26 degrees Celsius. They can survive for a week on the lipids and protein in
the frog cells before they stop func oning. They can't reproduce, but they can be kept alive for longer if they're grown
in a nutrient-rich cell culture.
Pakistan to launch electric rickshaws
Pakistan will soon introduce electric motorcycles and rikshaws in a bid to
Tesla's Giga Factory to be installed reduce carbon emissions in line with its 'Green Pakistan' campaign. It is the
Elon Musk's Tesla; the electric car ba ery manufacturing plant in Berlin, ba ery-powered three-wheeler vehicle and the spokesperson will guide the
Germany decides to install a Giga Factory. The Tesla Giga factory will be a endees regarding the features of the EV. Rickshaws will no longer emit
established in the outskirts of Berlin, where they will build the Tesla poisonous gases or produce sound pollu on. New electric three-wheelers will
Model 3 and Model Y. The Giga factory will also be accompanied by an run on ba eries and be completely manufactured in Pakistan. According to
engineering and design centre in Berlin to complement the Giga factory. the manufacturers, the vehicles will soon be seen on roads. A er the
This means that in near future, Tesla ba eries will be made in the car rickshaws are launched, electric cars will also be introduced across the
manufacturing capital of the world. Musk said it himself when he country.
declared that the best cars are made in Germany. There is no doubt that
German engineering is unparalleled, and this will be a ground-breaking
move by the electric car giants. Produc on in Berlin's new factory is
expected to begin in 2021, according to Elon Musk.
Sony launches an electric concept car called the Vision-S
Sony just made one of the biggest surprise announcements at
Uber & Hyundai to Launch Flying Taxis this year's CES: a car called the Sony Vision-S, it's an electric
concept sedan that is meant to showcase the Japanese tech
full-size mock-up of a flying taxi that both companies hope will be
conglomerate's many different strengths, from entertainment
ferrying you above congested city streets by 2023. The electric
products to camera sensors and more.
plane, called Uberdai, will carry a pilot and three passengers up to
60 miles, at speeds of up to 180 mph, slashing journey mes and
In fact, the Vision-S features 33 different sensors inside and
helping get cars off the road. Eventually the cra will be
outside of the car, mul ple widescreen displays, 360 audio, and
automated. It is designed for a cruising speed up to 180 miles/hr
always-on connec vity, with some pieces coming from industry
(290 km/hr), a cruising al tude of around 1,000-2,000 feet (300-
players like BlackBerry and Bosch. Sensor fusion technology
600 m) above ground, and to fly trips up to 60 miles (100 km). The
merges the capabili es of sensors of varied a ributes to enable
Hyundai vehicle will be piloted ini ally, but over me they will
early and accurate recogni on, even in challenging condi ons
become autonomous. The cabin is designed with four passenger
such as fog, backlight and night- me driving. It's also powered
seats, allowing riders to board/disembark easily and avoid the dreaded middle seat with enough space for a personal
by a “newly-designed EV pla orm” — which appears to have
bag or backpack/rider. Jaiwon Shin, execu ve vice president and head of Hyundai's Urban Air Mobility (UAM)
been engineered by automo ve supplier Magna — that Sony says will be able to power other vehicle types, like SUVs.
Division, commented “Our vision of Urban Air Mobility will transform the concept of urban transporta on. We
Time-of-Flight (ToF) in-cabin sensing solu ons use distance measurement technology to detect and recognize people
expect UAM to vitalize urban communi es and provide more quality me to people. We are confident that Uber
and objects inside the car. This informa on is used to provide an op mized infotainment system with intui ve
Elevate is the right partner to make this innova ve product readily available to as many customers as possible.”
interfaces such as gesture control and improve safety and comfort inside the vehicle.
18 19You can also read
