SWOT Analysis of Gwadar and Chabahar Port
Gwadar and Chabahar port both have significance due to their geostrategic position for the emerging economic powers of Asia, India, and China. Gwadar port managed by China under the CPEC agreement, while on the other side, Chabahar port funded by India under Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) which was signed on 23 May 2016 between India, Afghanistan, and Iran. Both ports are located in a significant strategic position for an energy trade route to connect Central Asia, Middle East, and Europe. Due to economic cost, both ports came into competition with each other. However, Iran and Pakistan both states deny any competition with each other and both states keenly interested in building cooperation and connections with each other. No doubt China is the emerging economic power of the world while the US try to contain China's growing influence in the Asian region for its resources. This paper focused on the nature of both ports and built arguments that possible strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threat in the light of comparative analysis through descriptive studies
-
Gwadar, Chabahar, Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats, CPEC
-
(1) Shabnam Gul
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
(2) Sabahat Jaleel
Lecturer, University of Engineering and Technology Taxila, Punjab, Pakistan.
(3) Muhammad Faizan Asgher
MPhil, Peace & Counter Terrorism Studies, Minhaj University Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Are NGOs Bridging the Gaps? Analyzing Opportunities for Gender and Political Empowerment in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Gender and development approach gained attention during the 1990s, since then government and nongovernmental organizations adopted these approaches for gender and political empowerment in Pakistan. This paper analyzes the contribution of NGO towards gender and political empowerment in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This study explored how NGOs interventions created opportunities for gender and political empowerment. This study presents an analysis of NGO policies and practices for gender and political empowerment in the research area. Qualitative research methods including semi-structured interviews and participant observations were used to conduct this study. The study revealed that NGOs created spaces for political awareness and participation of men and women community members, councilors and policymakers. This study argues that NGOs interventions can create opportunities and effectively contribute to gender and political empowerment goals if contextually planned and implemented in the research area.
-
Gender, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, NGO Approaches, Opportunities, Peshawar, Political Empowerment.
-
(1) Dur E Shawar
Ph.D. Scholar,Department of Development Studies, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, KP, Pakistan.
(2) Bahadar Nawab Khattak
Associate Professor, Department of Development Studies, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, KP, Pakistan.
(3) Abda Khalid
Assistant Professor, Department of Development Studies,COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, KP, Pakistan.
The 18th Amendment and the Shift towards Provincial Autonomy: A Critical Analysis
This paper critically examines the 18th constitutional amendment of Pakistan, which is a revolutionary legal change and helped to see a huge adjustment of a federal form of government to provincial autonomy. The 18th Amendment provided for the abolition of the Concurrent Legislative List, the devolution of significant ministries, and reinforcement of intergovernmental institutions like the Council of Common Interests and the National Finance Commission. Although the amendment revitalized the federal spirit of the 1973 Constitution and gave the provinces the strength in legislative and fiscal areas, its early practice revealed the shortcomings in institutions and capacities. The paper concludes that sustainable federalism in Pakistan entails an enhanced level of intergovernmental coordination, institutional changes, and political commitment to handle the asymmetries between provinces.
-
18th Amendment, Provincial Autonomy, Federalism, Decentralization,Opportunities, Challenges.
-
(1) Uroosa Ishfaq
MPhil Scholar, Department of Political Science, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, KP, Pakistan.
(2) Kashif Ashfaq
Post-Graduate Scholar, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, KP, Pakistan.
(3) Muneeba Shahid
Post-Graduate Scholar, Department of Politics and IR, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan.