Connect with us

ASIA

A Successful Mission: A glance in four provinces of war stricken Afghanistan 

Published

on

No doubt despite some points, all those who remain occupants of important offices from December 2002 till mid of August 2021 have done a lot for Afghanistan and its war affected people. Prolonged external aggression, interference and investment had devastated the one time most civilized and beautiful Afghanistan. At one stage, almost all Afghans have lost hopes regarding the future, especially restoration of lost infrastructures both public and private, centralized authority and revival of the well civilized society. But it was made possible by former presidents Hamid Karzai and Dr. Ashraf Ghani and their most competent, talented and dedicated aides like Abdul Jabbar Naeemi who had served four provinces as its Governor.

Serving as or occupying the office of Governor is not any difficult or strange but serving the most complicated four provinces as governor was a difficult task. Though the nature of imposed extremism and terrorism in war devastated Afghanistan is same and similar but it has different roots and causes at regional and provincial levels. Jabaar Naeemi had served Central Maidan-Wardak, South Eastern Khost, North-Eastern Kunduz and Eastern Laghman provinces. Khost is bordering Pakistan’s Waziristan region, therefore, one may be in a better position to know about threats and challenges for the person who remains an occupant of top administrative office. He remained governor of Khost when thousands of North Waziristan families slipped into (Khost) when the Pakistan army initiated the most accomplished Zarb-i-Azab operation against militants. On such grounds, he had accredited him as host of North Waziristan displaced families, majority of whom are still waiting for repatriation.

Having control or dislodging of the different armed groups was no an easy task

Besides Khost, serving the Kunduz province bordering with Tajikistan because it was hub of first Afghan Taliban and later on of Islamic States (IS) also called Daeesh. Along with the Afghan Taliban, the Hizbe Islami Afghanistan of Gulbadin Hekmatyar has strong roots in this region. Similar was the position of Laghman province, which is surrounded by Nooristan, Kunar, Badakhshan and Kapisa provinces. Soon after 9/11 and the dislodging of the Taliban regime, militants continued sheltering in their hideouts throughout Maidan Wardak province and these militants controlling or dislodging  was not an easy task. But Naeemi did the job.

The Successful Mission is the book comprising details of all sorts of development schemes and projects, executed under Jabbar Nameemi supervision from 2002 till 2021. Besides others it included a series of educational institutions including universities, colleges and schools. Similarly he in his governed provinces made successful reconciliations with a large number of opponents-called Taliban, enabling the Afghans to remain in peace.

Associated with the moderate National Islamic Front of Afghanistan (NIFA) of late Pir Syed Ahmad Gillani, Jabbar Naeemi had first served as a diplomat in Pakistan for two terms. After the impeachment of President Hamid Karzai, he was assigned the task to serve as his Election Agent in 2004. At that time he was also an occupant of the Governor office in Maidan Wardak. And he had played a key role in the victory of Hamid Karzai. As a Governor, he executed record development, social and welfare projects in all four provinces of Maidan Wardak, Khost, Kundoz and Laghman provinces. For this purpose, he had not only made former Presidents Hamid Karzai and Dr. Ashraf Ghani for grants and funding but he had convinced almost foreign missions and embassies. On the request of Jabbar Naeemi, foreign countries and missions contribution in the reconstruction process in these four provinces is very well accomplished in his book.

The governor always opposed wars and hostilities and advocated for unity, peace and tolerance

Jabbar Naeemi in his book states, “It is more important to restore the mind than to restore the building.” During his stay in Governor Houses of four provinces, Jabbar Naeemi preferred meetings, consultations and discussions with common people, through which he succeeded in restoring the confidence of common people in government institutions. He always focused his views on creating unity and cohesion amongst the war-scattered Afghans which had helped him in execution of extraordinary developments in all such four provinces.

Diverting attention of global community towards miseries and hardships of war affected Afghans, Mr. Naeemi states, “above all nations, the people of Afghanistan aspire for peace, security and comfort having endured hardships and sorrows unmatched in the history of humanity. The establishment of enduring peace hinges on the establishment of a unified national will. By fulfilling their Islamic and national responsibilities to uphold peace and security, every individual in Afghanistan can actively contribute to this endeavor. Moreover, all political parties align themselves with the national interest and if every political and national figure disseminates a positive message to the people, the strong call for peace from every household and the collective opposition to war from mosques, Madrasas and schools will undoubtedly bring an end to the current challenges and issues.”

Jabbar Naeemi has always opposed wars and hostilities and advocated for unity, patience and tolerance, which he believes is the right way towards achieving the objectives of peace, progress and prosperity. He states. “To achieve lasting peace and put an end to the conflict, it is essential to prioritize unity, uphold the national will, communicate a positive message, show respect for Islamic and national principles, reject war, demonstrate courage, exercise patience and embrace national tolerance. Our firm belief in the power of collaboration and the effective implementation of measures, which can fortify our political system and ultimately lead to the establishment of peace and the cessation of hostilities in our nation. The wide-open doors to peace present a favorable opportunity for armed opponents to choose the right path and abandon the futile pursuit of war.”

ASIA

BYD shares soar on promise of ‘5-minute EV charge’

Published

on

Shares of BYD, China’s electric vehicle (EV) champion, hit a new record high on Tuesday after its founder, Wang Chuanfu, claimed their EVs can now charge as quickly as filling a car with traditional fuel.

BYD, a rival to Tesla, saw its shares rise by over 6% in early trading in Hong Kong, reaching HK$408.80 (approximately $52.62) per share, marking an approximate gain of 85% over the last 12 months.

The company’s billionaire founder, Wang, stated on Monday that the new charging system developed by the Shenzhen group for BYD’s own EV batteries can add approximately 470 km of range in five minutes.

This claim suggests that BYD has surpassed competitors like Tesla and Mercedes-Benz in fast-charging technology, although the new system depends on several preconditions, including sufficient voltage at charging stations.

There is increasing competition among EV and battery manufacturers to establish faster charging infrastructure to help alleviate consumer concerns about the driving range and charging speed of EVs compared to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles.

According to Chris Liu, a Shanghai-based senior analyst at Omdia consulting, China is estimated to install approximately 460,000 new public EV chargers this year, accounting for about two-thirds of the global total, bringing cumulative units to approximately 2.1 million.

BYD’s recent share price increase comes a month after the company shook the global automotive industry by launching a free advanced autonomous driving system, dubbed “God’s Eye,” which it plans to install in its entire new car series.

These moves put further pressure on Elon Musk’s Tesla and Germany’s Volkswagen, as well as a host of domestic competitors, who have been losing market share as EV sales have exploded in China in recent years.

According to data from Automobility, a consulting firm in Shanghai, BYD already holds approximately 35% of the Chinese EV market. It has an 18% share in the pure battery EV segment and a 56% share in the plug-in hybrid segment.

Continue Reading

ASIA

China’s AsiaInfo expands with DeepSeek-powered AI

Published

on

China’s largest telecom software infrastructure provider says that working with artificial intelligence (AI) startup DeepSeek is helping the company develop its own AI capabilities, which it will use to expand in Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

AsiaInfo Technologies CTO Ouyang Ye said in an exclusive interview with Nikkei Asia that the company’s collaboration with DeepSeek began well before it rose to global prominence earlier this year with a low-cost approach to developing AI models.

Ouyang said that AsiaInfo also works closely with other top-tier Chinese large language models (LLMs) such as Alibaba Cloud’s Tongyi Qianwen and ByteDance’s Doubao, but that the rise of the open-source DeepSeek model is what facilitates and accelerates the deployment of the company’s various AI solutions.

“Our telecom infrastructure software solutions for China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom fully support DeepSeek’s model,” said Ouyang, referring to the country’s three major telecom providers. He said that his company was the first in the industry to embed and fully support DeepSeek.

According to research by AsiaInfo and Tsinghua University, DeepSeek’s model performs well in specialized technical areas such as monitoring network failures and optimizing wireless communication performance.

The CTO said that, for example, China Unicom’s Guangdong subsidiary used AsiaInfo’s DeepSeek-enhanced solutions in February to optimize service efficiency. This initiative reduced training costs by 75%, enhanced AI assistant capabilities, accelerated response times by 200%, and increased the efficiency of human-machine collaboration by 40%.

Hong Kong-based AsiaInfo, a leading telecom software infrastructure solutions provider, competes with US-based Amdocs, India’s Infosys, and Poland’s Comarch. Some network equipment makers like Huawei, HPE, Cisco, and Nokia also provide some software services.

In addition to infrastructure software, AsiaInfo also provides business and operations support systems, such as network monitoring software and customer and billing management, including processing telecom billing information for China’s 1.4 billion population.

AsiaInfo is also the largest software provider for China’s 5G private networks, serving the country’s leading energy providers and steelmakers, such as China Nuclear Group and Shougang Group, as well as miners and wind farm operators. Private networks are set up by businesses or organizations to provide on-site connectivity to facilitate services like factory automation.

Ouyang is optimistic that AsiaInfo can leverage AI to boost its overseas expansion, and that 5G private networks are expected to be a significant growth driver in the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The majority of AsiaInfo’s business is in China, and going overseas is one of the company’s core strategies for growth.

“This year, the growth potential in the overseas market is quite large, especially in the fields of mines, ports, and energy, where we have more specific domain expertise,” the senior executive said.

AsiaInfo Chairman and CEO Edward Tian previously stated that the traditional telecom market and spending have slowed in 2024, but the adoption of AI and LLMs has become a key growth driver for the company as customers begin to adopt these technologies in their services.

AsiaInfo says its software can run on servers and other hardware from different companies, including Nvidia, Huawei, and Hygon.

While leading Chinese tech companies and government agencies are adopting DeepSeek, some governments, such as Italy, Australia, Canada, and South Korea, are banning its use on official devices.

Continue Reading

ASIA

China unveils ‘most comprehensive’ plan in 40 years to boost consumption

Published

on

China has unveiled a new plan to stimulate domestic consumption, called the “Special Action Plan to Boost Consumption,” as it grapples with weak confidence and deflationary pressures.

The 30-point plan, issued by the General Office of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the General Office of the State Council, aims to “strongly promote consumption, revitalize domestic demand as a whole, and enhance spending power by increasing earnings and reducing financial burdens.”

This plan supports President Xi Jinping’s directive from late last year, instructing policymakers to focus on boosting domestic demand.

Analysts have described China’s newly announced consumption action plan as the most comprehensive policy package the country has released in over four decades to boost consumer spending.

The plan from the State Council, China’s cabinet, will focus on increasing incomes, stabilizing real estate and stock markets, improving the consumption environment, and enhancing healthcare and pension services. Through this plan, the Chinese economy seeks to transition to a consumption-driven growth model.

News of the “Special Action Plan to Boost Consumption” invigorated stock markets on Monday.

The plan announcement, made late Sunday, followed the “Two Sessions” in Beijing last week, where legislators re-emphasized consumption as a top priority.

In China, domestic spending has remained weak since the end of Covid-19 lockdowns over two years ago, as households have been cautious about spending. Consumer prices fell into deflation in February, although figures were positively impacted by the New Year holiday.

The slowdown in China’s vast real estate sector has also renewed calls from economists to bolster domestic demand.

Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Monday showed that retail sales rose 4% year-on-year in January and February, surpassing December’s 3.7% increase and aligning with forecasts from a Reuters poll of analysts.

In September, policymakers announced a long-awaited package to support the economy, but the measures largely focused on stock markets, disappointing investors.

The new plan, comprising eight main sections, addresses factors such as income growth, enhancing the quality-of-service consumption, improving large-scale consumption, and improving the consumption environment simultaneously.

It includes a commitment to raising the minimum wage, strengthening support for education, and establishing a subsidy system for childcare—a particularly pressing issue as China’s population has declined for three consecutive years.

Shi Lei, an economics professor at Fudan University in Shanghai, said, “This is the most comprehensive directive to promote consumption since China’s reform and opening up [in the late 1970s],” adding, “According to the policy, authorities will promote the reasonable growth of employees’ incomes by increasing employment, raising the minimum wage, and accelerating the implementation of the paid annual leave system.”

Speaking to the South China Morning Post, Shi noted, “In the past, policymakers often ignored income growth [when discussing ways to boost spending].” He added, “In fact, if consumers have money, they don’t need your encouragement to spend, and if they don’t have money, such encouragement won’t work.”

Lynn Song, ING’s Greater China chief economist, stated that the plan “focuses significantly on boosting household consumption capacity and willingness” and, if implemented correctly, “could help China’s economic transition towards a consumption-driven growth model.”

“The direction looks positive, but implementation is everything. It is not certain that these measures will be enough to restore consumer confidence to healthy levels,” Song wrote, also noting that the administration’s focus on boosting consumption, combined with a relatively low base last year, means that China’s consumption growth could reach a mid-single-digit growth rate in 2025.

Data released on Monday also showed that industrial production increased by 5.9% year-on-year in the first two months of 2025, slowing from 6.2% in December but exceeding analysts’ expectations of a 5.3% increase.

The new package will also promote “inbound” consumption. Beijing has granted visa-free travel to dozens of countries in the past year to revitalize inbound tourism post-pandemic.

It also highlights specific tourism sectors such as “snow and ice.” China has built several indoor ski resorts in recent years, including the world’s largest, which opened in Shanghai in September.

According to the plan, China will also broaden real estate income channels with measures to stabilize the stock market and develop more bond products suitable for individual investors.

The plan calls for exploring ways to unlock the value of homes legally owned by farmers through rental arrangements, equity participation, and cooperative models.

Notably, in addition to traditional consumption sectors such as housing and automobiles, it emphasizes emerging categories such as AI-powered products and the low-altitude economy.

It also states that new consumption sectors with high growth rates will be created by accelerating the development and application of new technologies and products such as autonomous driving, smart wearable products, ultra-high-definition video, brain-computer interfaces, robotics, and additive manufacturing, more commonly known as 3D printing.

Xu Chenggang, a senior research fellow at the Stanford University Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, said that Beijing’s shift towards consumption indicates official recognition that the economic situation is “serious.”

Zou Yunhan, a researcher at the State Information Center, also said that consumption is playing an increasingly key role in boosting economic growth, but some challenges still persist in the quest to further unleash consumer potential.

Looking ahead, Zou called for joint efforts from all sectors to ensure the full implementation and effectiveness of the action plan.

Continue Reading

MOST READ

Turkey