You will notice a pink theme as you flip through the pages of GVS magazine this month and I hope it stays with you. October is Pink for breast cancer month. We hope you will help contribute to those charities, like Pink Ribbon, that are working to increase awareness on this issue across the populace as well as those who help women medically deal with breast cancer.
Pakistan has the highest rate of breast cancer among Asian countries, approximately 90,000 new cases are diagnosed every year – and almost 40,000 women die. According to a research conducted 1 out of every 8 women are likely to suffer from breast cancer at any point in their lives and about 77% cases of invasive breast cancer occurred in women above 50 years of age; it is the single largest cause of death for Women.
But the silver lining is: if diagnosed early the survival rates approach 90%. Our special feature this month deals with the continuing human tragedy that is Kashmir. The ill advised controversial ‘Instrument of Accession’ signed by Maharaja Hari Singh has led to a grotesque situation that could not have been envisaged by the last decision makers of the erstwhile British Empire.
No doubt the princely states were given the right to choose which dominion they would join; but it was understood that it was to be in line with the geography and people’s wishes. Nizam’s Hyderabad where India barged in after creating an insurgency is a case in point.
Dr Nazir Gilani, President JKHRC, London, writes how the issue of plebiscite kept dragging in the UN and how international positon kept changing. Lord Ahmed of Rotherham tells us about his close to 40 year struggle to get rights for the oppressed Kashmiris in Indian occupied Kashmir,
for them to be given the right to decide their future and why the international community is ignoring their plight. Professor Subhajit Naskar, writing from Kolkata evaluates how Indian policy on Pakistan is being strangled by Kashmir, however, there is no hope that change will be seen under the Modi government especially so close to the Indian General Elections.
Our visit to the IPI Salzburg forum this year gave us the opportunity to sit down with Amr Moussa, Secretary – General of the Arab League and Egyptian presidential candidate in 2012, to understand if the Palestine issue has fallen on the wayside for the Arab League as discussions over Iranian actions have assumed greater importance.
Terje Rod-Larson, President of IPI, a consummate Norwegian diplomat and former Deputy Prime Minister for Norway shared his insights on the Palestinian issue and why Muslim nations – including Pakistan – needed to engage with Israel.
This month issue also celebrates Global Village Space’s own journey in the last 21 months with our dream to create a “common ground” of understanding between different points of view. PM Imran Khan continues to talk of the European style Welfare State; Dr Umair Javed analyses PTI promises of offering a social welfare state by going through what Sweden offers its population and how it can be instituted in Pakistan.
Enjoy reading and do give us your feedback.
Najma Minhas
Managing Editor