The People's Republic of Arsalania (Urdu: عوامی جمھوریۃ ارسلعینیہ), also referred colloquially as Arsalania (Urdu: ارسلعینیہ) is a sovereign state,[a] called a micronation by external observers. It was founded on 14 May 2019. Arsalania is among the founding nations of the South Asian Association of Micronational Cooperation (SAAMC), founded in October 2024. It was a member of ASAM and a founding member of the NMI before it's dissolution. Arsalania consists of two provinces, Arsalania (proper) which is the Core Capital Province and the Province of Mesustan. The character and form of government of the People's Republic has shifted much over the years, from it's era as the only state to follow Arsalania's own political ideology 'Arsalanian Trotskyism' to the post-March 21 Resolution People's Republic which now officially espouses 'Arsalanian Socialism' yet again another ideology whose development is attributed to the Supreme Leader and Founder of the People's Republic, Arsal Abbas Mirza.
The People's Republic of Arsalania's territory is entirely enclosed by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and is present on the Asian continent. Arsalania is entirely land-locked. Arsalania remains the only state to espouse its indigenously developed state ideology of Arsalanian Socialism (which was preceded by another ideology known as 'Arsalanian Trotskyism')
Arsalania is a Muslim Nation with 100% of citizens following Islam (with the Ja'fari Fiqh being followed by the majority) and thishas been enshrined in the Constitution through the first constitutional amendment (as directly mandated by the 21 March Resolution passed in 2021).
Arsalanian history has been characterized by a general stability in affairs, a steady growth as well as periods of dormancy during the development of Arsalania as well as Arsalania's departure from diplomatic isolation in May 2020 and the subsequent eras that have led to Arsalania evolving into its present state.
Within the greater micronational world, Arsalania is renowned as the the most active and developed brick & mortar micronation within the Islamic world, the only known major Pakistani and Shi'a micronation. Arsalanian professionalism is a hallmark of the development and history of the country whose culture and national lore is rapidly expanding and establishing itself.
The word 'Arsalania' and the official name 'Awami Jamhuriyat Arsalania' (People's Republic of Arsalania) written in the Perso-Arabic script.
The origins of the word 'Arsalania' dates back to the earliest days of the existence of the very idea of 'Arsalania'
It's meaning is 'The Land of Arsal' referring to it's founder and present Supreme Leader, Arsal Abbas Mirza. The word can be divided into multiple parts as 'Arsal-ain-ia' where 'an' are added to help with pronunciation (although in most cases it is observed that people that natively speak a South Asian language have a tendency to pronounce the name of the country incorrectly as 'Arsal-aan-ia' rather than 'Arsal-ain-ia' despite efforts to remedy this)
Official names
14 May 2019 – present day -People's Republic of Arsalania
It is believed that under conditions of popular demand, The title of 'People's Republic' may be abandoned in favour of changing to an 'Islamic Republic' at some point in the future.
History
Arsalanian History spans from it's origins in 2017 to the present day. While Arsalanian history is at present recorded only in the minds of the people and traces of online presence, the Supreme Leader has personally undertook the task of preparing a Chronicle of Arsalanian History, the status of which is uncertain at present but may be brought to an adequate state at some point.
Arsalania's history itself is officially divided into multiple eras, starting from the foundations themselves leading to the many successive eras up to the present. These are presented in chronological order as follows:
Foundation
The idea of Arsalania itself arose in Mid 2017, The current serving Supreme leader, Arsal Abbas Mirza was the one to establish it in it's earliest days. During the formation period, many important events would take place that would shape the idea of 'Arsalania' to what it is today. While the formation period can be described as a period of humble beginnings, many strides were made and quite a lot of work was done, some of which is now lost and is being searched for and subsequently restored by the Government of Arsalania. One of such works was the early Arsalanian Writing system, which was unfortunately lost alongside countless other documents.
The early eras of Arsalanian history would be characterised by a loose association around the idea of a country called 'Arsalania' with little organization or governance per se.
Afterwards Arsalania would enter a long period of dormancy during which the very idea of Arsalania would survive but without much activity at all. However this period is considered important due to the emergence of Arsalanian foreign policy as a result of countless incidents which turned violent between foreigners and key figures in Arsalania's early eras prior to it's formal legal establishment.
In May 2019, the founder, later established as the Supreme Leader would write the Constitution, while it did indeed take quite a bit of content from a model constitution (which is now unavailable) the only reason officially such elements were taken are said to be the fact that they were ideologically compatible with Arsalania's initial ideology which was 'Arsalanian Trotskyism'
On 11 May 2019, the first draft of the Constitution was completed and on 14 May the People's Republic was declared.
In Arsalania's early diplomatic history, attempts were made to establish relations with the Aerican Empire which today is considered as a premature mistake but would effectively go down in history as Arsalania's first diplomatic correspondence with a foreign state. While the early era and the full scale of actions undertaken by the Arsalanian government in 2019 remains hazy and poorly documented, it is impossible to ignore it due to the sheer fact that Arsalania did not exist as a proper state with a government before. According to existing records, Arsalania's early development was halted after the only computer device owned by the government suffered severe hardware failure which caused an era of inactivity and isolation until Arsalania's later departure from said isolation in 2020.
Era of the Rising Falcon
One of the most important Era's in Arsalania's history is that which is referred to as the 'Era of the Rising Falcon' which began after Arsalania established relations with the (then) Forwardist Republic of Eastasia and subsequent end of diplomatic isolation. Relations were established with many nations, e-consulates were set up and overall correspondence was a key feature of this era. The Arsalanian Armed Forces (ARF) consisting of initially the 'Arsalanian People's Army' (APA) were also founded at this time and placed under the command of the 'Arsalanian Armed Forces High Command' or 'ARFHC' based in Arsal city alongside all other state institutions and ministries.
It is however necessary to mention the how the earlier to mid parts of this era were characterized with an economic crisis (one that the People's Republic is still recovering from) which was immediately followed by the establishment of formal relations with the Forwardist Republic of Eastasia. During this time, The People's Republic initiated work on many large scale environmental and agricultural projects, The first of which was Project 'Babylon' which was successfully completed in August and was announced as having reached completion later in September. Later in July, The People's Republic was granted admission into the Reformed Intermicronational Confederation (RIC) as an Observer state, it would later however upgrade to full member status.
Mid August 2020 was characterized by a series of incidents that caused severe harm to the National Banana Plantation. In particular, the country's feline population was implicit in such and had been climbing onto the trees, their sharp claws eventually turning the banana tree into something that could be likened to a wall after being fired upon by twenty armed soldiers as the Arsalanian government then stated. Such led to mass outrage within Arsalania and similar incidents caused public opinion to be against allowing the feline population to stay.
Wildlife Issues and 'Al-Nyaeda'
The incidents involving Arsalania's core agricultural production sites was preceded by a serious increase in feline migration from surrounding areas into Arsalania. This was due to an increase in Arsalania's native feline population due to natural circumstances and the migrations were essentially predatory incursions by said animals seeking to prey on new-born felines. This led to a series of events throughout August during which the Arsalanian People's Army was deployed to take part in 'Animal Control Operations' aimed at keeping foreign animals out of Arsalania.
During such a period of time where violence between Arsalania's native & Invading animals was common, the Supreme Leader famously dubbed the predatory felines to be the 'Al-Nyaeda' which was meant as a joke referencing the real world terrorist group.
By the end of August the Ministry of Public relations announced that a 75% reduction in incidents had been achieved and as the newborn felines grew older, they became less of an appealing target for intruding predators hence allowing a natural decrease in otherwise regular incursions.
Era of Diplomatic Progress
Late August was characterized by the Ministry of Defence hinting about the potential establishment of a new branch of the Arsalanian Armed Forces to operate alongside the APA, no further information was released to date. On 25 August, The People's Republic became a signatory to a historic and important treaty, known as the 'Yungshin Proclamation' with the Forwardist Republic of Eastasia, Which established the 'New Micronations Internationale' (NMI), the purpose of establishment was to bring together Leftist micronations to achieve like-minded goals of cooperation, progress, Intermicronational statuses, equality and leftist unity, said organization recently dissolved in October 2021.
The Arsalanian Economy had been fast at recovering from the July Economic Crisis and was then considered as having regained an upward growth trajectory.
28 August also saw the People's Army hold it's first field exercise which was named as 'Military Exercise Haidar' and began around 4-5 AM in the morning and despite heavy rain beginning around 5 AM, would continue till 7 AM with Arsalanian personnel conducting marching drills regardless.
Overall the month of September saw multiple projects launched aiming to enhance Arsalania proper. Within September 2020, the Arsalanian National Parliament passed the 'Unity and Solidarity' Resolution which was intended as a long term plan to improve unity among citizens and establish a proper sense of nationhood. It can be described as a predecessor to the later 21 March Resolution.
Later on further discussions continued in the National Parliament in regards to the means of enhancing national unity and cohesion.
Minor stagnancy befell Arsalania until November when in the first important event since September, Arsalania established relations with the Republic of Kirael with the only notable exception in October was when on 3 October 2020, The Ministry of Public Relations, on behalf of the Ministry of Finance and the Government of Arsalania that in order to promote the viewership of Anime, A special 'Anime Subsidy' was announced. Only one beneficiary resulted from such and was paid a sum of '10 Arollars' (100 PKR as per the exchange rate of the time) as part of the subsidy. It's results remain a topic of controversy within the administration but it is rumoured that the subsidy may be announced yet again with a stronger focus and larger budget.
Screenshot of the First Digital A.S.A.M Summit, as taken by the host. Supreme Leader A. Abbas Mirza is also visible wearing traditional formal clothing.
By the end of November 2020, Arsalania was contacted by Vishwamitra and was formally invited to join the Association of South Asian Micronations. As part of the A.S.A.M, Arsalania would later attend two summits, the first being held on the 12th of December 2020, and the second taking place on the 30th of January 2021. The Third summit was planned to be held later in 2021 and would have been hosted by Arsalania but after continuous delays and cancellation it has yet to take place.
February 2021 for Arsalania started off with two key diplomatic breakthroughs, those being the establishment of relations and an Alliance with the State of Vishwamitra[1] and establishment of relations with the Micronation of the A.V.R. ; both nations were of significance within the micronational community and establishment of relations with them helped strengthen Arsalanian diplomatic efforts.
Era of the 21st March Resolution
On the 21st of March 2021, In a historic session of the National Parliament, by unanimous approval the 21st March Resolution (named after the date of the session) was passed. As a result Arsalania would undergo drastic reforms including a change in National Ideology, adoption of a State Religion (Twelver Shi'a Islam) as well as countless other gradual changes that would be enforced such as the total re-design of state symbols. During the same session, the People's Republic of Arsalania ratified the Edgbaston and Wrythe conventions with unanimous approval of all parliamentarians.
While little to no change would take place for several months in regards to the Resolution with the state continuing onwards in the usual fashion, the resolution would provide an immediate plan of action as it consisted of various points. Several of which such as the easily enforceable ones (i.e Adoption of a State Religion, etc) were immediately fulfilled while as of 2022, nearly all have been fulfilled.
While 2021 in general is considered generally fruitful for Arsalanian culture and literature, the Era after the 21st March Resolution in particular saw key developments spearheaded by the Supreme Leader (who is a prominent writer himself, writing primarily in English, Urdu and Punjabi)
October 2021 brought tragedy for the Arsalanian people. The first death to take place in the entire history of Arsalania would take place on 11 October 2021. The Grandmother of the Supreme Leader, who was an elderly citizen passed away due to Tuberculosis at the age of 87. This event sent shockwaves throughout Arsalanian society as the central figure who was known to be the single unifying force that kept social relations intact in the country was no more. The series of events that it kicked off is believed to soon culminate in a 'Great Migration' and the fragmentation of what is presently known as Arsalania proper.
Pamphlet advertising the First Micronational Wargames between the Kingdom of Missouria and the People's Republic of Arsalania.
However, later on October would see major advances in Administrative efficiency and archival of documentation and their preservation, the People's Republic of Arsalania hosted the First Virtual Wargames as a means to promote the development of Micronational Militaries and to bring attention to this often neglected if not entirely ridiculed aspect of micronationalism which often remains nothing more than entirely ceremonial. The second Virtual Wargames have yet to be held but are expected to see more nations invited and a larger scale event.
For the first time in it's history Arsalania was expanded to include the then Autonomous National Territory of (a designated established specifically for this case) Mesustan. While initially given the status of Autonomous National Territory (due to the criteria of having at least two registered citizens to be considered a province) Mesustan would soon be given an official mandate[2] on 7 November 2021.
This mandate, officially assigned by the Federal Government of Arsalania was fulfilled by Mesustani Authorities within five days with one more individual registered under the national database with their official consent and application for citizenship.
Thus on 12 November 2021, the Federal Government elevated the status of Mesustan to that of a full province. As part of the official document[3] recruitment quotas for the Civil Services and Armed Forces requiring recruitment of at least one individual each as to equalize representation in said state organs.
For the first time in Arsalanian History, on 26 November 2021, Naturalization Certificates were issued for both Mesustani citizens proving the right of them and their offspring to Arsalanian citizenship. This was also a major milestone for Arsalanian formal documentation as past records lacked a proper template which was utilized and created in this instance.
The very next day, on 27 November 2021, prominent Mesustani citizen, Muhammad Abdullah Ibn Qaisar 'Al-Mesustani' was confirmed as having passed the Civil Services Evaluation course by excellent grades and was offered employment as the Minister of Archives. The formal contract was signed on the 27 November 2021 after multiple days of negotiations on the occasion of Al-Mesustani's visit to the Capital. Al-Mesustani remains the only person ever hired by the State for a permanent position and his contract remains the first employment contract signed in Arsalania formally.
December saw Arsalanian Agriculture flourish with a massive expansion in cultivated crops with multiple types of crops planted for the first time such as tomatoes (experiments with cherry tomatoes have been successful in the past) and coriander.
Horticulture was also immensely expanded with Arsalania once again resuming Rose cultivation after severe setbacks in the past as well as that of various other kinds of flowers.
January 2022 was expected to see standardization of the People's Army (which was delayed due to budgetary constraints) and total overhaul and the publication of Arsalania's first ever Agricultural and Horticulture Report which was published in late January.
Era of National Reformation and Growth
Earlier on in February, the Services sector saw massive growth as a confectionary business catering to the middle and upper middle class market in Lahore was established. According to research conducted by the Arsalanian Government, the company founded is providing confectionary such as cupcakes, brownies, donuts, etc at prices 50% less than the market with quality standards that can eclipse any major market competitor. However the company has yet to receive state subsidies. Apart from customers in Pakistan, the company has also managed to wrestle control of the market in Arsalania's second province of Mesustan.
Despite the Russo-Ukrainian conflict re-erupting starting from February 24, which briefly shocked the Arsalanian government, the Ministry of Foreign affairs nor any state arm has yet to make a statement in regards to the conflict and have chosen to maintain neutrality; a decision that stands in contrast to the decision of other micronational states like Arsalania's close ally Vishwamitra which chose to revoke it's recognition of the Russian Federation and recognized the L.P.R and D.PR. as legitimate parts of Ukraine.
On the same day as the first anniversary of the 21 March Resolution, the Supreme Leader ratified a treaty of Mutual Relations with the Karno-Ruthenian Empire. Under the clauses of the treaty it was put into effect on 31 March 2022.
It was believed that the next Session of the National Parliament, as scheduled for Thursday, 31 March 2022 will be of great importance as a series of proper amendments to the Arsalanian Constitution have been long due (Such also concedes with the date of the Supreme Leader's birthday as such a delegation from Mesustan which will also attend the Parliament session is also due for arrival in Arsalania for both purposes) However it was cancelled on the basis of various concerns brought under the notice of the Supreme Leader.
However, said Parliament session would ultimately happen on 2 April 2022.
Reportedly, Arsalania faced severe water supply issues as the only pumping station in the country (consisting of a single electric pump) became out of order for two days. Said situation was rectified two days after it originally surfaced around late 31 March 2022.
On 2 April 2022, the National Parliament convened a historic session during which the first Constitutional Amendment was passed. Consisting of Amendments to Nine articles of the Constitution as well as the Preamble, the First Constitutional Amendment is the long due change as mandated by the 21 March Resolution and integrates the points of the Resolution into Arsalanian Law. The original proposed document can be read here.
The Arsalanian Government has recently begun extended plantation programs close to Arsal City to increase the cultivation of flowering plants in the country.
On 10 April 2022, keeping in view the sentiments of the people and the situation in Pakistan, the Federal Government issued an official statement in support of Prime Minister Imran Khan who had been ousted in a midnight vote of no confidence, which was allegedly done with foreign backing. The Supreme Leader led a group of citizens to attend a rally in support of Imran Khan within Lahore.
The Arsalanian people have been vocal on social media, on Twitter and Facebook in particular, supporting the trend against the PDM government that was formed in Pakistan after the ouster of PM Khan.
April saw an increase in the volume of confectionary exports to Pakistan.
On 23 April 2022, the Arsalanian government began issuing Internal Identification Documentation to Civil Servants.
Early May proved to be financially fruitful for the People's Republic as all of Arsalania's internal debt was paid off after an influx of financial resources within the treasury. The Arsalanian Economy also saw significant sustained growth and the National Foreign Exchange Reserves grew by 20%
It is believed that the Government may attempt to introduce the Arsalanian Arollar soon with it's foreign exchange reserves becoming far more stable than any point in recent memory.
On 5 May 2022, the Arsalanian Government issued a communiqué announcing the establishment of a National Gazette to be published on a discretionary basis and shall serve as the primary means of dissemination of low level notifications and information from the government (of the sort that does not require a dedicated communiqué.
As of 27.5.2022, the population of Arsalania was recorded as 11 registered citizens, such that the registration of one new citizen on the very same day had prompted the update in records and increase in population.
On 2 July 2022, an Extraordinary issue of the National Gazette (the first ever in history) announced the establishment of three new National Autonomous Territories including one present in the City of Rawalpindi, Pakistan which is the farthest territory from the Federal Capital ever established.
After several days of correspondence, the People's Republic of Arsalania established official diplomatic relations with the Empire of the Huai Siao on 12 August 2022.
With the registration of one new citizen, the People's Republic of Arsalania established the Autonomous National Territory of 'Mirzapur' within the Pakistani City of Sargodha. The population of Arsalania reached 14 as a result, which is one less than the planned milestone of 15 citizens. The Gazette Notification announced such was issued on 9 September 2022.
Era of Consolidation
The Arsalanian Government established the Autonomous National Territory of 'Luddarabad' (Meaning: 'Home of the Otter' in Punjabi) on 22 January 2023, thus marking Arsalania reaching the 15 citizen milestone and the beginning of the new 'Era of Consolidation'.
By the beginning of the Era of Consolidation, the Arsalanian Agricultural sector had also received much private-public attention and was set to make huge gains, through the efforts of the relevant ministry, the 2nd Arsalanian Agricultural and Horticultural Report was set to be published later on in January 2023 however such was delayed. A major agricultural project was begun, whose official name and details have not been disclosed (beyond the particulars known to the general public in the Federal capital) but more information is expected to be released.
On 4 April 2023, the People's Republic of Arsalania and the Republic of GSMLL formally established diplomatic relations and mutual recognition as sovereign states after a brief period of diplomatic talks and correspondence.
14 May 2023 marked Arsalania's 4th National Unity Day, commemorating the day when the People's Republic of Arsalania was founded in May 2019 with the ratification of the 2019 Constitution. On the very same day, the National Parliament held a special session in which the 'Year of Progress Resolution' was presented. This was itself another mandate awarding resolution similar to the 21 March Resolution. The 10-point resolution, mandating courses of action for the Federal Government to take for skyrocketing the development of the People's Republic within Arsalania's fifth year of existence till the 5th Anniversary, was adopted unanimously by the National Parliament.
The second half of 2023 marked substantial developments for Arsalanian Ideological and Constitutional foundations - Support was readily nurtured among the people for the long-stated goal of preparing a new Constitution for Arsalania. The Winter of 2023 marked immense advancements in the Capital Agricultural Projects with the Winter Crop being particularly fruitful (both in terms of experience and produce - in proportion to the scale of the projects themselves).
Ultimately, on 7 February 2024, through the issuance of an Executive Order by the Supreme Leader - the Federal Constitutional Draft Committee was formed for the purposes of drafting the new Supreme Law of the Land - initially, the deadline of 15th April was mentioned, but via another Executive Order - the tenure of the FCDC was extended to 4 September. This was because of a series of severe delays and communication crises that led to the actual creation and organization of the Committee to become a process that remained heavily bogged down for many months. However, by May 2024, the nominees for prospective members of the Federal Constitutional Draft Committee (FCDC) were finalized and around 5-7 June, the appointment letters had been sent and a majority of responses received.
Era of the Nightingale
On 14 May, 2024, Arsalania commemorated its fifth year in existence. The day marks a significant point in Arsalanian history as several major national projects are about to enter their initial phase, all the while the Federal Constitutional Draft Committee is set to begin its sessions to draft a new Constitution for the People's Republic of Arsalania.
By May 2024, the nominees for prospective members of the Federal Constitutional Draft Committee (FCDC) were finalized and around ~5-7 June, the appointment letters had been sent and a majority of responses received. Reportedly - nearly all individuals who constituted the learned, skilled and contributing citizens of Arsalania who have played an influential role in its social, political, economic, artistic and intellectual development were offered a seat on the Committee under a two type membership system (Full membership or correspondent membership [which entails less requirement for participation or responsibilities] )
On 27 September 2024, Arsalania established mutual recognition and entered into formal relations with the Kingdom of Imruland, a Muslim Bangladeshi micronation.
Territory
The territory of the People's Republic of Arsalania is concentrated primarily within the Pakistani city of Lahore alongside one exclave within the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi and one in Sargodha. A total of seven territories exist including the Federal Capital of Arsal City.
Governance
The People's Republic of Arsalania is governed under a single-party government structure. The People's Republic's administration is federal in nature and the Federal Government is typically either referred to as the 'Government of Arsalania' (Urdu: حکومتِ ارسلعینیہ) or simply as the 'Federal Government' (Urdu:وفاقی حکومت) in official or informal usage. Currently, the Socialist Party of Arsalania is in power. The highest authority within the government is the office of the Supreme Leader, which is currently held by the founder of the People's Republic, Supreme Leader Arsal Abbas Mirza. It is also worthy to note that despite Article 19 & 18 of Part V of the Constitution of Arsalania establishing a Judicial Branch of government, in practice they do not exist though this is due to change.
The following state organs operate as part of the Government of Arsalania under the guidance of the Supreme Leader:
Ministries
The Federal Ministries of Arsalania are the first level Executive bodies that operate under their respective grades of authority and role. Each Ministry is overseen by a Minister ( e.g. Minister of Foreign Affairs) This may be a democratically elected representative from the National Parliament or one appointed by the State. The ministries have various departments that operate under them and can be directed to any task relevant to their foundational purpose by the Minister under whom they operate or by higher authorities (including legislative initiative proposed and passed by the National Parliament)
Presently, 10 ministries operate under the Government of Arsalania. Several departments operate under each ministry.
While reorganization of the Ministries is suggested, the present administration has maintained the need to at least maintain them for administrative and archival ease as it does not cost to have an excess as well, the primary problem with doing so is the fact that such a large administrative designation system is considered 'simulationist' by other governments.
Ministership criterium
In order to be appointed/offered the position of a Federal Minister, which entails membership of the National Cabinet, a candidate must first be a civil servant (passing the civil services examination is necessary for such) and then they can be appointed to any ministerial position, a right to be exercised at the Supreme Leader's discretion.
Two Ministers have been appointed to date (Minister of Archives & Minister of Education & Technology)
National Cabinet
The National Cabinet is a formal body composed of senior government officials chosen and led by the Supreme Leader. All cabinet members sworn in are designated Minister, and are seated at their respective ministries located in Arsal City.
The Cabinet Secretary of Arsalania serves as the administrative head of the Cabinet Division and reports directly to the Supreme Leader. Up to now no individual has been appointed to this position and thus it remains defunct since it's inception.
At present it consists of the Supreme Leader himself and two Federal Ministers, the Minister of Archives Muhammad Abdullah Ibn Qaisar Al-Mesustani (Appointed as minister on 27 Nov 2021) and the Minister for Education & Technology, Ahsan Adil Mirza-Mughal (appointed on 21 October 2022)
The Cadre for all state organs is recruited from the civilian population of Arsalania and possibly through retiring Military officers in form of the Civil Services
Civil Services
The Civil Services in Arsalania form the primary bureaucratic cadre in Arsalania. In order to become a civil servant and for attaining employment , the following procedure is followed:
One must apply for a civil services examination. Such examinations are put forward addressed to the Ministry of Interior (and is planned to be directed towards the future State Recruitment Service for easier documentation and evaluation which shall be subservient to the planned Ministry of Labour)
Pass the Civil Services Evaluation Course with at least 50% marks.
The Government will then evaluate the individual's capabilities and begin negotiations, and then make an offer for any position (From ministerial positions to clerk positions) which may be accepted by the candidate.
The Government will pass on the responsibility for preparing an appropriate appointment letter, on the signing of which, the candidate is then considered an employee of the state having the position (bringing with it all terms and conditions) mentioned in the contract.
It is not necessary that a civil servant may only be a civilian individual, upon retirement military officers are offered civil services positions which they are then appointed to if they consent.
The Federal Personnel Certification Authority (FPCA) was instituted in October 2022 to conduct the newly introduced Federal Civil Services Examination (FCSE) which was first taken by a candidate on 21 October 2022.
Provincial Governments and Federalism
Apart from the Capital Province of Arsalania proper, the only other Province within the People's Republic; Mesustan, is governed under a semi-autonomous provincial government system as constitutionally guaranteed. The Provincial Governments consist of at least two members out of whom the population can elect one representative or more to the National Parliament.
The Provincial Governments are required to elect new or re-elect members every two years or earlier as per the constitution.
The Constitution of Arsalania as ratified in it's original state on May 14, 2019 is the Supreme Law of Arsalania and is the basis of governance and all legal affairs in the People's Republic. However it is worthy to note that a key parliamentary session is pending for amending the constitution to actually include many of the points approved via the 21 March Resolution of 2021.
The Arsalanian constitution is considered to be derived from a Model constitution and guarantees countless civil liberties and ensures rule of the law for all. However it is at present outdated and does not contain all the elements in line with the de-facto state of the People's Republic.
The first draft of the constitution was prepared on 11 May 2019 and ratified three days later (Said date is observed as Arsalania's 'National Day' every year on the 14th of May). The first constitutional amendment was ratified into law on 2 April 2022. At present, two Amendments have been made to the 2019 Constitution.
Citizenship & Naturalization
According to Article 1 of the Arsalanian Constitution, citizens of the State are humans who are children of citizens of the State, who are born in the territory of the State or those who are naturalized.
Naturalization
As such, from the very beginning of Arsalanian Law, citizenship is acquired either through birth or through the process of naturalization. While such a policy is not mentioned within the constitution or any passed law, the Arsalanian government awards citizenship to any applicants of Pakistani origin without them having to undergo the naturalization process. This has to do with Arsalanian culture being very similar to Pakistani culture and in a way it is a descendant of Pakistani culture.
For applicants of non-Pakistani origin, the process of naturalization is undertaken, under which the following conditions must be made a reality:
The applicant must study to become familiar or fluent in Urdu or Punjabi in addition to the requirement for being able to communicate in English regardless.
The applicant is required to undertake a cultural familiarization course which must be administered by the Arsalanian government on an impromptu basis.
After previous two conditions are met, a proper interview based evaluation will be conducted which will ultimately be utilized to make the final decision of whether the applicant is fit for grant of citizenship or not.
It is also possible for the Supreme Leader to grant an individual honorary citizenship (though they would not be counted in Arsalanian statistics as a citizen in such a case). Citizenship (both full & Honorary) can be granted via both Legislative bills passed with a Majority in the National Parliament as well as through popular petitions or Referendums.
It is believed that Arsalanian Naturalization policies may be amended into the constitution at some point in the future.
Administrative Units
Arsalania is a Federation consisting of the following administrative units where Arsalania (proper) also referred to as the Federal Capital Territory is governed by the Federal Government.
Each Province or Autonomous National Territory is governed by either a fairly autonomous provincial government or a territorial administration which is based within the designated provincial or territorial capital.
Arsalania's Politics essentially began with the original Arsalanian movement which originated in 2017. Initially the Arsalanian Nation was conceived as a separate nation ruled by the contemporary Arsalanian people without outside interference. Although Arsalania did not become a proper sovereign state until May 2019, Arsalanian politics have grown increasingly complex and dynamic.
The involvement of the Arsalanian people in the political activities of the People's Republic has historically been limited however with the passing of the historic 21 March 2022 Resolution in which the State Ideology of Arsalania was changed, political awareness and participation has been steadily increasing.
Head of State & Government
The Head of State & Government is the Supreme Leader who is elected via Universal Suffrage upon the death, retirement or impeachment of the previous Supreme Leader. A Supreme Leader holds considerable power however is still accountable to the people and is kept in check by the National Accountability Council and can be impeached on basis of treason, abuse of power, conditions in which the Supreme Leader may be considered unfit to perform his duties (Injuries or Diagnosed Psychological issues for example) among various others. A Supreme Leader is required to retire at the age of 75 years old. The Supreme Leader is the civilian commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces.
It is believed that a system with a Supreme Leader and a President may be introduced in the future where the President is elected once every year via universal suffrage and works as the Head of Government although the Supreme Leader would still hold considerable influence and would 'guide' the President as needed.
Political System
The political system of Arsalania is officially defined as a Federalone party democracy under the guidance of a (Supreme) Leader. Since the foundation of Arsalania, the Socialist Party of Arsalania has been in power which espouses Arsalania's official state ideology, Arsalanian Socialism. The National Parliament is the primary legislature of the country and serves as one of the two branches of the Government of Arsalania. The Socialist Party of Arsalania remains the only legally registered Political party in Arsalania and a large portion of the country's populace is passively politically active and generally apolitical in regards to National Politics, however the Arsalanian referendum based democratic system puts forward any and all polls regardless of political association or activity.
The Socialist Party of Arsalania, abbreviated as SPA (Urdu: سوشلسٹ پارٹی ارسلعینیہ) is an Arsalanian Socialist, formerly Arsalanian Trotskyist Political party founded on the 14th of May 2019. It is the only legal and existing political party in Arsalania's history and has ruled the nation since it's creation.
The Socialist Party of Arsalania is headed by the Chairman and holds an annual gathering of members each year, however due to limited recruitment efforts taking place, it's membership has never exceeded 3 members to date.
Ideologically the Socialist Party of Arsalania did not yet officially espouse leftist values until 2020 when Arsalanian Ideological positions became more defined and the State actively promoted Arsalanian Trotskyism.
However, by the end of 2020 key realizations were made and it was clear that the ideological positions espoused by the State and the Socialist Party of Arsalania were not in line with that of the people. As a result any serious mobilization of resources nor any proper governance was possible with such a serious ideological divide.
As a result, with the 21st March Resolution, the Socialist Party of Arsalania was reformed from an Arsalanian Trotskyist Party to an Arsalanian Socialist one. This reformation led to a further revitalization of activities which has yet to see it's full extent.
Due to it's affiliation with Arsalania's present ideology, Arsalanian Socialism, Arsalania claims allegiance to the International Iranian-led 'Axis of Resistance' movement, the Global Islamic Nationalism movement and the Islamic cause of equality and justice in the world.
The SPA adopted the book 'Arsalanian Socialism: A guide to the Ideology of Arsalania' as the core ideological treatise of Arsalanian Socialism on 3 October 2022. It is believed that said book is presently being translated into the Urdu language to improve its accessability by a greater portion of the masses.
Arsalanian Direct Democracy
A key feature of both Arsalanian Trotskyism and present day Arsalanian Socialism has been a key focus on direct democracy. Key decisions are legally required and encouraged to only be taken after referendum and due information of the people of Arsalania. Several functions and major reforms cannot be undertaken without referendums of the sort, such as significant constitutional changes, any major economic or developmental project. Major Industrial decisions are also undertaken on the basis of public opinion.
Legislature
In Arsalania while in the past two Legislatures were established, in particular the Provincial Councils and then the National Parliament, this system was eventually declared to be redundant and obsolete with the previous Provincial Council system formally converted into a 'Provincial Government' system (said change was codified into law with the first Constitutional amendment). At present only one Legislative Assembly exists in Arsalania which is known as the National Parliament.
Previously, a Regional Council system was present although it was purely an institution on paper which found no use and would eventually fall into obscurity and later become defunct. It was intended to serve as a provincial legislature, similar to the later Provincial Council system.
National Parliament
The primary legislative body of the People's Republic of Arsalania is the national parliament. Every seat in the National Parliament is democratically elected and cannot be appointed via executive order unless necessary changes are made with actual popular backing or direct referendum. While intended as the core democratic assembly, due to a lack of funds and need, the National Parliament has largely been left dormant since it's last significant session on the 21st of March 2021, when the 21st March Resolution was passed.[4]
It is slowly seeing a revival with the passing of the First constitutional amendment[5] as well as the election of a representative in Mesustan earlier on as well as the increasing need for legislative activities in the country.
Members of the National Parliament are not required to be members of the Socialist Party of Arsalania and may hold independent positions without need to support the collective decisions of the party. In a sense the National Parliament is non-partisan.
The Arsalanian Armed Forces are the sole military organization of the People's Republic of Arsalania. The Armed Forces carry the responsibility of defending, holding and executing operations in general on Arsalanian or foreign soil should they be required to do so in order to protect Arsalania's integrity or to shield it from Foreign Aggression of any degree. It comprises of one branch at present, the People's Army which is the principal land warfare force of Arsalania.
Flag of the Arsalanian Armed Forces, bearing the motto 'Unity, Zeal and Emotion'
The Arsalanian Armed Forces are led by the Supreme Leader in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief with the Arsalanian Armed Forces High Command (ARFHC) serving as the general headquarters of the military. The Arsalanian Armed Forces despite being fielded since Arsalania's foundation as a sovereign state in 2019, still remain in their early stage of formation as the Arsalanian government continues to strive to improve professionalism, bring about standardization of equipment and training and transform the People's Army into a proper fighting force to be at the disposal of the Arsalanian people.
It is believed that a new branch, the People's Air Force may be formed as hinted at in the past, possibly utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles of some sort on a limited scale.
The Arsalanian Armed Forces are also the de-facto Law Enforcement Arm of the Arsalanian Government as no dedicated organization exists. Furthermore, the National Emergency Quick Reaction Forces (NEQRF) are the only paramilitary force fielded by Arsalania and are under the shared command of the Arsalanian Armed Forces and the Ministry of Interior, The NEQRF are mobilized in times of emergency such as natural disasters or extreme weather conditions and exist as paper formations in normal conditions, essentially acting as a Civil Defence Organization.
Economy
Arsalania is financially dependent on it's services sector which is the source of nearly all national income and is the primary pillar behind Arsalania's development and economic strength. The Agricultural sector consists of multiple areas of Arsalania (proper) which are cultivated by the state to grow vegetables and other organic foodstuffs (For example, the mint plant is produced in a quantity considered to be self sufficient for Arsalania, a similar condition exists with lemon production and Salad Leaves (a winter crop; saw their first harvest after being planted for the first time during November 2021) on a small scale, as well as the still underdeveloped Banana sector which is expected to grow in importance as the Arsalanian government endeavors to popularize the use of home produced bananas in local cuisine. The Industrial sector is virtually non-existent at present.
In recent times, Arsalania has been described as a 'vibrant agrarian country' due to it's rapidly expanding agricultural sector and the general trends of both the state and people towards increasing self-sufficiency via at least, small scale cultivation. Arsalania may be described as among few micronational states that have paid such attention to agriculture and gardening as a means of growth & establishment.
Currency
Although officially the currency of Arsalania is the 'Arsalanian Arollar', Arsalania's de-facto currency is the Pakistani rupee (PKR) which is used in day to day transactions throughout Arsalania. The Arsalanian Government has previously experimented with introducing the Arsalanian Arollar and bringing it into circulation with varying degrees of success in the past, in recent times however the biggest obstacle has been a lack of foreign exchange reserves as well as the absence of precious metal reserves (like gold or silver) which make it nigh impossible for the Arsalanian Arollar to be brought into circulation as a stable currency with low inflation, however it is a matter of paramount importance for the government.
Agricultural Sector
The Agricultural Sector remains the most manageable and potentially one of the future pillars of Arsalania's economy that may allow it to achieve it's long-term goal of self-sufficiency and earning considerable revenue by cultivation of organic plants. At present a wide variety of crops are cultivated in Arsalania, however no major food crops such as wheat or rice are capable of being cultivated in Arsalania due to environmental conditions and general urban density in the surrounding area. As a result Arsalania's agricultural sector remains limited to small scale cultivation of basics in which only a few cases such as that of Arsalania's lemon production have allowed for much self-sufficiency.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs prepared the first Agricultural-Horticulture Report in Arsalania's history for the Month of January 2022 in order to document present production, statistics and future initiatives in one formal document. However no comparable documentation was created for the month of February and March.
According to a recent study, the failure of cultivation of tomatoes in the country is believed to be the result of genetic engineering. The Federal Government greatly delayed the proposal to issue funds for undertaking other alternate options such as procurement of seeds for a major period of time. However with the start of 2023, a major agricultural project (which has remained to be publicized) was begun which has led to the establishment of stable Tomato production in the country.
As of February 2023, Arsalania has a poultry industry in the territory of Nazgarh that may be classified as 'subsistence farming' (due to a lack of effort for surplus production, stockpiling or export). Modern technology such as incubators are also being applied in a Federal government backed effort to promote the growth of such a promising and uniquely prestigious industry in the People's Republic of Arsalania.
A portion of Arsalanian produce remains wasted at present, in particular guavas produced in the country are wasted due to a lack of attention by both the state and the local population.
Industrial Sector
Industrially Arsalania has at the time no activity to speak of, however with the impending expansion of the People's Army and projected needs for major upgrades to equipment, it is likely that Arsalania will endeavour to expand in this regard at least in a limited capacity. It is likely that any future industrial ventures will not have a great deal of automation due to financial constraints.
It is believed that Sewing Machinery present in Arsalania may prove to be potentially useful for Arsalania's Industrial future.
Services Sector
The Services sector, which forms the backbone of Arsalania's economy and 100% of all income of both the state and private individuals. While since late 2020 the services sector has been centred around the 'Virtual Education' industry in Arsalania which has grown exponentially to have clients in Australia, the United States and in Pakistan close by as well, 2022 saw a great expansion of the sector with the introduction of the Confectionery Industry as a commercial business in Arsalania. Confectionery is prepared in Arsalania and delivered to customers in Pakistan; Arsalania had already been famous for it's confectionery and cuisine in general however this is the first instance in which Arsalanian prepared goods are being exported to a foreign country on a regular basis. Raw materials however are sourced from Pakistan as well.
It is believed that the Services sector may grow significantly in the future and may allow for greater expansion in other sectors as well as an increase of the standard of living in Arsalania. Overall it is the most promising and most important sector of the economy.
Imports and Exports
Arsalania's exports are fairly young and insignificant in comparison to it's imports which include basic facilities such as water, gas and electricity as well as human sustenance such as flour, sugar, milk and rice. The recently established confectionary industry has led to an increase in import of materials used as ingredients as well as regular imports of plastic packaging as well as printed labels.
It is believed that if properly, marketed, should conditions permit it, the experience accumulated with nearly a decade of Banana production in Arsalania, Organic Bananas may become a significant agricultural export product in the future. Furthermore, Arsalania's horticulture sector, particularly that dealing with Roses and similar flowers, may allow for future expansions and perhaps even mass export.
Policies and Future Ambitions
The Ministry of Labour is expected to be set up in the future to regulate all matters relating to Arsalania's workforce and to enforce the state's policies in accordance with the ideology of Arsalanian Socialism. It is expected that Labour Unions and Economic democracy may be the focus of future policy in light of present outlook of Arsalanian ideological positions, However such policies have yet to be implemented and are expected to be put into place once the National Parliament resumes regular sessions.
The Arsalanian Government has on many occasions expressed it's enthusiastic outlook in regards to expanding Arsalania's economy to including a small scale ironworking industry and plantation production of fruits and vegetables such that Arsalania may slowly become self-sufficient.
It is believed that a small-scale clothing industry may be set up in Arsalania at some point utilizing already present machinery.
With the advent of a major agricultural programme of expansion beginning in the Capital in late February 2023, the future of the People's Republic seems to be closely associated with self-sufficient agrarianism.
Geography, environment and climate
The geography and climate of Arsalania (apart from it's northern territory of Nazgarh) is generally uniform due to the fairly concentrated proximity of most territories. Arsalania is generally considered temperate with a monsoon season with frequent flooding of urban areas (particularly severe in the Capital Territory of Arsalania proper) due to heavy rainfall. The majority of Arsalanian territories (The two provinces alongside two Autonomous National Territories of Saa'databad and Awanestan) are situated within the plains of the Punjab while Nazgarh is situated at a much higher elevation, owing to a generally different climate and weather patterns.
Climate
Arsalania has a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classificationBSh). The hottest month is June where temperatures routinely exceed 45 °C (113 °F). The monsoon season starts in late July, and the wettest months are July and August, with heavy rainfalls and evening thunderstorms with the possibility of cloudbursts and flash floods. The coolest month is January with dense fog.[6]
The country's record high temperature was 50.4C (122F), recorded on 5 June 2003.[7] 48 °C (118 °F) was recorded on 10 June 2007.[8][9] At the time the Pakistani meteorological office recorded this official temperature in the shade, it reported a heat index in direct sunlight of 55 °C (131 °F).[10] The highest rainfall in a 24-hour period is 221 millimetres (8.7 in), recorded on 13 August 2008. However it is necessary to note that such extreme temperature conditions have receded greatly since and starting from Arsalania's earliest era in 2017 up to present, temperatures higher than 46C (45C is normal at the peak of Summer in June–July) have never been recorded, however oddities in length of both the cold and hot months of the year have increased over the years and are speculated to be related to the Global Climate Crisis. An irregular monsoon season was also recorded in January 2021 which is very early when compared to the usual start of monsoon rains during the Summer in June and July.
Climate data for Arsalania (1961–1990), extremes (1931–2018)
Although heavily urbanised, Arsalania is home to a generally green landscape, partially owing to a culture promoting plantation and gardening.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs is presently documenting Arsalania's diverse flora as well as fauna (especially the varieties of insects, birds,etc) however a few notable kinds of wildlife found in Arsalania are:
'Arsalanian Cat' - Most research has confirmed these to be descended from the Turkish Angora (also known as the 'Iranian Cat' locally) breed, total population of felines present is four - Note: Present population has dramatically fallen and the statistics given may not at all reflect factuality.
Old World Sparrows - Nesting is common and large population is present within and around all Arsalanian territories, closely studied only near the Capital Territory. Population unknown.
Red-vented Bulbul - Less population than Sparrows however they are commonly found close to the Capital Territory, often close to the Sparrows. Population unknown.
Black Kite - Although not known to nest in Arsalania, known to regularly fly over and briefly stay within Arsalanian territories.
Feral pigeon - Similarly to Black kites but migrate in and out more frequently, especially during the Spring.
Stray cats regularly enter Arsalanian territories, especially the Capital province and are known to interact with the local cat population. (which has been the cause of several casualties for the 'Arsalanian Cat' population in the past)
A tree belonging to the Plumeria genus (the specific kind is known as 'Gulcheen' Urdu: گُل چین within Arsalania, perhaps pointing towards the specific species being related to the species naturalized in China (Urdu: چین), Plumeria Obtusa) is present within Arsalania (proper) and is known for it's beautiful flowers which bloom in clusters. It has been depicted in Arsalanian art in the past.
Demographics
As of September 2022, Arsalania had a population of 14 individuals. This figure includes Arsalania's core Capital Territory known as 'Arsalania proper', one province (with two citizens) and the other three National Autonomous Territories consisting of one citizen each.
In comparison to much of the Micronational world, Arsalania is not the most populous country which is owed to it's naturalization policies and focus on real world governance rather than virtual activities and 'virtual micronationalism'.
Between 2019 and 2022, Arsalania's population has almost doubled, from 8 citizens at foundation to 14 citizens, however much of said growth is from establishment of new territories and registration of citizens rather than natural births.
By August 2023, Arsalania had a population of 16 citizens.
Arsalania's most populous settlement is Arsal City with a population of four citizens with another district within the Capital Territory claiming second place and finally Mesustadt (Mesu City) which is the Provincial Capital of Mesustan, claiming third place in terms of population.
100% of Arsalania's population is fluent in at least two of Arsalania's national languages which are Urdu, Punjabi and English with a majority of citizens (80%) being able to speak all three National Languages.
Languages
Several languages are spoken in Arsalania, in particular, the three national languages English, Urdu and Punjabi are spoken in all parts of the country with variation in usage. However a majority of the people of Arsalania speak at least two of each language at home with most having either Urdu or Punjabi or both as their first languages. The usage of English as a language in Arsalania is owed to the legacy of British rule over the Subcontinent due to which Arsalania's parent nation, Pakistan maintains it as a National Language; leading to it being spoken in Arsalania.
English remains the language predominantly used for documents and general state communication, the constitution of Arsalania (2019) was also written in the English language and has yet to be translated to the other two national languages.
The Persian language is gradually gaining popularity in Arsalania and may be awarded a special status in the foreseeable future.
The State Religion of Arsalania is Islam, following the Ja'fari Fiqh (codified into Law via Article 2 of the Constitution). Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Constitution of Arsalania, which provides all its citizens the right to profess, practice and propagate their religion subject to law, public order, and morality (legally guaranteed in several instances throughout the constitution and specifically via Section II Religious Freedom , Part II Liberties and Property of the Constitution of Arsalania)
A Muslim nation, Arsalania's population consists 100% of individuals who identify themselves as being Muslims. The Majority of the people of Arsalania are Twelver Shi'a Muslims following the Ja'fari fiqh while a Sunni minority (following the Hanafi fiqh) also exists, primarily concentrated within the Mesustan Province. More diversity in religious thought is being introduced as Arsalania expands to new frontiers.
Religious denominations in Arsalania (September 2022 Statistics)
Denominations
Individuals
Percent
Twelver Shia Islam
11
78.57%
Sunnism (Hanafi)
3
21.42%
Arsalania being situated in the Punjab Region is heavily influenced by Sufism with most citizens expressing tendencies towards the more 'spiritual' and 'practical' side of religion rather than ritualism as is common in much of contemporary Pakistan today, especially among more 'literalist' Sunni sects as well as certain communities of Shi'ites.
Culture
Arsalanian culture can be described as a unique blend of various cultures both native to Arsalania's geographic location as well as those outside of it's proximity, their presence linked to Arsalania's ancestral history and the genealogy of a majority of citizens. Arsalanian culture in all parts of the country has three primary commonalities, presence of Muslim traditions, customs and rituals and their prevalence in society, prevalence of Muslim traditions and customs special to the Subcontinent such as the exquisite wedding culture and the influence of Punjabi culture on the Arsalanian populace. In other regards there are various differences between the two provinces of Arsalania (proper) and Mesustan which contribute to the greater diversity of Arsalania however other smaller parts of the country are more similar to the Capital Territory than Mesustan while retaining their individual differences which may be due to their common religious denominations. Arsalania presently lacks a Ministry for overseeing cultural affairs in general however the Arsalanian National Cultural Preservation Department has been established to work under the Ministry of the Archives to oversee the process of preserving and documenting Arsalanian culture.
Sufism has historically had a great deal of impact on the culture of the greater Punjab region and Arsalania being situated within the Punjabi plains is no exception. Spirituality and topics related to it play an important part in the struggles of the average Arsalanian. Mysticism and Ir'fan are well-ingrained topics in the Arsalanian Psyche.
Arsalanian culture with respect to the two provinces is described in detail below
Culture of the Capital Province
The Culture of Arsalania's capital can be described as a mixture of Ithna Ash'ariShi'ite, Persianate culture found in the subcontinent as well as Punjabi culture. Culture within the Capital Province like that in Mesustan is strongly influenced by Islamic culture and can be described as very similar to that found among Twelver Shi'ite Muslims in Pakistan if not the same in this specific aspect. The influence of subcontinental customs and traditions is quite prevalent.
Culturally, Arsalanians within the Capital Province tend to have a simplistic way of life, though this is not as true for some who prefer more lavish commodities and regularly import them from neighbouring Pakistan. The bulk majority of Arsalanians here do not stand in favour of decadent spending practices especially in regards to formal events rather a focus on smart and tasteful decisions is prevalent.
The People of the Capital Province are typically well-connected with their cultural roots and are not as westernized as the other province or as westernized as the affluent strata found in neighbouring Pakistan.
Culture of Mesustan
The Province of Mesustan, despite what one may think, is considered to be arguably more affluent than the Capital Province in various factors. Such has had a profound effect on it's culture. Furthermore, demographically Mesustan's population adheres to a different school of thought which has led to various differences in customs and rituals. Due to a different outlook which is also afforded by their affluence, the aspects of subcontinental culture focusing on grandeur are more apparent than in the Capital Province, as such the splendour associated with formal events is far more common.
Mesustan's affluence as well as the familial relations of citizens to overseas Pakistanis has led to a greater degree of westernization in terms of culture and preferences, that is not to say that they are not experiencing a shift towards their cultural traditions.
Foreign relations
Diplomatic relations of Arsalania are conducted under the personal prerogative of the Supreme Leader.
The People's Republic of Arsalania has long maintained a policy of active diplomacy. As a result, ever since it's adoption in 2020 after Arsalania left diplomatic isolation, and began proactive outreach, relations with nations of many different political, geographical and demographic backgrounds were established. At present, Arsalania has ratified diplomatic treaties with nations geographically present in Asia, Europe and North America.
While Arsalania actively seeks out opportunities to expand, deepen and establish new bilateral ties with other nations, Arsalanian Foreign Policy has taken strong stances on various macronational issues rather than maintaining neutrality, a key example of such is the Palestine issue in which the Arsalanian Government does not recognize Israel as a legitimate state and refers to them as 'Occupied Palestine'
Types of Arsalanian Diplomatic treaties (ratified till present)
Over the course of it's diplomatic history, the People's Republic has recognized the following kinds of bilateral agreements and documents with foreign nations:
Declaration of Bilateral Friendship - A form of treaty unique to Arsalania (or so it is believed to be) that combines a treaty of mutual recognition and up to two to three other articles that may be anything from cooperation in many fields, a non-aggression pact or potentially some of the characteristics of a 'Treaty of Alliance' although not in a complete capacity.
Treaty of Alliance/Security Pact - While such a treaty has been signed very rarely with a foreign nation, a key example of such a treaty where the focus was to establish a military and diplomatic alliance with a foreign state would be the 'Mutual Security Pact[13]' signed between the government of Arsalania and that of the West River confederation or that with Vishwamitra which is a hybrid between a Declaration of Bilateral Friendship while being considered one of the most thorough and well written treaties ever proposed by the Government of Arsalania.
Standard Treaty of Mutual Recognition - The most commonly signed type of document between states in the micronational spheres, The People's Republic has ratified many such agreements with many foreign nations, the most recent one of such category being that signed with the Kingdom of Indradhanush[14] on 7 October 2021, which was later nullified by the state in question briefly before a Coup D'état that caused their effective dissolution.
Role of Eastasia in Arsalania's departure from diplomatic isolation
The most decisive factor in Arsalania's loss of diplomatic isolation was the establishment of relations with the then Forwardist Republic of Eastasia (Now called, The Republic of the Union of Eastasia) who introduced Arsalania to the greater diplomatic spheres. Eastasia was considered one of Arsalania's closest Allies and is the first foreign state with whom Arsalania established formal relations - such friendship was continually a constant in Arsalanian foreign policy until the dissolution of Eastasia.
Era of Passive Diplomacy & Activism
Throughout 2022, Arsalania has generally pursued a different diplomatic approach than previous eras, often choosing to steer Arsalania towards a position of neutrality in terms of Micronational affairs although the opposite was fact in some cases pertaining to the macronational world, particularly with Arsalania and the majority of Arsalanians taking sides with respect to the Political crisis in Pakistan that began from 10 April.
Similarly, Arsalania has not attempted to establish relations with more nations with the notable exception of the Karno-Ruthenian Empire, which may point towards a generally passive era in Arsalanian diplomatic history however for how long it may last remains uncertain.
Recognized States
The People's Republic of Arsalania recognizes the following micronational and macronational states
The Government of Arsalania does not recognize the State of Israel and terms it's form of governance as an apartheid system. In official documentation, Areas held by the Israeli state are called 'Occupied Palestine'All U.N member states except Israel.
Republic of the Union of Eastasia - Originally established relations with the Forwardist Republic of Eastasia through the first Declaration of Friendship ever signed in Arsalania's history on the 17th of July, 2020. After Eastasia abolished it's original diplomatic classification system, Mutual recognition and Alliance was re-stablished on May 27, 2021 via a new treaty. Presently Arsalania is designated with 'Special Cooperation Status' by the Republic of the Union of Eastasia.
Social Republic of Georgienstine - A treaty of Mutual Recognition was voted on and approved by their Legislature after a proposal was put forward by the Government of Arsalania, the Mutual recognition treaty was announced as recognised on the 3rd of October 2020.
Republic of Kirael - Arsalania entered into Diplomatic relations with the Republic of Kirael in it's communist era, with the signing of a Declaration of Bilateral Friendship[15] on the 6th of January, 2021. Arsalania has maintained close relations with Kirael ever since, with Arsalania's constitution even becoming an influence for Kirael's future constitution.
Vishwamitra - The People's Republic of Arsalania established formal relations and a military alliance with Vishwamitra on 6 January 2021. The treaty of Diplomatic relations and Alliance[1] that was signed to cement the establishment of relations included specific clauses detailing exclusively that macronational relations shall not affect the relations between Arsalania and Vishwamitra, whose core territories are de-facto parts of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Republic of India who are famous for their 70+ year rivalry that has existed since they both obtained independence from the United Kingdom in 1947. Such an inclusion was made with the aim of encouraging other nations of adopting similar clauses in context to disputes and rivalries between nations, which not only hinder person-to-person relations but any efforts to establish relations with a micronational state from a rival macronational country and maintaining such relations due to developments in Macronational politics. Since the establishment of relations, Vishwamitra has cooperated in many fields and not too long before the establishment of relations, Arsalania was invited to join the Association of South Asian Micronations (ASAM) as part of which Arsalania participated in many virtual conferences alongside Vishwamitra. The Supreme Leader of Arsalania, Arsal Abbas Mirza has also received multiple awards from Vishwamitra such as the rank of 'Knight' of the Most Auspicious Order of Sanghamitra
Micronation of the Avigation Vision of Radiator (AVR) - The People's Republic formally established relations with the Micronation of the AVR on the 4th of February 2021. The Declaration of Friendship also included a similar clause to that in the Treaty of Alliance and Bilateral Friendship with Vishwamitra, declaring that macronational affairs will not affect relations between the People's Republic and the Micronation of the AVR. The Micronation of the AVR and the People's Republic of Arsalania are both members of the ASAM
Empire of Huai Siao: Talks between Huai Siao and Arsalania officially began on 7 August 2022, followed by exchange of information and a brief period of discussion. On 10 August 2022, a treaty prepared by the Arsalanian Government was presented which was ultimately ratified on 12 August 2022. Apart from establishing Mutual Diplomatic Recognition, the treaty establishes a military & diplomatic alliance between the two states, promotes cooperation in every field and establishes neutrality of the two states with respect to their internal affairs and total neutrality to whatever diplomatic discourse may take place between their parent nations (In this case, Pakistan and Thailand)
Republic of Upper Schwartz Morgen Lorgen Land (Republic of GSMLL): After the G16 Micronational Summit hosted by Arsalania (of which Arsalania was a part), official correspondence between the Federal Government of Arsalania and their counterparts of the Republic of GSMLL began on 2 March 2023 with a proposal received by the Arsalanian government for a treaty of mutual recognition. A positive response indicating Arsalanian willingness for ratification after the constitutionally required discourse in Parliament was sent in response on 4 March 2023. A draft of the treaty was prepared by the Republic of GSMLL and digitally sent for review to Arsalania on 6 March 2023. However due to a series of bureaucratic setbacks and a (brief) political crisis in the National Parliament, it would take till 23 March 2023 for an Arsalanian response stating that Arsalania will ratify the treaty. The Republic of GSMLL acknowledged the response on 30 March and on 1 April 2023 the Supreme Leader of Arsalania ratified the 'Treaty of Mutual Recognition'. The Republic of the GSMLL officially ratified the treaty on 4 April 2023, thus marking the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Kingdom of Imruland: Soon after the foundation of the South Asian Association of Micronational Cooperation, of which Arsalania and Imruland were founding members - Imruland began corresponding with the Federal Government of Arsalania in regards to the prospects of establishing diplomatic relations on 20 September 2024. By 23 September 2024, after due Parliamentary and Cabinet consideration - the proposal was approved. Subsequently, such was communicated to the Government of Imruland on 24 September. On 27 September 2024, a draft treaty of Mutual Recognition was forwarded ahead to Imruland - which was shortly ratified. Therefore, Mutual Recognition between Arsalania and Imruland was established on 27 September 2024[16]. Imruland is the first Muslim micronation to formally enter into relations with Arsalania.
Kingdom of Mayursia: Contact between the Government of Arsalania and that of Mayursia began initially, in August 2023. While the initial proceedings went well and both nations considered each other to be good candidates for establishing formal relations - it wasn't until September of the next year (2024) that this initiative was revitalized. After roughly a month of correspondence and discourse, paired with internal proceedings, on October 21, the Kingdom of Mayursia presented a draft of a 'treaty of mutual recognition and diplomatic relations' between Mayursia and Arsalania. It was ratified within the same day, thereby formalizing ties between the two South Asian micronations. Previously, Mayursia and Arsalania had been among the founding nations of the SAAMC - to this end, there was felt a need to establish relations between all member nations - and thus interest towards establishing ties was renewed; such lead to this treaty being signed.[17]
Formerly recognized states
The Kingdom of Indradhanush established relations with the People's Republic of Arsalania on the 7th of October 2021[14] However on the 12th of December 2021, the Kingdom of Indradhanush nullified all diplomatic relations with all nations including Arsalania. The Monarchy of Indradhanush was overthrown in a Coup D'état shortly after by a micronationalist known as Nafiz Morshalin. As of 2022, Indradhanush is now known as the Kingdom of Lowenia, Lowenia being a name from Indradhanush's past and the same name used by Nafiz Morshalin to establish a republic (only in name) under his leadership after his successful Coup D'état. However while the Republic of Lowenia was short lived, the restored Monarchist government seems to have officially adopted the name. On 27 January 2022, the Government of Arsalania openly denounced the Kingdom of Indradhanush/Lowenia and withdrew all diplomatic presence from the nation's 'discord server' (which leads many to allege that Indradhanush is an entirely online micronation) Indradhanush had up to this point unilaterally considered Arsalania to be at the same status and had allegedly even (silently) awarded the Supreme Leader the Order of Dhamma.
Democratic Republic of Benjastan - At approximately the same time as the establishment of relations with the Social Republic of Georgienstine, The People's Republic of Arsalania signed a Treaty of Mutual Recognition with the Democratic Republic of Benjastan. After over 6 months of virtually no diplomatic correspondence nor any interaction of significant levels, the Government of Arsalania declared the treaty signed with them as nullified.
West River Confederation - Within the same month as the establishment of relations with Georgienstine and Benjastan, the People's Republic entered into a military alliance,[13] pact of non-aggression and an agreement to cooperate with the West River Confederation in matters such as defense, technology and agriculture. Limited exchanges of any sort have taken place however. In the same conditions as Arsalania's relationship with Benjastan, no notable exchanges between Arsalania exist apart from the Mutual Security Pact which has been immortalized in Arsalanian Diplomatic history as being one of the first treaties of Alliance ever signed. Despite not reacting at all to the dissolution of the West River Confederation in October 2021, On 5 February 2022 the Government of Arsalania officially recognized that as the W.R.C no longer exists, all treaties are naturally invalidated.
Commonwealth of Missouria - The People's Republic of Arsalania established formal diplomatic relations and a Military Alliance with the Commonwealth of Missouria at precisely the stroke of midnight (Arsalania Standard Time, GMT +5), the 24 October 2021 via a Declaration of Bilateral Friendship,[18] which most notably had a similar structure to that of the treaty that establishes the very significant alliance and diplomatic relations with Vishwamitra. However relations were at a steady decline and it was believed that it may eventually lead to a total breakdown of relations just as intergovernmental communications deteriorate. On 6 April 2022, the Government of Missouria declared the Declaration of Bilateral Friendship to be a 'defunct treaty', the Arsalanian Government has not protested such an action and have accepted the new state of affairs.
Karno-Ruthenian Empire: On 15 March 2022 formal talks between Arsalania and Karno-Ruthenia began. Said correspondence over the course of three days as well as a brief preceding set of discussions between the Arsalanian Government and the Karno-Ruthenian F.M. would culminate in both governments agreeing to establish mutual recognition between the two countries. Ultimately a document was prepared and presented by Karno-Ruthenia on 17 March 2022, on 21 March 2022 it would be ratified by the Supreme Leader and as per the clauses of the treaty, it would come into effect 10 days after it's ratification i.e 31 March 2022. The Future of Arsalania-Karno-Ruthenia relations were considered bright with incredible prospects for cooperation and cultural exchange. However the state of affairs has become ambiguous with no major diplomatic correspondence taking place for a period well over two years, it was considered likely that diplomatic relations may break down entirely in the near future between the two countries. Ultimately, due to the defunct nature of correspondence and diplomatic ties between the two nations - as pushed into action by the continued strain between Karno-Ruthenia and Vishwamitra (Arsalania's closest ally), the People's Republic of Arsalania formally cut ties with the Karno-Ruthenian Empire on 1 August 2024 - relinquishing any and all honours granted and ending the chapter of paper ties between the two states.
Micronational Organisations
Arsalania has been a notable member of several 'micronational diplomatic organisations'. These are listed chronologically listed by order of membership, and Arsalania's involvement therein, is roughly recounted as follows:
Reformed Intermicronational Confederation (RIC): After the revitalization of Arsalania and the start of Arsalanian diplomatic efforts in May 2020, Arsalania was introduced to the RIC and initially obtained observer status there. Eventually, Arsalania would go on to obtain full member status. One of Arsalania's long-time allies, and the catalyst towards Arsalania's revival in 2020, (then) the Forwardist Republic of Eastasia were the ones to refer Arsalania for membership in the RIC. While, as of 17 November 2020, Arsalania and Eastasia both, were still Observer states (with Arsalania having obtained Observer status, no later than 7 August 2020)... By 27 December 2020 - Arsalania had finally obtained full membership in the Reformed Intermicronational Confederation. However, this would not last as the organisation itself eventually imploded - leading both Eastasia and Arsalania to withdraw.
National Symbols
The People's Republic of Arsalania has several national symbols including a flag, an emblem, an anthem as well as other symbols such as the National Animal, National Dishes etc. The Ministries, Institutions and various offices of Public officials also possess emblems or symbols which are regarded as National Symbols by the State.
These are listed and described below:-
National Flag
The further simplified and presently adopted version of the National Flag
The National Flag of Arsalania was designed by the Founder of the People's Republic, and present Supreme Leader, Arsal Abbas Mirza. It is codified by the Constitution as one of the Primary National Symbols. The flag is comprised by a field divided by a diagonal line forming two triangles, with the lower left being of the colour Red, symbolizing sacrifice, labour, martyrdom and courage, while the upper triangle being of the colour white, which symbolizes humility, sincerity and faith and a single charge representing the National animal, the Peregrine Falcon at the Centre of the flag which is of the green colour, which symbolizes Nature, Prosperity and Islam.
There have only been two variations of the national flag in the entire history of the People's Republic (not including any previous renditions or attempts to make an 'Arsalanian flag' ) having only one key difference. The original rendition was not very clean in appearance due to complications caused by the service used for it's design and the charge present, the Peregrine Falcon had a black outline as well as detailed eyes. In the second and now formally adopted variant, the black outline is removed as well as details such as the 'eyes' present on the Peregrine Falcon. The simplified second version is said to be the work of the Monarch of Vishwamitra, Varuna Sriraya who is likely to have made the changes during his creation of Arsalania's article, the Arsalanian government has not made any objection and has been using that variant since (and no discussions regarding such edit have been made either)
While no full sized flag exists in the possession of the Arsalanian Government nor the citizenry, the Arsalanian Government has pre-emptively declared the following protocols for it's flying by State officials, military personnel and civilians alike
National Flag Protocols
No other flag or colour must fly higher.
When displayed or flown alongside other national flags, the National Flag must be displayed or flown at the same height as the other national flags, never lower.
If there are two flags or colours, the National Flag should be flown at the right. In case the number of flags is more than two and odd, the National Flag should be placed in the centre, and if the number of flags is even it should be flown the first to the right of the centre.
When displayed alongside provincial, military or corporate flags, the National Flag must be higher.
When tied to a mast, it must be tied only at the left (at the beginning of the white bar) and left to fly freely without any obstruction.
In a procession, the National Flag shall be carried at the centre or at the right of the procession in the line of march.
Must not touch the ground, shoes or feet or anything unclean.
Must never be flown in darkness.
Must not be marked with anything (including words, numerals or images).
When raising or lowering-
Must be saluted to by all uniformed personnel
Others must stand in attention.
Must be raised or lowered ceremoniously.
Must not fly or be displayed upside down with the head of the charge facing downwards.
Must not be displayed anywhere where it is likely to get dirty.
Must not be set on fire or trampled upon
Must not be buried or lowered into a grave (when burying a flag-bearing casket, the National Flag must be detached from the casket and held above the grave as the casket is lowered or removed from the casket before burial).
State Emblem
The first state emblem originally had a black-metallic dark blue background, but also had a variant with a white background.
Throughout it's established history, starting from the 14th of May 2019, the People's Republic of Arsalania has had three State Emblems, with the second Emblem having been designed recently. All three were designed by the Supreme Leader and Founder, Arsal Abbas Mirza.
First Emblem
The original and first version of the State Emblem was designed around the same time as the formal establishment of the People's Republic, and is said to have been made around the 14–15 May 2019. While it never saw much use at all, it's importance is cemented in the fact that it provided a base on which it's successor, the second State Emblem was designed (which possesses some of the same elements with some changes made to them alongside entirely new editions)
Second Emblem
The second State Emblem was designed around the 10th of October 2020. It inherited the shield and sword from it's predecessors, but in order to make the Socialist Character of the nation more 'apparent' in the state emblem, the three stars in the shield were coloured red and a much larger five pointed star coloured red with a yellow outline was placed above the shield. The sword, shield and Star (placed vertically) were surrounded on either side by a wheat laurel having 6 ribbons, however none of which are used. The second emblem has seen widespread use and is present on virtually all treaties signed between Arsalania and foreign states as well as all internal documentation written since it's adoption.
The second State Emblem was used extensively until recently.
However, the March 21st Resolution enacting Arsalania's reformation as an Islamic Socialist State and the subsequent drift from the original ideology, Arsalanian Trotskyism meant that a complete redesign of the state emblem was found to be necessary. Such did not happen until the 28th of September 2021, when the third State Emblem was finally designed, yet again by the Supreme Leader.
Third Emblem
The presently adopted State Emblem
The third State Emblem is the presently adopted official State Emblem of the People's Republic of Arsalania. It is used within all official documentation wherever relevant. In all matters involving the state, the State Emblem is to be used either in conjuction with the emblems of the Ministries or institutions involved or on it's own. It is comprised by a shield (with it's perimeter coloured forest green) within which are present several National Symbols, vertically present as the Peregrine Falcon (coloured black, which symbolises certainty, elegance and sophistication via the colour itself) which is the national animal and one of the most used National Symbols, below it are three symbols, horizontally from left to right being the 'Mint Plant' (coloured green, which like the green in the national flag symbolises Nature, Prosperity and Islam alone) which is a reference to Arsalania's self sufficiency in cultivation of Mint, to it's adjacent right is present the Bohr model of the atom, as the atom is the foundation of all science and engineering principles, it represents technological development in Arsalania (and is also coloured forest green, and shares the same symbolism as the mint plant and the colour of the perimeter of the shield). Immediately to the right is last in the second 'tier' of symbols present within the shield, a Banana coloured yellow, which is the natural colour of it's peel. It represents the cultivation of Bananas and their annual production within Arsalania.
Right below the second tier is the last symbol present within the shield, An open book, representing Education (being Arsalania's primary export and sole source of state income) and Knowledge. It is coloured blue (which symbolises honour, faith, loyalty, sensitivity and imagination)
The Emblem of the Office of the Supreme Leader.
Above the shield is present a symbol which is at this time, the official State Emblem of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The logo was originally designed by Hamid Nadimi, and was officially approved by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on 9 May 1980. The four crescents, surmounted by the shadda, are a stylized representation of the word Allah (الله). Within the State Emblem of Arsalania it is included to represent the Islamic character of the nation, the affiliation of the government with the 'Global Islamic Revolution movement' kicked off by the Islamic Revolution in Iran as well as to emphasize the government's stance and adoption of Islam (specifically the Twelver Ja'fari school as it is the majority in Arsalania) as the State Religion.
Around the lower bottom of the shield is a green laurel, symbolising achievements and victories of the nation (in extension, that of Muslims in general)
The most notable use of the newly adopted third emblem early on was the Declaration of Bilateral Friendship with the Kingdom of Indradhanush[14]
It was later included a part of the official template for all External and Internal use documents with the only notable exception being that of personal letters sent by the Supreme Leader in the capacity of his own office and thus has his own emblem to be included in such documents, a key example of usage of said personal emblem is that used in a letter to the Rashtradhyaksh of Vishwamitra in the past. Another notable example is it's use in all articles of digital correspondence with the President of the Republic of GSMLL prior to the establishment of diplomatic relations.
National Anthem
While in the initial era Arsalania did not yet have an official anthem this was ratified in 2020 at the time of Arsalania's departure from diplomatic isolation.
At the time, the (then) Forwardist Republic of Eastasia became the first nation to recognize Arsalania, as a result a friendship would begin between the Leader of Eastasia, Yi-An-Su and the Supreme Leader. As a result of said correspondence Arsalania would adopt it's present national anthem, Warsazawianka (referred to as the 'Song of the people' in official documents)
At present, The National Anthem is purely instrumental and does not include any lyrics, despite the popular socialist lyrics of the song being perfectly in line with the old Arsalanian Trotskyist Ideological position, it was never associated with any lyrics officially by the Arsalanian State.
With Arsalania's shift away from Arsalanian Trotskyism and towards it's present ideology, it is believed that with increasing activity and popularization of the government structure, the National anthem may be brought into question eventually and find itself replaced in a future session of the National Parliament.
National Holidays
The Government of Arsalania officially recognises the following Holidays:
Eid al Fitr - Celebrated to mark the the end of the Holy month of Ramzan. Celebrated according to the Islamic Lunar Calendar
Eid al Azha - Celebrated to commemorate the Sacrifice of Hazrat Ismail (Ishmael) A.S by Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham) A.S. Celebrated according to the Islamic Lunar Calendar.
Eid al Ghadir - Celebrated to commemorate the Declaration of Imam Ali as his successor by the Prophet at Ghadir Khumm, celebrated according to Islamic Lunar Calendar.
Mawlid - Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), celebrated according to Islamic Lunar Calendar
Ashura - Commemoration and Mourning of the Martyrdom of Imam Husseyn (A.S) on the 10th of Muharram, commemorated according to the Islamic Lunar Calendar.
Ar'baeen / Chehlum - Commemoration of the Martyrdom of Imam Husseyn (A.S) on the 40th Day after Ashura. Commemorated according to the Islamic Lunar Calendar.
Shab-e-Mi'raj - Commemoration and Celebration of the Prophet Muhammad's Night Journey known as the Mi 'raj. Commemorated according to the Islamic Lunar Calendar.
National Day - 14 May each year, to mark the foundation of the People's Republic of Arsalania
In addition to the Islamic Holidays listed above, the Government of Arsalania recognizes all religious of other faiths, including Christian, Jewish, Hindu Holidays and non-Muslim employees and students are legally entitled to a holiday on their respective Holy Days.
Additionally, Sunday is recognized as a holiday within the week while Saturday is declared as a half day as well as Friday (which is considered a Holy Day in Islam) although it is permitted for students to avail a single holiday on Friday each month (no such equivalent privilege exists for state or private employees who are allowed a prayer break at the time of the Friday prayer)
↑During a historic session of the Arsalanian National Parliament, the 21st March Resolution was passed unanimously which effectively set in motion plans to reform the People's Republic and entirely changed the very core principles on which the State stands.
The original document can be viewed here
↑The first constitutional amendment brought the constitution in line with the 21 March Resolution.
It can be viewed here
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