Forced demands on Pakistan

Sajjad Shaukat

Setting aside the ground realties that Pakistan, itself, is the major victim of terrorism, which has been bearing multiple losses in combating this menace since 9/11, Indian blame game against Islamabad, continues in during exchange of information between the two neighbouring countries regarding Mumbai mayhem of November 26, 2008. Rejecting Pakistan’s stand that its government or any official agency is not involved in the Mumbai attacks, presenting one after another list of bogus evidence, New Delhi wants to make Islamabad accept all other Indian demands since our rulers admitted on February 12 this year that Ajmal Kasab is Pakistani national and Mumbai terror-attacks were “partially planned in Pakistan.” Pakistan’s government not only submitted its report to India after lodging FIR against the nine suspects but also took six accused persons into custody. In fact, Islamabad’s admission which has emboldened New Delhi was forced by the US-led some western countries which have been continuously insisting upon our government to “do more” against the militancy in the tribal areas by ignoring internal backlash and sacrifices of our security forces during war on terror, while paying no attention to the Lahore-terror attacks on the Sri Lankan cricket team. 

Although being a responsible state actor, Pakistan’s leadership did not accuse Indian secret agency RAW of planning Lahore mayhem which had similarity with that of Mumbai, yet India backed both these tragedies to achieve some secret goals against Pakistan. In this context, India wanted to avail this opportunity in increasing further pressure on Pakistan with the help of America and some other European states in order to force Islamabad to confess that all the terrorists responsible for Mumbai attacks came from Pakistan. While Pakistan has not yet completed investigation in connection with the terror-attack on the Sri Lanka’s cricket team, Indian Minister of External Affairs, Pranab Mukerjee, repeating his old rhetoric of baseless allegations against Islamabad stated that Lahore incident and Mumbai catastrophe “are part of Pakistan’s terror-infrastructure” and it should dismantle terrorist training camps. It is mentionable that US former Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice and British Foreign Secretary who had visited New Delhi and Islamabad in the aftermath of Mumbai catastrophe stressed upon us to take actions against the banned Jamaatud Dawa and the already banned Lashkar-i-Tayba. Speaking Indian tune, they also said that the terrorists involved in the Mumbai events came from Pakistan. 

Notably, America and the Great Britain had played a key role last year in getting passed a resolution through the UN Security Council which added Pakistan-based Jamaatud Dawa and four of its leaders to the list of Al Qaeda-related terrorists. Without any doubt, this similar approach by the US and India show that these states are in collusion to destabilize and ‘denuclearise’ Pakistan through coercive diplomacy. So demands on Pakistan to take action against the Jamaatud Dawa and its related welfare organistions including admission regarding the departure of the Mumbai culprits from our soil were forced. And Islamabad accepted these false allegations as our country is facing serious internal and external challenges of grave nature. In the recent past, IMF decided to sanction loan to Pakistan after American green signal. Past experience proves that economic dependence on foreign countries always brings political dependence in its wake. While, at this critical juncture, our country has been facing precarious financial problem, US and its western allies compelled Pakistan to accept some Indian false demands. 

Hollowness of New Delhi’s allegations and forced admission of Islamabad of February 12 could be gauged from the fact that on February 27, while addressing a press conference, Pakistan’s Naval Chief of Staff Admiral Nuaman Bashir remarked that he had no proof that Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving gunman of the Mumbai attacks used Pakistani waters to reach India. He further explained, “I do not have any proof…the Indian navy is much larger than ours, and if Ajmal Kasab had gone from here, then what were their coastguards doing, and why they did not stop the terrorists?” The statement of our naval chief coupled with western duress makes it quite clear that Mumbai mayhem was pre-planned by the Indian intelligence agency, RAW to further distort the image of Pakistan in the comity of nations as well as to manipulate the world phenomena of terrorism with the help of US-led Europe in declaring our country a terrorism-sponsored state. Another aim of New Delhi was to convince the sole superpower to continue drone strikes on Pakistan’s tribal regions which are already considered by Washington and some other western capitals as safehavens from where Al Qaeda-related militants could plan a terror attack inside American homeland and Europe. Nevertheless, all this is part of Indo-Israeli and western lobbies to weaken Pakistan in on way or the other as our nuclear assets irk their eyes.

On the other hand, west’s silence over a number of developments such as assassination of Indian Anti-Terrorism Squad Chief Hemant Karkare in Mumbai during terror attacks, involvement of Hindu extremists in the Malegaon bombings, confession of Indian serving Lt. Col. Purohit in relation to the bombing of Samjhota express which brunt alive 69 Pakistanis, demolition of Babri Masjid, massacre of Muslims in Gujrat, recent genocide of Muslims in Assam and assaults on Christians from time to time clearly show double standard of the US-led international community. In this context, anti-Muslim approach of India was also witnessed during the present election campaign when grandson of the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and candidate of the BJP, Varun Gandhi, with the pledge of Gita, warned that he would “cut off the hands of Muslims.”

Inaction of the west over Hindu terrorism and such duplicity undoubtedly indicates that America and major European states have their common interest in India. Hence, they blindly support New Delhi’s shrewd diplomacy against Islamabad. These major countries only tolerate Pakistan owing to its role as a frontline state against terrorism, otherwise, they leave no stone unturned in tarnishing the image of our country so as to harm our interests. In this respect, forced demands on Pakistan regarding Mumbai mayhem entailing accusation of cross-border terrorism either in Afghanistan or the Indian-held Kashmir are also part of this double game.

As a matter of fact, we are living in an unequal world order. The prevalent global system tends to give a greater political and economic leverage to the affluent developed nations who could safeguard their interests at the cost of the weaker countries. Whenever, any controversy arises on the issues, the UN Security Council enforces the doctrine of collective security against the small states, while the five big powers protect their interests by using veto. This shows discrimination between the powerful and the weaker. In this context, it is notable that in 2001, UN had permitted the United States to attack Afghanistan under the cover of right of self-defence. Consequently, NATO forces invaded and occupied Afghanistan. In case of the Sub-continental Kashmir, the issue still remains unresolved as UN resolutions in relation to the plebiscite were never implemented because Washington and some western powers support the illegitimate stand of India due to their collective interests by ignoring the legitimate rights of the liberation of Kashmiris.

There is no doubt that it is the General Assembly where the Muslim states of the Third World constitute majority, but they are helpless in implementing their decisions. In economic context, the world order reflects greater disparities as the flow of capital and credit system is also dominated by the United States and other developed countries—the consequent result is an increase in the activities of the Multinationals which shattered the economies of the poor developing states. Besides, international financial institutions like I.M.F and World Bank are under the control of the US and its partners who protect their interests by blackmailing the governments of the small states through financial pressure.

Nonetheless, the principle of might is right which was order of the day during the period of nature is being implemented in the modern era, but in its refined form. Major powers can change falsehood in truthfulness by legitimating it through Security Council. It was due to this master-client relationship that Pakistan was forced to accept Indian self-created demands which were baseless, but still the US and other western countries had been backing the same in connection with Mumbai catastrophe. In wake of a continued debate abroad and rising tension between the two South Asian nuclear states in relation to the culprits of Mumbai tragedy, the fact remains that Pakistan and its land have played no role, but was forced to accept Indian concocted evidence as the country depends upon the sole superpower and other foreign donor agencies because of rising financial crisis and political instability which have been created by external secret agencies, especially RAW.

Like Hitler, Indian leadership is increasing its demands as recently it sent some more evidence in reply to Islamabad’s report regarding Mumbai tragedy. Our government needs caution as New Delhi, with the support of west could entangle Pakistan in vicious circle of terrorism with the sole aim to isolate our country diplomatically.

Enduring Power Struggle in Pakistan: New Phase-III

The seemingly endless power struggle in Pakistan is very dangerous for the nation, its progress, prosperity and global image. India snubs Islamabad and succeeds in painting both Islam and Pakistan in the worst possible ways and manners thanks to its media power and deceptive global influences.  So-called (skeleton) democracy perpetrated by the Western money makers have attracted several Muslim across the world and they prefer "free religion" to Islam, and work hands in glows with capitalists form west and India against Islam and Sharia’. They are against Sharia’ in Swat and Pakistan at large. Ironically, some analysts & newsmakers who thrive on espousing hollow emotionalism among the masses by writing about issues that are of their own imagination, are deliberately or inadvertently churning out derogatory and damaging statements just to get some space in newspapers columns without realizing the fuller implication of their rhetoric.
 
If the chief goal of the opposition leader Nawaz Sharif was to oust Musharraf, then, he has fully achieved that objective, while in the process by getting the sacked judges reinstated, he has got some extra points too. But if he wanted to take over power from Pervez Musharraf, Sharif has not made any plus points. He even outsmarted Zardari who was believed to oppose the return of the judges because he fears they will repeal an amnesty on corruption charges granted him last year.. The former businessman has served more than eight years in prison on corruption and other criminal charges, but without being convicted.
 
An almost lost case, Punjab courts helped rekindle the judges’ issue by ordering to sack the government which President Asif Zardari did. Amid efforts to defuse the political crisis, former Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif has attacked President Asif Ali Zardari for "fighting democracy" and blamed his actions for the unrest in the country." The Sharifs and 16 other protest leaders were initially ordered under house arrest. Before dawn, hundreds of police surrounded Sharif's residence in Lahore, carrying an order for his house arrest. Sharif denounced the order as illegal and later left the house in a convoy of vehicles as police stood by. Premier Yousaf Raza Gilani’s engagement of Sharif brought the crisis to a positive end. Announcing that the march on Islamabad had been called off, Sharif urged supporters to celebrate "with dignity". He explicitly said that the government wants to implement the CoD and seeks the cooperation of PML-N for that. Chaudhry would resume his post following the resignation of the current Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar on 21 March and he has kept his word. He also promised restoration of all other deposed judges. Gillani has proved by his conduct that he values prudence and knows that it is time to act more maturely to bring stability to the political process that seemed to have derailed in the recent past. After a jubilant reception from thousands of supporters, Pakistan’s main opposition leader headed to Islamabad. He was determined to lead lawyers and political activists in the final leg of what is called a Long March to push their demand for the restoration of the deposed chief justice. Announcing that the march on Islamabad had been called off, Sharif urged supporters to celebrate "with dignity".

With a single anti-Musharraf agenda, the alliance between the PPP and the PML-N was regarded by some quarters as a marriage of convenience between the two archrivals, which were instrumental in toppling each other’s governments in the 1990s. Fallout from a lost battle against the judiciary as well as the plans of former premiers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto to mount a dramatic political comeback and fight a tough political battle made Musharraf to consider his way out without much hassles. In the ensuing power struggle between Zardari had to assume the place of Benazir who was killed during the campaign making way for future showdown by the leaders while Zardari assumed the leadership of PPP along with his son. Then came the choice of a new president of Pakistan in place of Pervez Musharraf. Clearly, Sharif had been aiming at the President’s chair after Musharraf’s exit. PPP already appointed Gilani as the premier and Sharif expected the PPP appointing him for the president’s slot. Sharif was also angered by an announcement that Asif Ali Zardari, chairman of the PPP and widower of its former leader, Benazir Bhutto, would stand for president. The coalition partners had agreed to back a nonpartisan candidate until the presidents' powers were constitutionally pared down. In the 1990s, Sharif and the PPP, under Ms. Bhutto, were bitter rivals and alternated terms in power. Many Pakistanis dread a return to the rancor and chaos of those days, which resulted, in 1999, in Musharraf's bloodless coup.
 
The first phase of power struggle ended by unseating President Gen. Pervez Musharraf in the establishment of Zardari-Gilani government in Islamabad the quitting power by former President Pervez Musharraf, but Nawaz Sharif losing the battle and without gaining anything in a big way. His brother from Muslim League got power in the Punjab Province where he is strong. Blamed for the corruption and economic problems that nearly bankrupted the country in the 1990s, when Bhutto and Sharif each had two short-lived turns as prime minister, they were sent abroad by Gen. Musharraf. Living abroad as punishment, Nawaz Sharif failed in his first attempt to enter Pakistan and was sent back from the airport by Musharraf who claims Sharif as premier had plotted to kill or dispose him as the General. However, under US-Saudi mediation, Musharraf allowed Sharif in his second attempt and let him strengthen political institutions. Sharif sympathizes with Sharia' movement. A "conservative" Muslim with even more conservative followers, Sharif said that he was intent on quashing "militancy" but would like to lower the profile of US involvement in the war on terror. In 2007, under US-Saudi Arabia mediation both former premier Sharif and Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan to reactivate the political system in the country and soon elections were held where both PPP and PML forged an electoral alliance and won both parliamentary and provincial elections. However, due to differences of opinion on crucial issues on which the polls were fought, PML drifted from PPP and declined to join the central government led by PPP and has formed its own ministry in Punjab.
 
In August 2008 Hopes for much-needed political stability in Pakistan have crumbled along with its ruling coalition. Following Nawaz Sharif's exit from the government, the political stage looks set to be dominated by a power struggle, which will draw attention away from anti-militant efforts and a faltering economy. Only a week after it celebrated the resignation of former president Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's fractious coalition broke when former Prime Minister Mr. Sharif, leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), stormed out on the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). He blames his former coalition partner for repeatedly reneging on its promise to reinstate 60 judges suspended by Musharraf.

However, the controversy over the Long March mushroomed into a political crisis several weeks ago, when the Supreme Court disqualified Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz from holding elected office. The Sharifs saw this as a deliberate attempt, backed by the president, to remove them from power, despite Zardari's denials. That suspicion was reinforced when Asif Zardari imposed federal rule on the Punjab province - the power base of Nawaz Sharif's Muslim League Party (PMLN). In effect the Sharifs' government was dismissed while the president's representatives seemingly began negotiations with other parties to permanently replace the PMLN.
 
Zardari has also proved himself to a shroud politician. Sensing the Sharif’s long march danger ahead for Pakistan and PPP, Zardari was quick to arrest the trouble without letting the situation descending into total chaos leading to break down which the enemies for outside would use to disintegrate Pakistan. The PPP has representation across the country, particularly in the province of Sindh, Zardari’s base, while PMLN is Lahore based which is the largest and wealthiest province. There was a concern at rhetoric level about danger for the fragile threads of Pakistan’s federation, implying that a Punjabi leader is trying to destabilize a Sindhi president. Some observers believe Zardari may have tried to remove the Sharifs' provincial government for the reason that the centre and provinces are in conflict, both governments struggling to function. But that brought situation back to the instability of the 1990s, when Sharif's ML and Zardari's PPP traded terms in power, each undermining the other. More over Zardari faced the similar situation that Musharraf faced a couple of years ago when Islamabad was under virtual siege by the opposition. 
 
Chief Justice Iftikhar Choudhary has re-assumed his office at Supreme Court. Former President Musharraf at later stage was not averse to reinstating the disposed CJP, but however, left the matter to the emerging new government under Zardari to decide. The judges' restoration might have restored people's confidence in “democracy” but the army chief's role as mediator between the government and the opposition will increase Zardari's dependence on the army. As the first face-to-face contact between them, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and PML-N leader Muhammad Nawaz Sharif met at Raiwind on Match 22 to discuss the roadmap for the implementation of the Charter of Democracy (CoD) covered issues like the formation of government in Punjab, the disqualification of Sharif brothers, the judges’ restoration as well the emerging political dispensation in Punjab.
 
Removal of Musharraf as the power struggle between the government and opposition brought the US-India forces and their agents right inside Pakistan and drowns are being dropped by US terror forces killing innocent Muslims in this Islamic nation. Fallout from a lost battle against the judiciary and the plans of former premiers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto to mount a dramatic political comeback made Musharraf make way for Zardari to assume power eventually.
 
Unfortunately, the issue of miserable plight of common people who voted overwhelmingly for PPP-PMLN does not bother Pakistani rulers in any manner - both at centre and in provinces. But when Punjab government was dismissed on court orders, a few politicians suddenly remembered poor people. Politicians in the opposition talked about "all round failed policies against poor", country and nation has lost every trust in the PPP-led government. For a government in an Islamic society ignoring the welfare of common people is indeed a crime, a big crime at that. Gilani government did initiate some programs to uplift the poor, but the politics and US-led terror war in Pakistan has halted that process, possibly as a deliberate attempt.

(To Continue….>)

The author is Delhi based Research Scholar in International Studies and can be reached atabdulruff_jnu@yahoo.com 

Related Links

 

*A Free Kashmir: Random Thoughts
  Part 1-71 [Mar 2008 to Mar 2009]

 

*Interview: "I Defend Muslims" Dr. Abdul Ruff Colachal , 27 Dec 2008 3

Iran, India may join US war in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON: A key US senator said on Thursday that the United States and Iran might begin their cooperation for stabilising Afghanistan after a meeting between officials of the two countries in The Hague next week.
‘We also need to reach out to Afghanistan’s other neighbours, including India, China, and Iran,’ Senator John Kerry told the confirmation hearing for the new US ambassador to Afghanistan.
The former Democratic presidential candidate, who now heads the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, noted that in 2001 and 2002, Iran helped to stabilise Afghanistan. ‘And the Obama administration is right to explore how our interests might coincide again on this issue, beginning at the Hague Conference next week,’ he added.
Earlier on Thursday, Hasan Qashqavi, a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, told reporters in Tehran that Iran would join the United States at two international conferences on Afghanistan, including the one at The Hague which begins on March 31.
‘The level of participation is yet to be determined,’ he added. Last week, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton officially invited Iran to the Hague conference.
The US move is seen in Tehran as a moral victory for the Iranian government, which was castigated by the Bush administration as part of an ‘Axis of Evil’.
Although the US still plays a leading role in the campaign against Iran’s nuclear programme, the US decision to involve it in its efforts to stabilise Afghanistan enhances the stature of the Iranian government.
Both the Afghan President Hamid Karzai and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon are expected to attend. Other attendees will include foreign ministers from countries in the region, countries that are part of the International Security Assistance Force and other countries and organisations that are contributing to reconstruction in Afghanistan.
At the confirmation hearing, Senator Kerry outlined some of the salient features of a new US strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, which is expected to be announced on Friday.
The new strategy also seeks to triple US economic assistance to Pakistan and a greater engagement with the Afghans.
‘I will soon be re-introducing with Senator Lugar the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act, which seeks to triple non-military aid to the people of Pakistan,’ Senator Kerry said.
The proposed legislation will also hold Pakistan’s ‘security forces more accountable for assistance provided in their fight against the Pakistani Taliban and Al Qaeda,’ he added.
Senator Richard Lugar, a ranking Republican member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which authorises US foreign aid, also has pledged to support the bill.
‘We can all agree that today Afghanistan, along with its neighbour Pakistan, represents the central front in our global campaign against terrorism,’ Senator Kerry told the confirmation hearing.
Referring to the new strategy, Senator Kerry stressed the need for a regional approach for bringing peace and stability to Afghanistan. ‘Our strategy must also reflect the interconnectedness of the region’s challenges,’ he said.
‘This requires redoubling our efforts to strengthen Pakistan’s civilian government and support its activities against militants in the tribal belt.’ That’s why, he said, he was seeking to triple US assistance to Pakistan.
Senator Kerry noted that President Barak Obama has pledged to recommit to Afghanistan, beginning with the deployment of 17,000 additional US troops and a significant effort to increase the size and capacity of Afghan security forces. He said while he supported this move, he also believed that ‘troops alone will not bring victory.’

Zaid Hamid

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

karachi

Gen Kayani visits Royal College of Defence Studies

Can Pakistan Be Untangled from the Taliban?

By BOBBY GHOSH / WASHINGTON, D.C. Friday, Mar. 27, 2009

Taliban militants patrol on a humvee during a patrol in the Mamouzai area near the border.

Tariq Mahmood / AFP / Getty

In Washington, a New York Times report that Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence agency is directly assisting militant groups fighting against U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan has barely raised an eyebrow. Veteran Pakistan-watchers here have known — or suspected — as much for several years. "It confirms what a lot of us have been saying for a long time," says Lisa Curtis, South Asia expert at the Heritage Foundation. In the area of cooperation with the U.S. on counterterrorism, Curtis says, "The Pakistanis have the initiative — they play us." Adds Stephen Cohen of the Brookings Institution: "The problem from the beginning has been that elements [of the ISI] have gone off and done things they think are in [Pakistan's] national interest — and nobody wants to stop them."

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Although the ISI's association with the Taliban has hardly been a secret, some observers caution against rushing to judgment. Robert Grenier, a former CIA station chief in Pakistan, says "this is a very complicated, very nuanced situation." Grenier, now with the security firm Kroll Associates, explains that the ISI operatives who have links to "people we regard as enemies are not so much trying to aid them against America as preparing for a future when Americans and NATO are no longer in Afghanistan." In such a future, "the Pakistanis would be reluctant to concede the field to people whom they regard as enemies, like elements of the Northern Alliance and the Indians." (See pictures of Pakistan's vulnerable frontier with Afghanistan.)

But, Grenier adds, the Pakistanis may be in for a rude shock if they think they can depend on relationships with anti-American warlords like Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and Jalaluddin Haqqani. "Hekmatyar is a bad player, and if the Pakistanis think they can get into this dance with him and win, they are mistaken," he says. "And that's even more true of Haqqani." (See pictures from the frontlines of the battle with the Taliban.)

More remarkable than the report itself was its timing: the Obama administration is about to announce the conclusion of a comprehensive review of Afghanistan policy, and Congress is discussing massive new aid — worth $1.5 billion a year for five years — for Pakistan. For U.S. officials — a group that provided a substantial part of the Timessourcing for its story — to drop their long reticence on the subject of ISI's duplicity at this particular juncture suggests, to some observers, an effort to put some pressure on Islamabad. "It seems like a prelude to a new strategy, which may include asking Pakistan to do something" in the province of Baluchistan, where the leadership of the Afghan Taliban is hiding in plain sight.

The State Department did not respond to requests for comment. But it announced a $5 million reward for information leading to the location or capture of Haqqani's son Sirajuddin. A similar amount is being offered for information on Pakistani Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud, and a $1 million bounty for information on al-Qaeda propagandist Abu Yahya al-Libi. (Vote your ranking of Baitullah Mehsud and others in this year's TIME 100 poll.)

Shuja Nawaz, a South Asia expert at the Atlantic Council, points out that Pakistan has had a relationship with Heqmatyar and Haqqani for decades, stretching back to the 1970s, before the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. Nawaz argues that if ISI operatives are indeed helping these warlords and the Afghan Taliban, "it has to be happening with full knowledge of the [Pakistani] authorities — the leadership of the ISI, the military, the government."

Another possibility, Nawaz says, is that the warlords and the Taliban are getting help from contractors hired in the tribal areas by the ISI. "These are people with a history of local relationships, and they are likely to be ambivalent," he says.

Pakistan & Islam

Kashmir Watch, March 26

By Dr. Abdul Ruff Colachal 

An Outsiders Job to discredit Pakistan & Islam 

Activities in all spheres of human endeavor, open and hidden, real and fabricated, have cast suspicion in the global minds. With negative roles played by the mischievous media magnets ably controlled by global multinationals and transnationals, the situation could even be worse in the days to come. In cricket, the match-fixing for extra cash, records and awards have done enormous damage and harm to the sport world. Capitalist terrorism has now downed Pakistan as a cricket destination thanks mainly to India which without shame employs all deceptive corrupt means to achieve cricket ends.
 
Statements like the following one reveal the “love and affection” the Hindus have for Muslims, Kashmiris, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis. Indian Hindus argue “it is time for all nations to come together and demolish this terror state Pakistan and Afghanistan and if possible demolish the Mecca and Medina mosques in Saudi Arabia and the terror manual Quran that is breeding hundreds of jehadi terrorists in madrassas every where all over the world with help of hate and terror preaching of “fanatic mullahs”. It is not just a few stray Hindus on internet, but majority opinion of India published in its “secular” press. Some Pakistani think Hindus have lot of love left for Pakistan. Those Muslims in Pakistan and elsewhere supporting Indian case every where should take a leaf out of this Hindu mindset which views Islam as terrorist organization, while the truth is to the contrary. India, by strenuously making efforts, is eagerly awaiting the right time to finish off its Muslim neighbors.
 
Some anti-Islamic and anti-Pakistani commentators, pampered by “secular” India, have made inhuman comments on the Lahore tragedy. They argue this is “divine punishment” for Lankans and Lankan cricketers. India has always helped Lanka as much as they can but like the Muslims in India they had been ungrateful to the core, despite getting all sorts of privileges and help and try to bully and injure India and majority Hindus whenever they can. India feels if the Lankans were really sympathetic and friendly to majority Indian Hindus, Lankan government, its cricket officials and players should have refused to play Pakistan after unimaginably brutal terror attack in Mumbai where more than 300 foreigners and Muslims were brutally murdered and more than 1000 innocent persons were badly hurt. Hence Indian has no sympathy for the Lahore terrorism and it would stick only to Mumbai Nov26.
 
India perhaps feels Pakistan has no right to exist as Israel says about Palestinians and Westerns about Muslims in general. Islamabad, “protected” with drones by USA and West, was hated by New Delhi for obvious reason. India is annoyed that USA still keeps Pakistan as its key ally in terror war and pays money for the Muslims killed by American terror forces. India is worried that USA is just wasting its resources on Pakistan and in the “changing scenario, it should, in stead, take India, a close nuclear strategic partner, into its fold to fight terror wars and share booty together.
 
Not only Indian premier Manmohan is obsessed with USA, but a quite a lot of industrialists and military strategists are also eager to move “closer” to Washington. India says Pakistan is a failed state. American and other anti-Islamic nations post comments on internet saying Pakistan is a failed state and India a passed one in terrorism. Already Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan are declared failed states and now Pakistan is added to the list. The anti-Islamic nations and their media around world have come out with the statements like “Pakistan failed”. But such global mischief by those ill-focused on Islam is nothing new to world. They only mean the US-led terror nations have not failed and their homes have failed.
 
On domestic front India lives only for Hindus, no matter who rules at Centre and states. In cricket commentary, Indians play dirty politics. Earlier they used bad language and ugly photos   with regard to Australians because India found them a serious threat, but now after defeating Australia through secret deals, Indians praise Australians and publish nice photos of cricketers but use similar language and photos to about South Africa which Indian considers most threatening team to Indian deceptive deigns. Also, Indian media harp on “bad” New Zealanders as they playing against Indians in their country. That is India.
 
India’s machinations against Pakistan is obvious and  it is more than evident that the Indians in cahoots with the Americans are using every ruse including the Mumbai terror attacks to get at Pakistan’s premier agency ISI. On policy matter also, Indian double-standards are known. It supported both the Nepal’s king and his government (royalists), and Maoists and RAW is active in Nepal since last 40 years. It is also a matter of record that India had played despicable role in the disintegration of Pakistan. Personnel of the then East Pakistan Rifles now Bangladesh Rifles were involved in large scale killing of West Pakistanis and Biharis in former East Pakistan.. However, after independence Bangladesh has proved that it can never become a satellite state of India and is resolved to pursue independent policies.
 
So, Indians are not really very clever and no external terrorists would have entered India. If that is the case could any outsider have entered US airports and taken away planes of their choice and to the destination of their interest? India has not yet given any statistics about weapons and techniques used by “anti-terrorism” specialists and how many bullets were fired and how many wasted. That is India.
 
II
 
The immediate objective of CIA-Mossad-RAW is to weaken the Pakistani army and to the first step for this to wreck ISA because this organization is eyes and ears of the army. After the global intelligence and secret services are bought under Pentagon-CIA-Mossad following Sept11, the CIA and the RAW have been working in concert to make the ISI ineffective and to intrude in its ranks.  And it is in this perspective that India’s national security advisor said that ISI, an Islamic intelligence agency, should be demolished, for, that would leave RAW and IB in control of the region and else where. One can understand the reasons for this ISI-phobia. It rankles in their eyes as they consider it as an obstruction to their scheme of things in the region.  Indeed after the new-found “official” strategic partnership, both New Delhi and Washington still feel very uncomfortable about the ISI because they know that this organization has the capacity and the will to frustrate their malicious intent and evil designs. The US and India have seen ISI’s performance when former Soviet forces had occupied Afghanistan, but now CIA is using RAW to coerce Pakistan to kill more Muslims. Hence “private nuclear threat” inside Pakistan is being espoused by USA, supported by India.  
 
While it is least bothered about its own domestic terrorism and other similar activities in neighbourhoods, India is particular about details of what there re dong and not doing. India has got the arithmetic right with regard to Lahore although it miserably failed in Mumbai case at home.  It seems Indian attackers have counted the gun shots in Lahore. The Lahore police have been widely criticized for its incompetence to retaliate during the terror attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team, has now claimed that it fired 423 bullets during the shootout, but none of them hit the attackers. It also said that the security officials chased the terrorist after the incident, but they failed to arrest any of the terrorists. The report, amazingly, also has a meticulous detail of arms used and shots fired from them during the gun battle. 245 fires were made through six SMGs, 73 fires through four MP5 rifles, 52 fires through five Glock pistols and 25 fires through three Beretta pistols. However, that the policemen could not fire as many bullets as it is being claimed. "The policemen found no time to take their positions and open fire at the militants, and were injured before firing bullets," argue Indian strategists.
 
Undoubtedly, by using its US-Afghanistan connections, India has unleashed terror in Lahore , knowing that nothng would happen to India . As usual, some Pakistan media intoxicated by neo-democracy receipies of the West, also join their Indian “compatriots” to attack Zardari government for the attack. However, most Indian commentators, as expected, quickly dismissed talk of an Indian conspiracy and urged the government to confront the homegrown “militants” who have ruined Pakistan ’s reputation as a sporting venue. “The worst thing that can happen to a state is to go into denial. How long will India deny that they do train terrorists and do have groups that have run amok and whose obvious agenda involves destroying Pakistan as a nation state?   The fact that gunmen were able to flee the site of the attack shows that the attackers were well-trained and that they might have returned to India safely.
 
III
 
Swat has indeed become a sour experience for both USA and India and the rest of the anti-Islamic world. Both wanted to derail the Shia’ process in Pakistan, because that is not in the interest of anti-Islamic nations and forces. Hindus have resources and equipment and techniques and thus they terrorized Pakistan through Lahore, upon a failed India terror attempt in Mumbai to brand Pakistan a terrorist state. India though by unleashing terrorism in Lahore it could kill many “enemies” in one goes. But secular stands exposed in a democratic manner before the entire international community, though many Indians would admit it openly. That is India.
 
The cowardly act of Lahore Mar03, most likely by Indian agencies of attacking players does not seem to fulfill any demands or image of the attackers. This only has defamed the image of the country-Pakistan, which is moving in a “democratic” path after a series of army rule. Have the attackers achieved their goal? What was their intention? This is not clear to the world but what is clear is that they have not achieved their goal and certainly will not.
 
Thinking that it has the ‘divine right” to rule over the region and world on its power, India tries to shine at any "cost' and it now shines at Kashmir’s and Pakistan’s cost. India has "managed" the ODIs against New Zealanders in NZ after having been thrashed by the hosts in 20/20. However, in the final ODI NZ proved they did underplay in other ODIs on some "compromises" made with India. The ongoing Test match seems to be an open ended one, but only course would indicate the nature of the competition.. Superb hundreds from Daniel Vettori and Jesse Ryder dragged New Zealand in the Test match one from the depths of 60 for 6 to a relatively respectable 279 on a well-grassed but true pitch at Seddon Park on 18 March.
 
What was especially eye-catching, from the view point of the spectators and commentators, was the positivity with which New Zealand scripted the “revival”. Whether it was revival or NZ re-decision to play well remains to be seen. But as it stands now, India ahs bullied NZ after its target of Australia. It is apparent, India goes for other fixings with county/countries concerned on the eve of an international cricket India would play by offering investments and other sops. Indian industrialists play key roles in sports and have vested interests imports and invest a lot of cash and other things to obtain match-fix and use it as a chip for gaining toss and wins.
 
From what has been said hitherto, it is amply clear that India lives on hidden agendas to destabilize neighbors, kill or torture Muslims, keep Kashmir under its brutal custody. In cricket, like any other field, India cannot tolerate Pakistan emerging a strong team. And it did not tolerate it when Yousuf was scoring runs to outclass one of Indian batsmen form Delhi.  Doubtlessly, the terror attacks in Lahore were not engineered by Islamic movements as propagated by global media because Pakistan already agreed to allow Islamization of Swat and Taliban are glad about that and this action has been carried out only to bring disservice to the cause of Shaira’ and, therefore, it was done by anti-Islamic organization or nation or nations. India has pledged to act at the right time and it did.
 
(To Continue….>)

The author is Delhi based Research Scholar in International Studies and can be reached atabdulruff_jnu@yahoo.com 

Related Links

 

*A Free Kashmir: Random Thoughts
  Part 1-71 [Mar 2008 to Mar 2009]

 

*Interview: "I Defend Muslims" Dr. Abdul Ruff Colachal , 27 Dec 2008 3

justify jihad

By Kamran Haider

QUETTA, Pakistan, March 26 (Reuters) - An expansion of America's secret war in Pakistan to Baluchistan province would justify jihad and see many more young men rally to fight foreign forces in Afghanistan, a radical cleric said.

The New York Times reported last week that the United States is considering expanding its covert war to Baluchistan, a sprawling province of deserts and jagged mountains on the border of violence-plagued southern Afghanistan.

So far, missile strikes by pilotless Central Intelligence Agency-operated drones, which Pakistan objects to, have been limited to ethnic Pashtun tribal areas to the north of Baluchistan, mostly in the North and South Waziristan regions.

"America is trying to scare us but it won't work. Rather it will be a justification," Noor Muhammad, a well-known radical cleric who runs a madrasa, or religious school, in Quetta, capital of Baluchistan province, said of possible U.S. strikes.

"America is foolish because it will only force more people here to stand up against it," he said.

Sitting in a room his madrasa complex, the 60-year-old grey-bearded Muhammad denied any policy of sending young men from his school to fight Western forces in Afghanistan.

But he said it was the duty of every Muslim to do that.

"If infidels occupy a Muslim land then it's obligatory for all Muslims to do jihad ... Preaching jihad is my duty," he said.

President Barack Obama has said the United States is not winning in Afghanistan, more than seven years after U.S.-led forces toppled the Taliban, and he is due to announce the result of a review of policy in Afghanistan and Pakistan in coming days.

U.S. officials say success in Afghanistan is impossible without tackling the problem of militant safe havens in Pakistan.

In the Pashtunabad area on the outskirts of Quetta, support for militancy appears strong. Walls on a street leading to Muhammad's madrasa are daubed with slogans such as "Long Live Mullah Omar".

Afghan and foreign officials in Kabul have long said they believe Taliban leaders, including supreme leader Mullah Omar, are hiding in Baluchistan. Pakistan denies that.

LOVE FOR JIHAD

Officials in Kabul also say young men are pouring out of radical religious schools in Pakistan into Afghanistan to join the Taliban and become suicide bombers.

If the lessons that students get at Muhammad's seminary are anything to go by, it's not hard to understand why.

"We spread the message that the Taliban and Osama (bin Laden) have adopted the right path and that's the solution of all problems," Muhammad said.

"The protection of Koranic teachings is only possible through arms .... those who make weapons, make them available and use them will go to heaven," said Muhammad as four of his teenaged students with black turbans and wispy beards sat at his feet.

Pakistan has for years been saying it wants to reform madrasas but little has been done. Muhammad said there was nothing the government could do to quell zeal for jihad.

"The love and affection for jihad have developed among the youth to the extent that neither their relatives nor the government can control them," he said.

Unlike northwest Pakistan, Baluchistan has been relatively free of Islamist violence but militants have recently stepped up attacks, including an attack on a moderate cleric.

Major General Salim Nawaz, chief of the paramilitary Frontier Corps in Baluchistan, also said drone strikes in Baluchistan would merely stir up militancy.

"That would be music to the Taliban, music to their ears," said Nawaz at his headquarters in the city centre.

He said there were no Taliban safe havens in the province and none of its more than 1,000 madrasas supported the Taliban.

"There's been talk that Mullah Omar is the 'mayor of Quetta', there's been talk of the Taliban shura (leadership council), but actually there's nothing on the ground," he said.

Nawaz said the United States should try to engage moderate Taliban, a possibility that Obama has raised.

"They need to demotivate these so-called terrorists. Some space needs to be given to the Taliban. Some confidence-building needs to be done," he said. (Editing by Robert Birsel and Valerie Lee)