Plight of Kashmiri Muslims in Indian Occupied Kashmir

In our on going series of posts of Islam and life of Muslims in non Muslim Countries, today for this post I have made a slight modification for the plight of Muslims at the hands of Israelis and Indians in Palestine and Indian Occupied Kashmir is the worst case of human rights violation, suppression of seeking freedom and beginning of the worst kind of genocide is unparalleled and most disturbing.

The Muslim inhabitants of the Indian Occupied Kashmir, a disputed territory between Pakistan and India since their independence in 1974 is the worst case of denial of exercise of right of self determination of their future. At the time of independence, while majority Muslim population wanted to be part of Pakistan, a tacit move by the last British viceroy of India, Lord Mountbatten ceded Kashmir to India. This created lot of resentment from Pakistan and a war broke out soon thereafter between the two countries, which was halted due to UN intervention and and resulted in a ceasefire with a front solidified along the Line of Control.

The map showing the division of Kashmir across the Line of Control between Pakistan and India [Photo]

As per the provisions of UN, a plebiscite was to be held to determine the fate of the Jammu and Kashmir region. But since 1947, India has consistently denied this right to the Kashmiris and have tried to suppress their right of self determination with brute force. This has frustrated the Kashmiri Muslims and they have resorted to a long freedom struggle for their legitimate rights. And in doing so, thousands of Kashmiris have lost their lives at the hands of the Indian Army and countless have been maimed for life. 

Indian brute force suppressing voice of Kashmiris [Photo]

In recent times, the intensity of freedom struggle has picked up a greater momentum and an equally greater suppression by Indian Army. Not only many have been martyred, but use of pellet guns have left ugly scars on the bodies of freedom fighters.  

One of the countless pellet gun victims of Indian Occupied Kashmir

Indian forces have committed many human rights abuses and acts of terror against Kashmiri civilian population including extrajudicial killing, rape, torture and enforced disappearances. In 2011, the state humans right commission said it had evidence that 2,156 bodies had been buried in 40 graves over the last 20 years. 

Unarmed retaliation against armed Indian Army [Photo]

Some rights groups say close to 100,000 people have died since 1989 while the official figures from Indian sources state the estimates of number of civilians killed due to the insurgency in the range of 16,725 to 47,000 civilians, in which 3,642 civilians were killed by security forces. According to Amnesty International, no member of the Indian military deployed in Jammu and Kashmir has been tried for human rights violations in a civilian court as of June 2015.

Just recently, when there rose a hope of mediation between the two countries as promised by US president Donald Trump, the World's so-called "largest democracy" has acted in the most undemocratic way possible in illegally rescinding Article 370 on 5th August - a constitutional clause dating back to 1949 that gives Jammu and Kashmir its special autonomous status. The scale of this move cannot be overstated. Abrogating Article 370 represents a major tipping point for an already fraught dispute - and it could easily backfire on India. 

Before the announcement by Indian government and movement of large scale military troops, prominent Kashmir leader Syed Ali Gilani tweeted to the world with a heart wrenching message. The tone and choice of words says it all about the genocide of Kashmiris that is geared in coming days.

With this ugly move, Jammu and Kashmir will turn from a state to a union territory, meaning India’s central government in New Delhi will gain much more control over the area’s affairs. New Delhi is also considering splitting parts of J&K into two federal territories: the new state of Jammu and Kashmir, which will get its own legislature; and Ladakh, a remote and mountainous area that won’t get a legislature. By dispensing with the region’s autonomous status, it can formally consummate that integration and deliver a definitive blow to the region’s separatist impulses.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said the decision was a "sinister one" designed to change the demographics of the only Muslim-majority state. "We have been let down by the same nation we ceded to," she said, adding that it seemed as though the state had made the "wrong choice" in aligning with India rather than Pakistan during partition in 1947.

This sinister move by Modi's India brings to forth the rejection of Two Nation Theory put forward by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, founding father of Pakistan. However when Mr Jinnah raised his voice, many Muslim leaders shrugged his suggestion and sided with India. Now after seven decades Jinnah's wisdom has started to dawn on those who though India would protect them.

The scrapping of Article 370 means a defiance to UN resolutions and holding of the plebiscite. More broadly, though, India unilaterally pushed to change Kashmir’s status without Pakistan’s buy-in. The worry now is that widespread unrest will spike in the region. Indian forces already heavily patrol Kashmir, but it has sent thousands of extra troops there in anticipation of violence, as well as closed schools, evacuated tourists, cut off internet connectivity, and put some of the area’s political leaders under house arrest. In effect, the area is on lock down.

Bodies of cluster bombs fired across Line of Control by India 

UN Observers photoing the cluster bomb shells [Photo]

Ahead of the decision, India not only deployed a large number of additional Armed troops in Kashmir, but had also stepped crossed border shelling into Azad Jammu and Kashmir. They have even used cluster bombs which were even seen by the members of UN monitoring teams. The shelling and set ablaze many houses, martyred many Kashmirs besides wounding dozens recently.

A young man holding Pakistani flag - The Bold Defiance in the face of Indian Army 

Today Modi has trashed international law and dozens of U.N. resolutions and dashed the hopes of millions upon millions of people praying for justice and peace to prevail. Modi has shown he is not a man of peace. He is a man of war who doesn't seem to realize the potentially catastrophic consequences of playing with fire.

Timothy Todd Shea, an avid contributor on Facebook, on 5th of August wrote in reaction to the Indian move to scrap the Article 370 of its constitution, which honestly reflects the aspirations of Muslims in Pakistan, Kashmir and elsewhere:

Dear People of The World, if YOU stay silent now as you have for 70 years about the atrocities in Kashmir, if you don't even try to understand the roots of this conflict, if you simply don't care about what is going on in Kashmir and this week's naked military aggression and escalation of violence and tyranny over innocent Kashmiris who have been begging for YOU to hear their cries for 70 years, then you are complicit in the crimes against Humanity that are being perpetrated by Modi and his Hindu extremist terrorist thugs.

If you are OK with India's outrageous and criminal behavior in throwing a peace offering into the burning trash can of war, then please do not complain and do not cry if and when this conflict spirals out of control and leads to a nuclear exchange which will harm you, your family and every Human Being and forever scar the face of our planet and alter the course of history.

Totally agreeing with Timothy, I would say that when it comes to a non Muslim country usurping the rights of Muslims, the world keeps silent or shows its indifference, but when a Muslim country is seen usurping rights of non Muslims, the world community acts faster than the speed of light to get them Independence. Why could this not be done in case of Kashmir for almost seven decades. The indifference of world towards plight of Muslims clearly exhibited.

Carrying the body of  fallen Kashmiri with resolve to get freedom one day [Photo]

Do watch this informative documentary of the freedom struggle by the Kashmiris and see their sentiments against the occupying Indian forces:

I do not know how would be the reaction of the world to Kashmir after this one sided notorious Indian move, and how much the world will support the Kashmirs in getting them their rights. Time will tell. But I keep my fingers crossed for I do not see justice being forthcoming in any substantial way from the world community.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

Originally posted in my blog: Islam My Ultimate Decision

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Is Modi India's Donald Trump

Lately there have been two leaders around the world who are making headlines everyday: America's Donald Trump and India's Modi. Many have started comparing the two for their erratic policies and speeches both home and abroad. But are these two comparable?

Well apparently yes for both talk nonsense most of the time and generate a strong reaction from the people of their own countries and even those directly influenced by them or their close neighbours.

But while Donald Trump speaks his own mind, he receives a huge backlash from his people and even his own supporters. But in India, it is other way around. When Modi speaks, and generally speaks of violence and hatred, all institutions of India and media channels vehemently take his side. Although his opponents criticize him strongly, it seems his position as Indian prime minister gives him an upper edge to twist facts in his favour which normally adds his vote bank, specially those war mongering Hindus who are hell bent to prosecute Muslims and minorities whereever seen. 

In the recent days, just before the forthcoming elections, Modi and his hysterical team has unleashed a campaign of war mongering against Pakistan and his fanatic followers are making it difficult  for the Muslims to live peacefully in their own country. While Kashmir bleeds since partition of British India, and where casualties of the freedom fighters have recently started rising at an unprecedented rate, Muslims all over India too have been publicly beaten, harassed and even asked to leave a dwelling to go "else where."

Watch the exclusive interview of the prominent Indian scholar and analyst Arundhati Roy as to what she has to say when comparing Trump and Modi and how intelligently strips of the Indian prime minister for the nefarious agenda he has up his sleeve: 

But is Modi listening?

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OIC shows true face of India

The post Pulwama attack saw Indian rhetoric of blaming Pakistan within minutes of the suicide attack and has since has been hellbent to bring harm to Pakistan to 'avenge' the death of almost four dozen soldiers.

And this was followed by a cowardly act of intrusion of Pakistan air space with its state of the art Mirage-2000 aircraft and alleging to have killed more than 350 terrorist in a camp that was targeted. But it did not have photos of 350 dead to show it to the world for it was blatant lie to fool the world. 

However, the very next day, Pakistan responded and shot down two Indian air force jets and capturing one of its pilots alive. It was magnanimity on the part of the Imran Khan, the Pakistan's prime minister to have released the pilot purely on humanitarian grounds and as a gesture of good will to the war mongering Indian prime minister and its militant BJP political party.

Still not satisfied with their response to teach Pakistan a lesson, their Foreign affairs minster when called to attend the recent OIC meeting, which Pakistan rightly boycotted for India is not a Muslim country, in very cleverly worded hidden words blamed Pakistan for the unrest in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). But India got a shock of their lives.

The Kashmir resolution passed by OIC criticisms the Indian administration's role in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It refers to the region as "Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir" and highlights alleged "human rights violations". It also endorses "plebiscite" in Jammu and Kashmir for the resolution of the dispute between India and Pakistan, emphasizing that it is the "core" dispute between the two nations.

And this has let the Indian politicians to criticize the Modi government for letting down India and Modi has been questioned for the failure of his foreign policy.

Watch the video below as see how reality is dawning in India:

In days to come we see India being isolated more and more not in the international community but also at home where people and politicians have started to question the policies of Modi, and some even holding Modi responsible for the Pulwama attack.

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US Failures in Afghanistan - what to do?

The biggest threat to US National Security is strategic miscalculation. In Afghanistan, the battle was an internally oriented conflict; but it had a confused and open ended definition to it. The US insisted in calling it COIN (counter Insurgency Operations) when it was not. The US method to madness unfolded from one dimension to another, ignoring geography, history, culture and ideology. In their enthusiasm the United States jumped from one plan to another in search of strategy as they lumbered on, never listened to anyone while they continued to do what they thought was the way forward. Ignorance and arrogance never go together. The result that with total air supremacy, against an enemy that had no tanks, artillery or air defence; the United States manged to put themselves into a losing situation. 

The only worthwhile ally, Pakistan, who could have helped the US win this conflict and bring stability to Afghanistan was cast aside and the alliance was broken through a successful man oeuvre of manipulation by an enemy that would have made Napoleon Bonaparte swell with pride. Breaking an alliance was Napoleon’s forte and was an obvious first step that an enemy would have taken in this case too. Who was this enemy, other than our very own? The US, leader of the world, commander of all Armies now cannot whine and blame others for their own failures, they must now behave the part and take responsibility of all that came to pass. It comes with the leadership role that the US loves to play. Well here are some very obvious things that need to be explained:

1. Political

• Removal of the Taliban government, which had a Pushtun leaning. The Pushtuns represent about 50 to 60 % of the Afghan population.
• Replacing them with a Northern Alliance biased government that represented less than 40% of the people.
• Introduced a universally unacceptable constitution, hoping that it would catch on. It did not.
• Tried a reconciliation process; top down approach.
• Tried integration; bottoms up approach.
• Wanted to negotiate with the Taliban but never considered speaking to the Pushtuns. The former believe in an ideological discourse, the latter a political one. Though most Taliban are Pushtun, but a strictly Pushtun dialogue would keep out the foreign spoilers.
• Assassinated any Taliban leader willing to talk through drone attacks.
• Insisted that Pakistan arrange the negotiation and when they did, destroyed their credibility by killing Taliban commanders in Pakistan who had been asked to come for the negotiation. 
• Setting up a ‘Unity Government’; it’s neither here or there and remains a confused, artificial structure that has no jurisdiction beyond the precincts of Kabul.
• Out of the three parties, the Taliban, the government and the US, the weakest is the government. That is why this government is probably the only known government to invite a foreign occupation, because it lacks in capacity, authority and legality.

2. Military

1. Based operations on garrisoning troops. Failed to secure lines of communication and relied on air rather ground.
2. Lost liberty of action and freedom of movement by not dominating spaces.
3. Continuity in such operations is necessary and not a choice. The US rotated troops every year and as such were never familiar with the terrain or the environment.
4. The limited understanding of the combat zone cannot be made up through ‘google maps’.
5. Operations of this kind are based on accurate intel. The US depended on Northern Alliance intel and interpreters. These people let their hatred for Pakistan take them away from any meaningful information. Salalah type operations were the product of misleading the US troops.
6. Raising an Army in a few years is unrealistic, it resulted in the highest rate of desertions and causalities. The NDS has still no capacity to stand ground regardless of the ‘feel good’ propaganda emanating from TOLO News. 
7. The two areas that needed US presence was ignored despite making promises, i.e. Nuristan/Kunar valley, where the US pulled out unilaterally and Paktia where the US always complained of cross border Haqqani battle groups moving into their area.
8. Not shutting down mobile networks along the Afghan Border despite requests to do so. SIMs are still functional while Pakistan had shut theirs down a while ago. Not blocking Thuriaya Communication which is based in Dubai and can easily be controlled.
9. Not supporting Pakistani Operation in North Waziristan with a US brigade during the surge to block the border though having promised to do so through four different commands. This caused the ‘revolving door’ effect. 
10. Suffering reverses by small tactical groups and blaming Pakistan instead of holding enquiries as to what went wrong. We have not heard a single case of tactical failure being attributed to incompetence or bad procedures. It’s as if no American can do wrong, though the US have lost this war and all because of the enemy!!! A really humorous conclusion.

3. Corruption

• Please read the SIGAR report. 
• A drug trade developed under the nose of ISAF that is now doing roaring business of anything up to $80 Billion annually. No one likes to quote these figures and everyone looks the other way as if it is inconsequential. Let it be clearly understood, the Taliban are being resourced by this drug money.
• Corruption in the government has caused the people to be highly critical of it.

4. Miscellaneous 

• The ISAF found it easier to justify their failures by blaming Pakistan. The lies were repeated and broadcasted so often that the US and their Coalition partners now believe it to be true.
• Losing about 50% of the space in Afghanistan where there is no government writ. The Taliban have signed $3Billion worth of contracts with the Chinese. Why would the Taliban need space in Pakistan when the resources and the area is available to them right there?
• Bringing in India, an enemy state into Afghanistan, and then expecting Pakistan to celebrate it.
• Resisting Pakistan’s attempt at border fencing when the charge against Pakistan was cross border movement.
• Insisting that Pakistan keep the millions of Afghan Refugees, whereas Pakistan has been continually complaining of the security problems because of it.
• Blaming Pakistan for the indigenous movement in Kashmir; singing India’s song!!
• Stating that the CPEC route was going through a disputed area, whereas, such a statement was highly uncalled for.
• Inserting ISIL into Afghanistan to challenge the Taliban. Bad idea. Russia has openly stated that they support the Taliban because of this and so do Iran. The US still remains conveniently quiet on the Russo Shura and the Iranian Shura.

5. Conclusions

• That Pakistan be coerced into fighting the war for the US and ‘do more’. It is clear that it is no longer about the War on Terror but more about containing China, disrupting CPEC and supporting India. Pakistan needs to be beaten into submission in phase 1.
• Pakistan cannot find it within itself to support the US. There is not a single reason, moral, political or military where Pakistan sees its national interest being served by cooperating with the US.
• It has now come full circle and Pakistan’s national interest can only be served by a comprehensive defeat of the US in Afghanistan if things do jot change for the better. There was a time when US success was in line with Pakistan's interest; not any more.
• That the US public are not aware of what all has happened or is happening and need to be informed of how the US have bungled here in Afghanistan.
• That a public joint enquiry is recommended where US and Pakistani military commanders be questioned and must be directed to explain their positions during their respective tenures. It is guaranteed to be very entertaining. 
• The people of the United States must restrain and contain their government in taking up a highly immoral position. If democracy has any substance to it, then a mechanism has to be put into place where the other side of the story is heard as well. Do the Americans have the courage to hear the truth?

6. Future

• If Pakistan stands its ground, the US and Pakistan can improve their relations though it will take a while that both would trust each other.
• The US can be part of CPEC rather than resist it. Becoming a strategic partner with China would make better sense now than becoming a competitor in a world/region where the US is a stranger in town.
• This could be of immense value to Afghanistan as well and they too could benefit from CPEC.
• Understandably India would not get what it is looking for, but then, should the US make a fool of itself in support of India?
• The US can only benefit fro  m the current crisis by being the leader it ought to be, having the moral courage to call a spade a spade, and the wisdom to promote stability rather than chaos.

About the Author: 

Lieutenant general Tariq Khan (Retired), Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military), winner of the Sword of Honour from Pakistan Military Academy, graduate of the prestigious National Defense University of Pakistan, has a long experience of fighting the War on Terror in the tribal areas of Pakistan and along the Pakistan- Afghanistan border. He has extensive interaction with the allied commanders employed in Afghanistan and working with top US military elite at CENTCOM. He has been one of the few Pakistan Army officers awarded with the Legion of Merit by the USA. He also has the honour of commanding one of the strike corps of Pakistan Army. He is a well read military analyst who often shares his view points, incisive and thought provoking analysis on national and international affairs. His views on international / national affairs can be read on Facebook

(The views expressed above are personal of the author and do not necessarily express the opinion of the admin of this blog)

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What must Pakistan do after Donald Trump's Tweet

The recent controversial tweet by the US president Trump against Pakistan seems a one man response as it seems that he stands alone while many others in the US tend to support Pakistan's stance and its countless efforts and sacrifices, both in human losses and material damage, to fight a war on terror that has never been its own. Pakistan has taken a heavy toll  after 'invasion' by US troops of Afghanistan as a collateral damage and effect. 

Now that the US has taken a very serious stance against Pakistan despite Pakistan have always been doing more and more as demanded by Pakistan and stopping all sorts of aid to Pakistan, Lieutenant General Tariq Khan (retired), a seasoned veteran who has had a front line experience of fighting the terrorists in the areas adjoining Afghanistan, speaks out what others in US think about Pakistan and what should Pakistan do to safeguard its interests:

Hillary Clinton said on record before the Congress that Pakistan had been let down by the US, David Petraeus, ex Director of the CIA said there was no evidence of Pakistan’s role in destabilizing Afghanistan, Chuck Hagel, while he was Secretary De fence stated, that India creates problems in Pakistan, Mattis the current Secretary defence, warned India to cool down in their support to the TTP. These were all heavy weights and there were others too in the US administration, military system and Congress who have tried to clear Pakistan’s name. It had no effect. Yet our own stalwarts are trying to find ways and means to ‘explain’ to the US government what our real position is. Others call it a ‘misunderstanding’. Such foolish scraping and fawning is probably unique to our very own alone. 

It must be clearly understood that the US is neither searching for a clarification nor is interested in seeing one. The US has decided to embark on a course of action and its decision cannot be sacrificed at the altar of the truth or reality on the ground. With a maniac as the US President, the ‘establishment’ is having a field day as they project personal agendas and spit in the face of the world. The insignificant Dana Rohrabacher and Ted Poe types find their relevance today in discovering a cause in the separation of Baluchistan. We are unreliable, we are two faced. Our stalwarts scream that we are not, our parliament is offended, our ministers are angry, everyone is disappointed and the country is shocked.

First of all, the Untied States has only done what it always does, abandon Pakistan when Pakistan is no longer needed. This should be no surprise to anyone and this fact should be clearly noted, underscored and advertised, only so that our future leaders can get the message and learn from history. Secondly, so far the United States has withdrawn monetary assistance; how can we demand that they support us financially. That is their prerogative and if they have decided to stop supporting us, why are we crying hoarse, it is neither our right nor are we employed by them. Live with it.

Now we come to this nonsense that this was not our war and that we fought for the United States. Please take into cognizance, I have been in combat the longest and during that time we cleared 35,000 sq kms out of 48,000 sq kms. We did not do this for the United States, the Indus Highway was closed, the Peshawar Airport was shut down, the KP Government was about to shift to Abbottabad, the businesses in Peshawar were moving out, our Agencies were no go, Bajaur had an Afghan flag and Afghan currency. We made deals and negotiated ourselves into every corner hoping that it would bring peace. We even disgracefully surrendered the people of Swat to Sufi Muhammad in the hope that we could ‘give peace a chance’. I saw people then shivering and quivering when militants entered Margalla Hills. 

With short memories we forget the APS carnage, we forget the attacks on our airbases and the naval Base. We ignore the attack on GHQ, we look the other way as the airport in Karachi was hit. We then have been saying that this was all because of joining the US war in Afghanistan and was the product of our policies? We cannot be more wrong, how does one explain the 2000 sectarian deaths in Pakistan before 9/11? Besides, despite being members of the United Nations and having signed the unanimous UN Resolution 1377 of 12th November 2001 which should be read by all, ours was the only Army that had no one under US Command and we never operated beyond our own territory. What do these critics want that Pakistan should have fought on behalf of the Taliban?

After all, what were the demands of the Pakistan Government to all foreigners in Pakistani territory? It was to register with the authorities, settle into designated areas and disarm or then report to centers for repatriation to their respective countries. Was this unfair? Not only did they refuse but insisted on waging war from Pakistani territory when the State had decided not to engage in Afghanistan. They said it was their right to fight a Jihad in Afghanistan. The whole story seems upside down. It’s these foreigners and our very own sold out militants who connived together for pelf and place that brought the war to Pakistan. Now we hypocritically say we have sacrificed 70,000 lives; did we do it for the United States? No, these lives were lost in the battle for Pakistan, as we secured our country against a Raw initiated insurgency and a CIA supported terrorism. We must not belittle our achievements which were the highest in the world just to win a cheap and irrelevant argument. We secured 3500 Kms of Lines of Communications, we established the writ of the government, we have cleared our areas of all militants and we did this for Pakistan and not the United States.

Our falling out with the United States is a function of a failed foreign policy. This was recognized time and again. A government without a foreign minister for four years allowed an Indian walk-over at the Capitol Hill. This has to be acknowledged and cannot be just brushed aside. Our PM, then, claimed he was the Foreign Minister, well then that’s where the buck stops. We had Haqqani as our ambassador, we had Fatmi as our advisor!!! We are further compromised because of the debt we have incurred, the money that we so wantonly stole and distributed amongst relatives and friends; that the very foundations of the State have been shaken up. The PM refused to even mention Kulbashan at the UN, Jindal turns up without a visa, Modi is invited to the PM’s house for a wedding. Well done!! Our leader entertains the enemies of the State even when they threaten to cut us into four pieces. This all then leads to the Dawn Leaks; an attempt to declare the Pakistan Army as a Terrorist Organization. Having gone through all this we are shocked when the US now withholds assistance!!!

Nowadays everyone (including me) seems to have some solution to the crisis we are going through. The diplomatic scene is out since we have nothing to offer and have exhausted any space we have had thanks to this highly incompetent government. Talking our way through in search of peace is exactly like surrendering to Sufi Muhammad in Swat. Nothing to talk about!! We need to first acquire the space for any meaningful talks. Just simply saying ‘let’s negotiate’, makes no sense and is not that easy. We are suffering the consequences of huge capacity issues in our government.

It is obvious that the US must be in the complete know that it is losing the war in Afghanistan on account of its own limited capacity and incompetence and that Pakistan is the least of the causes. Despite knowing this, it continually blames Pakistan and that serves two purposes, first, it creates a credible justification for US failure and secondly it provides the US a casus-bellie to prosecute Pakistan. It is important to understand as to why the US would want to bring pressure on to Pakistan and what are its objectives:
Regional Objectives:

• Contain Chinese economic growth.
• Challenge Russian military relevance.
• Observe Iran
• Retain regional influence through physical presence.
• Setup and support India as a proxy.
• Local Objectives. Since Pakistan is an obstacle because of CPEC and that it contains Indian influence, Pakistan has to be dealt with effectively first:
• Create conditions to denuclearize Pakistan.
• Scuttle the CPEC through Indian subversion in Baluchistan and GB.
• Reward India by allowing free license in Kashmir.
• Destabilize FATA and encourage Afghan claims using TTP and Daesh.

Conduct. To use incremental pressure, testing for effects.

• Impact on Pakistan’s economic vulnerability by withdrawing financial support and influencing international institutions for calling in the debt.
• Hoping the government would be willing to trade: financial relief for nuclear capping.
• Declare Pakistan Army a terrorist group and extend international travel bans on its personal.
• May step up drones attacks and encourage India to undertake ‘surgical strikes’ which India has already been claiming it has been doing. India thus already has a tacit approval of everyone to undertake such operations.
• Finding no credible response the US may extend bombing campaigns into settled areas with intent to create discord, lack of government writ and disharmony.
• Having created the chaos and instability, may undertake boots on ground operations and encourage separatist movements in Baluchistan and GB.

Pakistan’s responses. The first and foremost that people generally recommend is appeasement and an abject surrender. I may even go along with it, if it could save the State. It will not. The US and India will not be satisfied without attaining the objectives listed above. Thus diplomacy, talking etc. may sound good in a drawing room discussion, may prove that some of us more intellectual than the rest, but the fact of the matter is, that they will not resolve anything. Such peaceful gestures can only come after having created the grounds for diplomacy. Recommended response:

Immediate

• Reduce US presence in the country to a skeleton staff at the embassy.
• Kick out all US based NGOs.
• Renegotiate GLOCs (ground access to Afghanistan)

Concurrent

• Inform the Security Council that India by its own self-confessed statements has committed an act of war and that Pakistan retains the right to respond at a time and place of its own choosing.
• If India resorts to any more verbal surgical strikes, to physically respond in areas of Pathankot, Madhupur, Jammu etc.
• Also bring to the Security Council’s notice that US has threatened Pakistan militarily with unilateral action and that Pakistan has the right to self-defence.
• Inform Afghanistan that any act of hostility would trigger a response at Jalalabad, Kandahar, Kabul and Bagram.

Future

• Find common interest with Iran.
• Speed up Russo-Pak military collaboration.
• Enhance Chinese involvement along Kashmir.
• Begin an aggressive Kashmir campaign.
• Stock up on fuel and food starting now.
• Work out a debt retirement scheme through a credible and honest programme involving the people of Pakistan.
• Begin a proper accountability to bring closure to Memo gate, Dawn leaks, Kargil operations, Abbottabad Commission, theft and corruption.
• Structure a proper lobby team to build the country’s relevance and image

The US may not be ready for a physical fight beyond a certain escalation. Measured confrontation may force the US to step back. I used the term incremental pressure above. It was deliberate. At every stage where the US is not challenged, the pressure will shift and increase, step by step. By putting out our best foot we may be able to bring them to the table for talks which is what everyone wants. Talks are only done when there is mutual respect. No one respects a loser. For now its brinkmanship and we need to see who is going to blink first. 

If the US is willing to come to some understanding we can offer them assistance in an honourable withdrawal, a role in the CPEC, business opportunities in the country. It is not necessary to fight the US if it can be helped. However, acquiescing is not the answer and we must not sell our selves short as we usually do. We have to go through some difficult times but that is what nations are made up of; to stand up for themselves, their sovereignty and their independence. I am convinced if we stand up to the US our relations can improve. 

On the other hand, there is a lot of cleaning up to do at home as well, without which we can never be sovereign nation and first and foremost is to remove all maulvi influence. They shall never let this country be independent, self-sustaining and respectable. Religion has no place in the affairs of States and the sooner we realise this the quicker we shall be on the way to redemption. Catering to a belligerent but semi educated, opinionated preacher will always bring us into an ideological conflict not only amongst ourselves but with everyone around us. We shall be fighting a never ending Jihad. The best service we can do for Islam is to follow it in our individual sense and not pass judgments on others. Till religiosity is not removed from our political, administrative and diplomatic policies we shall always be hostage to the maulvi who has brought us to where we are.

About the Author: 

Lieutenant general Tariq Khan (Retired), Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military), winner of the Sword of Honour from Pakistan Military Academy, graduate of the prestigious National Defense University of Pakistan, has a long experience of fighting the War on Terror in the tribal areas of Pakistan and along the Pakistan- Afghanistan border. He has extensive interaction with the allied commanders employed in Afghanistan and working with top US military elite at CENTCOM. He has been one of the few Pakistan Army officers awarded with the Legion of Merit by the USA. He also has the honour of commanding one of the strike corps of Pakistan Army. He is a well read military analyst who often shares his view points, incisive and thought provoking analysis on national and international affairs. His views on international / national affairs can be read on Facebook

(The views expressed above are personal of the author and do not necessarily express the opinion of the admin of this blog)
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Let there be a code of conduct

Note: All photos above are property of various news agency and are used in good faith to support the view point

In recent past, there has been much violence in our country – ostensibly by a revolutionary self-styled cleric. Many innocent support of the cleric died while scores were injured. Likewise, in Islamabad a standoff between his workers and police not only left many protesters and policemen seriously injured, the Islamabad airport almost came under a take-over situation, which resulted in diversion of cleric’s plane of a foreign airline to Lahore. And there too, the cleric and his supporters kept the aircraft in their ‘possession’ for almost five hours before Army intervened behind the doors and sense prevailed upon the cleric who presumably had no clue to international relations and almost put Pakistan in a precarious situation, also partly due to a highly irresponsible statement by the state information minister.

If we allow these politicians and clerics to incite their supporters to an extent that they almost put the good name of Pakistan in jeopardy, no foreign airline will be willing to come to Pakistan. Incident at Peshawar airport and Karachi could further fuel the situation and mess we are already in.

In order to safeguard the interests of the state and good name of the country, may I suggest some corrective measures which must be accepted and endorsed by all political and religious parties under oath. Any party not adhering to these measures should straightaway be banned and not allowed to participate overtly or covertly in politics. These measures are given herein under:

• No political workers and supporters e allowed receiving their leaders on the airports. They may however gather at some open place outside the city, where the leader may join them, address them and disperse. No such long processions be allowed to be taken inside any city. 
• Batons and ‘dandas’ should be declared as an offensive weapon and not allowed to be carried by anyone, except police in uniform. 
• Arms and weapons should only be carried by uniform personnel and no one from such agencies be allowed to keep weapons while not in uniform or what e call plain clothed policemen.  By doing this one would be able to differentiate between a miscreant and a member of law enforcing agency. 
• After the brutal attacks on political workers in Lahore and on police in Islamabad, Police should not be allowed to go on brutalizing the mob by beating them to death. And once a person has been apprehended, no more punishment be meted out to him, as we saw people under custody being ruthlessly beaten. 
• No senior citizen should be beaten by police as many such incidents were seen when old people were blood covered and dragged by policemen. Likewise no already injured person in possession of rescue people be beaten by police.
• No male policeman should beat or mishandle a female worker, for which lady police be employed.
• No automatic weapons be used by police as policemen were seen firing these weapons in long volleys which resulted into over dozen deaths in Lahore. 
• Whenever there is a procession, a senior party leader must be present at the scene to control its workers. And likewise, there should be senior police officers to be with their men to see that these do not overstep their orders. 
• All statements that have national and international implications must come from the responsible officers/spokesman of the foreign office and not from state information ministers not adequately educated to handle critical statements. 
• All members of political parties should abstain from accusing others and media should not over blow the critical situation by calling ordinary political members who in defending their parties lose control over their language and emotions.

There could be many more such suggestions as can be added to this list to make a comprehensive document and endorsed by all political parties, specially the religious parties who members are more charged with emotions and damage life and property more than others.

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Army supports democracy

Nadir Mir

Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asim Saleem Bajwa made an excellent statement that the military supports free, fair and timely elections in the country. In the same vein, COAS General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani has categorically stated: “The army supports democracy.” Indeed, this is the need of the hour and it should lay to rest all speculations about the delay in elections or military coup.

It is a fact that despite bad governance by the federal and provincial governments about to complete their five-year terms, the army has supported the democratic process. Undoubtedly, reforms are needed for a better Pakistan and it will be the next government’s responsibility to plan for it.

PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif is right in his demand for timely elections. The people must decide their future. With the army, government and main opposition party on the same page, democracy should proceed ahead. But there is more than that. A secure and prosperous national environment also contributes to democracy. For this, all elements of national power need to be employed and there are some key issues that Pakistan has to deal with before this happens:

US-Nato exit from Afghanistan: The withdrawal of the occupation forces from Afghanistan will be a positive development for Pakistan. So, it is in our interest to facilitate their exit strategy that should be accompanied by a negotiated settlement.

The USA’s major concern is that Afghanistan may be used against it after the troops’ exit. Hence, Islamabad must ensure that anti-US and anti-Pakistan forces do not find solace there. Pakistan has suffered enough during the Afghan war; it must not suffer more, once it ends.

The US-Nato exit will be good for America, Pakistan and, of course, Afghanistan. Misgivings between Washington and Islamabad should be removed and friendly relations should prevail. President Barack Obama’s new team, especially with Secretary of State John Kerry, should help strengthen the Pak-US relationship.

Gwadar and China: The management of Gwadar Port has rightly been handed over to a Chinese firm. Indeed, it will change Pakistan’s destiny. Connectivity with China from Gwadar, in the form of road, rail, pipelines and later to Central Asia, will bring great wealth to the state. Also, it will bind Pakistan geoeconomically and geo-politically with China, Central Asia and West Asia. It is a multi-regional state and not merely a South Asian state.

Despite the fact that Gwadar is a force multiplier of economics and security for Pakistan, yet a word of caution is necessary. Balochistan needs to be stabilised and made peaceful, so that the Gwadar concept reaches full potential. China’s presence at Gwadar has deterred India. It is because it will bring Pakistan and China more closer.

Besides, China through the port will have access to the Indian Ocean. With this, India’s hegemonic dreams stand challenged.

Moreover, Gwadar will make Pakistan prosperous and secure that the Indians dislike. So, the terrorist attacks in Balochistan and Gwadar may have Indian linkage. The latest attack at Pasni is a case in point. Pakistan, therefore, should respond accordingly.

President Valdimir Putin, while denouncing terrorism in Quetta, had termed it an effort to destabilise Pakistan. Obviously, he was not referring to local extremists, but an international game plan. Gwadar has to be built, but it also needs to be guarded against foreign funded and backed terrorists.

Similarly, Iran’s gas flowing into Pakistan will somewhat reduce the latter’s energy woes. The IP gas pipeline, like Gwadar, will have to be protected from the country’s enemies.

The army is non-political and professional: By distancing itself from politics and supporting timely polls, the military is maintaining a non-political stance. The ISI under its dynamic leadership has contributed a lot to maintaining peace in Afghanistan and consequently in Pakistan.

Our military must plan for the future. That should include peacemaking with the Taliban and Baloch dissidents for peace in Pakistan in particular and South Asia in general.

Further, after US-Nato’s exit, the army should shift its focus to the eastern frontier and resolution of the Kashmir dispute. Pakistan’s clash with India may extend to Afghanistan (due to Indian ambitions) and Gwadar-Balochistan (due to Indian interference). All things considered, Pak-India relations will not improve; cold peace is the most optimistic view.

Needless to say, Pak Army by supporting democracy is also freeing itself to concentrate on its basic task, i.e. to defend the country’s borders. Not only is martial law as a concept obsolete, but it also diverts the military from its primary duty. Already with patience, vision and courage, the army’s Afghan policy is paying dividends. Pakistan is poised as the winner in Afghanistan; and a stable Afghanistan is in Pakistan’s interest.

A peaceful and prosperous Pakistan is the wish of all Pakistanis. The entire nation must work to that end.

The writer is a retired brigadier and has authored a book titled Gwadar on the Global Chessboard. Email: nadirmir13@gmail.com Blog: wwwpakistangeopolitics.blogspot.com

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Dr A Q Khan also jumps into Political Quagmire - forms his own political party

Although, it has been in the air for quite sometime, but Dr A Q Khan, the famous nuclear scientist of Pakistan, has finally jumped into the political quagmire of Pakistan by launching his own political party - Tehreek e Tahaffuz e Pakistan (Movement for the Safeguard of Pakistan) or the TTP.

The political scene in Pakistan is marred with corruption, nepotism, political rivalry and vengeance besides the extremely deteriorated law and order situation, specially at the hands of the asocial elements and the militants. The political government has miserably failed to address the vows of the people and the life of common man has been hit hard by increasing POL, electricity tariff and prices of daily use commodities. And the menace of load shedding that continues for most part of the 24 hours of day and night, has further worsened the life of conman man.

The people at large, and the youth of the country do not find a hope at the hands of the present set of politicians and the way they are governing the country for their self motives, completely disregarding the interests of the country and its people. There seems no hope how to get out of this quagmire.

While launching his party, Dr Khan promises the youth to guide them on how and whom to vote for in the coming elections. This means the TTP has limited political manifestation, limited to 'counselling' of the youth rather than actively participating in the elections. 

He further says: 'I never wanted to join politics but when your country is at verge of end then its not a right thing to keep sitting like a spectator - I will consistently urge youth to elect honest persons in upcoming elections and stand for survival of the country.'

Although, counseling of the youth is the immediate goalpost set by Dr Khan, but one can foresee its scope expanding and may ultimately land Dr Khan contesting for elections. But would that be prudent?

Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf or PTI, already launched by famous cricketer Imran Khan to mobilize the Pakistani youth was good enough, which has gathered momentum and has the tremendous support of the youth of Pakistan. Launching of Dr Khan's own political party with similar agenda, may thus not auger well nor gather immediate youthful support. In fact such an effort is likely to dent PTI's nation wide political campaign.

Naming his part with an abbreviation of TTP, which is similar to that of TTP (Tehreek e Taliban of Pakistan) is another question mark. With his acumen, intelligence and prudence, this certainly was not expected to have a similar name that is being used by the militant group.

Many political analysts are of the view that despite services of the nuclear scientist to the nation, there is a grim hope that his party will make a headway or draw popular support. He could have otherwise continued to 'counsel' the youth through articles in the newspapers as he usually does, but dragging himself in the political rut of the country may harm his popularity that he enjoys for his services to the country.

The fate of TTP, Dr Khan's own, may not be better than Tehreek e Istaqlal formed by Asghar Khan, or the Awami Qiadat Party of former army chief Mirza Aslam Beg and many other one-man parties formed till date.

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An interview of with the Pakistan's PM: Point to Ponder

I just came across this interview on the YouTube and I am sharing it with the my viewers. Please concentrate on the last question and the answer:

What is your answer?

Video Courtesy: YouTube / BornPak

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