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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Tillerson's Asian Visit: What is cooking up in India?

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's recent visit to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India raises many an eyebrow as the high ranking US official just spent a few hours each in Afghanistan and Pakistan and then embarks upon a two days visit to India.

In America's so called war on terror, Afghanistan and Pakistan should have assumed greater importance where he just happened to have touched down and fly away to India - a country the US is trying to incorporate for peace in Afghanistan, while peace in Afghanistan cannot be sustained and obtained by Pakistan.

Perhaps it was for this lukewarm visit approach by Tillerson that he apparently received a rather cold shoulder from Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif and other cabinet members in Islamabad. 

As per reports, Pakistan seem to have hit back at the accusations about harboring terrorism, just as Pakistan defended its record on the matter during the recent opening of the UN General Assembly. In a press conference after the meeting, the Pakistan foreign minister categorically said that;

• “Terrorist attacks are not planned on or executed from Pakistani soil; there are no terrorist safe havens in Pakistan, and we made this clear to the US delegation today. 
• We emphasized again and again that US assessment about Pakistan is wrong. We are not responsible for the increase in the drug trade in Afghanistan or the increasing Afghan territory occupied by terrorists.
• Our armed forces and law enforcement agencies have taken action; we have yielded results and will continue to do so but not for Afghan or American interest. Our fight against terrorism is our own and the results we yield are our win”.

Analyzing Pakistan government's staff, Adam Garrie of Global Village Space remarks: Assuming the language Asif and his colleagues used behind closed doors was at least as strong as the public statement, the US should be in no doubt about Pakistan’s position.

In recent times, Pakistan, dejected by repeated accusations by the USA to do more when its armed forces have lost thousands of its officers and men in combating the terrorism, have started to realign itself to the regional stake holders like China and Russia with whom it can establish a better natural relationship being in close proximity and for the reason that they understand the dynamics of the region better than  USA sitting thousands of miles away, assuming things in a rather wrongly perceived self perspective.

The opening of China Pakistan economic Corridor (CPEC) brings Pakistan closer to China than ever before and its joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) also brings itself close to Russia. The trade relations with Russia and Pakistan are opening up every day and soon Pakistan will emerge as a strong country in the region backed by China and Russia.

America will lose more by aligning itself with India and continuing to bully Pakistan for its failure in Afghanistan. In fact the USA wants a scape goat in the form of a blamed Pakistan for its failures in Afghanistan, where despite its elite forces the Taliban control more than 45% of the Afghan territory. Its time for USA to have a save exit from Afghanistan and bringing Afghanistan and Pakistan more closer to each other rather than asking India for help, an arch rival of Pakistan and Pakistan will never accept India's role in the afghan peace process for this very reason. Even otherwise India's jumping in to steal a piece of cake will further worsen situation in Afghanistan. This flawed policy will only worsen the US position in the region.

"Were the current Indian government not so hostile to Pakistan, one could imagine Pakistan feeling some sympathy for an Indian state that is being used by the US for its own geo-strategic and military purposes. For decades, the US used Pakistan in similar ways and to a degree is still trying to do so. The difference is that Pakistan and the world around Pakistan have changed and Islamabad’s leaders are well aware of this long overdue advantage," assumes Adam Garrie.

Is USA listening??

References: Global Village Space

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The Grinding Pakistan - US Relations: A Rational Analysis

Much is being said about the recent statement of Donald Trump. Yes, rightfully world has to analyze his words as he commands the super power. It is also acknowledged fact that a mere presence of its 101 Air borne division of aircraft carrier changes the power dynamics of region. Is move of 7 fleet into bay of Bengal into 1971 fresh in our memory? And have we read what our president was hoping?

But we are a sovereign nation with a large army. Why should we go into panic. I am amazed that we are telling the world what we sacrificed for this war on terror – funny and shame. We need to do all for our country not to get American sympathy. We must learn to indulge in interstate relationship.

Don’t play victim to circumstances; you created. We are doing exactly the same. Let me refresh your memory of our relationship with USA. Pakistan gets independence and we run towards USA for strategic alignment, while ignoring the region. We outsourced, Badabair Air base, join CENTO and SEATO. FM, negotiates a deal with USA for military support and in the process divulges our strategic secrets. USA condones dictator for his worst act of takeover and becomes an ally. We decide to go for liberation of Kashmir and infiltrate into IHK in 1965. That is good enough. US stops your aid and we start abusing USA for not being loyal.

The then president Yayha imposes another martial law. He acts wisely and gets involved in clandestine channel to make a secret visit of Dr. Kissinger to China. They tried to pay back by pressurizing India in 1971 to spare us. We lost East Pakistan. USA claims that it helped to save the western half of Pakistan.

We again start cursing USA. In 1977, Zia takes over and he too needs USA help to get international approval. Zia opts to join AFGHAN JIHAD. We become darling of USA and billions of dollars comes in. Who had good time, is not known to us.

Then comes Musharraf’s disgraceful decision to help after 9/11. He becomes a great statesman. Again billions of dollars comes in and some of our people took reward money to headhunt Taliban including the president of Pakistan.

This is brief history of our relationship with USA. My questions:

1. Is US doing charity work in our region? They have their interests and they feel we are not doing enough. I feel it is a disgrace for a nation to be working for someone and getting financial rewards. We can ask USA please do it yourself, if we have the guts and power. 

2. Trump has spelled out his strategy for South Asia and that is his right. Why must we start fighting and ask him to acknowledge our sacrifices. Again it is disgraceful, we need to be happy with ourselves. 

3. USA wants more role for India, so it is their regional policy. It is the people and govt of Afghanistan who have to decide, whom to trust.? We gave many sacrifices for Afghanistan. We need to think as to why Afghans want more role for India?

4. USA says that we are hiding Taliban and we deny it. So let them say and we are a sovereign nation and keep doing what is in our national interest. But what is our national interest?

"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings." It is all our faults. We have taken unwise and selfish decisions that we stand totally marginalized and isolated. It is good that China is one hope but now we do not want to be their colony. We never loved our country. We are into prejudices – army, civilians, democracy. We are all corrupt. We never planned for our country, see our population vs resources. And see what have we done with religion. We need to be a international law abiding nation and always take decisions for national interests.

About the Author: Brigadier Asif Aliv (Retired) is a graduate of the prestigious National Defense University of Pakistan and a well read military analyst who often shares his view points, incisive and thought provoking analysis on national and international affairs at 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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This is where we stand

We in Pakistan are passing through one of the most troubled and turbulent times of our history. After long rule military rules, we have a democratic government and many of us believed that with the setting in of a democratically elected government  there will prevail peace, harmony, justice and above all the rule of law.

But what we have witnessed in the past five years is an eye opener and painful. Instead of a stable and progressive era of our times, we have been thrown backwards with people taking law in their hands, killing rivals on any account and taking the country to the limits of misrule. While militancy has been threatening our daily lives, to this has been added sectarianism and intolerance by rival groups, mostly belonging to the political parties, killing others for point scoring.

Despite tall claims by the government  the rule of law seems far from being implemented and in the process hundreds of innocent have lost their lives for no fault of theirs.

I recently came across a survey by The World Justice Project (WJP), which aims at advancing the rule of law around the world. The report is spread over a voluminous 239 pages and has gone into details to study 97 different countries from around the globe and label their sensitivity to the rule of law and thus the quality of life afforded to their people.

The Group rightly contends that 'Establishing the rule of law is fundamental to achieving communities of opportunity and equity - communities that offer sustainable economic development, accountable government, and respect for fundamental rights. Without the rule of law, medicines do not reach health facilities due to corruption; women in rural areas remain unaware of their rights; people are killed in poverty." 

And when it comes to Pakistan, its findings are no other than the observation of a common man in the streets who has been victim from the lack of rule of law that prevails in the country for the ordinary. While the rich and powerful get away even when caught red handed in the presence of witnesses and CCTV cameras, it is the poor that suffers.

Summarizing their study on Pakistan, the Group concludes:

"Pakistan shows weaknesses in most dimensions when compared to its regional and income group peers. Low levels of government accountability are compounded by the prevalence of corruption, a weak justice system, and a poor security situation, particularly related to terrorism and crime." 

Although as compared to India and Bangladesh, Pakistan sits lower in the judicial independence  still the Group has shown a positive note in its account: 
"The country scores more strongly on judicial independence and fairness in administrative proceedings."

As can be seen above in the table, Pakistan has been rated 97/97 in the domain of security, with India just a notch above. Which means that the state of order and security is equally pathetic, but still countless tourists would prefer going to India than Pakistan.

The disorderly state of our security has made investors and visitors shy away from us. Anyone considering to come to us, has to think twice or even thrice to undertake a hair raising sojourn. Although those who come here take a very different view of us, specially our hospitality and warmheartedness. But they certainly sink when they come across rampant corruption in deals coupled with the precarious security environs. 

The full report can be downloaded in pdf form from HERE for detailed study and future analysis.

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