Peaceful Protests In Kashmir Alter Equation for India

Political analysts and human rights activists say the Indian government has failed to adjust its strategy to deal with a separatist movement committed to nonviolence. Some Indian political leaders, even those who disagree with the push for Kashmir’s independence, are beginning to wonder whether India’s democracy is mature enough to handle such widespread but peaceful dissent.

“India calls itself the world’s largest functioning democracy. But if we are really a democracy, can’t we let people express their dissent?” asked Omar Abdullah, a Muslim member of India’s Parliament and president of the National Conference, a mainstream political party in Kashmir. “In every other part of the country, police or army fire tear gas or rubber bullets during agitations. Why do they shoot first and ask questions later in Kashmir?”

Read Full Washington Post Article

Related Posts & Articles
Hai Haq Hamara, Azadi
A Jihad Grows in Kashmir
We are Pakistanis – Says Geelani
Land and Freedom – Arundhati Roy, The Guardian, UK
India, minus the K word – Jug Suraiya | Times of India
Kashmiris in India Savour Sense of Freedom – LA Times
Mission Kashmir – Times of India Editorial

Bugti, Mehsud, and the Indian Connection

MUST READ (Urdu)

Pakistan Ditching China?!

The new Pakistani government is not thrilled about the country’s longtime ally, China. Prime Minister Gilani has decided to downgrade Pakistani representation in this week’s Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. And our ambassador in Washington, a known ‘American enthusiast’, has given verbal instructions to Pakistani Foreign Office to lessen its fixation on China and focus more on India. His government undermined Pakistani participation in Beijing Olympics twice in the last four months. And we are still without a Pakistani ambassador in Beijing while our London and Washington embassies are run by strong supporters of Washington and London.

Read Full Article  (Ahmed Quraishi, August 28, 2008)

Mayor of Kabul admits Taleban were better.

The Mayor of Kabul, Mr Karzai has admitted in his latest interview in TIME magazine, that his Government is falling behind The Taliban in winning the hearts and minds of his countrymen.

TIME: Last week I went to Jowzjan province where I met an 11-year old girl who had been raped about 6 months ago. Her family had to pay bribes to pursue the case in the courts. Her sister told me that under the Taliban that man would’ve been executed. “We want the Taliban back,” she said, “because they gave us justice.”

Karzai: The Taliban did provide that sort of justice. They were much better in that way. Yes, thats true.

TIME: So you are falling behind a competition for hearts and minds with a regime that was one of the most horrific in recent history?

Karzai: Unfortunately, yes.

Read the full interview – He does come across as a bit of a dickhead, detached from the realities surrounding him on the ground.

A Jihad Grows in Kashmir: NYT

The Indian government’s insistence that peace is spreading in Kashmir is at odds with a report by Human Rights Watch in 2006 that described a steady pattern of arbitrary arrest, torture and extrajudicial execution by Indian security forces — excesses that make the events at Abu Ghraib seem like a case of high spirits. A survey by Doctors Without Borders in 2005 found that Muslim women in Kashmir, prey to the Indian troops and paramilitaries, suffered some of the most pervasive sexual violence in the world.

Read full article: New York Times

Asif Zardari: The ‘Money’ Manager

His wife’s party men looked down at him. But he beat them all. Zar-Dari means the money manger. And he lived up to his name. A wife-beater who dragged the Prime Minister of Pakistan out of her official meetings by the hair. When he bought a palace in England, he liked a local pub and ordered that an entire replica be constructed inside the palace. The Americans used to back military men or politicians as henchmen. Now they has a feudal lord. At least he speaks better English than the Chaudhries of Gujrat. Read Full Article

The Accidental Presidency (Cyril Almeida)

Coming soon to a television near you: President Zardari. You could almost hear the gasps and cries and shrieks across the country when Raza Rabbani made the announcement.

From playboy to first husband to public enemy to regent to president — Asif’s journey confounds even those who thought they had seen it all. Continue Reading

Without the ISI

Everyone in Washington and New Delhi mentions ISI when talking about terrorism. Really? What about the Israeli Mossad, the Indian RAW, and the American CIA? Who had links with Al-Qaeda all along? Certainly not the ISI. The fact is that ISI never had links with Al-Qaeda. Others did. And yes, ISI has links with some people inside the Afghan Taliban. But without this link, U.S. soldiers and others in Afghanistan would have been in a worse situation than they are in now.

By Fatima Rizvi
Tuesday, 26 August 2008
Read full article on AhmedQuraishi.com

Related Articles:

The ISI, Demoted - Ahmed Quraishi, July 29th 2008

Triumph Of A Failed System

Musharraf was defeated by a failed, corrupt system. This system is unstable and represents family and clan interests. Parties need to be democratized by force, more administrative provinces should be created, and Pakistani nationalism strengthened. This should be a ‘controlled system’ like the American system. No ‘wild cards’ should be allowed, people like Mr. Nawaz Sharif who are ready to burn the house on everyone.  Pakistanis need to get busy in making money and not politics. They should be shown how to create wealth and enjoy the good life. Politics is not everything. We will destroy our country because of politics. But the question is: Who will bring this change? Musharraf failed. It can’t happen through elections because politicians won’t allow it. Can the military do it?

By AHMED QURAISHI
Saturday, 23 August 2008.
Read full article on AHMEDQURAISHI.COM

President Zardari?

If a nation is genetically strong, not only will it survive, it will also grow stronger and more vital through trial and error. If not, it will die anyway, whatever you do. That’s the way it is. The graveyards of the world are littered with the debris of civilizations, empires, superpowers and states long gone. Given the ground realities, the new leaders of Pakistan will be tested soon, and tested heavily. It is Mr. Zardari’s right to be the next president because the people gave his party the most seats. He deserves it and the people deserve him. But will he give up politics to become neutral or will he appoint someone else to be our next Head of State as President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Commander-in-Chief of the Army, Navy and Air Force and symbol of the unity of the Federation and continuity of the State?

By Humayun Gauhar
Sunday, 24 August 2008
Read full article on AHMEDQURAISHI.COM

Hai Haq Hamara, Azaadi

 

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

Above is a tv program titled: ‘Is Azadi the solution?’ that was aired on CNN-IBN recently.

For the first time in decades, the Kashmiris have found a unified voice in their demand for freedom. This is what Kargil’s objective was, this is why thousands of Kashmiris have sacrificed their lives; to bring Kashmir’s case to the world which has largely ignored India’s oppression and genocide of Kashmiri Muslims for decades now.

The Kashmiris are crying out for attention and if there was ever a time for our goverment to take up this issue on international stage, it is now. As things stand, the clowns we’ve elected to run our country are deliberately ignoring the pleas of the Kashmiris, and this is starting to give the wrong message to the Kashmiri people – that Pakistan does not care.

To their credit, some Indian writers and intellectuals have started backing Kashmir’s case for Freedom.

The silence from our government is deafening.

Land and Freedom – Arundhati Roy, The Guardian, UK
We are Pakistanis – Says Geelani
Kashmir Needs Freedom From India – Arundhati Roy
India, minus the K word – Jug Suraiya | Times of India
Kashmiris in India Savour Sense of Freedom – LA Times
Mission Kashmir – Times of India Editorial

Pakistan Ka Khuda Hafiz

August 23rd, 2008 – Dan Qayyum (PakistanKaKhudaHafiz.com)

“I am from the people. I don’t belong to a powerful family. I rose from the middle class. I am from the people and that is why I feel their pain, their difficulties. It lives with me. I thank them from the bottom of my heart for their support.

Pakistan is my passion. My Ishq. I’ve served 44 years in the Armed Forces of Pakistan defending it with my life, and I will not hesitate to lay down my life even now for Pakistan.

I am sad that Pakistan is spiralling down fast. For the people my heart is weeping. We were going in the right direction, our children were getting education. We were thinking of opening up more top universities, improve the health and social situation, the world was watching us rise steadily… But now, where we are going?

People will never forgive this Government if they fail to set things right.

I have faith that even without me, this nation will rise with the same fervour, strength and conviction that was seen in 1947, when it was believed that Pakistan wouldn’t last long. It wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for this nation and the people, their strength and ability which took us forwrad. We need the same strength again.

May Allah protect Pakistan from the conspiracies, and ease the difficulties of its people.

Pakistan Ka Khuda Hafiz.

Pakistan Ka Allah Hami-o-Nasir ho.

Pakistan Hamesha, Paindabad..!”

With these words, President Musharraf has left the stage. The people we have incharge today are threatening to undo all the good work carried out during the Musharraf years. Infact they’ve already started.

Our foreign reserves have been halved, the KSE is down by nearly 40%, the Rupee is down at around 75 to the Dollar, petrol prices have seen unprecedented rise in record time, instead of creating jobs this government has sacked 80,000 employess of the NCHD, which was awarded a UN Literacy award in 2006 in recognition of its services to raise the literacy rate in the country.

This ofcourse is just the tip of the iceberg.

The grand plan, the Balkanization of Pakistan, had kicked off a while ago. Getting rid of President Musharraf had been decided ever since Musharraf had Bugti executed, after being presented with evidence showing Bugti’s role in the planned ‘liberation’ of Balochistan, and his connections with foreign agencies.

Bugti’s killing sent a shockwave all the way from New Delhi, to Tel Aviv, to Langley. That, coupled with Musharraf’s refusal to punish or hand over Dr AQ Khan to the Americans, sealed his fate.

Benazir Bhutto was brought back from the dustbins of Pakistan’s politics and immediately she was singing to the tune of the Americans, promising permission for the American forces to attack ‘terrorists’ on Pakistani soil, promising to deliver them Dr. AQ Khan, and finally, something which probably sealed HER fate in Pakistan, her promise to reign in the all powerful Inter-Services Intelligence Agency (ISI).

Various ‘Taleban’ groups were created inside Pakistan that openly preached hatred against Pakistan’s army, carrying out various attacks on army targets as well as civilians and suddenly there was an alarming rise in terrorist attacks inside the country. What do you do when you can’t defeat a motivated and seemingly organized enemy? You infiltrate their ranks in disguise.

Mullah Omar, the original Taleban head fighting the Americans and Nato inside Afghanistan, disowned Baitullah Mehsud’s so called ‘Pakistani Taleban’ almost immediately after its formation. Communication equipment and weapons found in Lal Masjid and recently in Swat were far more advanced than what the Pakistan Army uses. Despite Pakistan providing details of Mehsud’s whereabouts to the Americans a number of times, no action was taken to take out this apparently ‘wanted’ terrorist.

Having a friendly government incharge, one who’s strings the US can pull at will given the criminal charges against its TOP man, is a big help to the Americans. With Musharraf gone, they will once again attempt to reign in the ISI by placing it under the Interior Ministry, systematically increase their army presence inside Pakistan at the pretext of training our forces in counter-terrorism and improving their fighting skills in the ‘war on terror’. Balochistan is to be ‘liberated’ into an independent state, where the US will main a large military base, not only denying the rapidly rising Chinese a vital trade route, but also mainting a presence in a critical geographical region to keep an eye on Iran, the Middle East, India and China. The frontier province is to become a part of a larger Afghanistan, leaving Pakistan with bits of Sindh and Panjab, and a leadership that is subservient to India.

President Musharraf’s removal was a small, but key part of this plan. It is now time to brace ourselves for an open onslaught.

‘Pakistan ka Khuda Hafiz’ ( President Musharraf, Resignation Speech, August 18, 2008 )

Breaking Pakistan from the inside.

By Masood Sharif Khan Khattak

• The destruction of Pakistan cannot be too far away if the insane and callous killing of the Pakhtuns continues.
• Foreign powers are slowly destroying Pakistan through insurgencies, political chaos, and providing money and weapons to local dissidents.
• Politicians have to clearly know that the army and the intelligence agencies will not remain indifferent if threats to the nation’s integrity, cohesiveness and security are ignored.
• Ruling coalition parties should know that a second opportunity may not come after this one.
• Govt. and army must put an end to all international and domestic conspiracies against the country

Read Full Article

From A Sikh Leader To Musharraf: Seven Brahmins Rule India

A fascinating letter. A leader of the Sikh freedom movement in India discusses President Musharraf’s rights and wrongs, Kashmir, and reveals new information about ‘Seven Anonymous Brahmins’ or upper-caste Hindus who run the operations of the Indian intelligence against Pakistan. Read Full Article

Haqqani in today’s WSJ

Hussain Haqqani should try licking ice cream instead. Tastes much nicer.

Also watch: Off the Record 19 June 2008 – Interview with Kashif Abbasi

Love him or hate him: Musharraf not a tyrant

Shujaat Wasty – August 20, 2008

The question remains that would matters have been different had Nawaz Sharif or Benazir Bhutto been in power instead? History suggests that perhaps things would have been even worse for Pakistanis with someone else at the helm – particularly the above-mentioned proven criminals. For every “mistake” Musharraf has made, these two have made more: the systematic incarceration, torture and slaughter of thousands of political activists in urban Sindh in the early 1990′s by both; terrorizing any type of opposition through hired goons; mistreatment of the then Chief Justice and contempt of Pakistan laws in general; mishandling of foreign affairs, including the Kargil conflict in 1999; and the rape of unimaginable amounts of wealth from the country are just a few. If either of these two individuals were put in the same difficult situation as Mr. Musharraf following 9/11, the outcome may have been that all of Musharraf’s “mistakes” would have been committed at an even greater level and the Pakistani population would have been eating grass for food while the leadership erected a few more edifices and palaces in Dubai and Europe. Read Full Article

Is this Amnesia or Dementia?

Tahir Javaid - 18th August 2008

Hope is what we lack. Without hope, we have merely sought escape. We have resigned ourselves to merely “passing life”, instead of living it fully. We have decided to abscond our responsibilities to the “Hands of God”. Read Full Article

Goodbye Mr. President

You may have been forced out, but you’ll always be our President. You’ll always be one of us.

I have no doubt that you would’ve taken a bullet for your country. Now we have those incharge, who’d rather take the first flight to DXB or LHR at the first sign of a problem.

Mr President, we as a nation have failed you. I cannot believe (and infact still think its just a bad dream and I’ll wake up soon) who we’ve chosen to lead the country. If one tried to find a more despicable and corrupt man in Pakistan than Mr. Zardari, they’d fail. And that says something. 

I’ve tried but failed to find anyone celebrating in the streets, as seen on GEO. Everyone I know, friends, family, is devastated and is losing hope in the future of Pakistan, fast.

No honest, sincere, educated, middle-class Pakistani can ever rise to the top in this western-sponsored democratic system that we seem to favour so much. One did, through a military coup, and we’ve f**ked him off without so much as a thank you.

Wish you all the best for your future Mr. President. I hope one day you’ll decide to return to the frontline and give us, the people of Pakistan, someone to vote for other than these clowns. Until then, Pakistan ka Khuda Hafiz.

My Dear President Musharraf

Mr. President, you are a man of honour and character. We do not appreciate such men. You were trying to force us into loving Pakistan while we are fond of loving ourselves. What kind of a naïve person are you?

Mr. President, please resign. We do not deserve you. Facing the impeachment is another naivete you will commit as the people who have already bought our votes will spend some more and buy some more. They will make it sure that you regret the vision of a strong Pakistan. True, we will call you a coward for opting to resign/flee instead of challenging the charges against you but then what else do you expect from us? We love mistaking dignified silence as cowardly paralysis or proof of guilt.

Read Full Article - Saima Saqlain, August 17th 2008