Zaid Hamid & Akram Zaki (Former Foreign Secretary & current Senator) discuss current situation.
This was aired a few days ago, here it is again for those of you who missed it:
Archive for December, 2008
The Brass Tacks of India’s Duplicity
December 30, 2008Dan Qayyum | PakistanKaKhudaHafiz.com
All warfare is based on deception
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
ISLAMABAD – Despite India’s humiliating defeat on the diplomatic front, the threat of a military confrontation is not yet over.
The Indian media and officials including External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee have taken an extraordinary u-turn in the last few days and seem to be going out of their way to ensure peace in the region and the de-escalation of of tension – which if they are to be believed, are a product of Pakistan’s war mongering. India has now denied ever amassing its troops in the Rajasthan area, nevermind building hangars and runways. The recent statements by the high and mighty in India are not without reason, however. Lets first have a look at what has been said before we attempt to look into the reasons behind this sudden change of heart by our Indian ‘friends’.
On ‘evidence’ of Pakistan’s alleged hand in Mumbai:
Responding to repeated Pakistani calls for “evidence”, Mukherjee categorically said that India had provided enough evidence already. “It’s time for action,” the minister added. | Times of India | December 21, 2008
After both the Interpol and China demanded India present credible evidence before accusing Pakistan, and Pakistan laughing off the ‘evidence’ presented on India’s behalf by the US and UK, Pranab Mukherjee has changed his tone completely:
India is now in the final stages of completing its investigation into the Mumbai terror attacks. That would be shared with Pakistan and others, Mukherjee said. Pakistan, he emphasised, will have to act on evidence India gives to it. “And there has to be credible evidence that they are acting on it.” | Hindustan Times | December 30th, 2008
On the war hysteria:
As reported by Indian media last week -
New Delhi also stressed that although it has acted with “utmost restraint” so far, it had not “closed any options”, including a military strike, if Islamabad did not fulfill its anti-terror pledge. | The Hindu | December 23rd, 2008
Even as India refused to take the military option off the table while asking Pakistan to rein in the terrorists, the Indian Army’s and IAF’s quick reaction teams (QRTs) were deployed along the borders in the Western Sector. “Runways, hangars, main roads, ammunition stores and other sensitive places have been provided with additional cover. Sophisticated radars are installed at a few air bases and we are keeping watch on each and every cross-border activity,” said an IAF personnel. Indian forces were on regular firing exercises at locations like Lathi Firing Range in Jaisalmer, Mahsan in Bikaner, Suratgarh and Ganganagar. | Times of India | December 22nd, 2008
Reliable sources have told us that in the wake of the Mumbai attacks, New Delhi relayed a message to the Pakistanis via the United States, saying they would be given 30 days to crack down on Islamist militant proxies on Pakistani soil that continue to threaten India. While India used the time to prep its military forces, the United States came down hard on Pakistan behind the scenes, making clear that if Islamabad did not deliver, Washington would not be able to stand in New Delhi’s way if and when the time came for India to act. | Stratfor Report | December 23rd, 2008
India backtracks:
India has informed Pakistan that it has not engaged in any sort of troop build-up | India Today | December 27th, 2008
Denying any ultimatum being set for Pakistan to act, Pranab Mukherjee said, “no ultimatum was set. There is no question of any ultimatum. Nobody has set any ultimatum.” | Press Trust of India | December 28th, 2008
India has told Pakistan that reports it is mobilising troops along its western border are without basis | The Hindu | December 28, 2008
The reason behind this complete u-turn is to counter the growing view internationally that India has not only failed to provide any credible evidence of Pakistan’s alleged involvement in Mumbai attacks, but is threatening a war on Pakistan by mobilising its troops along the shared border. The Indian media machine as well as its politicians continue to work overtime trying to convince the rest of the world that it was Pakistan, and not India, creating the climate of confrontation between the two nuclear states.
Worryingly for Pakistan, it seems to be working:
Tough tensions have risen in the past few days, neither India’s governing coalition led by the Congress Party nor its habitually hawkish political opposition is advocating a military confrontation with Pakistan, the country’s neighbor and archrival. Pakistan’s redeployment of troops late last week to its border with India, from its tribal areas in the northwest, raised fears. | New York Times | December 28th, 2008
Failing to get a guarantee that Pakistan will not respond to India’s planned ‘surgical strikes’, the US and India now plan to play the waiting game, while reassuring Pakistan that India does not intend to attack, and in fact never did.
The US has even provided Pakistan with satellite imagery showing no movement of Indian troops along the border and implying that Pakistan’s concerns of Indian troop build up are unsubstantiated.
India’s apparent backtracking is intended to create pressure on the Pakistan Army which has been on a high alert in response to the emerging threat from India. Islamabad is said to be under increasing pressure from Washington to not just de-escalate tensions but also reduce the armed forces build up along the border.
If the Pakistan government and military leadership buy into this BS and lay down their guard, the consequences could be devastating for Pakistan.
The reason India has not attacked targets in Pakistan so far despite the green signal from Washington, is its uncertainty of Pakistan Army’s response and the fear of losing face in case its much celebrated Su30k’s are shot down. India is also aware that the Pakistan Army may not be content with shooting down a couple of jets and is more likely to respond by launching an all out war.
A de-escalation would see Pakistan army ordered back to the barracks giving India the opportunity to strike without the fear of a swift or decisive response by Pakistan.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has held meetings with the heads of the Indian armed forces in the past 24 hours, while build up of the Indian Army continues. The Indian Government has also cancelled scheduled foreign tours of the services chiefs and requested them to be ready for any siutation. Top politicians including Sonia Gandhi, Lalu Parsad Yadav, Motilal Vohra, AK Anthony and Pranab Mukherjee have also attended the briefings.
The proposals under consideration by the Indian Army are:
- Surgical Strikes
- Commando Raids
- Artillery Barrage
- Mobilization Threat
- Naval blockade of Karachi
Squadrons of Mirage, Jaguar or Sukhoi fighters to carry out strikes on Targets such as the alleged Lashkar-e-Tayba headquarters in Azad Kashmir as well as the Jama’at-ud-Dawa headquarters at Muridke.
Special Forces units cross LoC, attack a an alleged Lashkar site and return. Possibly helicopter borne.
Long-range artillery fires at militant forward bases across the LoC. Bofors and Russian 130 mm guns have 30 km range – Given theguns would be fired from about 5 kms inside India, to be precise the targets would be anything between 8 to 10 kms inside Azad Kashmir.
India mobilizes its land, sea and air forces across the western front. One or two armoured corps make short incursion into Pak territory. India would use Cold Start doctrine and launch a small conventional attack below the nuke threshold. 10th or 11th Corps in Punjab could be mobilised for this.
This is high on the list of the most effective measures India can take, but also the least likely one as US supplies to Afghanistan pass through this corridor. The recent arrival of three Chinese Navy ships in the area on an anti-piracy mission – armed with special forces, helicopters and missiles – can also serve as a deterrence.
Despite the attempts to lure Pakistan into a false sense of security, Pakistan Army continues to be in a heightened state of ‘Red-Alert’, deploying forces as well as equipment in border areas. The army had been installing anti-aircraft guns at roofs of various buildings of strategic importance on Monday while choppers patrolled the skies, prompting hundreds of onlookers to chant ‘Allah-o-Akbar’ and ‘Pak Fauj ko Salam’. The deployment of missiles in strategic locations is complete while NATO’s supplies to Afghanistan have been halted until further notice on the pretext of clearing the area of militants.
In the foreground, Pakistan has officially called on India to deactivate its forward airbases, return troops to “peacetime” positions and resume a dialogue suspended after last month’s militant attacks in Mumbai.
If the recent Israeli action in Gaza is anything to go by, India will use the window between the start of the new year and Barack Obama swearing in on January 20th to attack targets inside Pakistani territory, provided Pakistan takes its eye off the ball.
Also read:
India Defeated in the First Round.
United Pakistan: India’s Worst Nightmare.
Update 11:44pm PST:
India wants to launch air strikes inside Pakistan: McCain
WASHINGTON: U.S. Senator John McCain has voiced his deep concern over tense South Asian situation, saying India was preparing for some kind of attack on Pakistan in the wake of last month’s Mumbai attacks.
“The Indians are on the verge of some kind of attack on Pakistan,” such as an air attack on suspected militant camps, he told a daily newspaper in his home state Arizona published Monday. [source]
In pictures: Gaza Massacre
December 30, 2008
And This is What We’ll See In Pakistan If America Is Allowed To Bring Its War To Pakistan
This is why we insist on not ‘owning’ America’s war in Afghanistan, the closure of the CIA station in Islamabad, and an end to American meddling in our affairs and stopping the Indians in their plans.
RAW network behind Pak destabilisation
December 30, 2008Islamabad—According to informed sources Indian intelligence officials working in the disguise of diplomats in Embassy and Consulates in Afghanistan have set up a vast network to destabilize FATA, Northern Areas and Balochistan engaging dozens of Afghan-Indians, drug dealers and Afghan warlords.
Fareed Zakaria GPS
December 30, 2008
In the recent past, one of the renowned retired armed forces personal Gen(R) Hamid Gul was interviewed by Mr. Fareed Zakaria on CNN, in a program called ‘GPS’. The program was an absolute success, serving the purpose in the international media i.e. “Attack these terror-mongers (Pakistan)“. However, lets recapitulate Mr. Fareed’s background for a while, which perhaps will help us see behind-the-wall. Mr. Fareed is an Indian born American journalist, received a B.A. from Yale and a Ph.D. in political science from Harvard. An active participant of Paul Wolfowitz’s historical meeting to attack Iraq, staunch supporter to Barack Obama’s presidential candidature and in the current times, playing his part to support attack so-called “terror camps” in Pakistan.
Read Full Article | Qasim Al-Yaldram
Geopolitical Diary: Pakistan’s Nuclear Option
December 30, 2008December 30, 2008 | Stratfor
It has now been more than a month since the Nov. 26 Mumbai attacks, and India has not responded militarily in Pakistan. Some war preparations have been made and New Delhi has by no means taken the military operation off the table, but the crisis, for now, has hit a temporary lull. In a recent unscheduled conversation between Indian Director-General of Military Operations Lt. Gen. A. S. Sekhon and his Pakistani counterpart Maj. Gen. Javed Iqbal over the crisis hotline between New Delhi and Islamabad, Iqbal may well have overtly reminded Sekhon of Pakistan’s longstanding nuclear first-use policy. India may have consequently taken a step back to re-evaluate its options and the consequences of direct military intervention in Pakistan.
SU-30′s Cobra Maneuvers
December 29, 2008A Treat for PAF’s Shaheen
India has been trying hard to cover the vacuum that PAF Shaheen legacy makers left. And to some extent they have been quite successful in acquiring the Mirage2000s (French) and recently Russian state of the art roll out SU-30 MKI. The aircraft has impressed many airforces around the globe including, Indonesia, Malaysia, Venezuela, China and India in particular. Recently, Indian Airforce has been able to couple SU-30MKI aircrafts with there own indigenously developed and Israeli acquired avionics, making it a lethal fighter plane then ever before.
Read Full Article | Qasim Al-Yaldram
India: Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) Terrorism
December 29, 2008Here is the article on RAW (the Indian Intelligence) and its activities against the nations of subcontinent. It proves the point of how many Indian insurgents are actively supporting separatist movements and terrorism activities in various parts of Pakistan. Read and be informed.
India: Let Kashmir go
December 29, 2008Resolving the disputed territory would benefit all.
India’s future rests not on maturing Cold Start but becoming a 21st century economic power house. Hanging on to Kashmir does nothing to promote that goal. Letting go not only will benefit New Delhi’s modernization by reducing the heavy military burden bad relations with Pakistan engenders, it also will allow Islamabad to redirect its military resources to the tribal areas benefiting Washington’s position in Afghanistan.
More on the arrested Indian nationals
December 29, 2008LAHORE december 25. Law-enforcement agencies claimed on Thursday to have arrested three Indian nationals, two of them brothers, in the city on information provided by detained Indian spy Satish Anand Shukla, who was arrested from a place near the Bahawalpur House after a blast in the area on Wednesday.
India Defeated in the First Round.
December 28, 2008Dan Qayyum | PakistanKaKhudaHafiz.com
It is best to win without fighting.- Sun Tzu
With India and Pakistan stood eyeball to eyeball, it was India who blinked first, with its media and officials admitting defeat on the diplomatic front.
While the de-escalation should soothe the tense nerves of the international community, it was being feared that Islamabad, by raising the bogey of war, may have edged out India’s concerns. By feeding fears of an imminent conflict between two nuclear-armed rivals, it had ensured that the focus would shift towards conflict prevention. Indian security experts noted that Gilani made it a point to mention that “our friends are persuading India against aggression”.
While the government persisted with reminders to Islamabad about unkept promises, independent security experts sid Pakistan may have got away with almost no cost at all. “As of now, Pakistan has managed to divert attention from the Mumbai attacks to an India-Pak conflict,” said K Subrahmanyam.
It was diplomacy by fear, and Pakistan played it effectively. As it allowed passions to run high and let known terrorists join in the show of national belligerence, it was also playing victim. As part of the script, its foreign secretary, it now turns out, even summoned the Indian high commissioner in Islamabad, Satyabrata Pal, on Friday to lecture him on the need for India to bring down tensions.
The US and China had on Friday asked India – in a clear sign of Pakistan’s success – to engage in a dialogue with Pakistan. It’s becoming increasingly evident that India has so far nothing to show for all its diplomatic offensive in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks.
How could things have gone so wrong, wonders Vir Sanghvi of the Hindustan Times:
I am now coming round to the view that they’ve only gone wrong for us. They’ve gone very right for Pakistan. Islamabad has got exactly what it needs, and what it always wanted.
Consider what’s happening today. The operation in the tribal areas has stalled. The Taliban have sworn to back the Pakistan army against India. Troops have been moved to the Indian border. The incoming Obama administration is talking about appointing a special envoy for India and Pakistan.
And forget about acting against those who organised the Bombay attacks. Pakistan isn’t even willing to hand over Dawood Ibrahim or Masood Azhar. Moreover, Washington seems largely content with this state of affairs.
I don’t want to sound like a pessimist or a war-monger — especially since I have always applauded New Delhi’s moderation and restraint — but it is beginning to seem to me that Pakistan has out-manoeuvered both India and America.
M K Bhadrakumar writes at Asia Times Online:
By gently holding out the threat to the US that the Afghan operations would grievously suffer unless Washington restrained Delhi from precipitating any tensions on the India-Pakistan border, Islamabad seems to have neatly pole-vaulted over Rice to appeal straight to the Pentagon, where there is abiding camaraderie towards the Pakistani generals.
With Pakistan’s recalcitrance and Mullen’s veiled threat of reopening the Kashmir file, a sense of frustration is gripping Delhi. Pakistan has ignored India’s tough posturing. The faltering Indian security agencies, which have been in a state of appalling decline in recent years, seem to have failed to put together any hard evidence of a Pakistani involvement in the Mumbai attacks.
All indications are that Pakistan is not impressed by the Indian rhetoric. It seems to think Indian politicians are grandstanding in an election year. But, just in case Delhi may spring a surprise, Pakistani army chief General Ashfaq Kiani has warned that the armed forces would give an equal response “within few minutes” if India carried out any surgical military strikes. “The armed forces are fully prepared to meet any eventuality, and the men are ready to sacrifice for their country,” he reportedly said.
Just as we predicted, an all out war seems to have been averted and Indian media and officials are admitting defeat.
China, Saudi Arabia and Iran have come out strongly in the last couple of days which saw an intense diplomatic effort by all parties to make it clear to India that they not only remain unconvinced of Delhi’s allegations, but also that any attack could have serious consequences for India and the region as a whole.
Pranab Mukherjee was made to do an embarassing u-turn on India’s previous stance previously, admitting that terrorism – a global issue and not a bilateral one – should be fought jointly.
The Indian officials have also been made to backtrack from their earlier claims of deplying troops along the border with Pakistan.
Times of India, December 22nd:
Even as India refused to take the military option off the table while asking Pakistan to rein in the terrorists, the Indian Army’s and IAF’s quick reaction teams (QRTs) were deployed along the borders in the Western Sector.
“Runways, hangars, main roads, ammunition stores and other sensitive places have been provided with additional cover. Sophisticated radars are installed at a few air bases and we are keeping watch on each and every cross-border activity,” said an IAF personnel.
Indian forces were on regular firing exercises at locations like Lathi Firing Range in Jaisalmer, Mahsan in Bikaner, Suratgarh and Ganganagar.
India Today, December 27th:
India has informed Pakistan that it has not engaged in any sort of troop build-up along the frontier
In response to the ‘deadline’ set by India and the threats from Sonia Gandhi and Pranab Mukherjee, Pakistan had gone on a diplomatic counter-offensive, briefing world powers and countries in the region on the deteriorating relations with India and the steps taken by it to address Indian concerns. Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir met ambassadors of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — the US, Britain , China , France and Russia . He also met ambassadors of Italy , Japan , Germany , Saudi Arabia , Iran and Turkey soon after returning from France where he had gone for annual bilateral consultations. However, his most crucial meeting was with Indian High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal at the Foreign Office when he said that India should defuse tension.
Mr Pal was accompanied by his deputy Manpreet Vohra. The Indian side was categorically told that any ‘surgical strikes’ would be considered a declaration of war. India was urged to respond to Pakistan ’s proposal for joint investigation into the Mumbai attacks.
According to sources, the Indian diplomats looked sombre when they came out of the meeting.
As things stand, the possibility of war has been averted for now in which is being seen as a massive diplomatic victory for Pakistan.
This of course does not mean that we should let our guard down. In addition to the diplomatic counter-offensive, it was Pakistan Army’s seriousness that put India on the backfoot.
Once the realization set in that any further attempts to enter Pakistan Airspace will be punished severely by the PAF, the Indians had gone to plan B, with Mullen asking for a guarantee that PAF will not respond to Indian surgical strikes.
General Kiyani is said to have responded with showing Mullen a photograph of an IAF Mirage-2000 locked by Pakistan Air Forces’ F-16 taken on December 13th. ‘Next time, we’ll bring it down’, Mullen was told.
To make sure the message was loud and clear, Pakistan Air Force jets started patrolling the skies in hot mode and a red-alert was issued througout the country.
Failing to get that guarantee, the chance of an Indian strike was reduced significantly. For them it was never about a full war. A few surgical strikes on pre-agreed locations would have been enough to relieve some of the pressure the Indian Government faces domestically. Pakistan Army on the other hand made it clear that any action from India would be taken as a declaration of war, and the response would be swift and decisive.
India faces humiliation now on the diplomatic front having failed to achieve anything from this standoff.
In its attempts to isolate Pakistan by building what it saw as a definitive case, it is India that stands alone on the diplomatic front and is left with begging the Iranians and Chinese to put pressure on Pakistan.
We can now expect an intense and sustained terrorism campaign in Pakistani cities in an attempt to destabilize the country along ethnic / sectarian lines – New Delhi’s time-tested method.
On the diplomatic front India will be lobbying hard to have the ISI (and Pakistan Army) declared as terrorist organisations.
We can also not rule out another false flag attack in the next few weeks.
Pakistan needs to stay united.
Its not over yet.
Related:
Shut Down CIA Station In Islamabad
December 28, 200824 December 2008.| Ahmed Quraishi
A war with Pakistan is India’s opportunity to legitimize action beyond its borders –which is what superpowers do – and launch its new career as a U.S.-propped [and Bollywood-propped] ‘superpower’. Pakistan will have to match the challenge or accept Indian hegemony for the rest of the century. And while at it, time for Pakistani government and military to order the closure of CIA station in the Pakistani capital. The new American agenda in the region contradicts Pakistani interests. How can this be done? Please learn how the Saudis dealt with Edward W. Genhm.
Radio: Exclusive Interview of Zaid Hamid
December 28, 2008Following is an hour long exclusive interview of Zaid Hamid. First part of the conversation is related to Quaid-e-Azam and his role in creation of Pakistan, as well as Allama Iqbal’s influence on Quaid-i-Azam. In the Second part of the talk we discussed about the priority of youth and how the youth help in making Pakistan a better nation-state. Lastly we put forward questions from visitors including allegations of Zaid Hamid’s links with Yusuf Kazab.
Who’s creating war hysteria?
December 27, 2008Anyone with an ounce of sense can see where the war cries had been coming from the past few days.
Whether it was Pranab Mukherjee threatening ‘all options’, Sonia Gandhi threatening ‘revenge’, the Hindustan army lining up along the border in Rajhastan or the Hindustani media with their ‘Enough is Enough’ campaign, it seems like Pakistan has succesfully called their bluff.
The fact that they’re now blaming Pakistan for talking war is proof that their bite isn’t as hard as their bark.
Credit to the Pakistan Army for taking their threats head on and putting them in their place.
VIDEO: Live with Talat – Aaj TV
Lt Gen Hammid Nawaz (Retired), Lt Gen Ajmad Shoaib (Retired) and Shamshad Ahmed Khan ( Former Foreign Secretary ) discussing the deteriorating situation between Pakistan and India and India’s war hysteria.
United Pakistan: India’s Worst Nightmare.
December 26, 2008War ruled out – for now.
Dan Qayyum
PakistanKaKhudaHafiz.com
One good thing to come out of India’s aggressive posturing since the Mumbai attacks is that it has united the Pakistani nation.
Zardari and his US appointed team wanted us to believe India is not a threat to Pakistan. Kudos to India for setting him straight.
Apart from a handful of politicians who owe their rise from mediocrity to the US anyway, the nation is united in the face of the Indian threat.
Mullen has been told to do one. The armed forces continue to stay on red alert, missiles and anti aircraft batteries are being deployed on strategic locations, leaves and holidays are being cancelled, troops are being moved from our western borders towards the east, weapons and artillery is being dusted off and made ready, and surprisingly the politicians have started speaking in one voice and sending out stern warnings to our neighbours on boths sides.
Cries of ‘Allah-o-Akbar’ and ‘Pak Fiza’ya Zindabad’ can be heard everytime Pakistan Air Forces’ Shaheens pass overhead, weapons on display, letting the people know they can sleep while the PAF is awake.
Whether its on the cricket pitch or the battle field, India always seems to bring out the best in us and unite us as one. If the Indians thought they could bring us to our knees with their threats of military action and by issuing deadlines, they know better now. War doesn’t scare us. It brings us together. And a united Pakistan is India’s worst nightmare.
India is now in a bit of a predicament. The Government of India expected Pakistan to follow the script – admit guilt, and hand a few of our citizens over, maybe even allow air-strikes at specific locations. Being seen as taking Pakistan to the task would have calmed the anger domestically and given their chances in the upcoming elections a bit of a boost while also covering up their own failures in Mumbai. To be honest if it was upto the civilian government in Pakistan, the Indians may well have got their wish.
In an interesting twist, two regional powers in Saudi Arabia and China have told India to tone it down and to work with Pakistan – which has been Pakistan’s position all along. The Saudis even made Pranab Mukherjee read out a statement to the media admitting that the Mumbai attacks were part of global terrorism and joint action is required to counter it. This comes after recent statements from the UNSC and Interpol backing Pakistan’s as well as the US appearing to distance itself from the conflict.
India is being forced on the backfoot as Pakistan Army prepares itself for swift and decisive action. There are even fears in some US and Indian circles that Pakistan may pre-emptively target Indian airbases if there is credible intelligence available that India plans to go ahead with any ‘surgical strikes’ on Pakistani territory.
What a stunning turnaround.
Expect India to make a hue and a cry in the next few days and beg regional and global powers to put more pressure on Pakistan, before resorting to increased covert terrorist activity in Pakistan. We should also not rule out the possibility of another false flag attack either in India or in a western country, which will legitimize an attack on Pakistan with the full military support of the US and Israel. Or they might just try their luck and carry out those surgical strikes they’ve been going on about.
India cannot be seen as pussying out of this confrontation now that they have made so much noise about ‘carpet bombing Pakistan’ and ‘turning it into another Afghanistan’ – certainly not in front of their American masters who have big plans for them in this region. This would have been their first test -proving their credentials in order to become America’s policeman for the region.
Backing off now in face of the unexpected and agressive response from Pakistan not only means total and utter humiliation, but is also a huge setback for India’s regional aspirations.
Are they brave enough to risk the total and complete disintegration of India by picking a fight with Pakistan?
Time will tell. Although they might not have much of a choice now.
Bring it on. Enough of the threats. Enough of the mindgames. Enough is Enough.
In the immortal words of Mr. Blonde, “are you gonna bark all day little doggy, or are you gonna bite?”
Mush: India Won’t Dare to Attack Pakistan
December 26, 2008
LAHORE: Former President and Military Chief Pervez Musharraf has said that the country’s defense is strong and in the presence of Pakistan army troops India can’t dare to attack Pakistan.
He expressed these views while briefly talking to media while attending the Valima ceremony of former Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri’s son at Barki Road Farm House.
Pervez Musharraf said Pakistan army is undoubtedly one of the best forces of the world and its professional capabilities are recognized by the world over. He said Pakistan’s defense is strong and we are a nuclear state. He added that India can’t dare to cast evil eye on us in the presence of vigilant Pakistani army troops.
He said that the sovereignty and security of the country is much dear to him and he prays that Pakistan remains safe from all enemies.
The curious case of Karkare, Salaskar and Kaamte
December 26, 2008PakistanKaKhudaHafiz.com
After a long time, AR Antulay has spoken, and he has shaken the Mumbai Police version of the 26th November terror attack.
If there is a question mark over who sent Karkare literally to his death, and this is what the Minority Affairs Minister essentially said, than there is a question mark about Kasab’s statement that Ismail and he killed Hemant Karkare, Vijay Salaskar and Ashok Kaamte — which means there is a question mark over the entire Police version of the 26th November attack as such.
Hindu Fundamentalism
December 26, 2008
The pogrom in Gujarat, the targeting of Christian missionaries, all go unnoticed in the western world because India is a major trading partner. —Reuters/File photo
ALMOST anything is digestible in the heat of the moment.
When Mumbai came under attack, most of Pakistan mourned as well. And why not, for who other than Pakistanis have been most brutalised by terrorism in the 21st century? We understand the pain, the trauma, the scarring of a collective psyche. When Indian leaders resorted to bellicosity, and when the media in that country went hysterical, most Pakistanis said let it be, they need to express their grief. Extreme anguish and irrationality can go hand in hand, and that is perfectly understandable even at a remove. But the dust has settled now and it is time to talk sense.
Waqt TV: Zaid Hamid – Rise & Shine
December 25, 2008Zaid Hamid talks about the character building of muslims, current political situation, corruption, the encirclement of Pakistan, the reality behind the ban on Jama’at-ud-Dawa and the plan to shut down ISI – in Rise & Shine on Waqt TV.
One of his most outspoken talk-shows ever. A MUST WATCH
Tribute to Jinnah
December 25, 2008There is no power on earth that can undo Pakistan.
Jinnah – Speech at a Mammoth Rally at the University Stadium, Lahore on 30th October. 1947.
Today, a leader was born. Sindh opened the door for Pakistan fourteen hundred years ago. And Sindh made Pakistan possible when it gave birth to the Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
Bold. Disciplined. Dedicated.
He is the only man in modern history who secured a new country through the power of conviction, personal will, and law.
Today, we share with you this short movie, JINNAH: PAKISTAN’S GREY WOLF, where we celebrate how the Great Leader, the Quaid-e-Azam, fulfilled the dream of the Poet of the East, Allama Mohammad Iqbal, and transformed a vision from the verses of poetry into a reality of international politics.
The reason Pakistan was born because the Muslims of the entire region surrounding Pakistan played a role in its emergence, a role that goes back at least ten centuries in history. Today, Pakistanis – of all backgrounds and religions – make up a strong, rising nation.
India’s media blasted for sensational Mumbai coverage
December 25, 2008On the evening of Nov. 26, well-coordinated attacks against two five-star hotels, a hospital, a popular cafe, a railway station, and a Jewish center brought the financial capital of India to its knees, leaving at least 171 dead and more than 230 injured.
In the following days, critics say, many Indian journalists were overly dramatic, sensationalist, and quick to report live “exclusives” of unconfirmed rumors. Many say TV anchors, who are minor celebrities in India, were overwrought with emotion and were quick to blame Pakistan for the attacks.
“It’s high time we realize and accept that we are at fault,” said Shishir Joshi, editorial director of Mid-Day, a Mumbai newspaper. “We did well getting into the line of fire, but from an ethical point of view we screwed up big-time.”
Read Full Article | Daniel Pepper
Indian Nationals Arrested in Lahore
December 25, 2008Plotted to bomb Church on Christmas.
LAHORE: Intelligence agencies late Wednesday arrested an Indian national and two Afghans who were allegedly involved in the blast of GOR area in Lahore on Wednesday morning.
Hackers attack Indian Website
December 25, 2008The official site of India’s Eastern Railway -www.easternrailway.gov.in — was hacked on Wednesday.
India seeking cluster bombs from US
December 25, 2008India is seeking the purchase of 500 advanced-technology cluster bombs from the US. Although the order was placed in September, reports here suggest that the Indian Defence Ministry has called on the Americans to fast track the purchase amid rising tensions with Pakistan in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks.
Cluster bombs are actually a conglomeration of weapons. When released from an aircraft, they splinter into hundreds, even thousands, of ‘bomblets’ that land over a large area.
All bomblets do not explode when they hit the ground, but they can go off later – creating an indefinite minefield, which poses a severe threat to civilians and children long after the conflict is over.
No war and no peace, Pakistan -India
December 25, 2008
While a frenzy of war talk has animated the media on both sides of the India-Pakistan border, Washington has assured Islamabad that its satellite surveillance of the region reveals no evidence that India is preparing for war. But if physical preparations are absent, the rhetorical signs are more ambiguous.
An editorial in Pakistan’s The News International said: “Continued rumblings from the Indian side of the border keep tensions high. Sonia Gandhi, the chief of the Congress Party, has been the latest to warn Pakistan that her country is capable of delivering a ‘befitting reply’ to those who harbour terrorists. She has stressed India’s love for peace is not a weakness. The tone from Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee also remains threatening, demanding action even as Pakistan maintains that it lacks evidence on the basis of which it can take any.
“The tensions have been elevated to their highest level in six years. But the war hype is also being taken forward by hawks in both countries. The media has played its part. Evening papers, even though few people any longer believe their hysterical headlines, warn of Indian invasion. On the Indian side, many of the television channels and publications have been no less high-pitched; indeed in many cases they have gone further than their Pakistani counterparts. In cyber space chat rooms, Indians and Pakistanis banter and bully each other, comparing military readiness. Some of these exchanges are mock-serious; others seem to be in earnest. Tales of patriotic feats by citizens are told in many places, as if a mental preparation for war is taking place. Hawkish elements everywhere seem to be revelling in the current climate.”
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