The Government of Pakistan claims to be a democratic one; particularly, the PPP segment of this leadership lauds itself for its efforts to save of Pakistan from undemocratic forces. This ought to have reinforced our belief in democracy, which would mean that the people would be free to express themselves. However, we have yet again hit a roadblock, as a well known website that represents the people’s concerns [Pro-Pakistan.com] has been blocked by the Government of Pakistan for no good reason. What kind of democracy is this? Is this the strain of democracy that the president has been conditioning us for when he says: Even the worst form of democracy is better than dictatorship? The truth is that the exploitative elite is ruling in Pakistan and the sane voices of our people and their rightful demands have always been smothered! When any regime takes such steps, it is obvious that they fear losing their grip!
We strongly condemned the shut down of Pro-Pakistan.com and we demand that it immediate be brought back online.
KABUL: India has suspended medical aid and teaching programmes in Afghanistan, where Indian businesses and charities are slashing staff over fears they are increasingly targeted by militants, reports AFP.
Kabul-based Indians believe they were the specific targets of three recent attacks in the Afghan capital, including a February 26 bomb and gun assault on a guesthouse that killed 17 people, among them seven Indians.
Indian charity Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), which promoted economic independence for Afghan women, said it had pulled all staff from Afghanistan.
WASHINGTON: Arguing that Islamabad is using terrorism as a tool for its foreign policy, especially against India, an Indian-American group on Wednesday asked secretary of state Hillary Clinton to declare Pakistan as a terrorist state and seize all its nuclear weapons.
“Instead of penalizing Pakistan for its support to the notorious terrorists and spreading global terrorism, US, unfortunately, is rewarding this country with the deadly weapons and billions of dollars of hard cash,” Narayan Kataria, head of New York-based Indian American Intellectual Forum, said in a letter to Clinton.
Similar letters have also been written to several influential lawmakers.
“We should recognize in unambiguous terms that Pakistan is the root cause of terror and instability in that region. In order to win the war in Afghanistan it is essential that American war strategy should be focused on Pakistan. In the next 18 months, American troops will be leaving Af-Pak region,” Kataria said.
Mohammad Moqim watches in despair as his men struggle with their AK-47 automatic rifles, doing their best to hit man-size targets 50 meters away. A few of the police trainees lying prone in the mud are decent shots, but the rest shoot clumsily, and fumble as they try to reload their weapons. The Afghan National Police (ANP) captain sighs as he dismisses one group of trainees and orders 25 more to take their places on the firing line. “We are still at zero,” says Captain Moqim, 35, an eight-year veteran of the force. “They don’t listen, are undisciplined, and will never be real policemen.”
Poor marksmanship is the least of it. Worse, crooked Afghan cops supply much of the ammunition used by the Taliban, according to Saleh Mohammed, an insurgent commander in Helmand province. The bullets and rocket-propelled grenades sold by the cops are cheaper and of better quality than the ammo at local markets, he says. It’s easy for local cops to concoct credible excuses for using so much ammunition, especially because their supervisors try to avoid areas where the Taliban are active. Mohammed says local police sometimes even stage fake firefights so that if higher-ups question their outsize orders for ammo, villagers will say they’ve heard fighting.
Indian police have imposed a curfew in the southern city of Hyderabad after three days of clashes between Hindus and Muslims
The violence, which was reportedly triggered by arguments over decorations for a religious festival, has left at least one person dead and scores injured.
Real Terrorists are rare and usually easily caught always ask: “Who gains from this?
Every time there is a terrorist attack, the nations blamed say that it was a “false flag” operation. This is what America did to cover up My Lai. We were lying. Germans claimed Poland invaded Germany in 1939. An educated guess is that 75% of terrorist attacks we hear of were staged, never happened or were done by “radical groups” that were first infiltrated, then controlled and eventually financed and supplied by intelligence agencies. Intelligence agencies are, in actuality, the biggest terrorist organizations in the world. The CIA has blown up more buses, airplanes and markets than any almost anyone else. The Mossad may be number one, followed by, well, everyone, the RAW, ISI, MI-6, IRA and dozens of others.
Either directly or through idiots, clones (operatives using false identity to look like “terrorists”) or through simply doing it themselves, these groups promote national policy by destabilizing nations, swinging elections or defaming religious, national or political groups by staging attacks and using the press to place the blame. The popular video game Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 even has a terrorist attack on a transportation center in Moscow built into it, a “false flag” attack. Today, the real thing happened.
Pakistan’s decision-makers should draw an important lesson from the talks. Given the limits on Washington’s capacity to address Pakistan’s concerns – just as there are constraints on Pakistan’s ability to support all of America’s geo-strategic interests – Islamabad needs to change its US-centric mindset, learn to mobilise its own resources, rather than look to Washington to solve all its problems and fashion a foreign policy that is in sync with the multipolar world we live in.
Aimed at setting a new strategic direction for Pakistan-US relations and overcoming mutual mistrust, the recent talks in Washington were more significant for their atmospherics than any tangible outcome. Dialogue, of course, is a process, not an event. But the expectations raised by both sides about the fourth round had exceeded what was achieved in the two-day talks.
“Why would U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan go out of their way to smear a journalist”
“Because he told the truth about a night raid that killed Afghan civilians, including pregnant women!”
Last week, I spoke with Afghanistan-based journalist Jerome Starkey about his reporting on special forces raids that killed civilians and NATOs surprising–and disappointing–response. This video contains disturbing images, and an even more disturbing story of violence, and an attempt to silence a truth-teller. It shows why its absolutely essential that we keep pushing back against the Pentagon’s message machine.
There is a debate going on in the west on the issue of a possible threat from Lashkar-e-Taiba – A Jihadi group fighting against Indian occupation of Kashmir and blamed for Mumbai attacks in 2008 – to the western interests. There is no doubt Lashkar hates United States for a number of reasons. Apart from the widespread anti-America resentment in almost all Islamic groups across the globe, the group has some of its own reasons to dislike US. US declared Lashkar-e-Taiba a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) a few months after 9/11 without any substantial reason. The group until then never attacked or planned any attack on US interests. Its focus was totally on Kashmir against Indian forces.
The group believes that by declaring it terrorist organization US wanted to please India and press Pakistan to back off from freedom struggle in Kashmir. Despite its anger the group refrained from attacking US interests in the region but US was not satisfied with its own measures by putting Lashkar on FTO list of the State Department and went to UN Security Council in 2005 for international sanctions against the group. Eventually UNSC put the group in the list of Al-Qaeda and Taliban affiliates and asked the member countries to freeze its assets and impose embargo on purchase of weapons while its members were banned from international travelling. These sanctions could not affect the group in Pakistan as technically it was not active in Pakistan anymore after January 12, 2002 when the then president of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf banned the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, Sipa-e-Sahaba, and Tehreek-e-Jafria.
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Disquiet is growing in India that Pakistan is gaining the upper hand in a “proxy war” in Afghanistan as the two juggle for influence in an end-game that risks a political vacuum if the U.S.-led war winds down.
Escalating distrust over Afghanistan may threaten tentative India-Pakistan peace talks and herald more militant attacks on Indian soil, experts say. There are also signs it is all gnawing at New Delhi’s once strengthening ties with the United States.
Last week’s high level strategic dialogue between Pakistan’s military and U.S. politicians in Washington, praise for Pakistan’s crackdown on Taliban commanders and promises of swifter U.S. aid have added to India’s sense of playing second fiddle.
Underlying this is a perception that Western powers need Pakistan more than India to broker any deal with the Taliban if there is any U.S. troops withdrawal, creating a potential flashpoint in relations between the emerging Asian economic power and the West.
Wazir, an elderly bearded Afghan, is adamant: “The Taliban haven’t been here for weeks”.
So US Marine Lieutenant Jackson Smith prepares to take his leave. Suddenly, gunfire rips through the dust on the outskirts of Marjah, a settlement that last month was the focus of a major US-led offensive to clear out the Taliban.
Smith’s men dash to the nearest wall for protection, amid the din of at least two assault rifles.
More than a month after US Marines led 15,000 troops into action in Marjah, on the poppy growing plains of southern Afghanistan’s Helmand province, the Western-backed government does not have the area under complete control.
ISLAMABAD: What is so strategic about the strategic dialogue? Not too long ago, the Pentagon tried to play with the GHQ’s India-centric national security paradigm. Finally, the GHQ won, the Pentagon had to give in. Not too long ago, the US State Department tried to pressurise the GHQ into submission to civilian executive. Finally, the GHQ won, the State Department lost out.
Richard Holbrooke, Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, now says, “How can you have a strategic dialogue without including the military?” The New York Times announced, “Army Chief driving Pakistan’s agenda for talks.” The Washington Post declared, “Gen Kayani is driving the nation’s agenda.” Reuter’s announced, “General Kayani in Washington: Pakistan’s most powerful man.”
LONDON, UK—Pakistan is unfortunately one of those countries where traitors masquerade as politicians and treachery is deemed to be ‘legitimate politics’. There is no prize for guessing how did the desire the revoke the 17th Amendment got transformed into a full-fledged exercise for subverting the constitution. The answer is that it was a part of the scheme that involved the NRO and the formation of a coalition government in which all the parties are opposed to the Two Nation Theory of Pakistan. Mian Nawaz Sharif saw the game plan a bit late but he did see it and withdrew from the coalition. If he had not withdrawn, the judges dismissed by Musharraf would not have been restored and NRO would have become law. But the puppet masters have not given up; they are still eager to implement their original plan albeit with slight alterations due to new circumstances.
The plan is devious and not easy to understand. Some of those in the committee reviewing the Constitution have some idea of the true nature of the exercise they are engaged in but most of them do not know what is going on; they do not have a clue what is good for the country and are unable to see through the machinations of parties with anti-Pakistan agenda. The reports of ‘consensus’ and ‘absence of leaks’ makes one suspicious of the entire project. I fear that a ready to sign ‘draft amendment’ is a sinister plot. The public and the press must have a debate on what the committee recommends. The Constitution is too important a matter to be left entirely to politicians.
It seems to me that all the ingredients are being in place to undo Pakistan from the back door without even a fight. It seems the parties in the ruling coalition are in a hurry to fulfill the agenda of international plotters. The puppet masters had been relying on the gullibility of Nawaz Sharif who has been saying he would support no action that would destabilize the country.
Sikh leaders say the US should learn from the US-Pakistan record that effective engagement is better than negligence. The Party wants Washington to reestablish the Sikh Desk in the US Embassy in New Delhi and open a US Consulate in the Sikh city of Amritsar. The Party believes that US-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue is a welcome development and will indirectly help in balancing India’s behavior in the region. The Sikh leaders also called for nuclear parity between Pakistan and India.
NEW DELHI, India—The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Amritsar, which is an Indian political party representing the Sikh nation, views US-Pakistan strategic dialogue in a very positive light. The Sikh leaders welcome the reduction in trust deficit between the United States and Pakistan because they believe that an Indian state that violates human rights, commits the genocide of Sikh peoples and of its other religious and ethnic minorities can only be restrained in the presence of strong neighbors such as Pakistan and China, says a press release received by the Daily Mail.
Takmeel-e-Pakistan is a mission that is above ethnic, sectarian, linguistic divides. When we launched this mission and decided to pass this resolution, our objective was to unite Pakistanis from all walks of life, from the common man on the street to the leading scholars and respected ulema from all over Pakistan.
Unfortunately we have faced stiff opposition and threats of violence and death from certain quarters in the last few weeks, which is why we have decided to clarify our stance with regards to Zaid Hamid and the Yusuf ‘Kazzab’ issue.
PKKH and the Takmeel-e-Pakistan team have never had anything to do and will never have anything to do with any Yusuf Ali / Yusuf Kazzab.
Both PKKH and Takmeel-e-Pakistan are completely ‘independent’ organizations and our association with BrassTacks and Zaid Hamid is due to our agreement on issues concerning Pakistan’s National Security, and projection and promotion of the ideology of Pakistan. We urge all parties to resolve this issue peacefully instead of publicly issuing threats of violence and calling for ‘Jihad’ against fellow muslims – which was threatened in statements in newspapers in the buildup to Takmeel by individuals linked to AMTKN and allied groups.
We respect the noble mission that AMTKN carries forward, and have nothing but the utmost respect for Ulemas, irrespective of their maslaks. We also believe Zaid Hamid to be a patriotic son of Pakistan who has done phenomenal work in a short space of time to make Pakistanis realize their true potential and the beautiful future that awaits them InshaAllah. We believe this issue is resolved soon so the focus can be on Pakistan again, at a time when we face multiple threats from our external enemies.
Pakistanis need to unite at this critical hour. The Takmeel-e-Pakistan resolution that was succesfully presented to the nation on March 23rd 2010, is the first step in this direction, and InshaALLAH we will work hard in the coming days and months to get all leading ulemas, scholars, and thinkers on board with this noble mission and work towards our common goal: implementation of a true Islamic system in Pak Sarzameen and the revival of the Islamic ummah, based on the principles of Quran and Sunnah as demonstrated in the Khilafat-e-Rashidah.
Pakistan, InshaALLAH Hamesha Paindabaad – and may Allah SWT destroy those who oppose efforts to implement His system as we promised on March 23rd, 1940 and again on March 23rd, 2010.
Dan Qayyum
Editor, PKKH and Takmeel-e-Pakistan Resolution Dated March 23rd, 2010.
On 23rd March 2010, the Takmeel-e-Pakistan Resolution was presented and passed. Despite all the opposition, disruption and disturbance, the Patriots of Pakistan were able to clearly outline the vision for the revival and rise of Pakistan and demonstrated their commitment, dedication, devotion, sincerity and loyalty to their beloved homeland. Their passion, emotions and enthusiasm clearly reflected that they are now standing for Pakistan, they are determined for Pakistan’s betterment and development and they will do anything to transform this sacred land into a prosperous welfare state.
The Takmeel-e-Pakistan Resolution clearly reflects that Its NOT about any single person, its NOT about any organization, its NOT about a certain group of people, its ONLY and ONLY about the ideology of Pakistan, the revival of the true spirit of Pakistan and the RISE of Pakistan as an exemplary Islamic welfare state….
The state of Pakistan has been a hostage of “professional” politicians, tycoons and feudal lords almost since the time of its inception. After the demise of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the assassination of Quaid-e-Millat Khan Liaquat Ali Khan, Pakistan fell in the hands of the traitors and betrayers, who then sucked this land dry and their evil thirst still hasn’t quenched and their undying greed for power, fortune and resources is still at work day and night to suck the Nation’s blood like parasites till the last drop.
It is not in their interest that the Nation of Pakistan prospers, it is not a concern for them that the people of Pakistan have been suffering from poverty, hunger, lack of basic human rights and welfare, lack of adequate civic services and a large number of social, financial and economical problems which has made the life of a majority of Pakistanis very difficult and uncomfortable. The mass exploitation, suppression and oppression of Pakistanis is critical for them to maintain so that they can fill their greedy pockets, build lavish houses on the skeletons of common people and get luxury cars which crushes the dreams and needs of the public under their cruel wheels. They would never want to change things, they would never like to take the necessary measures for the prosperity of Pakistan for it would all come in the way of their selfish, treacherous and dirty intentions.
Islamabad cites concerns detainees may be freed or transferred to US custody, though broader geopolitics may also be at play
Pakistan is refusing to hand over captured Taliban leaders to Afghanistan on the grounds that they could be released or transferred to the US, according to officials familiar with the negotiations.
The refusal to extradite Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s deputy leader and military commander, together with several regional insurgent commanders seized by Pakistani forces in recent weeks, has deepened uncertainty over Islamabad’s motives.
WASHINGTON: The atmospherics are good but the ground realities are unfavourable. India is struggling to stay relevant and advance its geo-political equities with the United States at a time Washington is buffeted by domestic pressures and international crises that are undercutting its resolve to put ties with New Delhi on a higher plane.
Good intentions, broad agenda, and packed schedules notwithstanding, Indian diplomatic foray into Washington this week was notable for gripes and grievances than any significant advancement towards the stated goal of achieving a strategic relationship with the US, foreign secretary Nirupama Rao had a series of meetings on Tuesday, including a drop-in by secretary of state Hillary Clinton at a state department meeting with her counterpart William Burns, but in the end there was no meeting of minds on the most fundamental security issue of the times.
India and US disagree on Afghanistan and Pakistan. That much became clear towards the end of the foreign secretary’s visit although elaboration on this issue was foiled by the cancellation of Rao’s wrap-up press meet (Indian Embassy said she was unwell).
(CNN) — Talking to the Taliban leader in Afghanistan may help bring peace to the country, according to a former Pakistan spy chief once referred to as the “father of the Taliban.”
Retired Gen. Hamid Gul, a former head of the ISI spy agency, worked with the CIA through the 1980s to fund and train the Afghan Jihad against the Soviets.
Many of the Mujahedeen went on to govern Afghanistan as the Taliban, who are led by Mullah Omar.
“The best situation would be to talk to Mullah Omar,” Gul said. “But then, put up your own conditions where I would say it is legitimate … I think they will accept. I know their psychology.”
Face-to-face talks would work best, Gul added.
“You have to engage him. You have to talk to him,” Gul said. “There is no one else, for heaven sake, why beat around the bush?”
Last year, Gul said Omar was the only person who can improve U.S. interests in Afghanistan.
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Muslim League (Q) Secretary General, Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Tuesday said that Pakistan should not repeat its mistakes and must not have any favourite in Afghanistan.
The US needs Pakistan more than Pakistan needs the US; therefore, Pakistan should play its cards intelligently, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed stated this while speaking at a seminar on ‘Pakistan’s Geo-strategic Challenges and Response’, which was organised by the NUST Business School of the National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST). It was held in connection with a series of the talks to celebrate Pakistan Day.
Speaking on the subject, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed stated that Pakistan had been facing crisis for the last three decades. He identified five major developments that took place in the region over the last three decades, which influenced the geo-strategic environment of Pakistan. Soviet’s invasion of Afghanistan made Pakistan a central point for the international diplomacy.
LAHORE – Editor-in-Chief The Nation and Chairman of the Nazria Pakistan Trust (NPT) Majid Nizami has stated that freedom is the greatest blessing of the Almighty, Who may save us from dominance of Hindus, as our sworn enemy India is bent upon destroying Pakistan. However, if it did not refrain from committing aggression against us, then Pakistan is destined to defeat India because our horses in the form of atomic bombs and missiles are far better than Indian ‘donkeys’.
He was talking to a representative of the Punjab University (PU) television after inaugurating an exhibition of rare and historic photographs about the Freedom Movement, jointly organised by the NPT and Student Teaching Centre (STC), as part of celebrations of the Pakistan Day here at the New Campus on Wednesday.
US Ambassador complains to Pakistani Government that media reports have exposed the location of American residences inside Lahore’s military zone, but fails to mention why US personnel with diplomatic cover have been found at wrong places, sometimes carrying weapons that diplomats are not supposed to…
Lahore’s military zone is not only exposed to covert Indian operatives but also to undercover US agents with their suspicious heavy-duty equipment placed in several houses inside a gated community right in the heart of the city’s military area. This has been going on since 2007.
Ahmed Quraishi | Special Report
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—The eastern city of Lahore is exposed not only to the Indians who have been sending terrorists to plant bombs in public places for the past quarter of a century, but also to the Americans who expanded their covert presence inside Pakistan in the last three years of President Musharraf’s rule. After the return to democracy in 2008, the US presence [beyond diplomatic requirements or disguised under diplomatic cover] is reported to have increased manifold.
