When the Taliban insurrection in Pakistan began in earnest, in 2005, the Pakistan army did not have enough troops in North-West Frontier Province to combat the growing menace. It was not possible for the army and the paramilitary Frontier Corps to conduct operations without considerable reinforcement. In any event, the role of the lightly-armed Frontier Corps has always been more akin to policing than to engaging in conventional military operations. Dealing with inter-tribe skirmishes and cross-border smugglers is very different to combating organised bands of fanatics whose objective is total destruction of the state.
The central government is weak, corrupt, ineffective and impotent. Kashmir is on fire, as is Assaam and Bihar. 250 million Dalits do not feel “Indian”. The 150 million Muslims have been so mistreated that they are in abject generational penury. It will take more than 3 centuries to pull the poverty stricken out of destitute living. The media focuses on “Incredible India”, a figment of the imagination of the West.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities are not satisfied with the India’s response to Islamabad’s 30 questions seeking more inputs on Mumbai terror attacks as it does not meet their requirements, a media report said on Wednesday.
“We have gone through the document provided by India but it does not meet our requirements,” a senior official in the interior ministry told Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper.
“This year has not been good for India – first there was the aftermath of Mumbai, and then India’s worst nightmare came through–David Milliband mentioned the “K” word. To make it worse, he mentioned it in Delhi. To pour salt over the wounds, Mr. Milliband returned home and said that solving Kashmir was a policy of the UK. From then on it was an avalanche. Richard Holbrooke got appointed as a special adviser on Kashmir and Obama again mentioned Kashmir.”
Two public officials – the Navy chief and a deputy attorney general – together have destroyed Rehman Malik’s case of ‘admission of guilt’ in Mumbai attacks. The government has fired the deputy attorney general for taking a stand, but no one in the Pakistani media noticed since it is busy in the latest Pakistani political circus. But it is this story that could unravel this staunchly pro-U.S. setup.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—Two developments in Pakistan have thwarted the deliberate effort of Pakistan’s pro-U.S. government to take the Mumbai investigations on a path that leads to placing the blame on the Pakistani military and intelligence.
The two developments, one by a public prosecutor and the other by the Pakistani military, confirms that the Zardari government, and especially his confidant and interior adviser Rehman Malik, deliberately led Pakistan into acquiescence to American and Indian demands by accepting partial responsibility for Mumbai attacks without verifiable evidence. It also raises questions about the motives of this government.
The first development took place on Feb. 18, when Zardari government’s special public prosecutor in the Mumbai attacks Sardar Mohammad Ghazi issued a statement saying Islamabad is formally requesting India to extradite Ajmal Kassab, the alleged lone survivor of the Mumbai attacks. This was a surprising statement considering how the Zardari government unilaterally accepted – on behalf of Pakistan – every single piece of questionable Indian and American ‘evidence’ linking the attacks to elements with past links to Pakistani intelligence.
Sardar’s statement shook the Indians and the Americans, who lobbied hard to ensure Pakistan accepted some responsibility for the attacks as a prelude to implicating Pakistan’s ISI.
Pakistani investigators have yet to independently confirm that Kassab is indeed a Pakistani citizen, or that the person in Indian custody is indeed Ajmal Kassab.
Instead of behaving like a villain in some third-rated Indian movie, the Indian army chief can learn a lesson or two from Pakistan army chief’s studied calm under immense pressure.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—Indian Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor has once again come up with a highly irresponsible and rather humorous statement when he stated that Indian Army was ready for surgical strikes, missile and infantry attack inside Pakistan.
This statement of the Indian Army Chief came when Pakistan government and Pakistani authorities were conducting a high profile probe into the Mumbai attacks on the basis of what should be termed as a rather shady dossier provided by the Indian government. The statement came when the Pakistan government was doing the job with all sincerity and when the Indian government itself had agreed to wait for the outcome. In such a situation, when Pakistan and the entire global community was making an all out effort to ease tensions between the nuclear archrivals, General Deepak Kapoor jumped the stage with a statement that surprised everyone.
The most striking point about the dossier is its vague and unprofessional character. Enormous reliance is placed on the interrogation of the captured terrorist, Mohammed Amir Kasab, despite the fact that there is an abundance of other evidence – eyewitness accounts, CCTV and TV footage, forensic evidence, etc. – which could have been called upon to establish when, where, and what exactly happened during the attacks. This gives rise to the suspicion that the interrogation is being used as a substitute for real investigation because it can be influenced by intimidation or torture, whereas other sources of evidence cannot be influenced in the same way.
This is an hour long Editor’s Show of Pakistan First. An intense discussion on some grave issues faced by Pakistan with Zaid Hamid. This includes internal affairs such as conflict in Swat and lawyers movement. Also an open discussion on external pressures faced by Pakistan. This is a critical and current analysis of national security. LINK
AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has criticized the Indian government for asking Pakistan to accept the statement of the lone surviving gunman in the Mumbai attacks as evidence, the Daily Times reported on Tuesday.
‘There is no law in our country that would consider the statement of an arrested person before a top-level police official as evidence,’ he was quoted as saying.
‘Despite the situation, we are trying to convince Pakistan to consider the statement evidence. This is very much contradictory,’ continued Modi. [source] [reaction]
BrassTacks Dossier on Indian Terrorism and Debunking the Indian ‘evidence’.
The entire Indian propaganda and lies have been exposed in this pdf document. Read and know for yourself things you never knew before. The entire Mumbai drama, its background, its motives and the players involved, with proof from their own sources, media and speeches. Circulate this far and wide and get it published wherever you can. This must be flooded on the web and passed to all contacts. Let the world see their lies exposed. May Allah (sw) Protect Pakistan.
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.
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.
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?”
Instead of behaving like a villain in some third-rated Indian movie, the Indian army chief can learn a lesson or two from Pakistan army chief’s studied calm under immense pressure.
