Indian Function in Afghanistan Exposed

By Sajjad Shaukat

During his first visit to Pakistan, Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani who was accompanied by high security officials also met Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Gen. Raheel Sharif. President Ashraf lauded Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorism. Besides mutual cooperation in other fields, Islamabad’s proposal to offer security and defence cooperation to Afghanistan was received positively.

Afghan President said, “His government and the people of Afghanistan desire to further strengthen bilateral relations with Pakistan in all areas of mutual interest. He elaborated, “We must overcome the past…we will not permit the past to destroy the future.”

It is notable that Gen. Raheel accompanied by the DG of Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI), went to Kabul on December 17, 2014. During his meeting with his Afghan counterpart, President Ashraf Ghani and the ISAF commander, he presented the evidence of linkage between the massacre of children at Peshawar school and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) sanctuaries in Afghanistan. He also asked about action against the TTP chief Mullah Fazlullah and his network which is being assisted by India.

Similarly, Indian Prime Minister Modi was humbled by the US Secretary of State John Kerry when he met him during a recent official visit to India. During the meeting, American team got furious and showed some hard evidence of Mullah Fazalullah and RAW nexus in Afghanistan to influx terror in Pakistan.

It is mentionable that New Delhi which has already invested billion of dollars in Afghanistan, also signed a wide-ranging strategic agreement with that country on October 5, 2011. And, the then President Karzai had also signed another agreement with India to obtain Indian arms and weapons. However, under the cover of these agreements, India has further strengthened its grip in Afghanistan.

Besides, Indian secret agency RAW has well-established its network in Afghanistan, and with the tactical assistance of anti-Pakistan secret agencies, it is fully backing cross-border incursions including terror-activities in Balochistan province and other regions of Pakistan, and is also destabilizing China and Iran.

As regards Balochistan, based in Afghanistan, particularly RAW has continuously been assisting the Baloch separatist groups like BLA to create lawlessness there. In this regard, Indian former Army Chief Gen. VK Singh openly admitted that during his tenure, he supervised special army unit, Tactical Support Division (TSD) to sponsor acts of sabotage, especially in Balochistan.

In this context, after the recent visit of the Chinese President Xi Jinping to Pakistan, who signed 51 agreements for cooperation in various fields, related to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)—between deep Gwadar seaport of Balochistan and the historic Silk Road city in western regions-Xinjiang of China, the director of The Second Floor (T2F), a social activist Sabeen Mahmud was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Karachi on April 24, this year—followed by a bomb blast in Sibi, which killed several persons on April 26. However, she had left T2F after attending the session on Balochistan, when she was targeted. She was likely conduct a seminar at LUMS in Lahore about Balochistan. No doubt, RAW is behind the assassination of Sabeen Mahmud-a well thought-out plan not only to try to sabotage Pak-China alliance, but also to accuse ISI.

While, the DG, ISPR Maj-GEN, Asim Bajwa strongly condemned the murder of Sabeen Mahmud, adding that intelligence agencies have been tasked to assist in the investigation of the killing.

However, taking note of Indian secret function, now, Afghan government and US has started taking action against the TTP. A number of TTP militants have been captured in Afghanistan, while Fazlullah survived in a drone attack.    

Unlike the Karzai regime, Afghan leadership is visionary and desires to stay away from the Indian proxy wars in the region. Afghan new rulers are no   more   interested   in carrying forward the “Arms deal” with India and are only interested in socio-economic development, peace and stability in the region.

During his visit to India from April 27 to 29, Afghan President Ashraf is reportedly, interested in asking New Delhi to stop interference in Afghanistan and its neighbours. Due to exposed Indian links with TTP and Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan (TTA), and her involvement in terrorist activities in Pakistan, India which is finding it hard to entice the new Afghan government, resultantly, feels   marginalized in the unfolding Afghan chessboard.

Indian leadership is desperate and impatient to woo the new afghan leadership and to revive the bilateral relations to continue her evil designs towards Pakistan and China.

To overcome growing feelings of frustration, Indian rulers may expand engagements with Afghan leadership, but Afghan Government which may fulfill the formality is not ready to support Indian maneuvers towards Beijing and Islamabad.

Taking advantage of Afghanistan’s dwindling economy, during the visit of President Ghani, Indian leadership is also expected to announce many incentives for Kabul by boasting about investing $2 billion in infrastructural and humanitarian projects in Afghanistan.

Notably, India has not made any investment for the war torn country since   2012,   which   exposes   its   sham   sincerity and commitment for Afghanistan.

India has still been in thick contact with extremist terrorist outfits like TTP etc. A person namely Asim Umar (an Indian citizen of Utter Pardesh who had migrated to Pakistan in 1990) maneuvered to become Chief of Al Qaeda’s South Asia Chapter. He is a confirmed RAW agent and his organization is involved in an attempt to hijack PNS Zulfikar. He has even created AQIS women force under title of “Shaheen Force.”

Emergence of ISIS in Afghanistan (to counter-weight Taliban) has also connections with Indian security agencies, as majority of the groups, announcing allegiance with it, enjoyed good contacts with Indian RAW and were exploited as proxies against Pakistan. Recently, ISIS claimed incident in Jalalabad (Suicide attack) has also traces of Indian linkage. In fact, India through ISIS in Afghanistan is trying to counter Taliban.

Moreover, RAW and anti-China secret agencies may step up activities by strengthening East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) along Pak-China border to support terrorism in China. Undoubtedly, Indian secret function in Afghanistan has been exposed.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com

Significance of 23rd March

By Mohammad Jamil

On 23rd March 1940, a clear concept of two-nation theory was laid down when All India Muslim League in a meeting at Manto Park (now Iqbal Park) Lahore passed a resolution, known as Lahore Resolution of 1940 on the basis of which Pakistan was created in 1947. In 1956 again on 23rd March, first constitution of Pakistan was adopted, which marked the transition from the Dominion of Pakistan to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, making Pakistan the world’s first Islamic republic. Indeed, Allama Iqbal had dreamt of a separate homeland for the Muslims of the sub-continent, and Quaid-i-Azam converted that dream into reality with the support of the Muslims of undivided India.

From 1916 to 1940, Quaid-e-Azam had tried his best to get constitutional guarantees for the Muslims. Since he believed in democratic struggle, he had even tried to get the rights of Muslims secured by accepting Cabinet Mission Plan in 1946. But after Gandhi’s assertion that the Congress alone represented India, Quaid-i-Azam was convinced that Muslims would not get a fair deal in the united India. Completely destroyed during World War II, the Britain was incapable of controlling the large swathe of the sub-continent and decided to quit India. Quaid-Azam thus thought it an opportune time to declare that he would not accept anything less than a separate homeland for the Muslims of undivided India. 

As envisioned by the founding fathers, Pakistan was to be modern and progressive state where a free and independent people would invoke Ijtihad to reconstruct Islamic thought and assimilate its eternal principles and values in order to overcome centuries-old stagnation. As a matter of fact, the Sindh Provincial Muslim League had held a conference at Karachi in October 1938, and it was on this occasion the words ‘Muslims as separate nation’ were used. In Resolution No. 5, the Conference castigated the Congress policy of dividing and ruling the Muslims, and characterized the Congress as a fascist organization. Having said that, Quaid-i-Azam had frustrated the designs of the British who wished to see the sub-continent united in one form or another till the last moment,
Before partition, Muslims were not allowed to lead their lives according to their faith and culture; they were deprived of their basic rights, and were not provided equal opportunities in education, services and business fields. But beauty of the Quaid’s leadership was that there was hardly any instance in the annals of history whereby a leader got independence and created a sovereign state without a shot being fired.

In the words of Professor Akbar S. Ahmed, a Cambridge scholar: “Islam gave the Muslims of India a sense of identity; dynasties such as the Mughals had given them territory; poets like Iqbal created in them a sense of destiny; Jinnah’s heroic stature can be understood from the fact that by leading the Pakistan movement and creating the state of Pakistan, he gave them all three”. 

Being a democrat, the Quaid did not even think of imposing his will on people. When he was asked about the type of constitution of Pakistan he had said the Holy Qur’an is there for guidance, and that the people’s representative would frame the constitution. In his 11th August 1947 speech before the Constituent Assembly, he had categorically stated that all citizens of the state would be equal irrespective of religion, caste, creed or gender.
Unfortunately, efforts are also being made to create confusion by debating whether Quaid-e-Azam was secular or he stood for a religious or theocratic state. Vested interests had, however, tried to distort his speeches during his life time. His address to the Constituent Assembly on 11th August 1947 provided the guidelines and parameters within which constitution of Pakistan was to be framed by the representatives of the people.
As envisioned by the Quaid, Pakistan was to be a modern Islamic welfare state, where a free and independent people would enjoy equal rights without discrimination on the basis of religion, sect, ethnicity or gender. When the Quaid said that Pakistan was not going to be a theocratic state, it was because of his realization of the fact that every sect would come out with its own interpretation of Qur’an and Sunnah endangering the stability and security of the country. The Muslims of Pakistan despise and reject bigotry, as they believe that Islam is a religious of peace and exhorts Muslims to understand the universe through their sense perceptions. The Quaid had also warned that beneficiaries of Jagirs, feudal lords and exploiters were to have no place of privilege in an independent and sovereign Pakistan.
The people of Pakistan are proud inheritors of traditions of great sufis, saints and poets who fostered the message of peace and brotherhood over the centuries. But where did we go wrong? Unfortunately, Pakistan lost its Quaid and other founding fathers too soon, and conglomerate of privileged few devoid of political acumen and vision, took over the state. Their myopic thinking and flawed economic and foreign policies, bad governance, disregard for the aspirations of the people, failure to distribute benefits of growth equitably, led to disintegration of the country. But people have not lost hope, and they are determined to get Pakistan a respectable place in the comity of nations. They have a dream that one day this nation-state will implement the concept and the ideals of our faith - Islam. 

Afghanistan: India’s Drug Smuggling Verified

By Sajjad Shaukat

While echoing Hobbes and Machiavelli, Morgenthau opines that in international politics, countries act upon various immoral activities like deceit, fraud, falsehood and so on. In one way or the other, they also follow these tactics to fulfill their selfish aims. But, in the modern era of electronic and social media including open diplomacy, it is difficult for the sovereign states to continue mal-practices of the past, as sinister politics has been replaced by world’s new trends such as fair-dealings, reconciliation and economic development.

In this respect, the news item, “India accused of using Afghan soil for Heroin smuggling”, published in the leading daily Dawn on March 18, 2015 verified previous reports of India’s involvement in drug smuggling from Afghanistan.

In the recent past, a released video by Washington Free Beacon pointed out that the US Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel disclosed during a speech at Oklahoma’s Cameron University in 2011, “India has always used Afghanistan as a second front” and “has over the years financed problems for Pakistan on that side of the border.” Earlier, the then NATO commander in Afghanistan, Gen. McChrystal had revealed: “Indian political and economic influence is increasing in Afghanistan…is likely to exacerbate regional tensions.”
In fact, by availing the golden opportunity of the 9/11, India has signed a number of bilateral agreements with Kabul, during the regime of Afghanistan’s former President Hamid Karzai in getting its hold in Afghanistan by manipulating US strategy. New Delhi which has already invested billion of dollars in Afghanistan, signed a wide-ranging strategic agreement with that country on October 5, 2011 also includes to help train Afghan security forces, while assisting Kabul in diversified projects. Apparently, it is open strategic agreement, but secretly, India seeks to further strengthen its grip in Afghanistan to get strategic depth against Islamabad.

In this regard, stiff resistance of the Taliban militants against the occupying forces created unending lawlessness in the country which has become a most suitable place for Indian secret agency RAW to implement a conspiracy to fulfill its country’s strategic designs against Iran, China and particularly Pakistan, while achieving collective goals of the US against these countries including Russia.

Especially, based in Afghanistan, Indian consulates including agents of RAW, who are also supporting Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), are behind various acts of terrorism in Pakistan such as target killings, bomb blasts, suicide attacks, assaults on civil and military installations including churches, religious leaders etc. to destabilize Pakistan. They have also perennially been arranging similar subversive acts in Balochistan. 

As a matter of fact, with the cooperation of ex-president Karzai and Afghan intelligence-National Directorate of Security (NDS), and with the tactical assistance of American CIA and Israeli Mossad, RAW has well-established espionage network in Afghanistan, which has also been used for smuggling of drugs so as to obtain Indian sinister designs in the region, particularly against Pakistan.

While, poppy cultivation has risen to all time high, and Afghanistan has become one of the biggest contributors of drug proliferation in the region and beyond. And, Afghan government has failed in controlling corruption and implementing rule of law, while international community especially major donors are averse to such malpractices.
According to some sources, modern weapons of Indian, American and Israeli origin are available in the markets of Afghanistan. Smuggling of latest arms from west to Afghanistan is also being supported by the drug mafia of Afghanistan. In this connection, Afghan President Karzai’s real brother Ahmed Wali Karzai, and high officials have been found involved in drug smuggling for raising funds to support insurgency in Pakistan with the support of RAW.

It would not be out of context to mention here that primarily these are the Afghan drug Barons and Warlords like Hamid Karzai and his brother in whose interest it is to keep the region in state of war. It is also a known fact that Qasim Fahim, Vice President of Afghanistan is also a warlord and a drug baron. In the recent past, American troops destroyed poppy fields, but, they failed in stopping poppy cultivation, because India was involved in supporting Afghan warlords and drug mafia.

In this connection, on November 2, 2009 John Burns, the chief foreign correspondent for The New York Times, while answering questions about a New York Times article about Ahmed Wali Karzai, exposed his ties to the nation’s opium trade. And on October 27, 2009, the same newspaper pointed out, “The brother of the Afghan president and a suspected player in the country’s booming illegal opium trade…in a large area of southern Afghanistan where the Taliban insurgency is strongest, undermines the American push to develop an effective central government that can maintain law and order and eventually allow the United States to withdraw…on at least one occasion, the strike force has been accused of mounting an unauthorized operation against an official of the Afghan government.”
Quoting a senior American military officer in Kabul, The New York Times elaborated, “Hundreds of millions of dollars in drug money are flowing through the southern region, and nothing happens in Afghanistan without the regional leadership knowing about it.” 

However, besides the involvement of other Afghan entities, Indian engagement in drugs in Afghanistan was proved in the news item of Dawn, which quoted world’s renowned news agency, Reuters as a source and also included AFP file. It is given below.
UN officials recorded a sharp spike this year in the amount of heroin being seized from passengers trying to fly from Afghanistan to India, a worrying trend since the Taliban insurgency lines its pockets on the illegal drug trade. 

A lack of coordination is hampering efforts to clamp down on the route, officials said, with India blaming Afghanistan for poor cooperation in helping to track smugglers.
In January alone, officials intercepted 44 kilograms of heroin from Afghan airports in eight separate cases, compared to 50 kilograms of heroin and hashish seized during the whole of last year, according to United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime data.
Most of the cases have involved passengers trying to board flights bound for the Indian capital New Delhi after swallowing as much 2 kg of the illegal opiate in capsules, like condoms.
The spike is an “alarming trend”, said Mark Colhoun, deputy representative to the UNODC in Afghanistan. 

“These mule are small fry,” he said. “You need to track down the networks.” The UNODC started working with Afghan police and customs in 2013 at Kabul’s airport, and later expanded to airports in Kandahar, Herat, and Mazar-i-Sharif. It is unclear whether the rise in heroin being seized represents an increase in trafficking or better tracking of smugglers. But opium cultivation in Afghanistan, which produces some 90 per cent of the world’s illegal opiates, is on the rise.

Afghan smugglers often travel to India under the guise of seeking medical care, said a senior official in India’s Narcotics Control Bureau speaking on condition of anonymity.
Nevertheless, news of Dawn has verified Indian negative role of drug smuggling from Afghanistan. Therefore, it is the right hour that the US-led international community must take action against New Delhi, and by rolling back Indian network in Afghanistan, which includes smuggling of drugs, especially Heroin for the purpose of its secret strategic goals. While the western countries and Russia are worried about instability in Afghanistan, spilling over into the former Soviet Central Asia and about drug smuggling pushing up the numbers of heroin addicts. 

Nonetheless, western donors’ aid to Kabul for bringing stability in that country will prove fruitless, if India continues drug smuggling in Afghanistan which has become one of the biggest contributors of drug proliferation in the world.

DRIFTING FROM DEATH TO LIFE!!!!!!

 

By ALI SUKHANVER

It was really something very painful to watch on the TV screen, a very smart man of yesterday repenting over his cruelties and regretting his past and appealing for a little delay in execution on his death penalty. Was Saulat Mirza a criminal by birth? Did his parents know at the time of his birth that one day their beloved son would be pushed behind the bars for his cruel activities; certainly not. The most important thing is to search for the forces and factors which compel a normal human being into an abnormal blood-thirsty character. These are the forces and factors which changed the whole face of a very peaceful and prosperous society of Karachi into a nightmare.

With a very attractive weather, so many places to visit, particular type of food and dishes, shopping malls, business arcades, sea-side and above all the people of Karachi with their particular lively temperaments, Karachi has ever been a magnet to the visitors. The most loving characteristic of this cheapest city of the world is that it never lets you die of hunger even if you don’t earn a lot. But in the last twenty years, things have changed a lot in Karachi. A strange cloud of fear has enwrapped the joy and happiness, comfort and ease, hospitality and friendliness of this marvelous city. The fear of unknown now does not let you feel convenient and comfortable when you are in Karachi. Street crimes, mobile phones snatching, bank robberies, kidnapping for ransom, targeted killings and above all the ‘bhatta’, all these things have joined hands together in making life painful in Karachi. Everyone knows from where do these criminals come and which are the forces behind these criminals but no one has courage to point out them. All details of these criminals are to the knowledge of the police but the police could do nothing to them because most of these criminals claim of being associated with some political party. And a very bitter truth is that these political parties never disown these criminals. In short the real ‘credit’ goes to the political parties who misguide and misuse the criminal-minded youngsters and with the help of these criminals, the militant wing of every political party is constituted.
This worsening law and order situation no doubt has caused a grave lot to the social and economic fiber of Karachi. Every day countless innocent people are being slaughtered, sometimes in the name of religion and sometimes on the basis of ethnic and racial differences. And unfortunately no authority seems willing to make the situation better. The local and the foreign investors are gradually flying to Bangladesh and other neighbouring countries where law and order situation is not like that of Karachi. As a result of this deteriorating law and order situation today Karachi is included in one of the ten most unsafe, insecure and violent cities of the world. According to a recent report of the Al-Jazeera TV, ‘Karachi is the most dangerous of the world’s mega-cities, with a murder rate of 12.3 per 100,000 residents. None of the world’s 13 largest cities come within 25% of Karachi’s exceptional murder rate. Amongst the political in-fighting and lawlessness, Karachi has become especially famous for its motorbike riding assassins, known as “target killers”. For $700-$1000, these target killers will assassinate police, protesters, businessmen, and political opponents.’

The Prime Minister of Pakistan is very well aware of the fact that Karachi has become a battle-field of personal interests of different political organizations and even the police has become a party to the situation, so he was left with only one solution; to ask the Armed forces to help the country come out of this painful scenario. In this context, the Rangers were deployed there to tackle with the situation. Since after their deployment, the Rangers have been doing all their best in co-ordination with the intelligence agencies. A few days back the Rangers raided the head-quarter of a very popular political party in Karachi and allegedly arrested some ‘most wanted’ type of criminals along with a lot of illegal ammunition. In reaction to this raid, the MQM Chief Mr. Altaf Hussain said talking to a news channel, “The have-beens of today in the paramilitary force will become the had-beens.” The Rangers took this statement of the MQM Chief as a direct insult rather a threat to the security agencies of Pakistan and filed a case against the MQM chief for threatening the Rangers in the Civil Lines Police Station Karachi. The case is in process; let us see what happens next. But one thing our political leaders must keep in mind that the basic duty and responsibility of the Armed Forces is to provide peace and security to the nation and keep a vigilant eye on the forces harmful to the country. It would be dishonesty on the part of the Armed Forces if they don’t perform this duty. They never have any political motives or personal intentions. In the wider national interest, our political leaders must be very much careful in their statements on the Armed Forces of Pakistan their irresponsible behaviour could prove a serious threat to Pakistan’s existence. 

Inevitability of nuclear electricity generation

By Khalid Iqbal

Along Karachi’s coast, construction of two additional 1,100 MW generation III AP 1000 nuclear power plants (KANUPP II & III) is under way. Earlier this month, experts form International Atomic Energy (IAEA) completed the key Generic Reactor Safety Review (GRSR) of these nuclear reactors. These Pressurized WaterPressurized Water Reactors (PWR) are capable of generating 1100 MW electricity each. PAEC, will operate these plants under IAEA safeguards. A legal challenge by some of Karachi’s overhyped and misled citizens about public safety has been dismissed. Now the vested interests campaigning against nuclear power generation in Pakistan have taken their battle to media. By twisting the facts and fictionalizing a purely technical matter this lobby, spearheaded by Dr. Pevez Hoodbhoy and, Dr. AH Nayyar, is creating unnecessary alarms. Their campaign is largely based on creating fears regarding the possibility of a Tsunami or an earth quake hitting these power plants and compromising the safety of the environment; including the human and animal life. A specter regarding necessity of evacuation of entire population of Karachi is being floated to trigger an agitated public reaction against these power generation facilitates. To put the matter in perspective, it is necessary to take a look at the underlying reasons of Pakistan’s power crisis and the global power generation trends.

Pakistan’s energy crisis has two dimensions: supply demand imbalance and affordability. Current installed capacity is sufficient to take summer peak load of the country. Devil lies in differential between generation cost and the cost that consumer can afford— commonly known as circular debt. Therefore, under the circumstance, addition of any mean of electricity must first pass the affordability test; the second test is 24/7 output. Hydel power generation is the cheapest way; but is seasonal and intricately linked to usage of water for agriculture. As agrarian consumption of water has the priority, it is Indus River System Authority (IRSA) and not National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) that calls the shots as to how much electricity could be given to national grid; exception to this restrictive regime are run of the river hydel projects–like upcoming Dasu hydropower project.
Gas, oil and coal are other means of producing electricity. These are available 24/7 but how much of these fuels could be inducted for power generation depends on their cost, exploitability, logistics and environmental impact. Wind and solar are dependent on climatic cycles and daylight respectively. Hydel power generation is the cheapest, followed by domestic gas, nuclear, domestic coal, imported gas, and imported coal and oil. Globally, Wind and Solar power sectors are attracting lot of attention and investment, however, both are at Research and Development (R&D) stages; and their commercialization at competitive prices is still a couple of years away. Their weak areas are heavy infrastructure and efficient storage systems. Per unit cost of Wind and Solar electricity is much higher than national grid averages. With construction of large dams politicized and domestic gas supply dwindling, nuclear electricity emerges as one of the top viable options for Pakistan.
Presently, 437 nuclear power reactors are in operation in 31 countries. Since cost of nuclear fuel is a small part of the cost of production, nuclear power plants are usually considered base load stations. Nuclear plants operate 24/7. Nuclear power plants typically have high capital costs, but low direct fuel costs, with the costs of fuel extraction, processing, use and spent fuel storage internalized costs. The fuel cost of operations for a nuclear plant is much smaller than the fuel cost for operating oil, coal or gas plants. Generation IV reactors, under R&D, are being designed to completely close the nuclear fuel cycle, with the prospect that all spent nuclear fuel/nuclear waste could potentially be recycled. 

In many countries, plants are often located on the coast, in order to provide a ready source of cooling water for the essential service water system so that it does not impact on fresh water. Moreover, plant designs and associated infrastructure works take into account the risk of flooding and tsunamis. Especially the design of plants located in seismically active zones are also required to cater for the risk of earthquakes and tsunamis. Japan, India, China and the USA are among the countries that operate plants in earthquake-prone regions. 

Nuclear power is the only viable course that has enabled most of the Western countries, like France (78%), Belgium (51%), Finland (32.6%), Switzerland (35.9%), Sweden (38%) etc in achieving energy independence. In most of such countries, nuclear power generation has touched and or has crossed its optimum level of generation share; thus in some of these counties, nuclear power generation capacity is either stagnant of in slight decline. But in Asia, the trend is otherwise. Russia has begun building the world’s first floating nuclear power plant. The £100 million vessel, the Lomonosov, is the first of seven plants that Moscow says will take the nuclear energy resources to remote Russian regions. By 2025, Southeast Asian nations would have a total of 29 nuclear power plants; of these, Indonesia will have 4, Malaysia 4, Thailand 5 and Vietnam 16. India is pursuing an ambitious nuclear energy programme, China plans to switch over from coal to nuclear fuel as the single largest source of power generation. UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka are some aspiring counties; Iran’s keenness for nuclear power generation is well known. China and South Korea are emerging as big exporters of nuclear power plants.

From safety point of view a lot has been accomplished since Fukushima. The nuclear industry says that new technology and oversight have made nuclear plants much safer. Passively safe plants are available to build; and other reactors that are designed to be nearly fool-proof are being pursued. AP1000 power plants, under construction in Karachi, use passive nuclear safety cooling systems, unlike those of Fukushima which required active cooling systems. A new generation of designs for nuclear power plants, known as the Generation IV reactors, are now the subject of active research. Many of these new designs specifically attempt to make fission reactors cleaner, safer and/or less of a risk to nuclear proliferation. Generation III reactors are at least 17% more fuel efficient, and have lower capital costs, while Generation IV reactors promise 10000-30000% greater fuel efficiency and elimination of nuclear waste. Several countries have begun Thorium-based nuclear power programmes. Thorium resources are enough to power current energy needs for thousands of years. Thorium fuel cycle is able to generate nuclear energy with a lower output of radiotoxic waste than the Uranium fuel cycle. Further efficiencies are hoped to be achieved through more advanced reactor designs,
Over the last 40 years of its life cycle, KANUPP I, which is the oldest reactor of its kind in the world, continues to operate in Karachi safely with IAEA certification. Due to growing energy demand, Pakistan plans to increase the share of nuclear energy to 8,800 Mega Watt electrical (MWe) by 2030. This would constitute 5.41 per cent of the national energy mix. Other sources of energy like hydel, coal, renewable, oil and gas, would still have the major percentage. However, this will greatly decrease the pressure on power generation through expensive and imported fossil fuels. When completed in November 2019, K-II&III would add 2,200MW to Pakistan’s electric power, at a very cheap rate. Average price of power generated by Chashma-3 and 4 would be around Rs 9.59 per unit, much less than the price of electricity generated by thermal plants running on gas or oil. Due to economy of scales, new KANUPP category plants would produce cheaper electricity than the Chashma class power plants. Nuclear power is one of the most efficient, reliable and environment-friendly sources of energy. Therefore, Pakistan should indeed look towards developing nuclear energy as its mainstay electricity generation system. 

Secularism and minorities in India

A. Sattar Alvi

The recurring theme in the aftermath of all these events is impunity. When the state authorities not only fail to investigate but are also party to the crime, the results are always unjust, at best anemic

I was a student at university in the US and I had a class fellow from India. We lived in the same neighborhood and I found him to be a wonderful fellow. We got along well and he used to tell me how wonderful India was and how absolutely mesmerising it was for the westerners. What he also shared with me was another side of India, which is well known but it does not have the same impact as the good side. What he said rather wistfully was that in the same India, non-Hindus (Dalit) are killed for not being Hindu, where non-Hindus are treated inhumanly, where non-Hindus are forced to convert to Hinduism and where non-Hindus don’t get any justice. His words have stayed with me ever since. What secularism does India talk about? Here is a small portion of India’s track record to give you a clearer picture. 

Dalit is a designation for a group of people traditionally regarded as the untouchables in the Indian caste system and there are more than 200 million of them excluding the Muslims and the Christians, which if included, would increase the number to well above 500 million.
India has had three major spates of communal violence in recent history. First, the 1984 attacks on Sikhs in Delhi following the assassination of Indira Gandhi, second, the 1992-93 killing of Muslims in Mumbai and the demolition of the Babri Mosque, and third, the 2002 violence against Muslims in the Gujarat state following a mob attack on a train. Thousands of people were killed in each one of these attacks and in all of these cases the accountability remained elusive. Indian authorities failed to investigate and prosecute suspects after major outbreaks of violence, even after reports by independent inquiries implicating officials and members of law enforcement. 

This pattern of impunity continues to the present day. There was, for instance, the violence that occurred in Orissa in 2008, after a Hindu leader was assassinated, allegedly by Maoists. After members of an extremist Hindu group incited violence against the area’s Christian population, nearly 40 Christians were killed, thousands of homes were burned, and over 10,000 were displaced. Although many perpetrators were later prosecuted, many were given only minor punishment like fines. The recurring theme in the aftermath of all these events is impunity. When the state authorities not only fail to investigate but are also party to the crime, the results are always unjust, at best anemic. For many years after the violence in Gujarat, the state government failed to do anything. Prosecutions began only after extensive pressure from activists and victims’ families. And Modi, the prime mover, according to BJP has got a clean chit from investigators. 

Many Muslim men have been arbitrarily detained, interrogated, and tortured after bombing attacks, especially between 2006 and 2008. (Later investigations found that members of Hindu extremist groups were actually responsible for some of these attacks.) Authorities have also used draconian and abusive laws, including the Sedition Law and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, to target Muslims. Indian human rights groups have repeatedly expressed concerns over profiling of Muslims and the use of prolonged detention. Not only do Muslims fear arbitrary arrest, they also fear for their lives. In July 2013, the Central Bureau of Investigation filed charges against senior Gujarat police and intelligence officials for the extrajudicial killing of four Muslims, including a 19-year-old woman. The police arrested them and later it was proved that they were executed by police while claiming an encounter. 

The Indian armed forces continue to commit human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, and in the northeastern states that are home to many ethnic minority groups. Human rights groups have long documented serious abuses by members of the Indian military, including torture, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances. But members of the military are rarely investigated or prosecuted. Indian military personal are effectively shielded from prosecution for incidents in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, which provides military personnel immunity from prosecution when deployed in areas under emergency rule. Despite repeated domestic and international condemnations calling for repeal of the law, it remains in force, due largely to military opposition. 

Praful Bidwai, a noted Indian correspondent has written extensively on the abuses of Dalits in India and particularly in Rajasthan. Similarly the testimonies offered by Dr Katrina Lantos of the US Commission of International Religious Freedom in as late as April 2014 and by John Sifton of the Human Rights Watch have painted horrendous pictures about the plight of these people in India. Despite being a functioning democracy since its independence more than 60 years ago, Indian law enforcement and judiciary are lacking in both the will and capacity to tackle the cases of human rights violations by Hindutva organizations.
In all this, there may be a lesson for us. I should perhaps not say this, lest it annoys the more hypocritical among us; but India is only as much secular as Pakistan is Islamic. 

US allies to join AIIB

By Muhammad Jamil

Since the paradigm shift from the communist pattern of a state-run economy to a market economy, the Chinese economy is growing. China has already surpassed Japan as the world's second largest economy, and over time it is likely to surpass the US in this regard as well

On Tuesday, US allies — Germany, France, and Italy — agreed to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) launched by China. Last week one of America's staunchest allies, the UK, became the first Western nation to join the new bank. The US has tried to persuade South Korea, Japan and Australia to not join AIIB on the pretext that it will make the World Bank and other global financial institutions redundant. Without mincing words, the Obama administration has said that there is no need for another international financial institution, as it is likely to compete with the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. Asian countries and the European Union give the impression that their decision to join as founding members of the AIIB is because the US Congress has reformed voting rights in the International Monetary Fund (IMF). 

Most developing countries feel that the global financial institutions controlled by the US and the West have been disenfranchising them and that the decisions to lend money are made according to the whim and fancy of the sole super power. But there is more to it than that. Fred Bergsten, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, says that there is a huge demand for infrastructural investment in Asia. He believes that roughly $8 trillion of infrastructural investment will be needed over the next decade and that AIIB will help fill in that gap. It is believed that China is prepared to put up half of the initial $100 billion budget, probably giving it veto power in AIIB, much the same as the US has in the World Bank and IMF. 

Bergsten believes that there is a larger issue at stake. “I think the fact that it is China and this is part of the broader competition for global leadership, economic leadership, broader political leadership, that is I think a central part of this equation.” Since the paradigm shift from the communist pattern of a state-run economy to a market economy, the Chinese economy is growing. China has already surpassed Japan as the world’s second largest economy, and over time it is likely to surpass the US in this regard as well. IMF measures the gross domestic product (GDP) of countries, both in market exchange terms and in terms of purchasing power. As far as purchasing power goes, China has already overtaken the US and become the world's largest economy. By the end of 2014, China’s purchasing power adjusted GDP was $17.632 trillion, while the US GDP stood at $17.416 trillion. 

Matthew Goodman, a senior adviser on Asian economics at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies says: “the Europeans have an incentive to deepen their economic ties with China. But their decision to join the new development bank is a blow to the Obama administration.” This does not mean that China is on a collision course with the US because both countries will continue working together on the issues of reconstructing new financial architecture and climate change. However, the fact remains that China has invested an estimated $1.27 trillion in U.S. Treasury Bonds and is the largest investor amongst foreign governments, according to the June 2014 figures released by the U.S. Treasury. This amounts to over 21 percent of the U.S. debt held overseas and about 7.2 percent of the US’s total debt figure. For a long time, the US has relied on China to fund its debts and China relies on the US to import its goods. The US has a deficit in trade with China and the latter finds it beneficial to invest in treasury bonds, which are a relatively safer investment. At the same time, Americans benefit from the competitive prices of Chinese products such as bonanza. Developing countries are happy about China’s unstoppable rise as a super power, which will end the era of a unipolar world. Most pundits agree that this is China’s century and there has also been some respite in the US’s criticism of China. 

Earlier, Americans were wary of China’s rising military strength, which they believed was aimed at countering US power. Despite apparently cordial relations, the US continued to criticise China for human rights’ violations. In October 2010, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo as a part of a plot to denigrate China. The Nobel Prize Committee stated that this award was given to Xiaobo for his long non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China. Yet they did acknowledged that “China has had economic growth hardly comparable in history, and lifted millions of people out of poverty”. However, the committee failed to grasp the true sense or real meaning of freedoms and fundamental rights. 

The question is, which country is ready to allow its dissenters to slander and incite others to create unrest and chaos in the name of fundamental rights? Secondly, their myopic vision failed to see that the Chinese government has alleviated poverty and improved the living conditions of the people. In their reaction to the Norwegian Nobel Prize Committee’s decision, Chinese authorities called the award an obscenity. Nevertheless, the relations between the US and China have markedly improved after a boost in their economic ties. China is currently the largest creditor of the US, having invested over $1 trillion in Treasury Securities and more than $130 billion in portfolio investment. It is also the second largest trading partner of the US after Canada. 

World Water Day & Pakistan

 By Sajjad Shaukat

Every year, World Water Day is celebrated on March 22 on global level, focusing attention on the water crisis as well as the solutions to address it.

An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating March 22, 1993 as the first World Water Day.
Each year, this very day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater. In 2015, World Water Day has the theme “Water and Sustainable Development.”
Although Pakistan also celebrates World Water Day, yet its case is different from other countries, as India has stared water terrorism against Pakistan.
It is notable that since the 9/11 tragedy, international community has been taking war against terrorism seriously, while there are also other forms of bloodless wars, being waged in the world and the same are like terrorism. Political experts opine that modern terrorism has many meanings like violent acts, economic terrorism etc., but its main aim is to achieve political, economic and social ends. Judging in these terms, India’s water terrorism against Pakistan is of special consideration. 

In March, 2011, speaking in diplomatic language, Indus Water Commissioner of India G. Ranganathan denied that India’s decision to build dams on rivers led to water shortage in Pakistan. He also rejected Islamabad’s concerns at water theft by New Delhi or violation of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960, assuring his counterpart, Syed Jamaat Ali Shah that all issues relating to water would be resolved through dialogue. However, ground realties are quite different from what Ranganathan maintained.

Besides other permanent issues and, especially the dispute of Kashmir which has always been used by India to malign and pressurize Pakistan, water of rivers has become a matter of life and death for every Pakistani, as New Delhi has been employing it as a tool of terrorism to blackmail Pakistan. 

In this regard, Indian decision to construct two hydro-electric projects on River Neelam which is called Krishanganga is a new violation of the Indus Basin Water Treaty. The World Bank, itself, is the mediator and signatory for the treaty. After the partition, owing to war-like situation, New Delhi deliberately stopped the flow of Pakistan’s rivers which originate from the Indian-held Kashmir. Even at that time, Indian rulers had used water as a tool of aggression against Pakistan. However, due to Indian illogical stand, Islamabad sought the help of international arbitration. The Indus Basin Treaty allocates waters of three western rivers of Indus, Jhelum and Chenab to Pakistan, while India has rights over eastern rivers of Ravi, Sutlej and Beas.

Since the settlement of the dispute, India has always violated the treaty intermittently to create economic crisis in Pakistan. In 1984, India began construction of the Wullar Barrage on river Jhelum in the occupied Kashmir.
In the past, the issue of Wullar Barrage has also been discussed in various rounds of talks, being held under composite dialogue process between the two rivals, but Indian intransigence has continued. In the mid 1990s India started another violation by constructing the Baglihar dam on the Chenab river. In 2005, Pakistan had again sought the World Bank’s help to stop construction of the Baglihar dam. Although WB allowed India to go ahead with the project after a few modifications, yet it did not permit the interruption of the agreed quota of water flow to Pakistan. 

In 2008, India suddenly reduced water flow of the Chenab river to give a greater setback to our autumnal crops. Islamabad on September 17, 2008 threatened to seek the World Bank’s intervention on the plea that New Delhi had not responded to its repeated complaints on the issue appropriately. But, India did nothing to address the problem. 

However, New Delhi has been using water as an instrument to pressurize Islamabad with a view to getting leverage in the Pak-India dialogue especially regarding Indian-held Kashmir where a new phase of protests against the Indian illegitimate occupation has accelerated. In this respect, the then Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had said on February 8, 2010 that Pakistan’s case on Kashmir and water was based on truth, and the government would fight it with full strength. 

Indian diplomacy of water terrorism could also be judged from some other development. Online reports suggest that New Delhi has secretly offered technical assistance to the Afghan government in order to construct a dam over Kabul River which is a main water contributor to Indus River.

In fact, India wants to keep its control on Kashmir which is located in the Indus River basin area, and which contributes to the flow of all the major rivers, entering Pakistan. It is determined to bring about political, economic and social problems of grave nature in Pakistan. 

In this context, China Daily News Group wrote in 2005: “Another added complication is that in building a dam upstream of Pakistan, India will possess the ability to flood or starve Pakistan at will. This ability was witnessed in July of 2004 when India, without warning, released water into the Chenab river, flooding large portions of Pakistan. The history of conflict between these two nations makes it possible for New Delhi to use nature as a real weapon against Islamabad.”

According to an estimate, unlike India, Pakistan is highly dependent on agriculture, which in turn is dependent on water. Of the 79.6 million hectares of land that makeup Pakistan, 20 million are available for agriculture. Of those 20 million hectares, 16 million are dependent on irrigation. So, almost 80% of Pakistan’s agriculture is dependent on irrigation.

It is noteworthy that many of Pakistan’s industries are agro-based such as the textiles industry. Besides, 80% of Pakistan’s food needs are fulfilled domestically. Thus an interruption of water supply would have broad-ranging effects. For example, when the country suffered a drought from 1998 to 2001, there were violent riots in Karachi.

It is mentionable that half of Pakistan’s energy comes from hydroelectricity, and at present, our country has been facing a severe crisis of loadshedding which is the result of power-shortage in the country. During the recent past summers, people in a number of cities like Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad etc. lodged violent protests against the loadshedding, culminating into loss of property and life. 

It is of particular attention that Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Asif warned on February 10, 2015 that although the electricity shortage in the country would be overcome within two to three years, the scarcity of water is another issue looming in the country. 

While, Pakistan has already been facing multiple challenges of grave nature coupled with a perennial phenomenon of terrorism like suicide attacks, bomb blasts, targetted killings etc., committed by the militants who are being backed by Indian secret agency, RAW, New Delhi also employs water as an instrument by increasing its scarcity, making life too often miserable for Pakistanis with the ultimate aim of creating poverty which could produce more terrorism in turn. And, India is likely to deepen differences among Pakistan’s provinces over various issues which are directly or indirectly related to water.
Nonetheless, Islamabad must include water as a major focus of agenda in the future dialogue; otherwise India is likely to continue its water terrorism against Pakistan. 

Major Challenge to Pak-China Alliance

                       

                                                           By Sajjad Shaukat

During the historical visit of the Chinese President Xi Jinping to Pakistan, on April 20, this year, he and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif signed 51 agreements for cooperation in various fields, related to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), energy, infrastructure, agriculture, research, technology, education etc.

The establishment of CPEC between deep Gwadar seaport of Balochistan and the historic Silk Road city in western regions-Xinjiang of China will connect Gilgit-Baltistan through Khunjerab Pass. Beijing would also build an international airport at Gwadar, while the roads infrastructure in Gwadar would link the communication network of rest of the country to facilitate transportation of goods.

When Gwadar seaport becomes fully operational, it would connect the landlocked Central Asian states with rest of the world. Being the commercial hub, the port is likely to increase volume of trade, bringing multiple economic and financial benefits to Pakistan like the Suez Canal which changed the destiny of Egypt when Israel returned it to the former. It will enable high-volume cargo vessels to move in the major oceans. Gwadar project will not only uplift the impoverished people of Balochistan by providing thousands of employment opportunities and is likely to develop whole the province by redressing their grievances. The resulting prosperity in the province would trickle down to the Baloch people and damp the separatist sentiments, which the hostile elements, supported by anti-Pakistan powers do not want.

Recall, when during the Musharraf regime, Islamabad initiated the construction of Gwadar deep-seaport in Balochistan in March 2002 with Chinese assistance, sirens went off in the capitals of foreign countries, especially the US, India and Israel which took it as a threat to their global and regional plans.

Located on the southwestern coast of Pakistan, Balochistan’s Gwadar seaport is close to the Strait of Hormuz from where more than 17 million barrels of oil passes every day. Its ideal location among three key regions, South Asia, the oil-rich Middle East, and oil and gas-resourced Central Asia has further increased its strategic significance. Its development has shifted the Great Game of Central Asia to Pakistan. Hence, sirens still continue alarming in the foreign countries.

Besides, Balochistan’s abundant mineral resources like gas, coal and gold, entailing Pakistan’s close ties with China also pinches the eyes of the US, India, Israel and some western countries which intend to destabilize Pakistan for their collective aims.

Therefore, major challenge to Pak-China strategic alliance is that with the tactical support of American CIA and Israeli Mossad, Indian RAW has continuously been assisting the Baloch separatist groups and Baloch Sub Nationalists to conduct subversive acts—and using terrorist elements in Balochistan to threat Pak-Chinese interest in the development of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. And, Afghanistan has become a hub from where external secret agencies have been funding and arranging subversive activities in other parts of Pakistan—especially in Balochistan through their affiliated militant groups at the cost of Pakistan, China and Iran. In the past few years, they abducted and killed many Chinese and Iranian nationals in Pakistan.

It is of particular attention, that Indian former Army Chief Gen. VK Singh openly admitted that during his tenure, he supervised special army unit, Tactical Support Division (TSD) on the instructions of the then defence minister to sponsor acts of sabotage in Pakistan, particularly Balochistan.

As regards the deteriorating situation of Balochistan, everyone knows that Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and their affiliated outfits including another group, Jundollah (God’s soldiers) which have been fighting for secession of the province gets logistic support from RAW and other anti-Pakistan spy agencies—these militants kidnapped and killed many innocent people and the security personnel in the province. They also massacred many persons through suicide attacks, bomb blasts, targeted killings and sectarian violence. Therefore, they are responsible for dumped bodies and extrajudicial killings in the province. On a number of occasions, these insurgent groups claimed responsibility for their subversive acts. The main aim behind is to create unrest in Balochistan and to discourage Beijing for the development of Gwadar port.

While, in May, 2013, a day before Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Islamabad; Chinese engineers being driven through Clifton Block-1 in Karachi escaped a major bomb attack. Taking note of the foreign powers’ anti-Pakistan designs, during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Islamabad made extraordinary security arrangements.

It is notable that a Gallup survey of the UK official body, DFID, conducted on July 20, 212, had disclosed that the vast majority of the Baloch people oppose the idea of an independent Balochistan.

As a result of the general elections 2013, the government led by the nationalist leader Chief Minister Balochistan Dr. Abdul Malik Baloch was established in Balochistan, while on December 7, 2013; local bodies elections were largely held in a peaceful manner in the province. These elections proved that majority of the Baloch are loyal to the federation, and have rejected the case of separatists, being projected by external forces which are weakening Pakistan by supporting the anti-state elements in Balochistan.

It is noteworthy that during his visit to Balochistan, Chief of Army Staff Gen. Raheel Sharif on April 15, this year warned foreign forces and spy agencies against destabilizing Pakistan by supporting insurgents in Balochistan. Gen. Raheel elaborated, “Army will continue supporting the Balochistan government till terrorism is wiped out…those found involved in funding and facilitating terrorists will be dealt with iron hands.”

In fact, Gen. Raheel Sharif was compelled to expose conspiracy against Pakistan after the gunmen killed 20 laborers in Turbat district of Baluchistan in the deadliest attack on April 11, who were working at a dam construction site.

It is worth-mentioning that during China’s visit, Gen. Raheel Sharif, on January 25, 2015, China’s Vice Chairman of Central Military Commission Gen. Fan has assured that China will assist Pakistan in every challenge.

Nevertheless, foreign entities shall pose a major challenge to Pak-China strategic alliance through terror-acts. Hence, the intelligence agencies and security forces of both the countries must be well-prepared to cope with these elements.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com