Pakistani Siasatdano k Naam

Modi k naam

Altaaf Hussain k naam

Achakzai k naam

Modi’s Extremist Policies Continue

By Sajjad Shaukat

Since the leader of the ruling party BJP Narendra Modi became Prime Minister of India, he has been implementing extremist policies against religious minorities, especially the Muslims and Pakistan.

Under Modi’s rule, various developments like unprecedented rise of Hindu extremism, persecution of minorities even of lower cast-Hindus, forced conversions of other religious minorities into Hindus, ban on beef and cow slaughter, inclusion of Hindu religious books in curriculum, creation of war-like situation with Pakistan etc. clearly show that encouraged by the Hindu fundamentalist outfits such as BJP, RSS VHP, Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena, including other similar parties have been promoting religious and ethnic chauvinism in India by propagating ideology of Hindutva (Hindu nationalism). Particularly, assaults on Christians and Muslims including their places of worships and property have been intensified by the fanatic Hindu mobs.

Without caring for severe criticism all over the world and even within his own country and especially in Pakistan BJP-led Modi’s extremist policies continue unabated.

In this regard, during his address on the Independence Day of India on August 15, 2016, Modi went aggressively further in a diatribe against Pakistan by claiming that people of Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir are thankful to home for raising voice for their suppressed rights.

On the other side, against his false anti-Pakistan statement, huge rallies and demonstrations were held in Balochistan, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, including some other cities of Pakistan. Opposing Indian intervention in Balochistan and other parts of Pakistan, the speakers on this occasion strongly condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aggressive designs against Pakistan and Kashmiris. They urged international community, civilized world and human rights organizations to take serious notice of the Indian state terrorism—genocide of Kashmiris in the Indian-occupied Kashmir and interference in Pakistan’s province of Balochistan.

In this respect, Pakistan Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said that the situation in Balochistan cannot be equated with Kashmir and Indian Prime Minister was only trying to divert world attention from the “grim tragedy” unfolding in Kashmir over the past five weeks.

In this context, in a statement, Pakistan’s foreign office indicated on August 18, 2016, “Pakistan is bleeding due to the sabotage activities by arch-rival India inside Pakistan…for the last several weeks after India launched a new campaign to silence the Kashmir freedom movement…dozens have been killed in Kashmir by the occupant forces after protests broke out against Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani’s murder on July 8 by the Indian security forces…Pakistan has raised the Kashmir issue at the UN and demanded sending a fact finding team to the held Valley to probe the human rights violations there.”

At a weekly media briefing, foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria stated that confessions of Indian spy agency Research and Analysis Wing’s agent Kulbhushan Yadav were irrefutable. He elaborated, “People of Pakistan have been victim of Indian spy agency’s sabotaging activities. RAW’s network, made under Yadav is busy in terrorist and sabotaging activities in Balochistan and Karachi.”

Meanwhile, in response to the letter of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in which he pointed out the deteriorating situation in Kashmir and the large-scale violations of human rights, being committed by Indian security forces, on August 19, this year, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon deplored the ongoing killings in Indian-held Kashmir, and urged India and Pakistan to settle Kashmir and other issues through dialogue. Ban Ki-moon explained in the letter, “I stand ready to offer my good offices... to facilitate dialogue in order to achieve a negotiated settlement…I deplore the loss of life in Kashmir and hope that all efforts will be made to avoid further violence.”

Besides, addressing a joint news conference with Sartaj Aziz at Islamabad on August 20, 2016, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Ayad Ameen Madani in Islamabad expressed grave concern over extra-judicial killings of people in the Indian-occupied Kashmir. He stated that OIC Contact Group on Kashmir has been playing an active role for the resolution of the Kashmir issue. Ayad Ameen Madani also urged the international community to be more vocal on the deteriorating human rights situation in Indian-held Kashmir and added, “OIC will support Pakistan on Kashmir issue”.

As regards Modi’s extremist policies, in this connection, recently,  Amnesty  International (AI) was banned by Indian government which also called it a traitor organization in India, and has registered a sedition case against it for highlighting the ongoing human rights violations in the Indian-occupied Kashmir, while raising voice in favour of people of the Kashmir. The prominent rights group held an event in the Indian city of Banglore on August 13, 2016, which focused on human rights abuses carried out by Indian security forces in Kashmir. In this respect, demonstrations were held in the Bangalore and Delhi to oppose Modi’s extremist moves.

In fact, in wake of continued siege and prolonged curfew, Indian security forces have martyred more than 80 innocent persons who have been protesting since July 8, 2016 against the martyrdom of the young Kashmir leader Burhan Wani by the Indian security forces.

The Chairman of All Parties Hurriyet Conference, Syed Ali Gilania who was leading a pro-freedom procession moving towards Dargah in Kashmir capital has been stopped at Naseem Bagh. Now, protest rallies against the Indian occupation have been accelerated and reported from every part of Kashmir, while Kashmiri leaders Gilani and Mirwaiz have been arrested. Protestors have been stormed with teargas and pellets by the Indian forces. Kashmir clashes also erupted in Prichoo Pulwama between protesters and occupational forces after the Friday prayers.

It is notable that on May 15, 2016, Indian media reported that a mutiny was staged by Jawans in an infantry unit of Indian Army deployed in North East. There were scuffles among Jawans and officers following a Jawan’s death. Although army is an independent institution, but due to extremist policies and Hindutva orientation of the BJP leader and Indian Prime Minister Narendra is also on the rise in army too.

It is mentionable that a well-known Indian-based Islamic-religious scholar Dr Zakir Naik is currently in Saudi Arabia and has decided to prolong his stay owing to the Indian extremist leader Sadhvi praqchi’s announcement (On July 14, 2016) of reward INR 5 million for a person who would cut off Naik’s head. However, it shows another instance of Indian extremist policies which continue under the Prime Minister Modi.

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

U.S. MILITARY NOW SAYS ISIS LEADER WAS HELD IN NOTORIOUS ABU GHRAIB PRISON

Joshua Eaton

IN FEBRUARY 2004, U.S. troops brought a man named Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim al-Badry to Abu Ghraib in Iraq and assigned him serial number US9IZ-157911CI. The prison was about to become international news, but the prisoner would remain largely unknown for the next decade.

At the time the man was brought in, Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba was finalizing his report on allegations of abuse at Abu Ghraib’s Hard Site — a prison building used to house detainees singled out for their alleged violence or their perceived intelligence value. Just weeks later, the first pictures of detainee abuse were published on CBS News and in the New Yorker.

Today, detainee US9IZ-157911CI is better known as Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State. His presence at Abu Ghraib, a fact not previously made public, provides yet another possible key to the enigmatic leader’s biography and may shed new light on the role U.S. detention facilities played in the rise of the Islamic State.

Experts have long known that Baghdadi spent time in U.S. custody during the occupation of Iraq. Previous reports suggested he was at Camp Bucca, a sprawling detention facility in southern Iraq. But the U.S. Army confirmed toThe Intercept that Baghdadi spent most of his time in U.S. custody at the notorious Abu Ghraib.

Baghdadi’s detainee records don’t mention Abu Ghraib by name. But the internment serial number that U.S. forces issued when they processed him came from the infamous prison, according to Army spokesperson Troy A. Rolan Sr.

“Former detainee al-Baghdadi’s internment serial number sequence number begins with ‘157,’” Rolan said, describing the first three digits of the second half of Baghdadi’s serial number. “This number range was assigned at the Abu Ghraib theater internment facility.”

The details of Baghdadi’s biography have always been murky, and his time in U.S. custody is no exception. In June 2014, the Daily Beast reported that the United States held Baghdadi at Camp Bucca from 2005 to 2009, citing Army Col. Kenneth King, the camp’s former commanding officer. However, King backtracked after U.S. officials told ABC News that Baghdadi was out of U.S. custody by 2006.

Days later, the Pentagon confirmed that Baghdadi was only in U.S. custody for 10 months, from February to December 2004. The Department of Defense told the fact-checking website PunditFact in a statement that Baghdadi was held at Camp Bucca. “A Combined Review and Release Board recommended ‘unconditional release’ of this detainee and he was released from U.S. custody shortly thereafter. We have no record of him being held at any other time.”

In February 2015, the Army released Baghdadi’s detainee records to Business Insider, in response to a records request. They showed that coalition forces first captured Baghdadi on February 4, 2004, in Fallujah, Iraq, and held him at Camp Bucca. But a line on one of the documents also suggested that Baghdadi had been transferred to Bucca after being held elsewhere — a detail that was not widely reported.

It turns out that Baghdadi was held at Abu Ghraib, just a stone’s throw from where he was captured in Fallujah, for eight of the 10 months that he was in detention. He was only transferred to Camp Bucca, some 400 miles south of Baghdad, on October 13 — less than two months before his release on December 9.

In the occupation’s first few years, U.S. facilities like Abu Ghraib and Camp Bucca developed a reputation as “jihadi universities” where hard-line extremists indoctrinated and recruited less radical inmates. Analysts have long suspected that Baghdadi took full advantage of his time at Bucca to link up with the jihadis and former Iraqi military officials who would later fill out the Islamic State’s leadership.

In November 2014, the Soufan Group, a private intelligence firm, published a list of nine Islamic State leaders it said had been detained at Camp Bucca. The list included Baghdadi and Hajji Bakr, a former Iraqi military official who became head of the Islamic State’s military council and is widely reported to have spent time in Bucca.

However, when The Intercept requested their detainee files, the Army Corrections Command said it could not find records that any of the men besides Baghdadi were ever in U.S. custody. Richard Barrett, a senior adviser at the Soufan Group who authored the 2014 report, declined to share the source for his information about Camp Bucca but said that at the time the report was drafted, the U.S. government never denied holding the senior leaders.

“It may be that the Army Corrections Command were not very clear who they held, as numbers were large and the ability to check identities fairly limited,” Barrett said in an email. “Whatever the facts, it is clear that ex-Baathists and other opponents of the U.S. invasion of Iraq were able to make contact and develop plans.”

There is also still some confusion about where and when Baghdadi was held. The timeline in Army records puts him at either Abu Ghraib or Camp Bucca for his entire 10-month detention. However, one document also mentions the Camp Adder Holding Facility — a possible reference to a former U.S. military base in southern Iraq. The Army denies that Baghdadi was ever held in that facility.

“There is no record of an external transfer to a Camp Adder,” Rolan, the Army spokesperson, wrote over email. “The Camp Adder reference likely refers to an internal movement within Abu Ghraib.”

It’s impossible to know what effect Baghdadi’s detention at Abu Ghraib had on his trajectory.

In late April 2004, while Baghdadi was held at the facility, CBS Newspublished photos that showed U.S. soldiers smiling next to piles of naked prisoners and a hooded detainee standing on a narrow box with electrical wires attached to his outstretched hands. An independent panel appointed by then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld called the abuse “acts of brutality and purposeless sadism.”

Officials blamed the photos on a few bad apples. But some U.S. interrogators in Iraq continued to use abusive techniques like stress positions after the photos were taken, according to Eric Fair, who has written a memoir about the time he spent as a civilian interrogator with the defense contractor CACI International at Abu Ghraib and in Fallujah in early 2004.

Fair does not believe that Baghdadi’s time in Abu Ghraib and Camp Bucca was a defining moment in the rise of the Islamic State. But, he says, the conditions inside U.S. detention facilities and the policy, early in the war, of housing extremists and former Iraqi military officials side by side contributed to the chaos that has engulfed Iraq and Syria.

“It’s the perfect playbook for how not to deconstruct an insurgency,” Fair said.

UN rejects Indian proposal to add Pak addresses on sanctions list

By Mariana Baabar

Islamabad

Pakistan announced Tuesday that the United Nations Security Council has rejected the Indian proposal to add three new addresses of Pakistan in the narrative summary of Dawood Ibrahim in its ISIL (Daesh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo.

“This information provided to the Committee by India was false and was motivated by the Indian aim to malign Pakistan and undermine its exemplary efforts to curb terrorism”, spokesman at the Foreign Office said in a statement.

He added that as for any previous reference in the narrative summary, all such references were factually incorrect and baseless.

It was an embarrassing day for India today, when the United Nations informed it that the three of the nine places cited by India as addresses of underworld don Dawoold Ibrahim in Pakistan have been found incorrect by a United Nations committee, which has removed these from its list.

In evidence to show that Dawood Ibrahim is holed up in Pakistan, a dossier prepared by India had listed nine residences of the underworld don in that country and stated that he is known to frequently change his locations and addresses there.

In the amendment, the Committee has stricken through an address that was later found to be similar to that of a residence belonging to Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi in Islamabad.

Earlier last year there were red faces all around in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs when one of the addresses given to the UN was that of the residence of Islamabad’s envoy to the UN Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi.

Lodhi had shrugged away these allegations and did not offer any remarks , but The News had told the Indian media that this Lodhi residence  has been with Lodhi’s family for decades, built by her parents in the early 1970s.

Consequently the UN Security Council’s al Qaida Sanctions Committee has dropped Ambassador Lodhi’s residence address.

It is mind boggling as how this emerging regional power trips over itself and provides addresses of highly respectable Pakistanis to the UN. The Indian High Commission in Islamabad could easily verify that this was an incorrect address as the Ambassador’s residence is no ordinary one, where VVIPs are seen frequently driving up when she is in residence.

However, the six other addresses provided by India have not been amended by the UN.  India, in a dossier, had cited these nine addresses as those frequented by Dawood.

According to the UN, “The amendment also strikes through other addresses.”

God alone knows which honorable souls live in these residences, and New Delhi should have the courage to apologize to unsuspecting Pakistani citizens.

The Hindu had reported last year that the dossier details “new residences purchased by Dawood Ibrahim”, and lists a property in Karachi “close to the residence of Bilawal Zardari” and another one with the address in Islamabad. It is this house in one of Islamabad’s most upmarket addresses that seems similar to the address of one of Pakistan’s best known diplomats, former Ambassador to the U.S. and currently the Pakistani Ambassador to the UN, Maleeha Lodhi.

As usual the UN dragged its feet to verify that New Delhi had provided wrong addresses and in fact by publishing them earlier had put to risk lives of those who inhabited these homes.

According to the UN, on 22 August 2016, the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) enacted the amendments specified with underline and strikethrough in the entry” concerning Dawood on its ISIL (Daesh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo,” it said.

The UN can seek permission and knock on the doors of those homes which they say belong to Dawood. Anyone but the wanted don, is likely to answer the door.

SAARC- A Chance Not Well Availed By India

Ishaal Zehra

In the absence of Indian, Bangladesh and Nepal's finance secretaries, the 8th SAARC Finance Minister conference on 25 August 2016, stressed on robust collaboration for trade liberalisation and regional connectivity among member states. The finance secretaries unanimously elected Finance Secretary of Pakistan Dr Waqar Masood Khan as chairperson of the meeting to discuss the agenda of promoting peace, stability, and shared prosperity. That was a good start to some healthy and prosperous relations amongst the South-Asian neighbouring countries. But India and the countries in its influential circle, or more honestly the Indian colonies, did their best to damage the peace process in the region.

Earlier this month, on 4 August 2016, Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh too left the SAARC Interior Ministers’ meeting halfway through after losing a war of words with his Pakistani counterpart Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. The Indian minister indirectly accused Pakistan of sponsoring terrorism but when the Pakistani Interior Minister responded, Mr Singh found it difficult to digest.

Chaudhry Nisar called upon the countries from the region to differentiate between terrorism and freedom movements, sanctified by the UN Security Council, and observed that violence against freedom fighters in a disputed territory under Indian occupation was state-sponsored. “It was not Pakistan that closed its doors to talks”, he said. “Pakistan is ready to engage in any dialogue process based on mutual respect and dignity with no strings attached. It is for those who have put conditions and sub-conditions for initiating dialogue to reconsider and realign their position.” He made it quite clear that unlike India’s claims, terrorist activities were not restricted to India, Afghanistan or Bangladesh. Scores of terrorist attacks had taken place in Pakistan and were equally condemnable, if not more so, he observed, specifically mentioning the attacks on Army Public School in Peshawar, the Bacha Khan University in Charsadda and the Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park in Lahore. Chaudhry Nisar observed that equating the movement for Kashmir’s liberation with terrorism was ‘dishonesty with history’. Interestingly, Rajnath Singh could not stick around much longer after that and left the venue without attending the final session of the conference.

Mani Shankar Aiyar who is a former Indian diplomat turned politician and a part of first Cabinet of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in the years 2004-2009, also criticized his Home Minister on having transformed SAARC into the South Asian Association for Regional Confrontation rather Cooperation by deviating from the SAARC proposed agenda.

At least Mani Shankar was sane enough to admit that Rajnath Singh had no constructive aims when he went for the SAARC conference. He only wanted to show naive and impressionable Indian saffronites that he had the chutzpah to tick off the Pakistanis on their own soil but unfortunately no one else was impressed.

What has been little reported or not reported at all in the Indian media is Pakistan Interior Minister, Chaudhury Nisar Ali Khan's riposte to Rajnath Singh. Mani Shankar was honest enough to admit that what Nisar Ali Khan had said in response was far more glaring and true: "violence against freedom fighters in a disputed territory under Indian occupation is state-sponsored". Did we [India] really want our partners in SAARC to hear such language directed at us? Or while we mutter that "talks and terrorism cannot go together", do we [India] really want to hear the Pakistani Interior Minister telling SAARC and the whole world that "Pakistan is ready to engage in any dialogue process based on mutual respect and dignity with no strings attached"?

“We certainly have not been seeing by the United States as coming out the victor. While ritually asking Pakistan to "act against groups targeting neighbours", the US State Department's deputy spokesman, Mark Toner, availed himself of the opportunity provided by the spat to restore the hyphenated US view of India and Pakistan. Toner said, "We advocate for closer cooperation, certainly, between India and Pakistan to deal with the terrorist threat in both countries". If that isn't one in the eye for India, I would like to know what is. Rajnath's position has been repudiated and Nisar Ali's view has been reflected in the US State Department's reaction to the SAARC Home Ministers' meeting. Toner went on to make things even more explicit: "Terrorism is obviously a reality in both countries, and in order to effectively confront it, they need to work together." We say we can't work with a terrorism-complicit Pakistan government; Pakistan says there is no alternative to India and Pakistan working together to control terrorism; and the US State department, mixing up who is its "Major Defence Partner" in South Asia, not only wants India to follow the Pakistan line, it endorses Nawaz Sharif's boast, saying, "We believe that Pakistan has taken and is taking steps to counter terrorist violence."

While Indian media has tried to inflame its readers opinion by pictures and stories of Pakistani terrorist leaders holding demonstrations against Rajnath Singh, a report by Imtiaz Ahmed in The Hindustan Times of 6 August 2016 gives a twist to the tale. It quotes Pakistani officials as saying that "it was the army that discouraged religious and hard-line parties from banding together under the banner of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council and holding countrywide protests. It was also ensured that the demonstrations would be held all of ten kilometres distant from the site of the meeting.”

India has gone insane when comes to maligning Pakistan. It has been desperate to downplay Pakistan since long and has been doing foolish attempts to achieve the task. In a recent attack to disgrace Pakistan internationally India prepared a dossier for the UN which listed residences of their underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, as an evidence to show that he is holed up in Pakistan. However, the UNSC has rejected the Indian proposal to add three new addresses of Pakistan in the narrative summary of Dawood Ibrahim in its ISIL (Daesh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo.

It was again an embarrassment for India, when the UN informed it that the three of the places cited by India as addresses of underworld don Dawoold Ibrahim in Pakistan have been found incorrect by a UN committee, which has removed these from its list. Last year too they had a similar bad taste when one of the addresses given to the UN was that of the residence of Islamabad’s envoy to the UN Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi. This residence has been with Lodhi’s family for decades, built by her parents in the early 1970s. Even the spokesman at Pakistan Foreign Office, in a statement, said that as for any previous reference in the narrative summary, all such references were factually incorrect and baseless.

It is inconceivable as how this emerging regional power trips over itself and provides addresses of highly respectable Pakistanis to the UN. The Indian High Commission in Islamabad could have easily verified that these were incorrect addresses before handing them over to the UN. Nonetheless, New Delhi should at least have the courage to apologize for its follies to those innocent Pakistani citizens in general and Pakistan in particular.

Indian Home Minister’s Failed Visit to Pakistan

By Sajjad Shaukat

Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Pakistan on August 3, this year to participate in the 3-day conference of the interior ministers/home ministers and other delegates of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member states, held in Islamabad.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit came at a time, when the tensions between Pakistan and India is running high in the aftermath of weeks-long violence in India-held Kashmir.

In his address to the SAARC interior ministers’ conference, like the past practice, India’s home minister made a direct taunt, aimed at the Pakistani government for its strong condemnation of the killing of Kashmiri leader Burhan Wani by Indian forces.

In response, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said, “use of excessive force to suppress protests in the Indian-held Kashmir…using torture against innocent children and violence against civilians qualifies as terrorism…there is a need to end an extremist mindset and instead try to solve regional issues with dialogue. Nisar added, “Like the attacks in Pathankot, Kabul, Mumbai and Dhaka…Pakistan too has lost many innocent lives due to terrorism…the use of blame game has not benefited anyone for the past six decades.”

Referring again to unrest in India-occupied Kashmir, the federal minister stated, “No country should suppress freedom struggles, while camouflaging them under the guise of terrorism.” Nisar reiterated the Kashmiri freedom struggle is sanctified by United Nations resolutions.

As Indian government officials were feeling guilty in wake of continued state terrorism on the Kashmiris, hence, they made it clear that Singh will not have a separate meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. However, no bilateral meeting between the Indian home minister and his Pakistani counterpart took place on the sidelines of the ministerial conference of SAARC.

Earlier, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif assured the SAARC conference that Pakistan will stand alongside its South Asian neighbours to eradicate corruption, organised crime and terrorism from the region. He elaborated, “The National Action Plan and carrying out the operation Zarb-i-Azb…the success proves that Pakistan is committed towards wiping out terrorism from its territory…Pakistan wishes for peace in all countries across the region and has always supported SAARC in pursuit of its goals.”

In fact, It is due to Indian war-mongering policy, desire to become a super power of Asia, illegal occupation of Kashmir and delaying tactics in settling all outstanding issues with Islamabad, particularly the Kashmir dispute that SAARC could not achieve its real objectives.

Nevertheless, thousands of people thronged the streets across Pakistan to protest against the visit of Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh, holding rallies, raising anti-India slogans and setting ablaze effigies of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Modi and Indian flags to condemn the Indian Army’s atrocities in occupied Kashmir.

In Islamabad, leaders and activists belonging to the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, the United Jihad Council and other human rights organisations chanted slogans against India for the recent acts of barbarism and human rights violations in Indian-held Kashmir. They said that there was no other way to resolve the Kashmir issue, but to paving the way for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.

Kashmiri leaders urge the international community and the world human rights organisations to take notice of Indian state terrorism and aggression on the Kashmiris and exert pressure on India to withdraw the occupation forces from the Valley.

In Lahore, the main rally was held on the Mall road outside Masjid-i-Shuhada and participated by a large number of students, lawyers, traders, civil society and people from other walks of life. The protesters were holding placards and banners bearing inscriptions against India and in support of Kashmiris and were raising slogans against Pakistani rulers for receiving the representative of a killer government—carrying out genocide of the Kashmiri Muslims.

Addressing the a protest-rally, Jamaatud Daawa (JD) Ameer Hafiz Saeed said that Islamabad should have emulated the Kashmiri leaders from occupied valley, who had refused to meet Rajnath Singh when he visited the Indian Occupied Kashmir recently. He appealed to the world to send a caravan for Kashmiris carrying essential food and medicine supplies like on the pattern of Freedom Flotilla for Palestinians, since Kashmiris today are facing severe shortage of food and medicines because of complete blockade of the valley for the last four weeks.

Nonetheless, the visit of Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh was quite significant in the backdrop of boiling situation in the Indian-occupied Kashmir and Mehbooba Mufti’s demand from Indian government “to restart the peace process with Pakistan” initiated by former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. Ms. Mufti had tried to cool own situation in the Indian-controlled Kashmir on the sidelines of Peoples Democratic Party’s 17th foundation day by saying that she would have spared life of Burhan Wani in case, she had knowledge about his (Wani’s) presence during the encounter. The statement is although a political stunt, yet its impact on BJP-PDP coalition in the Indian-held Kashmir and Raj Nath Singh’s visit to Pak, seems immense.

The Indian-held Kashmir is bracing continued siege and prolonged curfew for more than 28 days, while Indian security forces have martyred more than 80 innocent persons in these days. But, indigenous freedom movement by Kashmiri people against the Indian occupation forces have accelerated since the Indian forces martyred Kashmiri leader Burhan Wani.

It is notable that since the leader of the ruling party BJP Modi became Prime Minister of India, various developments like unprecedented rise of Hindu extremism, persecution of minorities even of lower cast-Hindus, forced conversions of other religious minorities into Hindus, ban on beef and cow slaughter, inclusion of Hindu religious books in curriculum, creation of war-like situation with Pakistan etc. clearly show that encouraged by the Hindu fundamentalist outfits such as BJP, RSS VHP, Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena including other similar parties have been promoting religious and ethnic chauvinism in India by propagating ideology of Hindutva (Hindu nationalism). Especially, assaults on Christians and Muslims including their places of worships and property have been intensified by the fanatic Hindu mobs.

While, New Delhi has introduced various laws and new battalions, but the same has failed in suppressing various freedom movements and uprisings all over India.

As regards India’s relations with neighbouring countries and role in SAARC, there is no neighbour around India, which does not suffer from her arrogance. Whenever the situation is favourable for a meaningful dialogue between Islamabad and New Delhi, RSS driven BJP creates conditions to cook up lame excuses to pollute the diplomatic ambiance.

BJP government‘s trademark allegations against Pakistan and incessant demand for probe or cooperation on various orchestrated issues by the Indian intelligence agencies are also noteworthy. In this respect, blame game against Pakistan for its failures has always been the favorite tactics and an easy way out for New Delhi. In this context, regarding terror attacks in Mumbai, Gurdaspur and Pathankot or any other incident, the blame on Islamabad came within minutes of the incident, forgetting the fact that a large numbers of separatist movements are active in India, in addition to its unruly extremist politico-religious elements.

Let us take the example of Pathankot incident, Indian demand for cooperation and probe is unjustified as no substantiated evidence has been shared with Pakistan, despite repeated demands by Islamabad. Pakistani media may highlight Samjhota express, Maligaon and such like other incidents which clearly indicated the involvement of Hindu extremist organization elements/ serving Army officers, but the culprits are either set scot free or exonerated by the India extremist influenced Judiciary.

Returning to our earlier discussion, Indian Home Minister’s Rajnath Singh’s visit to Pakistan has badly failed in wake of recent violence by the Indian occupying forces which keep on killing the innocent Kashmiris.

India’s Undeclared War against Pakistan

By Sajjad Shaukat

India had already started the undeclared war against Pakistan, which has been accelerated after the leader of the ruling party BJP Narendra Modi became Prime Minister of India. This war includes all the tactics of psychological warfare, propaganda and secret operations against Pakistan.

In this regard, while addressing a ceremony during his Bangladesh tour, Indian Prime Minister Modi openly stated on June 7, 2015 that Indian forces helped Mukti Bahini (terrorists) to turn East Pakistan into Bangladesh. He elaborated that former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had played an active role in separating Bangladesh from Pakistan, and he had also come to Delhi in 1971 to participate in the Satyagraha Movement, launched by Jana Sangh as a volunteer to garner support for the Mukti Bahini members.

During his address on the Independence Day of India on August 15, 2016, Modi went aggressively further in a diatribe against Pakistan by claiming that people of Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir are thankful to home for raising voice for their suppressed rights.

In fact, in wake of continued siege and prolonged curfew, Indian security forces have martyred more than 80 innocent persons who have been protesting since July 8, 2016 against the martyrdom of the young Kashmir leader Burhan Wani by the Indian security forces in the Indian-held Kashmir. Without caring for severe criticism all over the world and even within his own country and especially in Pakistan, BJP-led Modi’s extremist policies continue unabated.

As growing frustration in the Indian-occupied Kashmir situation brings more pressure on BJP- led Indian government, Modi has chosen offensive Psychological Operations against Pakistan. It is being manifested through all tools of Non Kinetic Warfare (NKW), mainly media and diplomacy. Since Indian NKW apparatus is quite effective within and outside India, Pakistan must expect this tirade to gain momentum in coming days.

Since New Delhi is trying to internationalize the fabricated issues of Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir (AK), Pakistan’s government and media need to counter the Indian anti-Pakistan moves and  to develop a response at international level as well. They must point out that Indian tirade in Balochistan is violation of UN charter and an outright non sense.

As part of the undeclared war against Pakistan, American CIA, Indian RAW and Israeli Mossad want to obtain the clandestine aims of their countries, particularly by sabotaging China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). In this respect,  a deadly suicide bomber in Quetta-the provincial capital of Pakistan killed at least 74 people on August 8, 2016 in an attack at the government-run Civil Hospital was part of the scheme. However, especially, the US and India are playing double game with Islamabad.

In this context, based in Afghanistan, operatives of CIA, Mossad and RAW which are well-penetrated in the Islamic State group (Also known as Daesh, ISIS, ISIL) the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and their affiliated Taliban groups are using their terrorists to destabilize Tibetan regions of China, Iranian Sistan-Baluchistan and Pakistan’s Balochistan province by arranging the subversive activities. As part of the double game, these foreign agencies are also in connivance with the Afghan intelligence agency-Afghan National Directorate of Security (NDS) and have arranged various acts of terrorism inflicting harm to Pakistan, especially Balochistan.

As regards Balochistan, every Pakistani knows that separatist groups like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and their affiliated outfits, including Jundollah (God’s soldiers), Lashkar-i-Janghvi which have been creating unrest in the Balochistan get logistic support from RAW and Mossad with the tactical assistance of CIA. In the recent years, these terrorist outfits massacred many persons through suicide attacks, bomb blasts, targeted killings and sectarian violence. In the recent past, these externally-supported insurgent groups kidnapped and killed many Chinese and Iranian nationals in Pakistan including Iranian diplomats. They have claimed responsibility for a number of terror assaults, including those on Shias in Balochsitan and Iranian Sistan-Baluchistan.

It is of particular attention that arrest of the Indian spy Kulbushan Yadav in Balochistan has exposed Indian undeclared war against Pakistan. While addressing a joint press conference with Federal Minister for Information Pervaiz Rasheed, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt. Gen. Asim Saleem Bajwa said on March 29, 2016, “Kulbushan Yadav’s arrest is a rare case that does not happen very often.” He disclosed that Yadav was an active officer of the Indian Navy prior to his joining RAW. He also served as a scrap dealer and had a jewelry business in Chahbahar, Iran, after he joined RAW in 2013.

A video was also shown during the press conference in which Yadav confessed that he spied for India.Yadav admitted that he was assigned with the task to create unrest in Karachi and Balolchitan by stating, “I supported the individuals who worked to destabilize Pakistan…I promoted the criminal mindset that was there in Balochistan.” Another task assigned to him was to target the Gwadar Port. Yadav also confessed—funding Baloch separatists along with other terrorists. During investigation, RAW agent Yadav admitted that during his stay, he contacted various Baloch separatist leaders and insurgents, including Dr Allah Nazar Baloch, to execute the task to damage the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project.

Regarding Indian inteference in Pakistan, a website the “www.theworldbeast.com” has also published a number of articles.

However, Pakistan’s future lies in a happy and prosperous Balochistan and CPEC would be a game changer in the region. Various projects within Balochistan soil will get boost as a result of CPEC. India is actually working against interests and the future of people of Balochistan.   

Balochistan has made tremendous progress in last three decades and is opening up through infrastructural developments and major industrial projects. Gwadar Deep sea port, Kasa Marble, Chamalang Coal Mines, Sandak Gold Copper mines, Coastal Highway to Gwadar, Quetta-Gawadar Road etc. have placed Gwadar on a path of strategic development.

Pakistan Army has made tremendous contributions for Balochistan in shape of Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) and National Logistic Cell (NLC). The country is paying due attention to human resource development in Balochistan with active participation of the Army, Navy and Air Force. These include Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Quetta, Medical College, and host of new Cadet Colleges like Sui, Ormara, Gwadar Technical Institute, Frontier Constabulary (FC) Public schools, Balochistan University of Information, Science and technology (BUITMS), BITE etc. Baloch officers are joining Pakistan Defence forces in large numbers.

Despite RAWs effort to sabotage Balochistan’s peace through the Quetta blast, recent celebration of the Independence Day across all areas within Balochistan province is a clear manifestation of the fact that Baloch people are with Pakistan.

Within Baloch population only, few angry brothers, which are as less as 2500 are part of the so- called separatist groups like BLA and BRA, That is not even 02% of entire population of Balochistan.

It is noteworthy that the Baloch separatist leader Brahamdagh Bugti is being backed by the above mentioned foreign countries. Some online reports say that there are indicators that Bollywood would make a Blockbuster on Nawab Akbar Bugti, this could have major consequences for war of perception within Pakistan.

At this crucial hour, Pakistan must counter India’s undeclared war. Time has come to ruthlessly curb Indian media ingress within Pakistan. Islamabad can start ban Bollywood in Pakistan, ban Indian advertisements and ban cultural exchanges within Indian and Pakistani academia.

Besides, Sikh diaspora across the globe is gearing up for a referendum on Khalistan and has even approached Pakistani friends to help them build a case for Independent Khalistan. Pakistan could develop enhanced focus through all tools of NKW. There have been encouraging statements by Sikh leadership within and outside Indian Punjab, which need to be focused.

Apart from Kashmir, these topics could cover major movements of secession and independence within India. Pakistan’s top officials and media could focus on Naxalites, Bodos, Nagas, ULFA ultras, Gorkhas etc. operating across Indian Eastern Seaboard and Seven Sisters. Indian North South fault line also needs to be exposed. Entire Hindu caste system and plight of religious minorities like Dalits and Christians also require concentration.

While, 350 million Dalits are suffering at the hands of Brahmin Raj, BJP’s militant wings like Shiv Sena and RSS have made the life of Dalits and Muslims as a hell hole and Dalits within India have started collaborating on issue of human rights and also raised their voice in international forums. Time has come for “Dalitstan” as an independent entity.

History of Indian hegemony in South Asia is also of particular attention. India absorbed Sikkim (60s), fought with China (62), Bhutan was made nominally independent, Nepal was and is being exploited, Sri Lanka was invaded and subjected through Tamil Terror, and even Maldives was not spared. Despite the so-called India-Bangladesh brotherhood, 70% Bangladeshis detest Indian intervention; Farrakha Barrage is a case in point. Pakistan is the only country in South Asia which gives a ray of hope to other regional countries against Indian hegemony.

With longest un-demarcated border in the world (4000 kms) between India and China, it is a powder keg waiting for explosion. New Delhi has already sided with the US, Japan and Australia in building up the Asia Pivot against China and Russian Federation, why should India be tolerated in the association of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa  (BRICS) when it is working against two of its major partners.

Nevertheless, despite the ingress of Shining Indian themes in western world and Middle East, India’s growing population is considered as a threat. Some research needs to be done to highlight why Indians are not considered for US visa lottery and why Australia is shy of Indians.

Some online sources have disclosed that there is a RAW-NDS-ISIS-TTP nexus which is also linked with terrorism within Afghanistan to create further unrest in the war-torn country, so that India could continue fulfilling sinister designs against Pakistan and Iran. And Indian attempt to raise the case for free Balochistan will give a fillip to Iranian Sistan-Balochistan as well. This is what the anti-Pakistan and anti-Iran CIA, Mossad and especially RAW want.

Pakistan's National Security Dynamics

By Tariq Rizwan

Pakistan came into being in 1947, the only second country in the name of Islam after the state of Madina. It was strong desire of the founder of the nation to have a true democracy in the country and make Pakistan a welfare state. Almost 70 years have lapsed but we failed to improve our governance system. During our short history, we have experienced a very confused system of governance. Institutional vendetta is rampant prompted by the evils of personality and family based politics coupled by rampant corruption in almost all spheres of life. Indeed, Pakistan is considered one of the most resourceful countries in terms of geostrategic location, strong agriculture sector, cheap labor and the unexplored mineral reserves. Apart, Pakistan has a diverse society which has never been transformed into an opportunity rather remained a menace to our national security.

We have inherited a very diverse society from the scratch and some watchful enemies in the neighborhood. Our diversity has remained a soft target and our staunch enemy has never missed any opportunity. Occupation of major portion of Kashmir in the beginning and the separation of East Pakistan in 1971 are the cases in point. Our consecutive governments have miserably failed to cover up its fault lines and are being exploited till today by the regional and extra regional powers to their advantage. Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Gilgit Baltistan, Balochistan, Sindh specially Karachi and southern parts of Punjab continued to be Pakistan’s problem areas under the watchful eyes of regional enemies.

During his recent speech on Independence Day 15 Aug, 2016, Indian Prime Minister Nerender Modi crossed all the limits and opened alleged gross violation of human rights in Balochistan, Gilgit - Baltistan and Azad Kashmir. It was part of India’s tit - for - tat policy to the growing indigenous resurgence in Occupied Kashmir in recent weeks where more than 80 innocent Kashmiris have been killed and hundreds other injured as a result of Indian Army’s use of force against the peaceful protestors. Pakistan foreign office spokesman has termed Modi’s speech as ‘crossing of a red line’.

FATA, the semi-autonomous tribal lands consist of seven Agencies "Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, North and South Waziristan. There are also six smaller zones known as frontier regions in the transitional area between the tribal lands and the KPK to the east. The harsh, mountainous terrain of tribal belt runs along the Afghanistan border, drawn during colonial times by British diplomat Sir Henry Mortimer Durand as a means to divide and weaken the eleven major Pashtun tribes and turn Afghanistan into a buffer zone between the British and Russian empires. ‘Durand Line’ was signed between Sir Durand and Amir Abdurehman of Afghanistan in 1893. To the south of the tribal lands lies the large province of Balochistan.

Tribal people joined Pakistan rather than India in 1947. The narrow strip ‘FATA’ is being ruled through a centuries old black law called ‘Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR)' made by the Britishers. This brutal law like collective responsibility was introduced by the Colonial Empire to punish the tribals for their disobedience and armed resistance. These tribals were later on instrumental in liberating the Azad Kashmir from the Indian clutches. They fought bravely against the Indian occupational troops. Instead of rewarding them, Pakistan has not brought any change in FCR except the introduction of adult franchise and extension of political act through ordinances by former PPP Presidents Farooq Ahmed Khan Laghari and Asif Ali Zardari respectively. People of FATA are deprived of basic rights including political, social, economical, educational, legal etc. Even the elected representatives have no say in the parliamentary and administrative affairs of their areas via a vis the Political Agents. The later are considered as uncrowned kings due to their absolute powers in FCR.

There is no writ of government in the area. FATA remains like an open field. History shows that incursion of Mughals, Soviets, Taliban militants etc took place at ease and remains a source of trouble till today. It is an open secret that most of the terrorism in the country comes from FATA due to lack of government writ. Though Pakistan Army has improved the road infrastructure to a greater extent, yet the ongoing cosmetic measures are not the ultimate solution.  Tribal populace is stuck up between the devil and deep sea. They are the sufferers by end of the day due to military operation, US drone strikes and militant activities. Their culture, traditions, economy and housing infrastructure specially in operational areas has been destroyed completely.  due to flight of capital due to insecurity of life and property. Being hub of militant activities, hundreds of thousands of innocent tribal people have lost their lives and displaced in the ongoing war on terror.

Despite FATA Reforms Committee report, Pakistan has yet to extend law of the land to FATA and bring it into the mainstream. It does not augur well for the multi billion dollars CPEC. However, inclusion of FATA reforms in National Action Plan (NAP) is an encouraging step to change its administrative status, introduce political activities and bring socio economic development in the area. 

Balochistan too remained backward due to such criminal negligence on the part of the state. Masses are deprived of basic rights. Though the law of the land prevails yet due to the meager resources provided by the state, the province remains extremely backward. Being a huge landscape, Balochistan is laden with plenty of mineral resources but remained unexplored either due to state neglect or due to security reasons coupled by the corrupt and exploitative attitude of local Nawabs, Sardars and those who were on the helm of affairs. Unprofessional handling of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti added fuel to the fire. As a result, the locals became a soft target to be exploited by the enemies for their vested interests. The self exiled rebel Baloch leaders including Khan of Kalat, Hairbyar Marri and Brahmdagh Bugti continued to be exploited by the foreign powers specially the Jewish lobby and RAW-NDS nexus at their convenience to achieve their agenda of destabilizing Pakistan. The recent suicide attack in Quetta and interview of Brahmdagh, thanking Prime Minister Modi for showing sympathies for Baloch are evident in this regard. The enemy is using mercenaries to undermine CPEC.

Situation in Gilgit - Baltistan and Karachi is also fragile. The area remained backward and lacks development in the field of infrastructure, health, education, industrialization etc. Apart from the security measures taken for CPEC, government has to transfer more funds to these areas to bring it at par with Punjab, change the political status of FATA without wasting any more time and take the political parties on board. Pakistan is going to lose a golden opportunity as China has huge potentials in terms of finances, technology, human expertise and ready to provide all these. Indeed, Pakistan has to take bold steps and convince China of its sincerity in developing the shortest Western CPEC route. Otherwise all will be in vain and our coming generations will curse us as usual.

The writer is a freelance journalist based in Islamabad

From isolation to triumph: Pakistan’s journey to the top

By REUTERS

Pakistan have long been regarded as a talented yet inconsistent side, but through a combination of sheer hard work, application and a little help from some inclement Caribbean weather, the South Asian side sit atop the test rankings for a first time.

Misbah-ul-Haq´s men thrashed hosts England at the Oval, the venue of one of the country´s darkest moments in cricket, earlier this month to earn a 2-2 draw in the four-test series and prove to many that they can compete on any surface.

Last Wednesday, Sri Lanka completed a 3-0 whitewash of table-topping Australia to allow India to go top of the ICC rankings and when four straight days of rain denied the Indians a 3-0 series win in the West Indies, Pakistan were elevated to the top of the pile without bowling a ball.

"This is what cricketers play for and want to achieve in their careers. It is a reward for something we had planned as a group a few years ago and have worked extremely hard to achieve it," Misbah told reporters of the rise to the top.

Unable to play at home since a 2009 militant attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore and shorn of bowling prospect Mohammad Amir in the wake of a damaging spot-fixing scandal at the Oval in 2010, Pakistan have ploughed a lonely furrow in cricket´s wilderness.

Undaunted by the isolation, Amir has returned after serving a five-year ban and immediately added fire to a formidable pace attack that, supplemented by the guile of imposing leg-spinner Yasir Shah, can run through any batting order.

Led by the evergreen Misbah and his able aging cohort Younus Khan, their vital experience has enabled a younger generation of batsmen to shine as Pakistan have capitalised on the dust bowl pitches in their UAE surrogate home to see off all-comers.

In the last two years, Pakistan have beaten Australia and England at home, drawn with New Zealand, and earned impressive away series wins in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh before the 2-2 draw against the English gave the world notice of their class.

"For us, the number one ranking is not a destination but part of a journey," Misbah added. "Our long-term objective and strategy is to remain competitive, continue to challenge the top sides with good cricket and once again become the most followed side like the Pakistan teams of yesteryear.

"While climbing to the top has been a long and arduous journey, the real challenge for Pakistan is staying there and test series in New Zealand and Australia at the end of the year will be the biggest indicator of just how far they have come.”

Modi raises the stakes

Shahid M Amin

The last few days have seen a marked deterioration in relations between Pakistan and India. Moreover, Indian influence is growing in Iran and Afghanistan, giving Pakistan a sense of encirclement. On the other hand, Pakistan’s ties with China have taken a quantum leap with the launching of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is likely to transform Pakistan’s economy and will strengthen Pakistan in other sectors as well. Such a prospect does not suit India. The enhanced Indian hostility towards Pakistan couild be motivated by a desire to sabotage or minimise projects under CPEC. These developments need careful evaluation by Pakistani policy-makers.
India is the second most populous country in the world and the fourth largest military power. It has a huge market, which gives it considerable leverage in international relations. India has made rapid economic progress but about 30% of its people still live below the poverty line. India is a democracy and has maintained political stability. It enjoys considerable political influence in the world. But India has all along sought to dominate its neighbours. Only Pakistan has stood in the way of Indian domination of South Asia. India also has had a troubled relationship with China with which it is in an undeclared competition for leadership of Asia. After the collapse of Soviet Union, its old ally, India has established a strategic alliance with USA in which the driving force is a common rivalry with China. Pakistan’s alliance with China is a particular eyesore for India.
India-Pakistan relations remain a hostage of history and religion. For a thousand years, Muslims held power in India, although Hindus remained the majority. Despite living together for centuries, genuine integration did not take place and the two communities maintained their distinct national identity. In the 20th century, irreconcilable differences between Hindus and Muslims on the constitutional setup eventually forced the Muslims to demand the division of India and setting up of Pakistan in Muslim-majority areas. Since their independence, India and Pakistan have remained pitted against each other despite periodic efforts to improve bilateral relations. Behind platitudes about secularism in India and desire for good relations with Pakistan, the underlying problem in India remains resentment against Muslims who had ruled over Hindu majority for a thousand years. After independence, Hindu supremacy in India is unchallenged but Pakistan is seen by many Indians as the continuation of that Muslim past. Besides, it is the only country in region opposing Indian ascendency. The hard-liners in India, including the ruling BJP, want to cripple or destroy Pakistan.
Kashmir remains the most serious problem between India and Pakistan. It has a Muslim majority and should have become a part of Pakistan but, through deceit and use of force in 1947, Kashmir is largely under the control of India. The Kashmiri people remain unreconciled to Indian occupation. The latest situation is that mass anti-India demonstrations are taking place in Kashmir since July 2016, after the killing by Indian military of Burhan Wani, a young Kashmiri militant leader. India has used brute force, including pellet guns that have blinded many protestors. The scale of unrest is unprecedented.
Turning a blind eye to realities in Kashmir, India is accusing Pakistan of abetting the current unrest. Pakistan maintains that the Kashmiri struggle is purely indigenous. Pakistan has openly sympathised with Kashmiri protestors and is raising the Kashmir issue in international forums. The current turmoil in Kashmir has aroused international concern. This is clearly pinching India and it has now adopted a new strategy to strike back against Pakistan.
In his speech on India’s Independence Day, Prime Minister Modi raised the temperature by publicly supporting the secessionists in Balochistan. He also claimed that the people in Pakistani-held Kashmir are being oppressed by Pakistan. But Modi’s claims fly in the face of realities. There is no sentiment in Azad Kashmir to separate from Pakistan or join India. So far as Balochistan is concerned, the whole world recognises it as a Pakistani province. India’s support for Baluch secessionists is a flagrant violation of international norms and constitutes interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs. In the words of a Pakistani spokesman, India has crossed a ‘red line’.
Pakistan can retaliate by supporting secessionists in several states in India like Punjab, Nagaland and Mizoram. However, it would be wiser for Pakistan to remain on the moral high ground and adopt a low-key response to Modi’s provocations on Balochistan. Any tit-for-tat policy would merely divert world attention from the Kashmir situation. This is what India would welcome and this could well be the reason why Modi raised the Balochistan bogey. Modi’s comments corroborate Pakistan’s view that India has been involved in subversive activities in Balochistan. This was also proved by the arrest of Yadav, an operative of RAW, who admitted being involved in subversive activities there for about ten years. In the words of Nirupama Subramanian, an Indian journalist, Modi has given Pakistan “a huge helping hand to drive home its India-hand claim about the Baluch struggle. Perhaps worse than this is that in one swoop, Modi has discredited the struggle’s indigenous moorings.” Nirupama added that in Pakistani Kashmir, “there is no popular unrest. Much as India might wish, there is no people’s movement. Most people living (in Azad Kashmir) think of themselves as Pakistanis. As for Gilgit Baltistan, being united with India is not on their wish-list. What Gilgit-Baltistan wants most is to become Pakistan’s “fifth province” so that it has the same constitutional rights that the other four enjoy.”
It is possible that Modi is playing internal politics by employing anti-Pakistan rhetoric, with an eye on the forthcoming UP elections. His party is dedicated to Hindu fundamentalism. This has been a key reason behind its popularity in India, where such mentality appeals to many Hindus. In any event, Modi is playing with fire and must not forget that Pakistan is a nuclear power with missile capability. The strategic reality is that a nuclear confrontation is in the interest of neither country. The nuclear deterrent will ensure Pakistan’s survival, irrespective of any Indian intrigues. Another strategic reality is that Modi’s words will not bring about the separation of Balochistan where the secessionists have been further discredited due to India’s open support for their cause.
— The writer served as Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, the ex-Soviet Union, France, Nigeria and Libya.