India 'Stuck In 1962 War Mindset': Chinese Media On Nuke Club NSG Bid

Beijing, China: 

In China, the state-run media is continuing a sharply critical analysis of India's bid to enter the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group or NSG, which was thwarted by Beijing last month.

A state-run daily today said India is "still stuck in the 1962 war mindset" as it called for a more objective evaluation of Beijing's stand.

"The Indian public seems to be having a hard time accepting the outcome of the Seoul plenary meeting of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) late last month after India failed to gain entry into NSG," an oped-page article in Global Times said.

The country seems to be "still stuck" in the shadow of the war with China in the 1960s and many still hold on to the "obsolete geopolitical view" that China does not want to see India's rise, it said.

"However, New Delhi may have misunderstood Beijing, which can make a big difference in its strategic decisions. In fact, China no longer looks at India simply from a political perspective, but far more from an economic one," the article said.

As New Delhi pushed its case to join the NSG last month, the Global Times, part of the publications of the ruling Communist Party of China publications, carried a number of articles including a hard-hitting editorial claiming that China's stand is "morally legitimate" and the West has "spoiled" India.

China has said that because India has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the major global arms pact, it should not be allowed into the 48-nation bloc that controls the trade in nuclear technology and guards against a nuclear weapons race.

The US has lobbied heavily on India's behalf, arguing that Delhi's nuclear programme has been a responsible one, unlike that of Pakistan.

India better put more efforts into figuring out how to obtain international trust rather than misinterpreting and defaming China," said today's editorial, reflecting that other countries expressed similar misgivings about membership for India.

The NSG is expected to meet later this year for a likely discussion on India's membership, along with that of other countries who have not signed the non-proliferation treaty.

Covert Aims behind Illegal Drone Attacks

                                        

By Sajjad Shaukat

Under the pretext of American so-called counterinsurgency programme, and by implementing the anti-Muslim policy of his predecessor, the US President Barack Obama has broken all the record of human rights by extrajudicial killings of the innocent people through CIA-operated drone attacks in Afghanistan, Somalia, Yemen etc. in general and Pakistan in particular, while, the United States claims to be protector of human rights not only inside the country, but also all over the world.

On March 11, 2014, Ben Emmerson, UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights, who conducted an investigation into targeted killings, and examined legality of drone strikes, presented his report on drone strikes to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC). His report examined 37 drone strikes as sample—the US, UK and Israel have launched in Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia and Gaza, which resulted into civilian casualties. Emmerson told the HRC, “These strikes require a legal duty on the relevant states to provide…a justification for the use of deadly force…to disclose the results of their own fact finding inquiries,why no such inquiries have taken place.”

Emmerson also referred to an interactive website, produced by Forensic Architecture team which marked the location of 30 drone strikes which helped in his final report.

In this context, Professor Eyal Weizman, the Principal Investigator of the Forensic Architecture project said, “Studying buildings hit by drones reveal much of consequences of a strike. The work we do is essential because states undertaking drone strikes, such as the US and Israel, attempt to hide actions and even deny them outright.”

However, CIA-operated illegal drone attacks in Pakistan cannot be seen in isolation, as these strikes are part of the US-led covert aims against this only nuclear country in the Islamic World.

May 21, 2016, the CIA-operated drone strike killed the Chief of the Afghan Taliban Mullah Akhtar Mansour in Nushki, Balochistan. After the incident, Afghan Taliban leaders refused to participate in the US-sponsored talks with the Afghan government. Notably, in the recent past, with the help of Pakistan, a series of meetings were held in Islamabad and Kabul among the representatives of Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and the US to develop an understanding for the earliest possible resumption of stalled talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban with view to ending nearly 15 years of bloodshed in Afghanistan. For the purpose, a number of the meetings were also held among Pakistan, America, China and Afghanistan. This latest strike by the US predator in Balochistan province gave a greater setback to peace process for Afghanistan under the Quadrilateral Coordination Group framework, which started in Murree with strenuous efforts of Islamabad.

On June 10, this year, a high-level delegation of the US visited Islamabad and met Pakistan’s Chief of the Army Staff Gen. Raheel Sharif and Adviser to the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz Adviser separately.

During the meeting, expressing his serious concern on the US drone attack in Balochistan as a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty, Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Raheel Sharif highlighted as to how it had impacted the mutual trust and was counterproductive in consolidating the gains of Operation Zarb-e-Azb. Gen. Raheel Sharif by elaborated, “All stakeholders need to understand Pakistan’s challenges…inter-tribal linkages and decades-old presence of over three million refugees…blaming Pakistan for instability in Afghanistan is unfortunate…target TTP [Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan] and its chief Mullah Fazlullah in their bases in Afghanistan—Indian RAW and NDS [Afghan National Directorate of Security] are fomenting terrorism in Pakistan which is committed to work for a long term peace process for Afghanistan under the Quadrilateral Coordination Group framework.”

On the one hand, Washington has demanded Pakistan’s support for dialogue with the Afghan Taliban, while targeted Taliban Chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour with drone, putting Islamabad in to a difficult position. In fact, these are part of American double game to destabilize Pakistan in order to obtain the secret goals of America, India and Israel.

The US has always preferred New Delhi over Islamabad. In this regard, during the recent visit of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to America, addressing the media jointly, Prime Minister Modi said “I am thankful for the help and support that my friend Barack Obama has extended with regard to India’s membership of the Missile Technology Control Regime and Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).”

America has been backing Indian hegemony in Asia to counterbalance China. During President Obama’s second visit to India, the US and India announced a breakthrough on a pact which would allow American companies to supply New Delhi with civilian nuclear technology, as agreed upon in 2008. This duplicity has initiated a dangerous arms race between Pakistan and India, and between China and India.  

Setting aside the Indian irresponsible record of non-proliferation, and safety of nuclear arms, Washington also pressurized the International Atomic Agency (IAEA) to sign an accord of specific safeguards with India. America had already contacted the NSG to grant a waiver to India for starting civil nuclear trade on larger scale.

Undoubtedly, unlike India, Pakistan’s nuclear assets are in safe hands—well-protected and are under tight security arrangements, having the best command and control system. However, taking cognizance of the US double standard, China and some responsible countries have decided to oppose in the meeting of the NSG to grant a waiver to India in this regard.

Indian desperation in Afghanistan is increasing in the backdrop of growing engagements of Islamabad, Kabul, Beijing and Washington. Therefore, by arranging terror-assaults in Pakistan and Afghanistan, New Delhi is also sabotaging the peace process between the Afghan officials and representatives of Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan.

Based in Afghanistan, American CIA, Indian RAW and Israeli Mossad which are well-penetrated in the ISIS and the TTP are using the militants of these terrorist outfits to destabilize Tibetan regions of China, Iranian Sistan-Baluchistan and Pakistan’s province of Balochistan by arranging the subversive activities. In this connection, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is their special target. Collectively or individually, these intelligence agencies are also assisting Jundullah (God’s soldiers)—the Sunni militant group which is active in Balochistan against Shias.

Based in the Afghan provinces of Kunar and Nuristan, Mullah Fazlullah, chief of the TTP is running a parallel government in Afghanistan. The militants of this group have their own legal system and own authority, exercising strict control.

It is notable that Pakistan’s Armed Forces broke the backbone of the militants through military operation Zarb-i-Azb—killing thousands of insurgents including foreign terrorists, while, primary intelligence agency ISI and other law-enforcing agencies captured several terrorists in various regions of Pakistan. Therefore, the aim of the drone strike is to thwart, the success of Pakistan, achieved against terrorists.

These strikes by the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) which started on Pakistan’s tribal areas during the Bush era in 2004, intensified under the Obama Administration.

 It is mentionable that in 2013, first time, a US Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch supporter of the predator attacks, openly admitted that 4,700 people have been killed by the raids of America’s secretive drone war. The number exceeds some independent estimates of the death toll.

According to the research of London-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism, “Between June 2004 and September 2012, these unmanned aerial vehicles killed between 2,562 and 3,325 people in Pakistan, of whom between 474 and 881 were civilians including 176 children.” In this respect, in a report, The Guardian disclosed on August 11, 2011, “The CIA claims that there has been not one non-combatant killed in the past year…it is a bleak view: more people killed than previously thought.”

But, details collected by the Pakistani journalists show that civilian casualties through unmanned aircraft are higher as indicated by the US officials—more than 5000 innocent civilians and only 22 Al-Qaeda commanders have been killed by these aerial attacks.

In fact, American such a duplicity contains many other covert designs. America wants to provoke the tribal people against Pakistan’s security forces. The US drone campaign could give a setback to the democratic system in Pakistan. Its another aim is to create a rift between Pakistan’s armed forces and the elected government on one side and opposition parties including general masses on the other.

And the US seeks to incite the tribal people to join the militant outfits and to conduct terror attacks inside Pakistan. In this respect, a report of the New America Foundation revealed, “When the US drones attack Pakistan’s tribal areas, it is not just the 10, or 50 innocent civilians they kill, these killings provide reason to the youngsters for joining terrorist groups waging war against US and of course Pakistan…while killing 10 militants, the US has murdered more than 1400 Pakistanis, not involved in any terrorist activities. Could it not imply that it gave birth to another 1400 militants?”

Based on research, a report, “Living Under Drones,” prepared by experts from Stanford Law School and the New York University School of Law had revealed that the US campaign of drone “strikes in Pakistan’s northwestern tribal belt is terrorizing civilians 24 hours a day and breeding bitter anti-American sentiment…have killed thousands of people…even stopping their children going to school for fear of being targeted.” The report urged Washington to rethink its drone strategy, arguing it was counterproductive and undermined international law.

The New York Time on May 26, 2011, disclosed, “President Obama has become personally involved in the process” and “has normalized extrajudicial killings from the Oval Office, taking advantage of America’s temporary advantage in drone technology. Without the scrutiny of the legislature, Obama is authorizing murder on a weekly basis.”

While justifying these air strikes by the spy planes, counterterrorism advisor to Obama, John Brennan who had faced a Senate confirmation hearing for his nominee as CIA director is the main player, advising Obama on which strike, he should approve. Although he has defended attacks by the CIA-controlled unmanned planes by justifying their success in eliminating Al Qaeda militants, yet these strikes are proving counterproductive for Pakistan.

Nevertheless, setting aside the parliament resolution, rallies and processions of Pakistan’s political and religious parties, while ignoring the Pak-US rapprochement, and without bothering for any internal backlash, these aerial attacks have kept on going on the tribal regions.

Now, trust deficit has deepened between Pakistan and the US since May 21, 2016, when the CIA-operated drone strike killed the Chief of the Afghan Taliban Mullah Akhtar Mansour in Balochistan.

US ex-presidents, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton have opposed Obama’s faulty drone strategy. Even, Secretary of State John Kerry has also criticized unabated use of unilateral drones in Pakistan, saying, “US engagement with the world is not just about drones.”

Apart from widespread criticism from some US allies and human rights groups which have remarked that these aerial attacks are illegal and unethical, and violation of the targeted countries’ sovereignty, the United Nations Charter, universal declaration of human rights and international law, the US warrior President Obama remains obstinate to continue extrajudicial killings through CIA-operated drones so as to fulfil the covert aims of the US-led countries.

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

Karachites to decide – to live under fear or in peace

By:       Aasef Chauhdry

The world has not forgotten what Altaf Hussain said about seven years back while he was on a tour of India. His hate speech is the recorded in the history, “The division of the subcontinent was the greatest, the greatest blunder of the history of mankind”, he actually said. This was enough to satisfy the people of Pakistan that whose line in fact Altaf Hussain was toeing. That was not enough and again on Aug 2, 2011Chief of Muttahida Qaumi Movement Altaf Hussain appealed to the Indian leaders to give asylum to Mohajir community of Pakistan. He said that f the 1992-like operation was started against MQM, will the Indian leaders provide asylum to us? ”

Ever since 1986 the world is observing that Karachi is made hostage by MQM. Initially the Mohajir Qaumi Movement and later when found it being objected by the majority of the Pakistanis converted to Muttahida Qaumi Movement was mainly behind every strike, every wheel-jam and every shutter down. It went so far that the authorities started seriously thinking about putting an end to it.

There were many ups and downs especially after Imran Farooq’s murder. Altaf’s arrest, release and then other leaders arrest in London which reflected that the noose was being tightened around MQM and Altaf. However, since recent past it appears that the Scotland Yard has bowed to the pressure of British Military Intelligence for whom Altaf Hussain is a great value agent. That’s the reason that he has again started addressing discreetly to his followers and provoking them against the armed forces. His actual anger is mainly for three reasons; bringing peace back to the turbulent city of Karachi, apprehension of the party’s target killers and the seizing of extortion, hides collection and fitrana collection on gunpoint.

In past MQM had been collecting funds through extortion, sacrificial hides, fitrana and corruption in government departments (while being in government). This money was sent through three means to UK. Through foreign currency accounts where dollars were deposited as money could be withdrawn from foreign currency accounts anywhere in the world, through personal carriers like renowned party leaders who would carry it in their baggage and lastly through indirect methods. The dignified carriers were used for laundering of money abroad. Individuals such as Babar Ghauri used to transfer money in their personal luggage. This all money was collected by no means other than extortion, fitrana and selling of hides collected on gun point. The indirect methods were like sending money through sea launches. Routes used for such purpose were Karachi to UAE and then to UK.

The party had a big network for moving money and ultimately it used to be landed in UK at MQM secretariat where it would be placed at Altaf Hussain’s disposal for spending the way he liked it. The sources claim that Imran Farooq was killed on a dispute over collecting and spending of this money. Imran Farooq was always against of putting this money on Altaf Hussain’s disposal who was spending it lavishly and for payment to the target killers’ net works. His other difference was on receiving money from RAW which he never liked.

A revelation came into the lime time, sometime ago. Not by anyone else lesser than a diehard senior party worker Tariq Mir discreetly made a confession about three years back which finally leaked and it appeared that the downfall of MQM is on the cards and the party will soon have it in its neck. Tariq Mir voluntarily visited the Scotland Yard office and made a confession. The police authorities made it very clear that neither it was an arrest and nor was he investigated. It was a friendly walk-in by a person who was feeling ‘guilty’ hence was made comfortable and was interviewed. According to Tariq, MQM got funds from RAW many times in the past. To the Party’s bad luck the leaked statement got viral on social media. Tariq Mir confessed that despite the fact that Dr. Imran Farooq and Altaf Hussain knew about the funding, they never disclosed about it to the other senior party members.

According to Tariq Mir, Altaf Hussain got funding from India since 1994 while MQM workers were sent to India for training and they got training there and did a lot of target killing and terrorist activities in Karachi. His investigation continued for 15 hours at of Scotland Yard’s offices. Mir told London Metropolitan Police at a police station located in Edgeware Road that Indians used to pay 800,000 pound sterling to the party on a yearly basis for running operations. Interestingly, according to transcripts of an interview conducted by the UK police on May 30, 2012, the MQM leader had made the statements ‘voluntarily’ and was ‘not under arrest’. The transcript of the interview was released by a senior journalist.

In July last year Pakistan Rangers Sindh arrested about 16 members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) for collecting donations by force from Karachi’s Rizvia Society area. Though the claim was denied by the party in an emergency press conference however the paramilitary force personnel claimed to have recovered Rs 31500 from the arrested men along with documents and receipts related to the collection of funds during the operation. The Rangers warned that law-enforcers will not allow any political party or religious organisation to forcibly collect donations in the name of fitrana and added that holding a press conference in defence of those arrested for making forcible collections is tantamount to supporting such elements.

Money laundering and other links of MQM with RAW were only being dealt by London based persons of the party including Altaf Hussain, Muhammad Anwar and Imran Farooq (Late).

According to Mir, “At some stage our expenses (of the secretariat) were about 100,000 pounds per month. I was aware of our significant increase in funding as a result of the Indian connection. That funding continued for, I cannot be exact. But due to pounds 10,000 cash limit (on importing currency), on some occasions, we got businessmen to receive the money and use it to pay MQM’s expenses. This happened in about 1% of cases,” Mir told the police. When told that the police had also interviewed MQM senior member Mohammad Anwar about Indian funding, Mir said the MQM sought money from all over.

He confessed that, “In 1994, we started getting some money; some of our frozen accounts were released. In 1995-96, I took-over the finance from Nadeem Nusrat and that money was coming from India.” Asked whether MQM Chief Altaf Hussein knew about the Indian money, Tariq Mir said Hussein would receive all money coming in from India. He got his money from different sources. The Indian government funded us because they thought it was good to support us.

Interestingly, this year due to ongoing Karachi operation, MQM is facing severe problems in collection of funds and its reserves have almost depleted. In order to counter any adverse move from Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) MQM has decided to collect money during this Ramzan through other means like; MNA/ MPA’s will be tasked to go in their areas for zakat/ Fitrana and donation collection instead of using MQM workers/ Sector In-charge, ladies will also be employed for the purpose of collection of donation/ zakat/ fitrana and along with it a serious operation will be carried out where the money will be collected discreetly from factory/ mill owners. The LEAs have smelled this plan and have made all efforts to counter any such bid. At the same time it’s the duty of the Karachites to cooperate with the LEAs if they are seriously interested in leaving in peace. The Rangers is asking people to report any such event and have assured them to keep the names of informers confidential.

Karachi is well known for its lawlessness and violence. But then again, it has a softer side; of philanthropy and volunteerism and cub scouts. Unfortunately, this softer side too has become victim to the unrelenting violence – when organisations start fighting to collect more donations and the competition ultimately leads to violence. This was the way things were done in Karachi, until the Rangers decided to act. The Sindh Rangers have come down hard without any discrimination on political parties and their welfare wings, accusing them of forcefully collecting donations. Workers are being arrested, cash and Fitrana slips are being confiscated and a helpline has been set up where people can register complaints against forceful collection. So it’s a wrong propaganda made by MQM that the Rangers are coming down hard only on them.

It’s time for the Karachites to decide whether they have to live under fear or in peace! For later they will have to cooperate with the LEAs.

World should understand the suffering of Pakistan in terror fight. American Climber

ISLAMABAD, June 14 (APP): American British mountaineer Vanessa O’Brien said there is misconception about Pakistan regarding security situation and terrorism.

In an exclusive interaction with APP here Tuesday, Vanessa termed it due to scrupulous reporting and said, “Because only extremists’ activities are reported from here which was normality not being reported from Pakistan.
Present in Islamabad, Vanessa O’Brien would be departing for Gilgit Baltistan to formally launch her expedition ‘United K2’ in few days. Also a keen observer, Vanessa expounded “If culprits in Bin Ghazi terror act are captured including one may be Pakistani that would be much reported. “But on the other hands as partners in war against terror, Pakistan suffered the most than the US and the UK” she maintained adding “This, western eyes don’t understand nor the American and British public”.
Vanessa urged international community to come ahead with Pakistan. “That is a terrible thing having lot of loss of lives, people must understand that we should come to our ally together and we must be more united in fighting terrorism” she said.
Passionate to become a first ever American and British woman to summit K2 Vanessa said that she would be carrying Pakistani, US and British flags to be hoisted at K2 peak as sign of friendship and solidarity among the three states.
Much happy with cordiality and hospitality by Pakistanis, Vanessa said people of Pakistan are fantastic, “they have amazing sense of humor, they are kind, generous and they opened the doors and facilitate me in my expedition vary well” she shared her experience and added “my journey would be a repay for the people. I simply say that I know them”.
It is worth mentioning here that Vanessa O’Brien, besides many other distinctions in adventurous expeditions around the world, is also Guinness World Record holder for being fastest woman to climb the Seven Summits, the highest peak on every continent, in 295 days.
APP/ Hamza/anm

VNS Islamabad

How Indian Army indiscipline is casting shadow on its professionalism

 ISLAMABAD: There have been several incidents of breakdown of discipline in Indian Army units in the past few years which points serious fingers on the professionalism of the Indian Army.

In many instances, including the one in Nyoma in Ladakh concerning an Artillery Regiment, officers have been punished after being found blameworthy while many jawans too have been court-martialled and dismissed from service

Army has recently ordered a Court of Inquiry to investigate the reasons behind the unrest in an infantry battalion of the Army in the North East last month.

In yet another case Jawan-officer face-off occured in Punjab where Army had orders court of inquiry into the incident.

Indian Army had also probed reports of its UN peacekeepers fathering kids in Congo

The Army had also has conducted a Court of Inquiry to investigate the reasons behind the unrest in an infantry battalion of the Army.

Highly placed sources inform that the inquiry is headed by an officer of the rank of Brigadier and comprises of two Colonels who are commanding units in the same area. These officers-Brig SK Chawla, Commander 2 Mountain Artillery Brigade, Col PK Singh, CO 502 ASC Battalion and Col Lakshman Singh, CO 11 Grenadiers-are investigating the incidents pertaining to May 11 when a confrontation took place between some jawans of 8 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles (8 JAK RIF) and officers of the unit at a location in Arunachal Pradesh.

Sources inform that Army Rule 180, which pertains to military reputation of a person, has been invoked for several jawans and officers of the unit who are to be examined by the inquiry which is taking place at Headquarters of 2 Mountain Division in Dinjan.

Among the officers who are to be examined are the then officiating Commanding Officer of the battalion, the Regimental Medical Officer and several other officers. The actual commanding officer of the unit was away on leave when the fracas took place and he was urgently recalled to take over command.

The Army had termed the unrest in the unit as an emotional response by jawans after a jawan died of a heart attack following a route march. The jawans had earlier complained of some unease.

Sources inform that the genesis of the indiscipline shown by some jawans-who raised slogans besides manhandling officers.

The rising incidences of Jawans and Officers face off in Indian Army points fingers towards the professionalism and the discipline of the Indian Army.

It is also questioned that an Army whose officers and men are often found in face off situation with each other whether would be able to fight together as one unit within their battle units.

However there are many other instances where Indian Army officers and men have been found involved in immoral acts. The recent incident of rape of a girl by three Indian Army men in a Train is one of the few incidences which was reported by the main stream media and many such incidences are even not reported and kept secret as far as possible.

Analysts have also pointed out towards the rising extremist Hindu tendency in the Army men and officers and officer like Colonel Purhoit have been found to be involved in the acts of Hindu terrorism within India.

Few days ago Indian Army men and officers on the directions of their GOC were found involved in the Dacoity case of smuggled Gold.

Such rising tendencies of indiscipline, Hindu extremism, criminal acts and internal fights are casting serious shadows over the professionalism of Indian Army.

Does India’s poor nuclear proliferation record merit NSG slot ?

ISLAMABAD, June 21 (APP): Director General South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI) Islamabad Dr Maria Sultan Tuesday said Pakistan’s credentials for the membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) were much stronger than India.

Addressing the participants of a round table discussion titled “Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) – Criteria Based Approach and it’s Implication on High-Tech Trade: A case for Pakistan membership,” she said India’s non-proliferation record was not as clean as it had been claiming.

India, she said, had a long history of thefts of nuclear material and mishaps or near accidents at its nuclear facilities.

According to a 1996 report made available to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Indian nuclear facilities have had 130 instances of safety related concerns, of which 95 required urgent action.

While as per an Indian parliamentary report, as many as 147 mishaps or security related occurrences were reported in Indian atomic energy plants between 1995 and 1998.

In July 1998, Indian Central Bureau of Intelligence (CBI) uncovered a theft racket of uranium in Tamil Nadu. “Of the eight kg seized, 6 kg was weapons grade unenriched uranium,” she added.

Maria Sultan said one of the most glaring examples was the 1974 nuclear explosion itself, for which India diverted nuclear fuel from Canadian reactors, supplied for peaceful and civilian use to conduct a nuclear weapons test.

Ironically, she said, the NSG was created in the wake of this explosion specifically aimed at preventing the diversion of civil nuclear technology for military purposes in future.

On May 1, 2000, Mumbai police seized 8.3 kilogram uranium from scrap dealers which originated from the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (BARC), said to be depleted but radioactive, she said adding, “leftist guerrillas in Northeast India illegally obtained uranium ore from a government-run milling complex and strapped it to high explosives to make a crude bomb before they were caught by the police.”

An incident in October 2014 raised fresh concerns over the safety of Indian nuclear facilities when a person of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is assigned to protect India’s nuclear facilities and weapons related materials and installations, opened fire and killed several people in the very facility he was assigned to protect.

According to the 2014 NTI Nuclear Materials Security Index, which assesses the security of nuclear materials around the world, India scores below Pakistan, and is ranked only above North Korea and Iran.

Whereas, there was no major lapse on part of Pakistan as it over the years has strengthened safety and security of its nuclear power plants and installations, she said.

After the nuclear incident of Fukushima in 2011, Pakistan carried out complete assessment of its own nuclear power plants and facilities, she said.

In response to any threat, the DG SASSI said, “Pakistan has revisited safety parameters, emergency preparedness and response, and operators’ training protocols and procedures.”

Maria Sultan said in the ongoing meeting of NSG in Seoul about 12 members out of the 48-member cartel, were against Indian membership due to the reasons mentioned above.

“No membership can be granted if even a single member opposes it,” she remarked.

Interestingly, she said, all the members were not nuclear power states but they had been given access to nuclear and high-technology products for the peaceful purpose.

Klaa B’Zayi? (When will you go back?)

By:       Aasef Chauhdry

It has been more than three decades now that Afghan refugees are not only living in Pakistan but also spoiling the law and order situation of the country. According to a careful survey of 2001, around five million Afghans had crossed into Pakistan since 1979. They had been pouring in, in groups and badges of people not less than strength of 30,000. In the very first wave after Russian invasion of 1979, around one million of Afghan refugees crossed over and soon this number reached three millions in 1980. Had they been simply the refugees, the things would have been different. The camps and sites were marked for them but unfortunately only the poor and shelter less moved there as they had no other choice. While on the other hand the wealthy, powerful and educated who were mostly from Uzbek, Hazara and Turkmen tribes sneaked into the cities where they slowly and discreetly established their business to an extent that the locals were virtually shoved into the backseats. In a short span of time the basic businesses like hotels, transport was monopolized by them. Those who were richer than others started buying the properties too. The middle class of Afghanis bought property in the small towns and cities while the elite class and those who had links with political leaders and the war lords purchased costly houses and land in Islamabad. The sectors F-8 and F-10 are known to be majorly owned by the Afghanis. The irony is that those who have given their life for Pakistan were at their mercy and would beg them to give their houses on rent to the local Pakistanis.

Undoubtedly, all Afghan refugees cannot be declared terrorists, as these are needy and registered displaced people who merely seek shelter in Pakistan, their neighbouring country. Many among them have been living here for many years, have made it their home, set up their businesses and are contributing to the economy of Pakistan positively, however, their number is very less, whereas most of them are playing in the hands of our enemies and they are purposely being sent to Pakistan with suspicious motives. They are, in every 4^th case are RAW or Afghan intelligence agency’s agents.

There is a hell of difference between the unregistered Afghan nationals and the Afghan refugees. Unregistered Afghans are those who are living in Pakistan illegally and do not have proper documentation and registration whereas Afghan refugees are those who are having Proof of Registration’ (PoR) cards. Pakistan took over 3.5million Afghan refugees as a goodwill gesture in 1980s. The illegal residents are spread all over Pakistan; from Khyber to Karachi and Quetta to Azad Kashmir, thus causing a great security hazard. They have literally become a security risk for Pakistan as the authorities have no control over them and that’s a matter of great concern for every Pakistani.

Approximately, there are 1.5 million registered Afghan refugees and more than one million unregistered Afghan nationals which is a great number. The need of the time is to push them back to Afghanistan immediately without wasting some time but according to the UNHCR authorities it will certainly take another 10 years to send them back to Afghanistan. Those who are in favour of handling the issue with a steady pace give excuses like; First, the government has not prepared any contingency plan for sending these refugees back to Afghanistan. Secondly, it will further hamper Kabul and Islamabad’s relationships in the prevailing situation. Thirdly, there are some administrative hurdles and lastly, Pakistan cannot take any step on its own because some international stakeholders are also involved in the matter. There is an old saying that for every will there is a way and so is in the case of Afghan refugees. The security threats Pakistan is facing right now demands chalking out of an immediate plan and for that Pakistan need not to bother about hampering of relations with Afghanistan since the latter has never cared for Pakistan’s hospitality and has always sided with our enemies as they are doing right now. The U turns by the Afghan president are not comprehensible.

Another lame excuse that such quarters give is that the Afghan government has also requested Pakistan not to send the refugees at this stage, citing various reasons, especially the issue of unrest in Afghanistan and have requested for an extension of another two to three years. Well, it’s none of Pakistan’s business if Afghanistan doesn’t have peace prevailing in the country. Why should Pakistan pay the price for it? Afghanistan itself is responsible for the unrest as on one hand the country is in no mood to sit on the same table with Taliban while on the other hand, it’s romancing with India, America and Iran and acting as guided by them. Why should Pakistan hatch their problems? The muck belongs to Pakistan and must go back to them. Pakistan did this favour purely on humanitarian ground and in the name of Islamic brotherhood but if Afghanistan doesn’t care about it and have no sense of brotherhood then Pakistan also has no obligation.

In the wake of the prevailing situation, the demand for sending these refugees back to Afghanistan has intensified. It is stated that comparatively security situation in Afghanistan has improved, thus, this is the right time to repatriate both legal and illegal Afghans. It merits mentioning here that a demand to expel Afghan refugees from Pakistan came after the deadly attack on Army Public School in Peshawar on December 16, 2014. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assault in which over 140 school students and staff were massacred. Pakistan believed the attack was plotted in Afghanistan and was executed with the help of the Afghans living in Pakistan. Moreover, they not only secured Pakistani national identity cards and began businesses but also bought properties and got involved in various heinous crimes, including acts of terrorism and drug smuggling.

Pakistan’s foreign office on Thursday said that some of the Afghan refugee camps in the country had become a serious security risk, as terrorists and militants were hiding there. It has further asserted that unregulated cross border movement of refugees also provides an opportunity to terrorists to move freely between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Govt’s own apprehensions are enough to strengthen its fear. Hence the government should not think of giving any further extension to the Afghan refugees’ stay in Pakistan. It is high time that they are sent back with-out giving any extension or time frame. The Nation gets preference over the refugees and the former wants them to be out of Pakistan immediately as we have suffered heavily in men and material without any thankfulness from the other side. In beginning of this year, the CM, while talking to media persons, rightly said that if Afghans could live in refugee camps in Pakistan, why they couldn’t live in their own country?