The Lunacy of American raids into FATA

Published in Pakistan Patriot

There are various news reports emanating from several sources about the US policies about Pakistan and FATA. Some news reports seem to suggest that there is no change in US policy, despite the December review. On the other hand, there is the usual rhetoric about “Pakistan should do more”. In effect, we are are getting mixed message from Washington–as usual. There is some level of frustration in US military circles which seems to blame Pakistan for US military defeats in Afghanistan. The notion of attacking Pakistan or making raids into FATA is the highest level of lunacy ever presented and will be counterproductive. Special Operations ground raids into Pakistan’s tribal areas “classic error in military strategy”.

Attacking FATA a lunatic idea.
US ground forces into Pakistan in pursuit of the Taliban and al Qaeda is by far the most dangerous scenario for both Pakistan-US relations and the unity of the Pakistani Army. Napoleon at Waterloo throwing more and more troops into the attempt to storm the Chateau d’Hougoumont; Hitler making the same mistake at Stalingrad. A British analyst has severely criticized the US trial balloon which crosses the red line that has been established by the Pakistani military. Crossing that border will surely have long-term and short-term consequences for the US-Pakistani relationships.

NEW YORK – A British expert in terrorism and insurgency has described as “lunatic idea” reports that senior US commanders in Afghanistan want to expand Special Operations ground raids into Pakistan’s tribal areas, saying it was a sign of a “classic error in military strategy”.

“If American generals genuinely want to increase such raids, then it needs to be stated emphatically that this is not just a lunatic idea, but one that demonstrates how far senior American (and British) commanders have become obsessed with the war in Afghanistan at the expense of the struggle against terrorism as a whole,” said Anatol Lieven, a professor in the War Studies Department at King’s College London and a senior fellow of the New America Foundation in Washington.

“Pakistan, with its huge population (around 200m), large army, nuclear weapons, extensive extremist networks and diaspora in the West, is a far more important country than Afghanistan and presents a vastly greater potential threat of anti-Western terrorism,” he wrote in an article published in The New York Times Wednesday. Nation

PM Gilani continues to make the Americans aware that the drone war should end. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Wednesday assured the National Assembly that he would resolve the issue of drone attacks by US forces in Tribal Areas of the country, terming the drone attacks ‘counter  productive’. Answering a point of order raised by parliamentarians from both treasury and opposition benches, the PM said that drone attacks were bringing tribes closer to terrorists. He said the country’s military and political leadership had distanced local tribes from terrorists, but the drone attacks were creating sympathy for terrorists among locals, adding that Pakistan was asking the US to transfer the drone technology to it.

“Our military and political leadership had very ably alienated local tribesmen from the terrorists, but when a drone attack is carried out they get reunited again. This shows these (drone attacks) are counter productive, therefore we condemn it and we are against them,” he said. DT

Professor Lieven writing for the New York Times has correctly judged the temperament of the Pakistanis when he says the following: “Advocates of ground raids seem to think that they are merely an extension of the current campaign of drone attacks on targets in Pakistan’s tribal areas, which have caused great resentment and have had very doubtful success,” the expert said in the op-ed piece: ‘A March of Folly in Pakistan”.

Prof Lieven wrote: “Pakistani officers from captain to lieutenant-general have told me that the entry of US ground forces into Pakistan in pursuit of the Taliban and al Qaeda is by far the most dangerous scenario for both Pakistan-US relations and the unity of the Pakistani Army. As one retired general explained, drone attacks, though ordinary officers and soldiers find them humiliating, are not a critical issue because the Pakistani military cannot do anything about them.”

“US ground forces inside Pakistan are a different matter because the soldiers can do something about them,” he said. “They can fight. And if they don’t fight, they will feel utterly humiliated before their wives, mothers, children. It would be a matter of honour, which as you know is a tremendous thing in our society. These men have sworn an oath to defend Pakistani soil. So they would fight. And if the generals told them not to fight, many of them would mutiny, starting with the Frontier Corps.” Islamabad is trying the non-military solutions that the US has not supported. The Pakistani government plans to establish 11 new radio stations in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) as a non-military weapon against the militancy.

The stations will operate in North Waziristan and South Waziristan; the Kurram, Orakzai, Khyber and Bajaur agencies; Frontier Region (FR) Bannu; and FR Kohat and will facilitate three radio stations already working in parts of the area. Central Asia Online

Professor Lieven describes the threats to the US-Pakistani relationship.
“The most dangerous moment in my visits to Pakistan since 9/11 came in August and September of 2008, when on two occasions US forces entered Pakistan’s tribal areas to raid suspected Taliban and al Qaeda bases. On the second occasion, Pakistani soldiers fired in the air to turn the Americans back. “In their concern with victory in Afghanistan, the US generals are beginning to show signs of a classic error in military strategy, which is to become obsessed with a feature of the battlefield at the expense of the battle as a whole: Napoleon at Waterloo throwing more and more troops into the attempt to storm the Chateau d’Hougoumont; Hitler making the same mistake at Stalingrad.

“They are also forgetting that success against terrorism does not in the end mean killing more Taliban in Afghanistan or Pakistan; it means preventing more attacks in the West. Exchanging dead or captured Taliban commanders in Pakistan’s tribal areas for a vastly increased terrorist threat in the West means exchanging very limited and temporary tactical success for very grave and long-term strategic failure.” The Nation. US idea of raiding Fata is ‘lunatic’: British expert, Published: December 30, 2010

To empower the people in the militancy-plagued Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), the federal government has approved municipal committees (MCs) in 14 planned urban hubs. The move is part of a military and political strategy to defeat al-Qaeda and the Taliban by socially transforming the region, and recognition that the militancy has changed the region. Officials plan to create MCs in Ghalanai (Mohmand Agency), Landikotal (Khyber Agency), Kalaya and Ghiljo (Orakzai Agency), Para Chinar and Sadda (Kurram Agency), Miranshah and Mir Ali (North Waziristan), Wana and Sarwakai (South Waziristan), Dara Adamkhel (Frontier Region Kohat), Jandola (Frontier Region Tank) and Darazinda (Frontier Region Dera Ismail Khan). The MCs hope to empower local citizens to make decisions on “standardising” life and services. Central Asia Online

By Dr Shahid Qureshi

Pakistan-Afghanistan-US Relations

There seems to be no clear policy of Zardari regime as how to deal with the challenges concerning the US lead military occupation of Afghanistan and drone attacks on Pakistan. Pakistan suffered approximately $60 billion economic losses, deployed more than 147,800 troops conducting combat operations in the tribal areas along the Afghan border. The Pakistan armed forces has lost more than 3,200 soldiers, with another 6,400 injured. They sustain an average of 10 casualties each day, and approximately 30,000 Pakistani civilians killed by suicide bombers and terrorism.

The so called democratic government left every thing in the court of The Armed Forces to deal with, which has already paid very heavy price in terms of financial and human cost. This detachment of the Zardari regime is seen as if they are undermining, damaging and colluding with the enemies of the state of Pakistan. There should have been a review from the government which completely failed to protect the national interests of the state. There is no doubt that problems in Pakistan are due to the US policies and occupation of Afghanistan and not the other way around. US is in habit of blaming others for the failures of its policies as it was in the case of Vietnam i.e. blaming the neighbours, shifting the blame and not taking responsibility. I have discussed following issues on various occasions in the past years as how US policies affected Pakistan as well as the region.

• US Plan ‘B’ in Afghanistan
• Afghanistan costing $7 Billion per month to US tax payers
• US harmed Pakistan’s sovereignty and integrity
• US rule by Pakistani Agents
• Recruitment of US Agents in Pakistan
• US Policy of displacement and creating refugees
• US ignore Indian Army’s Genocide in Kashmir
• Mumbai Bombing: Keep Pakistan under Pressure (why US have not claimed compensation from Israel for the USS Liberty killings)
• Drone Attacks: Pakistan should go to International Criminal Court
• US military complexes prolonging War in Afghanistan
• US to commit suicide in Pakistan’s Tribal Areas (FATA)
• Indian Game in Afghanistan
• Conspiracy to constitutionally undo country
• US policy of Disposables Diplomacy

(1) US Plan ‘B’ in Afghanistan
Any plan B in Afghanistan would make the exit hard, even difficult for US and allies. Now they have one Qandhar ‘Pushtuns’ with plan B they will have three Qandhars of Uzbeks and Tajiks in Afghanistan. There is only one way to solve the problems in Afghanistan and that is way out of Afghanistan without defeated. Shifting the blame on Pakistan would make things worse for US and allies as it would be like ‘blaming the pope and living in Rome’. Afghan venture is costing too much to the US tax payers as following report confirms.

(2) Afghanistan costing $7 Billion per month to US tax payers
“U.S. expenditures on Afghanistan are now nearly $7 billion per month. This course would not make sense because U.S. interests in Afghanistan are not high enough to justify such an investment. The United States now deploys about 100,000 troops in Afghanistan, yet according to the CIA; there are now only 50 to 100 al Qaeda fighters there. That is between 1,000 and 2,000 soldiers and perhaps a billion dollars per terrorist each year — far beyond any reasonable expenditure of U.S. resources given the stakes involved. The original U.S. military objective in Afghanistan was to destroy al Qaeda, not to fight the Afghan Taliban, and that goal has largely been accomplished”, according to ‘Foreign Affairs’ report January/February 2011, Plan B in Afghanistan – Why a De Facto Partition Is the Least Bad Option’ by Robert D. Blackwill

(3) US harmed Pakistan’s economy, sovereignty and integrity
Keeping in view the above spending in Afghanistan by the US, and its support to Pakistan proves that USA has abused Pakistani state, its infrastructures as well caused over thousands military deaths and over 30,000 civilian deaths. So called US friendship to Pakistan proved to be lethal, poisonous as well undermine the foundations of the country. There is no doubt Pakistan’s economy suffered approximately $60 billion losses by the US led fraudulent ‘War on Terror’ in Afghanistan because before the war Pakistan’s annual trade with Afghanistan was about $2 billion a year. But who is going to bell the cat and tell US that your trigger happy policy made Pakistan suffer economically as well as human losses to the Pakistani citizens. Over all Pakistan’s economy and people suffered losses approximately $60 billion in the past 10 years. The burden of over 2.5 million Afghan Refugees living in Pakistan for 30 years as result of first US led adventure against Soviets since 1979. On the basis of logic and probability US friendship with the State of Pakistan has proved to be fatal, harmful, damaging and one sided?

(4) US rule by Pakistani Agents
US must connect with the people of Pakistan and abandon policy of ‘rule by assets’ because it is not long standing and credible. The Indianised elements in the US administration are misleading the country on the instigations of some lobbies and made US and its friends in Pakistan a symbol of ‘shame and treachery’. The State of Pakistan does not owe anything to the US because United States has taken full advantage of every dollar spent and profited from this love hate relationship. Some corrupt Pakistanis might have become rich but State of Pakistan has suffered with the treacherous policies adopted and accepted by these individuals ‘assets’. They see US as ‘us’ and not United States. So how can it be a dialogue when people negotiating are considered as US assets? Pakistan – U.S. relations should base on mutual respect and equality.

Hussain Haqqani Pakistani ambassador to US should be arrested for issuing visas to ‘private mercenaries’ with special powers given to him by President Zardari. He issues visas without security clearance from the Pakistani agencies while his wife Farah Isphani minding President Zardari in Islamabad. Hussain Haqqani reportedly issued 10,521 visas from July to November 2009 to the Americans. He issued approximately 500 Pakistani visas in 24 hours using special powers given by President Zardari.

(5) Recruitment of US Agents in Pakistan
Ironically Pakistani governments and the establishment have always facilitated the US policies? US enjoy this advantage because it has an elaborate plan to ensure its grip on the governing infrastructure of Pakistan. Amongst a number of ostensibly innocent ways to ensure this control, two are quite prominent. One is the ‘International Visitor Programme and the other is Fulbright Scholarship. Under visit programme, US attracts important / influential members of Pakistani society i.e. politicians, civil/military bureaucrats, journalist, intellectuals etc by offering a visit to US under privileged arrangements.

During these visits, required people are spotted and later on engaged to work for both short and long term US interests in Pakistan. It does not end here, later on; these people are also assisted and supported to progress in their fields to reach targeted positions of high value from where they can provide required service to their masters. Every year short listing of the potential individuals is done by the existing sources in respected fields that are duly supervised by US embassy. A complete profile of the short listed individuals is made with special emphasis on strong / weak areas. These areas of the individuals are exploited during their visits / tours to US and they are motivated or forced to work for US interests. Lucrative postings of the armed forces for UN peace missions can be a good networking start for future assets.

According to reports, ‘since FATA has become an important area for US, five Pakistanis from FATA were selected to go to US where they stayed for almost a month. Baluchistan carries a similar position for US, so no wonder US regularly sends short listed Baluch nationalists on these visits. US efforts on Pakistani politicians of the mainstream parties never stop. Currently, more than a dozen sitting MNAs (Members of National Assembly) of leading political parties are on a trip to US. It is interesting to note that most of these MNAs are members of Parliament’s Standing Committee for Defence, which indicates that US wants to develop source to keep a closer eye on Pakistan’s defence infrastructure including the nuclear asset.

In 43 years from 1964 to 2007, total numbers of Pakistanis visited USA was 710 but the numbers shot up in 2007-2008 when 207, Pakistanis have visited US under Fulbright scholarship? These sponsored visits to US cover almost all important fields of Pakistani society which include Armed Forces / civil bureaucracy (both senior and junior levels) religious scholars, politicians, businessmen, media personnel and students”.

The beneficiaries of this US patronage, work for their master on long term bases and reach place of strategic value. All the way through, heavy financial rewards and full protection is guaranteed to these individuals in case they are in trouble. One can simply recall a number of journalists, politicians and bureaucrats, who were caught for their wrongdoings but went scot free to the utter surprise of every one. It was known later that US government exerted pressure for such releases. It would be wise if USA and others connect with the people of Pakistan then recruiting, investing and protecting small ‘chiefs or thieves’.

(6) US Policy of displacement and creating refugees
US policies around the world and especially in Pakistan created refugees and internally displaced people in SWAT and FATA to further destabilize the country. Millions of people in Pakistan are waiting to be fully rehabilitated; 2.5 million Afghan refugees are burden on the economy on Pakistan as well as social problems. They can’t go back US and NATO have occupied Afghanistan and fighting an unwinnable war. All this is happening as part of US design and not mere co incidents i.e. keep turmoil in the country.

(7) US ignore Indian Army’s Genocide in Kashmir
US have forgotten about the sufferings and miseries of the people in Indian occupied Kashmir. US has ignored 92685 killings, 115877 arrests, 15665 home demolitions, by Indian Security Forces, and 22675 widows and 107218 orphans? Kashmir is not a matter of land dispute or real estate. If Indians solve this long standing issue both countries can live like US and Canada. India should not worry too much about over inflated trickle down affect as historically links among the people are much stronger and will further improve. It will leave lot of money to spend on poverty elevation in both countries.

(8) Drone Attacks: Pakistan to go to International Criminal Court (ICC)?
US has no mandate from the UN to attack inside Pakistani territory therefore these attacks are illegal under international law and a case against US could be filed in the International Criminal Court (ICC). US drone attacks have killed over 2000 people in about 196 drone attacks. Pakistani courts should also prosecute the local collaborators who drop ‘sims’ at the drone targets.  In 1996, the United States and Iran reached “an agreement in full and final settlement of all disputes, differences, claims, counterclaims” relating to the incident at the International Court of Justice. As part of the settlement, the United States agreed to pay US$61.8 million, an average of $213,103.45 per passenger, in compensation to the families of the Iranian victims. However, the United States has never admitted responsibility, nor apologized to Iran. Iran Air Flight 655, also known as IR655, was a civilian airliner shot down by US missiles on 3rd July 1988, over the Strait of Hormuz, toward the end of the Iran–Iraq War. The aircraft, an Airbus A300B2 operated by Iran Air as IR655, was flying from Bandar Abbas, Iran, to Dubai, UAE, when it was destroyed by the U.S. Navy’s guided missile cruiser USS Vincennes, killing all 290 passengers and crew aboard, including 66 children.

(9) Mumbai Bombing: Keep Pakistan under Pressure
A small minority of greedy bankers and pawn brokers have hijacked USA and causing harm to its interests. These greedy people want to profit from deaths, misery and destruction by blackmail be it claiming compensation from Libya for plane crash in Lockerbie or now filing a lawsuit against Pakistani security agencies in US for Mumbai Bombings without any proof or evidence. Though many people in the Indian security circles believe it was Indo-US joint operation to put pressure on Pakistan.

US should avoid planned prophecies because one wonders how and why US – Israeli prophecies proved to be so true about everything happening according to the script. One was US Secretary Gates to conclude that al-Qaeda is attempting to spark a war between India and Pakistan. Mr. Gates while praising India for not attacking Pakistan immediately following the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, warned India could not be expected to show such restraint if another attack happened.

Al-Qaeda is a trump card which can be used against any one, anytime and anywhere. Indians were intelligent not to start war with Pakistan after Mumbai Terrorist attacks and might have realised ‘the game’ behind the attacks? Though there are millions naked and hungry Indians walking about and looking for toilets, yet its government managed to spend $billions to buy arms after the attacks. Indian media was quite active in exposing the role of a US citizen David William Hedley.
The Mumbai attacks were blamed on the Lashkar-e Taiba (LeT) a small group operated in the Indian occupied Kashmir which denied involvement but then a Srinagar special branch official was arrested for providing mobile SIM cards to the alleged attackers. Mumbai attacks were too big for their shoes though some ‘useful idiots’ might have been lured into. According to a British defence think tank RUSI (Royal United Security Institute) expert, “around 100 people would require to do this kind of attack”.

But fact of the matter is that its master mind David William Hedley is a US citizen from Pakistani father (an employee of Voice of America) and reportedly a Jewish mother. He was operating with the knowledge of the US security agencies. According to a senior security analyst and media reports, “Bizarrely David William Hedley was born in Washington USA to a Pakistani father and a Jewish American mother travelling in and out of India without any problem. Indian investigators, suspect that he remained on the payroll of the US security services — possibly working for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). US backed Zardari Regime is undermining Pakistan: Creating electric shortages for no real reason to destroy industry and economy following IMF agenda. Why Pakistan’s nuclear scientist not allowed producing electricity for the country because Zardari regime is starving the nuclear science field by budget cuts, this is denuclearization. Not taking stand on water issue with India. This regime is deliberately taking Pakistan to the failure by strangling the poorest under the IMF agenda. So much so that the Iranian ambassador to Pakistan has to make a press statement that, ‘Iran can provide cheap electricity to Pakistan and price can be discussed later’. So what is the hurdle?

According to the Newsweek magazine issue dated February 9, 2009, “And while the Americans blast the bad guys in the tribal areas, the Pakistanis have been confronting problems in their own ranks. Since September 2008, (since Zardari become President), 140 pro-Islamist officers have been mustered out of ISI, according to a senior diplomatic official in Washington, asking not to be named on such a sensitive topic.”

Historically US has never been a friend of Pakistan in need, be it war in 1965 or nuclear deal with India, and all its friends paid heavy price be it individuals or countries? One wonders if friends of Pakistan like US and others are part of the problem or part of the solution?

If this is Pakistan’s war then why USA is paying for it? Pakistan sold its services too cheap? One US/UK private security guard (mostly ex military) is getting paid approximately £300 – £500 (Rs 36900 – Rs. 61500) a day in Iraq according to press reports. Pakistan’s economic and human losses are far more than anyone else. What for?

Surely US know that British couldn’t de-Islamise India in 200 years and they cannot do either but it is a good exercise for shrinking brain Pakistani leaders and war profiteering mafia in the US? How can one ignore 650 million Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani Muslims and their potential? One must know that Islam does not require defending?

Following could be friendly advice to the US and NATO in Afghanistan:
Cut your losses and move out because people don’t want to be occupied
Don’t repeat the same mistake again like leaving Afghanistan in a mess after Soviet withdrawal. Start reconstruction and rehabilitation process in Afghanistan and Iraq
Hearts and minds could be won with love not bombs, food not threats. Fundamental change in the US foreign policy. Unnecessary, unfair and too much support of Israel have made lives of US citizens risky and open to hostility?

It seems US need to fight and win a war of liberation within from selfish
‘Wall Street’ blackmailers, opportunists and hijackers of the very fundamental values of the US society and Constitution?

Efforts must be made to save innocent lives. Safe return of more than 2.5 million Afghan refugees from Pakistan, as they are a burden on Pakistan economy.
History tells ‘people of this region don’t forget their revenge’, and Pakistan is not Andalusia. Pakistan’s existence lies in defiance of international plotters? Though Swat and Baluchistan tensions seem to be linked with revenge and grievances but in reality it is a ‘plot to contain China’?

(10) US military complexes prolonging War in Afghanistan
Without going much into US history it is important to understand that US economy and society is founded on the blood and sweat of millions of African slaves and bodies of indigenous Americans. Those who were running these cartels and slave trade at that time were mostly linked with criminals, ‘transported’ from Europe. They were criminals from street cons to murderers. When we look at the negotiations and dealings of the US officials and politicians with Pakistani politicians, it clearly sounds like ‘big cons’ are dealing with the small street thieves who are not only supposed to earn their living but also give share to the big cons?

I commented on BBC TV on Tuesday 8th January 2008, “many analysts agree that Pakistan don’t need enemy if it has a friend like US keeping in view the policy of betrayal, selfishness and leaving in lurch. “People of Pakistan are asking the way its nuclear program is being targeted in the US and West, one wonders if the friends of Pakistan are part of the problem or solution?”  Following could happen if Pakistan is destabilized or attacked:More than 15 separatist armed militant movements currently going on in India would reach its boiling point and disintegrate India?
Certain countries could not afford two destabilized states with the 180 million and over 1 billion population in their neighbourhoods?

The whole lot of elite, friends and compromised beneficiaries of certain countries would be eliminated as happened after Iranian Revolution and this region might become out of bound and hell. Reaction from 2.5 million retired and 600,000 active members of the Pakistani armed forces and public would be unimaginable for the invaders, their supporters and collaborators. Pakistan is not Iraq or Lebanon and people should learn from their experiences and come out of denial? Those who are providing protection to private mercenaries (black water/Xe) should be named and shamed?

(11) US to commit suicide in Pakistan’s Tribal Areas (FATA)
On 24th July 2008, at (IISS) International Institute of Strategic Studies in London I asked, Pakistani Foreign Minister HE Shah Mahmud Qureshi, “Foreign Minister your democratic government’s sole motto seems to be, ‘Visit USA before US visits you’ because you just came from the USA and Prime Minister Gilani is going to USA too. On the other hand, ‘If US want to (visit) invade Pakistan’s tribal areas (FATA) then “SO BE IT”.

As you know those NATO Military commanders in Afghanistan have already said, ‘approximately 400,000 troops required in Afghanistan for the security and stabilization of the country. Please comment.  I was referring to an interview to Spiegel, a German magazine of the outgoing ISAF Commander McNeill who confessed having inadequate trained forces to effectively counter terrorism in Afghanistan. NATO has only 47,000 soldiers instead of a required strength of 400,000 with a shortfall of 260,000 men. NATO is practically running on reserve, as very few units can be used in combat situation. While neighbouring countries want peace in the region, manning a volatile country with only 47,000 NATO troops and practically no well-trained Afghan Army, the mission to bring peace to the region seems an uphill task, McNeill said”

Analysts believe that the American people are being indoctrinated with the false propaganda through controlled media? Many analysts agree that this war on terror is a biggest fraud of this century? One should look who are the beneficiaries of war on terror? Millions have been killed and displaced in Iraq and Afghanistan in the name of what?

What could be the best friendly advice one can offer to the occupiers in Afghanistan:
Don’t even think about venturing in FATA of Pakistan because you don’t have money in the pot back home, and will to bring back more dead soldiers. Indian-Israeli sponsored TTP or BLA won’t help at all. Cut your losses and move out because people don’t want to be occupied. Don’t repeat the same mistake again like leaving Afghanistan in a mess after Soviet withdrawal. Start reconstruction and rehabilitation process in Afghanistan hearts and minds could be won with love not bombs, food not threats. Fundamental change in the US foreign policy.

Unnecessary, unfair and too much support of Israel have made lives of US citizens risky and open to hostility? Find way to de-nuclearise Israel for their sake and world peace as what will happen when apartheid entity will disappear? It seems US need to fight and win a war of liberation within from selfish blackmailers, opportunists and hijackers of the very fundamentals of the US society and constitution?
Efforts must be made to save innocent lives Safe return of more than 2.5 million Afghan refugees from Pakistan, which could be a breading ground of angry men against the US occupation.

(12) Indian Game in Afghanistan
People in the know are very well aware with the Indian game in Afghanistan; one cannot be a partner, a friend and an enemy at the same time? Yes it is important that one should have friendly terms with all the neighbours but at what cost? One wonders if friends of Pakistan are part of the problems or part of the solution.
Those who are asking President Obama to send more troops in Afghanistan knows that cost would be over $1 billion for 1000 troops per year and US is bankrupt country already. The same people who send US to Afghanistan and Iraq i.e. bankers and arms dealers rob it. Afghanistan is a magnet for empires to come and die? Is it strange that Russian experts are predicting US collapse like Soviet Union and Chinese strategists are predicting disintegration of India?

President Obama probably understands that a group of his armed forces and some racist rouge elements have not accepted him, as Commandant in Chief and that is why they want him to send more troops in Afghanistan so more would be killed. This Policy is bound to fail. There seems to be a clear divide between the President Obama’s sensible and harm reduction policy and Hilary Clinton, Robert Gates and General McCrystal’s policy to fail President Obama. It was Bill Clinton who reportedly called President Obama ‘coffee boy’.

(13) Conspiracy to constitutionally undo country?
On 12th January 2009 MQM tabled a “Provincial Autonomy’ Sine qua non for a Federation, Draft Bill for Constitutional Amendments to Provide Complete Constitutional Autonomy to Constituent Units”. It is quite strange that a party (MQM–A) which bank on the votes of people who migrated and some emigrated later from India and had no roots with any province of Pakistan is allegedly involved in the Indo-US plot of disintegration of Pakistan. So what will happen to those who are not Punjabis, Sindis, Baluchis, Pathans, and Kashmiris living peacefully in Pakistan? Another episode of ‘Biharis – Pakistanis’ living camps in now Bangladesh?
“It was 1974 constitution of former Yugoslavia which caused the break of the state”, said Antonio Moneo Lain a visiting fellow at LSE in his lecture at London School of Economics on 2nd December 2009. I told him that although, “USA is a union of States but no such facility like choice of becoming independent country is available to the states as the issue of state autonomy is kept vague”.

The plan is devious and not easy to understand. International financiers and plotters use constitutional loopholes to disintegrate countries to take control of natural resources. These plotters, their bankers and local agents are adept at creating food and other shortages, unemployment, insecurity, lawlessness, corruption, poverty and constitutional hiatus that make it necessary to invite foreign experts and international financial institutions for advice and help. The whole idea is to pass the control over national institutions, assets (Railways, steel mills, oil, gas resources) to these plotters, bankers.

It seems that minders of Zardari, MQM and ANP have the Soviet Model of disintegration in mind. In modern times international plotters exploit legal and constitutional loopholes or arrange for such constitutional amendments that lead inevitably to the disintegration of the country. For example in dismantling the USSR the international plotters used constitutional provisions which had been placed intentionally. The were provisions in the Constitution of the USSR – put in during the heady days after the Russian Revolution of 1918, that made dismantling of the Union not just possible but easy. Article 70 of the Soviet Constitution Stated: “Union of the Soviet Republics is a unitary, federal, multinational state, formed on Free Self Determination of Nations”. Article 72 was more explicit and stated: “Each Union Republic retains the right freely to secede from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics”.

Interestingly no such provision or mechanism is available in the US Constitution. According to US experts “the constitutional language is ‘sparse’. It is up to the Congress to give meaning to that language”. We all know who control and gets the majority in the Congress?

Now if we analyze USSR and Yugoslavia’s examples and read between the lines what these plotters are suggesting in the name of constitutional reforms in 1973 Constitution of Pakistan, it becomes crystal clear and evident that sinister game is being played to undo Pakistan from the back door. That is the game of many interested parties in the region including India. Are our politicians making such constitutional changes that court the danger of Pakistan meeting the fate of Yugoslavia? That is the question? What is our so called friend US is doing? Same what they did in 1971 in creating Bangladesh.

(14) US policy of ‘Disposable Diplomacy’ in Pakistan
There is a strong perception in Pakistan that US have continuously followed the policy of Disposables Diplomacy by eliminating its leaders by covert operations with the support of local agents. Fingers are pointed to the US involvements in the ‘Zia ul Haq plane crash and killing of Benazir Bhutto in 2007. They are disposed of like toilet tissue papers?

Conclusion:
Now it is time that international community should stop shouting at Pakistan to do more and look for an exit strategy? The mess Pakistan is in at the moment is due to the mindless actions of the previous Bush Administration in Afghanistan. On the one hand they want Pakistan to support them but on the other, they are allowing Indians to conspire against Pakistan, interfere in Baluchistan from Afghanistan via Indian consulates.

A Taliban commander in Afghanistan said, “If US (Americans) got the watches, we got the time”. President Obama knows that time and money is running out.

(Dr Shahid Qureshi is London based senior investigative journalist and writer on international terrorism, security, and foreign policy). editor@thelondonpost.net
allrights resvered 2010 © by The London Post & Media Company Limited

 

Pakistan Black Gold: 100 million barrels of oil for 500 years

Published in Daily Mail Times (Pakistan)

Pakistan coal reserves are estimated at 175 billion tons which according to the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Punjab University, Professor Dr Mujahid Kamran equal 618 billion barrels of crude oil. According to the most reliable analytical reports Saudi Arabian crude oil reserves are estimated at around 260 billion barrels. At 60 Dollars per barrel this equates to 3708 Billion Dollars or approx. 4 Trillion Dollars (at current prices). At future prices these reserves will be worth 8 or 24 Trillion Dollars. This is enough money to build the most modern infrastructure, the best roads, the best hospitals, the best education, the best universities, the best hi-speed rail system and the best public transportation system on the planet.

Thar coal deposit on which he would start test burn in March could produce 10,000MW of electricity for 30 years and 100 million barrels of diesel. The electricity to be produced from block-5 would cost a maximum of Rs4 per unit. Spread over an area of 64 square kilometres, this is one of the eight coal blocks in Thar deposit. Another four blocks have been allocated to private companies from Australia, UAE, UK and a Pakistan firm Engro, which is in an advanced stage of arranging financing for the coal development, gasification and establishment of power plants. About four other blocks have yet to be allocated for development.

The Dawn reports on the Thar Coal with an exclusive interview with one of the Project Manager in Thar–Mr Mubarakmand. ISLAMABAD: In a major development, the government has finalised preparations for test burn in March next year on coal deposits in Sindh’s Thar desert for underground gasification which is expected to produce the much needed electricity almost equal to current power supplies besides sizeable oil production, senior nuclear scientist and Planning Commission member Dr Samar Mubarakmand disclosed on Monday.

Talking to Dawn, the renowned scientist said that only one per cent of the total Thar coal deposit on which he would start test burn in March could produce 10,000MW of electricity for 30 years and 100 million barrels of diesel. The electricity to be produced from block-5 would cost a maximum of Rs4 per unit, he said. Spread over an area of 64 square kilometres, this is one of the eight coal blocks in Thar deposit. Another four blocks have been allocated to private companies from Australia, UAE, UK and a Pakistan firm Engro, which is in an advanced stage of arranging financing for the coal development, gasification and establishment of power plants. About four other blocks have yet to be allocated for development.

Mr Mubarakmand, who was given a one-year extension as member of the Planning Commission last week, said the deposit had the potential to transform Pakistan into a self-sufficient and energy-surplus country in a short span of eight to 10 years.
“It can produce 50,000MW of electricity for decades and 100 million barrels of oil for 500 years.” The Dawn.

According to the Geological Survey of Pakistan “Coal -the black gold, is found in all the four provinces of Pakistan. The country has huge coal resources, about 185 billion tons, out of which 3.3 billion tons are in proven/measured category and about 11 billions are indicated reserves, the bulk of it is found in Sindh province. The current total mine-able reserves of coal are estimated at 2 billion tones (60 % of the measured reserves)”.

Vision needed to use huge coal reserves to build Carbon-Chemical industry
Should Pakistan burn coal or use coal set up carbon-chemical industry which could be utilized to export value added materials to the planet and used for domestic consumption. Burning coal is like burning sandal wood. How quickly can Pakistan wean itself off the “burning coal” paradigm–perhaps after using it to meet the immediate energy needs. A lack of vision would just burn the carbon–smart people can come up with a lot of innovation.

The Dawn reports the following.
According to estimates compiled by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) last year, the average cost of generating electricity from water resources stood at about 50 paisa per unit, Rs4.50 from gas, Rs12 per unit from furnace oil and more than Rs16 per unit from diesel. Interestingly, four power plants in the public sector cost about Rs15-17 per unit at present.

He said that orders for the import of compressors required for coal gasification had been placed for delivery shortly and hopefully these would be put in place for test burn by March. He dispelled an impression that the Thar coal, being of lignite quality, was not suitable for gasification and power generation. In fact, the Thar coal was the most suitable for underground gasification and oil production, recalling that China was running eight similar fields very successfully, he said.

Under the underground coal gasification project spearheaded by Dr Samar Mubarakmand, there will be no need for excavation of coal to bring it on the ground and instead the coal will be converted into gas through chemical reactions underground. Informed source said that Block 5 of Thar coalfield would produce up to 5MW of electricity after initial test burn through underground gasification. It will increase to 100MW on successful completion of the tests.

Pakistan is reported to have proven coal reserves of about 185 billion tons of lignite, which could not be brought into commercial operation because of continuous debate between federal and provincial governments on who should have control over natural resources.
In the process, a number of interested parties who were given exploration rights over some pockets of the deposits left the scene either because of their inability to secure the right technology or controversies over tariff structure and their lease had to be cancelled. If the test burn is successful, it will lead to commercial utilisation of coal where a number of power companies were interested to set up their power plants. In the immediate future, this will also give a boost to a joint venture of the Sindh government and Engro to announce financial close for another project.

The government has already announced an incentive package for coal development envisaging exemption from taxes and import duties for 30 years on import of coal mining and construction machinery for Thar field. Dawn. Per the Geological Survey of Pakistan “The GSP had successfully completed coal resources evaluation in the four specific tracts/ blocks of Thar coal field. The evaluation study of the GSP consisted of drilling 167 bore holes with a cumulative depth of over 50, 000 meters and chemical analyses of more than 2, 000 coal samples. On the basis of these studies, the required coal potential of a minimum of 500 million tons in each block has been established by the GSP. The recent studies on coal bed methane (CBM) proposed to be carried out in Thar will enhance the value of this deposit.”

 

Is Pakistan an Ally in the War on Terror?

The Pakistani government’s decision to halt the flow of NATO supplies into Afghanistan through the Torkham Gate during the first week of October has led many Americans to believe that Pakistan is not fully committed to the fight against militant extremism.

That notion is insulting. Pakistani support of U.S.-led efforts in Afghanistan is complicated. Pakistan has more than 147,800 troops deployed conducting combat operations in the tribal areas along the Afghan border.

The Pakistan army has lost more than 3,200 soldiers in recent fighting against Taliban forces along their border with Afghanistan, with another 6,400 injured. They sustain an average of 10 casualties each day, not counting the Pakistani civilians killed by suicide bombers. Pakistan is committed to this fight, but maybe not fully committed to the United States. It is right to be cautious.

To understand the relationship between the United States and Pakistan, one must look at it from a Pakistani perspective as well. When the Soviet Union was fighting in Afghanistan 25 years ago, the United States hailed the Afghan Mujahedeen as freedom fighters, struggling for the right to practice their faith free of an oppressive atheist government.

The United States provided material support to the Mujahedeen through Pakistan in an attempt to keep the Soviet Union engaged and bleeding. The Pakistani government convinced its populace that the Soviets were a threat, and that the Mujahedeen were worthy of support and admiration. After the Soviets left Afghanistan, the United States also disengaged from the area, setting the conditions we are struggling with today.

Soon after working with Pakistan to fight the Soviets, we passed the Pressler Amendment and cut off all foreign aid to Pakistan. The United States is a fair weather friend to the average Pakistani, interested in engagement when something is to gain. The damage caused by this policy still affects attitudes today.

Why should the average Pakistani citizen reject the former Mujahedeen and support U.S.-led military action against them? The government of Pakistan is making the case that the Taliban are no longer the famed Mujahedeen, that they abandoned their cause and are now a threat.

This war must be a Pakistani war to the Pakistani people, and the wishes of the United States should not factor in. The employment of the Pakistan army against fellow Muslims is sensitive. Any hint of U.S. pressure threatens the legitimacy of Pakistan army operations in the eyes of the Pakistani populace.

It is safe to assume the Torkham Gate border closure was in response to the accidental fratricide incident that occurred Sept. 30. In an incident barely covered by U.S. media, a U.S. attack helicopter illegally (accidentally or otherwise) crossed into Pakistani airspace and fired on a position thought to be occupied by militants.
The position was actually occupied by six Pakistani soldiers, and U.S. action killed three and wounded three. These men are our allies in the war on terror, and this incident sent shockwaves throughout Pakistan.

A delegation of high-ranking Pakistani officers traveled in late August to meet with officials at U.S. Central Command in Florida. After nearly 24 hours of travel, before boarding their final flight, one of the generals remarked, “I am glad this is our last flight,” or words to that effect.

A passenger complained about the remark, and the delegation was detained for hours by the TSA. The delegation left the United States in protest despite efforts from the Pentagon, and the Pakistani media ran stories for weeks about the grave insult.

While this issue did not receive attention from the U.S. media, the Pakistani government was once again caught between the emotions of its people and its relationship with the United States.

Combine these Pakistan-specific incidents with recent threats to burn Qur’ans and the protests against the construction of an Islamic Center in New York City, and you have a relationship that is difficult for the Pakistani government to convince its people to support.

Pakistan remains a key ally, and they remain dedicated to the fight against the Taliban and militant extremism. Before we criticize Pakistan’s commitment to the United States, we should ask ourselves how committed we are to Pakistan. What will our relationship be in five years, after we draw down our forces in Afghanistan? We continue to invest heavily in India’s tech and service sectors, so who will we favor in 15 or 25 years? If India invades Pakistan again, who will we support?
From the Pakistani perspective, maybe they aren’t the ones with commitment issues.

By Jeffrey Souter [a major in the U.S. Army, is a student at the Fort Leavenworth Command and General Staff College. He specializes in Middle Eastern studies. He worked at the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan in 2009.]

 

The Dream Of Democracy

Finally it must be recognized that lying is an essential ingredient of statecraft in these times. Governments lie in an attempt to uphold their legitimacy in the hearts of the people.

Democratic governments do not exist. Not in this world. Many attempts have been made, many faltering half-measures. All ultimately have failed to live up to the dream. But the people hold the dream of democracy close to their hearts. The people understand that systems of justice are a sham without democracy. Governments lie in order to create the illusion of democracy so that the people are more willing to comply. Governments create an illusion and then act in ways that advance the political and economic interests of a small group. by Ralph J Dolan (Global Research)

This is the political and economic reality of these times.

In the eyes of politicians the people are mere clay to be molded to be compliant to whatever governments do. The people do not understand political realities. The people are incapable of understanding what is in their best interests. The people are worn down by the day-to-day burdens of survival. They do not have the time nor the leisure to cast a critical eye upon the behaviors of their governments. This is exactly where governments want the people to be. Overburdened, distracted, desperate, voiceless, disorganized people are more easily led.

Such a phenomenon as an enlightened populace is possible. Such a phenomenon as a populace with enough leisure time, enough energy left over after the basic necessities of life are met, is quite possible. Already the modern world has the understanding of economic systems that tend to create a society in which the people are relatively content, enlightened and prosperous so that they can be engaged in the political, economic and social issues of the day. An equitable distribution of the wealth of a nation among all the people is a basic necessity of such a society. In such a society the idea of democracy has a chance of coming to fruition.

Why do we not see democratic governments thriving among the nations of the world? It is because, despite the flowery rhetoric about freedom and brotherhood, the world has not yet outgrown totalitarian political and economic ideologies.

Asserting that a totalitarian political and economic ideology still dominates our world suggests that there exists a ruling class. How can it be denied? From country to country one sees ruling families, juntas, crony capitalism, brutal regimes, fat oligarchs amidst vast squalor, domination of the political and economic mechanisms by small, wealthy, entrenched, ruthless, privileged groups.

This is the global ruling class. They are an elite club. They look out for each others’ political and economic interests. They lead double lives. They are all double agents. They pretend to serve one master but actually serve an entirely different master. They wear masks. In public they sing of the glories of the idea of democratic governance, of the march toward the liberation of the human race from tyranny and oppression. In private they ridicule such notions, despise the people and seek to manipulate the dumb masses to augment their own power, wealth and prestige.

These are the gods of the ruling class: power, wealth and prestige. They vie with each other to see who can gain the uppermost pinnacle of the global economic pyramid. They all individually seek to make of their own individual selves into a Sun God to whom all the masses bow in adoration.

The very last thing the ruling class wants is to create a political and economic landscape in which the people are well-educated, liberated from the day-to-day grind for survival and engaged in the issues related to their own governance. If the people are thriving, then too much of the wealth of the nations is being squandered. If the people are thriving, then they may grow into such engaged citizens that they challenge the political leadership, make them accountable, demand openness and honesty, infiltrate the entrenched political mechanisms with the attitudes and demands of a true democracy.

In order to preserve the interests of the ruling class the people must not thrive. The people must not have economic security, good schools, good health care, fair bargaining powers in the work place, clean, safe non-oppressive working conditions, strong healthy families, vibrant communities, equal justice for all. These characteristics of a good life, of a healthy, strong, unified, happy populace are well within reach. The resources are there in abundance. But it does not happen. The wealth of nations is sucked up to the top of the economic pyramid into the hands of the ruling class. They have no intention of sharing it with the dumb masses. The dumb masses must be kept in a state of want, desperation, subservience.

The dumb masses are the many. The ruling class is the few. How is it that the few so effectively dominates the many?

Those who accumulate the wealth, by whatever means, own everything and can bend the political and economic conditions to their advantage. They run governments from ‘behind the scenes’ by putting up the money and using political and social leverage to get people who do their bidding into the seats of power. Thereby do governments and supreme courts become ‘business friendly.’ Thereby economic mechanisms are created that willfully deprive the people of the fruits of their own labor, willfully extort those fruits in the name of offering the people the privilege of working for a pittance. The rulers rule! The rulers have a right to rule by the mere fact that they rule. Their wealth allows them to buy protection. They maintain standing armies of mercenaries. They create strong, well-equipped, obedient police forces to protect their properties, to protect the very idea of private property. Might makes right! The people are there to be manipulated, to be exploited, to be worked to death and then thrown in the garbage heap. The history books are filled with the false heroics and the false humanity of tyrants.

The ruling class is composed of individuals in all the countries of the world who get together in lush conference rooms and lay out in detail how they will manipulate the political realities so that the people are always afraid. Some enemy is about to ‘come over the wall’ to rape and pillage. A fearful populace is more likely to acquiesce to the implementation of draconian and costly policies which claim to be necessary to keep the people safe. The individuals that comprise the ruling class get together and lay out economic conditions that are widely advertised to be in the best interests of the people. But the inevitable outcome of these policies is that the people are not made safe nor do they prosper but rather are increasingly cowering, increasingly impoverished, increasingly subservient. The inevitable outcome is that those in power have even more control, more wealth, more undisputed dominance over the people.

This is the game plan!

Every human being who chooses to step into a position in the ruling class has chosen to wear a mask, to be a double agent, to say one thing and do something completely different, to live a lie. These human beings have agreed that in order to advance their own interests they must take on the mantle of ruthlessness. They must turn their hearts into stone. Their eyes must no longer reflect the light. They have agreed to offer their lives in service to a brutal machine – a government, to do everything in their power to advance the interests of that machine and to dispose of anyone who dares get in the way. They must lie continuously. They convince themselves that the atrocities that they perpetrate or condone are for the ‘greater good’ of the people, that the people are too innocent, too naive to understand, that they in the ruling class itself are the chosen ones to carry the heavy burden of leadership. For them democracy is an impossibility. As a form of governance democracy is ludicrous, laughable. But the game of democracy must be played on the surface of brute reality because the hearts of the people have been infected by the dream of democracy.

The people are like a powerful, slumbering dragon. Even as it slumbers this dragon is filled with a sense of injustice. None of the pomp and grandeur of the contemporary mechanisms of jurisprudence are able to cause it to be blinded to the pervasive, underlying injustice that prevails in the world. A small, seemingly insignificant event, some last straw like the imposition of harsh governmental austerity programs, might be the breeze that awakens the dragon. Once awakened it begins to unfold its wings and feels a hunger in its belly. One small act of courage, of standing up to the powers-that-be, can inspire other acts of courage. One brave individual like Rosa Parks may be looked upon as creating the spark that grows into a conflagration. But the conflagration is a cumulative mass movement. In the process tyrants are bought low and the will of the people begins to assert itself. It is true that in this vulnerable time some new tyrant may come and take the place of the old tyrant. But the fear of this happening again cannot prevent new experimentation. What is life, after all? What is all this cosmic evolution if not one experiment laid on top of another experiment? At some point the people will hit the exact, right cord. The critical mass will have been attained. The collective consciousness will have arrived at that blessed plateau where justice ‘flows down like water’ and true brotherhood prevails.

This dream is embedded in the hearts of all humans and cannot die.

Encirclement of Pakistan

Kashmir Watch, By Sajjad Shaukat

Although Pakistan has been facing multiple crises of grave nature, yet the same have been intensified by the foreign enemies recently as part of the encirclement of our country.

In this connection, on November 24, 2010, a US court has issued summons to senior officials of the Inter-services Intelligence Agency (ISI) including its Chief Ahmed Shuja Pasha, along with Mumbai attack masterminds and leaders of Lashkar-i-Taiba, Hafiz Saeed and Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi in response to a lawsuit filed by relatives of two American victims accusing them of providing material support for the 26/11 attacks of Mumbai.

The 26-page lawsuit accusing ISI of aiding and abetting LeT regarding the deaths of 166 people was filed before a New York Court on November 19. However, in an unprecedented step, the US court has summoned ISI chief to appear before it during 26/11, anniversary.

In this regard, Pakistan’s political leaders have strongly condemned the decision of the US court, saying that ISI chief must not appear before the court. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani categorically stated in the National Assembly that the ISI chief would not be asked to appear before the American court.

Here it is notable that American CIA-operated drones strikes continues unabated on Pakistan’s tribal areas. In this context, a writ petition must be filed in a court of Pakistan against the US President Obama and the ex-president Bush in connection with the deaths of many a persons through drones attacks.

It is of particular attention that the summon of Pakistan’s ISI chief is part of inter-related developments against Pakistan, which have co-relationship with each other. It can be judged from the fact that on December 16, 2010, regarding US AfPak Policy Review, American President Barack Obama said that the United States welcomed Pakistan’s efforts against extremists including offensives in its tribal regions, but “progress has not come fast enough, so we will continue to insist on Pakistani leaders that terrorist safe havens within that are borders must be dealt with.”

Meanwhile, on December 20, The New York Times reported that “senior American military commanders like Gen. David Petreaus and his subordinates are pushing for ground raids in Pakistan aimed at capturing Taliban commanders and taking them back to Afghanistan for interrogation.” At the same time, Washington wants Islamabad to take military action against the Haqqani group in North Waziristan. While Islamabad has already made it clear that army is engaged in other tribal areas, so it cannot attack the militants of North Waziristan.

In this context, rejecting US duress, Pakistan’s army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has said that a decision about military action in North Waziristan will not be made on external dictation.

India has also accelerated its campaign against Islamabad in connection with the perpetrators of the Mumbai carnage. In this context, on November 25, this year, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that substantive and verifiable progress has not been made by Pakistan! on bringing all the perpetrators and masterminds of the heinous attacks to justice. As a matter of fact non-state actors are present in whole of the region from India and Afghanistan to the Indian-occupied Kashmir. And it was proved that these non-sovereign entities were responsible for the Mumbai catastrophe and Pakistan had no official involvement.

On the other side, Islamabad had demanded from New Delhi information and progress in relation to a serving Lt. Col. Srikant Purohit along with other army officials involved in bombing of Samjhota express, which brunt alive 69 Pakistanis. But India has sent no reply in that respect.

It is noteworthy that some external opportunist elements like the US, India, Afghanistan and Israel are in collusion as part of a plot to ‘destabilize’ Pakistan for their common strategic interests. It was due to new subversive acts of the militants in the tribal areas, backed by American CIA, Indian RAW, Afghan Khad and Israeli Mossad that Prime Minister Gilani had disclosed that there were “several enemies of the country” and “foreign hands were also involved in the acts of terrorism.” Moreover, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik andISPR spokesman, Maj-Gen. Athar Abbas have repeatedly pointed out foreign hands in helping the insurgency in Pakistan.

As regards RAW, more than 50 Indian foreign offices, established along with the north-western border of Pakistan are supporting the militants not only in the Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa, but also Balochistan where a minority group called the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has been waging a separatist war in southwestern Pakistan with the aid of RAW and CIA. Bugti’s death was a blow to neo-BLA, but this group’s external backers did not stop their aggressive activities. After Bugti’s death his grandson, Brahmdagh Bugti is currently operating against Pakistan from Kabul.
On 23 July 2008, in an interview with the BBC, Brahmdagh Bugtti, while answering to a question in relation to getting arms from neighboring countries, replied that they are fighting for self-defence and “have the right to accept any foreign aid in this perspective”.

Another Indian-backed separatist group, calling their militants Jundollah (God’s soldiers) is also working against the cordial relationship of China and Iran with Pakistan.

Besides, Pakistan’s province, Balochistan where China has invested billion of dollars to develop Gwadar seaport which could link Central Asian trade with rest of the world, irritates the US including its other allies like India and Israel. Balochistan has even shifted the central gravity of the Great Game to Pakistan. Notably, Washington which signed a deal of civil nuclear technology with New Delhi wants to counterbalance China by making India the superpower of Asia. In this regard, a cold war has already started between the US and China.

As a ‘nuclearised’ Pakistan will be the arena of the next cold war, hence American CIA, Indian RAW and Israeli Mossad are creating instability by supporting separatist and hostile elements in Balochistan and other cities of our country. In this respect, besides suicide attacks and assaults on Pakistan’s security personnel, other incidents like kidnappings and killings of Iranians and Chinese engineers in the last three years might be cited as example.

In fact, the problem was not restricted to Balochistan alone, it also related to the Karakorum Highway, which was extended to Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa and the tribal areas of Pakistan. The fight in the name of Islam started in Bajor, Malakand and Swat, when in 2004; China signed an agreement with the government of Pakistan for an extension of the historical highway from Gilgat to Swat, passing through Dir and Chitral. That highway was named the Karakorum Highway phase II. As soon as some parts of that plan were brought to world’s attention, a siren went off in the capitals of some countries? especially Washington, New Delhi and Tel Aviv. The USA took it as a threat to its global plans, and India felt that it threatened its integrity. American close ally, Israel also took it as a greater threat from an Islamic country.
In this regard, Indo-Israeli lobbies are working in the US and other western countries in order to implicate Islamabad. With the help of particularly American media, these lobbies are propagating that the next terror-plan to attack the US homeland will be prepared in Pakistan. In this respect, recent release of the new secret documents which have targeted Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Syria including some other Islamic countries in general and Pakistan in particular are the plot of their collective enemies through WikiLeaks. Especially, the main aim of these diplomatic cables is to distort the image of Pakistan by maligning our political leadership, army and superior spy agency, ISI which is the first defense line of the country in thwarting the conspiracy of the foreign enemies.

Nonetheless, US has been playing a double game against our country, while its allies? India and Israel have intensified the encirclement of Pakistan with its support.

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.

 

Deadly Clashes Erupt in Pakistan Border Region

VOA News

Pakistani security officials say some 150 militants stormed five checkpoints in northwest Pakistan Friday in a coordinated attack that left 11 soldiers and 24 militants dead. The clashes took place overnight in the Mohmand tribal region near the Afghan border.

A Taliban spokesman disputed the casualty figures, claiming the militants killed about 12 soldiers.

U.S. officials say the region has become a base for Taliban and al-Qaida militants responsible for deadly attacks against coalition forces in Afghanistan.

A recent review of the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan called for greater cooperation with Pakistan, to deny safe havens to terrorists who operate in the border regions.

 

None can force ISI officials to appear before the US Court

Reacting sharply to the rare demand of US court to summon senior officials of Pakistan’s premier intelligence service ISI, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said, ‘ We cannot force ISI officials to appear before the US courts.’

PM Gilani while addressing the National Assembly session on Thursday said “It is a very important and sensitive agency; you can’t summon ISI without its approval” the PM maintained. “No compromise on national sovereignty and integrity”, he added.

Gilani also made it clear that Pakistan would not launch any military operation in North Waziristan Agency (NWA) on dictations of any country. Referring to Swat operation, the PM asserted that “We took all political stakeholders on board well before launching the operation”, and added that “we will not take anyone’s dictation on North Wazirstan operation”.

The premier said that the whole nation is against the menace of terrorism. He affirmed that investment would not come into the country till complete peace is established. The PM hinted at involvement of foreign hand behind the Balochistan unrest.

Gilani told the National Assembly that the Frontier Constabulary could not act without Balochistan government’s nod. He said that no compromise would be made on country’s sovereignty and integrity. Source: GEO TV

 

President Zardari appoints an optician-turned-foreign policy expert Nasir Ali Khan as Ambassador at Large

ZAFAR HILALY | The News International
WWW.PAKNATIONALISTS.COM

The elected government of President Zardari appoints an optician-turned-foreign policy expert Nasir Ali Khan as Ambassador at Large who has visited 25 countries in 24 months costing 15 million. His credentials? Played marbles with Shah Mehmood Qureshi at school.

To support the travel expenses of a Mr Nasir Ali Khan, an optician turned foreign affairs expert, now Ambassador at Large, probably takes a hundred fold as much money as it does to support the life of a common man.

Statistics to this effect were revealed in the National Assembly yesterday, in response to a question by a member of the opposition. Apparently in the space of 24 months Mr Nasir Ali Khan had visited 25 countries, some more than once, spending a total of 156 days outside the country at a cost of 15 million rupees to the national exchequer. On one trip to the US he stayed abroad on ‘assignment’ for as long as 18 days. That, apparently, is a record which is unequalled by any president, prime minister or foreign minister and one that will in all probability remain unchallenged.

It would have been interesting if MNA Nighat Saleem, who asked the question in parliament, would have followed up the government’s response by asking precisely what was the purpose of the Ambassador at Large’s mission to Trinidad and Tobago. I must confess that after a sleepless night I am still unable to think of one unless he was representing the Islamic Republic at a Reggae fest.

On reading the government’s response I rang up some serving and retired contacts to ask them who exactly this budding Kissinger was and why was he being shielded from public eye almost as much as our nuclear assets. Guffaws of laughter greeted my questions. “Don’t you know? He’s a bum-chum of Shah Mehmood Qureshi since their school days,” said one and all. Not believing that our foreign minister had assigned this particular gentleman a spanking new office at the prestigious third floor of the Foreign Office, and insisted on being accompanied by him on his visits abroad only because they had played marbles at school, I decided to snoop around. But snoop as much as I did, I discovered nothing to suggest otherwise.

It then occurred to me that I must be looking in the wrong place and asked one of the most prominent and widely respected Pakistani journalists in Islamabad, who is also a columnist for several major international newspapers, whether he had met our ‘Kissinger’ or heard him dilate on foreign affairs and what he thought of him. Except relating he confirmed that he had met Mr Nasir Ali Khan the rest of what he said is unprintable.

Never having met the Ambassador at Large personally, or heard him speak, on or off the record, or having read a word that he had written, I can’t swear that it he is as clueless about his new job as is being alleged but, alas, one feels that he may be. In this regime, as we have discovered to our cost time and time again, there is simply no criterion to fill a post. Anyone can be slotted for any job. Appointments are made on the basis of blood relations, friendship, larceny and what have you. The disdain for qualifications, experience, aptitude, performance, merit, abounds with the candidate’s lust for office, backed by lucre, often proving decisive.

Of the ambassadors at large appointed by this regime, one used to be a computer operator at the World Bank; another was a restaurant owner in Dubai; a third had no fixed vocation and alarmingly no fixed address. Apparently there are more of whom one does not hear perhaps because they violated their bail bonds. Of course, the professions identified are perfectly respectable ones except that they are as far removed from the craft of diplomacy as this government’s concern is for merit.

About the only ambassador at large today, who has any experience of diplomacy, is Ambassador Zia Ispahani but unfortunately his experience was only judged sufficient for a solitary mission in the past two years, in stark contrast to the 30 assigned to Mr Nasir Ali Khan, the optician. Considering that on most of his ‘missions’ the foreign minister was also with him, one wonders what Mr Nasir’s actual tasks were apart from being a factotum. And again, on this score too there is much lurid speculation in Islamabad.

For a government to be perceived as having the right man for the job adds to its stature and, of course, its performance; and the opposite is true when fools seem to be in an overwhelming majority. In her second term, some of BB’s advisers realising the politician’s proclivity to get carried away by considerations other than qualifications, experience, aptitude, performance and merit, suggested that she confine her selection to top posts in the bureaucracy from a shortlist of three provided by a select group of advisers headed by a very experienced former civil servant. BB would have none of it.

Politicians as a rule don’t like their freedom to appoint, and sometimes anoint who they wish circumscribed by rules or even common sense. They love to flaunt their power. After suffering as much as they do, in the form of beatings, jail and torture when out of office, they hate being told that some or other rule prevents them from savoring their victory and appointing whoever they wish to a job.

Just because the public has, for the moment, preferred their wisdom to that of their opponents they think they know best, and even though one of them paid for it with his life and BB’s choices on occasions turned out to be wrong it’s a habit that dies hard, as the Zardari-Gilani duo have amply demonstrated in their choice of candidates to fill important posts. Of course the performance of their opponents has been no better.

Pakistan is one of those rare semi-functional democracies where legally the president/prime minister can go off walking on the hills around his mansion in Islamabad and return with an ambassador designate in tow. All he has to do before taking his shower is to sign a note purporting to ‘be pleased to appoint’ him as one.

And that, by the looks of it, is how the current duo functions, except on the occasion when they spotted our peripatetic Ambassador at Large they were accompanied on their walk by the foreign minister who seems to have prevailed upon them to let his school chum join his diplomatic forays.

The writer is a former ambassador. Reach him at charles123it@hotmail.com This opinion was first published by The News International under the heading, Our budding Kissinger.

 

Shahzain Bugti Arrested Trying to Smuggle Weapons from Afghanistan – Calls US Embassy Upon Arrest

The Frontier Constabulary officials have arrested provincial President Jamhori Watan Party Shah Zain Bugti, who was earlier detained at Baleli checkpost, Quetta after a huge quantity of arms and ammunitions were recovered from his convoy.

Shah Zain Bugti has termed the recovery of weapon a conspiracy against him. Reportedly, Shah Zain refused to come out of his tainted-glass four-wheeler and tried to escape. However, FC men intercepted his vehicle and arrested him after breaking his vehicle’s window glass. Earlier, Provincial President Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) Shah Zain Bugti was detained along with his 17 men by FC personnel after they recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition from his motorcade at Baleli Check point in Quetta.

Shahzain, called some TV channels and told them that “the recovered arms are not mine, I am being implicated”. He said that we have been intercepted and FC placed weapon before us. He said that it is charge on us, as the weapon is owned by FC and police is involved in the conspiracy. He said that we are Pakistani citizens and always raise voice for our rights He alleged that FC wanted to arrest him to stop the announced Dera Bugti long march. Shah Zain was returning to Quetta from Chaman.

The seized arms include unlicensed 43 kalashnikovs, 6 RPG, 2 rocket launchers, 70,000 rounds, 2 RR Guns and several IEDs.

Shahzain Bugti is the grandson of slain Baloch leader and former chief minister of Balochistan Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti. Also, the FC men commandeered Bugti’s cars.

FC said that the recovered weapons are illegal and action would be taken against them under the law.