Pakistan test fires Hatf VIII Ra’ad

By Web Desk

Pakistan conducted a successful flight test of the indigenously developed air-launched cruise missile, Hatf-VIII (Ra’ad) on Thursday.

A statement issued by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the Ra’ad Missile, with a range of over 350km, enables Pakistan to achieve strategic standoff capability on land and at sea.

‘Cruise technology’ is extremely complex and has been developed by only a few countries in the world.

The state of the art Ra’ad cruise missile with stealth capabilities is a low altitude, terrain-hugging missile with high maneuverability, and can deliver nuclear and conventional warheads with pin point accuracy.
A major additional feature of today’s test was the effective employment of the National Command Authority’s fully automated Strategic Command and Control Support System (SCCSS).

Unending Wars Against Mankind

Afghanistan and Iraq at its worst

“Wars are planned and orchestrated by the few, the privileged ruling elite; the humanity becomes the targeted victims of the few for global hegemonic governance. Throughout the ages, the conscientious mankind searched for ways to undo the war and strive for peace, the real aim for the establishments of international institutions. But now the global institutional capacity to deal with peace and conflict management appears in ruin with the continued onslaught of the American led so called War on Terrorism in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

By Mahboob A. Khawaja, PhD

(Democracy at Work: To re-visit the wounds of the Abu Ghraib)

“Savaged by dogs, Electrocuted with Cattle Prods, Burned by Toxic Chemicals, Does such barbaric abuse inside U.S. jails explain the horrors that were committed in Iraq?

They are just some of the victims of wholesale torture taking place inside the U.S. prison system that we uncovered during a four-month investigation for BBC Channel 4 . It’s terrible to watch some of the videos and realise that you’re not only seeing torture in action but, in the most extreme cases, you are witnessing young men dying.

The prison guards stand over their captives with electric cattle prods, stun guns, and dogs. Many of the prisoners have been ordered to strip naked. The guards are yelling abuse at them, ordering them to lie on the ground and crawl. ‘Crawl, mother f*****s, crawl.’

If a prisoner doesn’t drop to the ground fast enough, a guard kicks him or stamps on his back. There’s a high-pitched scream from one man as a dog clamps its teeth onto his lower leg. Another prisoner has a broken ankle. He can’t crawl fast enough so a guard jabs a stun gun onto his buttocks. The jolt of electricity zaps through his naked flesh and genitals. For hours afterwards his whole body shakes.

Lines of men are now slithering across the floor of the cellblock while the guards stand over them shouting, prodding and kicking. Second by second, their humiliation is captured on a video camera by one of the guards.

The images of abuse and brutality he records are horrifyingly familiar. These were exactly the kind of pictures from inside Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad that shocked the world this time last year.  (Deborah Davies, “Torture Inc. Americas Brutal Prisons” 03/28/2005)

ISI Chief Postpones US Visit Due to “Pressing Commitments” – Pakistan

The head of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency has postponed a visit to the United States due to “pressing commitments”, a military spokesman said Monday.

The postponement follows renewed tensions between the two countries over Pakistan’s six-month blockade on Nato supplies into Afghanistan and last week’s sentencing of a Pakistani doctor hired by the CIA to help find Osama bin Laden.

In a short statement sent to reporters by text message, the spokesman said that the visit by the ISI director general, Lieutenant General Zaheerul Islam, to the United States “has been postponed due to his pressing commitments here”.

“There is no other reason of postponing the visit,” the spokesman added.

Pakistani-US intelligence cooperation is understood to have continued despite stormy diplomatic relations between the two capitals, but frustration has been growing in both countries on how to break the stalemate.

Pakistani officials have reported five US drone strikes on Pakistani soil since a Nato summit last week, marking a dramatic increase in attacks that Pakistan demanded an end to after US air strikes in November killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.

The Chicago summit had been meant to symbolise a thaw between the United States and Pakistan, but appeared only to worsen the bad blood.

There is still no deal on reopening the Nato supply routes through Pakistan, vital for US and allied troops in Afghanistan.

Source: The Dawn

Youm-e-Takbir-Revisited – Pakistan Nuclear Capability Test 28 May 1998

By S. M. Hali

May 28, 1998 was a Red Letter Day for Pakistan, because on this day, at 3:16 pm it crossed the nuclear threshold becoming the world’s 7th nuclear power and the first nuclear weapons state in the Islamic World. Perhaps Pakistan’s nukes would have remained in the closet if the Indians had not tested their nuclear devices first on May 11, 1998 and then in a fit of euphoria assumed that Pakistan did not possess the bomb hence taunted it with jingoistic saber-rattling, thus forcing its hand. During the 17 days following the Indian tests, The US President Bill Clinton tried his best to deter Pakistan from conducting the tests, offering incentives as well as threats. The incentive package comprised the repeal of the Pressler amendment and releasing $600 million dollars worth of F-16 fighter-bombers that Pakistan had ordered and paid for but never received; additionally, financial assistance was offered. The threats encompassed the imposition of a total embargo like that imposed on India, but it was envisaged that Pakistan, with a more fragile economy would not be able to sustain the sanctions.

It goes to the credit of the then Pakistani political leadership that despite the intimidation and cajoling by the US, it remained steadfast in conducting the nuclear tests. Pakistan has been facing pressure due to its nuclear program since its inception. As early as 1979, the United States cut off aid to Pakistan under section 669 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (FAA) on the plea that Pakistan had broken the taboo of going nuclear and had secretly begun construction of a uranium enrichment facility. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan changed the circumstances and aid to Pakistan was restored since the US needed Pakistan as an ally to contain and defeat the USSR in Afghanistan. Throughout the eighties, there were various reports in the international media, discrediting Pakistan’s nuclear program. Israel, India and elements in the US joined forces to criticize and target Pakistan. During the same period, the book “Islamic Bomb” and a BBC documentary by the same title were released, citing Pakistan’s nuclear weapons endeavour.

Subdue the Enemy without Fighting

Strategic Analysis of Pakistan’s Perspective on the Afghan End-Game
by Dan Qayyum and Salman Javed

There is an old proverb, “Never let the bear in a trap fall on you”. We shall discuss the background and relevance of this quote a little later. First, lets go through some aspects of this war that has now disturbed the balance of power around the globe.

The Pre-Salala Scenario
Since the invasion and start of “Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan” in which Pakistan became a front line coalition partner, Pakistan has faced constant and sustained pressure, in the face of allegations and perception building against its army and security agencies. Many think-tank, experts and military strategists seem to have swallowed the propaganda hook line and sinker.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The role of Pakistan in Afghan-Soviet War, its support for Taliban, its goal of strategic depth, the Khalistan fiasco, Kashmir freedom movement, and Kargil’s are just some of the events that has earned Pakistan’s forces the title of a ‘rogue’ army, as well as a state sponsor of terror.

Hence any expectation of a relationship built on mutual trust was poorly thought out and unrealistic from the start. The allied forces came with the task of invading Afghanistan, toppling Taliban’s government, hunting down top Al-Qaeda leadership and flying back home under a ‘mission accomplished’ banner to live happily ever after. Staying in the Afghan battle field for over 10 years was never part of their strategy. None of the experts realised that the old ‘bear trap’ which drained out the Russians will also be effective in draining out the white elephant and it’s clan.

US-Pakistan Tensions Deepen as Obama Snubs Zardari at Nato Summit

Obama expresses frustration with Pakistan over its refusal to open up Nato supply routes in protest over US drone attacks. The rift between the US and Pakistan deepened on Monday as the Nato summit in Chicago broke up without a deal on Afghanistan supply routes.

Barack Obama, at a press conference to wind up the summit, made no attempt to conceal his exasperation, issuing a pointed warning to Pakistan it was in its wider interest to work with the US to avoid being “consumed” by extremists.

Seldom in recent years have the tensions between Washington and Islamabad been on public show to the extent as at the Chicago, overshadowing the two-day Nato summit.

The main point of friction is Pakistan’s closure of Nato supply routes to Afghanistan in protest over drone attacks and a US air strike in November that killed two dozen Pakistani troops.

PNS Mehran: Base Commander, Including Three Officers Court-Martialed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Almost a year after it was attacked, a military court hearing the PNS Mehran base attack, court-martialed three officers, Express News reported on Monday.

According to details, an investigation team comprising police, navy, air force and intelligence agencies, had found Base Commander Commodore Raja Tahir, Commanding Officer Israr, Air Base Security Officer Lieutenant Commander Absar irresponsible and negligent of their duties.

Sources said that the court had handed down sentences a few days ago, in line with Pakistan Navy laws. They added that the defendants were given equal chances to clear their names.

While they have been sentenced, no details of the extent of their punishments were revealed, except that they were not given a jail term.

As many as 10 terrorists had managed to storm the naval base in Karachi on May 22, 2011. They held off security personnel for 17 hours, destroying two P3C Orion surveillance aircraft in the process. At least 17 personnel were also killed in the attack.

SOURCE:EXPRESS TRIBUNE

US And India: Pushing Pakistan into an Abyss

“Pushing Pakistan into abyss may trigger an irreversible situation where Pakistan is compelled to react; such a reaction may result into using all that it can to save her soul. Pakistan needs to be respected and not pushed around; that’s all what it needs. Both the US and India need to stop funding and sponsoring insurgencies in Pakistan; if Pakistan sinks, it won’t sink alone.” Raja Mujtaba

By Brig Asif Haroon Raja

Notwithstanding Gen Muharraf’s weaknesses and several blunders he committed during his nine years rule, one has to admit that his governance and management of state affairs were relatively much better than what we have seen in the last four years. Law and order as well as overall security were not as bad during his time. Between 2004 and 2007, only 10 drone strikes took place. By 2004/05, the GDP had shot up to 7% and this figure was maintained till 2007. Foreign investments poured in and foreign exchange reserves crossed $15 billion mark. Several mega projects as well as development works in all the provinces particularly in neglected Balochistan were undertaken. Rupee was stable and exports had shown visible improvement. There was no shortage of daily commodities and inflation as well as price spiral was within limits. Load shedding and gas shedding was minimal. NAB recovered billions of rupees from corrupt politicians, businessmen, bureaucrats and military. Booming estate property and stock exchange made middle class prosperous. All economic indicators were in positive and public sector corporations were in profit. Corruption was within limits.

By virtue of his high sense of understanding of higher military strategy and defence matters as well as working knowledge of other subjects, he could handle local and foreign media deftly and he never waffled or fumbled. His speeches made on the national TV were measured and convincing. But for his fatal mistake of locking horns with chief justice Iftikhar at the advice of his sycophants and then imposing emergency in November 2007, which isolated him and led to his downfall, he may not have felt the need to strike a power sharing secret deal with Benazir Bhutto in exile and issue NRO, which paved the way for the installation of most corrupt and inept government comprising three secular liberal parties and election of most controversial president.

PakNationalists – POLICY BRIEF: NATO, Afghanistan And The Pakistan Supply Line, A Question Of Legitimacy

Defense and security analyst Dr. Shireen M. Mazari provides a unique perspective on three questions facing Pakistani policymakers in May 2012: 

Policy Brief | Released By Project For Pakistan In 21^st Century

ProjectPakistan21.org

1. Are NATO pressures on Pakistan to reopen the overland supply routes legitimate under international law? Will Pakistan violate any laws if does not grant NATO this permission?

2. Does it serve Pakistani interests to allow NATO to transport war supplies and weapons through Pakistan to Afghanistan?

3. Will Pakistan benefit from participation in NATO’S 25th summit meeting in Chicago?

Referring to UN Charter and NATO’s own laws, Mazari concludes NATO is not mandated by UN resolutions to be in Afghanistan.

She reveals how some NATO member diplomats ‘sneaked’ the organization into ISAF, which was originally assigned by UNSC to establish security and peace in Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent use of force against Afghanistan.

Mazari explains that, by blocking or ending the NATO supply lines, Pakistan does not violate international conventions governing transit access to landlocked states.

According to the same rules, it is the government of Afghanistan that should request Pakistan to allow third-country supplies to pass through Pakistan and this has not happened yet. Moreover, any supplies passing through Pakistani land or air corridors cannot include weapons.

Then there is the question of NATO violations of Pakistani border and the deliberate murder of Pakistani soldiers on several occasions. 

And why don’t they leave?

NOTES FROM A SOCIAL SCIENTIST

“…Who is stopping them?”

By Dr. Haider Mehdi

“Our time of awareness is a lightening flash

A blinding interval in which to know and suffer.”

Mirza Ghalib, translated by Adrienne Rich

Consider it the ultimate blinding lightening

flash or a slap in the face of the nation, or whatever your intellect or political affiliation allows you to believe, the title of this column is a verbatim quote of Pakistan’s convicted Prime Minister, in response to a question asked by a CNN interviewer in London recently. The British interviewer had sought the PM’s opinion on media reports that a sizable number of Pakistanis wanted to leave the country because of rampant corruption, political and fiscal mismanagement, breakdown of law and order, safety and security concerns, and lack of appropriate governance in the country. The convicted Prime Minister, in a matter of fact manner, and with an air of absolute belief in his judgment on the question, quipped “And why don’t they leave…Who is stopping them?”

Let me take you back in time a bit: Marie Antoinette, queen of France, married to Louis XVI, when informed that the people of France had no bread to eat, purportedly said, “Let them eat cake.” This was prior to the French Revolution (1789) when eventually the French people, tired of poverty, deprivations, class society, bad governance, corruption and massive excesses of the nobles and ruling elite, publicly beheaded them.

But that was the 18th century. France was a monarchy. Queen Marie Antionette’s response was rooted in her ignorance and alienation from the people of France. What else could have been expected of a ruling monarch that considered the common French citizens as their “subjects,” entitled to no better treatment or rights than “slaves” and whatever the monarchy willed it to be. Indeed, the king/queen was the embodiment and the law unto themselves – France was king and queen, and king and queen were France – French people existed at their pleasure and perished at their will – and that was that.

In recent times, Reza Shah Pahlavi, the Emperor of Iran, the “darling” of the West and their front “henchman” in the Middle East, prior to the Iranian People’s Revolution in 1979, is reported to have “asked his opponents in Iran to leave HIS country if they did not like him.” This showed the incredible ignorance and preposterous arrogance of a Shahan-shah who, intoxicated with power and wealth, considered himself omnipotent — Reza Pahlavi was Iran and Iran was Reza Pahlavi. The state existed for the emperor, and the emperor was the state. In this mental disposition of alarming political and conceptual “madness,” Reza Shah’s personal view of “state” and its citizens is understandable – that is, if one is inclined to believe that a nation can be governed by a ruling elite and its leadership that is gruesomely insane and grotesquely suffers from a complete and lurid lunacy.

The question is: What is Yousef Raza Gillani’s excuse? This is May 2012. Supposedly, Pakistan is a democratic country. The convicted Prime Minister was elected by a democratically-elected parliament – and the Prime Minister’s conviction came after due process of law in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Understandably, logically and rationally, that is if one believes in democratic norms, the citizens of Pakistan are not the “subjects” of the incumbent PPP ruling regime or its Prime Minister. The “state” of Pakistan is not Yousef Raza Gillani, nor is Yousef Raza Gillani, the Pir from Multan, the state or law unto himself. Citizens of Pakistan are entitled to full civil, political, legal and democratic rights, and no one, not even a sitting Prime Minister, has the moral-ethical-political authority to tell them Well, you don’t like me, then leave the country. Who is stopping you?