Indian Home Minister’s Failed Visit to Pakistan

By Sajjad Shaukat

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

India’s Undeclared War against Pakistan

By Sajjad Shaukat

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pakistani Siasatdano k Naam

Modi k Naam

Altaf Hussain K Naam

Achakzai k Naam

Pakistan's National Security Dynamics

By Tariq Rizwan

Pakistan came into being in 1947, the only second country in the name of Islam after the

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

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

During his recent speech on Independence Day 15 Aug, 2016, Indian Prime Minister

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

FATA, the semi-autonomous tribal lands consist of seven Agencies "Bajaur, Mohmand,

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

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

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

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

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

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

The writer is a freelance journalist based in Islamabad