Terrorism: Media Must Act Sensibly

By Sajjad Shaukat

                                                 

Terrorism is based on symbolic strategy to communicate connotative meanings by conveying the message to different segments of society and government that terrorists are powerful and dangerous. In the present world, terrorism and media are interrelated.

After the recent terror attacks in Brussels and Paris, the governments, people, security agencies and media of their countries became one to fight against the menace of terrorism. Similarly, unity was seen in the US after the 9/11 tragedy.

However, in these cases, while, acting sensibly, their media played a key role in discouraging terrorism in every possible way.

In case of Pakistan, media, especially TV channels always behave irresponsibly. Let us take the example of the recent terror attack at  Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park in Lahore, which killed at least 72 people, including 29 children and injured more than 300 persons. Afghanistan-based Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) which is being supported by India, and which was behind several terror attacks inside Pakistan also claimed responsibility for this major assault. To divert the attention,  its faction Jamaatul Ahrar accepted responsibility for this ferocious attack.

One the one hand, media anchors and analysts openly stated that terrorists are not invincible, and that they can be eliminated through power of the state, coupled with collective efforts of various entities of the country, while on the other, various TV channels were repeatedly displaying the horrible scenes of blood, dead bodies, the injured persons including women and children who were targeted by the terrorists at Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park. It seemed that unintentionally, they were glorifying the cause of terrorism, besides adding fuel to the fire in relation to those families which were affected by the mayhem. Creating panic among the general masses, such an insensible act also distorted  country’s image.

Pakistan is passing through exceptionally unusual circumstances and the situation after the Peshawar school attack warranted bold decisions to deal the menace of terrorism, particularly the threat of the TTP and its banned affiliated groups. In this regard, encouraged by the public opinion, taking note of the delicate moment, on January 2, 2015, political and military leaders agreed on a draft of legislative measures which paved the way for establishment of special military trial courts. It was unanimously agreed that the 20 points enunciated in the All Parties Conference (APC) Resolution of December 24, 2014 shall be acted upon expeditiously—the bill as 22nd (Constitutional) Amendment was enforced soon after its approval by parliament. Now, several terrorists have been hanged.

Unfortunately, the glorification of terrorists by some irresponsible media houses helps in motivating the innocent youth. They are referred to as militants or extremists instead of terrorists. These media houses give time and space to those terrorists by telecasting their messages like claiming of responsibility for a terror attack, exaggeration of the event etc.  in the print and electronic media—indirectly appease them.

Notably, after the 20-point National Action Plan, the distinction between the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ Taliban was removed. But electronic TV channels have given undue space to the extremist people like Maulana Abdul Aziz (Lal Masjid). Thus, the media has been playing a significantly more lethal role than the automatic weapons in the hands of these terrorists in winning the hearts and minds of our misguided youth.

Let us take the instance of the Karachi Airport operation against the terrorists. In this respect, the electronic media recklessly failed to demonstrate maturity in live coverage of the operation. Certain information regarding movement of our forces, supervision of operation by a particular tier of command, reports submitted to Army’s high command etc. were required to be strongly censored, as the same information was also made available to the terrorists through live coverage.

Nevertheless, as regards Pakistan, media reports must be properly monitored and strongly censored prior to broadcast. Media must follow a code of conduct and journalistic ethics, as envisaged by the profession of journalism and in accordance with the national interests.

This mechanism, related to the war against terrorism is essential for the Pakistani media, especially for the TV channels. Media must project that state is more powerful than the misled bands of terrorist outfits. In this context, the electronic media should not buy the panic-ridden messages of the terrorists, and it should indicate that terrorists are weak; therefore, they undertake heinous missions stealthily. Electronic Media must give very short coverage to the terrorism-related event and must not repeat the incident again and again. Media must exploit vulnerabilities of terrorists.

Particularly, our media must be fully controlled in order to conduct successful counter-terror operations, and should be used as a support element of the state. It should not be allowed to conduct selective coverage of events such as showing mutilated bodies, severely injured people, destruction of property and brutally smashed scenes of surrounding. Live coverage of operation should not be permitted.

Besides, in crisis situation, lives are at risk. In this connection, media should not disclose names of victims, vital locations, security forces etc. It should maintain sense of hope among domestic audience, especially when the operation against terrorists is still going on. It is better that during counter-terrorism operations, media must be fully controlled and kept out. This will help all tiers of command to achieve their objectives.

Now, Pakistan’s Armed Forces have almost defeated the terrorists, particularly of the TTP through the military operation Zarb-e-Azb which needs support of the nation, especially of the media which must encourage our armed forces against these zealots.

And Media anchors and commentators must point out that Islam considers killing one innocent person equal to murdering the entire humanity, while Jihad is a sacred obligation, but its real spirit needs to be understood clearly, as killing innocent women and children is not Jihad.

It is now time for our media to stop glorifying terrorism for advancing their business interest. While acting sensibly, media must know that in this war against terrorism, there is no other side. There is only one side and that is our side.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com

Real Face of Terror Exposed

By Sajjad Shaukat

Terrorism which is inhuman has enveloped almost entire world in general and South Asia in particular.

Pakistan is a country subjected to terrorism itself. Present military and civilian leadership is determined to unearth and root out the menace from its soil, because the survival of the country itself is at stake and the entire nation shares this resolve.

However, various developments have exposed the real face of terror, which need special attention.

In this regard, Pakistan has become hub of cross frontier proxies and the role of India has become naked after the arrest of Kulbhushan Yadav, on March 24, 2016. Yadav openly admitted that he was the serving agent of Indian secret agency RAW in Balochistan province, and 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 (CPEC).

In this context, 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.

In a video, during the press conference, Yadav confessed that he spied for India. Yadav admitted that he was assigned with the task to create unrest in Karachi and Balolchitan to destabilise Pakistan and to target the Gwadar Port. Yadav also disclosed that he was funding Baloch separatists along with other terrorists—he was captured, while heading Iran.

Although in the past too, various agents of Indian secret agency RAW were arrested in Pakistan, yet the case of Kulbushan Yadav has exposed the real face of India’s terror.

The fact of the matter is that admission of the Indian spies, particularly of Kulbushan Yadav clearly prove that Indian RAW has a well-organized espionage system in Pakistan.

In this connection, RAW with the assistance of some external entities, particularly Israeli Mossad have well-established its espionage network in Afghanistan, and besides backing other similar terrorist groups, it has been supporting Afghanistan-based Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) which has claimed responsibility for several terror attacks inside Pakistan, including the recent one at  Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park (Children Park) in Lahore on Easter Sunday (March 27, 2016), which killed at least 72 persons, including 29 children. RAW is also behind sectarian violence in Pakistan.

With the tactical backing of CIA and Mossad, RAW have also been assisting the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA)  and other separatist outfits and Jundollah (God’s soldiers) which have committed various subversive acts in the province of Balochistan—abductions and killings of several nationals of China and Iran. These agencies are also weakening Pakistan, because it is the only nuclear country in the Islamic World.

It is time that the international community must understand the true picture, denounce India for its involvement in terrorist activities, and support Pakistan’s stance and efforts in curbing the menace.

India which apparently,  claims to be the largest democracy, acting upon the principles of liberalism and secularism has  broken all the records of violence, genocide and massacre perpetrated on various ethnic and religious groups, entailing the community of its own lower castes.

Since the leader of the ruling party BJP Narendra Modi became Prime Minister of India, various developments like unprecedented rise of Hindu extremism, persecution of minorities, 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.

Under Modi rule, as part of anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan approach, New Delhi accelerated unprovoked firing at the Line of Control in Kashmir and Working Boundary across Pak-Indian border. While, in the recent months, extremists of Hiudu fundamentalist groups intensified assaults on the Muslims and Pakistani artists, famous literary persons—members of the cricket boards etc., and even on moderate Hindus.

Thanks to the policies of Modi’s Government, even Indian media is already actively highlighting the radicalization of Indian society and pathetic state of minorities which are eroding secularism in India.

In this respect, in the recent past, more than 200 Indian writers, authors, scientists, artists, filmmakers, film-stars etc. decided to return their national awards in protest to rising Hindu extremism, while more than 100 persons have returned their rewards. Former Indian military personnel have also started returning their medals, criticizing the policies of the BJP government.

In order to discourage Modi-led extremist policies, all such atrocities including indifferences to other minorities, human rights etc. and New Delhi’s strategy to destabilize Pakistan by sponsoring terrorism-related activities must be thoroughly debated in the regional and international media.

And Pakistan needs to adopt fresh pursuance of regional cooperation in strengthening the fight against terrorism. Regional forum, including China and Central Asia will be a great platform to pursue the theme in addition to the media and diplomacy.

China and Pakistan are woven together in the CPEC project. Beijing already understands Islamabad’s efforts in confronting terrorism. However; there is a requirement to sensitize China about the Indian conspiracy to spoil Pak-China friendship and cooperation. As already pointed out,  activities of Kulbhushan Yadav were aimed at scuttling the CPEC in particular.

It is mentionable that Pakistan as a nation does not believe in sectarianism.  All the proxies against Pakistan aimed at creating sectarian divide have failed.  Pakistan’s effort to settle crises in Yemen and Syria is testimony of its stance on such issues which has been appreciated by international community.

Nonetheless, Indian extremist policies have exposed the real face of terror.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com

Why India Spoils the Investigation of Pathankot Incident?

By Sajjad Shaukat

Without any investigation and evidence, since the first day of the a terror attack at the Indian Air Force Base in Pathankot, Indian media and top civil and military officials started claiming that the attackers had arrived from Pakistani Punjab’s Bahawalpur district, and had links with Jaish-e-Mohammad and Pakistan’s primary intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). But, despite Islamabad’s cooperation with India like formation of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) consisting of professionals to investigate the Pathankot attack, crackdown against the militant group Jaish-i-Mohammad—lodging of a First Information Report (FIR) in relation to the incident, New Delhi failed in providing any proof of Pakistan’s involvement in the Pathankot episode. In fact, besides fulfilling other sinister designs against Pakistan, New Delhi orchestrated that drama to postpone secretary-level talks with Pakistan, which were scheduled to be held in Islamabad on January 15, 2016.

Some latest developments have proved that the terror attack at the Pathankot Air Force Base

was preplanned.

A Muslim Officer of India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) Mohammad Tanzil who was investigating the Pathankot airbase attack was shot dead by two unidentified attackers near his hometown-Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh, when he was returning from a function with his wife and a child, as India media reported on April 3, this year.

Meanwhile, New Delhi’s non-cooperation with Pakistan’s JIT has proved that Indian intelligence agencies, especially RAW has arranged the killing of Mohammad Tanzil who wanted to detect the real culprits of the Pathankot attack. Now, as a formality, Indian government has directed to conduct a high level  inquiry to know regarding his death by unknown attackers.

It is notable that Indian authorities failed to provide evidence to Pakistan’s Joint Investigation Team which visited India to probe into Pathankot attack. The JIT members visited Pathankot Airbase on March 29 where Indian National Investigation Agency officials briefed and showed them the route from where the attackers stormed the airbase.

Sources said that the lights along the 24-km perimeter wall of the Pathankot airbase found to be faulty on the eve of the attack. The Pakistani investigators were allowed to enter the military airbase from the narrow adjacent routes instead of main entrance and their duration of the visit was just 55 minutes, enough to take a mere walk through the airbase. The JIT could not collect evidence in this limited time.

The sources also pointed out that the visiting team was only informed about the negligence of Boarder Security Force (BSF) and Indian forces. It was disclosed that at the time of the assault, the BSF was sleeping, even though they had been alerted of a possible attack 48 hours earlier. 

As a matter of fact, Ajit Doval, the ex-spymaster who is now National Security Advisor of Indian Prime Minister Modi is the real author and controller of India’s offensive-defensive doctrine.

Besides planning various terror attacks in Pakistan as part of Indian offensive-defensive doctrine, Ajit Doval also advised to arrange various subversive acts inside India and to shift the blame game to Pakistan like orchestrated drama of Gurdaspur episode, boat incident etc. to defame Pakistan and its security agencies.

In this context, on January 2, 2016, the terror attack at Indian Air Force Base in Pathankot was preplanned under his directions.

Undoubtedly, Pakistan as a responsible member of the international community condemned the Pathankot attack and offered honest and sincere help to investigate the issue, though New Delhi itself planned the incident. In this respect, on January 8, 2016, a high level meeting, chaired by the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was held in which chief of army staff and DG, ISI also participated. The meeting also discussed the Pathankot incident and expressed Pakistan’s condemnation. Reiterating commitment to cooperate with India to completely eradicate the menace of terrorism in the region, it was decided to remain in touch with the Indian government—expressed the goodwill generated by the recent high level contacts, the two countries would remain committed to a sustained, meaningful and comprehensive dialogue process.

Pakistan’s stance has been appreciated and international community also asked both the countries to solve the issue through diplomacy.

Security policy of Pakistan supported by all stake holders including Government and Security institutions aims at eradicating terrorists from its soil .Pakistan is sincere in investigating the Pathankot attack. Islamabad is serious in addressing genuine concerns of New Delhi and international community. This was the first ever effort by India to genuinely engage Pakistan.

Pakistan’s seriousness and non-involvement is reflective from Pakistan’s willing support for a fair investigation.

Now, the ball is Indian court to open the doors for genuine investigation and share all proves to Islamabad—sufficient enough for a tangible legal action.

Notably, India’s orchestrated drama of the Pathankot incident could also be judged from the fact that earlier, Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had said in confusion that New Delhi would not allow access to the JIT into the base, though it was allowed on very limited scale to fulfill the formality. It can undermine the seriousness of bilateral commitments to find the truth.

Team had to be allowed serious access to the Indian investigations as to ascertain the reality. In this connection, varying claims came from New Delhi with regards to the strength of the killed terrorists. And Pictures/photographs of only four terrorists have been shared with the media so far. Hence, it is to find about remaining two.

It is of particular attention that Indian Intelligence agencies had already alerted security agencies about the possible terror group’s planning of the assault at Pathonkot, after tracing the phone calls of the militants. Following the alert, Western Air Command chief Air Marshal SB Deo had reached Pathankot air base on the same day of night himself to take stock of security preparations. One day before, the terrorists had also hijacked the car of Indian Superintend of Police (SP), Gurdaspur,Salwinder Singh, which was used by them to reach the base. SP, his friend Rajesh Verma, and cook Madan Gopal were abducted and afterwards released. Reports revealed that Indian NIA which has been entrusted with the attack probe, is questioning the SP, his friend and cook, deliberately linking him with Pakistan’s banned outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad and spy agency, ISI.

Nonetheless, Pathankot incident cannot be seen in isolation, as it is part of Indian activities against Pakistan. In this context, it is also of particular attention that on March 24, 2016, Pakistan’s security forces disclosed that they arrested the serving agent of Indian intelligence agency RAW in Balochistan province. During investigation, RAW agent namely Kulbushan Yadav confessed 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.

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 destabilise 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. He stated that he was arrested by Pakistani authorities while he was heading Iran.

On March 25, in a statement, India’s External Affairs Ministry, while admitting the RAW agent, captured by the Pakistani security forces to be Indian citizen, claimed that he was a commander in the Indian Navy, and it has sought consular access to Yadav.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office, spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said, “Pakistan summoned Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale and lodged a strong protest over RAW officer’s arrest…India’s spying activities in Balochistan and Karachi…the spy was linked to separatist elements in Balochistan, as well as involved in acts of sectarian terrorism and terror attacks in Karachi…and Balochistan.”

But, the arrest of RAW agent was made at a crucial hour, when Pakistani JIT was scheduled to visit India to investigate Pathankot terror attack.

Returning to our main discussion, India is spoiling the investigation of the Pathonkot incident, because it has itself arranged the attack, as part of the anti-Pakistan scheme.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com

India’s Espionage System in Pakistan Proved

By Sajjad Shaukat

Although in the past too, various agents of Indian secret agency RAW were arrested in Pakistan, yet the case of Kulbushan Yadav which has proved the presence of India’s espionage system needs special analysis.

In this regard, on March 24, 2016, Pakistan’s security forces disclosed that they arrested the serving agent of RAW in Balochistan province. During investigation, RAW agent Kulbushan Yadav confessed 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 (CPEC).

The law enforcement agencies for the last eight months monitored Yadav’s movement and activities and captured him after collecting ample evidence. They also recovered Afghan and Pakistani SIMs as well as maps from his possession. Out of more than 15 Indian consulates in Afghanistan, the majority are located near the Pakistan border and Yadav was also stationed at Kandahar.

On March 25, in a statement, India’s External Affairs Ministry, while admitting the RAW agent, captured by the Pakistani security forces to be Indian citizen, claimed that he was a commander in the Indian Navy, and it has sought consular access to Yadav.

In this respect, Pakistan’s Foreign Office, spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said that Pakistan summoned Indian High Commissioner Gautam  Bambawale and lodged a strong protest over RAW officer’s arrest…India’s spying activities in Balochistan and Karachi…the spy was linked to separatist elements in Balochistan, as well as involved in acts of sectarian terrorism and terror attacks in Karachi…and Balochistan.”

In this context, 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 destabilise 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. He stated that he was arrested by Pakistani authorities while he was heading Iran.

Lt. Gen. Bajwa confirmed the presence of an active espionage of RAW within Pakistan. He elaborated, “Yadav’s mission included conducting of operations in Karachi and Balochistan…to target the Gawadar Port and the CPEC project…the apprehended spy is aware of the funding made regarding the attack carried out on the Mehran Base and that Yadav also tried to form a ‘Tiger force’ in Karachi which aimed towards spreading sectarianism in the city,” adding that “the spy was directly connected with RAW and the Indian authorities.”

During the recent visit of the Iranian President Hasan Rouhani in Pakistan, On March31, this year, Chief of Army Staff. Gen. Raheel Sharif raised the issue of Kulbushan Yadav with him—use of Iranian soil by India’s RAW to stoke instability in Balochistan and Karachi. In this respect, some misunderstanding was created by some media reports which misinterpreted the news by indicating that perhaps, Gen. Raheel has blamed Tehran for RAW activities in Pakistan. However, while denouncing media reports, Minister for Interior Affairs Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan clarified on April 2 that “Iran is not involved in any anti-state activities in Pakistan…all sections of Pakistani society are unanimous in their support for stronger Pak-Iran relations.”

A day after Islamabad formally sent a six-point letter, addressed to Iranian Ambassador in Islamabad, Mehdi Honardoost, asked Tehran to immediately arrest and hand over an individual identified as Rakesh, alias Rizwan, for interrogation; verify activities of Kulbhushan Jadhav along with records of visits to Iran; provide a record of his stay in Iran including cities visited and the duration of these visits; provide a record of people he interacted with and purpose of these interactions; share details of RAW networks on Iranian soil and share any other details related to the matter”. In response, Iranian ambassador called on Interior Minister Nisar to assure his country’s full support in stemming incursion of Indian spies into Pakistani territory, using Iranian soil.

It is notable that in 2012, as part of the exchange of prisoners, Pakistani government released Indian spy, Surjeet Singh who was handed over to the Indian authorities at the Wagah border crossing. He openly admitted that he was in Pakistan to spy when he was arrested in 1982, In this regard, Surjeet Singh said, “I was a RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) agent. No one bothered about me after I got arrested.” Surjeet told reporters soon after stepping on Indian soil.

Quite opposite to the admission of Surjeet, on June 29, 2012, Indian Home Secretary RK Singh told a news conference in New Delhi, saying, “We do not accept this that Singh was Indian spy…it is completely wrong.” However, it showed Indian illogical approach as New Delhi denied facts in order to conceal the presence of other Indian spies in Pakistan.

While reaching India, Surjeet Singh again admitted before Indian reporters that he sent to Pakistan by RAW for espionage purposes.

And the Pakistan’s Ex-President Asif Ali Zardari had also commuted death sentence of another Indian spy of RAW, Sarabjit Singh into life imprisonment on June 26, 2012.

Surjeet Singh had revealed, “Sarabjit Singh is a terrorist and terrorists are not released.” On the other side, the then Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna who welcomed Surjeet Singh’s release, stated on June 25, 2012, it was now “time for Sarabjit Singh to be freed.” Like Indian home secretary, even external affairs minister was defending the Indian agents. It displayed that Indian high officials are deliberately and officially supporting RAW agents to destabilise Pakistan.

Nevertheless, both Surjeet Singh and Sarabjit Singh were responsible for the string of blasts in Faisalabad, Lahore, and Multan in 1990 in which several innocent people were killed. They were also behind other terror-activities in Pakistan.

On June 28, 2012, BBC reported, in recent years, “several Indians returning from Pakistani jails have admitted to spying for Indian intelligence agency RAW” and some have criticised India’s government for abandoning them.”

It is mentionable that in April 2011, Gopal Das, one of Pakistan’s longest-serving Indian prisoners, was released after Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari intervened in his case.

Upon his release, Das admitted that he was an Indian spy. Similarly, Kashmir Singh, sentenced to death in Pakistan in 1973 for spying, was released in March 2008. Afterwards, he also confessed that he was spying for RAW.

The fact of the matter is that admission of the Indian spies, particularly of Kulbushan Yadav clearly prove that Indian RAW has a well-organised espionage system in Pakistan.

In this respect, Indian RAW with the tactical assistance of American CIA and Israeli Mossad have well-established its espionage network in Afghanistan, and besides backing other similar terrorist groups, it has been supporting Afghanistan-based Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) which has claimed responsibility for several terror attacks inside Pakistan, including the recent one at  Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park (Childen Park) in Lahore on Easter Sunday (March 27, 2016), which killed at least 72 people, including 29 children and injured more than 300 persons. A faction of the TTP, Jamaatul Ahrar claimed responsibility for this ferocious terror attack, saying Christians were their target.  

Besides, India’s several secret training camps are also present in Afghanistan from where in the past years, highly trained militants, equipped with sophisticated weapons including motivated suicide bombers were being sent to Pakistan’s various places to conduct target killings, bomb blasts, attacks on civil and military installations, forced abductions and sectarian violence.

With the tactical backing of CIA and Mossad, RAW have also been assisting the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA)  and other separatist outfits and Jundollah (God’s soldiers) which have committed various subversive acts in the province of Balochistan—abductions, and killings of several nationals of China and Iran. The main aims are to separate the province of Balochistan and to fail the CPEC. These agencies are also weakening Pakistan, because it is the only nuclear country in the Islamic World.

It is of particular attention that in September 2013, India’s media had disclosed that on a defence ministry directive, asking for the creation of covert capability—the military intelligence unit, Technical Services Division (TSD) was set up by the Indian Army Chief Gen. VK Singh (R), which conducted covert operations in Pakistan. Besides an official of the TSD, in an Indian TV Channel, Gen. VK Singh boldly confessed that during his tenure as only one Minister of Agriculture (Ghulam Hasan Mir) was bribed, and Indian Army provided money to selected leaders in Jammu & Kashmir to crush the militancy (Kashmiri freedom fighters).

In the recent past, Pakistan’s armed forces broke the backbone of the militants by achieving successes against the ongoing military operation Zarb-e-Azb, and particularly cleared the areas of North Waziristan Agency (NWA), while restoring peace in Balochistan and Karachi.

In this connection, even the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in its annual report issued on April 2, 2016 pointed out, “A 40 percent decrease in violence in 2015 as compared to 2014. In 2015, 4,612 people died in violence as compared to 7,622 violence-related deaths last year. Anti-state violence dropped below 2008 levels: 706 militant attacks took place, in which 1,325 people including 619 civilians, 348 security forces personnel, 325 militants and 33 pro-government razakars were killed…provinces continued to use expanded legislative authority under the 18th Constitutional Amendment to enact several important laws…the 21st Constitutional Amendment and corresponding amendments to the Army Act 1952 gave military courts jurisdiction to try all persons, including civilians and juveniles, in offences related to terrorism under military tribunals.”

But, through its spy-network in Afghanistan which has coordination with its espionage system in Pakistan, especially RAW is again trying to conduct terror attacks and subversive activities in Pakistan like the past.

Pakistan’s civil and military high officials have repeatedly disclosed that Indian RAW is behind acts of sabotage in Karachi and Balochistan including sectarian violence.

Nonetheless, RAW-based espionage system in Pakistan has undoubtedly been proved after the arrest and confession of Kulbushan Yadav.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com

Indian spy’s complacency led to his arrest: report

Kul Bhushan Jadhav was arrested by Pakistan's Intelligence Bureau as he had dropped his guard and started talking like a Marathi Manoos during his telephone conversations with his family, disclose senior Indian officers from central intelligence, reported Indian newspaper Mumbai Mirror.

Pakistan has alleged that he is a RAW agent.
India has told Pakistan that although Jadhav could be an Indian, he had nothing do with the government.

According to the paper, top intelligence officers have revealed that after 14 years of working in the region he had become a bit complacent.
It is suspected that his phone was on surveillance by the Pakistani agencies and those who were monitoring his communications found something amiss and out of character as Jadhav is alleged to be operating under the cover of a Muslim businessman.

Jadhav's habit of speaking to his family in Marathi and with extreme familiarity and comfort level in the language betrayed his cover - his passport identifies him as Husain Mubarak Patel; but his mannerisms were nothing like that of a Muslim Patel.

Patel's passport was apparently issued from Thane Regional Passport Office (RPO) showing his birthplace as Sangli, Maharashtra.
"We have tried to establish the veracity of Patel's passport and found that it was not issued from our RPO," says Thane police commissioner, Param Bir Singh.
"No police verification report was ever submitted by Thane police.
In all probability it could be a bogus passport," he added.

Jadhav, who last visited Mumbai some four months back, was under watch by the Pakistani agencies during his movements in Iranian cities in the course of his work, his close friends from Mumbai police told this newspaper.
Jadhav could have been honey-trapped before his arrest and then subjected to ruthless methods of interrogation and torture to extract information from him over a period of several weeks, they feel.
The family had lost contact with Jadhav since February leading to the suspicion that he was in the custody of Pakistan for a while now.

As a result, two other local contacts who were supposed to provide back-up assistance to Jadhav are also reportedly missing for over a month.
The standard operating procedure is to always have some 'contacts' on standby to be the contact persons in times of emergency or when there is total blackout of communications and inaccessibility of the person of interest.
Both the Indian contacts are inaccessible and have probably gone underground or are on the run - unless they have already been arrested and thrown behind bars - disclosed officers from the Mumbai police.

The fallout of the Jadhav's arrest is the frantic counterwinding operations launched by the Indian agencies in India as also in Pakistan.
According to experts, the operations which are connected to an operative have to be immediately erased or folded up soon after he is outed so that there is always a plausible deniability.

Shirish Thorat, New York-based security expert and former Indian police officer said, "In the event of an asset getting arrested the handlers immediately secure other related assets like Agents in Places (AIP) or regroup their operations and fold up all the ongoing or future tasks.
This discontinuation of operations is far monumental a disaster than the arrest of an operative.
" In Jadhav's case too, the agencies have launched an expeditious exercise to retrace his footsteps and shut down all of his possible ongoing operations.
The first step is to disown Jadhav as their operative and also ask the family to disassociate with him.
Jadhav's family wanted to approach the top echelons of the government, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, to exert pressure on Pakistan to release him.

When asked whether the ministry of external affairs has officially informed the Mumbai police so that the Jadhav family can be intimated about his arrest in Pakistan, Deven Bharti, joint commissioner of police (law and order), replied in negative.

According to Indian Express, in November 2003, Jadhav obtained a passport (E6934766) from Pune, identifying him by the pseudonym Hussein Mubarak Patel.

Born in 1968 (according to the passport), Jadhav joined the National Defence Academy in 1987, and was commissioned as a Naval engineer in 1990.
According to colleagues, he rose to the rank of Commander after 14 years of service — one more than is the norm.

But within months of his passport being issued in Pune, Jadhav ended up in the Chabahar free trade zone, then a hub of Indian hopes to set up a transit route into Afghanistan and Iran.
He told his family he was setting up a business to service trawlers and ferries operating out of the port, said friends.

To two friends in the Navy, who declined to be identified, Jadhav gave varying accounts of why he had left the service.
To one, he dropped broad hints of being involved in government-linked activity.
“He never showed up at the usual reunion kind of things.
He’d pretty much disappeared,” said one friend.

The address given to obtain his passport — the Martand Co-operative Housing Society in the Sai Vishwa area of Pune suburb Bavdhan — is incomplete.
The records do not even state which apartment Jadhav may have occupied in the three-building complex.

Vijay Deshmukh, secretary of the building society, said records show no apartment was owned by anyone with the surnames Jadhav or Patel.
None of the residents recognised Jadhav from a photograph shown to them.

However, Deshmukh said, “In the past, the norms of registration of tenants with police were not as stringent as they are these days.
”
Electronic tags on the Pune passport office’s computer system show an earlier passport was held by Husein Mubarak Patel but there were no details of the address this document was issued for since it was done before computerised records were introduced.
“It’s a common method to pick up a fake identity.
The fact that there is an earlier passport with valid visas makes getting new ones that much easier,” said a Delhi Police officer.

“But I can’t think why an intelligence officer should have gone through this subterfuge to obtain a pseudonymous passport.
Let’s put it this way: there are systems in place to handle this kind of thing,” said a former RAW officer.

India Determined to Break Pakistan into Pieces; The RAW Agent Reveals the Truth

By Ishaal Zehra

I was basically the man for Mr Anil Kumar Gupta who is the joint secretary RAW and his contacts in Pakistan especially in the Baloch Student Organization, said Kulbhushan Yadav in his voluntarily confession. Yadav is the Indian spy held by the Pakistani authorities on 3^rd March 2016 while infiltrating into Pakistan via Saravan border area of Balochistan with Iran.

“My purpose was to hold meetings with Baloch insurgents and carry out activities with their collaboration. These activities have been of criminal nature. This have been of anti-national, terrorist leading into the killing of or maiming the Pakistani citizen also. I realise during this process that RAW is involved in some activities related to the Baloch liberation movement within Pakistan and the region around it.” “There are finances which are led into Baloch movement through various contacts or various ways and means into the Baloch liberation and the various activities of these Baloch liberation and the RAW handlers go towards activities which are criminal, which are anti-national which can lead to maiming or killing of people within Pakistan and mostly these activities were centred around what I have knowledge is of ports of Gawadar, Pasni, Jeevani and various other installations which are around the coast damaging to the various other installations which are in Balochistan. So the activity seemed to be revolving around trying to create a criminal sort of a mindset within the Baloch liberation and lead to instability within Pakistan.” he confessed.

Interestingly, and as expected in such cases, the Indian government criticised the video confessions of Yadav shown by Pakistan, claiming the man has been tutored and that he might have been abducted from Iran.

Previously, an Indian statement, issued immediately after Pakistan announced Yadav’s arrest from Balochistan, had confirmed that arrested person was an Indian national and former Indian Navy official. But, contrary to Pakistan’s claim, Indian Ministry of External Affairs insisted that Kulbushan Yadav was not an official of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).  

The Ministry of External Affairs of India said in a statement that their government categorically rejects allegations that this individual was involved in subversive activities in Pakistan at their behest. Their enquiries reveal that he apparently was being harassed while operating a legitimate business from Iran, and while they probe this aspect further, his presence in Pakistan raises questions, including the possibility of his abduction from Iran. The statement further said “That the individual claims to make the statements of his own free will not only challenges credulity but clearly indicates tutoring.”

Contrary to the statement of Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Hussain Zaidi, a prominent Indian journalist has confirmed the details of Pakistani version of Kulbushan Yadav’s story proving him an Indian spy.

Hussain Zaidi, is an investigative journalist working with top Indian newspapers and author of six books including one based on Mumbai mafias. He claimed that Kulbushan Yadav was issued a bogus Indian passport with cover name Husain Mubarak Patel. The passport was said to have been issued from Thane Regional Passport Office (RPO) but his report quotes Thane police commissioner Param Bir Singh saying as “We have tried to establish the authenticity of passport but found no record about it and that no police report was ever filed about this passport.” The commissioner is pretty much sure that Kulbushan Yadav was not only using a fake name to portray himself as an Indian Muslim businessman but the passport carried by him was also not obtained through formal way.

“Kulbushan Yadav’s main goal was to disrupt implementation of the historic China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, with Gwadar port as an extensive target of activities,” Lt-General Asim Saleem Bajwa said while adding that “this is nothing short of state-sponsored terrorism… There can be no clearer evidence of Indian interference in Pakistan.”

In a separate development, Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri has claimed to have arrested at least 15 more agent of RAW from his province, in raids based on the leads provided by Kulbhashan Yadav.

Pakistan has always been pointing out Indian hand in areas bordering Afghanistan and Iran and also raised objections on the presence of Indian consulates near the Pak-Afghan border which are constantly being used by India to export turbulence in Pakistan through the porous Pak-Afghan border. But the Western media habitually insisted on the bizarre assumptions that Pakistan has secret ties with jihadis to launch attacks on India. Unfortunately, it has less often revealed that it is India actually who is persistently involved in a proxy war against Pakistan.

There are a number of occasions when US officials themselves claimed that India is constantly hindering peace to prevail in Pakistan. For instance, the former US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel who, during an address on Afghanistan at Oklahoma’s Cameron University in 2011, had clearly said, "India for some time has always used Afghanistan as a second front, and India has over the years financed problems for Pakistan on that side of the border. And you can carry that into many dimensions...”

If someone is still clueless on to what Indian strategy could be regarding Pakistan, let's talk about the viral video of Ajit Doval delivered before he was appointed as National Security Advisor (NSA) by Indian Prime Minister Modi. Doval while addressing to the crowd of SASTRA University in 2013 said, "How do we tackle Pakistan? .. You make it difficult for them (Pakistan) to manage their internal security... Pakistan's vulnerability is many many times higher than India's... Taliban have beheaded 23 of their (Pakistani) soldiers... funding can be countered by giving more funds... more than one-and-a-half times the funding they have available and they'll be yours.. the Taliban are mercenaries... go for more of a covert thing."

The speech didn’t surprised me as it portrayed his personal thoughts, what surprised me actually was that Doval was appointed as Indian National Security Advisor after promoting such thoughts for his neighbours.

This time, for once, Pakistan was fortunate enough to bust the Indian sponsored terror ring well-timed. But what about other channels of terror financing India is using against us. We as a nation are conspired against by our neighbor and are locked in a clueless combat against our own people. Merely asserting that India is using underhand tactics to destabilize the country is not enough. India besides using direct agents for the task, is also painting a negative picture of Pakistan around the globe portraying her as the most violent and a failed state which is quite contrary to what Pakistan actually is. Now the question remains what better we can do with ourselves knowing who are real enemy is. And will the world support us in this open and proved case of severe conspiracy while we level the case with India.

Kalat Accession: Allegory and Actuality – 2

By:  Aasef Chauhdry

By February 1948, the discussions between Kalat and the Government of Pakistan were coming to a head. The Quaid wrote to the Khan of Kalat: I advise you to join Pakistan without further delay and let me have your final reply which you promised to do after your stay with me in Karachi when we fully discussed the whole question in all its aspects. On February 15, 1948, the Quaid-i-Azam visited Sibi, Baluchistan and addressed a Royal Durbar, where he announced that until the Pakistan Constitution is finally written in about two years time, he would govern the province with the help of an advisory council that he would nominate. However, the main reason for the Quaid’s visit to Baluchistan was to persuade the Khan of Kalat to accede to Pakistan. As it transpired, the Khan failed to turn up for the final meeting with him, pleading illness. In his letter to the Quaid, he said that he had summoned both Houses of the Parliament, Dar-ul-Umara and Dar-ul-Awam, for their opinion about the future relations with the Dominion of Pakistan, and he would inform him about their opinion by the end of the month.

While the Dar-ul-Awam, met on February 21, 1948, decided not to accede, the Dar-ul-Umara asked the Khan to seek three months to consider this request. An intelligence report on the proceedings of the meetings reported that copies of the Instrument of Accession were distributed at the Dar-ul-Awam and Dar-ul-Umara before the members cast their votes, and that the Kalat State National Party was propagating that accession meant restriction on their forces and armament, undesired freedom for their women and migration of Muslim refugees into the State which will weaken the voice of the original residents. The Khan of Kalat, the report said, made a brief speech before the Dar-ul-Awam, in which he emphasized the need to have friendly relations with Pakistan, and also said that the intentions of the Quaid towards Kalat were good. The Prime Minister of Kalat spoke next, and said that since this House had voted for Kalat’s independence, he went to see the Quaid in January and had a two-and-a-half hour meeting. He said the Quaid was prepared to help the State in every way, and while independence of the State would remain intact, the only way forward for Kalat was to accede to Pakistan in the matters of Defence, Communications and Foreign Affairs.41 The Prime Minister argued that with accession in respect of the three subjects, the internal independence of Kalat would not be affected. But Mir Ghauos Bakhsh Bizenjo spoke against accession to Pakistan, and he argued that if Pakistan wanted friendship with Kalat, it should restore its leased territories as well as Kharan and Las Bela. Meanwhile, prior to the meeting of the Dar-ul-Awam, on February 25, Agha Abdul Karim, the brother of the Khan of Kalat, met the members of the Kalat State National Party at Dhadar to discuss the issue of the accession of Kalat to Pakistan, and it was here that a resolution was drafted rejecting the accession.

On March 9, 1948 the Khan received communication from the Quaid announcing that he had decided not to deal personally with the Kalat state negotiations, which would henceforth be dealt with by the Pakistan Government. So far there had not been any formal negotiations but only an informal request made by the Quaid to the Khan at Sibi. This request was placed before the Council of Sardars of the state, which asked for three months to consider the matter. The Khan was, however, under pressure from the Afghan government, which would have liked to negotiate an agreement on their own terms. On March 17, 1948 the Pakistan Foreign Ministry sent a telegram to London announcing that Kharan, Las Bela and Mekran had applied for accession to Pakistan and their accession had been accepted. The Khan of Kalat objected to their accession, arguing that it was a violation of Kalat’s Standstill Agreement with Pakistan. He also said that while Kharan and Las Bela were its feudatories, Mekran was a district of Kalat. The British Government had placed the control of the foreign policy of the two feudatories under Kalat in July 1947, prior to partition.

The ruler of Las Bela too had been lobbying with the Quaid-i-Azam to let his state accede to Pakistan. On September 5, 1947, Mir Ghulam Qadir wrote to the Quaid, saying that he had already written to the Pakistani Prime Minister offering accession of Las Bela to the Pakistan Dominion. The letter also mentioned the dire economic conditions of the people of Las Bela as its supplies seem to have been cut off by Kalat. On March 17, 1948, Las Bela too acceded to Pakistan along with Mekran and Kharan. However, by this time the Kalat Government had heard a Radio Pakistan announcement that the Government of Pakistan had accepted the separate accession of Las Bela, Kharan, and Mekran, and wanted this report denied. However, on March 18, 1948, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan issued a press note that the States of Kharan, Las Bela and Mekran had applied for accession to Pakistan, which was granted to them. The offer of accession was accepted by the Pakistan Cabinet when Jam of Las Bela, Chief of Kharan and Nawab Bai Khan of Mekran met the Quaid on March 17, 1948 and told him that if Pakistan was not prepared to accept their offers of accession immediately, they would be compelled to take other steps for their protection against Khan of Kalat’s aggressive actions. This was seen as a blow to the Khan as head of the alliance.

What finally forced the Khan of Kalat to accede was the furor caused by news on the All India Radio that the Khan had been negotiating with India. As a consequence of these developments, a report on March 20, claimed that the brother of the Khan, who was also the Governor of Kalat, was leaving for Afghanistan with his wife, who was from the Royal Afghan family.56 However, on March 28, the Reuters news agency carried a story filed from Karachi that Gateway State Joins Pakistan. The Khan issued a communiqué, which said, “On the night of March 27, All India Radio, Delhi announced that two months ago Kalat State had approached the Indian Union to accept its accession to India and that the Indian Union had rejected the request. It had never been my intention to accede to India. It is, therefore, declared that from 9 pm on March 27^th, the time when I heard the false news over the air, I forthwith decide to accede to Pakistan, and that whatever differences now exist between Kalat and Pakistan be placed in writing before Mr. Jinnah, the Governor-General of Pakistan, whose decision I shall accept”. The UK High Commissioner, commenting on the Khan’s denials, wrote, “Khan’s public denials of rumours about offers made to him by India and Afghanistan conflict with his own statements in earlier discussion with Pakistan representatives, when he used these offers as a blackmailing argument. There is good reason to believe that he has been flirting with both India and Afghanistan”.

While the Instrument of Accession was signed by the Khan of Kalat on March 27, it was placed before Muhammad Al Jinnah on March 31, 1948, who accepted it. There was no kind of resistance to the accession till the middle of July 1948, when the brother of the Khan returned from Afghanistan, where he had fled with a body of armed followers. The Pakistan Army engaged this band and the majority of his followers arrested.

As this account makes amply clear, the story of the accession of Kalat was a long drawn out process. And although Pakistan came into being on August 14, 1947, the accession of Kalat did not take place till March 27, 1948. The three feudatories, two of which Las Bela and Kharan, which were recognized by the British as independent, played a key role in forcing the Khan of Kalat to accede to Pakistan. The issue of the accession of Kalat has been clouded in argument and folklore, because little or no research has been done on the subject. One scholar has described the annexation as, a nine month tug of war that came to a climax in the forcible annexation of Kalat. The reality is quite different. Khan of Kalat had no choice but to accede after Kharan, Las Bela and Mekran’s acceded to Pakistan, cutting off Kalat from the sea. The announcement on All India Radio that Kalat had been negotiating with India, which Nehru was at pains to deny in the Indian Parliament, caused such an outcry within Baluchistan and outside that the Khan acceded immediately to Pakistan. That was the time from where this controversy abetted by Bizenjo started. And since last few recent years BSN has started observing 27 March every year as black day on alleged annexation of Kalat state with Pakistan in 1948.  Why these announcements of shutter down strikes in small and far-flung areas of Balochistan, demonstrations of small attendance by exiled BSNs and activities by a handful miscreants on social media are made, is no more a secret after the arrest and confession of RAW’s agent Kulbhushun Yadav.