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Posted by admin in Commentary on December 14th, 2014
Dar’s announcing the government’s readiness for unconditional talks with the PTI is not the dawning of wisdom. If only it had been that. It is the government being left with no other choice, wisdom driven into its head first by the huge rally in Islamabad on November 30 and then the closure of Faisalabad on December 8. Had these not happened, rest assured there would have been no offer of talks. Laaton ke bhoot…
The iron rod – sarya – has melted, 
because Imran Khan and the PTI have proved tougher and more tenacious than at least I could have imagined. For what my opinion is worth, I have to say this that for years I did not take Imran seriously as a politician. How many times must I not have told foreign journalists out to make sense of Imran that for all his other qualities he lacked that fire in the belly which alone confers mass appeal?
That was then when he was a virtual lone ranger, aimlessly moving from one place to another without attracting too great a following, his celebrity status just that and not turning into instant political coinage. But he kept at it. I have said it before, permit me to say it again. A lesser man would have given up long ago, cursing his countrymen as an ungrateful lot into the bargain. Even after the 2013 elections when the PTI emerged as the second – or was it the third? – largest party, its gains were not much compared to the laurels won by the PML-N. And when Imran talked of the elections being stolen, and of reopening the account of four constituencies, who took him seriously?
And from outside my hotel window I saw the beginning of the Aug 14 ‘long march’ from Lahore and wasn’t too impressed. It was a rather bedraggled army setting out uncertainly for a quest it wasn’t too sure of. Then the container speeches, and the liberati and professional spoons (chamchas) of the ruling party, and armchair pundits – preening themselves on knowing the national mood better than anyone else – opening up with their jibes and sarcasm.
They made fun of the Reverend ATQ and they made fun of Imran Khan and gave the nation long lectures on democracy, at the same time hoarsely alleging that both Qadri and Imran had been launched by ‘secret hands’. Since when did our ‘secret hands’ become so clever?
Unbeknownst to the armchair warriors, the national mood was completely different. The crowds weren’t buying into the cynicism being ladled out by the experts. Through his daily speeches Qadri gave the nation a lesson in constitutionalism – in what the constitution really stood for. His workers – and let this never be forgotten – put the fear of God into that enlightened institution known as the Punjab Police. This was an important psychological breakthrough because with the Punjab Police demoralised – most notably on account of the Model Town massacre – the ruling setup felt vulnerable and defenceless, and therefore unsure of itself. The melting of the iron rod had begun.
The interior minister, Chaudhry Nisar — who has now made himself virtually invisible – experimented with the use of force on Constitution Avenue on the evening of August 30, with the use of brutal force against the protesters but to no avail. Hundreds were injured but the protesters, especially those of the Reverend’s party(PAT), held their ground. It was the police which had to retreat.
Out of necessity not choice the government had to come to its senses. That was the last occasion when force on such a scale was used in an effort to quell the growing agitation. In Faisalabad the PML-N tried roughneck tactics to stop the PTI but, as we have seen, this backfired. It is the PML-N which is licking its wounds.
What Imran gave the crowds and the nightly national TV audience he addressed was courage. The PTI was a ‘burger’ and ‘mummy-daddy’ party. If today the PTI worker is fearless it is because of the example set by his leader. Say what you will about him – and there is no checking the cynicism of the ‘liberati’ – he is tireless and has proved audacious, giving calls for rallies without preparation but the crowds justifying his confidence in himself by responding in unprecedented numbers.
I was sure that he wouldn’t be able to pull off the closure of Faisalabad, convinced he had overreached himself. But lo and behold the city responded to his call and the PML-N is still trying to figure out what hit it.
If for nothing else Imran Khan’s agitation would be worth the effort because of the huge participation of women and young girls in his rallies. When did such a thing happen in Pakistan before? Women sitting right in the heart of these jalsas with no fear of being touched or molested. In the context of Pakistani society this is a bigger revolution than any other.
Spare a thought for the ironies of history. Zardari had to become PPP godfather and president of the republic before the PPP could come to destroy itself as thoroughly in Punjab as it has managed to do. What Gen Zia and successive heads of the ISI could not achieve, Zardari has done.
The Sharifs had to come to power for the third time before the essential hollowness of what they stood for could be completely exposed. Imran Khan stands out the more when compared to the constant money-making and incompetence of the knights he is up against.
Musharraf’s coup saved the Sharifs in Oct 99 by making political martyrs of them. Champions of democracy…that’s what Musharraf turned them into. We have to thank our stars, the army stayed its hand in August this year because had it moved – as so many, including myself, thought it would – they would have become political martyrs again…their shortcomings, to put it no stronger than this, forgotten.
Certain breaches are irreparable. After Musharraf’s eclipse the demise of the Q League was a foregone conclusion, indeed an historical necessity. After Zardari’s ride in the chariot of Roman glory the PPP’s elimination in Punjab was unstoppable. Today nothing can arrest the decline of the N League because it represents a past, a period in our history, which is gone. The Sharifs were a counterweight to the PPP. That was their historical relevance, the reason they were nurtured by ‘secret hands’ and promoted to political prominence. They are no answer to Pakistan’s present problems.
One has to look the part. Can even their fervent admirers – let’s say the members of the professional spoon (Chamcha) brigade – swear in all honesty that they look the part of the nation’s deliverers? Pakistan can’t live for another three or four years on the basis of laptop distribution or the construction of more unwanted metro-bus services. That’s as far as their imagination runs. They can be elected to power for a fourth time but still their minds will not go beyond more laptops and more flyovers.
Pakistan has moved on. These are no longer the 1990s. In 1990 the ISI could distribute banknotes stuffed in suitcases to a long line of N League candidates. Would you catch it doing such a crude thing today? Pakistan needs a change of guard on the quarterdeck. It needs a new style of leadership. In the PTI jalsas you can see something new, something different: the fervour and even ecstasy of the crowds, the music and the swaying to it, the participation of different classes – the well-heeled and fashionable and the not-so-well-heeled – and above all the participation of women.
In the PML-N you have my friends Abid Sher Ali, Rana Sanaullah, Pervaiz Rasheed. Or Dar and Nisar and Saad Rafiq and Khawaja Asif….look upon them and tremble. Are they anyone’s idea of the future?
The PML-N’s best bet is to stop playing tricks with itself and others and go seriously for a judicial commission to look into election irregularities. And it better be quick at it or the storm which has already gathered will sweep all before it. Fresh elections are what the country needs. Let’s hope we get them somehow.
Email: [email protected]
Terrorism is the mother of all evils and root cause of Muslims’ sufferings in general and Pakistan in Particular.
Terrorists have maligned the name of Islam to have acceptability to their inhuman actions with a view to generating semblance of legitimacy.
Suicide bombers are mostly juveniles, oblivious of the fact that suicide is ‘HARAM’ (Illegitimate) in Islam. Allah (God) says, kill not yourselves. Surely Allah is merciful…and cast not yourselves into ruin with your own hands. Suicide bombers are not only killing themselves, but are also killing innocent human beings.
While taking note of terrorists’ suicide attacks in Middle East and Pakistan, Saudi Arabia’s grand mufti (Mufti-e-Azam),Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah al-Sheikh issued a Fatwa (Religious verdict), asserting that suicide attacks are illegal and illegitimate (HARAM).” He explained, “Such acts fall under the category of crime and suicide bombers or terrorists represent an adversary of Islam and enemy of Muslims…they commit crimes against humanity, while misguiding other Muslims.” Denouncing terrorism as un-Islamic, he pointed out that terrorists’ activities are part of a conspiracy to defame Islam and destroy Muslims.
However, in the recent years, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliated banned outfits conducted many terror-activities in Pakistan like suicide attacks, ruthless beheadings of tribesmen, assaults on security personnel and prominent figures including Shias, Ahmadis, Sufis, Christians and Sikhs. Contrary to the teachings on the importance of gaining education and knowledge in Islam, these terrorists have destroyed and torched more than 1,000 schools and mosques in Pakistan. They also attacked the female teachers in order to deny education to girls. Besides, terror-attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, FATA, Balochistan and Karachi are part of the scheme to create chaotic situation in the country. Indian Consulates in Afghanistan are also playing a very negative role in supporting TTP and Baloch separatists.
In this respect, choosing Pakistani venue for targeting innocent public by a suicide attack at Wagha border in Lahore, on November 2, 2014, while flag ceremony was being conducted on both sides of the border is testament to TTP’s terrorists’ hidden agenda and allegiance to the enemies of Pakistan. Besides, India is also encouraging TTP factions showing allegiance for DAISH ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria), to get united.
Terrorism has caused massive damage to the prosperity of Pakistan during last 14 years. In this context, the Parliamentary Secretary for Interior, Maryam Aurangzeb informed the National Assembly on December 19, 2014, “Extremist groups have been active throughout the country with their own ideology…Pakistan which has been major victim of terrorism has suffered a loss of almost 80 billion dollars including loss of 50,000 precious lives of civilians and security agencies…huge collateral damage during the decade long war against terrorism.”
Undoubtedly, in our country, the victims of terror attacks and suicide bombings have been innocent men, women and children. Regrettably, those militant entities like TTP, which try to justify terrorism and suicide bombings in the name of Islam, are misguiding the people, while these brutal acts are clearly against the teachings of Islam.
From time to time, while condemning the militants’ inhuman activities as undemocratic and un-Islamic practices, Pakistan’s various Ulema (Islamic scholars) have clarified in their joint fatwa, and separate statements that “killing of innocent people, target killings and suicide bombings including sectarianism are against the spirit of Islam…the terrorists’ self-adopted interpretation of Islam was nothing, but ignorance and digression from the actual teachings of the religion.” They explained, “Islam does not forbid women’s education.”
While, Islam is a Deen or Faith of universal application, as it emphasizes peace, democracy, moderation and human rights including tolerance of political groups, religious communities and sects which are in minority in a country. It also permits periodic reinterpretation of Islamic teachings which is called Ijtihad.
The Constitution of 1973 which was unanimously adopted, clearly states that Pakistan is basically a democracy guided by the Islamic principles and values—no law would be made contrary to Quran and Sunnah.
Notably, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in his sermon at Hajjatul Wida issued directions for protection of life, property and dignity of the whole mankind. The sermon became a charter of democracy which was included in the constitutions of the western elected governments in one way or the other.
In fact, Islam and democracy have co-relationship with each other. Diversified people and Ulema participate in the system of representatives, which does not exclude or discriminate any one on basis of caste, creed and sect. It does not confine religion to mosque.
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. By playing in the hands of anti-Pakistan foreign countries, especially Indian secret agency RAW, the TTP and its banned affiliated groups are defaming Islam.
Every one knows that terrorism caused political instability, economic crisis, social strife and sectarian divide in Pakistan. And, terrorists are foreign-paid killers, having foreign agenda, while, Islam condemns terrorism in any form.
it is mentionable that Pakistan’s Armed Forces have almost defeated the ferocious terrorists, particularly of the TTP by clearing the areas of North Waziristan Agency by military operation Zarb-e-Azb which has broken the backbone of the insurgents, and is rapidly been achieving its objectives. The operation has full support of the civil government, opposition parties and Ulema including all other segments of society and general masses who are united against terrorism. In this regard, DG, ISPR Directorate, Major-Gen. Asim Saleem Bajwa had stated, “Armed forces of Pakistan have launched the operation against terrorists…who had been waging a war against the state of Pakistan by disrupting our national life in all its dimensions…with the support of the entire nation, these enemies will be denied space across the country.”
Optimistically speaking, Pakistan can soon be on the road to prosperity, a secure country to invest, a peaceful place for tourists to visit, provided the terrorism which is mother of evils and sufferings is eliminated from its roots.
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: [email protected]
Posted by admin in Sajjad Shaukat's Column on December 12th, 2014
BLOOD OF KASHMIRIS IS FLOODING THE STREETS
While, World Looks on…
On the one side, India claims to be world’s largest democracy, but, on the other, these claims have often been proved by international media including its own opinion makers as fake.
India is presently holding State Assembly Elections in the Indian occupied Kashmir. These sham elections in no way are substitute to the UN approved resolutions to hold plebiscite as per aspirations of the people of the valley. The ongoing elections have been portrayed as a historic success as far as the turn over is concerned. But, this self-generated perception lacks any substantial evidence, especially, when no foreign media and election observers have been allowed to cover the polling process. In this regard, the vicious dream of the BJP government in the shape of “Mission 44” has already been criticized by Indian politicians as well as the international think tanks. However, BJP’s overconfidence to achieve the mission itself pollutes the transparency and legality of fake elections.
Like its past record, India is once again staging a fake encounter drama across the Line of Control (LoC) to implicate Pakistan for infiltration. Sources suggest that for the purpose, the fundamentalist government of the BJP asked Indian secret agency RAW to arrange some terror attacks in the State of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). It did so when on December 5, this year, militants sneaked into an Indian military camp in the Indian held Kashmir, killing 11 soldiers and policemen. The arranged attack was followed by a gun battle between the Indian security forces and the militants, in the state capital, Srinagar—and a grenade blast in south Kashmir. Two militants were killed later in the clash in Srinagar where BJP-led hardliner Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit is due next week on election campaign.
However, the fake encounter drama on the camp took place in the Uri sector, near the heavily militarized border with Pakistan where there is no chance of infiltration. But following previous blame game, Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, “These terrorists keep coming from Pakistan”, and “Pakistan should make an effort to stop them.” Besides, Indian high officials and media also accused that Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is behind these terror attacks in the Indian controlled Kashmir. They forgot they Kashmiri people are fighting a war of liberation and for their legitimate rights, as recognized by the UN resolutions.
Nevertheless, the drama is still on and Indian venomous media which has openly started implicating Pakistan and LeT for the attacks. Such orchestrated dramas have many a times been exposed in the past as well. Besides, previous episodes, in the recent months of 2014, reportedly, Indian military had killed two militants in August, three militants in Keran Sector in September, and seven terrorists in October, three in November, while in Tut Mari Gali sector, three were killed. These are Indian LoC encounter dramas; however, Indian forces have also been violating ceasefire on the Line of Control and Working Boundary. The problem is that there is no dearth of hate and war mongers in Indian Army, and it is always their agenda to keep the LoC in the line of fire. Now, Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm, the incidence of ceasefire violations has increased. Army has also been given free hand to indulge in fake encounters to implicate Pakistan.
Question arises as to why India is staging encounter drama? The plausible reasons are obvious. Firstly, it may be an attempt to create hype prior to the election campaign visit of Modi in the alleged area, falling in the sector where terrorist attack drama is being played. Secondly, the failure of BJP to win in the Muslim majority area seems imminent and it is trying to accuse Islamabad for sabotaging the elections through LoC attacks. Thirdly, the alleged attacks are part of campaign to malice Pakistan internationally and tarnish its image worldwide before the forthcoming visit of the US President Barack Obama who will travel to India in January 2015 to hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and also to attend its Republic Day celebrations.
It is of particular attention that in November 2013, the then Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Defence Minister had expressed concern over the ‘fakes intrusion’ claims of the Indian Army in Keran sector, making it clear that the troops enacted a drama “as there was no evidence on ground to suggest any infiltration bid by the militants.”
While, Indian government is accusing Pakistan government of giving legitimacy to Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, claiming that a recent rally being held in Lahore by the group which masterminded the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks was being viewed with concern in India. New Delhi has since long been demanding the deportation of Saeed from Pakistan so that he can be tried for his involvement in the Mumbai attacks. Islamabad has refused to do so stating that there is no credible evidence relating his involvement in the attacks. And, Lahore High had released Hafiz Saeed on the ground that there is no evidence about his involvement in the Mumbai mayhem.
It is notable that on July 19, 2013 the Indian former home ministry official and ex-investigating officer Satish Verma disclosed that terror-attacks in Mumbai in November 26, 2008 and assault on Indian Parliament in January 12, 2001 were carried out by the Indian government to strengthen anti-terrorism laws.
In fact, Hafiz Saeed is a die-hard patriot and continues to raise the banner of ideology of Pakistan. Recently, a two-day national conference organized at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore by JuD called for a countrywide movement to protect the ideology of Pakistan. Hafiz Saeed inspires the great majority of the people of Pakistan and has the capacity to mobilize them and unite them against the foreign conspiracy against the country. Therefore, especially, New Delhi considers him as an obstacle in its plan to weaken and destabilize Pakistan.
Nonetheless, there is a need to expose India’s fake LoC encounter drama to implicate Pakistan to hide its own failure to set its own house to order. Pakistan’s high officials and media must highlight that such fake encounters have become second nature of India to appease Indian radical and extremist groups like BJP, RSS VHP, Shiv Sena and other similar groups, and thus malign Pakistan.
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Posted by admin in Under Sajjad Shaukat's Magnifying Glass on December 7th, 2014
Babri Masjid Demolition: Major Scar on Indian Secularism By Sajjad Shaukat 22 years ago, Indian Constitution which claims India to be a secular state was torn into pieces when on December 6, 1992, a large crowd of Hindu Karsevaks (volunteers) entirely demolished the 16th-century Babri Masjid (mosque) in Ayodhya, Utter Pradesh in a preplanned attempt to reclaim the land known as RAM Janmabhoomi – birthplace of the god. The destruction of the Babri Masjid sparked Muslim outrage around the country, provoking several months of inter-communal rioting between Hindu and Muslim communities, causing the death of at least 2,000 people, majority of whom were Muslims. The governments of several neighboring countries including those of the Islamic World condemned the Indian government for failing to stop the demolition of the historical mosque. 
In a 2005 book, India’s former Intelligence Bureau (IB) Joint Director Maloy Krishna Dhar wrote that Babri mosque demolition was planned 10 months in advance by top leaders of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), BJP BJP/Sangh Parivar, VHP, Shiv Sena, the Bajrang Dal and the then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Raow. Dhar elaborated, “He had drawn up the blueprint of the Hindutva (Hindu nationalism) assault at Ayodhya in December 1992.” However, on December 6, 1992, the RSS and its affiliates organized a rally involving 150,000 VHP and BJP Karsevaks at the site of the mosque. The ceremonies included speeches by BJP leaders such as Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti. During the first few hours of the rally, the crowd began raising militant slogans. A police cordon had been placed around the mosque in preparation for attack. However, around noon, a young man managed to slip past the cordon and climb the mosque itself, brandishing a saffron flag. This was seen as a signal by the mob, who then stormed the structure. The police cordon, vastly outnumbered, fled. The mob set upon the building with axes, hammers, and grappling hooks, and within a few hours, the entire mosque was leveled. Hindu fanatics also destroyed numerous other mosques within the town. A 2009 report, authored by Justice Manmohan Singh Liberhan, found 68 people to be responsible for the destruction of the Babri Masjid, mostly leaders from the BJP. Among those named were Vajpayee, Advani, Joshi, Vijay Raje Scindia and Kalyan Singh who was then the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Liberhan wrote that he posted bureaucrats and police officers to Ayodhya, whose record indicated that they would stay silent during the mosque’s demolition. Anju Gupta, a police officer who had been in charge of Advani’s security on that day, stated that Advani and Joshi made speeches that contributed to provoking the behavior of the mob to accomplish demolition of the mosque. By showing prejudice in favor of Hindus, on September 30, 2010, the Allahabad High Court ruled that the 2,400 square feet (220 m2) disputed plot of land, on which the Babri Masjid had stood would be divided into three parts. The site at which the idol of Rama had been placed was granted to Hindus in general, the Sunni Wakf Board got one third of the plot, and the Hindu sect Nirmohi Akhara got the remaining third. The excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India were heavily used as evidence by the court to support its so-called finding that the original structure at the site was a massive Hindu religious building.
While, the Constitution declares India to be a secular state, granting equal rights to the religious minorities, but in practice ideology of Hindutva prevails. Hindu politics and culture, dominated by the fundamentalists parties such as BJP, RSS, VHP, Shiv Sena and other similar groups have been propagating Hindutva. Provocative utterances of their extremist leaders have resulted into unending violence against the Muslim and Christians including other minority groups. Besides previous massacre of Muslims, more than 2500 Muslims were massacred in 2002 in the BJP-ruled Indian state of Gujarat. Regarding that massive genocide, both Human Rights Watch in 2002 and Amnesty International in 2003 charged the “Gujarat state administration” for involvement in “a massive cover-up of the state’s role in that massacres” and pointed out numerous police officials-specifically ministers, high officials and leaders of the VHP, BJP and Bajrang Dal as participants. Similarly, in the recent years, assaults on Christians, their churches and property have been executed by the Hindu mobs in various cities of India. In this context, at least 100 Christians have been assassinated by Hindu extremists, mostly in the state of Orissa. Other religious minorities of India are also target of Hindutva terror. In Maharashtra, non-Hindu communities have lived in constant fear and awe since the advent of the fundamentalist party, Shiv Sena whose Chief Bal Thackeray (The late) has organised army of hoodlums to beat up any religious minority, openly directing the Hindu terrorists to loot and stone any of their shop or house. Lack of serious action by the subsequent governments against Shiv Sena’s vandalism has clearly defeated the secular echoes of India which is in fact a secular terrorist state. Moreover in the recent years, discovery of thousands of unmarked graves of the innocent Muslims who were killed by the Indian security forces in the fake encounters in the occupied Kashmir etc. might be cited as another instance in this respect. It is notable that on January 20, 2013, Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and Home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde confessed the nexus between BJP and the RSS, disclosing that organized training camps run by these fundamentalist parties were promoting Hindu terrorism. They also revealed that these parties were behind the Samjhauta Express, Meccca Masjid and Malegaon blasts including Gujarat and Babri Masjid incidents. Notably, The Times of India reported on December 17, 2010 that India’s renowned “political leader and Congress Party’s heir, Rahul Gandhi feels that the “the bigger threat to India may be the growth of radicalized Hindu groups which create religious tension and political confrontations with the Muslim community.” It is mentionable that Hinduvta agenda enabled BJP hardliner, Narendra Modi to get a land sliding triumph in the Indian elections 2014 and become the prime minister of India. Prior to the elections, some people were opining that Modi, being an economic reformer, will not fall prey to the Hindu hawks surrounding him, and will move ahead with his “Economic Agenda” rather than “Hinduvta Agenda.” But, he started acting upon “Hinduvta Agenda.” Page 3 of 3Undoubtedly, Muslims were aware of Modi’s agenda to reduce the Muslim community in India to second class citizens. Muslim anxiety in India is multiplying due the fact that during the election campaign, Hindu majority was mobilized on ‘hate Muslim’ slogans and ‘anti Pakistan’ jargons. Hence, Modi regime is likely to target and persecute Muslims in India, while the incessant Indian propaganda against Pakistan is beyond anybody’s cognition. Nevertheless, as part of anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan move of the BJP including other Hindu extremist parties, Indian Prime Minister Modi is giving impetus to Hindu chauvinism which could be judged from various recent incidents and developments, and which point towards emergence of Hinduvta under the umbrella of Shiv Sena backed by BJP government. Encouraged by the election-victory of the BJP, on May 28, this year, in a provocative act to disturb communal harmony in India, Rashtriya Hindu Andolan, a little known Mangalore-based Hindutva outfit and activists from various right wing groups organized a protest in Mangalore in front of the office of Deputy Commissioner by demanding the authorities to ban the morning Muslim call to prayer (Azan) across the country. Besides, forcing the Muslim employee in a Parliament Canteen by BJP leader to break his fast by stuffing piece of bread in his mouth, statement of Deputy Chief of Goa, declaring India as a Hindu state, opposition to declaration of Sania Mirza as Ambassador of Indian state by calling her daughter-in-law of Pakistan might be cited as example. Besides, soon after assuming power, Modi government, hurriedly decided to forcibly annex and integrate disputed territory of the State of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), uncovering its intentions to wrap up the article 370 of the Indian constitution which ensures a special status to J&K. The aim behind is to fortify measures and continue its illegal occupation in the J&K. Furthermore, New Delhi which has accelerated unprovoked firing at the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir including Working Boundary in Sialkot and other sectors across Pak-Indian border, wants to continue it. Nonetheless, apart from other frenzy events, the demolition of the Babri Masjid will remain a major scar on Indian so-called secularism, as on the very day, Indian fundamentalist leaders broke all the records of Hindutva terror by deliberately hurting the feelings of the Muslims. The atrocities and tyranny let loose on that day in Ayodhya continues unabated against the Muslims in one form or the other, under the Modi regime.
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: [email protected]
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MOTORWAY TRAFFIC DISCIPLINE by Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)
Posted by admin in Col.Riaz Jafri (Retd) Column, Commentary on January 14th, 2015
LETTER TO EDITOR
January 12th, 2015
MOTORWAY TRAFFIC DISCIPLINE
I kept to the left lane when driving below 80 and drove in the centre lane when over 80. However, I was surprised to see the vehicles pass by me at quite some speeds at times even through the dense fog. What was still more surprising was that a few of them overtook me from the left. Worst of all was a passenger bus going at quite some speed in its left lane and due to poor visibility suddenly found a goods carriage right in front of it. The bus veered off sharply to the right and then swerved back into the left lane tilting its huge body perilously to the both sideways. What saved it from turning turtle! – only the Providence would know.
I think the Motorway Police – which was conspicuously seen lesser on the road that day – should be more vigilant on the poor visibility days and must never allow overtaking of the vehicles from the left.
MOTORWAY TRAFFIC DISCIPLINE
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Rawalpindi 46000
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Motorway Traffic, Speeds Over 80 km/h.Indiscipline on Road
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