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Posted by admin in Pakistan-A Nation of Hope on April 10th, 2014
What are some of the things, facts, traditions, mentality, food in Indian society or people which really astonishes you?
Please don’t claim that temples themselves are charities. The above figures only includes only “cash” donations. Most of a temple’s income comes from gold/jewelry. Realistic figures would be less than 10% donations to charity on average. The exact figures must be made public for us to take informed decisions.
We take it a step further and waste tonnes of valuable commodities such as milk and ghee everyday for abhishekams. In many parts of our country, people are suffering without even milk for young children. Such an essential commodity should be used for the benefit of children, poor orphans and destitute besides offering to the deities…
I am not advocating giving alms directly to the needy here. Donate to good causes, orphanages and charity NGO’s who reveal their accounts and expenditures. Sponsor a year’s school fee for a poor kid or take it upon yourself to educate an orphaned child. Donate to Medical foundations to help subsist affordable medications for the poor.
There are umpteen good uses you can put your money to
A country that arguably slut-shames the most, is the world’s second largest country. Apparently by cross-pollination.
A country where your neighbour’s opinion, matters more to your parents than your own.
A country where a billion people, vote for a few glorified criminals every four years.
A country where most pour milk over a hallowed clay god, while millions starve and perish.
A country where a tourist is a hostage, but a visitor is a god.
A country which is still the fastest “growing” economy, after about 3 decades of growth.
A country of snake charmers, and magicians, which is a nuclear power and the second largest army in the world.
A country where Hollywood ripoffs and Dabanggs run at packed halls, while Hockey stands lay empty.
A country where we still touch our parents feet before an exam, and still break a coconut before a new car.
A country where Hinduism, Jainism, Buddism were born, before communal riots shamed us all.
A country where there are a million gods, but Tendulkar holds a place of his own.
A country with a soul. A country with a certain shock value, unlike any other.
What astonishes me? That… India has it all.
Posted by admin in Pakistan-A Nation of Hope on April 7th, 2014
Why Talibanization Intensified in Pakistan?
Asif Haroon Raja
Some of the reasons that have given rise to religious extremism in Pakistan are as follows:-
Early demise of Quaid-e-Azam resulted in leadership crisis, which persists to this day.
Uneven development of provinces and growth of regionalism gave rise to fissiparous tendencies and strengthened centrifugal forces in smaller provinces.
Insensitivity and callous attitude of the elites towards the deprived class bred resentment.
Selective accountability and pro-rich judicial system added to the frustration of the have-nots.
Corruption in all government, judicial and police departments eroded moral turpitude and scruples.
Unresolved Kashmir dispute and State terrorism of India against Kashmiris heightened Jihadi tendencies.
Western hatred towards Muslims and hounding and persecution of religious elements dubbed as terrorists intensified anti-US feelings.
Promotion of western values and demeaning of Islam by liberals/ seculars sharpened secular/Islamists divide.
Propagation of modernism and liberalism under the garb of enlightened moderation resulted in spread of obscenity and vulgarity and corresponding increase in religious extremism.
Divisive education system provided unequal opportunities for social growth.
Reasons behind Growth of Talibanization in Pakistan
Abandonment of Jihadists by the US after the achievement of its objectives in 1989 opened the doors for anti-Americanism, religious fanaticism and militarism.
Pakistan suffered throughout the Afghan war and continues to suffer to this day on account of the debris left behind by Soviet forces and proxy war. By the time last Soviet soldier left Afghan soil, Pakistani society had got radicalized owing to free flow of weapons and drugs from Afghanistan.
Onset of armed uprising in Indian occupied Kashmir (IOK) further militarized the society and gave birth to large number of Jihadi outfits, making AJK the operational base for Jihad in IOK.
Pakistan’s efforts to tackle the fallout effects of the war got seriously hampered because of harsh sanctions imposed by USA under Pressler Amendment in October 1989 and political instability throughout the democratic era from 1988 to 1999.
Iran and Saudi Arabia started fuelling sectarianism in Pakistan throughout 1990s in a big way. Sipah-e-Muhammad Pakistan and Majlis-e-Wahadat ul Hashmeen were funded by Iran and Sipah-e-Sahabha Pakistan, now named as Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (Sunni Deobandi) were supported by Saudi Arabia, which gave rise to religious extremism and intolerance and sharpened Shia-Sunni divide.
Unseating of democratically elected heavy mandate of Nawaz Sharif led government by Gen Musharraf and the latter opting to ditch Taliban regime and to fight global war on terror at the behest of USA energized anti-Americanism, religious extremism and led to creation of Mutahida Majlis Ammal, which formed governments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan. MMA on the quiet nurtured extremist religious groups that were also funded by foreign powers.
After 9/11, while the US declared al-Qaeda and Afghan Taliban as terrorists because of their suspected role in terrorist attacks, Pakistan not only ditched Taliban and aligned itself with USA; it changed the status of tribesmen of FATA from defenders of western border and strategic assets into terrorists and started gunning them.
Loyal tribesmen turned hostile and picked up arms against the State in reaction to induction of Army in South Waziristan (SW), Pakistan’s alignment with USA and handing over of al-Qaeda and Taliban operatives to US for reward money.
Militancy gathered pace after the drone attack on a religious seminary in Bajaur in October 2006 killing 80 students. It activated militants under Maulvi Faqir Muhammad in Bajaur.
Spate of suicide attacks surged after the Lal Masjid-Jamia Hafsa incident in July 2007, keying up militants in Mehmand Agency, Dir, Malakand and Swat and transferring terrorism to urban centres. Jundal Hafsa was established by Asmatullah Muawia in end 2007 to avenge the deaths of inmates of Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa.
US led ISAF as well Pak security forces preferred force over addressing the root causes of terrorism or supplementing military prong with socio-politico-economic prong to redress grievances.
Emergence of TTP in Pakistan
Tehrik-Taliban-Pakistan comprising an alliance of five militant groups, nicknamed TTP emerged on Pakistan’s landscape in December 2007 under the leadership of Baitullah Mehsud belonging to Shabi Khel tribe, which is not among the main tribes of Mehsuds. It took the TTP five years to establish itself starting 2002 with its sub-commands in five tribal agencies of FATA and main HQ at Srarogha in SW. Subsequently it spread its tentacles into settled areas of KP called PATA including Swat, Malakand and Dara Adam Khel. Linkage with Punjabi Taliban under Asmatullah Muawia extended TTP’s reach to Punjab as well. Alignment with Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Kashmir related Jihadi groups that were banned in 2002/03 spread the sphere of influence of the TTP to every part of Pakistan.
Today it has 54 groups under its wings including a dozen foreign groups. Maulvi Nazir group in SW and Hafiz Gul Bahadar group in North Waziristan have remained independent.
Peace Deals with Militants
Between 2004 and 2008 when Gen Musharraf was at the helms of affairs, eight peace deals were signed with militant outfits. Only two deals struck with Maulvi Nazir and with Hafiz Gul Bahadur have survived. During this period, the Pakistani Taliban with the help of foreign support had gained an upper edge. 18 administrative units were under their control. Large numbers of soldiers were in the custody of TTP and morale of lower ranks in Army and Frontier Corps (FC) was low. Peace deals enabled the militants to regain breath, regroup and get their prisoners released.
Peace deal with Maulana Fazlullah and Maulana Sufi signed in Swat in February 2009 was dishonored in April 2009 when the militants after agreeing to renounce violence in return for enforcement of Nizam-e-Adal in Malakand Division violated the treaty by intervening into Lower Dir and Buner. It evoked a nationwide condemnation.
Reasons Behind Under Performance of Security Forces. Some of the reasons behind under performance of security forces were:-
The troops had been launched to fight guerrilla war without acclimatization, training, motivation and financial security.
A significant percentage of troops particularly the Pashtuns were convinced that the Taliban were on the right to demand Shariah.
The FC was ill-equipped and not trained to fight guerrilla war.
Above all, intelligence dissemination was controlled by CIA and ISI had taken a backseat.
Troops had to remain mindful of collateral damage and to bear the brunt of negative propaganda of foreign and home media.
Unlike ISAF, own troops seldom got air or helicopter support when in distress.
Shortfalls Rectified. These shortfalls to a large extent were rectified by Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani when he took over in November 2007 by depoliticizing the Army, starting low intensity conflict training and awarding a highly attractive welfare package to lower ranks. ISI under Lt Gen Shuja Pasha made concerted efforts to recover the lost intelligence ground.
Army Wrested Initiative in 2009
When the Army backed by PAF and ISI/MI launched a major military operation in Buner, Dir, Swat and Shangla in end April 2009, it was a different Army and it took the militants by complete surprise. If the militants daringly put their lives at stake so did the soldiers. Both matched in boldness and chivalry, but the Army had an edge because of better discipline, fighting techniques, mobility, firepower and above all superior cause. Junior officers led from the front while senior officers closely supervised the operations.
As a consequence, Operation Rah-e-Rast was a complete success, although heavy casualties occurred due to tough resistance put up by the well dug in militants and suicide bombers. Fazlullah and his followers retreated and fled to Afghanistan. The FC threw out the militants from Bajaur. Mother of all battles was won by the Army in SW in end 2009 which broke the back of TTP and disarrayed it. It regrouped with the help of its foreign patrons.
The writer is a retired Brig, defence analyst, columnist and historian. [email protected]
Posted by admin in Pakistan-A Nation of Hope on April 7th, 2014
Posted by admin in Pakistan-A Nation of Hope on April 5th, 2014
TERRORISM IN PERSPECTIVE – K.Hussan Zia
According to the US CENTCOM estimates Musharraf’s catastrophic decision to facilitate the US invasion of Afghanistan cost our economy a loss of more than ten billion dollars in the first year alone and the hemorrhaging continues unabated. This does not include the cost of military deployment, provision of base facilities and other support.
Its detailed report published in 2002 reads in part, “Operation Enduring Freedom adversely affected the already fragile economy of Pakistan. Major losses were caused to the civil aviation, tourism, investment and shipping due to rise in the rates of insurance. Besides this, Pakistani exports also suffered adversely and foreign investments experienced a visible decline. According to a rough estimate, Pakistan’s economy suffered a loss of over US$ 10 billion since October 2001”:
http://www.centcom.mil/Operations/Coalition/Coalition_pages/pakistan.html
The decision not only resulted in the loss of close to two hundred billion dollars so far but also gave rise to terrorism as we know it today. It is a misconception; in all probability deliberately created that terrorism somehow has its origins in religious fundamentalism. There have been religious extremists throughout history but they have rarely resorted to sustained campaigns of violence. Terrorists are not driven by religion as much as they are by a clear strategic objective to compel the occupying power to withdraw military forces from the territory that the terrorists view as their homeland.
This is just as true for Pakistan as it is for Sri Lanka, Chechnya, Lebanon, Palestine, Kashmir, Corsica or Spain. Prior to Musharraf’s ill-considered and unjustified induction of troops in South Waziristan the only terrorist acts had been by some ineffectual Indian agents. What we witness today was born and fueled by the desire to avenge the death and destruction caused by the military incursion in FATA. Later, other soldiers of fortune joined the fray for all kinds of motives and reasons,
For terrorism to flourish it needs a few essentials like sympathy and support in the local community, a secure base for training, logistic support and operational planning; large amounts of cash to pay the mercenaries and their families, publicity, etc. and an assured supply of volunteers. They also need a fairly sophisticated command structure to gather intelligence, plan operations, control and organize troops, among other things. The sophistication evident in some of the terrorist acts in Pakistan had the hallmarks of professionalism that are far beyond the capabilities of an ex-chairlift operator like Mulla Fazlullah.
Mercifully, TTP and its affiliates have little popular local support outside FATA and must buy whatever else they might need. The amounts involved are quite substantial as are their logistical needs —- much more than what they can realistically hope to get from any private donations. Some of the weapons and equipment at their disposal are also not easily procured in the market.
It is a misconception that various groups that form TTP are ideologically motivated. Some of them may claim this but in reality it is money, coercion and the need to take revenge that goads them. If it had been religion, they would first target NATO troops, installations and supplies which they scrupulously avoid. In return the US and NATO have left them untouched except for people like Nek Mohammed who declared it unlawful for TTP to kill fellow Pakistanis and Muslims and Hakimullah Mehsud who tried to reach a settlement.
When viewed against this perspective the outlandish TTP conditions and for the negotiations make perfect sense. The powers that pull their strings are in no mood to come to an agreement. They want the talks to fail and the army to expand its operations further. There is no better way to destroy a country and its army than to make it fight a war against its own people that has no end.
In all probability almost all of the terrorists groups are compromised by now which makes dealing with them a difficult and delicate exercise. They do not have centralized command and control nor the same paymaster. It also means they cannot speak with one voice and are not free to negotiate. They can only say and do what each puppeteer desires. Nonetheless we have to sit at the table with them if for no other reason than to gauge their attitudes, arrange a truce and possibly exploit any divisions and rifts that are bound to exist.
The first line of defence for internal security has to be the police, IB and FIA that have local knowledge, intelligence and presence. The military is not equipped for dealing with terrorism as such. It is basically configured and trained to deal with external threats and not criminal activity. It can be called upon to help but by the very nature of the task it has to be primarily handled through the combined efforts of all the civilian agencies. Something is very wrong when so many trained and armed soldiers led presumably by competent officers are taken prisoner to be butchered by a rag tag band of Hill Billys. It needs to be investigated if there has been a professional or institutional lapse.
Unfortunately, in their eagerness to please the US, Musharraf and his successors have made the situation far more complicated. They allowed foreign intelligence agencies to have a free run of the country, including access to offices and records of IB and FIA. Agents of nefarious outfits like Blackwater/Xe were allowed to run amok.
A revealing article in the Asia Times, of 4th October 2003 claimed, ‘The FBI cells have established direct control over the law enforcing agencies, such as the police, who take orders from FBI agents. In return, they are believed to be handsomely rewarded financially.’ General Aslam Beg states, ‘Musharraf agreed to pull-out ISI from the border areas and allowed the CIA and the Marines to monitor the entire border belt from Swat to Balochistan’. The civilian security and intelligence agencies need to be cleansed and if necessary reconstituted if there is to be a secure future for Pakistan.
The media have a crucial role to play when times are difficult by rallying the people, giving them hope and raising their morale. In Pakistan they have done everything but this. Day after day pages of the press are blackened and television anchors cry themselves hoarse magnifying every little incident out of all proportion to prophecy nothing but doom and gloom. This is how Fifth Column operates. A US diplomat in Islamabad summed them up in 2012:
“Pakistani TV journalists are some of the easiest to buy or manipulate. ———- Their price is ridiculously small. A drink, a lunch with a second or first secretary in a place where they can be seen by their admirers, invitations to official receptions, or at most, a trip to the states, is all you need to buy their loyalty. ———– My dog is usually fussier.”
A great deal of damage has been done. People are losing hope which is reflected in the social media. It has encouraged flight of both capital and talent that does more harm to the economy and the future than any amount of terrorism could ever do. It is in fact treason. We only have to look at the conduct of media in Britain when she faced terrorism by the IRA for more than twenty years to know this.
Every terrorist act entails some loss and tragedy but it is local and limited in terms of the larger context and by no means the end of the world as made out by our media. Again, to quote the British example, in all the years that she was subjected to terrorism the country functioned normally and her economy continued to prosper. In a similar vein, despite everything, it is true that in general Pakistan still offers more in terms of quality of life than any other country from Myanmar all the way to Morocco.
Things change and it never pays to lose hope. We have survived far more challenging times. The present is no exception. After the US withdrawal from Afghanistan whosoever gains control, especially in south and southeast Afghanistan, will need support from Pakistan to survive. It will not be in their interest to allow foreign inspired outfits operating under the TTP umbrella to use Afghan soil for their purposes. Terrorism came to Pakistan when Afghanistan was occupied by foreign powers. It will end only when the occupation ends. Wisdom demands we should wait for that time before embarking on yet another costly adventure. In the meantime, any respite afforded by the negotiations should not be scoffed at.
Additional Readings From Archives:
Pakistani Journalists
Pakistan’s media are addicted to money. The are serving foreign masters ranging from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, USA, and yes, even India. Pakistani Journalists spend months under the Aman Ki Asha Trojan Horse in Delhi and other Indian cities. On their return, they start singing the tunes, pretty similar to those of Bal Thackeray. The only way to really make papers serve the people is to make them funded solely by the people, you know he who pays the piper call the tune and all that. The problem is though without advertisements papers would be too expensive for most people so alternate sources for funding through foundations and independent commission headed by retired members of the Judiciary dole out government grants to media houses. Of course we can’t have a situation where the government decides which papers get what money; that situation would be worse than what we have now, but we could have every registered voter receive an equal amount of media vouchers which he or she could use to buy the paper of their choice or allocate amounts from the vouchers to fund media channels.
Posted by admin in Pakistan-A Nation of Hope on April 5th, 2014
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN
News that hasn’t hit the headlines – yet
Pakistan announced last week that it received a $1.5 billion grant from Saudi Arabia, which it termed a “friendly gift” and an “unconditional grant.”
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long had warm ties, but the no-strings-attached gift sparked immediate concern from Pakistani journalists, security experts, and opposition politicians, who question whether the grant is part of a behind-the-scenes deal for Pakistan to provide weapons for Syrian rebels.
“There are no free lunches in foreign diplomacy,” says Baqir Sajjad, a journalist at Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper, which has published articles questioning the deal.
The grant was confirmed at a briefing by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s advisor on national security and foreign affairs, who also said that Saudi Arabia had agreed to purchase weapons from Pakistan.
The Pakistan government declined to specify what kind of weapons the Kingdom was looking for and denied that any arms purchased by Saudi Arabia will be sent to Syria. Pakistan, which has the sixth-largest army in the world, is known as a major arms importer, but it also sells fighter jets, anti-tank missiles, armored personal carriers, and small arms to Sri Lanka, Iraq, and Malaysia.
Ayesha Siddiqa, a “defense expert” based in Islamabad, says that Saudi Arabia – who is desperate to counter arch-rival Iran’s support for the Syrian regime and has publicly called for arming Syrian rebels – may want to buy weapons from Pakistan rather than other countries because Pakistan cannot enforce an agreement about where the arms end up.
The disclosure of the grant and weapons agreement follows a series of high-level talks between Pakistan and Saudi Arabian officials over the past three months and Pakistan’s break last month from its neutral stance on the Syrian civil war. It said for the first time that the Assad regime should step down.
There is no proof that Pakistan’s decisions are the direct result of Saudi Arabia’s actions – or that its arms will reach Syria. Even if they did, “there are so many arms coming from so many different places,” says Michael Kugelman( a Zionist,take his opinion with a grain of salt), a Pakistan scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington in an e-mail. “Unless the level of Pakistani arms shipments reaches some sort of critical mass, I don’t see them being any kind of game-changer for the conflict.”
The consequences of Pakistani arms sent to Syria “could be destabilizing for sure,” Mr. Kugelman says, though more so for Pakistan than for the Middle East. The risk is that “Pakistan’s already-raging sectarian violence would worsen. And its battlefield role in the ongoing Iran-Saudi Arabia sectarian proxy war would grow ever more strong,” he says.
At home, Pakistan is struggling with its Sunni-Shiite violence and ongoing strife from the Pakistan Taliban’s insurgency. There were 687 sectarian killings in Pakistan last year, an increase of 22 percent from 2012, according to the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies. Violence between Sunni Muslims (about 75 percent of the population) and Shiites (15 to 20 percent) has never reached massive levels, but there’s concern that it’s on the rise.
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