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Posted by admin in Pakistan-A Nation of Hope on March 25th, 2014
THE RAT SMELLS CHEESE: LIAR NAWAZ SHARIF POISED TO RAID THE TREASURY AGAIN & A PEEP INTO HIS LYING NATURE
FOOL ME ONCE, SHAME ON YOU. FOOL ME TWICE, SHAME ON ME. FOOL ME THREE TIMES…. CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE ONCE AGAIN BEEN ELECTED AS PRIME MINISTER OF PAKISTAN. THE RE-ELECTION OF NAWAZ SHARIF TO ONE OF THE HIGHEST ECHELONS OF GOVERNMENT IS SOMEWHAT PERPLEXING TO SAY THE LEAST.
ALBERT EINSTEIN
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has passed on information to election authorities about three graft references against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s leadership, an official said. The references are pending in the Accountability Court, Rawalpindi.
The move drew an angry response from the party, whose spokesman counselled the corruption watchdog not to do “politics”. The party intends to give a detailed response at a press conference on Friday.
NAB’s reply to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is part of the scrutiny process of candidates and it has not spared PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and ex-provincial chief minister Shahbaz Sharif.
The two brothers were found accused of loan default in the Hudaibiya Paper Mills scandal by the NAB during the scrutiny of their nomination papers, sources told The Express Tribune.
The record was sent to the returning officers (ROs) through the ECP. The NAB found that the Sharif brothers were accused in the case of loan default of Rs3,486 million rupees in the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case.
NAB records show that the Sharif brothers had filed a petition for quashing the First Information Report (FIR) against them in the Lahore High Court (LHC) and the case was still pending. “In that respect, they [Sharifs] were still accused in the default case,” said an official.
The case was filed in March 2000 with the Attock NAB Court where the Sharif brothers were accused of misusing their authority and accumulating wealth beyond their means. The other accused included their third brother Abbas Sharif, Nawaz Sharif’s son Hussain Nawaz and his daughter Maryam Nawaz, Hamza Shahbaz, and Senator Ishaq Dar.
“The competent authority to decide the candidature of the Sharif brothers were the respective returning officers and not the NAB,” said a NAB spokesperson while reacting to television reports that the NAB had objected to the candidacy of the two PML-N leaders.
The NAB spokesperson said that the bureau has neither raised objections on any candidate during the scrutiny of the nomination papers nor has it returned the name of any candidate with objection to election commission.
NAB has received more than 18,000 nomination forms and it has only provided the information that was to be provided to the special cell of the poll body.
But the PML-N directed its wrath at the anti-corruption authority. A party spokesman said NAB’s objections against Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif were based on mala fide intentions.
“NAB should not do politics but rather it should refrain from becoming a party in this regard”. The NAB’s report against the Sharif brothers is part of a well-calculated conspiracy.
He said the PML-N will disclose facts at a news press conference on Friday (today).
In a separate statement, PML-N’s spokesperson Senator Pervez Rasheed said there is no discrepancy in the assets declared on the nomination papers of the PML-N president.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 5th, 2013.
The juggernaut of corruption has already started , even before Nawaz Sharif has taken the Oath of the Prime Minister. He has started throwing trial balloons and feelers, to gauge the public response to his appointment of family members and cronies to plumb posts. already the name of Shahbaz Sharif and Salman Shahbaz has been floated to takeover finance. Kulsoom Nawaz’s name is bandied about as a Minister for Womens post. Ahsan Iqbal, who has no experience in Foreign Affairs, has his name thrown in the ring as Foreign Minister (May Allah Save Pakistan from this Gangster of Narowal (http://criticalppp.com/archives/26593). Nawaz Sharif has a typical Cheshire Cat grin, as he drools at the milk jug of Pakistan’s Treasury. This schemer is a master of crookedness and double dealings. He will start his robbery through gradiose projects like Super Highways, Jangla Buses, Laptop Schemes, Daanish Schools & other Kick Back Fronts. He is a mater of Ponzi Schemes, where instead of money, monumental projects are used to rob the people. In each of his projects, one of his relatives or front men will be involved in receiving the commission behalf of PMs Welfare Programs (for Welfare of Sharif Family). The Sharif Family started off as blacksmiths or “Lohars” on Defence related projects during the 1965 & 71 Wars. The paid huge commissions to Army Contractors and thus were able to make huge profits on Army contracts. Since the 60s, they have achieved so much ill-gotten wealth, that they have become billionaires (https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150392958245506).
There are approximately 140 Pakistani students at the University of Nottingham. Impact caught up with some of them to find out what they think about the result.
Current electoral legislation in Pakistan prevents overseas students from voting. The frustration at not being able to vote was shared by many Pakistani students at Nottingham. It is assumed by some to be a deliberate attempt on the part of the Pakistani government to disenfranchise the youth vote.
One student, who wished to remain anonymous, told Impact: “I think it was unfair that the vote wasn’t extended to Pakistanis overseas- I think it would’ve made a huge difference to the turnout and the outcome.”
Another said that they believed the Pakistani government “deliberately dragged its heels in not allowing those overseas to vote. It knows where our political loyalties lie, and it’s not with them [the outgoing Pakistan People’s Party].
“Pakistan’s youth played a massive role in these elections- we’ve got the numbers and unlike the older generations we’re not going to vote on the basis of a person’s surname. Pakistani politics rivals Dave with its re-runs; it’s stuck on a constant loop of Bhuttos, Sharifs and the military. It’s one big, fat joke .”
63 year old Sharif, leader of Pakistan’s Muslim League (N) party, served as Pakistan’s prime minister from 1990 to 1993 and again from 1997 to 1999 before being removed in a coup d’état by military general Pervez Musharraf, and subsequently being tried, jailed and ultimately exiled to Saudi Arabia.
More than a decade later, it seems the Pakistani people have been quite forgiving or quite forgetful, and re-elected him once more.
In a country where GDP per capita averages at $2,960, Nawaz Sharif’s personal estimated net worth is $1.2 billion, with many alleging corruption and tax evasion as being a substantial source of this wealth.
Pakistan has been under military rule for more than half of the country’s 57-year history; observers are keen to emphasise that 11th May saw a significant milestone being reached- the first “democratic” transition of one elected civilian government to another. There may have been elections, but they were neither “free” nor “fair”.
Violence leading up to the elections, including car and suicide bombings, claimed more than 130 lives, with 29 killed on Election Day alone.
Despite the threat of violence, turnout reached a historic 60% of eligible voters exercising their right, compared to only 44% in 2008. A large part of the higher turnout was down to the country’s increasingly politicised youth; 63% of the population is under the age of 25.
President of UoN’s Pakistan Society, Rafia Khatri, commented: “Five years laden with political, economic and social chaos were an automatic and effective mechanism to mobilise Pakistanis, especially the youth, to cast their votes. The overwhelming participation of Pakistanis throughout these elections signified how determined Pakistanis are to rehabilitate their country.”
After having queued for hours on end, some of those in Pakistan who did venture to the polling stations were, however, met with intimidation and coercion, with some voters even being turned away point-blank without being able to cast their votes.
Despite YouTube being blocked in Pakistan, activists and concerned citizens have taken to the web to disseminate evidence of phony votes being registered:
Ballot boxes full of votes being discarded on the streets:
and proof of women casting fake votes:
49 polling stations were alleged to have had over 100% voter turnout, with more votes apparently being cast than the number of registered voters.
One of the largest suspected casualties of the alleged vote rigging is the cricketer turned politician Imran Khan whose Pakistan Movement for Justice (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, PTI) party was expected to make significant gains. Khan, an Oxford University PPE graduate, offered a fresh glimpse of hope for a populace tired of kleptocratic rulers who have kept the country’s economy almost stagnant.
In response to the alleged vote rigging and encouraged by Khan’s PTI party, protests have erupted across the nation, with tens of thousands of Pakistanis taking to the streets to demand re-elections in some areas. In response, the Election commission of Pakistan (ECP) has formed 14 election tribunals to investigate the complaints.
Meanwhile, section 144 of the code of criminal procedure has been imposed in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, in response to the protests. The controversial section bans gatherings of more than four people at a time for rallies and protests, or what it calls “unlawful assembly”. Large crowds demanding re-elections have also gathered in the Punjabi city of Lahore, and the country’s capital city, Islamabad, amongst others.
PTI’s party slogan “Naya Pakistan”, meaning “New Pakistan”, was what many, in particular the country’s youth, wanted to see.
For a nation that’s long been ruled by political dynasties who treat the country as one of their personal family heirlooms (Benazir Bhutto, deceased leader of the outgoing Pakistan People’s Party bequeathed the party’s chairmanship to her husband in her will), PTI in opposition is a step, albeit a baby step, in the right direction.
More pessimistically, however, with the same old face as Prime Minister, many political pundits are predicting a classic case of “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose”.
Despite all maneuvering following references were filed against the Sharifs:-
1. Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and others misused official resources causing a loss to the national exchequer of Rs 620million by developing 1800 acres of land in Raiwind at state expense.
2. Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif are accused of whitening black money during their first tenure (1990-93) and causing a loss of Rs 180 million to the national exchequer by evading income/wealth tax.
3. Nawaz Sharif, Saif-ur-Rehman and others reduced import duty from 325% to 125% on import of luxury cars (BMW), causing a huge loss of Rs1.98 billion to the national exchequer.
4. On the imposition of emergency and freezing of foreign currency accounts, Nawaz Sharif and Saif-ur-Rehman removed 11 billion US dollars from Pakistani Banks illegally. Without the consent of account holders, Foreign Exchange Bearer Certificates (FEBC) accounts were frozen and foreign exchange was misappropriated.
5. Illegal appointments in Pakistan International Airlines (Nawaz Sharif and Saeed Mehdi).
6. Abbotabad land purchase scam (Nawaz Sharif and Sardar Mehtab Abbasi).
7. Availing bank loan for Ittefaq Foundries and Brothers Steel Mills without fulfilling legal requirements (Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif).
8. Concealment of property in the US (Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif).
9. Illegal appointments and promotions in Federal Investigation Agency (Nawaz Sharif).
10. US wheat purchase scam (Nawaz Sharif and Syeda Abida Hussain).
11. Murree land purchase scam (Nawaz Sharif and Saif-ur-Rehman)
12. Tax evasion (Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif).
13. Forging of passports and money laundering (Nawaz Sharif and Ishaq Dar).
14. Concealment of private helicopter purchase while filing assets’ detail (Nawaz Sharif).
15. Favoring Kohinoor Energy Co, causing loss of Rs. 450 millions (Nawaz Sharif and Others).
16. Illegal cash finance facility given to Brothers Sugar Mills (Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif).
17. Bribe offered to ANP’s Senator Qazi Mohammad Anwer (Nawaz Sharif and Others).
18. Hudaibiya Paper Mills Reference against Sharif brothers and Ishaq Dar.
19. Illegally appointing Chairman Central Board of Revenue (Nawaz Sharif)
20. Whitening of black money by amending laws (Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif).
21. Causing Rs. 35 billion loss by writing off/rescheduling bank loans (Nawaz Sharif and Ishaq Dar).
22. Bribing (late) Maulana Sattar Niazi from National Exchequer (Nawaz Sharif and Others).
23. Plundering Rs. 200 million from Jahez and Baitul Maal funds (Nawaz Sharif & Others)
24. Opening fictitious foreign currency accounts (Nawaz Sharif and Ishaq Dar).
25. Making 130 political appointments in federal departments (Nawaz Sharif).
26. Relaxing export duty and rebate to transport sugar to India (Nawaz Sharif).
27. Whitening of money through FEBC (Nawaz Sharif).
28. Wealth Tax evasion (Nawaz Sharif).
29. Concealment of facts to evade property tax (Nawaz Sharif).
30. Withdrawal of case against Senator Islam-ud-din Sheikh (Nawaz Sharif, & Ishaq Dar).
Posted by admin in NAWAZ SHARIF US & SAUDI AGENT, Nawaz Sharif US Agent, NAWAZ SHARIF US CIA ASSET IN PAKISTAN, Nawaz Sharif Womanizer, Nawaz Sharif-The Prime Minister from Hell, NAWAZ SHARIF: THE LOOTER on January 19th, 2014
The mystery of Raiwind palace ownership
Iftikhar A. Khan and Kalbe Ali
PM Sharif among billionaire lawmakers
ISLAMABAD: The ownership of the Raiwind palace spread over thousands of acres is a mystery because it has never been mentioned in the statements of assets and liabilities of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and other members of his family in politics.
Even latest declarations submitted by Nawaz Sharif, his brother Shahbaz Sharif, son-in-law Captain Mohammad Safdar and nephew Hamza Shahbaz to the Election Commission of Pakistan are silent on the ownership title of the huge property.
But Information Minister Pervez Rasheed told Dawn that the property was in the name of Shamim Sharif, mother of the Sharif brothers.
The statements of assets show that the Sharif brothers have much in common. Both live in houses not owned by them. Nawaz Sharif lives in a house owned by his mother while Shahbaz Sharif resides in a house owned by his spouse Nusrat.
Both use Land Cruisers gifted to them by unspecified persons. Both have multiple foreign and local currency accounts, own huge agricultural land and have investments in industrial units like sugar, textile and paper mills.
The most visible dissimilarity is the rapid growth in the value of assets owned by the elder brother and continuous decline in the value of assets possessed by the younger brother. Another dissimilarity is that Shahbaz Sharif has two properties in the United Kingdom, but Nawaz Sharif has no assets abroad.
Till the time of elections in May last year, Shahbaz was richer than Nawaz — though none of them a billionaire — but things are different now. According to the recent declaration, the value of Nawaz Sharif’s wealth has registered a six-fold increase in just 12 months to make him a billionaire for the first time.
According to statements of assets and liabilities, the net worth of Nawaz Sharif’s assets was Rs261.6 million in 2012 and of Shahbaz Sharif Rs336.9m.
In 2011, the assets of the Sharif brothers were worth Rs166m and Rs393m, indicating an increase of Rs95.6m and decrease of Rs56.5m, respectively.
In 2013, the value of assets of Nawaz Sharif ballooned to Rs1.82bn while that of Shahbaz Sharif slipped further to Rs142m.
Incidentally, Shahbaz Sharif has more stakes abroad than in the country.
He owns properties and bank account worth Rs138.28m in the UK. He has three loans worth 117.10m in Pakistani rupees in British banks.
The younger brother has not disclosed the value of five properties with net area of around 676 kanal in Lahore – all gifted by his mother.
He has Rs51.96m cash in hand and Rs7.27m in his sole bank account in the country. (Editor’s Note: Out of 180 Million Pakistani Civilians & Military, how many can boast such amount as CASH IN HAND)
Mrs Nusrat, the first wife of Mr Shahbaz, had assets worth Rs273.46m on June 30 last year. It was Rs224.56m a year earlier. She has Rs14.34m cash in hand and Rs1.95m in her five bank accounts.
The assets of Mrs Tehmina, the second wife of Shahbaz Sharif, are worth Rs9.83m. They were Rs7.64m last year.
She has five bank accounts – two in Pound Sterling, one in dollar and two in Pak rupees, but the money in these accounts is only Rs23,770. She has cash in hand and prize bonds worth Rs750,000 and two cars.
Kalsoom Nawaz, the wife of Nawaz Sharif, has net wealth of Rs235.85m, which is much less than that of Mrs Nusrat Shahbaz.
Mrs Kalsoom Nawaz has land and a house in Changa Gali, Abbottabad, worth Rs63.75m, a bungalow on Mall Road in Murree worth Rs100m, 88 kanal of land in Sheikhupura worth Rs70m, jewellery of Rs1.5m and shares in family businesses.
She has Rs67,555 cash in hand and Rs55,765 in banks.
Hamza Shahbaz is wealthier than his father with net assets of Rs250.46m. He has two wives. The wealth of his first wife is Rs2.45m and that of the second is Rs9.88m.
Capt Safdar’s wealth is worth Rs14.23m. He owns a car which his wife Marium received as a gift from the UAE
Nawaz Sharif’s Chamcha No1,Ishaq Dar’s Sons Car
Posted by admin in Rana SanaUllah: Paindoo Minister From Hell on December 10th, 2013
Misapprehensions of the ‘Minister’ about ISI
By Sajjad Shaukat
After a US drone attack which killed six students at a Madrassa (Religious seminary) in Hangu on November 21, this year, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) halted the NATO supply across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Afghanistan through sit-in protests and various rallies in order to denounce that these strikes are violation of Pakistan’s territorial integrity and are illegitimate acts of killing innocent people, while causing collateral damage to the property. Besides, on November 22, PTI-led government in the province also filed First Information Report (FIR) to nominate US and the CIA in connection with the deaths of innocent people in the Hangu-strikes. PTI also decided to register a FIR against CIA Director Johan Brennan and a man identified as the agency’s Station Chief in Islamabad.
Unfortunately, some leaders of the ruling party, PML (N) used the FIR issue as a plea to score political points against PTI. In this regard, while showing his misapprehensions, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah issued derogatory remarks against Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) by stating that ISI might have revealed the name of CIA Station Chief in Islamabad.
But when media reporters contacted the US Embassy in Islamabad, its spokesperson did not confirm the self-created statement of Rana Sanaullah. Even, PTI did not blame the ISI in this respect.
However, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah’s statement about ISI is entirely irresponsible, offending and thoughtless. He has been opposing the legal protest of the PTI against the CIA-operated drone attacks. While showing contradictory remarks and his resentment against the PTI move, earlier, Rana Sanaullah said, “the whole nation mourns over the childish step taken by PTI to implicate CIA director who sits in Washington DC.” While, he, himself, indicated childish approach by linking ISI and CIA Station Chief in Islamabad in connection with the strikes of pilotless aircraft in Hangu. In his pro-American tilt, he also forgot to grasp ground realities by ignoring the facts that various segments of civil society, political and religious leaders, and the experts of international law have opined that these attacks by the spy planes are illegal, unethical and violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty as well as the UN Charter. In this context, he also set aside the parliament resolution, the trip of Director General of ISI, Lt. Gen. Zaheerul Islam to America, various rallies and processions in Pakistan, while ignoring the recent report of Amnesty International and the decision of the All Parties Conference (APC) against the drone strikes.
Notably, key leaders of his own party, PML-N like Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan who did not link ISI and CIA, have strongly condemned the attacks by the US manless aircraft on Pakistan’s tribal areas. But surprisingly, Rana Sanullah’s statement against the superior spy agency, ISI has exposed his ill-conceived thoughts which need special analysis, so that general masses must know the real face of this politician who is still serving as the law minister in the Punjab province.
It is of particular attention that some politicians have already pointed out that Punjab Law Minister has connections with the banned extremist outfits. Regarding general elections 2013, while commenting on a statement by Maulana Mohammad Ahmed Ludhianvi of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat that the PML-N had approached him for seat-adjustment, a PTI spokesman had disclosed on February 25, this year, “PML-N government in Punjab has links with the militant groups, requesting the Taliban of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) not to target them because the PML-N and Taliban had the same ideology.” The spokesman elaborated, “People remembered how the Punjab law minister had accompanied leaders of the banned Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan and attended its rallies.” However, TTP did not target the leaders of the PML-N during the election-campaign.
In 2010, a large number of civil society activists staged a rally from Sindh University’s old campus to the press club to condemn terror attacks on worship places of Ahmadis in Lahore. They raised slogans against Taliban and urged the Punjab government to dissociate itself from banned outfits and remove its irresponsible minister Rana Sanaullah who has given shelter to the country’s most violent Islamist militant groups.
It is notable that on March 3, 2013, the deadly twin blasts killed more than 50 people in the Shia-dominated Abbas Town of Karachi, and on February 17, same year, the deadly suicide attack killed more than 100 persons of the Hazara Shias in Quetta at Kirani Road. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) claimed responsibility for these terrorist acts.
Regarding these two major terror-attacks, the former Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik said in the National Assembly on March 5 that four activists of the LeJ, involved in Karachi’s Abbas Town bomb blasts have been arrested, and assured the Assembly that he would present a fact sheet that apart from the TPP, some other outfits like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi were also involved in recent terrorist activities, while LeJ is openly holding its meetings in Punjab. Earlier, he revealed that Punjabi Taliban of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi which had its headquarters in Punjab were behind the terror attacks in Karachi’s Abbas Town and Quetta’s Alamdar Road and Kirani Road. He explained that the Punjab government’s ruling party, the PML-N was in an electoral alliance with the banned organisation. Therefore it had taken no action against the militant group. Former Governor, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Barrister Masood Kausar expressed similar thoughts on March 5.
Besides, in its report, submitted to the Supreme Court of Pakistan on February 20, 2013, ISI stated that the agency had already shared information with the civil administration about procurement of explosives by terrorists from Lahore to Quetta and possibility of fresh terror attacks on Hazara community.
It is worth-mentioning that in the 2010, Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer (The Late) had also disclosed that Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah had links with Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. Therefore, he was not taking effective measures against these banned outfits to curb extremism and sectarianism.
At this critical juncture when foreign elements like the CIA, Indian RAW and Israeli Mossad have accelerated their conspiracy against the integrity of Pakistan in order to complete their hidden agenda, the media of the US, India and some western countries have also intensified anti-Pakistan propaganda, especially targeting ISI. But, it is regrettable that without taking cognizance of the ground realties, and without knowing the functions of the ISI, some political leaders, media anchors and so-called human rights groups of our country have developed misperceptions about this agency. And since the Supreme Court of Pakistan has been dealing with various cases like the memogate scandal, mehrangate scandal and that of missing persons, our internal entities have continuously been maligning ISI.
In these terms, while speaking in the tone of external enemies, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah has followed stereotypes about ISI, which are likely to misguide the general masses. Instead of manipulating the country’s key spy agency, he must better know its functions, performance and role regarding protection of country’s the national interests.
Rana Sanaullah should know the ISI services such as capture of renowned Taliban commanders, castigation of pre-terror attacks, sacrifices of ISI personnel, suicide attacks on agency’s premises in various cities of the country, blockage of the activities of Blackwater including CIA agents and submission of pre-information about terror assaults.
In the recent past, very differences started between Pakistan and America as ISI interrupted covet activities of the so-called diplomats. In this regard, on the information of this top spy agency, Pakistan’s establishment expelled several American spies operating in the country in the guise of diplomats. On the other side, US withheld $800 million in military aid to punish this agency ISI.
ISI has always preferred the external and internal security of Pakistan. Externally, through its invisible mechanism, it thwarted the anti-Pakistan plot of the US, India and Israel—also against China and became an obstacle in the secret strategic designs of these hostile elements.
Nonetheless, if PTI is creating some kind of pressure on US to stop drone attacks in Pakistani territory, then it should not be made controversial by Rana Sanaullah by damaging the very reputation and esteem of ISI. Pakistan’s media must condemn Rana Sanaullah for accusing ISI without any proof due to his misapprehensions about this spy agency which has been severing as the first defence line of the country in safeguarding country’s national interests, particularly in wake of the war against terrorism.
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 Fateh-i-Kargil Aur Nawaz Sharif Ki Ghadaari on November 28th, 2013
The Kargil conflict between Pakistan and India took place in Kashmir between May and July 1999, the objective of the whole conflict was to cut off the link between Kashmir and Ladakh by hitting National Highway No.1 (NH 1) and cause Indian forces to withdraw from the Siachen Glacier, forcing India to negotiate and resolve the decade old Kashmir dispute.
The Pakistani positions on the mountains across Drass river enjoy certain advantage. India captured these positions in 1965, but returned them as per agreement. It managed to recapture them in 1971, and has retained them since. According to Indian sources, while this has removed the threat of small arms fire on the town, posts, in the more distant mountains still overlook the town which exposes the area to Pakistani fire. India has never been happy about the situation and always desired to seize advantageous positions in the Kargil sector.
THE BEGINNING OF KARGIL CONFLICT
Because of the extreme winter weather conditions in Kashmir, it was a common practice of the Indians and Pakistan Army to vacate high altitude forward posts and reoccupy them in the spring. In the winter of early 1999, Pakistan Army along with the Mujahideen reoccupied the forward positions and strategic peaks of Kargil, Drass and Batalik before the Indians. This came as a shock to the Indian Army when they realized the gravity of the situation. “Operation Al-Badar” was the name given to Pakistan’s infiltration.
Indian Army reacted and deployed four divisions to take back the strategic peaks for securing its main supply line in Kashmir. India’s operation to recapture their territory was named “Operation Vijay”. The battle escalated with continuous Indian assaults on the peaks while Pakistan Army was able to bring down effective artillery fire on Indian positions through much of the conflict as they commanded all strategic heights. From the observation posts, Pakistan Army had a clear view to target the Indian main supply route National Highway No.1 (NH 1) inflicting heavy casualties.
INITIAL INDIAN ATTACKS AND MILITARY BUILD-UP
The Indians initially launched counter attacks to dislodge Pakistani troops from the heights and watershed area where it meets the Tololing ridge. Their focus was on controlling the peaks overlooking NH 1 and its stretches near the town of Kargil were of high importance for them. When these attacks were repulsed, the Indians in reaction raised their level of military force and inducted Bofor guns. As a result of their panic, they started massing up offensive and defensive forces in the Kargil-Drass area. Their panic was not only reflected in their military mass-up but also in their haste to give military awards. This was visible when they gave their highest military award posthumously to a soldier whose wife claimed that he was still alive and admitted in hospital.
After suffering casualties in the early phase of conflict, Indian Army changed their technique of attack and started containing the front while attacking from the flanks. They attacked limited objectives in every sub-sector at any one time by using utmost concentration of infantry and artillery. In addition, the difficult terrain of the area was not giving much benefit to the Indian Army.
“The Indian soldiers jumped over their dead soldiers while retreating hastily”
“Ammunition dump of the Indian Army was destroyed which suffered Rs 2 mn loss”
In the third week of May 1999, Indian Army launched a reinforced attack on Tiger Hill and Tololing in Drass sector and later inducted IAF into the conflict. “Operation Safed Sagar” was the code-name assigned to IAF. At the same time, India was extremely active on the diplomatic front and its Ministry of External Affairs tried the best to show Pakistan as an aggressor.
“Indians Army did not collect the bodies for days which started rotting”
PAKISTAN SHOOTS DOWN TWO INDIAN MIGS
Indian Air Force openly entered into the conflict on 26 May 1999 and launched air strikes 10 kms across LoC inside Pakistani territory. Pakistan warned that if India would continue to violate its airspace than it would target them in retaliation. On 27 May 1999, IAF MiG-27ML (Serial No. 1135) flown by Flt Lt K. Nachiketa of No. 9 Squadron intruded into Pakistan airspace at 11:15 a.m. (PST) near Hunzi Ghund. It intruded twice and first marked a Pakistani position on the LoC with smoke bombs and then came in for a rocketing and strafing attack on the same post. Gunner Shafaqat Ali commanded by Capt. Faheem Tipu of Air Defence using an ANZA-II SAM tracked and shot down the MiG as it exited. The pilot ejected and was taken POW. He resisted with his pistol after landing and was involved in a fire fight with Pakistani troops to evade capture.
Shortly later, two more Indian MiG-21 jets intruded into Pakistan airspace at 11:35 a.m. (PST) and dived in for a rocketing attack on the same Pakistani position. Naik Talib Hussain Basharat again commanded by Capt. Faheem Tipu started tracking and one of the MiG-21 (Serial No. C1539) was shot down again with ANZA-II SAM at a height of 1,500 metres. The wreckage fell 10-12 kilometres inside Pakistan territory. The pilot, Sqn Ldr Ajay Ahuja of No. 17 Squadron was killed and the body was handed over to India on 29 May 1999.
After the Indian jets were shot down, Indian media started a propaganda that Pakistan Army could not shoot any Indian aircrafts and the IAF is continuing their activities. The Pakistani defence spokesman Brig. Rashid Qureshi refuted it and cleared that after the Indian planes had been shot down they did not violate the Pakistani airspace and continued to patrol inside Indian territory at a very high altitude.
“A living prisoner is more useful than a dead one, Pak Army did not kill Ahuja”
When FIt Lt. Nachiketa was released on 4 June 1999 as a unilateral gesture of goodwill by Pakistan, on the order of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, no one, not even the Defence Attache turned up to receive their own pilot. The reason they did not want to be publicly seen receiving their prisoner pilot back. The Foreign Office had taken precautions to associate the ICRC with the wellbeing of the Indian pilot. They examined him and found him medically fit in the condition they took his custody and transported him to the border. Squadron Leader Ahuja’s body was returned with full military honours by the Pakistan Army, that has always stuck by the traditions of the battlefield. As Ahuja’s body was handed over to India, even before any post-mortem examination it raised alarm that Ahuja may have shot dead after he had parachuted safely to the ground. India had maintained that the Ahuja had “ejected after his MiG-21 was hit by a surface to air missile fired upon from across the LoC.” Later India maintained that according to the post-mortem report Ahuja was shot twice-once through the ear and again in the chest. India launched strong protest with Pakistan over the ‘brutal shooting’ of Sqn Ldr. Ahuja by his Pakistani captors. This was another attempt to malign Pakistan in the eyes of the world. Knowing fully well that Ahuja fighter plane was shot down when it was engaged in rocketing, artillery firing and automatic firing. In such a combat situation some bullets hitting Ahuja can not be ruled out.
IAF changed their operational technique after their jets were shot down and used Jaguars and Mirage 2000 fighter jets. They also began using laser-guided bombs from high-altitude. As a result, their bombing was ineffective and they failed to clear the targets.
BATTLE FOR THE CONTROL OF PEAKS
On 6 June 1999, Indian Army launched major offensive backed by air strikes in Kargil and Drass, reported by CNN. This attempt of India to move forward was successfully repulsed by Pak Army troops and Mujahideen. By 10 June 1999, when India was unable to take the peaks despite the expansion of conflict, they brought additional forces of infantry, artillery, Para/Commando battalions and PMF/BSF battalions into Kargil area.
After weeks of intense fighting and desperate Indian efforts to gain success, Indian Army made its first gain in Drass sector on 13 June 1999 by taking Tololing peak. This was the day when Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee also visited Kargil and along with his entourage merely escaped Pakistani shelling.
International pressure was also mounting on Pakistan and on 15 June 1999, US President President on telephone urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to pull back. On 29 June 1999, Indian Army managed to capture Point 5060 and 5100 near Tiger Hill.
A report released in Washington on 29 June 1999 said that India had suffered so badly in Kargil at the hands of Pakistani forces that the only way out for it is to attack Pakistan on a large scale. In an alarming letter to President Clinton as reported in the Washington Post, Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee wrote that New Delhi will be compelled to attack Pakistan if Islamabad failed to withdraw its forces from the Indian side of the Line of Control. The spectacle of hundreds of body bags of Indian soldiers coming down from the mountains in Kargil was creating an intense public pressure on the Indian Government to react.
Due to the difficult conditions in which the Indians were fighting, their victories were less glorious than their spokesman portrayed. By early July, Indian Army gained some ground in Mushkoh and Drass but was unable to make progress in Kaksar and Batalik despite putting constant pressure on the Pakistani troops and Mujahideen.
INDIA BANS PTV BROADCAST
The Indian government banned Pakistan Television broadcasts in India and restricted foreign journalists from going to Kargil. Eleven former Indian generals and bureaucrats demanded ‘suspension’ of independent analyses of Kargil. They include, the hawk K Subrahmanyam, and two former foreign secretaries. They say Kargil ‘is a test of the national will’. Hence any ‘postmortem’ by analysts should be suspended’. We must not talk about ‘any inadequacies and failures that have led to the crisis’. At stake is our ‘credibility as a nation’.
“Indian Army faced shortage of coffins during the conflict”
The blanket ban on foreign media and Pakistani broadcasts only shows the weakness of the Indian position on the Kargil situation. Indian Minister for External Affairs refused to appear on the CNN, while Pakistani foreign minister briefed the foreign media. Pakistan had also welcomed foreign media to go to LoC and see the situation themselves.
Gen Musharraf with other service chiefs and PM Nawaz Sharif present at a meeting in HQ 10 Corps. 22 June 1999
END OF CONFLICT – THE WITHDRAWAL
A DCC (Defence Comittee of the Cabinet) meeting was held on 2 July 1999 in which the ongoing conflict was discussed. The military commanders including Gen Musharraf briefed the cabinet that Pakistan Army was militarily in a strong position. Prime Minister Sharif suggested for withdrawing from the strategic peaks, however it was cleared by Gen Musharraf that there was absolutely no need for withdrawal as Pak Army was in a dominating position. The Indian Army was practically gripped by their throat. The DCC meeting concluded without any decision for withdrawal and it was decided that another meeting would be held on 5 July 1999.
On the same night of 2 July 1999, Sharif called Musharraf on phone and told him to come over at Chaklala Airport as he was going to US. Musharraf along with Lt Gen Zia ud Din Butt came from Murree to meet the PM where again he was asked about withdrawing the forces. Musharraf again cleared that withdrawal is a political decision whereas Pakistan is militarily in a strong and dominating position. Whether PM Nawaz Sharif was able to sustain international pressure but he unilaterally went on his own to the United States.
When Nawaz Sharif left for US, the battle at Tiger Hills was underway which was surrounded with controversy as the Mujahideen had abandoned shelling and US President had agreed to meet Nawaz Sharif only on the pre-condition of withdrawal from Kargil.
After the withdrawal agreement was signed in Washington on 4 July 1999, Pak Army started withdrawing from Indian territory on 11 July 1999 and India reclaimed key peaks in Batalik. 16 July was set as deadline for complete withdrawal and Indian territory was reportedly fully vacated. On 26 July 1999, the conflict finally came to an end.
SOME FACTS OF KARGIL CONFLICT
We have fought a great war in the mountains of Kashmir, but unfortunately, our then coward prime minister betrayed the nation and we had to retreat, and then, India has used its full propaganda machine to try to come out victorious after such a humiliation at the hands of few hundred Mujahideen.
Some facts are:
1.Total number of Mujahideen, at any stage did not exceed approx: 1000.
2. They captured one of the most difficult terrain and in intense cold environment.
3. They completely evaded the Indian intelligence machine and the (made in India) satellites pictures.
4. It was a total surprise to Indians when shepherds brought the news of invasion to Indian military machine, which took some days to realize its importance.
5. Indian chief of staff did not even cancelled his foreign visit.
6. The first search party of 60 Indian soldiers was completely annihilated and none of them returned.
7. The second search party of 259 Indian soldiers was either annihilated or injured.
8. The first Canberra reconnaissance mission ended up in a damaged Canberra plane, which did land in Srinagar and brought to Indians the actual scale of invasion.
9. Two Indian fighter jets – MiG-27 and MiG-21 were shot down.
10. An Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopter was shot down killing its crew of four.
11. Indian Air force totally stopped all its operations and so did the military helicopters.
12. It took long time for the Indian Air Force to come back again, but only with Mirage 2000 planes dropping bombs from high altitude…and also using laser guided bombs.
13. A barrage of artillery pounding continued for the next 6 weeks, and in the end, even Bofor guns were employed, in order to score, as there did not seem to be any change in Mujahideen positions.
14. There was a huge loss to Indian military. There was a shortage of coffins. About 1700 Indian soldiers died and more than the same number injured.
15. About 50 Bofors bombs were used per Mujahideen amounting to US$50000 per person, apart from the various other ammunition used extensively including artillery shells, rockets from ground launchers and air and infantry attacks.
16. After all this efforts for nearly 2 months, it took Clinton to come to India´s rescue, and Pakistan had to retreat with 370 losses in life.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS GAINED FROM THE CONFLICT
Every conflict or war that starts eventually comes to an end and so did this conflict. Despite the forced withdrawal after PM Sharif rushed to US, Pakistan achieved success till the extent of meeting its strategic and tactical objectives while India’s weaknesses were also exposed.
* Kashmir dispute was brought into world focus. It was internationally realized that the dispute needs urgent settlement as it has the potential to spark a major conflict and war between the two countries.
* Pak Army proved that it can give mightier Indian Army a militarily tough time in a low-intensity conflict. This is evident because India was time and again asking US to put pressure on Pakistan to pull back across the LoC.
* Pak Army was able to successfully counter Indian Army’s assaults without any backup of PAF while IAF was fully deployed in assault role along LoC.
* At the time of Pakistan’s withdrawal, India had managed to retake only 10-11% of the area. This was stated by Pakistani military sources as well as Indian sources who make reference to Col. Brian Cloughley’s book called ‘A History Of The Pakistan Army’.
* At the time of withdrawal, Indian Army formations had begun to fatigue which was assumed from Indian military transmissions. This was revealed in a briefing by FCNA on 12 January 2003.
* Pakistan’s cost of war was very low as compared to India’s cost of war.
* Kargil conflict has been a cause of great anguish to India which led to a commission to investigate their failures.
Read More at: http://pakistanarmy.biz.tc/home.html
> Kargil Conflict News Update – May 1999
> Kargil Conflict News Update – June 1999
> Kargil Conflict News Update – July 1999
> Scenes of Kargil Conflict
> Pak Army shoots down Indian MiG-27 and MiG-21
> Capt. Sher Khan’s gallantry was praised by the Indian Army
> Hav. Lalak Jan repulsed seventeen Indian attacks in three days
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