STRIKING THE TERRORISTS INSIDE PAKISTAN

STRIKING THE TERRORISTS INSIDE PAKISTAN  15.12.14

The list of strikes by terrorists from Pakistan on places in India is a long one. Some of the major attacks by Pakistani terrorist in India are given below :

December 22, 2000			2000 terrorist attack on Red Fort			3killed
October 1, 2001			2001 Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly attack			38 ”
December 13, 2001			2001 Indian Parliament attack in New Delhi			7 "
May 13, 2002	2002 Jaunpur train crash			12 killed	80 injured
September 24, 2002		Terrorists attack the Akshardham temple in Gujarat					31 killed
March 13, 2003		A terrorist bomb attack on a commuter train in Mumbai					11 killed
August 25, 2003		25 August 2003 Mumbai bombings					52 killed
October 29, 2005		29 October 2005 Delhi bombings: Three powerful serial blasts in New Delhi at different places just two days before the Hindu festival Deepawali[13]					70 killed
March 7, 2006		2006 Varanasi bombings: Three synchronized terrorist attacks in Varanasi in Shri Sankatmochan Mandir and Varanasi Cantonment Railway Station[14]					21 killed
July 11, 2006		2006 Mumbai train bombings: Series of 7 train bombing during the evening rush hour in Mumbai					209 killed
January 1, 2008		Terror attack on CRPF camp in Rampur by Lashkar-e-Taiba,[18]					8 killed

May 13, 2008	Jaipur bombings: 9 bomb blasts along 6 areas in Jaipur		63 killed
July 26, 2008		2008 Ahmedabad blasts: 17 serial bomb blasts in Ahmedabad		29 killed	110 injured
September 13, 2008		13 September 2008 Delhi bombings: 5 bomb blasts in Delhi markets		21 killed	110 injured
November 26, 2008		2008 Mumbai attacks[19][20]		171 killed	239 injured
February 13, 2010		Pune bombing[23]		17 killed	60 injured
July 13, 2011		2011 Mumbai bombings		26 killed	130 injured
September 7, 2011		2011 Delhi bombing[25]		12 killed	76 injured

The latest attack was on 5.12.14 in 3 places in Kashmir in which 11 security men and 8 militants have been killed.

It is clear from the above that it is nothing short of a war which Pakistan is waging against India through its proxies. Inspite of this the response of Govt of India to these attacks have been very weak. Mostly it consist of issuing verbal warnings to Pakistan that some serious repercussion will follow if another attack takes place. It is like a challenge thrown by a coward person to slap him again till he receives another slap and challenges again. Other than verbal warning the Govt goes on a self pity mode and howls and cries before the international community to punish Pakistan. Infact instead of finding a solution to stop these attacks the Govt of India sits backs and wait for a another attack to come. These useless reactions further emboldens Pakistan to continue killings of civilians in India.
The present Modi Govt promised a lot of direct action to eliminate terrorist and its sanctuaries inside Pakistan. It promised to punish Pakistan for any further terrorist attacks. The macho image built of Narendra Modi by clever publicity was imprinted on peoples mind. Where has all that Modi magic disappeared ? Now nobody in the Govt speaks of retaliation or surgical strikes against Pakistan. After the recent attack in Uri,Kashmir  Modi tweeted " attacks in J&K is condemnable " . Everybody knows it is condemnable. What is new in it ? There is no mention on how the Modi Govt is going to deal with this menance.The Home Minister went one step further to educate the public.Rajnath Singh said " the attack is to create fear psychosis among the people". Such words of wisdom !

It looks that nobody in the Govt including the PM with a 56" chest has the slightest idea of how to defend our people against these terrorists sponsored by Pakistan. Already LeT which is part of Pakistan proxy terrorist organisation has declared jihad on India. Its leader Hafeez Sayeed has openly organised a mass rally in Lahore on 6.12.14 and the Pakistani railways ran special trains to transport its members. Al Queda has already included India in its plans for jihad. All this sums into the fact that large scale attacks can be expected in various cities in India in the coming months. However the Govt seems to just lay back and enjoy the sunshine of its latest victory in the polls.

One thing is clear that no nation would help us to fight terrorism. We have to fight our battle alone. There has been a strategic agreement recently with the US which also includes fighting terrorism together. But experience has shown that the US is extremely selfish and does not consider India on a equal footing. India is a joint partner in fighting terrorism only on paper. Not a single operation against terrorists have been launched jointly. Access to CIA data and other vital intelligence is never shared even if it points to a terrorist attack on India. The information on David Coleman that he his part of a operation to attack Mumbai was never conveyed to New Delhi in time. On the other hand US is forming special relations with Pakistan knowing fully well its role in international terrorism. The recent 2 weeks visit of Raheel Sharif COAS of Pakistan seems to have established a new bonhomie between them. There is no mention in their agreement to target India specific terrorist groups in Pakistan. The comments of  the US state department on the recent militant attack in Kashmir was "we're concerned about any violence in Kashmir, and I wouldn't jump to conclusions here (about Pakistani involvement in the Uri incident)" . This statement was issued inspite of clear evidence that the attacks were carried out by Pakistan based terrorist under the direct control of their army. Perhaps this magnanimous gesture was in return for some measly Al Queda operative killed by Pakistani forces. It seems that the US has agreed that Pakistan is free to promote terrorism in India in return for killing terrorists harmful to it.

 So this being the position let us explore the various possibilities which could be employed to neutralise or at least reduce these terrorist attacks in our territory by Pakistan.

 1. There is also a flip side to our relationship with the US. We should look into the missing ingredients which prevents US to bond with India effectively. On one side we shy away from joining US and others in fighting international terrorism be it in Afghanistan or Iraq. On the other side we complain about US not helping us adequately to fight Indian centered terrorist organisations based in Pakistan. Both cannot run together. India should seriously consider to send its forces to fight Taliban,Al Queda and ISIS. After all today they may not be actively operating in India but tomorrow they can be here. Nothing comes free. If India joins the US led coalition fighting terrorism  then certainly the US would come forward and actively help India to exterminate terrorists in Pakistan who launch attacks here. Contrary to our position Pakistan has cunningly adopted a more pragmatic approach. Inspite of being kicked around by US it has faithfully followed it like a dog. Pakistan does not allow national pride to prevent it from constant licking of US boots. It is another matter it cheats US on the side but the licking effect on the US is so pleasurable that it ignores it. Even the presence of Osama Bin Laden in a Pakistan military cantonment does not convince the US that Pakistan is the real enemy. So be it. But Pakistan has reaped rich dividends from this policy. Billions of dollars in aid with the option of retaining terrorism as tool for achieving its strategic objectives.

India of course should never stoop so low to woo the US. Its record ,be it on nuclear proliferation ,terrorism or democracy is clean and to be proud of. At the same time US support will go a long way to provide muscles to our efforts in fighting terrorism. The type of technology and intelligence network which the US possess is mind boggling.Its    satellites,drones,database,computers,military hardware are invaluable tools which hardly anyone in the world possess. So we should develop our relationship with the US in such a way that it is ready to share these technological tools with us. Let it start with a quid pro quo arrangement. We should share US fight in Afghanistan & Iraq.Allow them military and air bases. We can also allow their aircraft carriers to station in our sea territory with the aim of neutralising China. In return we demand a joint operation against LeT,Hafeez Sayeed,Dawood,JuD,JeM, Harakat ul-Mujahadeen and host of others which are targeting India. This will also serve the purpose to expose Pakistan and wean away US from its web of deceit.

2. Afghanistan is the Achilles heel of Pakistan. Touch Afghanistan and a paranoia strikes Pakistan. It starts getting nightmares that India is surrounding it. It considers Afghanistan more or less its own territory where its writ should run. The Taliban problem is due to Pakistan supporting the Taliban, through which it intends to tighten the screws on Afghanistan. Our formidable presence in Afghanistan is absolutely necessary to squeeze Pakistan till it relents to abandon use of terrorism against India. Moreover setting of bases in Afghanistan to collect intelligence on Pakistan will pay reach dividends. A lot can be done to build up a network of informers and to plant assets inside Pakistan. The Afghanistan Pakistan borders are porus unlike between India and Pakistan. Lot of people shuttle daily across borders. By planning carefully a lot of harm can be inflicted on Pakistan if we station our troops and intelligence network there.
However India seems to have never tried to bond with Afghanistan as was expected. The former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai paid innumerable visits to India. He requested help to fight the Taliban. To supply military hardware,training of Afghan military force and even for placement of Indian army officers in Afghanistan. India cold shouldered all these requests and confined itself to economic aid and building of infrastructures. What is the use of such so called development help by India in a envoirment of insecurity. If and when Taliban takes over the first thing they will do is to place explosives in Indian built structures and blow them up. In any case a Taliban takeover will ensure that it removes all the goodwill which India has earned.
The new Government in Afghanistan  has now reversed its policy. It is getting closer to Pakistan and China. It has also cancelled a order for military hardware which it placed with India. Wrong policies comes to bite you later. Not everything is lost yet. The new friendship between Afghanistan and Pakistan may die a early death due to unreasonable demands of a arrogant Punjabi Army of Pakistan. The other factor in favor of India is that the Afghan people like India far more than Pakistan. It is still not late to give a renewed boost to our relation. Supply the military requirements of Afghanistan and all security related manpower. In return we can get wider access in Afghanistan and both countries can together fight against the terrorist menace which Pakistan has spread in the region. The increased pressure on Pakistan on its western border will prevent it from venturing into adventurism on its eastern border.

3.We have never sharpened our support for the freedom of Balochistan. For the last many years the insurgency in Balochistan has passed through many phases and particularly flared up after the killing of one of its veteran leader Akbar Bugti by Pakistan Army under the orders of Musharaf. Since then freedom fighters of Balochistan have heightened their attacks on Pakistan armed forces. They have also started attacking Punjabi residents of Balochistan. Gas pipelines were blown. Massive rallies and demonstrations have been organised against occupation of Balochistan by Pakistan. The retaliation by the Pak army has been ruthless. Thousands of civilians have been murdered or have disappeared believed to have been killed by the Pak army. Mutilations ,rape of women, killing of children by the Pakistan Army is touching a new low. It is like what they did with civilians of the erstwhile east Bengal. Inspite of this large scale insurgency  in Balochistan it is hard to understand the reason behind India's mysterious silence. Pakistan raises the Kashmir issue in every known international gathering even when constitutionally and legally it is part of India. But here in Balochistan the entire region is demanding freedom and we keep quite. It should not be forgotten that at the time of partition in 1947 Maharaja Hari Singh legally acceded Kashmir to India. In case of Balochistan the Raja of Kalat never acceded his state to Pakistan. Pak Army forcefully occupied it.

It is time that India should forcefully come out in support of Balochistan freedom. It should raise the issue in the UN and all other available international forum. It should establish contacts with the leaders of the freedom movement and provide them guidance and support to achieve their aims. India should also encourage them to establish a Baloch Government in exile. Arms,training and ammunition as well as funds should be provided to them through secret channels. Attacks on vital installations and army camps in Balochistan on a regular basis would go a long way to rattle Pakistan. The Gwadar port build by the Chinese is particularly important for Pakistan. The Baloch freedom fighters if given the right equipment and training can inflict a deadly blow to this port which will not only destroy a important infrastructure but also force China to rethink whether to invest in Pakistan. If India moves along these lines and provide muscles to the freedom movement in Balochistan it would have a sobering effect on Pakistan. It would certainly discourage Pakistan from resorting to terrorism in Kashmir and elsewhere in India. This may also help in pushing Pakistan to accept the reality of Kashmir being part of India.

4. The world of covert operations is shrouded in secrecy and details of its operations remains hidden. Iam sure that RAW and similar Indian outfits are doing what is required inside Pakistan. Recruiting and installing a network of informers in Pakistan should be the topmost priority. This network was completely destroyed during the tenure of I.K.Gujral as PM under his instructions. This was a serious lapse and a blunder which made the nation vulnerable to dangerous possibilities. The present NSA Ajit Kumar Doval is a no nonsense person and believes in securing India against Pakistan by all means. Even non conventional. He is a former intelligence officer and can do a lot to puncture the aggressive designs of our neighbor.

Pakistan is already a fragmented society with sectarian and ethnic violence now deeply embedded in its ethos. It is a fertile grounds to recruit ,help,incite a group to attack its torturers. Shias,Ahmedias,Baloch,Christians are being killed by one or other group of terrorists. Blasphemy laws,forced conversions and the persistent attempts to define a true Muslim is heaping humiliation on a large section of its society. Our covert operations should intelligently deploy strategies to befriend persons from these oppressed groups and encourage them to strike against their oppressors. The resulting chaos would embroil Pakistan into a never ending cycle of violence and would considerably weaken its potential to attack India through its terrorist proxies. In today’s time intelligence agencies give the work of carrying subversive activities on contract in places of their operations. There is no dearth of people in Pakistan who would undertake a job like blowing a train or throwing a grenade in a public place if adequately compensated. After all this is what Pakistan is doing in India. Large amounts are paid by the ISI to terrorist organisations to inflict damage inside India. Of course in their case the US generously keeps their coffers full by granting billions as aid. The Indian Mujahedeen ,SIMI ,JKLF,Hurriyat and various other cells are employed by Pakistan on contract. A similar tit for tat approach will work in our favor.
Covert operations also includes assassination of terrorists who are being protected by Pakistan for example individuals like Hafeez Sayeed and Dawood. The use of snipers in such situations is a good policy. A long range shot not only effectively gives time to the sniper to escape but keeps its identity hidden. Nobody comes to know who the killer is and the endless speculation which follows buries the matter in the end.
Satellites ,drones ,web policing,listening devices and all sorts of spy gadgets has to be employed to keep a watch over the enemy. Recently the use of drones for spying ,mapping and keeping watch over a specific target has proved to be very useful. Prior to attack on Osama house in Abbottabad his residence was photographed from different angles and the occupants were also fairly identified. India at present does not have this type of drone technology. US and India are strategic partners in the fight against global terrorism. Therefore India should strongly request the US to reserve specific number of drones only for Indian specific operations for detecting sanctuaries of Indian specific terrorist groups inside Pakistan. A request to the US to sell these drones to us together with its technology should also be taken up on a priority basis.

It goes without saying that covert operations inside Pakistan is the most potent tool to neutralise terrorist attacks on us.

5. There have been lot of discussions on carrying out surgical strikes inside Pakistan. After the 26/11 Mumbai attacks India was almost on the verge of carrying out such a operation. A surgical strike means our security forces would have to enter Pakistan territory. This can trigger a war which is not advisable at this stage. However incase there is a 26/11 repeat such a strike would become inevitable since Pakistan would be deemed to have carried out hostile operations in our territory. In such a event there should not be any hesitation to carry out surgical strikes on terrorist targets inside Pakistan. Incidentally it is widely speculated that US took the help of India in operation Neptune Spear to eliminate Osama Bin Laden. According to the events described in the book ' No Easy Day' written by Mark Owen who was one of the Seals who took part in the operations they flew on a MH60 Black Hawk helicopter from Jalalabad to Abbottabad. But these helicopters did not take a straight path. They travelled and crossed LOC at Uri inside Indian air space and then turned towards Abbottabad. Obviously they entered Indian airspace after secretly obtaining permission from the Indian Government. India gladly must have given permission and it is speculated that India also provided intelligence on how to escape detection by Pakistan radars. Therefore India should also not hesitate to request US to provide intelligence and strategic support incase it carries out a similar surgical strike inside Pakistan. Security analysts are predicting that there is a very high probability that a major terrorist attack could be launched on India from Pakistan. In such a scenario a surgical strike team and means of transportation  should be kept ready at all times and the moment a terrorist strike takes place it should take off to retaliate without delay before international pressure to stop it is raised.

6.The rise of communalism and targeting of Muslims and Christians by Hindu fanatics has reached alarming proportions since the BJP has come into power. It is also being perceived that the Modi Government is deliberately keeping its eyes,ears and mouth closed to the daily attacks on minorities by its affiliates the Bajrang Dal and VHP. Even Ministers in the Union Cabinet are issuing obnoxious statements which are not only against the spirit of our constitution but also against the ethos of our age old tradition of  tolerance and coexistence. Recently a attempt has been made to convert Muslims to Hinduism by offering them cash and BPL cards. This was described as Ghar Wapsi! As if they are cattle’s and not human beings. This is nothing short of demeaning and humiliating the minorities. There is another MP who declares that Nathuram Godse was a patriot. There is no doubt that if these sections of society are pushed against the wall they would become easy fodder for the terrorist groups to lure them into their folds. What is more serious is that educated and middle class of non Hindus would also opt for the option of using terror to retaliate. A powerful and hate filled fire of terrorism would rise to consume this country which would be difficult to control. Let us not forget that terrorist organisations like SIMI and now IM are the results of the demolishing of Babri Masjid and Gujrat massacre.

The Government should take immediate forceful steps to stop this terrorism against the minorities. It should henceforth expel any Cabinet Member and MP who indulges in anti minority statements or shields any communal organisation. Suitable warnings should be issued to Bajrang Dal and VHP to keep their hands off from bashing the minorities. These organisations should be banned it they still continue to sow poison in the society. RSS Hindutva agenda should be shelved. The people have elected this Government on the development plank. Not to build Ram Mandir or do shuddhikaran of non Hindus.

It should not be forgotten that internal turmoil opens the doors to the Pakistani based terrorist as well as international terrorist like ISIS to spread and strike inside India with ease.

7.Our security and intelligence organisations no doubt must be keeping a close watch on suspected person and is equipped with the latest tools to detect conspiracies before they reach their implementation stage. However the existence of a centralised national data bank of all criminals ,offenders,missing persons,suspected persons is of utmost important. Information from all the police stations in India and enforcement agencies should be fed in this national data bank. Information should contain photograph,biometric data,blood group,DNA identification. This would greatly facilitate in the identification of persons involved in terrorist activities. Fingerprints and DNA can be obtained from the scene of crime and can be compared against this data. Even the data can be compared with those entering and leaving India. Candidates applying for recruitment in security agencies can be screened against this data. Real time Cyber and Mobile surveillance  is a area in which India has yet to acquire cutting edge technology. It gives the intelligence agencies the power to accurately trace a terrorist and apprehend him at the spot and it also helps to identify actual and potential terrorists lurking on social sites as well as those with mobiles (By tracking it). Recently a ISIS active propagandist Mehdi Masroor based in Bangalore and working in a MNC was identified by this means by Channel 4 UK and later on arrested. The unfortunate part is that our intelligence agencies failed to identify him. It is therefore obvious that a great deal of work has be done in this field by our agencies.

8.Pakistan unreasonable demand to solve the status of Kashmir can never be accepted because of the simple reason that legally and constitutionally it is part of India. There can never be talks on the territorial integrity of this country. Before the world Pakistan justifies terrorism and links it to a dispute which never exists. The fact is that Kashmir is only a symptom of the disease 'India hatred' which the establishment in Pakistan is suffering from. To be blunt the Islamic state of Pakistan foolishly thinks that it is some sort of Islamic obligation to perpetually wage a war against Hindu India. So Kashmir or no Kashmir Pakistan would always be aggressive towards India till its Army is beaten to pulp.It is unacceptable that a State in this 21^st century uses terrorism and threats to achieve its goals. Even the US is buckling under this threat when Pakistan demands ransom(aid) for reigning  Taliban in Afghanistan. However India will never succumb to such a threat though we know that Pakistan is nurturing homicidal dogs like Hafeez Sayeed and many others of his likes.

Since the new Government has taken over a clear message has been delivered to Pakistan that there can be no talks on change of territorial boundaries of India other than returning the portion of Kashmir illegaly occupied by Pakistan.Talks can be held on various other issues relating to Kashmir,end of terrorism ,mutual trade,steps to bring people of the two countries closer and generally for promoting peaceful coexistence.

The problem with Pakistan is that the civilian Government is not in charge of foreign relations and security. Pakistan Army has since its inception  kept these two portfolios to itself. Therefore any talks with the PM of Pakistan ends in failure because its Army reverses any agreement or undertaking he makes with his Indian counterpart. This is going on for several past years. Terrorist attacks and LOC firing is resorted by the Pak Army and any progress made towards peace is shattered and we reach back to zero point. Since this scenario in Pakistan is not going to change why not talk directly to the Army there. Recently the US invited the COAS Raheel Sharif for prolonged talks which lasted nearly two weeks. Can you imagine any country Army head going for talks with another nation on matter of foreign policy and strategy when a duly elected PM is already sitting in the chair? But this is Pakistan and things work here in weird ways. The US has accepted this and showered him with all the honors including US legion of Merit Medal. After all a weird situation deserves a weird honor.

The point is that India can also consider direct talks with Pakistan Army on terrorism and Kashmir which perhaps has more chances of succeeding. Let us invite Raheel Sharif. Put some garlands around his neck and sprinkle some flowers & itar(No tika please otherwise he would be charged with apostasy)  and then honor him with some some fancy medal. We can then have a frank talk with him to explore what is in his mind. Tell him frankly that India has no intention of parting with Kashmir and therefore will he continue with terrorism. Assure him that India & Pakistan can build a new era of friendship which will benefit both our countries if Pakistan abandons terrorism. After all talking can clear many doubts and suspicions which exist between our two countries. Convince him to take action against all terrorist groups including those targeting India. Maybe such a meeting would throw up some worthwhile results.

 Terrorists in Pakistan since long are a part of Pakistan Army. They are recruited,trained and armed like any other regular troops. However this fact is never accepted openly by them. They are utilised where regular troops cannot be used by Pakistan. They can be easily denied and disowned by Pakistan. Therefore it is a challenge for India to kill this monster. If Pakistan does not refrain from use of terrorism against India it will have to pay a heavy price.

ASHOK KUMAR

P.S. Since the writing of the above article the following terror attacks by Pakistan took
place in 2015

1. Gurdaspur   27.7.15     9 killed

2. Udhampur  5.8.15        2 killed

                                                                                                                                        

ASHRAF GHANI VISIT TO PAKISTAN

Newly elected President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani opted to visit Pakistan as his maiden visit after being elected. The Americans are withdrawing from Afghanistan this year and the Taliban eagle is spreading its wing to swoop and snatch power from the elected democratic Government.
Looking to this dangerous scenario , Ghani perhaps thought that instead of talking to the dog why not talk to its masters who are holding the leash. That is the Pakistan Army. The question which remains to be answered is will the Pakistan Army help Afghanistan in demolishing the Taliban and support the duly elected Government in Kabul to rule democratically according to the wishes of its people.
The history of Pakistan supporting various terrorist organisations as proxies to achieve its dangerous foreign policy objectives is well known.Adm. Mullen the then Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff succinctly testified in the Senate Armed Services Committee as under
"In choosing to use violent extremism as an instrument of policy, the government of Pakistan … jeopardizes not only the prospect of our strategic partnership, but also Pakistan's opportunity to be a respected nation with legitimate regional influence,"In its report dated October of this year The US Department of Defense's biannual report titled "Progress Towards Security and Stability in Afghanistan. "  states as under
" Pakistan continues to serve as a safe haven for the Taliban and other jihadist groups and that the Pakistani government often uses some terrorist organizations as proxies."
 The world today acknowledges Pakistan as a nursery of terrorists.
Keeping the above facts in view it becomes very difficult for any person to believe that Mr Ghani present overtures to Pakistan will result in any substantial change in its deep rooted relationship  with terrorism. It should not be forgotten that Taliban and Haqqani network are the children of Pakistan Army. Right from raising these groups,supplying cadres from madrassas located in Pakistan, training them and supplying arms Pakistan has its hand full. These terrorist groups were raised to wage Pakistan war in Afghanistan. To keep Afghanistan out of India's influence and to see that the Govt of Afghanistan remains under its thumb. Today Mr. Ghani main concern is to defeat the Taliban and exterminate it from the soil of Afghanistan. Does he really think that his utterly butterly visit will make Pakistan a ally to jointly defeat the Taliban? Will the Pakistan Army launch a joint operation with Afghanistan to fight the Taliban and Haqqani group? A big NO. Pakistan is not going to do any such thing. This is because Pakistan's strategic depth policy does not allow this. The army in Pakistan strongly holds the view that Afghanistan should be a extension of Pakistan. It should be friendly towards Pakistan, which to them means anti Indian and its economy and trade heavily tilted towards Pakistan. In a nutshell Afghanistan should be its slave. This means Afghanistan should not have a  independent foreign and defence policy. Afghans are a proud race and its people are aware that Pakistan has a major role in inflicting years of death and destruction upon them. Therefore Mr Ghani should carefully tread the path with Pakistan and should be cautious in not getting trapped. There is all the possibility that Pakistan is playing the role of a double crosser. Softening the resistance of Afghanistan towards Taliban and  secretly preparing the Taliban for the final strike.
Just after Mr.Ghani left Pakistan  Mr Sartaz Aziz advisor to Nawaz Sharif on security affairs gave this interesting statement to BBC urdu
"When the United States attacked Afghanistan, all those that were trained and armed were pushed towards us.Some of them were dangerous for us and some are not. Why must we make enemies out of them all?,” he said when speaking about the Haqqani Network.He further said that the Afghan Taliban are Afghanistan’s problem and Haqqani Network is a part of it. " So the cat is out of the bag. Pakistan will protect good Taliban and fight bad Taliban till they turn good. So Mr Ashraf Ghani be prepared for a proxy war to destabilise  your country. Your appeal to Pakistan for better relations have obviously not made any effect on them.There was a interesting event in the itinerary of Mr.Ghani. He was to meet the COAS of Pakistan first and then the Prime Minister of Pakistan. This never happens in any other country. The visiting Head of State  always meets his opposite first. In this case he should have met Mr. Nawaz Sharif first. Mr Ghani called on Gen. Raheel Sharif at GHQ Rawalpindi. See the photo above. Ghani sitting in a supplication posture before a puffed up General with a stick in his hand. The message is clear. I decide the foreign and defence policy of Pakistan and not the elected PM of Pakistan. Mr Ghani should contemplate whether any trustworthy negotiations are possible with a nation where its army has usurped the power of the PM. The Pakistan Army priority will be to destabilise Afghanistan to extend its power rather than do anything better for the people of Afghanistan.
 Pakistan time and again has impressed upon Afghanistan that it should not allow Indian influence to grow there. Infact it wants that Indian consulates should be closed, massive development projects by India should be terminated and training of  their defence personnel's by India be stopped. It seems that Pakistan has forgotten that Afghanistan is  a independent country free to take its decisions and develop ties with any country in the world. How can Pakistan decide who should be friend or not of Afghanistan ? This is a insult to the dignity of a proud and independent nation. Mr Ghani should carefully ponder whether in his pursuit for a resurgent Afghanistan he should allow such interference in its internal affair by Pakistan.
 Mr Ghani would also be aware that large amount of Afghan territory is under the illegal occupation of Pakistan. The Durand line has never been recognized by any Afghan Govt.These Pashtun territories legitimately belongs to Afghanistan and demand for its return should be pressed upon Pakistan in any negotiations.
 Whether this visit of Mr Ashraf Ghani would bear any fruit and bring peace and stability in the region is doubtful because Pakistan game plan is to keep Afghanistan as a slave. No self respecting nation will allow this to happen. It is for Afghanistan to decide its future course independently. India is a well trusted and well tested friend. We dont want the Taliban there. We dont want Islamisation and militancy in Afghanistan. Our goals are similar and therefore Mr Ghani should strengthen its relation with India further instead of being bullied by Pakistan.
 AK BUNDI

AFGHANISTAN,INDIA,PAKISTAN

AFGHANISTAN,INDIA,PAKISTAN

                                                                                                                        10th,September 2014

 

Today on 10th September,2014 the External Affairs Minister of India Smt Sushma Swaraj met the President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai in Kabul. On this occasion let us explore the relationship between India and Afghanistan :

The relation between India and Afghanistan is not of today but goes back centuries into ancient times. The Ashoka Pillar in Kandhar bears testimony to this fact. This pillar with its engravings was stored in the Kabul museum from where it has mysteriously disappeared. Then lots of Pashtuns like Ibrahim Lodi,Sher Shah Suri and so on ruled various territories in India. The movie Kabuliwala is still remembered by Indians with so much fondness. Nobody can forget the large hearted Pathan Kabuliwala selling his wares in Indian cities. This friendship and love between Indian and Afghanistan is the foundation of strong relation between our two countries. This is a foundation of deep mutual trust which has endured time and is sustained by shared cultural values ,trade and commerce.

Pashtuns were politically unified and Pashtun Kings ruled over 40,000 square miles of territory of what is now Pakistan. The British defeated them in 1867 and pushed them upto Khyber Pass. They imposed a arbitrary boundary called the Durand line. When Pakistan was formed in 1947 the Pashtun territories was given to this Punjabi dominated Government. This was a gross injustice to the Pashtuns which they have not forgotten. Afghanistan protested over this injustice in 1947 and laid claims to Peshawar and also opposed UN membership to Pakistan. Successive Governments in Afghanistan questioned the right of Pakistan to rule over Pashtun territories. They demanded the formation of Pashtunistan to be carved out of Pakistan. Even the Taliban which ruled Afghanistan from 1991 to 1996 never recognized the Durand line.

Pakistan was afraid that this demand for Pashtunistan would further break their fragile country already embroiled in ethnic and sectarian strife and therefore encouraged terrorism in Afghanistan to thwart the legitimate rights of the people of Afghanistan. Pakistan army and ISI raised the Taliban and provided them with arms and support. Thousands of Pashtuns were indoctrinated in Islamic extremism in Madrassas acrossWazirstan. Jihadi organisations in Pakistan were roped in by ISI to provide support in this mission. A entire terror machinery was built by Pakistan. The aim is to wage a proxy war so that Afghanistan would have a puppet Government controlled by Pakistan. The Haqqani group is a particularly virulent group which the Pakistan Govt fully backs. It has staged many terrorist attacks inside Afghanistan killing thousands of innocent civilians. It is pertinent to note that the recent Zarb-e-azb military action against terrorists launched by the Pakistan Army conveniently excludes any harm to the Haqqani Group.

The people of Afghanistan therefore hate Pakistan for annexing the Pashtun territories ,waging proxy war through terrorist organisations and for trying to dominate over them.

 Right from the beginning India has recognised and condemned these nefarious acts of Pakistan. The spread of terrorism by Pakistan into Afghanistan was ultimately going to harm India also. This common concern brought India and Afghanistan closer to each other. India pledged its support to Afghanistan and is taking steps to make the Afghan army strong enough to combat the Pakistan forces. Apart from this India took massive steps to build infrastructure like roads, bridges ,hospitals and medical facilities in Afghanistan. It also aided to strengthen the democratic foundation in the country.

In a recent deal with Moscow, India has agreed to pay for military equipment sourced from Russia to Afghanistan. The equipment will include artillery, helicopters, tanks, and armored vehicles. India will also pay to repair old Soviet hardware left behind after the Russian withdrawal in 1989. The scale and exact composition of the deal have yet to be announced, but it is known that the first order has already been placed. Negotiations are also underway with the US to purchase the military hardware of NATO forces which will be left behind once they withdraw from the region. India had so far hesitated to provide lethal weapons directly to Afghanistan. India and Afghanistan also signed the strategic partnership deal in 2011 which provided for “training, equipping, and capacity building programmes”. This agreement is a milestone in India and Afghanistan relations. Though India has not provided lethal military hardware till date under capacity building clause of the agreement there is no doubt that as the ISAF withdraws and the democratic process stabilises , it will do so in the near future.

 India has also provided $2 billion aid till date to improve the various infrastructures in the country. It also initiated various rural development projects to help fight poverty among the various communities. Building roads and dams, laying power lines, training ministry officials and army officers, and providing free scholarships to Afghan university students. The entire spectrum of India's assistance is a model for nations of the world to learn how sincerity and selfless service is the only way to win heart of any nation.

 Iran on the other side is also quietly working with India in these efforts. Iran has backed the government in Kabul and helped keep it afloat through regular cash payments and over 500 million dollars in aid over the last decade. Iran has funded schools, libraries, clinics, roads, and railway lines. Since at least 2005, India and Iran have been working together on developing a new trade corridor connecting Afghanistan’s major highways to the southeastern Iranian port of Chabahar, greatly reducing Afghanistan’s dependence on Pakistan for access to the sea. Chabahar port is strategically crucial as it gives access route to Afghanistan. The port, which is surrounded by a free trade zone, is vital for transit facility from India to Afghanistan.

 The question which remains to be answered is that why Pakistan is not contributing to the development and prosperity of Afghanistan? It is clear that Pakistan motive is to make Afghanistan its client state. It hides its ugly motives by talking of strategic depth invoking threat from India. Pakistan has already encashed this bogey threat from India many times over. Sucking millions of dollars from the United States over decades. It has pumped this US assistance to raise a army of terrorists which now threatens the entire world. Its nuclear weapons and army hardware has been purchased and  financed by cunningly hoodwinking the naive(it seems) US. However this cannot go for ever. It is time that for the sake of its own survival if not for anything else that the rulers in Pakistan change the course of this destructive trial. It should abandon terrorism,enemity,islamic extremism and embark on a enlightened path consistent with a modern and progressive state. However till they do this Afghanistan ,India and Iran have to remain vigilant.

As Afghanistan prepares for a democratic transition of power, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Afghan President Hamid Karzai today held wide-ranging talks on political and security situation in the war-torn country and agreed to intensify cooperation in areas like security and defence. The highlight of this meeting was that for the first time India has declared that Afghanistan will always be its first strategic partner. As the withdrawal of ISAF progresses it is hoped that India will not hesitate to send troops to Afghanistan to help the Afghanistan forces to fight against any aggression from Pakistan. India should also send manpower to establish schools, hospitals,NGOs and to run various civilian institutions. There is also need to establish a strong intelligence network in co-operation with Afghan intelligence. Joint covert operations are also necessary to dismantle the terrorist cells and network laid down by Pakistan.

 The future of India and Afghanistan is bright and together we would ensure that the region becomes free of turmoil and terror and a place where the citizens of both of our countries live in peace and prosperity.

 

AK BUNDI

 

 

 

 

 

BJP ATTEMPTS TO VIOLATE INDEPENDENCE OF JUDICIARY

                                                                                                                         02.07.14

 

 

The Gopal Subramanium episode is a clear indication that the present Goverment is interested in having a committed judiciary to facilitate its agenda during its ruling period. The Chief Justice of India has  rightly reprimanded the Goverment for isolating Gopal Subramanium thereby casting a doubt on its functioning and credibility. Ravi Shankar Prasad who is usually so vociferous has clamped his mouth. A usually good strategy when there is no explanation to offer.

 

It has been reported that there is no adverse IB report on the honorable lawyer which would justify his being barred to be considered for the post of Supreme Court Judge. At least no IB report has been produced. Any other reasons are so sketchy and utterly frivolous. Like he demanded a membership of a swimming pool or he had a meeting with Raja defense team. The more important thing is that the Government has not attached a report of its findings while forwarding its adverse recommendations to the Collegiums of Judges. So nobody knows not even the Collegiums why the Government has found Gopal Subramanium unfit for the post. The CJ has objected to this and has also emphasised that the final authority for selection of Judges of Supreme Court lies with the collegium. The Government should have forwarded all the names back with its opinion and necessary documents if it disagreed with any of the names. The final  decision should have been left to the collegium. But the Government did just the opposite. It  omitted Gopal Subramanium name from the list. The law Minister when asked to comment on this retorted that there are precedents  for this. This is not a satisfactory answer. If there is a bad precedent then is the Government justified in repeating it. Especially when the present Government claims to be morally superior. It  is also alleged that the Government also spread rumours which casted doubt over the character of the learned candidate for SC judge. Gopal Subramanium has alleged that the Government systematically scrounged  dirt to malign him. There was a concerted attempt at character assassination. These are serious charges The Government should disclose in clear terms the reasons for rejecting his candidature .

 

The action  of the Government if viewed in a objective manner is quite strange and cast a suspicion on its intentions. Everyone in the judicial circle have a high respect for the competency of Gopal Subramanium. He has served the judiciary for more than 17 years and has a distinguished unblemished record. Today we need such competent persons to take over important positions who will strengthen the independence of judiciary. But it seems that the Government does not want this. What did the Government see in Gopal Subramanium which made him unfit for post of SC judge? The reason which is doing the rounds is that  because as amicus curie in Soharabbdin fake encounter case he did not the toe the BJP line. He criticised the role of Modi and Amit Shah and sided with the view that it was a premeditated murder in connivance with the Gujrat Government. These allegations cannot be brushed away. It has a ring of truth about it. Infact it seems to be the only logical explanation for the bizarre action of the Government. The Government acted out of vengeance. The Government did not want a judge whose views were contrary to it. So taking advantage of its power it set aside every prudent norm and decided to hit below the belt. The sad thing is it damaged the independence of the judiciary by its action.

 

Gopal Subramanium in the best traditions of judiciary has since withdrew his candidature. He did not want to hold a post where abinitio he has lost trust of the current Government. He did the right thing. However at this juncture the CJ of India and other judges should become more assertive. This is the time for the judiciary to fiercely protect the independence of the judiciary. This is the time to convey the message that judges could not be selected on the basis of their suitability to the Government. The CJ requested Gopal Subramanium to withdraw the letter asking for cancelling his candidature. But he has refused. The CJ should think of some other way out to set things right. This is the time for the judges to come together. It would be appropriate if the other 3 judged whose names have been cleared by the Government also withdraw their candidature. Then reconstitute the collegium and start the process anew. Let Gopal Subramanium apply again and the process completed under directions of the CJ of India.

 

 

 

 

AK BUNDI