Indian Court rejects Mastermind of Samjhota Express bail plea

Mastermind of Samjhota Express inferno and other terror activites again in thick soup.
Karkare Investigations had proved involvement of serving Indian officers`s links with Hindu terror groups.
Colonel Purohit`s issue was put in cold storage by Indian authorities after Karkare was mysteriously killed in 26/11 drama.
Prosecution grills accused terrorists of running Hindu terror groups lik Abhinav Bharat to create Hindu Rashtra.


WikiLeaks’s leaked US diplomatic cables regarding India, A special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court, on Thursday rejected the bail pleas of three accused including Lt Col Prasad Purohit, arrested in the September 2008 Malegaon blast case after accepting the prosecution's argument that if released on bail the accused would indulge in unlawful activities.
The activities of these people had in the first instance, led to the coining of the term 'Hindu terror' or 'saffron terror', which has now grown to envelop even the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh). Purohit and two other accused -- Rakesh Dhawde and Ajay Rahirkar -- had sought for bail stating that they have been falsely implicated and that since the chargesheet has been filed in the case their custody was not required further.
The trio and seven others including Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur have been accused by state Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) for allegedly carrying out blasts at Malegaon on September 29, 2008 that left six dead and several others injured.
The prosecution had opposed the bail pleas stating that the accused floated a group Abhinav Bharat and indulged in criminal conspiracy and their main object was to threaten the unity and integrity of the nation.
"The accused wanted to overpower the Indian government and create a Hindu Rashtra for which they had indulged in terror activities. If they are released on bail they would continue such unlawful acts," special public prosecutor Rohini Salian argued.

The prosecutor further said how the accused had conspired to do away with certain members of RSS as they were against the accused's ideology.
"According to the accused, the so called Hindu political parties have betrayed the cause of Hindutva by using it as a political tool," Salian said.
All the eleven accused have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), Arms Act, Explosives Act and Explosive Substances Act.
The court is expected to hear Sadhvi's bail plea on January 10. Sadhvi had sought to be released on bail on medical grounds.
It is worth mentioning here that the issue had been put in cold storage by Indian officials after the top investigator of the Samjhota Express inferno and Malegaon blasts, Himant Karkare the Chief of Mumbai’s Anti Terrosts Squad (ATS) was killed mysteriously in 26/11 terror drama.

As investigators look closely into the alleged role of Hindu extremist groups in the Samjhauta Express attack, top Indian government sources disclosed that there is “overwhelming preponderance of evidence that Hindu extremists did it”.

Samjhauta Express bombings took place around midnight on 18 February 2007.Bombs were set off in two carriages, both filled with passengers, just after the train passed Diwana station near the Indian city of Panipat, north of New Delhi on its way to Lahore in which sixty-eight people, mostly Pakistani civilians were killed in the ensuing fire and dozens more were injured.

Regardless of the larger diplomatic ramifications, the possibility of Islamabad using this as a handle to push India on the defensive, sources said that the government is keen for the investigation to be carried out properly.

And that it does not want investigators or their agencies to be in “anticipatory compliance” of certain assumptions of government’s preference, a report in Indian express said on Wednesday.

“The investigative agencies must do their jobs and let the political leadership do their job,” an official said.

What the government’s top brass is certain about is that Hindu extremism “exists” but at the same time is worried by the “political football” being played on this issue. Sources said this kind of politicisation only “plays into the phenomenon” and hoped all sides would exercise caution on the issue.

Rocket failure hits India's prospects in satellite launch market

India's prospects of hard-selling its capability to launch commercial satellites received a setback when one of its heavy rockets exploded on Christmas day due to a puzzling snag in the first stage, space experts opined.
'As it is the second time this year when the geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle crashed, we may have to do a lot of explanation to convince customers in the global satellite launch market about our capabilities as a reliable and cost-effective launcher,' K.R. Sridhara Murthi, former managing director of Antrix Corporation, the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organsiation (ISRO), told IANS here.
Though India has a long way to go in launching heavy satellitesIndian Space Research Organsiation into the higher or geosynchronous orbit, its ability to become a major player in the lower sun-synchronous or polar orbit comes under scanner, as the 418-tonne rocket developed snag in the first stage, which is common to the GSLV and the polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV).
Through Rs.1,000-crore Antrix, the state-run Indian space agency launched a total of 25 satellites using PSLV for foreign customers under commercial agreements, demonstrating its multi-satellite capability over the past decade.
India also signed a technology safeguard agreement with the US in July 2009 to launch American satellites and spacecraft fitted with American components on commercial terms from its spaceport at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
Initial analysis of the voluminous data pointed to a hardware defect that might have snapped the connectors and prevented the actuator from receiving the signals to control the heavy rocket, leading to its break-up midair and forcing its destruction within a minute of a smooth lift-off from the spaceport at Sriharikota, about 80 km north-east of Chennai.
Coming as it does eight months after the previous rocket (GSLV-D3) crashed April 15 due to a snag in the third stage fitted with the indigenously developed cryogenic engine, the consecutive failure of the heavy launch vehicle Dec 25 has raised questions on the Indian space agency's capability and reliability as a launcher, with its rockets facing teething problems.
Of the seven GSLV launches since April 2001, the second and third flights were fully successful while the maiden one had to be first aborted in March 2001 just before the lift-off as one of the four strap-on booster motors in the first stage did not develop adequate thrust. The fourth mission (GSLV-F02) with Insat-4C failed due to a component defect in one of the strap-on motors and the rocket had to be destroyed as in the case of the latest one (GSLV-F06).

MQM, PML-N spat gets uglier

The war of words between the PML-N and the MQM intensified Wednesday, with politicians from both sides making personal attacks on one another.
Speaking outside the parliament, PML-N leader Ch Nisar said that the MQM was a party of dacoits. He said a person who was sitting abroad for 19 years cannot bring revolution in Pakistan. He said Altaf Hussain made irresponsible and derogatory statements about PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif.
Chaudhry Nisar said that MQM chief Altaf Hussain should seek apology from the nation. “Altaf Hussain should do public politics after coming back to Pakistan,” he said, adding, “It seems Altaf Hussain is not in senses when he speaks.”
“We will have to bring to light documents obtained from a rehabilitation centre in London where one had to go for treatment of a disease,” Chaudhry Nisar said, adding, the “disease still remains uncured”.
MQM leader Hyder Abbas Rizvi, while commenting on Ch Nisar Ali Khan’s remarks, said that personal attacks were made by the PML-N leadership even at a time when political setup was working smoothly. He also called Ch Nisar “Mr Bean”.
Rizvi in a fiery tone said all the lions of PML-N have became jackals and been scared away. He blamed PML-N for being a product of dictatorship. “Chaudhr Nisar looks like Mr Bean,” Rizvi said.
The MQM leader also pointed fingers at the PML-N leaders’ personal life, such as their top leaders getting hair transplants in Britain. “Is this the lifestyle of the so-called national leaders of the PML-N that their top brass gets hair transplant in the UK,” a charged Rizvi said.
Similarly, MQM leader Wasih Jaleel said that his party had reservations with the PPP but the PML-N started war of words for no reason. He said that the PML-N issued baseless statements about their leader Altaf Hussain. He said that he knew what was happening in Raiwind. He said that the PML-N wanted to open Pindora’s Box.
PML-N leader Abid Shair Dil said that the MQM used foul language about his party and leadership. He said that Altaf Hussain should return to Pakistan to take active part in the politics and should avoid issuing such statements while sitting in London.

Politicians of 'friendly' opposition party PML-N and estranged coalition partner MQM have started not just mudslinging but spiting venom against each other indicating as if they had failed to reach an understanding for mutual advantage.
Both inside the National Assembly and outside the Parliament they gave plethora media feed hitting each other even below the belt in attacks on personal lives of the opponent leadership.
Only recently the two parties, both emerged during former dictatorial regimes, were seen nearing each other when Senator Ishaq Dar, the right-hand of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, all the way visited so-called Nine Zero, the headquarter of MQM, though its head lives in exile but in London. There were predictions about the potential of the two parties making some political alliance for future. But the two have surprised many forecasters when they are suddenly at daggers drawn. Insiders believe that PML-N declined an offer by MQM to lead a no-confidence move against the PPP Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani who is so far enjoying the status of so-called consensus Premier. It is quite understandable that no move to prove the lack of majority with the ruling coalition leader PPP could succeed without the PML-N as per the existing number in the National Assembly.
The MQM's apprehensions and grievances against the PML-N, and dark horse Imran Khan's diagnostic in many words some hidden alliance between Nawaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari was dangerous looks like linked somewhere. The alliance that came under Khan's microscope, perhaps, has barred PML-N from going for a marriage of convenience with MQM. If Imran Khan's assumption is true and the PML-N has taken a U-turn even before going along the MQM for the sake of the PPP, then probably Nawaz Sharif has forgotten his own utterances blaming Zardari as renegade. Or the current politics could be match that every player has fixed just to divert attention from the burning issues ranging from energy crisis to the American drones raising questions of sovereignty. In this entire politics of imbroglio, the former ruling party that is still the third largest force in the National Assembly appeared playing safe. Premier Gilani while speaking on floor of the House on Wednesday gave a new rather international colour to the ongoing realpolitik by describing the WikiLeaks as '21st century diplomacy.' "When you cannot convey a message directly you go by such tactics like the WikiLeaks," the PM said. In fact he was responding to Faisal Saleh Hayat of PML-Q who had caught the PM's words in his mouth on drone attacks. "If you say these attacks are counterproductive and the Government condemns them, it requires an explanation as WikiLeaks has quoted the PM favouring these," Hayat has teased the PM. Premier Gilani again used his multidimensional argumentation. Firstly he described WikiLeaks as "not authentic," secondly he rushed to remind Saleh the good things WikiLeaks has brought forth about him such as non-westernised PM, stays firm on national vantage point etc. It is a point to ponder that if the PM considers them as unauthentic then what was the logic quoting those leaks that favoured him. Regarding the question of sovereignty the PML-Q member had raised, he again reminded Saleh that these drones attacked in their regime as well.

Extremists’ Threat to India

By Sajjad Shaukat

Although India has been supporting the forces of extremism and separatism in Pakistan and Chinese Tibetan regions, yet it has rapidly been heading towards its own disintegration.

In this connection, while quoting a cable of the Wikileaks by U.S ambassador to India, Timothy Roemer, The Times of India reported on December 17, 2010 that India’s renowned “political leader and Congress Party’s heir, Rahul Gandhi feels that the “the bigger threat (to India) may be the growth of radicalized Hindu groups which create religious tensions and political confrontations with the Muslim community.” 

The Times of India further indicated, “comments from Congress Party leaders about internal threats from radical Hindu groups are not new, the fact that Gandhi expressed his views to US interlocutors is certain to spark a political firestorm in India in what is already a season of confrontation. The reported remarks add to the already controversial statements from Congress Party general secretary Digvijay Singh pointing to dangers from Hindu extremist groups.”

The young Indian leader displays no inhibitions in describing the dangers from majority communalism, in a wide-ranging conversation seated next to Roemer at the dinner. The US envoy reports that Gandhi “expressed concerns regarding the challenges surrounding the UPA coalition’s ability to implement its programs, and speculated about radicalization among Hindus and Muslims.”

In a separate cable, describing a meeting between India’s National Security Adviser M.K.Narayanan and FBI Director Robert Mueller, a US official reports the former as saying “India is also seeing the beginning of Hindu extremist groups that use violence.”  The cable indicates that the Director Mueller points, “terrorists come from more than just Muslim backgrounds.”

In this regard, Guardian reported on December 16, Rahul Gandhi, the “crown prince” of Indian politics, told the US ambassador at a lunch last year that Hindu extremist groups could pose a greater threat to his country than Muslim militants.

For the last 25 years, India has been providing its military and intelligence agency RAW with huge funds in order to support insurgency, separatism and extremism in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhuttan, Sikkim and China. Although these covert activities vary from country to country, yet the same intensifies in case of Pakistan. In this respect, a well-established network of Indian army and RAW has been working to destabilise Pakistan by supporting insurgency in the Frontier Province and separatism in Balochistan. New Delhi has been spending huge money to train and equip the militants who have been entering Pakistan on daily basis and have been conducting suicide attacks in our country, and assaults on our security forces.

Indian anti-Pakistan plan has also been endorsed by a 72-page white paper handed over to its Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the aftermath of Mumbai carnage. The paper, titled, War on Terror: The Agenda for Action, (Also available on the website of India Today) advised New Delhi to “exploit the divisions within Pakistan and expose its weaknesses in Balochistan, FATA and Azad Kashmir” including building of pressure on Islamabad especially by the US.

Surprisingly, India has been endangering the regional peace by dreaming to become a super power. In this regard, New Delhi has been paying no attention to its internal multi-faceted crises such as Hindu fundamentalism, extremism and separatism which have become serious, threatening the Indian union.

One of the important causes of the disintegration of the Russian Empire was that its greater defence expenditure exceeded to the maximum, resulting in economic crises and extremism inside the country. However, militarisation of the Soviet Union failed in controlling the movements of liberation, launched by various ethnic nationalities. On the other hand, while learning no lesson from its previous close friend, India has been acting upon the similar policies in some other way.

Under the mask of democracy and secularism, Indian subsequent regimes dominated by politicians from the Hindi heartland�Hindutva (Hindu nationalism) have been using brutal force ruthlessly against any move to free Assam, Kashmir, Khalistan, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu and Tripura where wars of independence continue in one or the other form.

Recently, Maoist intensified their struggle, attacking official installments in the major Indian cities. In this context, The New York Times wrote,  “India’s Maoist rebels are now present in 20 states and have killed more than 900 Indian security officers…India’s rapid economic growth has made it an emerging global power but also deepened stark inequalities in society.”

As regards the Indian-held Kashmir, since 1947, Indian forces have intermittently been employing all the possible techniques of military terrorism such as curfews, crackdowns, sieges, massacre, targeted killings etc. to maintain their alien rule. In the occupied Kashmir, Indian brutalities keep on going against the current phase of Kashmiri uprising.

Post-Napoleonic era in Europe proves that it is not possible to suppress the independence wars through military terrorism. In that context, Prince Metternich, emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire did what he could to subjugate the alien peoples by employing every possible techniques of state terrorism. According to Indian historian, Mahajin, Matternich had to admit that he was fighting for a useless cause, and the empire disintegrated, resulting in the independence of Italy, Bulgaria and other states. In the recent past, despite the employment of unlimited atrocities by the President Milosevic, collapse of the former Yugoslavia could not be stopped.

Every entity of South Asia is well-aware that even under the rule of Congress which claims to be a secular party, Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Singh (RSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Shiv Sina and Bajrang Dal have missed no opportunity to communalise national politics of India. Although violence against the other communities has been used by Hindu fundamentalists as a normal practice since partition, yet anti-Christian and anti-Muslim bloodshed in the last decade coupled with the dissemination of Hindutva has increased. Besides previous genocide of Muslims and destruction of the Babri Mosque, more than 2500 Muslims were massacred in 2002 in the BJP-ruled Indian state of Gujarat. On September 13, 2008, the communal riots in Uttar Pradesh killed more than 200 Muslims. In one of the most tragic incidents in Assam, Hindu extremists burnt alive six members of a Muslim family. Similarly, assaults on Christians and their property have continued by the Hindu mobs in Orissa, Assam, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. Other minorities of India are also target of Hindu terrorism.

It is mentionable that ideology of Hindu nationalism prevails in every field at the cost of other minorities groups. It is even supported by Indian defence forces clandestinely. This fact could be judged from the recent past, when on April 6, 2008 in the house of Bajrang Dal fundamentalists in Nanded, a bomb went off. The investigations proved that the militants belonging to the Bajrang Dal were found in the bomb-making and attack on a mosque in Parbhani in 2003. Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Maharashtra arrested a serving Lt. Col. Srikant Purohit and along with other army officials, indicating that they were helping in training the Hindu terrorists, providing them with the military-grade explosive RDX, used in the Malegaon bombings and terrorist attacks in other Indian cities. ATS had further disclosed that Lt. Col. Purohit confessed that in 2007, he was involved in bombing of Samjhota express, which brunt alive 69 Pakistanis. Leaders of the Indian extremist parties, Shiv Sena, BJP, VHP and RSS are now pressurising the Congress regime to release the culprits.

Indian fundamentalism and mistreatment of religious minorities could also be assessed from some other development. After serving the BJP for 30 years, Jaswant Singh was expelled from the party for praising Mohammad Ali Jinnah and echoing the pain of the Indian Muslims in his book, “Jinnah�India, Partition, Independence.” While pointing out the BJP’s attitude towards the minorities, Singh wrote: “Every Muslim that lives in India is a loyal Indian…look into the eyes of Indian Muslims and see the pain.” He warned in his book, if such a policy continued, “India could have third partition.” 

Nonetheless, the artificial union of India is advancing towards self-destructive path owing to the threat of extremists.

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

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com

Chavez strongly attacks US threat of retaliation

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said he’s ready for the US to expel his ambassador and break off diplomatic ties in retaliation for Venezuela’s five-month refusal to welcome the Obama regime's choice of the dubious Larry Palmer to be its next envoy to Caracas. He said: "If the US government intends to expel our ambassador from Washington, well it can go ahead and do it. If the US government wants to break off diplomatic ties, it is free to do it.” Chavez rejected Palmer’s nomination after the former US Ambassador to Honduras in a meeting with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in July accused the Venezuelan army of having low morale and that alleged that members of the Venezuelan government have ties with what he claimed terrorist organizations in neighboring Colombia.
State Department Spokesman, Philip Crowley threatened that Venezuela’s refusal to accept Palmer would hurt already-strained relations. He did not say what steps the US administration would take.
However, Chavez, in comments carried on Venezuelan TV on December 28 said Palmer would be turned back at the airport if he were to board a plane for Venezuela.
Chavez had expelled the previous US ambassador, Patrick Duddy, in 2008, in solidarity with Bolivia, which sent home the American ambassador there and charged the US with backing opposition movements in both countries. Now, the Venezuelan anti-imperialist leader reiterated that Caracas refuses to endorse Palmer's credentials, despite the US government's threats to retaliate.
"Well, they can do whatever they want, but this man is not coming," Hugo Chavez said, making it clear: "To come here, an ambassador must respect the host country."
Relations between the United States and Venezuela have been strained in recent years as Chavez has repeatedly denounced "American imperialism". Now it seems a new wave of friction between the US and Venezuela is taking shape in the form of diplomatic conflict. The US, as part of its meddling policy, has tried to question a recent bill approved in the parliament of Venezuela, granting special rights to the president of the country, Hugo Chavez. Elsewhere, the tenure of the US ambassador to Caracas, Patrick Duddy, has come to its end and appointment of a new envoy has now turned in part into a new round of clash of words between the two countries.
The Venezuelan officials believe that with appointment of Palmer, a new wave of ploys against the government in Venezuela will be hatched. The US embassy had played a role during a failed coup in 2002 against the popular government of Hugo Chavez.

The humiliated MQM reacts

MQM, a key coalition partner of the PPP has announced to part ways with the Federal Government and would decide about its future with the Sindh Government at a later stage. The MQM was left with no choice after Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfikar Mirza blamed the Party of being involved in Karachi target killings and other activities leading to serious law and order problem in the city.

That was a humiliation for the MQM and it had given ten days notice to the PPP to take action against the Minister otherwise it would react. Announcing the decision to quit the Federal Cabinet, MQM leader Faisal Sabzwari however said that the Party would continue cooperation to the Government for the time being as it does not want to destabilize the present set-up. Endorsing the decision of Central Coordination Committee, MQM supremo Altaf Hussain warned the PPP to mend its ways or else the Party would be forced to part ways with the Sindh coalition too. Though the government spokesmen are saying that they will address the grievances of MQM, the way MQM was being treated for the last several months gives the impression that the ruling PPP in Sindh was bent upon bringing MQM under pressure. The address to a large gathering by Altaf Hussain at Bhitshah on Saturday gave the first indication that MQM was considering to leave the Government when he sought a mandate from the people asking them whether to quit the present set-up. The departure of MQM after JUI(F) would bring more pressure on the Government though Labour Minister Khursheed Shah hoped that the breaches appeared in the coalition would soon be filled through dialogue. The PPP Government is near completing three years in office and disaffection among the coalition partners and the people does not augur well for it. Though the PML-N appears to be in no mood to support any no-confidence move yet it would be difficult for the PPP to pull on with razor thin majority during the next two years. Therefore there is a need to bring down the political temperature and for that the Government will have to take serious initiatives to address the grievances of the estranged partners.

 The Sindh Home Minister Zulifqar Mirza, a confidant of President Asif Ali Zardari has finally agreed to quit his present position and decided to join as Minister in the centre, an insider privy to the developments told this scribe.

The acerbic Mirza was under pressure from the party head to offer sacrifice to pacify the most needed MQM which had put up demand for his removal as Sindh Home Minister due to his antagonising statements as described by the coalition partner.Zulifqar Mirza had stated on two occasions that twenty six out of sixty suspects arrested for alleged target killings in Karachi belonged to MQM.

Pakistan Observer had already run a story about the decision of the government for removal of Zulifqar Mirza.

The PPP, which was struggling for survival in the face of departure of JUI (F) requires magic figure of 172 in the Parliament. MQM has 25 members in National Assembly.

After the statements, the MQM delegation, on the directive of MQM leader Altaf Hussain, held long meetings with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on December 19 and President Zardari the next day demanding disciplinary action against Zulifqar Mirza and also public apology from him.

However, according to party sources, he had refused to tender public apology over his statements.

The tension between Zulifqar Mirza and MQM in Karachi was not new. The law and order situation in the commercial hub, terror activities and target killings had soured relations between the Home Minister and MQM soon after formation of coalition government in Sindh.

India’s shopping spree & appalling poverty

India`s economic development and prodigious indicators of economic growth. But they would not cares less that India as a state is rich but itis land of appalling poverty where more than 400 million people are living below a meanly defined poverty line. Multi millions are living in slum and sleeping on the footpaths, because Indian government is diverting a very large part of its resources to become a world power and member of United Nation Security Council.
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By Mohammad Jamil

India is on a shopping spree with more than $100 billion in hand, and entering into defence deals left, right and centre. After signing nuclear deal with the US, Nuclear Suppliers Group’s countries are ready to sell materials and equipment to India. Apart from France, Britain, Germany, Japan - and strong opponent of nuclear proliferation – eyes the lucrative market; and they all are drooling to benefit from India’s economic development and prodigious indicators of economic growth. But they would not cares less that India as a state is rich but it is land of appalling poverty where more than 400 million people are living below a meanly defined poverty line. Multi-millions are living in slums and sleeping on the footpaths, because Indian government is diverting a very large part of its resources to become a world power and member of United Nations Security Council. Its human rights record is also dismal, as human Watch reports often point out about the violence against 150 million former untouchables, other minorities and the people of Indian Held Kashmir. Other human rights organizations regularly publish atrocities committed on Christians, Muslims and Dalits. Kashmiris are, however, the worst sufferers on earth, perhaps only second to Palestinians.

Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, launched a fierce attack on Pakistan during his recent visit to India, accusing Islamabad of allowing terrorist groups to form safe havens in its territory. He said terrorist groups were free to launch attacks on India and NATO troops in Afghanistan from Pakistan, which is not acceptable. His comments echoed those made by British Prime Minister David Cameron who during his visit to India in end July 2010 had said that Pakistan could not be allowed to “look both ways” or export terrorism to its neighbours. During her visit to India in July this year Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel in reply to a question said: “India is suffering as a consequence of terrorist attacks. We still remember the attack in Mumbai. At that time we criticised what was done by these perpetrators. We want to do whatever we can to ensure that these terror attacks are not repeated.” It is true that foreign relations are no altruistic pursuit but extremely self-centered, self-serving motivated actions. But it is difficult to imagine that heads of above three European countries could stoop so low as to issue statements against Pakistan just to please India just to sell their military hardware and other stuff to India.

France signed worth $20 billion out of which 9.3-billion-dollar framework agreement was for selling two nuclear reactors to India during a trade-centred visit in July this year by French President Nicolas Sarkozy to New Delhi. Deals totalling 15 billion euros (20 billion dollars) were signed with Indian companies including a leasing agreement for 14 Airbus planes and the modernisation of 51 French-made Mirage fighter jets. “Negotiations (with Areva) have reached an advanced stage to pave the way for the launching of nuclear power reactors in partnership with Indian industry,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had told a joint press conference with President Sarkozy. The deal is short of a final sale contract, but it means Areva has moved ahead of US and Japanese competitors in the race to sell reactors to India, which aims to tap atomic power for a quarter of its electricity demands by 2050. Sarkozy reiterated his support for India to have a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council - a key foreign policy objective for New Delhi - and suggested it might simply upgrade its current temporary seat in 2012. India is to jointly build a surface-to-air missile with the second biggest weapons supplier Israel and hopes for such collaborations with the other countries. After signing civil nuclear agreement with the US, it will acquire nuclear plants to enhance its capability to make more nuclear devices. Last year, the USS Trentonn, the giant American landing platform dock, was inducted in Indian navy for which order was placed by India for Rs 215 crores in 2007. It was re-christened INS Jalashwa. The acquisition of the INS Jalashva was meant to enormously boost the sealift capability of the Indian Navy. It is equipped with four landing mechanised craft and can carry up to 1,000 troops along with vehicles, tanks, artillery, ammunition and tracked landing vehicles. India has also increased its defence budget, and is poised to spend at least $50 billion on installation of nuclear power plants, which will enhance its capacity and capability to increase it nuclear arsenal. After Indo-US nuclear deal, India has the capacity to increase from its current production capacity of six to 10 additional nuclear bombs a year to several dozen per year.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to India is the latest in a series of high-profile visits by leaders of almost all major countries. A slew of 30 agreements signed by the two sides, covering areas ranging from nuclear and space co-operation, defence and business to counter-terrorism and culture, shows the expanded scope of the relationship. The multi-million dollar programme for joint production of a fifth generation fighter aircraft could be a milestone in collaboration. India’s traditional defence relationship with Russia was that of a customer, with Moscow meeting 70 per cent of its arms and equipment requirements. But the fighter aircraft programme takes it to a new level of partnership marked by joint development and collaboration. Russia has also offered the best terms in its defence deals, supplying India with technologies and hardware, like nuclear submarines, which other countries were not willing to give, and without restrictive conditions like end-user clauses. He also extended full support for India’s bid for permanent membership of the UN Security Council and other bodies like the Nuclear Suppliers Group. The visit made it clear that bilateral ties are not only strong but are poised to become stronger. Germany is making a bid for selling Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets to India when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh goes to Berlin next month, a day-long trip that will focus on expanding the strategic relationship between the two would-be non-permanent members of the UN Security Council. Manmohan Singh visited Britain and Germany after attending India’s summit with the 27-nation European Union (EU) in Brussels. This was the second visit by Manmohan Singh to Berlin since he became the country’s prime minister over six years ago. Manmohan Singh and Merkel met recently at the G20 summit of major and emerging economies in Seoul. Manmohan Singh and Merkel are expected to focus on expanding defence relationship and enlarging the scope of their strategic dialogue on key global issues like UN reforms, the international financial crisis, counter-terrorism, non-proliferation and climate change. Germany will contend that the Eurofighter offer is unique as it involves technology transfer and is likely to stress that it is ready to forego the End-User Monitoring Agreement (EUMA) that even India’s close partners like the US insist on.

New Delhi has recently allocated $11 billion to build and buy six new-generation submarines in what will be one of the biggest military contracts that India has signed. The Times of India has reported that the Defense Acquisitions Council, chaired by federal Defense Minister A.K. Antony, took the decision on the deal. A sum of $12 has been earmarked for the purchase of 126 multi-role fighters for the Indian Air Force. Six global aerospace companies, Lockheed Martin, Boeing (American), Dassault’s Rafale (French), Gripen (Sweden), MIG (Russian) and Eurofighter Typhoon (a consortium of British, German, Italian and Spanish companies), are bidding for the deal. A fresh contract for aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov’s refit for over $2.3 billion is also being negotiated with Moscow. India’s Prime Minister is perched on a booming national economy and a lot of cash, which he is throwing around on massive arms’ purchases and lucrative business deals to buy loyalties, votes for India’s bid for UNSC, and for scurrilous slights that German Chancellor and French President have dealt Pakistan.

Benazir Bhutto: A legend of the East

 President Asif Ali Zardari along with daughters Bakhtawar and Asifa showering flowers on the grave of Benazir Bhutto in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh.
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Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani

December 27 is a day of immense grief and national tragedy when Pakistan in particular and the world in general lost a leader of high stature in the person of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. It also conveys the message in no uncertain terms that Shaheed Benazir Bhutto continues to be the symbol of federation of Pakistan even in her martyrdom as she was in her life.

Shaheed Benazir Bhutto's life is a classic study of courage, commitment towards people's welfare, and steel-like determination to accomplish the goals she set before herself. She took over the mantle of leadership of Pakistan People's Party from her illustrious father Shaheed Zulifqar Ali Bhutto in the most trying circumstances. She then carried forward the mission of her father and braved the oppression of the dictatorial regime for eleven years with utmost courage. She continued to inspire millions of masses and kept their hopes alive during the protracted period of dictatorship. It is the sole honour of Pakistan People's Party that it has its roots in every section of society, be it workers, labourers, peasants, students, lawyers, teachers, intellectuals and women etc. Shaheed BB led a relentless struggle for the empowerment of these sections of society, which form the manifesto of the Party.      

The history of the Third World fails to offer any other example whereby a leader rose to such a prominence and carved a role due to qualities of the head and heart. Due to her political wisdom and leadership qualities, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto made her mark in the world politics. She was an embodiment of courage and endurance who did not allow her personal tragedies to stand in the way of her larger commitment towards her people.

I deem it pertinent to refer to quotes of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. In her address to a seminar on the legacy of Z.A. Bhutto in April 1989, she said: "Courage and grace in the face of adversity are the hallmarks of a great leader." In her speech at the Peshwar University in 1995, she said: "The character of men and women is shaped by their own ability to overcome adversity and not to be bent in a face of storm."

She proved through personal example that she was a leader who practised what she preached. There is no adversity, big or small that Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto did not face starting from martyrdom of her father, her brothers, threats to her life and then, to the rigours of exile and imprisonment. After every tragedy, she bounced back with renewed commitment, more vigour and determination to serve her people. I recall that Shaheed Benazir Bhutto used to say: "Turn your personal pain into your strength. You can conquer world with this strength."

There is a very select and rare breed of people who become immortal after their deaths. No doubt Shaheed Benazir Bhutto belongs to this category. She is a heartthrob of millions of people and continues to rule their hearts and minds even in her martyrdom. Her entire life is a role model not only for the people of Pakistan but also of the world. She was an incarnation of steadfastness, perseverance and determination. Her name would be chronicled in golden words in the annals of history. She writes in her book, "Daughter of the East", "I did not select this life for myself. Rather this life has selected me for itself."

History would remember Shaheed Benazir Bhutto for three things: firstly, the unwavering determination to reach out to her people; secondly, the courage to take on huge and seemingly insurmountable challenges and thirdly, the ability to forgive even her enemies.

She may not be physically with us today but her ideals and vision continue to enlighten our path. The principles and values she fought and died for remain as relevant today as they were in the past. Those values form the mainstream narrative in our fight against multiple challenges that we face today. Shaheed BB represented an idea of human liberation, empowerment of common man and a welfare state. During her speech on the occasion of opening ceremony of new Supreme Court Building in May 1995, she said: "individuals can be killed but not ideas. Ideas live in the hearts and minds of men and women."

Though there are many facets of her illustrious life, however, I would confine myself to only a few due to time constraint. The first and foremost is her declaration of Jihad against militancy, extremism and terrorism. She clearly warned us of this penetrating menace in our midst way back in 1994 in her keynote speech to the Seventh OIC Summit held in Casablanca. She said: "Extremism today is a challenge. A challenge we must collectively seek to understand and overcome, before it overcomes and consumes us and leaves destruction in its wake." She knew the dangers posed to her own life due to her stance against terrorism and extremism but the well-being and future of this nation was dearer to her heart and she was ready to pay any price to safeguard Pakistan. The perpetrators of doom and gloom may have martyred an individual but they have not silenced the idea she championed and stood for. The historic emergence of national consensus against terrorism and extremism among different streaks of national opinion owes itself to the sacrifice of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. She led the fight against the forces of darkness from the front and awakened the nation to the reality of these lethal perils. Thus by choosing martyrdom at the hands of terrorists, she has safeguarded the future of this country.

Our great country has suffered due to politics of vendetta and revenge. As a result of lack of consensus among different political parties on the minimum rules of the game, there has been periodic derailment of democracy and ushering in eras of the dictatorial rules with its attendant problems. Her signing of historic Charter of Democracy along with the PML-N Chief Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif represented a sincere effort at changing the political culture of the country. She knew that if the nation's well-being was to be ensured, it was possible through continuation of the democratic order.

In a speech she delivered at the Port Qasim, Karachi, in August 1989, Shaheed BB said: "The politics of violence is the dire enemy of the hopes, the dreams and the ambitions of our people."  Thus she founded the tradition of politics of reconciliation and harmony. She believed that common man's well-being lay in the continuation of democracy and the establishment of good governance. She said in a speech at the then National Defence College: "The basic elements which define my vision of Pakistan are: a modern, enlightened, social democracy based on federalism and parliamentary form of government."

Guided by the vision of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, the present democratic government has undertaken critical reforms in different walks of our national life. In a short span of two and half years, we have traveled a distance of miles. The focus of reforms introduced by my government remains on reorienting the direction of state policy in favour of the common man - the man in the street who is the real stakeholder. Our historic successes such as Aagz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Initiative, the adoption of 7th NFC Award, the passage of the 18th Constitutional Amendment, Gilgit-Baltistan Self-Governance & Empowerment Act, Benazir Income Support Programme, different initiatives for empowerment of women, and successful fight against terrorism and extremism to name only a few, are dedicated to the memory and vision of our martyred leader Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. In our struggle to accomplish these Herculean tasks, my coalition government and I myself have been guided by the politics of reconciliation and harmony originally espoused by our shaheed leader. History is being made in this country under the coalition government as we have successfully taken on structural issues of governance and reforms, which remained unresolved in the past.

It is merely the beginning of a journey. It is the first step which is difficult to take and thankfully we are well past the take-off stage. It is not yet time to rest on our laurels. We can not afford to be complacent, for we have the debt of huge tasks conferred on us by our Shaheed leaders. It is our national duty to strengthen the federation of Pakistan.

Let us join one another in the spirit of reconciliation, harmony and friendship to rid the country of the grave challenges. As we march on, there may be more strenuous challenges ahead but our resolve to take on them must be greater than before. I would like to conclude with Shaheed BB's dream of Pakistan wherein she said: "I dream of a Pakistan where we can commit our social resources to the development of human life and not to its destruction."

Shahzain Bugti among 26 booked

FC personnel escort Shahzain Bugti after he was arrested in Quetta on Wednesday.

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An FIR has been registered against president of the Balochistan chapter of Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) Shahzain Bugti and his 26 body guards for keeping illegal arms, The cases have been filed with Airport Police Station under 6 different sections of Anti-terror Act, which included misbehavior with government officers, recovery of illegal arms, interference in government’s work, etc. On Wednesday, paramilitary troops arrested on Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti, grandson of the late Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, along with several personal guards, after finding a huge quantity of illegal arms and ammunition in vehicles of his convoy coming from the border town of Chaman. According to Shahzain Bugti, the drama ofarms smuggling had been staged to stop him from holding a march to Dera Bugti on January 28.

Baloch nationalist leader and Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) president Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti and several of his supporters were arrested  here on Wednesday after security forces allegedly found weapons in vehicles in his motorcade.

Shahzain was detained at Buleli check post by the Frontier Constabulary while he was returning from Chaman.

Shahzain is the grandson of late Baloch leader Nawab Mohammed Akbar Khan Bugti, who was killed in a military operation in 2006.

Security personnel stopped Shahzain's 12-vehicle motorcade for checking at the post.

He was detained with his supporters when weapons were allegedly found in some vehicles.

Footage on television showed Shahzain being bundled into a car by security personnel and driven away.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operations) Hamid Shakil told the media that the paramilitary personnel had Bugti and his supporters.

"The Frontier Constabulary has recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition and it will return all licensed weapons," he said.

IGP Malik Muhammad Iqbal said that Interior Minister Rehman Malik was closely monitoring the situation arising out of Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti's arms smuggling bid and had ordered formation of a joint investigation team to probe the matter.

IGFC Maj Gen Obaidullah told a press conference that on a tip-off the security personnel stopped the convoy of Shahzain Bugti at the checkpoint.

He said that after lapse of some three hours, Shahzain Bugti attempted to flee which was foiled. The personnel disarmed his security guards and took all of them in custody.

He added that after thorough search the personnel recovered 50 SMGs, 4 LMGs, two 12.7mm AA guns, two 14.2 mm AA guns, one SPG-9, one 9mm pistol, one AUG, 46,000 rounds of SMG, 1600 rounds of 12.7/14.5, 570 rounds of AUG, 880 rounds of sniper rifle, 39 rounds of 9mm pistol, 17 mobile phones and 16 vehicles.

Shahzain alleged he was being victimised and that the arms belonged to the Frontier Constabulary.

He said he would take up the issue of his harassment with countries like the US.

The nationalist leader had earlier announced that he would lead a march from Kashmore in Sindh to Dera Bugti next month to press authorities to facilitate the return of displaced members of the Bugti tribe.

He had alleged that over 100,000 people of the Bugti tribe had migrated to Nasirabad and Jaffarabad districts during the military operation that resulted in the killing of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti in 2006.

Making India a world power?

The US will support India`s admission in four multilateral export control regimes including Nuclear Suppliers Group and Missile Technology Control Regime. All these are clear sign that Washington is bent upon making  India a World Power.
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By Asif Haroon Raja

Holy Quran distinctly spells out that Jews and Christians can never be trusted friends of Muslims. Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) had stated well over 1400 years ago that the entire world of non-Muslims is a single band that works on one frequency. His prediction is coming true when seen in context with present day global geo-political environments. The armies of the whole non-Muslim world have ganged up against the Muslims and are persecuting them since 2001. Even non-Muslim countries which were enmeshed in centuries old enmity and have been drawing blood of each other have forgotten their hostility and have joined hands and picked up cudgels against common enemy. Jewish-Christian alliance against Islam when seen in historical perspective needs no emphasis. Country like India which till 1991 had remained in the forefront of non-aligned movement during the Cold War has made a u-turn on its policy of anti-western imperialism and has got aligned with imperialist USA .

Soon after partition of India in August 1947, India had tilted towards Moscow . This tilt was much to the chagrin of USA . Despite its wooing, India under Nehru dynasty refused to move out of the lap of Moscow and befriend Washington . Eisenhower, President of USA from 1953 to 1961 had tried to convince Nehru to make India part of anti-communist alliance but failed. He paid an official visit to India in 1959 to somehow convince Indian leadership to join up with USA to contain growing power of China but didn’t solicit encouraging response. John F Kennedy made concerted efforts to pullout India from Soviet camp and to make it stand up against China but couldn’t make any headway. Although India had come fully under the umbrella of USSR , but it never strained its relations with USA the way Pakistan had spoilt its relations with USSR after it joined western defence pacts. Even when India supported Soviet invasion and occupation of Afghanistan in December 1979 and castigated US policies, it didn’t mar Indo-US relations.

India benefited a great deal from its closeness with USSR in terms of development of its economy and military strength. Indo-Soviet intimacy remained unbroken till the collapse of Soviet Union . Even after India shifted into US lap, their relationship remained cordial. Defence, economic and nuclear deals are still being signed and 70% of Indian forces weaponry is Russian origin. What is however noteworthy is that when the Soviet empire was on deathbed and gasping for breath, India didn’t even wait for its demise. It hastened to abandon the sinking ship and climbed aboard the ship of USA . In order to develop intimate relations with the sole super power which it had been criticizing, India thought it necessary to build relations with Israel and European Union. Indo-US collaboration in various fields nurtured throughout the 1990s.

When India under extremist Hindu party BJP led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee carried two nuclear tests on 11 May 1998 and three more on 13 May, it created a stir in the world. A visible change came in the attitudes of Indian leaders towards Pakistan and they started behaving arrogantly. Temporary economic sanctions were levied by USA and Japan on India to show to the world that USA was evenhanded in its dealings; however sanctions were removed in September 2001 since India was not a Muslim state and was a secular state. One doesn’t have to recount the anger of US leadership when Pakistan conducted similar tests.

India could not have risked carrying out five nuclear tests without tacit understanding of US President Bill Clinton. In fact, nuclear tests led to further warming of Indo-US ties. This was evident from visit of Clinton to India in March 2000 who laid the foundation of Indo-US strategic relationship. It was the first step to make India a regional power and pave its way towards attaining big power status. 9/11 came as God given opportunity for India to become a key country for USA in its dealings with this region. It managed to convince Washington that like USA India was also a victim of terrorism. Israel played its role in assigning a key role to India in future regional affairs particularly in Afghanistan . Afghan adventure lent strength to Indo-US-Israeli nexus. So-called champions of democracy and human rights who had earned the notoriety of worst abusers of human rights decided to sail in one boat and jointly execute the slaughter of Muslims under the guise of terrorism and to attain their common strategic and economic objectives. In January 2004, Indo-US relationship crossed another milestone in the field of defence collaboration. In 2005, process of joint Indo-US naval exercises commenced. In order to protect US-Israeli commercial interests in Indian Ocean and to keep an eye on activities of Muslim countries, George W Bush declared India as the policemen of Indian Ocean . In this context, it was planned to entrust Indian Navy with the responsibility of protecting sea lanes from Suez Canal up till Singapore . In April 2005, another Indo-US agreement termed as ‘open sky’ was signed. Purpose behind the deal was to remove all restrictions imposed by Israel and USA and to open avenues for two-way free transactions. Cooperation in the fields of defence, civil nuclear technology, space and high technology were strengthened during the state visit of Indian PM to Washington in July 2005. On the visit of Bush to India in March 2006, tens of defence, economic and trade deals were inked and a commitment for awarding civil nuclear technology given. In December, the US Congress approved the nuclear deal despite knowing that India had not signed CTBT.

Award of civil nuclear deal by Bush Administration was meant to convert India into a global power. IAEA Board of Governors meeting in August 2008 gave a go-ahead signal to Nuclear Suppliers Group to supply nuclear material to India . Barack Obama has now reconfirmed that India has emerged as the regional and global power. Contracts worth $10 billion were signed during his visit to India in November 2010. India has also been given proxy power in Afghanistan against Pakistan . All the three US presidents have played a part in upgrading the standing of India and in projecting it as a counterweight to China .

The US Civil nuclear deal has allowed India the right to reprocess spent nuclear fuel of US origin. Whatever restrictions imposed on transfer of technology was removed by Obama. The US is all set to welcome India in the nuclear club of five and to make it permanent member of UNSC. The US will support India ’s admission in four multilateral export control regimes including Nuclear Suppliers Group and Missile Technology Control Regime. All these are clear signs that Washington is bent upon making India a world power.

The writer is a defence and political analyst.

Russia, India agree to develop fifth generation jet

As Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev continues his official visit to India, the two countries have agreed to jointly develop a fifth generation fighter jet.

The contract was signed between the Russian Sukhoi company and India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

According to Sukhoi`s chief Mikhail Pogosyan, the project will help Russia and India boost their defense and aircraft industries. The jet is expected to make its maiden flight in 2016.

The Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin earlier said that the fifth generation jet should be two or three times cheaper than its foreign analogues. 

Russia and India on Tuesday signed a pact worth up to 30 billion dollars on the development of a fifth-generation fighter aircraft and agreed to pursue a deal to build two Russian nuclear reactors. The agreements surrounded talks in New Delhi between visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Indian Premier Manmohan Singh, during which both sides set a target of doubling bilateral trade to 20 billion dollars by 2015.
Medvedev arrived in India on Tuesday, seeking to fend off growing international competition for Indian defence contracts that were once monopolised by Moscow. India is one such country that is seeking to procure arms from all over the world, in a bid that is likely to destabilize the region’s balance of power.
British Prime Minister David Cameron was here in July, and US President Barack Obama, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao have passed through over the last six weeks.
All the visits have secured deals and framework agreements worth billions of dollars, and the Russian president was also looking to seal key accords on the supply of fighter jets.
Traditionally India’s default defence supplier, Russia faces stiff competition from Europe and the United States as India diversifies its sources of military hardware and becomes more demanding over pricing and quality.
The meeting with Singh witnessed the signing of a contract on the joint design and development of fifth-generation fighter aircraft with stealth capabilities.
Although no figures were mentioned, the final deal could be worth close to 30 billion dollars, with India planning to induct up to 300 of the aircraft into its air force.
The two sides also agreed to pursue plans for Russia to build two additional generating units at a nuclear power plant in the southern Indian state of Tamil, where it is already setting up two reactors.
Energy-hungry India is one of the world’s biggest markets for nuclear technology with plans to reach a nuclear power capacity of 63,000 megawatts by 2032, from the current level of 4,560 megawatts.

“Those who hide terrorists hide criminals. No modern civilised state can hide terrorists,” Medvedev said.
He made no specific mention of Pakistan, perhaps in view of the snub the other world leaders have earned following statements that were only words of India put in their mouth for transient pleasure.
Critical of China’s military modernisation drive, India is embarking on what global consultancy firm KPMG has described as “one of the largest procurement cycles in the world”.
Between now and 2016, India’s defence sector is expected to spend 112 billion dollars on capital defence acquisitions, KPMG said in a recent report.

NATO to pull out of Afghanistan without defeating Taliban

2010 has proved largely decisive for the International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, in Afghanistan. The coalition has carried out a number of major operations and is now getting ready to pack up and go. The NATO-led armed force is due to start pulling out from Afghanistan in July next year.

The entire NATO force will certainly not leave in July. It will take NATO years to fully pull out of the Asian country. It is held that by 2014 the Kabul government will have been able to control the situation well enough to allow for the maximum reduction in external assistance. Meanwhile in 2010 the NATO-led coalition has been actively fighting Taliban. Yet it will take years before the Afghan Islamists are defeated. There are also other problems pending solution. Hamid Karzai is a legitimate president following last year’s election. No one can now claim that he’s been appointed by Americans. Afghanistan has also held parliamentary elections, recognized as valid despite the fact that they were at variance with civilized standards. So, the central Afghan government is clearly growing stronger. But Karzai has a powerless army, a weak police force and awfully corrupt functionaries. It is also part of national specifics that local leaders choose to display their independence from Kabul.

In 2010 the world community made enormous efforts to bring the situation in Afghanistan back to normal. Conferences were called in London in January and then in Kabul in summer to take up Afghanistan’s economic restoration and, more importantly, the country’s denarcotization. The burden of Afghanistan’s foreign debt has been eased. Russia alone has written off over 12 billion dollars in Afghanistan’s debt to the Soviet Union. This is what a Russian expert on oriental studies Igor Sotnikov told the Voice of Russia on this country’s aid in settling Afghan problems.

"Russia, Igor Sotnikov says, has been trying to vigorously play on the Afghan field by suggesting holding conferences in various formats and providing support for the Karzai government. Russia has offered to send military advisers to strengthen the Afghan police force and the army. Russia’s aid to Afghanistan is above all political in character, even though the western nations, basically the United States, would like Moscow to send a military force to Afghanistan."

One of Afghanistan’s main problems is fighting drug production. The international community seeks to put paid to Afghan drug trafficking, but it lacks a general strategy to this end. Russia insists on wiping out the opium poppy plantations, but the United States chooses to preserve them intact on allegations that this would deprive Afghan peasants of their permanent earnings. Although Russian and US special services did carry out a joint operation to wipe out a drug laboratory in Afghanistan some time ago, there’s still a long way to go before the problem is finally settled.

Given the situation, the US-announced troop withdrawal and the handover of control over the situation to the Afghan authorities may take years to become reality. NATO has failed to break Taliban’s resistance. The opium poppy plantation area has by no means diminished. The coalition losses are growing. More than 700 coffins with killed NATO servicemen have been sent home this year alone. In other words, Afghanistan’s problems will remain the world community’s headache for years to come.

Indo-Israeli Secret Collusion

 Indian secret agency RAW, with technical support of Israeli secret agency Mossad, more than 25 Indian foreign offices, along with the north-western border of our country are supervising saboteurs to conduct bomb blasts and attacks in Pakistan.
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By Sajjad Shaukat

After the end of the Cold War, there was more emphasis on the open diplomacy due to the modern world trends like renunciation of war, peaceful settlement of disputes and economic development through cooperation. In this context, by bringing the bloody battles in our rooms, media made it difficult for politicians and diplomats to continue secret collusion which had caused World War 1 and World War 11.

In this connection, as part of a plot, both India and Israel have still a secret collusion and are acting upon a secret diplomacy. Although whole of the Islamic world is target of Indo-Israeli secret collusion, yet the same has intensified in case of Pakistan, China and Iran. In this regard, US-led some western countries have also been supporting the Indo-Israeli nexus overtly or covertly.

However, we cannot blame especially India and Israel including US regarding the conspiracy particularly against Pakistan, China and Iran without some concrete evidence. In this context, in his interview, published in the Indian weekly Outlook on February 18, 2008, Israel’s ambassador to India, Mark Sofer explained regarding India’s defence arrangements with Israel by disclosing, “We do have a defence relationship with India, which is no secret” and “with all due respect, the secret part will remain a secret.” On being asked whether he foresaw joint exercises, Sofer replied, “Certain issues need to remain under wraps for whatever reason.”

Indian ties with Israel remained under wraps till 2003, when Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon visited India to officially reveal this relationship. In this respect, Indian ‘The Tribune’ wrote on September 10, 2003, “India and Israel took giant leaps forward in bolstering the existing strategic ties and forging new ones” and Tel Aviv has “agreed to share its expertise with India in such fields as anti-fidayeen operations, surveillance and defence satellites, intelligence sharing, space exploration and fighting against terrorism”, particularly in the Occupied Kashmir. Next day, ‘Indian Express’, disclosed, “From anti-missile systems to hi-tech radars, from sky drones to night-vision equipment, Indo-Israeli defense cooperation has known no bounds in recent times”.   

On September 5, 2003 American Wall Street Journal pointed out, “The U.S. finally gave its approval to Israel’s delivery of Phalcon Airborne Warning & Controlling Systems (AWACS) to India”his “sale might affect the conventional weapons balance between India and Pakistan”. On February 28, 2003 Jerusalem Post disclosed the “Israeli sale of the Arrow-II anti-ballistic missile defense system to India”, writing that “the U.S. was a collaborator in the project”. The Post further elaborated that “Israel could be acquiring an element of strategic depth by setting up logistical bases in the Indian Ocean for its navy”

Recent defence purchases by New Delhi from Tel Aviv in particular and other western countries in general include fast attack naval craft, electronic warfare system, unmanned aerial vehicles,modernization of Indian Army, Mig-27 aircraft, the Indian Navy’s Ka-25, Russian-supplied Mig-21 aircraft, T-72 tanks etc. Besides, Indian secret deal with Israel entails submarine launched cruise missiles, micro-satellite systems, laser guided systems etc.

The matter is not confined to purchasing of military equipments; Indo-Israeli secret collusion is part of a dangerous strategic game in the region. In this connection, the then Israeli premier, Benjamin Netanyahu had already made it clear in July 1997 saying, “Our ties with India don’t have any limitations as long as “India and Israel are friendly, it is a strategic gain”.

Security relationship between New Delhi and Tel Aviv has been promoted with the help of Washington to make the two states work closely to counter-balance a rising China whom America considers main competitor in the coming years.  

As regards Indian secret agency RAW, with the technical support of Israeli secret agency Mossad, more than 25 Indian foreign offices, along with the north-western border of our country are supervising saboteurs to conduct bomb blasts and suicide attacks in Pakistan.

With the clandestine help of Israel and America, on 26 February 2008, India conducted its first test of a nuclear-capable missile from an under sea platform after completing its project in connection with air, land and sea ballistic systems. Next day, Pakistan’s Naval Chief Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir had disclosed, “We are aware of these developments, which are taking place with a view to putting nuclear weapons at sea and it is a very serious issue”. However, Washington, New Delhi and Israel are plotting to block the sea lanes of the Indian Ocean for their joint strategic goals.

It is notable that taking cognizance of the growing threat of global terrorism which has been dividing the Western and Islamic nations on cultural and religious lines since 9/11, American and European governments have already started inter-faith dialogue especially between the Christian and the Muslim nations. Nevertheless, all these measures are proving fruitless due to a deliberate anti-Muslim campaign, launched by the Indo-Israeli lobbies, creating obstacles in global cultural cooperation which is essential for global peace. America and its allies continue to kill many innocent civilians in Afghanistan, Kashmir and Palestine through heavy aerial bombardment and ground shelling in the name of war on terror. US-led Indo-Israeli forces have been using every possible technique of state terrorism in the occupied territories which have become the breeding grounds of a prolonged interaction between freedom fighters and state terrorists.

The September 11 tragedy in the US provided both India and Israel with a golden opportunity to achieve their covert goals with the backing of American-led western countries. They immediately joined the US war on terror and have continuously been trying to convince the US-led western states through a propaganda campaign that the Kashmiri and Palestinian freedom fighters including Hezbollah are terrorists. They accuse Iran, Syria and Pakistan of sponsoring cross-border terrorism in the related regions of South Asia and the Middle East. At present, the equation of terrorism with the so-called Islamic fundamentalism is a key issue between the Eastern Muslims and Western Christians. Availing the ongoing international phenomena, by equating the ‘war of independence’ in Kashmir and Palestine with terrorism has become the main target of New Delhi and Tel Aviv.

It is of particular attention that the US has been providing Pakistan with military and economic aids due to its role of a frontline state for American war on terror, while on the other hand is accusing the country of safe havens for Al Qaeda related terrorists cause of attacks on NATO forces in Afghanistan. In the same sense, Washington, favours a peace process in the Middle East but on the other side, it supports Israeli right of self-defence, providing her a justification to keep on going with its atrocities on the innocent people of Gaza and the West Bank. Hindu-Jewish lobbies are also convincing the Americans for their favour in relation to Kashmir and invading tribal areas of Pakistan, So, American ambivalent approach has given a good chance to India and Israel in manipulating the same for their common covert interests.

If India considers Pakistan as its enemy number one, Israel takes Iran in the same sense especially due to its nuclear programme which is also negated by the US. Tel Aviv is also against Pakistan as it is the only nuclear Islamic country. Nevertheless, this similarity of interests has brought the two countries to follow a common secret diplomacy.

Returning to our earlier discussion, Indo-Israeli secret diplomacy is bound to result into a global catastrophe in wake of the different war between the US-led sovereign entities and non-sovereign entities. In this regard, we should remember that secret treaties were the major cause of the World War 1. Indian historian V.D Mahajan remarks that the major cause of the World War 1 was the secret alliance among Austria-Hungary and Germany then Italy joined the Austro-German alliance, initiated by German leader Bismark. On the other side France, Britain and Japan concluded counter alliance ultimately all that resulted into militarization of Europe and the World War 1. In this respect, if not checked in time, the secret collusion of Israel and India which is being patronized by Washington could lead the international community to World War111, popularly, known as clash of civilizations.

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