Author Archive

1979: The then Soviet Union invades Afghanistan. In the years that follow Moscow will rule Kabul by proxy while the US, Pakistan, China, Iran and Saudi Arabiaextend their support to anti-communist Muslim fighters, the Mujahideen, who oppose the Soviets.

1988–1989: The Soviet Union withdraws. More than 15,000 Soviet soldiers have died in the conflict.

1992: Led by Ahmed Shah Massoud, Mujahideen forces remove the Soviet-backed government, but in the years that follow rivalry between different groups of fighters reduce Kabul to rubble and effectively plunge Afghanistan into civil conflict.
 

1994: Mullah Mohammed Omar, a Muslim cleric, sets up Taliban movement of Islamic students who take up arms to end the chaos in Afghanistan. They capture Kandahar and advance on Kabul.
 

1996: The Taliban takes Kabul and hangs Mohammad Najibullah, the then president. The year also sees the return to Afghanistan of Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda's leader who fought with Mujahideen groups against the Soviet occupation.
 

1998: The US launches missiles at suspected bin Laden bases in the country in retaliation for the bombing of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
 

1999: The UN imposes an air embargo and freezes Taliban assets in an attempt to force them to hand over bin Laden for trial.

Security around top leaders and vital installations in Indian Punjab has been increased following intelligence reports of Sikh separatist groups trying to recruit youth from the US and India to revive liberation of Khalistan.Reports of a meeting between officials and Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) chief Wadhawa Singh in December have raised concerns among security agencies in the state. A  top-secret intelligence communication from Punjab Police to security agencies last week states: “To execute this task, Wadhawa Singh is making efforts to mobilise volunteers from Punjab as also from the US, who could be made to travel to India via Malaysia or Singapore.”

Following this, security agencies have been asked to take appropriate security measures to protect VIPs and important installations across the state. The VIPs said to be in the target list of the terror outfits include Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu. Bittu, who is the Punjab Youth Congress president, is the grandson of former state chief minister Beant Singh, who is credited with wiping out Sikh’s in the state in the early 1990s with ’super-cop’ KPS Gill. Beant Singh was assassinated by a human bomb here Aug 31, 1995.  continue

MQM has ordered its elite terrorist wing to move from South Africa to Pakistan for the final round with the Armed Forces and make Karachi Beirut of Pakistan leading to the separation as independent territory. Though it might not be relevant to the South African government now but may become problem in future.  It is understood that elite terrorist unit is active by looking at the targeted killings of 18 Haqiqi (Mohajir Qumi Movemnt) in the month of January 2010 alone, and 81 members from  June 2009 – December 2009 in six months period, the total number of Haqaqi workers killed in the past eight years from 2002-2010 is shamefully 154.  There are other groups whose members have been killed allegedly by London – Edgware based MQM-Altaf group. 

Approximately 16 or more members of MQM elite terrorist wing have entered into Pakistan some with different IDs in the past four weeks. Some of the people arrived in Karachi had bounty on their heads and are wanted in Pakistan for heinous crimes. The master mind of the group is known as Qamar Ghalib Teddy (Johannesburg), Sohial Commando, Rizwan Haider, Nadeem Mullah. continue

SPECIAL REPORT

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—The Zardari government is silent on a major development where the government of Thailand allowed foreign-backed anti-Pakistan groups, including groups funding terrorism inside Pakistan, to hold a conference in Bangkok on Feb. 22 and 23.

The conference explicitly called for international support for the breakup of Pakistan and for carving out smaller states in its place.

Dissidents claiming to represent Balochi-speaking Pakistanis and Iranians were invited to the conference, full expenses paid.

An unknown group that calls itself Baloch Voice Foundation, based in Paris, organized the event. The group is funded according to reports by the Washington-based Jamestown Foundation, a US think tank that shows a lot of interest in promoting separatism inside Pakistan and Iran.

Bangkok is known in intelligence circles as a favorite CIA destination for shady public events.

CIA, with Indian help, recruited Mr. Brahamdagh Bugti to wage a terrorist insurgency inside Pakistan in the name of freedom for Balochi-speaking Pakistanis. Mr. Abdolmalik Rigi was hired to spread terror inside Iran. Pakistani authorities have shared evidence with Washington proving that rogue CIA elements are sponsoring Mr. Bugti. Iran on the other hand has shown more boldness than Pakistani authorities, intercepting a plane and arresting Mr. Rigi after he visited a US military base in Afghanistan.

A group of Pakistani citizens gathered in front of the hotel in Bangkok carrying banners that read, ‘Stop using Thai soil against Pakistan’ and ‘Balochistan is Pakistan’ among others.

No sooner did Pakistan arrest leading Afghan Taliban figures, conspiracy theories surfaced in the US media in an attempt to malign Pakistan. Indians and their apologists in US were at the forefront of this campaign. Far from appreciating Pakistani stand, strong signs exist that CIA continues its double game against Pakistan. Despite statements to the contrary, Washington continues to bet on the puppet regime of President Asif Ali Zardari.

The US duplicity in its dealings with Pakistan continues unabated and I have always maintained that the scale of their enterprise in destabilizing Pakistan can only be understood by finding linkages in seemingly unconnected events and publications.Just when the Pakistan military has taken a strong position on its military operations in FATA and the pull towards dialogue with the tribals is becoming evident, the US subversive activities against Pakistan are becoming more overt, and old CIA connections are taking centre stage again including so-called “experts” on Pakistan! Let us look at some recent developments and see the linkages.

First, after incessant cries from ignorant US officials and even more ignorant but imperialist minded media, of Pakistan not doing enough against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, when the Pakistanis captured a leading Taliban commander, suddenly the Americans – and their media and officialdom do have close connections – through their media led forth a new chant of why Pakistan had arrested this man! There were conspiracy theories that immediately began floating that somehow Pakistan arrested this Taliban commander to disrupt the dialogue that Karzai is seeking with the Taliban because Pakistan wants to remain in control of any such dialogue. Talk about bizarre assumptions! So, as some of us have always maintained, in the eyes of the US, Pakistanis will always find themselves in a position of “damned if we do and damned if we don’t.” It is time therefore to wash our hands off this whole US-led misguided “war on terror” and evolve our own strategies to deal with our own problem of violence and extremism which is multidimensional and cannot be straitjacketed into merely a Taliban framework. continue

The concept of Jihad in Islam has been grossly misunderstood, rather distorted. In the West where it has been presented as barbarism, as aggressive use of brute force. The term militant Islam which has been in vogue in the world press recently, this is a follow-up of this very approach to the fundamental concept of Islam and a continuation of the old Jihad phobia of the non-Muslims.

The after-affects of the Crusades which badly affected the relations between the Muslims and the Christians still linger on. European Christians are still smarting under that defeat. They have therefore tried all sorts of means to eliminate the spirit of Jihad from amongst the Muslims as it was this spirit that reduced their designs to dust. Through malicious propaganda campaigns, distortion on the true concept of Jihad and labeling of Muslims as barbarous killers and usurpers they have depicted a horribly ugly picture of Islam in the eyes of the world. The significance of Jihad must therefore be elucidates in the light of the Holy Quran.

Jihad means striving utmost to achieve an objective. The primary objective before the Muslims is establishment of a social order based on the Quranic fundamental principles. All efforts to that end fall with in the meaning of Jihad. Armed fight against formidable
resistance by self-seeking people which is called Qatal is also Jihad and has been allowed by the Quran in extreme circumstances. Islam is a Deen (system) of peace and protection.

Three questions arise here:

(1) Is Islam really a deen of peace, justice, and tolerance?
(2) Does it allow discriminate fighting against the enemy or has it laid down certain checks and rules for it?
(3) Under what circumstances did the Muslims fight against non-Muslims?

Source: Parvez-Video

Acts of terrorism are not confined to Muslims alone. Terrorists come from every religion. But the media often uses the term Islamic terrorists or Islamic terrorism, implying terrorism is associated with Islam. It is our duty as American Muslims to present the true picture of Islam, which is that Islam does not teach terrorism under any circumstances. It forbids killing of innocent civilians. The holy Book of Islam, the Quran, says: "If anyone murders an innocent person … it will be as if he had murdered the whole of humanity." 

So, who are the Muslims who commit such heinous acts in the name of Islam? It is obvious from the above injunction of the Quran that they do not follow true Islam. Therefore, they must be driven not by Islam but some other desire (such as hate or revenge) to commit acts of terrorism. Muslims around the world greet (or are supposed to greet) each other, and others, using the Arabic words, "Assalamu ‘Alaikum" which means: "peace beunto you." There is no doubt that some Muslims, while using such a benevolent greeting, carry malevolent intentions in their hearts. The holy Book of Islam,the Quran, condemns such people by saying: "Why do you say that which you do not practice?" Such Muslims, therefore, do not represent Islam. Islam has nothing to do with those who commit acts of terrorism. Therefore, it is wise to differentiate Muslims and Islam. Just as acts of terrorism committed by Christians cannot be attributed to Christianity, acts of terrorism committed by Muslims must not be attributed to Islam or its teachings.  continue

The founder of modern Pakistan, Mohamed Ali Jinnah, was a muslim Pakistani. He was enigmatic, eloquent, and determined. Like Turkey's Grey Wolf, Ataturk, Jinnah helped a great people find a place in the modern world. This brief documentary captures the spirit of the Pakistani Grey Wolf.

Quaid e Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah

With Pakistan still undecided when to formally seek intervention of the International Court of Arbitration against controversial construction of Kishanganga hydropower project by India in violation of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, New Delhi has started preparations to build another big dam on River Chenab.

Documents available with Dawn suggest that the government of Indian-occupied Kashmir has invited bids for a ‘topographical survey of Bursar Dam (on Chenab) for acquisition of land and property’. New Delhi plans to begin construction by the end of the year.

Bursar Dam is considered as the biggest project among a host of others being built by India on two major rivers – Jhelum and Chenab – flowing through the state of Jammu & Kashmir into Pakistan and assigned to Islamabad under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. The proposed dam would not only violate the treaty, international environmental conventions and cause water scarcity in Pakistan but would also contribute towards melting of Himalayan glaciers. continue

This was my first interaction with the soldier who commands the seventh largest military force on the face of the planet." With this catchy line, Dr. Farrukh Saleem began his brief and fascinating account of a meeting with General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. On Feb. 10, 2010, Gen. Kayani met a group of Pakistani commentators and security analysts. The briefing was the third since the military began asserting Pakistan's legitimate security and strategic interests in Afghanistan and the region. 

Pakistan army chief has offered to train the Afghan army. This is part of a list of demands – not all of them made public – that seek to correct a basic American mistake: While courting Pakistan as an ally, Washington secretly empowered India.Until last month, Washington was hoping that India’s relatively cheaper soldiers will come handy where the Europeans won’t, and that a bungled Afghan project could be continued on, well, a leaner budget.

Gen. (R) Hamid Gul in an exclusive interview on Al Jazeera:

Mossad role in Turkey coup plot revealed – Tuncay Gueny is suspect of attempts to topple Turkish government. *Israel's national intelligence agency Mossad has been behind a failed coup in Turkey, the Turkish daily newspaper,/ Milliyet/ reports. *

A secret investigation into detained Ergenekon group members and other studies outside Turkey indicate that Mossad orchestrated the coup plot against the Turkish government, the report says. The Ergenekon group is a Turkish neo-nationalist organization with alleged links to the military, members of which have been arrested on charges of plotting to foment unrest in the country. Investigators uncovered evidence that show a Jewish rabbi named Tuncay Guney, who worked for Mossad and fled to Canada in 2004, was a key figure behind attempts to overthrow the Turkish government.

A document uncovered this week by the /Sabah/ daily shows how Guney purposefully infiltrated Ergenekon and another organization known as JITEM, an illegal intelligence unit in the gendarmerie suspected of hundreds of murders and kidnappings . The rabbi was taken out of Turkey and sent to the US for protection after his identity was exposed in an investigation by Turkish police, according to Sabah.

Guney is also reported to have links with Israeli espionage activities in Egypt. According to Egyptian security forces, at least one of three suspects currently being pursued by the Egyptian government for spying was in contact with Tuncay Guney. Meanwhile, a separate report by Turkish daily /Yeni Safak/ has claimed that Turkish security forces have discovered some bags in Guney's Istanbul house that include the Israeli flag and Mossad's slogan.

According to an earlier report by/ Aksam/another Turkish daily, Mossad has been involved in several ambiguous events in Turkey. The report claimed that Turkish security forces have discovered documents that disclose information concerning suspicious investment and economic activities by certain Jewish businessmen in Turkey. The Jewish businessmen are alleged to have had significant relations with individuals, political groups and cultural organizations, which investigations show are affiliated to the Ergenekon group. Turkish security forces have detained many members of the Ergenekon group, including retired army generals, politicians, popular lawyers and famous journalists. The individuals currently face trail on charges of plotting to overthrow Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The United States, the United Kingdom and Australia have issued travel advisories to its citizens in view of the critical security situation in India. Recently, a bomb blast at a bakery frequently visited by foreigners in Pune has raised suspicions that Indian Hindu terrorist organization, which can go so far to block celebration of St Valentine Day, may carry out further attacks and suicide bombings on foreigners.

According to media reports, a US travel alert said “American citizens have been advised to be alert to the continued possibility of terrorist attacks in India as terrorists and their sympathizers are capable of attacking US citizens.” In its travel alert, updated after the blast, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) of the UK government said: “British nationals are reminded to remain vigilant in public places”.

“There is a high general threat from Hindu terrorism throughout India. Recent attacks have targeted public places, including those frequented by westerners and expatriates.” Australia, in its alert said: “We advise you to exercise caution in India at this time because of the high risk of terrorist activity by Hindu militant groups…We continue to receive reports of possible threats against prominent business and tourist locations, in Mumbai and New Delhi”.

Lahore, Feb.17 (ANI): The Indian Government’s charge that he masterminded the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai is unfounded and baseless, said Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Muhammed Saeed.

Accusing New Delhi of indulging in fabricated propoganda, Saeed demanded concrete proof of his reported involvement in the said attack that claimed the lives of over 160 people and injured more than 300.

“India always indulges in propaganda and has always fabricated false reports about me and that’s how India has been able to use international pressure against us,” Saeed said in an exclusive interview to Al Jazeera here.

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Baradar’s capture signifies a split within the Afghan Taliban, as he headed the minority faction more open to negotiations with the Afghan government and the US. His secret negotiations in Dubai may have angered hardliners including Mullah Omar, who have rejected the offers of negotiations and reconciliation with the Karzai government, and representatives of the US and NATO.

Shahid R. Siddiqi

Indian explosion of its nuclear device in 1974 drew only a customary “show of concern” from the Western powers. But Pakistan’s nuclear program, initiated in response to the Indian acquisition of nuclear weapons, evoked immediate and “serious concern” from the same quarters. Ever since, Pakistan has been under immense pressure to scrap its program while the Indians remain uncensored.

That Western discriminatory attitude can also be seen by the religious color it gave to Pakistan’s bomb by calling it an ‘Islamic bomb’. One has never heard of the Israeli bomb being called a ‘Jewish Bomb’, or the Indian bomb a ‘Hindu Bomb’, or the American and British bomb a ‘Christian Bomb’ or the Soviet bomb a ‘Communist’ (or an ‘Atheist) Bomb’. The West simply used Pakistan’s bomb to make Islam synonymous with aggression and make its nuclear program a legitimate target, knowing full well that it merely served a defensive purpose and was not even remotely associated with Islam.

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Salary & Govt. Concessions for a Member of NATIONAL ASSEMBLY (MNA)

Monthly Salary : Rs. 120,000  to 200,000

• Expense for Constitution  per month : Rs.100,000 
• Office expenditure per  month : Rs.140,000
• Traveling concession (Rs.  8 per km)  : Rs.48,000 (For a visit to ISLAMABAD & return): 6000 km 
  
  
  

1. Daily BETA during  Assembly  meets : Rs.500  
2. Charge for 1st class (A/C)  in train : Free (For any number of times all over   PAKISTAN )
3. Charge for Business Class in flights: Free for 40 trips / year (With wife or P.A.) 
4. Rent for Govt.. hostel any  where: Free
5. Electricity costs at home  : Free up to 50,000 units   
6. Local phone call charge :   Free up to 1,70,000 calls
7. TOTAL expense for a MNA  per year : Rs. 32,000,000
8. TOTAL expense for 5 years  : Rs. 1,60,000,000
9. For 534 MNA, the expense  for 5 years;

Rs. 85 , 440,000,000 (more than 800 Korores)

And they are elected by THE PEOPLE OF PAKISTAN, through a democratic process of this world, not intruded into the assembly on their own or by any qualification. This is how all our tax money is been swallowed and price hike on our regular commodities… Think of the great democracy we have?

Kindly do search for yourself in order to get the updated statistics….

The government has asked General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani to accept an extension in his tenure as Chief of Army Staff for another two years. The verbal offer was made to sound out General Kayani whether he would agree to or turn it down. The move has been made to ensure continuity in Pakistan’s policy on the war on terror and it also has a nod from Washington as the Army has achieved remarkable successes in the war on terror under General Kayani’s command. 

The CIA, itself a ruthless, terrorist organization inspires terrorism in response. In some cases, notably the CIA and al Qaeda, the relationship between the CIA and terrorism is symbiotic. The CIA perpetuates an "American Holocaust", the deaths of some 6 million people from its inception to the year 1987. For as Long as the CIA Exists, the US will never be safe from terrorism. It has long been time to realize JFK's dream of smashing the CIA into a 'thousand pieces'.

CIA operations follow the same recurring script. First, American business interests abroad are threatened by a popular or democratically elected leader. The people support their leader because he intends to conduct land reform, strengthen unions, redistribute wealth, nationalize foreign-owned industry, and regulate business to protect workers, consumers and the environment. So, on behalf of American business, and often with their help, the CIA mobilizes the opposition. First it identifies right-wing groups within the country (usually the military), and offers them a deal: "We'll put you in power if you maintain a favorable business climate for us." The Agency then hires, trains and works with them to overthrow the existing government (usually a democracy). continue

No lawyer comes forward to defend Shazia Bashir, the servant girl murdered by her employer. The powerful association of lawyers in Lahore, arrayed in defence of the murderer, launches death threats and prevents access to the Court. Christian Association condemns this new form of terrorism. 

Because of the threats posed by the powerful Lahore Bar Association – an umbrella organization of city lawyers – no Christian or Muslim lawyer is ready to take on the defence in the murder of 12 year-old Shazia Bashir, it was reported yesterday by The Pakistani Christian association that deals with legal assistance.  

The girl, of Christian faith, died on Jan. 23 as a result of violence – even sexual – at the hands of her employer, a wealthy and powerful Muslim lawyer in Lahore. The alleged murderess, Chaudhry Mohammad Naeem, is a former president of the Lahore High Court Bar Association. The girl, just 12 years old, had worked as a maid in the home of Naeem in the last six months.

The Center for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS) denounces that access to the courtroom where the court hearings were held against the accused was denied, because a group of Muslim lawyers (pictured) 'prevented' entry. The association is fighting – for free – for the rights of the poorest and marginalized groups has been  threatened by  thousands of lawyers – friends of the murderer – that promise to burn alive anyone who wants to represent the victim in court. "  

M. Joseph Francis, director of Claas, asked members of civil society, political and religious leaders to rise up and take steps to "condemn this new form of terrorism" by lawyers who "should ensure justice." The Pakistani newspaper The Newsreported that on Feb. 4, the police conducted the accused to the courts amid "tight security. And, as usual, officials prevented journalists and relatives of victims to come into the hall for "security reasons".  

Shazia Bashir's family could not access the court not once but three times, a strange fact, regarding the judiciary in Pakistan. Police officials explain that it would "not be possible" to prevent clashes and violence, where "Shazia's relatives and representatives of minorities to enter the courtroom."  

Meanwhile Ashgar Ali, heading the investigation, requested the accused appear before the courts and an extension of the terms of custody for six days. The magistrate added that the murder weapon has not yet been recovered and the accused could provide the names of accomplices, who participated in the torture and murder of the 12 year old Christian girl. The court, however, has only partly accepted the request, ruling only four days in jail.

From: Fareed Khan

MQM caught spying red-handed for foreign nationals and smuggling classified state material outside Pakistan and violated Official Secret Act.  According to a report published in the press Waseem Akthar (MNA) and former advisor to the Chief Minister on policing caught with spying devices and equipments. It is reported that MQM members in Karachi were sending recordings of the meetings with President Asif Zaradri, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilliani, Chief Minister, and Interior Minister   Rehman Malik. MQM also recoded and smuggled classified proceedings of sensitive meetings at the Rangers Headquarters in Karachi discussing security plan of Karachi most important city of Pakistan. The mode of transfer of the information is not been mentioned but one can assume sending as multi media file (voice recording) via internet or by an airline employee coming to London from Karachi.

Questions come to mind are why MQM politicians recorded and smuggled sensitive recordings to London: 

• they are forced to do for third party or parties 
  
• Altaf Hussain’s mistrust on local leaders in Karachi 
  
• Paranoia and HPD of Altaf Hussain.?  continue

Mirza sent a fawning petition to the British Lt-Governor of the province, he referred to his loyal services to the government of Britain and reminded him that he was their 'their own plant' (khud sakhtah pauda) and, then went on to request that his followers be given special consideration by officials.

“Pakistan should give its nuclear assets (program) under the United Nations control”,reportedly said Ahmed Abdul Rafique a lawyer and Secretary Foreign Affairs  of Qadiyani minority in Frankfurt Germany chapter at a Swat charity dinner few weeks ago in the presence of an active member of Social Democratic Party and German Member of Parliament Otay Zaph who earlier also mentioned the weakness of Pakistani government and security of Pakistan’s nuclear program. Dr Jasper Abrahmoski a high level government official from the Department of Development and Cooperation also attended the event.

Senior Pakistani diplomats Mr Zahid Ahmed and Dr Feroze Alam Junejo walked out of the program in protest. They recorded their protest with reporetdly former Major Zubair Khalil an organiser for the alleged remarks. Any sane person would consider these remarks by a leading media spokesman and member of Qadiyani minority as an attack on the sovereignty of Pakistan? continue

US private security contractor Blackwater, formerly known as Xe Security, was neither operating in Pakistan nor its trained security officers were part of prime minister’s safety escort, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Wednesday.

“I said this earlier and categorically say once again that there is no existence of Blackwater in the country,” said the minister. He was replying to a question when asked to comment over media reports about inclusion of Xe-trained officers in the official security escort of the prime minister.

Meanwhile, the minister said the US official security experts had been imparting training to Pakistani civil law enforcementagencies; especially police officers, under a pact signed during Pervez Musharraf era, which was aimed at increasing their professional skills and standard to combat terrorism.

Responding to another query, Malik welcomed the recent Indian announcement for consideration of Pakistani cricketers for second edition of Indian Premier League (IPL), adding that his ministry would certainly allow the players to fly to India; in case they formally receive offer and agree to participate in the IPL. “We welcome the Indian decision, which was made due to strong protest of our nation. India should show same flexibility for resolution of Kashmir as well as water disputes, and come at the dialogue table,” he maintained.

Regarding Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s speech in the National Assembly, Malik said the PM has clearly given the message of national unity and called for working together to achieve combined targets of national development.

Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan has won another honour, as he has been invited by the US President Barack Obama on his annual breakfast, according to official sources here. It makes Governor Ishrat-ul-Ebad as the first Pakistani personality to whom the US President has invited on his annual breakfast ceremony to be held in Washington on February 4.

Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad has also won the honour of having become the longest serving Governor and he is described as a personality who plays the role of a bridge on every occasion of a difference in the ruling coalition.

Amazing isn't it?

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NEWS JUST IN

MIRAMSHAH: A suspected US drone has been shot down in North Waziristan, sources said Sunday. The local tribesmen have claimed that they fired down the unmanned aircraft in Hamzoni area.

The unmanned aircraft came down in Humzoni area of Datta Khel in North Warisitan bordering Afghanistan, where there have been over 14 drone strikes over the past few weeks.

According to state TV, the drone was shot down while the tribesmen have also claimed that they fired down the pilotless aircraft.

Both the Pakistani and US authorities have maintained a silence on this officially, although it is suspected to be a warning to Langley from Pakistan’s Armed Forces to put an immediate halt to US airspace violations and missile attacks inside Pakistani territory. Relations between the two ‘allies’ appear to have taken a nose-dive in recent days.

“Too Little, Too Late, We Already Have Superior UAVs”

Mariana Baabar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan military sources say they are not impressed by the offer of the United States to supply RQ-7 Shadow Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), as they already have superior quality UAVs, which they have upgraded, and which are in use.

The disappointment is understandable since unlike the drones that fly and take out targets inside Pakistan’s Fata region, the ones being offered to Pakistan are unarmed and commonly used for intelligence gathering.

Later, when DG ISPR Major General Athar Abbas was asked about the overall weapons being provided to Pakistan for counterinsurgency and other military supplies, he remarked, “Too little, too late”.

It was US Defence Secretary Robert Gates who, in a meeting with the media at the residence of the US ambassador, said the US was enhancing Pakistan’s intelligence capabilities. He said the offer comes because Islamabad had requested for them. “We have a lot of information on the Afghan side that we share … we also help Pakistan build its own capacity. We will be providing them with UAVs (Shadow) together with equipment and training,” he said.

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PKKH Editorial

The tide has shifted dramatically in recent years. Resurgent Afghan Taliban, better armed, trained, and deadly effective, now have control over 80% of Afghan territory. There has been a significant increase in offensive targetting of US and NATO bases and Afghan government officials and buildings in the last couple of years, with even Kabul coming under increasing pressure.

On the other side of the border, the CIA and Indian supported TTP has been getting a hiding at the hands of Pakistan’s armed forces with even the US and NATO stunned at the efficiency and success of the army operations against TTP militants in Swat and South Waziristan. For the first time in 8 years, Pakistan now has the upper hand and has started to dictate terms to the US, starting last week with the rejection of US request to extend the operation to North Waziristan where Jalaluddin Haqqani’s faction allegedly operates from. Anticipating an imminent turnaround in Pakistan’s Afghan policy and fearing the US supply lines into Afghanistan may come under pressure, the US immediately sought to pacify the Pakistan Armed Forces with promises to deliver 12 ‘unarmed’ shadow drones – which hasn’t worked.

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A US chopper shot down by the Afghan Taliban – who now control over 80% of Afghan territory

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is reaching out to “all levels” of the Afghan Taliban in a bid to encourage reconciliation in its war-torn neighbour, the foreign ministry said on Saturday.

US President Barack Obama has said a political solution is needed to stabilise Afghanistan and emphasised that success would not be possible without the support of Pakistan.

“We are trying to reach out to them (Taliban) at all levels and all of us would like that our efforts should bring some results, but at this point in time it is very difficult to say,” Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said of Pakistan’s efforts.

The Afghan government is preparing a reintegration plan with the Taliban that targets lower to mid-level Taliban fighters, but has not focused on more senior leaders of the insurgency.

International donors are meeting in London on Jan 28 when Afghan President Hamid Karzai is expected to seek their support for his reintegration plan.

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Times of India Reports:

WASHINGTON: There’s nothing secret or subtle about it. Uncle Sam is seeking spies, informers, linguists, and analysts from immigrant communities in the US to diversify its intelligence work force and tackle national security challenges.

Undeterred by the Headley-Gilani episode, Washington is sounding out Pakistani-Americans in the first round of recruitment, ostensibly because its intelligence agencies see Pakistan as the epicenter of international terrorism and a clear and present danger to the world community.

In an extraordinarily open and transparent recruitment drive, Dennis Blair, who as director of National Intelligence is the country’s top intelligence czar, held a round-table discussion last week with the Pakistani-American community in Washington to seek their cooperation and offer jobs in US agencies.

What was remarkable about the outreach meeting was the presence there of Pakistani ambassador to the US, Hussain Haqqani, amid strong resentment in Pakistan about the activities of the US intelligence agencies there and the uneasy relationship between the CIA and the ISI in the Af-Pak theatre.

This is the latest in the long list of Anti-state activities Hussain Haqqani has been found guilty in. His role adding the controversial clauses in the Kerry-Lugar bill has already put him on the warpath with Pakistan’s armed forces and Intelligence Agencies – which have been on Hussain Haqqani’s case for some time and are working towards his removal for his role in facilitating anti-state actors, alongwith that of Interior Minister Rehman Malik.

Dawn

The US embassy on Saturday tried to paper over Defence Secretary Robert Gates’s diplomatic faux pas of confirming Blackwater presence in Pakistan by putting the blame on the media, but it found few takers. Secretary Gates’s impromptu comments in a television interview have renewed the focus on seething rage among Pakistanis about the involvement of private US security companies, particularly Blackwater, in the country.

The embassy, in a statement on Secretary Gates’s remarks, accused the television station and newspapers of inaccurate and dishonest reporting. “The television station and many newspapers chose to inaccurately portray his answer as tacit confirmation on the use of Blackwater in Pakistan instead of as a commentary on use of security contractors in general. At no time did Secretary Gates say that Blackwater is operating in Pakistan,” the statement said.

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Pakistan’s army has said it will launch no new offensives on militants in 2010, as the US defence secretary arrived for talks on combating Taliban fighters. Army spokesman Athar Abbas told the BBC the “overstretched” military had no plans for any fresh anti-militant operations over the next 12 months. Our correspondent says the comments are a clear snub to Washington.

The US would like Pakistan to expand an offensive against militants launching cross-border attacks in Afghanistan. Defence Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Pakistan on Thursday for his first visit since US President Barack Obama took office last year.

The one-day trip comes at a crucial time in the fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban, with the US planning to commit 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. Mr Gates was expected to tell Pakistan that it could do more against top Taliban leaders operating in its territory, some of whom are alleged to have close links to Pakistan’s ISI intelligence service. continue

Just a couple of days after Chief of India’s Military Intelligence Lt. General R.K Loomba, completed his “high profile” yet covert trip to Afghanistan, militants struck in the heart of the Afghan capital on Monday, launching suicide attacks at key government targets including the Presidential Palace and locked security forces in running gun battles, which left nine people, including four attackers dead. 

The brazen strike in the city was a clear sign that the Indian MI Chief’s sensational trip to Afghanistan was not just a visit to make certain assessments but it had some extraordinary motives to pave the way for an elaborated military role of India in Afghanistan by proving that constantly increasing insurgency and terror in Afghanistan was not possible for the ISAF troops alone and the Indian army was the ultimate solution, reveal the investigations of The Daily Mail  continue

When the government was absent, Karachi’s patriots and PakNationalists moved and raised Pakistan’s flag across the area, in a message that Pakistan stands firm and proud despite what our enemies, internal and external, are doing to us.

These pictures were sent by Ibne Qassem, from FIF, one of the groups active in the rehabilitation work. We at PakNationalists and PKKH are proud to support the great work of the young men and women at FIF.

There were two distribution points:

1. First camp was at Light House, where we distributed approx 100 packs, and few sewing machines, to some affected tailors.

2. Second camp was at Bolton where approx 450-500 packs were handed out.

See our appeal for material and funds here [list of what is required to assist the laborers.]

The Blackwater operations run from Camp Chapman close to the Pakistani border could have been for anyone, Iran, Israel, India or one of their dozens of clients. Here are some startling revelations.

Were the seven CIA employees killed in the recent terror attack at Camp Chapman in Afghanistan really CIA? Sources now tell us that some were Blackwater operatives, not CIA at all.
Is the CIA and Blackwater one in the same? Are either one or both working for the United States or has the disease of privatization created a culture of greed and incompetence that has left the United States vulnerable and defenseless? Are we simply “out of our depth” in Afghanistan?

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Ansar Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: Former Naval chief Admiral Abdul Aziz Mirza gives credence to the recent French investigative report that talked of almost $49 million kickbacks in the Agosta-submarine deal allegedly received by President Asif Ali Zardari and others, including Naval officers, disclosing that the then Benazir government had urged the Pakistan Navy to go for the French subs.

Mirza, while quoting the then Naval chief Admiral Saeed Khan, also revealed that Benazir Bhutto’s defence minister Aftab Shaban Mirani had clearly indicated to the Pakistan Navy’s high command the government’s preference for the induction of the French submarines.

Despite these clear indications by the defence minister, the top naval command again met and deliberated on the subject and decided to recommend two options to the government — the British Upholder and the French Agosta. The government later approved the induction of the Agosta.

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Director General ISI Ahmad Shuja Pasha said on Tuesday that Afghan soil is being used for terrorist activities in Pakistan, adding that peace cannot be established in Pakistan unless infiltration from Afghan border is stopped.

Pasha’s statement came in the backdrop of increased US pressure to launch a parallel operation in North Waziristan.

Briefing the parliamentary committee on national security, the DG said that the drug mafia in Afghanistan is supporting terrorists who are creating unrest within Pakistan. According to reports, the committee members believe that the Pak-Afghan border should be fenced and movement across the border should be strictly monitored. The members also called for the need to enhance security along the Pak-Afghan border.

After the meeting, Senator Raza Rabbani the chairman of the Parliamentary committee on national security briefed the media during which he informed that the committee members condemned the screening of Pakistani citizens at US airports, terming it a ‘violation of international Human Rights Declarations.

Pakistan’s consul general in the US city of Houston appeared in an accountability court here on Monday as a witness and confirmed that fake Pakistani passports had been issued to Indian citizens. 

Aqil Naeem told Judge Wamiq Javaid that the passports had been issued by the Houston consulate as alleged by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in its reference against former consul general Ghulam Rasool Baloch and others. He said that cases of misappropriation had been mentioned in the report of the audit of the consulate’s financial record. He said the record of all people who had submitted additional fees to obtain passports from the consulate was available. The court put off the hearing till Jan 19.

Pakistan’s consul general in Houston appeared in an accountability court and confirmed that fake passports were issued.—File photo

The foreign affairs ministry had referred to NAB on March 28, 2008, a report received from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation that about 300 passports had been issued by the consulate on fake or incomplete documents. A reference was filed against Ghulam Rasool, Assistant Consul General Mohammad Naeem and travel agent Imran Lalpuri for issuing passports to Indian citizens Aziz Moosa, Salim Ali and Abdul Sadiqas Sultan Abdullah. 

An American passport bearing the name Syed Nazar Ali was found after the 1993 terrorist attacks in Mumbai and investigations revealed that he was actually an Indian national, Aziz Moosa. During investigation it was found that several fake passports had been issued from the consulate. The former consul general’s lawyer S.A. Mehmood Sadozai argued that the prosecution had merely relied on information provided by the FBI and had not investigated the case. Replying to a question by the court, NAB prosecutors said they had examined FBI officials but did not record their statements.  Source: Dawn News

One of the paradoxes of America's bumbling intervention in Afghanistan is that the United States knows next to nothing about the country it is occupying. Not only that, but America's learning curve is so steep that it will be years, or decades, before our military and our intelligence services finally figure out which end is up — if they ever do. Which raises the question: how does years-long counterinsurgency learning curve sqaure with President Obama's pledge to start withdrawing troops by July, 2011?

I raise that question because that deadline will be long come and gone and US forces there still won't have any idea what they're doing.Last October,"Mc Chrystal Admits: We Don't Understand the Afghans," I quoted fairly extensively from General Stanley McChrystal's leaked, 66-page report on the war, in which he acknowledged that the United States and its allies, under the umbrella of ISAF (International Security Assistance Force), are blind to Afghanistan's complexities. continue

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“His explosives couldn’t have blown up his own seat. Even if full power, it wouldn’t have worked.” These were the words relayed to me during a Jan. 2 interview with military analyst and counterinsurgency specialist Gordon Duff in regard to the attempt of Christmas Day underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab [sometimes referred to as Abdulmutallab] to ignite 80 grams of the explosive PETN on a flight destined for America. He also explained how the patsy’s country of origin, Nigeria, is clandestinely controlled by the Israeli army and Mossad.

These entities train the military, sell weapons, run the airports, and wield power over DICON (Defense Industries Corporation). Furthermore, Mutallab’s father is a Mossad partner and Israel’s No. 1 contact in Nigeria. As the former CEO of his country’s most influential bank and the man who ran their national arms industry, Mr. Mutallab also harbors extremely close relationships with the U.S. ambassador and CIA chief in Nigeria.

On Nov. 19, 2009, Mutallab supposedly felt so alarmed about his errant son’s behavior that he met with the CIA’s station chief in Nigeria. Duff describes the father in a Dec. 31 article for Veterans Today as “one of the richest people in the world, head of a major bank, head of the national armaments industry, and close associate of the U.S. ambassador,” as well as being a Mossad asset. Yet we’re to believe that nobody prevented his Yemeni-influenced “terrorist” son from boarding a plane ultimately bound for Detroit? continue

Allegations that ISI has ’stepped up harassment of U.S. Embassy’ in Islamabad

Various reports in the American press (including the below excerpt from ‘Politico‘ blog) have come out blaming Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency, the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) of ‘unnecessarily harassing’ US Embassy officials in Pakistan – after a number of US diplomatic staff and Embassy employees have recently been caught engaging in illegal and anti-state activities.

Politico reports: As the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad publicly complained yesterday of the systematic harassment of U.S. officials in Pakistan, a longtime American Af-Pak hand says the Pakistani intelligence service the ISI appears to be deeply involved in the campaign.

“Seems the ISI has been putting pictures (with addresses) of houses containing [Embassy] Americans in the Urdu newspapers as a provocation,” the AfPak hand writes. “Several times recently the RSO (Regional Security officer) at the Embassy has had to contact folks in their offices during the day, and tell them that they can’t go home to their house tonight because of the unwanted attention caused by the ISI/Journalist provocations. Station and Emb have complained to ISI – but no acknowledgement (not surprising) and no abatement of the activity (worrisome).”

“The United States Embassy in Pakistan complained publicly Thursday that its staff members were being harassed and detained as they traveled around the country, a rare public protest reflecting the tensions as America expanded its presence here,” the Associated Press reports.

“American officials say they need to expand the embassy staff to help disburse $7.5 billion in aid to Pakistan. But many Pakistanis believe that the United States is bringing in spies to destabilize the country and to take over its nuclear program. American diplomats have faced delays in approvals for visas and visa extensions. Some have been stopped at checkpoints.” 

Pakistan and the United States are apparently not on the same page in regard to the Afghan Taliban, particularly insofar as the Haqqani network in Afghanistan is concerned. Washington clearly sees Sirajuddin Haqqani as the enemy. Pakistan sees him as a possible ally in the exit of the US from the war theater beginning in 2011. The US views Haqqani's fallback position (read sanctuary) in Pakistan as a direct threat to the Western coalition in Afghanistan and has warned of expanded drone strikes into Pakistani territory if it did not move more aggressively against him. Pakistan's reactions to the threat have ranged from sullen silence to outright anger expressed by senior establishment officials who consider Haqqani key to any reconciliation process. 

Pakistan's army chief, General Ashfaq Kiani, made no bones about his reservations on the subject when he responded to US exhortations "to do more" by saying that he had his hands full countering the al-Qaeda-inspired Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and that the Pakistan army was in no position to open another front. But there seemed to be a level of understanding on the common threat posed by the Afghan Taliban when The Washington Post quoted a Pakistani intelligence official as having said, "The Pakistani Taliban are the clear and present danger. They are what matters most. Once we are done with them, we will go after the Haqqani network" – signaling that no hard and fast lines had been drawn on the issue. continue

The current propaganda that MQM is running stage managed by that great BHAAND (even the bhaands of punjabi stage shows deliver a better performance) Altaf Hussain is failed attempt to tryto cover up their past sins. If that is not enough, we get Ali K Chishti with his barrister title to distribute propaganda online from youtube to chowk to KMB.

How many of you have lived in Karachi in 1990s? All shops and businesses used to get a 'parchi' for donation to MQM. No negotiation. Even couple of months ago there was news item in which Rabita Committee had said the citizens should report those elements which are collecting bhatta in the name of MQM. Assuming for the moment (a ludicrous hypothecal scenario) that these forces were not from MQM but rather Talibans, why didn't they say so? It is because nothing strikes more fear in a Karachiite than to be on the wrong side of MQM.

The bodies that used to be found in gunny bags in Karachi in Korangi, Landhi, New Karachi, etc. Taliban just perfected and humanized the art of killing informants (by doing away with gunny bags and shooting the guy). MQM victims used to have torture marks on their body, nails pulled out, cigarrete burns, drill machine holes. The newspapers of 1990s were replete with the descriptions.  continue

These days many so called ‘intellectuals’ like Pervez Hoodbhoy, NFP etc are always whining that we Pakistanis spend too much on defence and should cut our defence budget and spend more on reviving the economy, education and social sector. They believe that in today’s world economy is more important than arms and with a strong economy a country can have things their way.

This belief is based not on facts but on books and text they are taught at universities in a system which is based on making men and women better manager but not better leaders. I believe that Pakistan needs to spend on education, social sector and etc, but not at the cost of defence as she faces imminent threat from the East and now a looming threat from the West. With the threats that we are surrounded with, we have no choice but to keep our military defence up to date and running. There are great lessons to be learnt from history when many great empires have fallen because they did not pay enough attention to developing military capabilities.

The peaceful Dravidians of the Indus Valley Civilization were forced to leave their land and migrate by the much more powerful the Aryans. The Dravidians were smart people and were one of the first people who made the drainage system, they had trading with the Egyptians, but sheer force prevailed over their capabilities in other areas of development and technology.

The Arabs were able to take down the Mighty Persian Empire and the Roman Empires which were the two super powers of their time and had remained so for centuries. The Persians and the Romans (after the Greeks) fought many wars but were never able to defeat one another. However, the Arabs were able to take on both the Persians and Romans simultaneously. Both Empires despite their immense wealth could not use their riches to defeat the Arabs’ military might. continue

See below full list of Pakistani Participants Who Are Endorsing This Indian Meddling. Pakistan Needs To Support The 14 Separatist Insurgencies Inside India 

1. “Selected” Pakistani participants invited to discuss autonomy for ‘Balochistan and Kashmir.’ 
2. Unfortunately, the Pakistani media is clueless and is portraying this Jan. 10, 2010 seminar in New Delhi as a success for peaceniks in Pakistan and India.
3. No less than a former Pakistani federal minister has come out to endorse this seminar where an Indian-occupied territory has been equalized with Indian-fed terrorism inside a Pakistani province.
4. Interestingly, the only Pakistani so far to accept the invitation is a Pakistani journalist from Quetta who is supports Indian-backed terrorism in the province. And this Pakistani participant happens to be a graduate of an Indian training school.
5. List of Pakistani participants includes most of those names who are regular visitors of the Indian embassy in Islamabad
   

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