Afghan Confabs: A Coming Home of the Natives!

 By:    Aasef Chauhdry

The scenario in the Subcontinent has taken an abrupt turn and it has happened within a month. While Pakistan’s ISI is working ceaselessly to forge peace in the region like arranging talks between Kabul and Afghan Taliban on the direction of Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, India’s RAW is engaged in full-time sabotage activities and of late it has also started pressuring UK authorities for not sharing terrorists’ financing trail with Pakistan. It is just like sparing no opportunity to create hindrance and hurdles on one pretext or the other with the ultimate objective of destabilising the region so as to sabotage the peace process that has materialized.  The holding of these talks was an uphill task to get done, especially with the background of infighting in Afghanistan that was deep-rooted and every sane person realised that bringing the alienated factions on the table was not an easy task at all; however, with the hard work done by ISI under COAS’ directives, it was finally made doable. It came as big nudge to India and its supporters that all the prominent factions of Afghan Taliban took part in the talks.

It is hard for India to digest this new development especially the joint working of US, China and Pakistan to facilitate this peace process that will also go a long way in bringing about stability inside both Pakistan and Afghanistan. The fact is that both US and China realise this reality well that stability of Pakistan as well as Afghanistan is necessary to bring peace in the region. Till the convening of these talks, vested interests inside the Indian camp and that of its cohorts have been building up the impression that some groups of Afghan Taliban e.g. Haqqani Group will not take part in the talks. This propaganda turned out to be altogether false and forged.

On the other hand, Pakistan’s military, long accused of harboring insurgents who fight its cause in Afghanistan and beyond, proved by brokering landmark Taliban peace talks last week that it is serious about tackling Islamist militancy in the region. The heads of the army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency were personally involved in bringing about talks between the Afghan Taliban and Kabul government on July 8 near Islamabad.

The negotiations were a tentative first step toward ending war in neighboring Afghanistan that kills thousands of people each year, as government forces fight Taliban insurgents whose hardliner Islamist regime was toppled in 2001. The analysts are convinced that the Army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif in particular has made Afghanistan’s peace process a “top foreign policy goal”.  For him, convincing Afghans to end the war is just as imperative as fighting anti-Pakistani militants”.

China, a key regional ally and investor, has also played a much needed role in Pakistan’s intervention, as Beijing believes that the militants from its restive Xinjiang region receive training in lawless areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Moreover, changes in leadership in Pakistan and Afghanistan also helped pave the way for these talks. In Pakistan, doubtlessly, all credit goes to General Sharif who became army chief in 2013 and brought in Rizwan Akhtar to take over the ISI next year. While in Afghanistan, President Ashraf Ghani took office last September and ever since then he has made improving relations with Pakistan, in contrast to his predecessor Hamid Karzai.

The meeting of July 7 in the Pakistani hill resort Murree was the first direct interaction between the Afghan government and the Taliban in 14 years. Chinese and American officials also attended as “observers.” While the first round of talk turned to be quite fruitful there are different reports regarding venue of next round of dialogues between Afghan Taliban and Afghan government. As it is feared that the Indians will not spare any moment to spoil the peace efforts sincerely being made by Pakistan (to be more accurate if we say by the Pakistan Army and the ISI), the venue is not confirmed yet. However, the sources claim that the next round of dialogues between Afghan Taliban and Afghan government could be held in Islamabad. Pakistan hosted the meeting in a cautious step towards ending more than 13 years of war in neighbouring Afghanistan, where the Taliban have been trying to re-establish their regime, which was toppled by a US-led military invasion in 2001.

The delegates met from around 10 pm on July 7, after aftar, to 4am on July 8. The atmosphere at the meeting was “positive” and “warm” and it ended with the sides sharing Sehr. When they sat down for the Sehr meal, it was as if they were celebrating Eid. There was a sense of celebration. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has reached out to Islamabad since taking office last year, and Pakistan has pledged to pressure Taliban leaders, many of whom are believed to be hiding in the country, to come to the negotiating table.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the United States welcomed the talks, calling them “an important step toward advancing prospects for a credible peace”. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said China backed the process and was in touch with all sides.

A senior Pakistani official has said that the country will host the second round of talks between the Afghan Government and Taliban on July 31. The official rejected reports that the talks could be held in China or Qatar, confirming that the talks will be held in Pakistan. It is strongly believed that some progress is expected in the second round of talks between the Afghan Government and Taliban.

Some Western diplomats say Islamabad now seems serious about promoting Afghan stability. According to them this was the most genuine push they saw from Pakistan. Pakistani author Ahmed Rashid sees “an institutional change” at the top of the Pakistan military favoring ending Afghanistan’s war. As for India, Delhi felt it had been sidelined from the process because U.S. and Chinese observers attended the Taliban talks. It will be hard for India to digest this new development. She will create all sorts of hurdles to sabotage the emerging development. In fact, India wants instability in Afghanistan, which favours its clandestine aims. But Pakistan seeks stability in Afghanistan, which is essential for both the countries including US, China, Iran and other regional states. With this viewpoint, facilitation of dialogue between the Afghan rulers and the Taliban is a positive development, but India is failed to digest this bitter truth.

India May Have to Reap Tomorrow, What It is sowing in Pakistan Today – I

By:       Aasef Chauhdry

Many a time people in Pakistan asked the authorities to treat India with a dose of his own medicine, so that the latter can taste the tinge however, the policy makers in Pakistan has never liked to go down to the level of Indian devilish minds. Ever since the relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan has taken an abrupt turn and has shown positive results, the process has not only made India restless but has also turned its stomach growling. By now its talk of the town that India is sabotaging the peace process between Afghanistan and Pakistan by managing terrorist attacks on sensitive buildings. The most recent is an attack on a police station in Gujrat (Pakistan). India is desperately throwing a monkey wrench in the works by spoiling the dialogue between the Afghan rulers and the Afghan Taliban. RAW tried her best to create an impression that some groups like Haqqani outfit did not take part in the new talks. However, the presence of all the factions during the parleys was like a big slap across the Indian evil face. In order to obtain its secret aims, India is destabilizing almost every country of the region in general and Pakistan in particular. The operation is aimed at bumping up Indian dominion in the region. Nevertheless, at the same time India is sabotaging the peace process between Afghanistan and Pakistan by managing terrorist attacks on sensitive buildings like the recent attack on the Afghan parliament.

How about it if one gets the news from the horse’s mouth and the confessor is none other than the former Chief of Indian secret agency RAW, Amarjit Singh Dulat who very proudly disclosed few months back that over the years Indian intelligence agencies have financially supported the militants and separatists in Pakistan. Those who are taken aback by this confession may not get surprised because his confession was shortly endorsed by the Indian Defense Minister, Manohar Parrikar and even its Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who openly confirmed backing to anti-Pakistan elements in side Pakistan and elsewhere in the world. Mr. Modi proudly took the credit for the dismemberment of East Pakistan. An interesting point to note is, that Indian former Army Chief Gen. VK Singh also owned up about supervising the special army unit, Tactical Support Division (TSD) on the instructions of the then defense minister to sponsor rebellious activities in Pakistan, particularly Balochistan, during his command tenure. Indisputably, these unashamed confessions clearly verify that New Delhi has been funding and patronising shoddier kinds of terrorism inside Pakistan by promoting sub-nationalists. New Delhi has been exploiting these entities locally and abroad as surrogates against Pakistan. Hence, Pakistan reserves all the rights to take up the matter with UN Security Council to declare India a terror sponsoring state.

RAW is making efforts to weaken Afghanistan, Tibetan regions of China and Pakistan, especially Balochistan by arranging the subversive activities, promoting acrimonious sense of dissent, political volatility, sectarian violence and arousing sentiments of separatism, while Pakistan remains firm and committed to peace process in Afghanistan. Af-Pak peace is essential for regional strength and stability. Since the major beneficiary of volatility in Af-Pak region is India, therefore, latter is employing its resources in China, Afghanistan and Pakistan to create flux and insecurity. R&AW has been waging proxy war in Balochistan through sub-nationalists, extremists and other terrorist organizations. Military’s top brass accused the Indian intelligence agency RAW for supporting terrorism in Pakistan. In the recent corps commanders conference a serious notice of RAW’s involvement in whipping up terrorism in Pakistan was taken. In fact this was not the first time that RAW was blamed for poking its nose in Pakistan’s affairs. RAW has quite often been blamed by law-enforcement agencies for being involved in subversive activities in Pakistan; however, it was unusual in a way that the corps commanders’ conference directly point fingers at the hostile intelligence outfit for the first time. The military leadership has repeatedly raised the issue of activities of foreign governments and intelligence agencies in Pakistan. Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif had during a visit to Quetta in April this year warned the foreign governments and intelligence agencies in unambiguous words agai­nst their involvement in the uprising in Balochis­tan. The military authorities say that besides Balochistan, RAW’s footprints have been found in Fata and Karachi and the confessio­nal statements of some criminals arrested recently have been obtained. To support the claim the authorities refer to a statement made by Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval almost a year ago about the Indian strategy to weaken Pakistan by promoting terrorism and separatism.

Afghanistan: India Undermines Regional Stability

By Sajjad Shaukat

Waging a prolonged war in Afghanistan, the US and other NATO countries have realized that after the withdrawal of foreign troops, Afghanistan would be thrown in an era of uncertainly and civil war. They recognize the fact and terrorism or stability in Pakistan and Afghanistan is interrelated. Therefore, US-led developed nations which also spent billions of dollars for the development of Afghanistan have repeatedly agreed that without Islamabad’s help, stability cannot be achieved there. Unfortunately, India does not intend see peace in that country and is undermining regional stability by creating unrest in Afghanistan and some other countries, and by sabotaging their cordial relations. It is notable that on the direction of Pakistan’s Chief of Army Stafff General Raheel Sharif, country’s superior intelligence agency, ISI done hard to bring the Afghan Taliban factions to the negotiating table to conduct talks with the Afghan government. In this regard, Pakistan Foreign Office said, “A meeting hosted by Pakistan between the Afghan High Peace Council (HPC), the body tasked with opening negotiations and Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan representatives in Murree (On July 8, this year)-an Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process-the representatives of China and the USA also participated in the meeting. The participants expressed their collective desire to bring peace to Afghanistan and the region-agreed to continue talks through the next meetings.”

India which has been making attempts to foil the dialogue between the Afghan rulers and the Afghan Taliban is creating an impression that some groups like Haqqani outfit did not take part in the new talks. While, the US, China and Pakistan are jointly working to facilitate the process so as to bring peace both in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and the whole region. In fact, New Delhi is destabilizing the regional countries in general and Afghanistan and Pakistan in particular. In order to obtain its secret designs, aimed at augmenting Indian hegemony in the region, India is foiling the peace process between Afghanistan and Pakistan by managing terrorist attacks like the recent assaults in both the countries. In this respect, former Chief of Indian secret agency RAW, Amarjit Singh Dulat disclosed on June 4, this year that Indian intelligence agencies have over the years paid money to militants and separatists in the Indian occupied-Kashmir and Pakistan. However, the statement of RAW chief is not surprising, as recently, Indian Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar and even its Prime Minister Narendra Modi Modi openly confirmed assistance to anti-Pakistan elements including separation of East Pakistan.

It is mentionable that Indian former Army Chief Gen. VK Singh also confessed that during his tenure, he supervised special army unit, Tactical Support Division (TSD) on the instructions of the then defence minister to sponsor subversive activities in Pakistan, particularly Balochistan. These blatant admissions clearly prove that New Delhi has been sponsoring worse kinds of terrorism inside Pakistan by promoting sub-nationalists. New Delhi has been exploiting these entities locally and abroad as proxies against Pakistan. Nevertheless, Indian RAW has well-established its network in Afghanistan, and is fully assisting cross-border incursions and terror-activities in various regions of Pakistan through Baloch separatist elements and anti-Pakistan groups like Baluchistan Liberation Army (BLA), Jundullah and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) including their affiliated outfits. They also abducted and killed many Chinese and Iranian nationals. On a number of occasions, these insurgent groups claimed responsibility for their acts of sabotage.

RAW is making efforts to weaken Afghanistan, Tibetan regions of China and Pakistan, especially Balochistan by arranging the subversive activities, promoting acrimonious sense of dissent, political volatility, sectarian violence and arousing sentiments of separatism. It is notable that New Delhi which has already invested billion of dollars in Afghanistan, also signed a wide-ranging strategic agreement with that country on October 5, 2011. And, the then President Hamid Karzai had also signed another agreement with India to obtain Indian arms and weapons. While, under the cover of these agreements, India has further strengthened its grip in Afghanistan. By taking advantage of lawlessness in Afghanistan, India is up to its usual tirade to foment an environment by conducting terrorist attacks in that country to prove that Pakistan is creating trouble for Afghanistan.

It is worth-mentioning that Gen. Raheel accompanied by the DG of ISI went to Kabul on December 17, 2014. During his meeting with his Afghan counterpart, President Ashraf Ghani and the ISAF commander, he presented the evidence of linkage between the massacre of children at Peshawar school and TTP sanctuaries in Afghanistan. He also asked about action against the TTP and handing over of its chief Mullah Fazlullah to Pakistan. In response, Afghan government and US has started taking action against the TTP. A number of TTP militants have been captured in Afghanistan, while Fazlullah survived in a drone attack. Meanwhile, Washington has also designated Mullah Fazullah as a global terrorist and seized his Now, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani realized that Afghanistan and Pakistan are facing similar challenges of terrorism and will combat this threat collectively. On May 18, 2015, the two countries signed the security agreement—Pakistan’s ISI and Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) to share intelligence and conduct coordinated operations against terrorists. And, frequent visits of Pak-Afghan civil and military leaders to each other’s country also irritate Nonetheless, Indian desperation in Afghanistan is increasing in the backdrop of growing engagements of Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and US.

Besides, New Delhi is trying to sabotage the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Recent terror-attacks in Pakistan and Balochistan might be noted as example. In this connection, Indian backed Baloch secessionists have been directed to step up their activities on the CPEC project. Indian RAW has created a heavily funded China-Pakistan specific desk to target growing Pak-China-Afghanistan relations. If India continues its shrewd diplomacy, negative virtues of Afghan political and bureaucratic circles would not yield any positive effects regarding peace and stability of Afghanistan. Their efforts to create mistrust between Islamabad and Kabul are condemnable, as it also amounts to degrade and sabotage the global efforts of achieving peace and stability in the region. Instead of criticizing the improving relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Hamid Karzai should help in resolving the irritants which he failed to address during his era of presidency. High profile visits between Islamabad and Kabul would address the issue of cross-border militancy. They should discuss the failure of Afghan government to hand over of terrorist Fazlullah to Pakistan and better border management, which are direly needed for stable and secure environment. A harmonized Pak-Afghan relationship is the guarantee to draw maximum economic benefits for the future generations, and Pakistan is keen to see return of peace to Recent Pakistan-Afghanistan rapprochement-initiatives along with evolving Chinese role in Afghanistan for peace, economic and political developments of Afghanistan are viewed as positive steps with regional assurance. All the existing ethnic groups of Afghanistan are now stakeholders in the governance of country.

Afghan Government is also responsible for early repatriation and rehabilitation of Afghan refugees, languishing in Pakistan. So, this issue must be resolved on priority. Returning to our earlier discussion, India is weary of growing cooperation among Afghanistan, China and Pakistan. To hinder this trilateral cooperation, New Delhi is clearly bent upon creating unfavourable situation through her proxies by targeting China, Pakistan and Afghanistan. And Pakistan seeks stability in Afghanistan, which is essential for both the countries including China, Iran, US-led western countries and other regional states. But, India wants instability in Afghanistan, which favours its clandestine aims. Hence, India is undermining regional stability by applying secret diplomacy.

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

Day of Kashmir’s Accession to Pakistan

By Sajjad Shaukat

Every year, Kashmiris living on both sides of the Line of Control and Pakistan including rest of the world celebrate July 19 as the Day of Kashmir’s Accession to Pakistan, as on this very day in 1947, the historical resolution was adopted by the by the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference in Abi Guzar, Srinagar during an emergency convention at the residence of Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan. It was presided over by Chaudhry Hamid Ullah Khan, and the resolution was presented by Khawaja Ghulam-ud-Din Wani and Abdul Rahim Wani, with 59 prominent leaders in attendance. The resolution was unanimously adopted, indicating that existing religious, geographical, cultural, economic ties and the aspirations of millions of Kashmiri Muslims warrant accession of the state of Jammu and Kashmir with Pakistan. During the partition of the Sub-continent, the people of the state of Jammu and Kashmir which comprised Muslim majority decided to join Pakistan according to the British-led formula. But, Dogra Raja, Sir Hari Singh, a Hindu who was ruling over the J&K in connivance with the Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Governor General Lord Mountbatten joined India.

The design to forcibly wrest Kashmir began to unfold on August 16, 1947, with the announcement of the Radcliffe Boundary Award. It gave the Gurdaspur District—a majority Muslim area to India to provide a land route to the Indian armed forces to move into Kashmir. There was a rebellion in the state forces, which revolted against the Maharaja and were joined by Pathan tribesmen. Lord Mountbatten ordered armed forces to land in Srinagar. However, Indian forces invaded Srinagar on 27 October 1947 and forcibly occupied Jammu and Kashmir in utter violation of the partition plan and against the wishes of the Kashmiri people. When Pakistan responded militarily against the Indian aggression, on December 31, 1947, India made an appeal to the UN Security Council to intervene and a ceasefire ultimately came into effect on January 01, 1949, following UN resolutions calling for a plebiscite in Kashmir. It is mentionable that the Security Council adopted resolution 47 (1948) of 21 April 1948 which promised a plebiscite under UN auspices to enable the people of Jammu and Kashmir to determine whether they wish to join Pakistan or India. On February 5, 1964, India backed out of its promise of holding plebiscite. Instead, in March 1965, the Indian Parliament passed a bill, declaring Kashmir a province of India-an integral part of the Indian union. The very tragedy of Kashmiris had started after 1947 when they were denied their genuine right of self-determination. They organised themselves against the injustices of India and launched a war of liberation which New Delhi tried to suppress through various forms of state terrorism. Passing through various phases, the struggle of Kashmiris which has become an interaction between the Indian state terrorism led by the Indian security forces and war of liberation by the freedom fighters keeps on going unabated.

It is notable that since 1947, in order to maintain its illegal control, India has continued its repressive regime in the Occupied Kashmir through various machinations. In this regard, as already mentioned that India forcibly occupied Kashmir in gross violation of the “Partition Plan of the Indian Subcontinent, but, through the so-called-Instrument of Accession of October 27, 1947 which is illegal, and remains controversial, New Delhi justifies its hold on the Kashmir. India has also been acting upon ethnic cleansing and conspiracies to alter the demography of the Indian-held Kashmir. In this context, Indian establishment has militarized the princely state of Kashmir since its illegitimate occupation. In 1947, the Muslims constituted 77%, while the Hindu population was 23% of the population. The ratio is now 64.19% to 32.24% due to unabated killings and other controversial acts like settlement of non-Muslim migrants (Hindus For the purpose, illegal land-grabbing is being practiced by Indian security forces such as Army, CRPF, ITB, and BSF in the Indian Occupied Kashmir, using lease and acquisitions. Nevertheless, various forms of state terrorism have been part of a deliberate campaign by the Indian army and paramilitary forces against Muslim Kashmiris, especially since 1989. It has been manifested in brutal tactics like crackdowns, curfews, illegal detentions, massacre, targeted killings, sieges, burning the houses, torture, disappearances, rape, breaking the legs, molestation of Muslim women and killing of persons through fake encounter.

According to a report on human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir, from January 1989 to December 2013, there have been deaths of 93,984 innocent Kashmiris, 7,014 custodial killings, 1,22,771 arrests, 1,05,996 destruction of houses or buildings, 22,776 women widowed,  1,07,466 children orphaned and  10,086 women gang-raped/molested. Indian brutal securities forces have continued these atrocities—extrajudicial killings in way or the other.  From January 1 to June 15, 2014, there have been deaths of 54 innocent Kashmiris, 09 custodial killings, 3438 arrests, 08 destruction of houses or buildings, 02 women widowed, 03 children orphaned and 34 women gang-raped/molested.

In fact, Indian forces have employed various draconian and controversial laws like Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and the Public Safety Act (PSA) etc. in killing the Kashmiri people, and arbitrarily arrest of any individual for an indefinite period. Besides Human Rights Watch, in its various reports, Amnesty International has also pointed out grave human rights violations in the Indian controlled Kashmir, indicating, “The Muslim majority population in the Kashmir Valley suffers from the repressive tactics of the security forces. Under the Jammu and Kashmir Disturbed Areas Act, and the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act and Public Safety Act, security forces personnel have extraordinary powers to shoot suspected persons.” It is mentionable that under the cover of draconian laws, most of the times, majority of the popular pro-movement leadership is detained or house-arrested the Indian security forces, and mostly, without prior orders from the higher authorities. As per a Kashmiri human rights group, Voice of Victim (VOV), a total of 1 471 torture centres are operating in the Occupied Kashmir where arrested Kashmiri leaders and the youth are subjected to severe torture.

In this respect, European Union has passed a resolution about human rights abuses committed by Indian forces in the Indian held Kashmir. It is of particular attention that in 2008, a rights group reported unmarked graves in 55 villages across the northern regions of the Indian-held Kashmir. Then researchers and other groups reported finding thousands of mass graves without markers. In this regard, in the last few years, rights groups discovered nearly 3,000 unnamed graves in the various districts of Kashmir. In his respect, in August, 2011, Indian Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) officially acknowledged in its report that innocent civilians killed in the two-decade conflict have been buried in unmarked graves. The report indicated 2,156 unidentified bodies which were found in mass graves in various regions of the Indian-held Kashmir.

Notably, foreign sources and human rights organisations have revealed that unnamed graves include those innocent persons, killed by the Indian military and paramilitary troops in the fake encounters including those who were tortured to death by the Indian secret agency RAW. In its report, China’s leading News Agency Xinhua has unearthed more gruesome details on world-stunning unmarked graves in Poonch of the Indian occupied Kashmir. The report revealed the statement of Sofi Aziz Joo, caretaker of a graveyard as saying, “Police and Army used to bring those bodies and direct me to bury them. The bodies were usually bullet-ridden, mutilated, faces disfigured and sometimes without limbs and heads.”

It seems that non-condemnation of these Indian massive human rights violations and non-interference for the settlement of this issue by the so-called civilized international community, especially the US have further encouraged New Delhi to keep on going with its state terrorism on the armless Kashmiri masses. Ignorance of the issue by them involves the risk of nuclear war between Pakistan and India. Indian authorities are not willing to talk with Kashmiri people on political grounds. New Delhi reached to a conclusion that only bullet is the right way of dealing with Kashmiris, demanding their right of self-determination. Surprisingly, Indian successive governments are trying to ignore the dynamics of the freedom movement of Kashmiris for the sake of their alien rule. Nonetheless, every year, the Kashmiris and their brethren in Pakistan, and those living all over the world observe July 19 as the Day of Kashmir’s Accession to Pakistan to re-affirm their commitment to continue their struggle against Indian illicit occupation, and till the attainment of this liberation.

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

Every Day is Martyrs’ Day for Kashmiris

By Sajjad Shaukat

The Martyrs’ Day, known as Youme Shuhada-e-Kashmir is observed on July 13 every year on both sides of the Line of Control and all over the world by the Kashmiris to pay homage to 22 Kashmiris who were martyred in 1931 to free Kashmir from the brutalities of despotic Dogra rulers. The day is the milestone in the history of Kashmiri struggle against foreign occupation. However, the history of Dogra rule (1846-1947) in Kashmir is replete with tyrannous treatment, meted out to the Kashmiri Muslims by Dogra forces. Under the Dogra rule, they were leading so miserable life that it was difficult to differentiate them from beasts. Slave labour, heavy taxes, capital punishment for cow slaughter, and living under constant terror was order of the day.

In this regard, Yousaf Saraf in his book, “Kashmiris Fight for Freedom” calls it “free forced labour” and “instead of donkeys and horses, Kashmiri Muslims were used for transportation of goods across the far-flung areas.” In this context, while describing the pathetic picture of the Kashmiris, in his book, “The India We Served”, Sir Walter Lawrence writes, “Army was employed in forcing the villagers to plough and sow, and worse still, the soldiers came at harvest time and when the share of the state had been seized” and “there was very little grain to tide the unfortunate peasants over the cruel winter.” On April 19, 1931, the ban of Eid Khutba (Sermon) ignited widespread demonstrations in the Jummu city for a number of days. It was followed by desecration of the Holy Quran at the hands of Dogra forces, which resulted into outrage among the Muslims throughout the state. In Srinagar, people gathered in Jamia Masjid to denounce this blasphemy. One such get-together was held in Khankah-e-Muella Srinagar, which was addressed by prominent Kashmiris. When the meeting was concluded, a youth, Abdul Qadeer, pointing his finger to the Maharaja’s palace, raised slogans “destroy its every brick.” With the accusation of sedition, he was arrested forthwith. Abdul Qadir was to be tried in the court, but due to large public resentment, the court was shifted to Central Jail Srinagar.

On July 12, 1931, in response to the shifting of court, intense public protests were held throughout the city. The next day, on July 13, 1931, thousands of people thronged the Central Jail Srinagar to witness the in-camera trial of Abdul Qadeer. As the time for obligatory prayer approached, a young Kashmiri stood for Azan. The Dogra Governor, Ray Zada Tartilok Chand ordered soldiers to open fire at him. When he got martyred, another young man took his place and started Azan. He was also shot dead. In this way, 22 Kashmiris embraced martyrdom in their efforts to complete the Azan. The people carried the dead and paraded through the streets of Srinagar, chanting slogans against Dogra brutalities. Complete strike was observed in the city, which was followed by weeklong mourning. This incident shook the whole state and the traffic from Srinagar to Rawalpindi and Srinagar to Jammu came to halt from July 13 to 26, 1931. The 22 martyrs are buried in Martyrs’ Graveyard at Khawaja Bazar, Srinagar. Consequent upon these brutal killings, the Kashmiri leadership realized the need to form a political party, Muslim Conference (MC) with a view to waging struggle for their freedom.

Later, in 1934, state’s first elections were held and MC won 10 out of 21 seats, and after two years in 1936, it succeeded in getting 19 out of 21 seats. Indian Congress was upset with this situation and tried to create division in the ranks of Kashmiri leadership. Afterwards, on July 19, 1947, MC passed a resolution to merge Kashmir with Pakistan, considering the geographical proximity—majority of Muslim population (77%), language and cultural relations of Jammu and Ironically, despite a lapse of 66 years, Kashmiris are still struggling and sacrificing to achieve their alienable right under the UN resolutions for the plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmir Valley is one of the most heavily militarized regions in the world with Indian 7 million armed security forces which are perpetrating various forms of state terrorism on the innocent Kashmiris. Since 1989, a deliberate campaign by the Indian army and paramilitary forces against the Kashmiris has been manifested in brutal tactics such as crackdowns, curfews, illegal detentions, massacre, targeted killings, sieges, burning the houses, torture, disappearances, rape, breaking the legs, molestation of Muslim women and killing of persons through fake encounter.

According to a report on human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir, since 1989, there have been deaths of 1,00000 innocent Kashmiris, 7,023 custodial killings, 1,22,771 arrests, 1,05,996 destruction of houses or buildings, 22,776 women widowed, 1,07,466 children orphaned and 10,086 women gang-raped/molested. Indian brutal securities forces have continue Besides Human Rights Watch, in its various reports, Amnesty International has also pointed out grave human rights violations in the Indian controlled Kashmir, indicating, “The Muslim majority population in the Kashmir Valley suffers from the repressive tactics of the security forces. Under the Jammu and Kashmir Disturbed Areas Act, and the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act and Public Safety Act, security forces personnel have extraordinary powers to shoot suspected persons.”

In its report on July 2, 2015, the Amnesty International has highlighted extrajudicial killings of the innocent persons at the hands of Indian security forces in the Indian Held Kashmir. The report points out, “Tens of thousands of security forces are deployed in Indian-administered Kashmir…the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) allows troops to shoot to kill suspected militants or arrest them without a warrant…not a single member of the armed forces has been tried in a civilian court for violating human rights in Kashmir…this lack of accountability has in turn facilitated other serious abuses…India has martyred one 100,000 people. More than 8,000 disappeared (while) in the custody of army and state police.” In this respect, European Union passed a resolution on May 11, 2011 about human rights abuses committed by Indian forces in the Indian held Kashmir. Particularly, in 2008, a rights group reported unnamed graves in various regions of the Indian occupied Kashmir. In this context, in August, 2011, Indian Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) officially acknowledged in its report that innocent civilians killed in the two-decade conflict have been buried in unmarked graves. Notably, foreign sources and human rights organizations including Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) have disclosed that unnamed graves include thousands of persons, killed by the Indian forces in the fake encounters including those who were tortured to death by Indian secret agency RAW.

In its report China’s leading News Agency Xinhua has unearthed more gruesome details on world-stunning unmarked graves in Poonch of the Indian occupied Kashmir. The report revealed the statement of Sofi Aziz Joo, caretaker of a graveyard as saying, “Police and Army used to bring those bodies and direct me to bury them. The bodies were usually bullet-ridden, mutilated, faces disfigured and sometimes without limbs and heads.” It seems that non-condemnation of these Indian massive human rights violations and non- interference for the settlement of this issue by the so-called civilized international community, especially the US have further encouraged New Delhi to keep on going with its state terrorism on the armless Kashmiri masses. Ignorance of the issue by them involves the risk of nuclear war between Pakistan and India. Indian authorities are not willing to talk with Kashmiri people on political grounds. New Delhi reached to a conclusion that only bullet is the right way of dealing with Kashmiris, demanding their right of self-determination. Surprisingly, Indian successive governments are trying to ignore the dynamics of the freedom movement of Kashmiris for the sake of their alien rule. It is notable that dialogue between India and Pakistan took place on a number of occasions, but produced no outcome, prolonging the agony of the subjugated people of the occupied Kashmir due to Indian intransigence.

Nevertheless, observance of Kashmiris’ freedom struggle during the Martyrs’ Day every year is reaffirmation of the fact that Kashmiris will continue to fight against Indian illicit occupation. In this context, Youme Shuhada-e-Kashmir is an ideal day for Kashmiris to seek inspiration to take their war of liberation to its logical end. At this time of distress, the people of Pakistan’s side are sharing the grief of Kashmiri freedom lovers. Pakistan also observes Youme Shudaha-e-Kashmir on July 13, launching a protest against the oppressive polices of Indian occupation, which have continued against the hapless Kashmiris.

Nonetheless, on July 13, all over the world, Kashmiris renew their pledge to continue the ongoing war of liberation for the accomplishment of their right of self-determination and for the independence of Kashmir from the despotic Indian rulers who continue state terrorism in the Indian-controlled Kashmir like the Dogra rulers. In these terms, every day is Martyrs’ Day for the Kashmiris.

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

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com

India to Foil Afghan Government-Taliban Talks

By Sajjad Shaukat

On the direction of Pakistan’s Chief of Army Stafff General Raheel Sharif, country’s superior intelligence agency, ISI done hard to bring almost all the factions of Afghan Taliban to the negotiating table in order to have talks with the Afghan government. These efforts materialized when representatives from both the sides reached Islamabad. In this regard, Pakistan Foreign Office said, “To facilitate Afghan peace talks. A meeting hosted by Pakistan between the Afghan High Peace Council (HPC), the body tasked with opening negotiations and Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan representatives in Murree (On July 8, this year)-an Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process-the representatives of China and the USA also participated in the meeting. The participants expressed their collective desire to bring peace to Afghanistan and the region-agreed to continue talks-the next meeting will be held at mutually convenient date after Ramazan”.

India which has been making attempts to foil the dialogue between the Afghan rulers and the Afghan Taliban is creating an impression that some groups like Haqqani outfit did not take part in the new talks. While, the US, China and Pakistan are jointly working to facilitate the process so as to bring peace both in Pakistan and Afghanistan. In order to obtain its secret aims, India is destabilizing the regional countries in general and Pakistan in particular. The exploitation is aimed at augmenting Indian hegemony in the region. However, India is sabotaging the peace process between Afghanistan and Pakistan by managing terrorist attacks on sensitive buildings like the recent assault on the Afghan parliament. In this context, former Chief of Indian secret agency RAW, Amarjit Singh Dulat disclosed on June 4, this year that Indian intelligence agencies have over the years paid money to militants and separatists in the Indian occupied-Kashmir and Pakistan. However, the statement of RAW chief is not surprising, as recently, Indian Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar and even its Prime Minister Narendra Modi Modi openly confirmed assistance to anti-Pakistan elements including separation of East Pakistan.

It is notable that Indian former Army Chief Gen. VK Singh also confessed that during his tenure, he supervised special army unit, Tactical Support Division (TSD) on the instructions of the then defence minister to sponsor subversive activities in Pakistan, particularly Balochistan. Undoubtedly, these blatant admissions clearly prove that New Delhi has been sponsoring worse kinds of terrorism inside Pakistan by promoting sub-nationalists. New Delhi has been exploiting these entities locally and abroad as proxies against Pakistan. Therefore, the matter must be taken up with UN Security Council to declare India a terror sponsoring state. Nevertheless, Indian RAW has well-established its network in Afghanistan, and is fully assisting cross-border incursions and terror-activities in various regions of Pakistan through Baloch separatist elements and anti-Pakistan groups like Baluchistan Liberation Army (BLA), Jundullah and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) including their affiliated outfits. They also abducted and killed many Chinese and Iranian nationals. On a number of occasions, these insurgent groups claimed responsibility for their acts of sabotage.

RAW is making efforts to weaken Afghanistan, Tibetan regions of China and Pakistan, especially Balochistan by arranging the subversive activities, promoting acrimonious sense of dissent, political volatility, sectarian violence and arousing sentiments of separatism. It is mentionable that New Delhi which has already invested billion of dollars in Afghanistan, also signed a wide-ranging strategic agreement with that country on October 5, 2011. And, the then President Karzai had also signed another agreement with India to obtain Indian arms and weapons. However, under the cover of these agreements, India has further strengthened its grip in Afghanistan. By taking advantage of lawlessness in Afghanistan, India is up to its usual tirade to foment an environment by conducting terrorist attacks in that country to prove that Pakistan is creating trouble for Afghanistan.

It is noteworthy that Gen. Raheel accompanied by the DG of ISI went to Kabul on December 17, 2014. During his meeting with his Afghan counterpart, President Ashraf Ghani and the ISAF commander, he presented the evidence of linkage between the massacre of children at Peshawar school and TTP sanctuaries in Afghanistan. He also asked about action against the TTP chief In response, Afghan government and US has started taking action against the TTP. A number of TTP militants have been captured in Afghanistan, while Fazlullah survived in a drone attack. Meanwhile, Washington has also designated Mullah Fazullah as a global terrorist and seized his Unlike the Indian-backed Afghan President Hamid Karzai, President Ashraf Ghani realized that Afghanistan and Pakistan are facing similar challenges of terrorism and will combat this threat collectively. On May 18, 2015, the two countries signed the security agreement—Pakistan’s ISI and Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) to share intelligence and conduct coordinated operations against terrorists. And, frequent visits of Pak-Afghan civil and military leaders to each other’s country also irritate New Delhi.

Now, even the US and its western allies who intend to seek stability in Afghanistan realize that after the withdrawal of foreign troops, Afghanistan will be thrown in era of uncertainly and civil war—and terrorism or stability in Pakistan and Afghanistan is interrelated. Hence, US-led developed nations which also pledged billions of dollars for the development of Afghanistan have repeatedly agreed that without Islamabad’s help, stability cannot be achieved. So, Indian desperation in Afghanistan is increasing in the backdrop of growing engagements of Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and US. Besides, New Delhi is trying to sabotage the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Recent terror-attacks in Pakistan and Balochistan might be noted as example. In this connection, Indian backed Baloch secessionists have been directed to step up their activities on the CPEC project. Indian RAW has created a heavily funded China-Pakistan specific desk to target growing Pak-China-Afghanistan relations.

Nonetheless, it will be hard for New Delhi to digest these new developments, and it will create every sort of hurdles to sabotage the same. India is also pressurizing the British government for not sharing terrorist financing trail with Pakistan, so that its ulterior motives remain hidden. In fact, India wants instability in Afghanistan, which favours its clandestine aims. But Pakistan seeks stability in Afghanistan, which is essential for both the countries including US, China, Iran and other regional states. In this perspective, facilitation of dialogue between the Afghan rulers and the Taliban is a positive development, but India will try to foil these talks.

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

Amnesty International Highlights Extrajudicial Killings in Kashmir

By Sajjad Shaukat

In its report on July 2, this year, the Amnesty International has highlighted extrajudicial killings of the innocent persons at the hands of Indian security forces in the Indian Held Kashmir. The report points out, “Tens of thousands of security forces are deployed in Indian-administered Kashmir…the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) allows troops to shoot to kill suspected militants or arrest them without a warrant…not a single member of the armed forces has been tried in a civilian court for violating human rights in Kashmir…this lack of accountability has in turn facilitated other serious abuses…India has martyred one 100,000 people. More than 8,000 disappeared (while) in the custody of army and state police.”

The report emphasized on India “to revoke a draconian law AFSPA which provides immunity to security forces, also calling for an independent and impartial inquiry into cases of abuse. In its previous reports, Amnesty International has already pointed out grave human rights violations in the Indian controlled Kashmir, revealing, “The Muslim majority population in Kashmir Valley suffers from repressive tactics of the security forces. Under the Jammu and Kashmir Disturbed Areas Act, and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and Public Safety Act, security forces personnel have extraordinary powers to shoot suspected persons.”  Indian army, paramilitary troops are perpetrating heinous crimes under the cover of these laws, especially AFSPA which was introduced in 1990—with full impunity to the troops, as no incident is either reported by the media or prosecuted at any court of law in IOK or India. However, the report of Amnesty International has a missing part as well. It does no indicate to the mass graves phenomenon, making headlines at international media since 2009. Many mass graves have been unearthed in different parts of Indian controlled Kashmir, fully filled with dumped bodies generally termed as missing persons.

In this respect, European Union passed a resolution on May 11, 2011 about human rights abuses committed by Indian forces in the Indian held Kashmir. Particularly, in 2008, a rights group reported unnamed graves in various regions of the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). In this context, in August, 2011, Indian Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) officially acknowledged in its report that innocent civilians killed in the two-decade conflict have been buried in unmarked graves. Notably, foreign sources and human rights organizations including Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) have disclosed that unnamed graves include thousands of persons, killed by the Indian forces in the fake encounters including those who were tortured to death. A recent report on human rights violations by Indian Army and its paramilitary forces in Indian Occupied Kashmir revealed that since 1989, there have been deaths of 93,274 innocent Kashmiris, 6,969 custodial killings, 117,345 arrests and 105,861 destructions of houses. Indian brutal security forces have orphaned over 107, 351 children, widowed 22,728 women and gang raped 9,920 women.

It is notable that by showing a sense of great optimism for peace of the region, Pakistan had agreed with Indian old demand to strengthen the Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) in order to resolve the outstanding issues, especially main dispute of Kashmir. In this regard, during the visit of India’s External Affairs Minister S M Krishna to Pakistan on September 9, 2012, Islamabad and New Delhi also signed agreements of liberalized visa regime and a memorandum of understanding on cultural exchanges in addition to agreeing on new cross-Line of Control (LoC) Confidence Building Measures related to trade and travel.

While, as part of delaying tactics for the settlement of the Kashmir dispute, Indian rulers availed various crises to suspend the process of Pak-India talks. For example, in 2002, under the pretension of terrorist attack on the Indian parliament, New Delhi postponed the process of dialogue. Again, in 2008, India suspended the ‘composite dialogue’ under the pretext of Mumbai terror attacks. And, as part of anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan approach, leader of the BJP and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi who is giving impetus to Hindu chauvinism not only accelerated unprovoked firing at the LoC in Kashmir including Working Boundary in Sialkot, but also cancelled the Secretary level talks with Islamabad. Now, he is raising baseless issue like Mumbai mayhem and terrorism as pre-conditions to advance the Pak-Indian dialogue. But, he ignored the fact that on July 19, 2013, Indian ex-investigating officer Satish Verma disclosed that terror-attacks in Mumbai in November 26, 2008 and assault on Indian Parliament in January 12, 2001 were carried out by the Indian government to strengthen anti-terrorism laws. Besides, Modi regime hurriedly decided to forcibly annex disputed territory of the State of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), uncovering its intentions to wrap up the article 370 of the Indian constitution which ensures a special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Nevertheless, New Delhi is determined to keep its hold on Kashmir. It also wants to blackmail Pakistan by stopping the flow of rivers’ water towards Pakistan as major rivers of our country take origin from the occupied Kashmir. In fact, the Amnesty International report which has specified serious human rights violations in Indian Occupied Kashmir, endorses the stance of Kashmiri people and Pakistan’s official contention, aimed at awakening the conscience of international community over serious human rights abuses. Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute and Indian government’s propaganda of describing mass Kashmiri resistance as terrorist activity is an attempt to nullify the indigenous nature of freedom struggle in J&K. Pakistan being a legitimate party to the dispute, by virtue of partition plan and UN resolutions, has right to support the cause of the right of self-determination of Kashmiri people. Undoubtedly, despite India’s harsh and repressive measures like crackdowns, curfews, illegal detentions, massacre, targeted killings, sieges, burning the houses, torture, disappearances, rape, breaking the legs, molestation of Muslim women and killing of persons through fake encounter, war of liberation which intensified since 1989 continues by the Kashmiri freedom fighters. Nonetheless, Kashmiri movement for self- determination can not be suppressed through extrajudicial killings.

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

India Confirms Assistance to Anti-Pakistan Elements

By Sajjad Shaukat

Although India has been destabilizing all regional states through its well-planned and deliberate strategy, however, its major focus has always been towards Pakistan and Indian-held Kashmir. In this respect, while speaking to high-profile anchor Barkha Dutt of Indian NDTV news channel, ahead of the launch of his book, “Kashmir: The Vajpayee Years”, former Chief of Indian secret agency RAW, Amarjit Singh Dulat disclosed on June 4, this year that Indian intelligence agencies have over the years paid money to militants and separatists including the mainstream politicians and political parties in the Indian occupied-Kashmir. Concealing something, Amarjit Singh also refused to comment on the claims of Indian funding to Pakistan’s Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), but, he claimed that MQM chief Altaf Hussain was a guest of British intelligence agency MI-6 which should also be questioned about The ex-RAW chief admitted that India’s “spooks” had been in touch with everyone from “separatists to the militants” in Pakistan.

However, the statement of RAW chief is not surprising, as Indian other high officials, and even its Prime Minister Narendra Modi Modi openly confirmed assistance to anti-Pakistan elements. In this regard, Indian Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar, while using the Hindi phrase “kante se kanta nikalna’ (removing a thorn with a thorn) assertively said on May 23, 2015, “We have to neutralise terrorists through terrorists only…why does my soldier have to do it…the issue could not be discussed beyond this…there are certain things that I obviously cannot discuss here.” In this context, while addressing a ceremony during his Bangladesh tour, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi openly stated on June 7, this year that Indian forces helped Mukti Bahini to turn East Pakistan into Bangladesh. He elaborated that former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had played an active role in separating Bangladesh from Pakistan, and he had also come to Delhi in 1971 to participate in the Satyagraha Movement, launched by Jana Sangh as a volunteer to garner support for the Mukti Bahini members.

It is notable that Indian former Army Chief Gen. VK Singh also confessed that during his tenure, he supervised special army unit, Tactical Support Division (TSD) on the instructions of the then defence minister to sponsor subversive activities in Pakistan, particularly Balochistan, and to bribe the Kashmiri leaders. These blatant admissions clearly prove that New Delhi has been sponsoring worse kinds of terrorism inside Pakistan. In fact, Indian covert and overt activities against the federation of Pakistan had led to the separation of the former East Pakistan in 1971. Now, India has been promoting sub-nationalism in Baluchistan, Khyber Paktunkhwa, Sindh and even among the Karachiates (Mohajirs). New Delhi has been exploiting sub-nationalist elements locally and abroad as proxies against Pakistan.

While, these Indian-backed anti-Pakistan elements have never protested against the killing of innocent women, children and men at the hands of their militant groups. These terrorist groups abduct, kidnap and then kill innocent Balochs, Sindhis and Punjabis to strengthen their case of missing persons and extra-judicial killings to distort the image of Pakistan and its security To affect the flourishing relations of Pakistan and China, Baloch secessionists have been directed to step up their activities on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Indian RAW has created a heavily funded China-Pakistan specific desk to target growing Pak-China- Afghanistan. It is mentionable that the ink on the CPEC was barely dry when some western media, especially RAW started playing up the Baloch insurgency. In this regard, the director of The Second Floor (T2F), a social activist Sabeen Mahmud was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Karachi on April 24, 2015, followed by a bomb blast in Sibi, which killed several persons on April 26. However, she had left T2F after attending the session on Balochistan province, when she was targeted. She was likely to conduct a seminar at LUMS in Lahore about Balochistan. Earlier, on April 11, gunmen killed 20 laborers at a dam construction site in the Turbat district of Baluchistan.

On May 29, 2015, 20 people were killed when unknown militants opened fire at the kidnapped passengers in Mastung area of Balochistan—after abduction of two buses. Especially, on May 13, 45 people were killed when gunmen brutally opened fire on a bus of the Ismaili community in Karachi. Ahmed Marwat, a spokesman of Jundullah which is the affiliated group of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)—backed by RAW claimed responsibility for the bus attack. These terror attacks which continue in some way or the other are aimed at sabotaging the India knows that the establishment of CPEC between deep Gwadar seaport of Balochistan and the historic Silk Road city in western regions-Xinjiang of China will connect Gilgit-Baltistan through Khunjerab Pass. Beijing would also build an international airport at Gwadar, while the roads infrastructure in Gwadar would link the communication network of rest of the country to facilitate transportation of goods. As New Delhi has been opposing this Pak-China project which will make Pakistan an economic power, hence, it has been weakening Pakistan by creating unrest in the Balochistan province.

It is noteworthy that on July 23, 2008, Nawabzada Brahamdagh Bugti, the leader of the outlawed Baloch Republican Party (BRP) told the BBC that they had the right to accept foreign aid and arms from anywhere including India. Nevertheless, these confessions by India endorsed that RAW has well-established its network in Afghanistan, and is fully assisting cross-border incursions and terror-activities in various regions of Pakistan, particularly Balochistan. It has continuously been assisting the Baloch separatist elements and anti-Pakistan groups like BLA, Jundullah and TTP including their affiliated outfits with logistic support—the militants kidnapped and killed many innocent people and the security personnel in the province through suicide attacks, bomb blasts, targeted killings and sectarian violence. They also abducted and killed many Chinese and Iranian nationals. On a number of occasions, these insurgent groups claimed responsibility for their acts of sabotage, but India and some external powers have been shifting the blame game of human rights violations in Balochistan towards Pak Army. It is of particular attention that during the recent visit of the US Secretary of State John Kerry to New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Modi was humbled in the meeting when American team showed some hard evidence of TTP chief Mullah Fazalullah and RAW nexus in Afghanistan to influx terror in Pakistan.

Here, it also worth-mentioning that theoretically, Indian Constitution safeguards the rights of minorities, but in practice, ideology of Hindutva (Hindu nationalism) prevails. Hindu politics and culture, dominated by the fundamentalist parties such as BJP, RSS VHP, Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena including other extremist outfits have been propagating Hindutva. Provocative utterances of their extremist leaders and the BJP rulers have resulted into unending violence against the Muslims, Christians Sikhs, and Dalits, while creating war-like situation between Pakistan and India, as Indian unprovoked shelling across Line of Control and Working Boundary displays. Moreover, on January 20, 2013, Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and Home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde confessed the nexus between BJP and the RSS, disclosing that organized training camps run by these fundamentalist parties were promoting Hindu terrorism. They also disclosed that these parties were behind the Samjhauta Express, Meccca Masjid and Malegaon blasts including Gujarat and Babri Masjid incidents. Earlier, New Delhi was accusing Pakistan’s primary intelligence agency, ISI for blasts in Malegaon and other cities. While, on July 19, 2013, the Indian former home ministry and ex-investigating officer Satish Verma revealed that terror-attacks in Mumbai in November 26, 2008 and assault on Indian Parliament in January 12, 2001 were carried out by the Indian government to strengthen anti-terrorism laws. But, Indian top officials and media had blamed Islamabad and a Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) for those attacks.

Nonetheless, India confirms assistance to anti-Pakistan elements. And, taking note of New Delhi’s blatant admissions, Islamabad is raising the question of Indian-sponsored terrorism in Pakistan at the UNO forum. While,  it is the right hour that the US-led western countries must declare India a terrorist state, as it is carving out a disastrous strategy, and it would never help in rooting out terrorism which is an international issue, threatening all countries.

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

Dutch Politician Hurts Muslims’ Sentiments

By Sajjad Shaukat

In the modern age, fast development of science has changed the world into a global village through social media networking websites, while range of the TV channels has also been But, it is regrettable that some anti-Islam elements are using these media instruments against Islam by committing blasphemous acts which are inviting terrorists’ attacks even in the western In this respect on June, 24, this year, Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders aired cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) on Dutch television, which were drawn in May, 2015 at a caricature competition in Garland, Texas where Wilders was one of the speakers. The event was assaulted by two gunmen. Islamic State (ISIL) has claimed responsibility for the attack. Now, Wilders introduced the three-minute broadcast, in the second half of which the cartoons scrolled across the screen accompanied by piano music. One caricature had the accompanying text: “I (Wilders) have been made victorious with terror.”

Geert Wilders who leads the Dutch Party for Freedom aired the caricatures in programme, reserved for political parties. He said that he broadcast the drawings to defend freedom of expression, even as Islam holds that any physical depiction of the Prophet is blasphemous. While showing prejudice, he elaborated, “The Islam, the terrorists do not want us to show these cartoons. But, terror and violence may never defeat freedom of speech. We must precisely do what the terrorists prevent us to do.” Wilders is viewed as one of Europe’s most prominent critics of Islam, which he has described as a fascist ideology. The politician is currently facing prosecution in Netherlands for discrimination and hate speech over remarks he made about citizens of Dutch-Moroccan origin-during election campaign, last year. Meanwhile, Dutch authorities have taken precautionary measures in case of violent protests. Embassies in the Islamic countries have been put on notice and diplomats have been instructed to explain that the broadcast reflects the views of one politician and not the Dutch government. The broadcast came almost six months after the incident when the two armed persons stormed into the office of infamous French satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris. They had killed 12 people including a French National Police officer.

Although the officials of the Dutch government have publicly denounced Geert Wilders’ views on Islam, yet they stated that they support his right to free speech. Some critics, however, have condemned Wilders’ latest act of provocation. A group of Moroccan mosques last week released a cartoon, depicting him as a disgruntled child being displayed on a bomb. Spokesman Aissa Zanzen said, “Ignoring him or using humor is the best way to respond to [Mr. Wilders]…We refuse to let him polarize our society.” Nevertheless, it is not the new sacrilegious act; such anti-Islam activities also took place in the past. In this regard, YouTube was banned in Pakistan on September 22, 2012 when a blasphemous US-made film “Innocence of Muslims” was uploaded on it, which resulted into massive protests and violent demonstrations in more than 30 Islamic countries, leading to loss of life and property. In Pakistan, violent protesters plunged the country into chaos, as 30 people were killed in nationwide protests. And, the American ambassador Christopher Stevens in Libya and three of his staff were killed. In fact, reprinting of the caricatures about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and release of a Dutch film against the Holy Quran was also part of the conspiracy against the Muslims. The film equates Islam with violence, followed by the 9/11 terror attacks inside the US, showing Muslim leaders preaching inflammatory sermons against Jews and Christians. It displayed that Europe is under threat from Islamic beliefs and practices.

In 2008 too, the YouTube was banned in Pakistan, as it had hurt the feelings of Muslims across the world by uploading the film by Geert Wilders, which displayed links between Islam and In May, 2010, the sacrilegious caricatures competition of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) inspired by an American cartoonist on Facebook and YouTube triggered violent protests across On March 20, 2011, a US evangelical preacher Terry Jones supervised the burning of a copy of the Holy Quran by Pastor Wayne Sapp in a Florida church, while similar blasphemous act was done by the US troops in Bagram base in Afghanistan. In 2005, caricatures of Holy Prophet (PBUH) published in Danish newspapers sparked deadly protests in the Islamic countries. In that context, Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on Denmark’s embassy in Islamabad in 2008, killing six people, saying it was in revenge for publication of caricatures. It is of particular attention that those who are behind these fanatic entities intend to fulfill their political designs. In these terms, by availing the international phenomena of terrorism, Indo-Israeli lobbies are collectively working in America and other European countries to manipulate the double standard of the west in relation to terrorism and human rights vis-à-vis some Islamic countries. Israel and India are equating the ‘war of independence’ in Kashmir and Palestine with terrorism. However, all these similarities of interest have brought the two countries to follow a common secret diplomacy to misguide the US in order to target Pakistan, Iran, Syria etc.

Hence, anti-Islam activities have been conducted by these elements not only to distort the image of Islam, but also to create division between the Islamic and the Western Worlds. And, these blasphemous activities against the religion of Muslims resulted into the recruitment of more militants by the terrorist groups. Instead of curbing terrorism, these acts have caused more terrorism in the volatile countries like Somalia, Yemen, Nigeria etc. The sacrilegious moves provided the Islamic militants with new ammunition. It is said that Al Qaeda or ISIL is the winner. If such nefarious designs continue, even moderate Muslims could join the radicals. Notably, critics say that if western democracies have passed laws against anti-Semitism and denials of the holocaust, as to why there is no such law about anti-Islam moves. Nevertheless, it indicates double standard of these liberal and civilized countries which have further encouraged those who want to sabotage the world peace through division. In this respect, Organization of the Islamic Countries (OIC) should take up a case in the UN by drafting a resolution—not allowing any person to misuse the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) name and make movies and caricatures on him. Nonetheless, strict action must be taken against the persons like the Dutch politician Geert Wilders who has hurt Muslims’ sentiments.

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

Why Baloch Leader Opposes CPEC?

By Sajjad Shaukat

Although various Baloch separatist leaders of the Balochistan province are still opposing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), yet case of Nawabzada Brahamdagh Bugti, the leader of the outlawed Baloch Republican Party (BRP) is of special consideration which exposes foreign designs of external powers against Pakistan. In this respect, Brahamdagh Bugti, in a recently-held conference in Frankfurt, organized by the German Chapter of the BRP highlighted human rights situation in Balochistan. He criticized the CPEC and Gwadar port projects and called for a UN-sponsored referendum in Balochistan to decide its future. He alleged the military equipments and funds obtained by Pakistan from the US and other western countries for combating terrorists and extremist groups were also being used against the democratic and political struggle of the Baloch people. With the assistance of anti-Pakistan foreign entities, BRP held the conference. Besides Baloch Republican Party leaders, human rights activists, politicians and businessmen from the European countries participated in the conference in order to endorse the ill-conceived stand of Brahamdagh Bugti about Balochistan, as part of propaganda.

It is not new attempt to malign Pakistan in relation to Baluchistan, such sort of conferences and meetings also held in the past in Geneva, London and the US. In this regard, the US Congress Committee on Foreign Affairs had convened unprecedented hearing on February 8, 2012 and negatively, discussed Balochistan. The Committee’s hearing was attended by the supporters of Baloch separatism and American scholars including human rights activists. It was chaired by Dana Rohrabacher who said, “Balochistan is a turbulent land marred by human rights violations”, requiring urgent attention. Rohrabacher had also co-authored an article with Congressman Louie Gohmert, and favoured an independent Balochistan. However, Nawabzada Brahamdagh Bugti who is now living in Europe in self-imposed exile has full backing of some external secret agencies, especially Indian RAW in misguiding the innocent In fact, entrenched in Afghanistan, foreign intelligence agencies like American CIA, Indian RAW and Israeli Mossad have perennially been supporting bomb blasts, suicide attacks, abductions, target killings, ethnic and sectarian violence in Balochistan through their affiliated militant groups such as BRP, Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), Jundollah (God’s soldiers) etc. to fulfill the secret strategic designs of US, India and Israel at the cost of Pakistan, China and Iran.

Besides martyring several personnel of law-enforcing agencies and security forces in the province, these anti-Pakistan entities kidnapped and massacred many Punjabis, Pushtuns, Shias, people of Hazara community and patriot Balochis including Iranian Shias. In the past few years, they abducted and killed many Chinese and Iranian nationals in Pakistan. On a number of occasions, these militant outfits claimed responsibility for their subversive acts. But, they have always blamed Pak Army and other security agencies for human rights violations in Balochistan. It is notable that the ink on Pak-China agreements related to CPEC was barely dry when some western media, especially RAW started playing up the Baloch insurgency. In this regard, the director of The Second Floor (T2F), a social activist Sabeen Mahmud was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Karachi on April 24, 2015, followed by a bomb blast in Sibi, which killed several persons on April 26. However, she had left T2F after attending the session on Balochistan province, when she was targeted. She was likely to conduct a seminar at LUMS in Lahore about Balochistan. Earlier, on April 11, gunmen killed 20 laborers at a dam construction site in the Turbat district of Baluchistan. On May 29, 2015, 20 people were killed when unknown militants opened fire at the kidnapped passengers in Mastung area of Balochistan—after abduction of two buses. Particularly, on May 13, 45 people were killed when gunmen brutally opened fire on a bus of the Ismaili community in Karachi. Ahmed Marwat, a spokesman of Jundullah which is the affiliated group of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)—backed by RAW claimed responsibility for the bus attack.

These terror attacks which continue in some way or the other are aimed at sabotaging the CPEC by showing that if Pakistan government is not able to provide security to its citizens, how it can Similarly, RAW was behind the assassination of Sabeen Mahmud-a well thought-out plan not only to try to harm Pak-China CPEC project, but also to accuse Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Another aim was also to drive a wedge between Balochistan and rest of It is mentionable that on July 23, 2008, Brahmdagh Bugti told the BBC that they had the right to accept foreign aid and arms from anywhere including India. It is worth-mentioning that with the help of Baloch nationalist leaders who have taken refuge in western countries; these hostile entities are launching false campaign to distort the image of Islamabad and its security agencies. Whereas Pak Army has not only been successful in uprooting the anti-state elements, but also contributed a lot in socio-economic development of Balochistan. While protecting mega projects, and promoting other developments works, Army set up a number of institutes in Balochistan, which have been providing especially technical training to thousands of Balochis. Army has also been imparting military training to the Baloch youth. The purpose is to bring them in the Baloch people know that the feudal lords (Sardars) like Brahmdagh Bugti who have been fighting for their own so-called status, prestige and influence, do not want to give up the old system of feudalism. They are now well-aware that with the assistance of US-led India and Israel, these anti-Pakistan elements are inciting them for independence of the province.

It is noteworthy that a Gallup survey of the UK official body, DFID, conducted on July 20, 2012 had disclosed that the vast majority of the Baloch people oppose the idea of an independent While, as a result of the general elections 2013, the government led by a nationalist leader Chief Minister Balochistan Dr Abdul Malik Baloch was established. And on December 7, 2013; local bodies elections were largely held in a peaceful manner in Balochistan. The successful elections have greatly negated the cause of terrorist groups who always claim to enjoy the majority support. These elections also proved that majority of the Baloch are loyal to the federation, as they have rejected the case of separatists, being projected by India and other major countries. Now, a majority of the Baloch persons has understood that Balochistan’s mineral resources and geo-strategic location with deep Gwadar seaport which would connect rest of the world with Central Asia have further annoyed the US and India. In this connection, Pak-China CPEC project is to be economic game changer in whole the region, which is badly hit by below average living conditions, while people of Balochistan would be the main beneficiaries of the project. Two decades down the timeline, Gwadar would be a thriving metropolitan providing economic opportunities to the youth of Balochistan.

And, with the inception of new political governments both at the center and the province, a meaningful negotiation with all the armed groups have been initiated by a high level reconciliation and negotiation committee, comprising seasoned Baloch, Pashtoon  and Sindhi leaders to initiate dialogue with Baloch separatists. The government of Balochistan has also announced general pardon and protection to the Baloch militants. Hence, many insurgents have surrendered their arms and decided to work for the development of Pakistan. But, it is regrettable that on the instruction of some western countries, particularly, New Delhi, leader of the BRP, Nawabzada Brahamdagh Bugti who continues to deny such an offer is misguiding the Baloch against the federation of Pakistan by opposing the CPEC.

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