Thursday, June 18, 2015
Pakistan nurturing ISIS in Afghanistan to gain access to Central Asia
Following conflicting reports on presence of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) fighters in Afghanistan, spokesman to the ex-President Hamid Karzai said that the terrorist group operating under the label of the ISIS or Daish is the creation of Islamabad aimed to gain access to the energy-rich Central Asia, China and Russia.
Aimal Faizi in an article published recently by the BBC, said that some of local media outlets without differentiating news from propaganda are promoting the terrorist group.
Some officials including General Murad Ali Murad and General Mahmoud Khan confirmed the emergence of Daish without following the standard procedure outlined by the Ministry of Defense regarding media briefing, he said.
He added that domestic media quoted local people and official sources saying that they have seen masked men carrying black flags and speaking a language that they could not understand. “If, we go few years back, when one could not even imagine about ISIS in Afghanistan, Panjabi Taliban and other militant groups wearing masks were operating in Nuristan, Kunar, Logar, Badakhshan and other provinces,” Faizi argued.
Faizi further added that foreign hands were involved in creating ISIS-like terrorist groups to spread militancy to Central Asia, Russia and China through Afghanistan. “Islamabad had several times asked ex-President Hamid Karzai to give the country access to Tajikistan through Afghanistan,” he said, adding that Hamid Karzai rejected the demand as he believed it would bring insecurity to the region.
He stressed that Pakistan was using terrorist groups as a tool of foreign policy. “Pakistani military would never give up its policy of using terrorist groups as tool of foreign policy. It has strategic alliance with some particular terrorist groups and it supports them to wage war in Afghanistan,” the article added.
Fiazi in the article urged President Ashraf Ghani to exercise more caution in his foreign policy with regard to Pakistan.
http://afghanistantimes.af/pakistan-nurturing-isis-in-afghanistan-to-gain-access-to-central-asia-faizi/
Balochistan: A Story Of Pakistan’s Failures – Analysis
By Dr Anurag Tripathi
Pakistan’s paramilitary force, the Frontier Corps, launched a combing operation on May 30, 2015 to liquidate at least seven militants, suspected to have attacked a bus the previous day in which at least 22 people were killed in the Khad Kucha area of Mastung district in Balochistan. Earlier on May 29, suspected militants hijacked two passenger buses en-route to Karachi in Sindh from Pishin district in Balochistan and killed the non-Balochi passengers. The Home Minister of Balochistan, Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti confirmed that at least seven militants allegedly involved in the massacre were killed in the operation by the Frontier Corps. The United Baloch Army (UBA) claimed responsibility for the killings. A UBA ‘spokesman’ Mureed Baloch said that it “is a revenge for killing of militants in Mastung and Kalat areas by security forces”.
On 10 April, 2015, Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) militants shot dead at least 20 Punjabi and Sindhi construction labourers at point blank range in their camp in the Gagdan area of Turbat district. Of the 20 killled, 16 were Punjabis, and four were Sindhis from the Hyderabad district in Sindh. A senior administration official Akbar Hussain Durrani disclosed that the militants had lined up the labourers and shot them dead in cold blood after confirming their identity. BLF ‘spokesman’ Goran Baloch claimed responsibility for the attack, asserting, “We will continue our fight against Pakistani occupation until (the) liberation of Balochistan.”
A series of attacks on Punjabi and other non-Baloch settlers commenced in Balochistan after the popular Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti was killed on August 26, 2006, in a military operation in the Chalgri area of Bhamboor Hills in Dera Bugti district. These attacks also targeted the destruction of national infrastructure in the province. Following the Bugti killing, Baloch militant organisations such as the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) began to paint slogans like ‘Down with Punjabis’, ‘Long Live Azad Balochistan’, etc. They primarily targeted Punjabis besides other ethnic groups, especially Urdu-speaking people from Karachi and Hindko-speaking settlers from Haripur in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Significantly, the targeted killings have created an atmosphere of fear and terror among settlers across Balochistan. According to a Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) report of October 15, 2014, more than 300,000 people have fled Balochistan over a decade due to the socio-political unrest. Tahir Hussain Khan, president of the Balochistan Chapter of the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) asserted that 90,000 people who had fled the province were Punjabi and Urdu-speaking citizens who had left to escape violence against them by Baloch nationalists.
The Baloch Republican Army (BRA) General Secretary Dr Bashir Azeem observed on September 19, 2014: “The Baloch have been struggling against the excesses and tyranny of Punjab-dominated establishment of Pakistan for decades.” Resource-rich, though sparsely populated, Balochistan is the largest of Pakistan’s four provinces; but its roughly seven million inhabitants have long complained that they do not receive a fair share of its gas and mineral wealth. Despite its vast natural endowment, Balochistan is Pakistan’s poorest province. Baloch separatists allege that the Federal Government is systematically suppressing development in Balochistan to keep the Baloch people weak. Clearly the attacks on Punjabi settlers are aimed as retaliation by Baloch people against the Pakistan establishment for continuously ignoring the genuine demands of the Baloch people and want to change the region’s demography.
Even as both the provincial and federal governments persist in their neglect of the ground realities of the province, Islamabad’s strategy to support armed Islamist extremist formations and other violent proxies has enormously aggravated the situation in Balochistan. According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) data, of the 3,387 civilian fatalities recorded in Balochistan since 2004 [data till June 2, 2015], at least 857 civilian killings are attributable to one or another militant outfit. Of these, 365 civilian killings have been claimed by Baloch separatist formations, while the Islamist and sectarian extremist formations, primarily Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Ahrar-ul-Hind (Liberators of India), claimed responsibility for another 517 civilian killings. The remaining 2,535 civilian fatalities remain ‘unattributed’.
Interestingly on December 30, 2013, the Balochistan government evolved a “smart and effective security policy” for security operations to commence against Baloch militant formations, like BRA, BLA, Baloch Liberation Tigers (BLT), UBA, Baloch United Liberation Front (BULF) and Baloch Liberation Front (BLF). Significantly, Islamist terrorist groups find no mention in this listing, though they are responsible for a greater proportion of attributed attacks and killings in the province. Fortunately or unfortunately, however, nothing much has been done to put this policy into practice.
Notably, Islamabad has, for the past 68 years, kept the Baloch people entirely out of the scope of development – they are the poorest in the country, with little opportunity for employment and an abysmal record on all social indices. Islamabad imposes a repressive, colonial and exploitative regime on Balochistan and there is now a comprehensive collapse of faith between the people of Balochistan and a predatory Pakistani state. Pakistan continues with its old policy of pitting one communal or ethnic group against the other, with the Government facilitating the mass settlement of ‘outsiders’ in South Balochistan through a range of policies such as allocation of land holdings to migrants from other Provinces, including preferential allocation to ex-Army personnel, in order to change the demography of the region and weaken Baloch separatism. This has created a sense of siege among Balochis in the region, precipitating ethnic violence.
Conspicuously, the security forces are preoccupied with their “kill and dump” operations, while Islamabad’s policy is to appease Islamist extremists and suppress the genuine demands of the Baloch people by raising the bogey of the ‘foreign hand’. Such a policy only wreaks devastation in the province. Meanwhile, problems deepen as Islamabad ignores legitimate demands and genuine grievances of Balochis. For instance, the recent tragic killings which target non-Baloch people highlight the cumulative failures of both the federal and provincial governments, to restore peace and justice in Balochistan.
Pakistan’s rogue army, China’s weapons and Arab states’ money in Balochistan
The WikiLeaks has recently revealed that Islamic charities from Saudi Arabia and UAE are giving $100 million dollar yearly to jihadi terrorist organisations in Pakistan. The religious extremist organisation use those money to recruit new Jihadists to their networks in Southern Punjab.
WikiLeaks further reported that the extremist religious organizations exploit worsening poverty in outer areas of Punjab and recruit children of age 8 into the divisions’ growing Deobandi and Ahl-e-Hadith madrassa networks. These children are later indoctrinated into jihadi philosophy, deployed to regional training/indoctrination centres, and ultimately sent to terrorist training camps in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
According to WikiLeaks, “At these madrassas, children are denied contact with the outside world and taught sectarian extremism, hatred for non-Muslims, and anti-Western/anti-Pakistan government philosophy.”
The US cable also revealed that the Jihadi networks working in the name of charitable organisations often “exploit families with multiple children, particularly those facing severe financial difficulties in light of inflation, poor crop yields, and growing unemployment in both urban and rural areas in the southern and western Punjab. Oftentimes, these families are identified and initially approached/assisted by ostensibly “charitable” organizations including Jamaat-ud-Dawa (a front for designated foreign terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Tayyaba), the Al-Khidmat Foundation (linked to religious political party Jamaat-e-Islami), or Jaish-e-Mohammad (a charitable front for the designated foreign terrorist organization of the same name).”
The revelations of WikiLeaks might be shocking for the Western nations but those who live in the region and have been witnessing these developments in Pakistan, these revelation for them are not new. In far-flung areas where government schools do not exist but there are huge and well-built madrasas for children everyone is aware who financially support these religious seminaries. It is also an obvious fact that underage children are brainwashed in these schools and then send to Kashmir and Afghanistan for carry out terrorist activities. Pakistan army and intelligence agencies from the beginning have been part and parcel of these activities that is why they have ignored such developments and the spread of jihadi networks under their nose.
The fact that Pakistan army and intelligence agencies have let the terrorist networks to grow stronger in Punjab is because they got huge amounts of money from other Muslim states in the name and slogan of so called Islamic brotherhood. The activities of religious extremist in Punjab are greater than any other region in Pakistan. For this reason Punjab is an easily approachable place for religious extremists to recruit terrorists and open Madrasas. The religious groups from these madrasas have coined the term ‘Punjabi Taliban’. It is surprising that on one hand the Pakistani army is indiscriminately killings Pashtuns in the name of fight against Taliban but on the other hand the Punjabi Taliban have always had special exemption from Pakistani military.
Even currently Pakistan army is acquiring funds from the entire world in the name of ongoing ‘Zarb-e-Azb’ operation but at the same time Punjabi Taliban and their leaders are roaming openly without any fear and hindrance. Even though there are huge amount of head-money on the leader and armed terrorists of Punjabi Taliban but they are peacefully living in their house as they know military and ISI are on their side. Journalist Owen Bennett-Jones recently in an article wrote that Pakistan considers Punjabi Taliban an asset because on one side it uses them in Kashmir in name of Jihad to carry out sabotage activities in India and on the other hand Haqqani Network is active against the Afghan government.
The Baloch pro-freedom organisations’ point of view in this regard is also worthwhile because they believe that Pakistan is repeating its sinister designs in Balochistan. The Baloch people have always stayed away from religious extremism due to their secular nature and liberal values and they followed the philosophy of innovation and religious tolerance but now Pakistan Army is encouraging, transferring and providing safe haven to terrorist organisations like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Jama’at-ul-Da’awa in Balochistan in a similar pattern as it did in southern Punjab. At the same time they are closing down schools and colleges at gun point only to expand their network of madrasas. It is now certain that due closure of schools and economic backwardness poor Baloch will have no option but to admit their children to these religious ‘indoctrination’ centres.
In the second phase of this conspiracy Pakistan is using these religious extremists as a front to counter the secular and enlightened pro-freedom Baloch activists. Pakistan army and its proxy Sardars and Mirs including Sanaullah Zehri (a senior minister in current provincial government), Seraaj Raisani, Shafiq Mengal, Barkat Mohammad Hasani and the imported Jihadi extremists have created several state backed death squads in Balochistan. These death squads are involved in abduction and killing of pro-freedom Baloch activists. Pakistan is using these terrorists groups not only as a military forces but it also wants to fill the vacuum that it created by indiscriminately killing pro-freedom Baloch activists with these fundamentalists. Hence, Pakistan will try and use these criminal gangs as a political forces in Balochistan.
Extremist organisation like Jamaat Daawa and Jaamat Islami and their so called charitable trusts Flah Ensaani Foundation and Al-Khidmat Foundation have been given a free hand in Balochistan. Through these trusts the terrorist organisations like Lashkar-e-Tayyaba can recruit children of poverty ridden Baloch families. One recent example of such activities is the military crackdown against Baloch and international humanitarian organisations and stop them from carry out relief work in Awaran region of Balochistan during the earthquake. The military has only allowed Falah Ensaani Foundation of the wanted terrorist Hafiz Saeed to carry out activities in affected areas in the name of so called humanitarian work.
Pakistan is not only using its criminal proxy terrorist groups against freedom loving Baloch but these organisations are also polluting the centuries old secular and tolerant value of Balochistan. These religious extremist organisation are involved in killing of Shia Hazaras, Zikiri Baloch and the killing and abduction of members of Hindu community.
Baloch intellectuals and analysts believe that if the West is serious about rooting out fundamentalism and extremism then they must make sure that their tax payers’ money should not fall in the hands of fundamentalist states like Pakistan. They [West] should support the moderate Baloch forces as their natural allies otherwise Pakistan with the help of Arab states’ money, China’s weapons and its own rogues army will succeed in turning Balochistan into another Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan which is not only a risk to the survival of Baloch nation but also a great threat to peace and stability of the world.
Pakistan: A dream gone sour by fascist army
Nations take great pride in their armed forces. Nations cherish them and protected by them. In contrast, people of Pakistan have only suffered hardships and traumas at the hands of its own armed forces.
The dream of an independent Pakistan has gone sour because of all the military generals who are acting no less than like a mafia or gang at national level. Imagine a mafia “legally” consuming more than 80% of the national resources and armed to the teeth with all kinds of weapons.
The country suffered a great loss in 1971 when its own Army surrendered in shame after committing one of the worst human right crimes in history and perpetrating the holocaust of three million people who were the citizens of Pakistan. That was just the beginning.
In the last six decades Pakistan Army has transformed into an organized crime syndicate and a business mafia that occupies the country it proclaims to defend. This criminal organization is the biggest stake holder and stock holder in every big business of Pakistan by virtue of the power it has.
Pakistan military has the biggest share in Pakistan's stock exchange. It operates commercial bank, airline, steel, cement, telecom, petroleum and energy, education, sports, health care and even chains of grocery shops and bakeries.
In short, the military’s monopoly is present in every sector of Pakistan economy. To the contrary, its performance at the professional level is zero. Instead of defending Pakistan, it has undermined the very foundations of this country. Particularly, under General Musharraf, it has bankrupted Pakistan of its ideological grounds for existence. Instead of defending its physical borders, the army that is being ranked as the seventh biggest army in the world has only brought embarrassment to the nation in the battle fields of Kargil and Dhaka. On top of that, since 2001, it has started acting like occupation force in many parts of the country. Bombing homes, mosques and schools has become a routine.
In short, the military’s monopoly is present in every sector of Pakistan economy. To the contrary, its performance at the professional level is zero. Instead of defending Pakistan, it has undermined the very foundations of this country. Particularly, under General Musharraf, it has bankrupted Pakistan of its ideological grounds for existence. Instead of defending its physical borders, the army that is being ranked as the seventh biggest army in the world has only brought embarrassment to the nation in the battle fields of Kargil and Dhaka. On top of that, since 2001, it has started acting like occupation force in many parts of the country. Bombing homes, mosques and schools has become a routine.
Although the military permanently remained very active behind the political scene, the criminal Generals of Pakistan betrayed the nation four times by breaking their oath and constitution and overthrowing civilian governments.
They over threw elected government and captured the power to fulfill their evil desires and to protect the interests of their imperialist masters. The Pakistani Army has played an evil role in mainstream politics throughout the history with the objective to manipulate everything to their advantage.
Even though Pakistan is a republic, the military Generals have ruled the country more than public representatives. It is because of these Generals that a people’s government could not take root in Pakistan.
They over threw elected government and captured the power to fulfill their evil desires and to protect the interests of their imperialist masters. The Pakistani Army has played an evil role in mainstream politics throughout the history with the objective to manipulate everything to their advantage.
Even though Pakistan is a republic, the military Generals have ruled the country more than public representatives. It is because of these Generals that a people’s government could not take root in Pakistan.
The Generals of Pakistan consider themselves above every law and they take pride in disobeying orders from civilian government. It has been their practice since 1947. General Douglas Gracey, the first commander-in-chief of Pakistan Army started this tradition by disobeying orders from founder and Governor General of Pakistan, Mr. Jinnah during the first Kashmir War. Instead, Gracey sought instructions by telephone from his superior, Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck, in New Delhi. Since then it has been a rule in Pakistan Army to break their oath and to take orders from outside. From Gracey to Musharraf, every last one of them used power to sabotage political process that could lead to self-rule and stability of the country. They have been serving their outsider masters instead of defending the physical and ideological borders of Pakistan.
Pakistan came into being in August 1947 but partition plan of India had been announced in June 1947. British divided national resources between two newly formed states. British army had been divided and according to this division six armored, eight artillery and eight infantry regiments formed Pakistan's army. Division of armed forces was according to demographic division of states and 4000 officers and 15,000 soldiers, 2332 Air Force personnel and 74 air crafts were given to Pakistan that was approximately 36% of total resources. General Douglas Gracey was acting Commander-in-Chief of Pakistan Army and Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck, was still Commander-in-Chief of the armies of both India and Pakistan.
Pakistan came into being in August 1947 but partition plan of India had been announced in June 1947. British divided national resources between two newly formed states. British army had been divided and according to this division six armored, eight artillery and eight infantry regiments formed Pakistan's army. Division of armed forces was according to demographic division of states and 4000 officers and 15,000 soldiers, 2332 Air Force personnel and 74 air crafts were given to Pakistan that was approximately 36% of total resources. General Douglas Gracey was acting Commander-in-Chief of Pakistan Army and Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck, was still Commander-in-Chief of the armies of both India and Pakistan.
Soon after the independence, US started investing in Pakistan Army to prepare an agent in South Asia to thwart Soviet ambitions and use Pakistan like a South Asian Israel. US backed every criminal act of Army Generals to crush people’s rule in the country. Since the inception, this army has been serving as a tool in Washington’s strategic planning for the region. The US granted $400 million to establish and strengthen Pakistan’s armed forces initially. The US needed a terrorist arm in the region to play its strategic game against the Soviet Union. For this purpose, Washington backed successive dictatorships in Pakistan, and also throw them out of power when they outlived their utility.
Indo-Pakistan War of 1947
The first war between India and Pakistan began in October 1947 and ended in December 1948. At that time, both Pakistan and India were trying diplomatic process for the merger of Jammu and Kashmir. To sabotage diplomatic process, Pakistan Army played a cowardice game. Pakistan Army prepared armed tribesmen to infiltrate into Kashmir and upraise anarchy. This act of cowardice led to signing an instrument of accession with India in October 1947. Pakistan Army then joined infiltrators and a war broke out.
Initially Pakistani Army fought with armed forces of Kashmir and they gained significant successes. Maharajah of Kashmir thus requested Indian government for help and Indian government deployed its forces in November 1947. So far Pakistani forces had been facing resistance only from Kashmiri forces. That enabled them to enter far into Kashmir. After the deployment of India forces, Pakistan Army and Army-backed tribesman faced fierce resistance. Though Indian Army was facing serious logistic problems, it thwarted the advancement of Pakistan Army.
Indian Army suffered setbacks due to logistic problems and also that it was not prepared for a war just two months after partition, especially for a high altitude combat. Whereas Pakistan Army had planned and conducted this operation with the help of tribesman of NWFP, who were able to face extreme weather and mountain range. Still Indian army had been successful in regaining most of the area. In 1948, United Nation entered into conflict and broke a ceasefire in January 1949.
The cease- fire agreement formalized the military status quo, leaving about 30 percent of Kashmir under Pakistani control. Apparently it was a major success but in reality, it brought such a disaster to the Kashmir cause that it can still be witnessed. Pakistan lost 70 percent of the Kashmir territory in the process. This created reluctance and hatred among Kashmiris for Pakistan and Pro-Indian Kashmiri political parties gained significant strength in Kashmir.
First Coup
Pakistan's first democratic elections were scheduled in 1958. But a democratic government and a strong parliament was not in the interest of US foreign policy. General Mohammed Ayub Khan, the commander-in-chief, took over the government in a coup and cancelled the elections that were a threat for military’s blind power. Ayub Khan imposed Martial Law in the country and seized constitution. Under Ayub Khan rule, Pakistan became a US garrison state in South Asia. During this period, US granted $630 million directly and $670 million indirectly to purchase military equipment. US also paid salary of General Ayub Khan.
General Ayub Khan, with the support of US, made every effort to thwart peoples’ self-rule in the country. He used every dictatorial method to shut voices against his brutal attacks on democratic process. In this period, Ms. Fatima Jinnah, sister of the Founder of Pakistan, who was at that time most respected woman in Pakistan, raised voice against military dictatorship and criminal acts of the Generals. Ayub Khan and his companions played their dirty games to defame this respected lady.
War of 1965
During Ayub period, Pakistan army planned an operation against India after a green signal from Washington. Operation Giberaltar was planned to infiltrate and start rebellion in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistani soldiers trained guerillas for infiltrating into Kashmir and starting an insurgency among local Kashmiris. This plan failed as locals did not respond as expected by the puppet military of Pakistan. Infiltrators were soon exposed and it resulted in a counterattack by Indian forces.
After the shameful failure of Operation Giberaltar, the coward army planned another Operation, called Grand Slam, to cover-up its embarrassment. The plan was to capture Akhnur, a north-eastern town of Jammu that was a key region for communication between Kashmir and the rest of India. This however resulted in more problems for Pakistan as India countered by crossing the international border further south in Punjab. As a result, a large scale war started between the two neighbors. The war lasted five weeks, resulting in thousands of casualties on both sides and ended in a United Nations (UN) mandated ceasefire. The war remained largely inconclusive despite Pakistan suffering relatively more losses.
Though the war was indecisive, Pakistan suffered much heavier material and personnel casualties compared to India. Many war historians believe that had the war continued, with growing losses and decreasing supplies, Pakistan would have been eventually defeated. The Pakistani Army's failures was apparent right from the beginning as Pakistan Army had expectations that local Kashmiri will support insurgency started by Pakistani soldiers. But the people of Kashmir, for whatever reason, did not revolt against Indian government. On the contrary they provided Indian army with information about Pakistani intruders.
Under the influence of controlled propaganda, many Pakistanis rated the performance of military positively and September 6 is celebrated as 'Defence Day' in Pakistan in commemoration of the successful defense of Sailkot against the Indian army. However facts are not always based upon emotions. This war left a lot to desire as Pakistan lost more ground than gained and more importantly Pakistan army did not achieve what was planned. War also imposed a huge burden on Pakistan's economy. It took a sever decline after witnessing some progress earlier.
The war also created a tense state of affairs between the two neighbors and both countries increased their defense budgets. Pakistan's spending on defense reached its height as Pakistan was spending 70% of its budget on defense needs in 1973. This extra burden brought negative impact on Pakistan's social and economic progress.
Another negative consequence of the war was the growing resentment against the Pakistani government in East Pakistan. Bengali leaders accused the government for not providing adequate security for East Pakistan during the war even though large sums of money were taken from the east to finance the war.
Yehya Khan
After the war, Genral Ayub Khan handed over the power to General Yehya Khan violating the constitution instead of holding general elections. General Yehya Khan was a butcher in his nature and because of his incompetence Pakistan faced the greatest loss in its history.
After the 1965 war, a strong resistance against military dictatorship and exploitation of Bengalis had started and Yehya Khan used his dictatorial method to solve political problems. Under the orders of Yehya Khan, Pakistan army acted in fascist ways against it won people and committed worst crimes in East Pakistan.
To control the voices of protestors, the fascist army performed genocide on its own land. With American Support and military aid, Pakistan Army butchered three million Bengalis and raped Bengali women in 1971 only because Bengali leaders were asking for provincial autonomy and an end to exploitation of the people of East Pakistan.
That is the Army way to handle political problems. That is the policy of every dictator to slaughter everyone who dares to speak against dictatorship. Every dictatorship in the world practices the same policy. But Pakistan Army is unique in this matter that Pakistani soldiers killed their own people. They did not spare anyone. They massacred innocent unarmed citizens in colleges, schools, roads and even in mosques.
Atrocities by Pakistani soldiers in East Pakistan shocked the world and conscientious people from around the world condemned crimes of Pakistan Army. Genocide in East Pakistan and human rights crimes led to another war with India in 1971. As a consequence of this war and atrocities of Pakistani soldiers, Pakistan had to loose a large part of its territory which became an independent state, called Bangladesh today.
War of 1971
To control the protests against exploitation and dictatorship in East Pakistan, in March 1971, Pakistani Army started a planned genocide in East Pakistan called 'Operation Searchlight' to curb Bengali nationalist movement. This operation ended in December 1971 and resulted in deaths of three million Bengali people. Indian Government at this time expressed full support for the people of East Pakistan. America was providing full support and military aid to fascist Pakistani soldiers. Indian government launched a successful diplomatic campaign against Pakistani military's crime on a grand scale.
To cover their embarrassment in international forums, Pakistan's military rulers launched an offensive air strikes on north-western Indian border. However, the Indians had anticipated such a move and the raid was not successful. The Indian Air Force launched a counter-attack and quickly achieved air superiority. Pakistan Army counter-attacked India in the West in an attempt to capture territory which might have been used to bargain for territory they expected to lose in the east. The land battle in the West was crucial for any hope of preserving a united Pakistan. The Indian Army quickly responded to the Pakistan Army's movements in the west and made some initial gains, including capturing around 5,500 sq miles of Pakistan territory.
At sea, the Indian Navy proved its superiority by the success of Operation Trident, the name given to the attack on Karachi's port. It also resulted in the destruction of 2 destroyers and one minesweeper, and was followed by the successful Operation Python. In every field, Pakistan Army faced heavy losses. The war ended in a crushing defeat for Pakistan military in just a fortnight. Pakistan's general Niazi, who was titled as 'Tiger Niazi' for killing innocent un-armed civilians appealed for a cease-fire and surrendered in extremely shameful manner. As a result, East Pakistan became Bangladesh. Pakistan lost a half of its navy, a quarter of it Air-Force and a third of its army. India captured 93000 Pakistani soldiers as prisoners of war. India wanted to put them on trials for their war crimes in East Pakistan but eventually released them as a gesture of reconciliation.
After this shameful defeat, General Yehya Khan resigned and handed over power to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, an elected leader and thus democracy started being restored eventually. It was against the Interest of foreign policy of US, who had spent a huge amount in Pakistan Army. Bhutto's policies were leaning towards Soviet Union while US has established a fascist terrorist arm in the form of Pakistan Army. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto remained in power from 1971 to 1977.
Zia-ul-Haq
In July 1977 the military, led by General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, staged a coup. Zia removed Bhutto from power, held him in detention and later persecuted and hanged him. Zia pledged that new elections would be held in 90 days. He kept postponing the elections and eventually took all power in his hand. He ruled the country for 11 years that is the longest period in Pakistan's history till date. General Zia imposed Martial Law in 1977 and assumed the post of president in 1978. He secured his position by a rigged referendum in 1984 and in 1985 he eased Martial Law and announced non-partisan election. Zia handpicked a dummy Prime Minister to show the world that he is restoring democracy. Muhammad Khan Junejo who could not breath without the General’s permission was sacked in 1988.
Zia’s period is not only longest but darkest too as during this time, historical places were turned into prisons for those who raised voice against military dictatorship and it became a routine to arrest, punish and persecute intellectuals who dared to speak. This period was full of brutality, suppression and fear. A number of intellectuals fled from Pakistan and many were sent to specially set up torture cells. He imposed his policies in the name of Islamization to get support from religious schools. This Islamization was directly imported from Washington and was based on violence for serving American interest in the name of Islam and Jihad in Afghanistan. Results of his Islamization are clearer after nine years.
General Zia was an actual employee of US. After holding the power, he started a proxy war on the orders from his US masters against Soviet Union. He proved himself as the most reliable instrument for his imperialist masters. In his period, Pakistan was flooded with military aids from US. Zia was performing as a middleman between US and tribesman of Afghanistan who were fighting against Soviet Union. General Zia did everything to serve his Washington-based masters from training of Afghan fighters to sending Pakistanis to Afghan war. In his period, religious schools became training camps for militants. Whole country was flooded with arms and ammunitions and it resulted in a continuous state of violence in the country that is present to date.
Zia's rule witnessed heightened tensions with neighboring states. He was instrumental in providing military assistance to Mujahideen fighting in Afghanistan against Soviet Occupation and then later diverting them to the Kashmir cause in the late 1980s. During his time as President, Zia was also accused several times by Indian premier Indira Gandhi (and later Rajiv Gandhi) of training Sikh insurgents and sending them to destabilize India.
Under the orders from Washington, Zia provided logistic support to Afghan Mujahedeen and opened Pakistani borders for Afghanistan. A great number of refugees fled into Pakistan and the country faced a huge burden on its economy. Zia’s era is also remembered as the golden age for drug trafficking. This period was also golden for criminals as all sorts of arms and ammunition became easily available throughout the country.
Under the orders from Washington, Zia provided logistic support to Afghan Mujahedeen and opened Pakistani borders for Afghanistan. A great number of refugees fled into Pakistan and the country faced a huge burden on its economy. Zia’s era is also remembered as the golden age for drug trafficking. This period was also golden for criminals as all sorts of arms and ammunition became easily available throughout the country.
Zia’s greed for more and more power led him to introduce theocratic laws without the broader context and without fulfilling other basic requirements for implementing those lasws. It was a show to win support in the name of Islam. He imposed total censorship on media and he introduced a controversial Hudood Ordinance to win support from religious fundamentalist groups. Human rights Organizations have been criticising the implementation of this law and they accuse that this law has been being abused to suppress half of the population of Pakistan. This infamous ordinance was introduced to control adultery but in itself this ordinance protected rapists. Under this ordinance many rape-victims were arrested and sent to prison because they could not produce witness to meet the standard of this ordinance. Zia also banned women from participating in sports activities.
With continuous support of the US, General Zia became the most powerful and cruel ruler of the country. He declared Pakistani constitution as a 'rag of paper'. The person who polluted the soil of Pakistan with drugs, arms and corruption died in an air crash in 1988. Officially his death remains a mystery as no one dares to point a finger towards the actual mastermind behind the plot.
General Zia also militarized the bureaucracy systematically. By the order of his government, 5% of all new posts in the higher civil service were to be filled by army officers who, consequently, occupied important civilian positions. Successive democratically elected governments did not rescind this order due to the power wielded by Pakistan Army. Under Pakistan's current military government, militarizing the bureaucracy is again pursued.
General Zia also militarized the bureaucracy systematically. By the order of his government, 5% of all new posts in the higher civil service were to be filled by army officers who, consequently, occupied important civilian positions. Successive democratically elected governments did not rescind this order due to the power wielded by Pakistan Army. Under Pakistan's current military government, militarizing the bureaucracy is again pursued.
Fragile Democracy
After the death of General Zia-ul-Haq, Ghulam Ishaq Khan became caretaker president of Pakistan and he held elections in the country to restore democracy. Benazir Bhutto, daughter of Zufiqar Ali Bhuto, former Prime Minister who was persecuted by Zia-ul-Haq won with heavy majority and her victory proved how much hatred Zia-ul-Haq had earned. Military supported president Ghulam Ishaq Khan dissolved National Assembly just after twenty months and forced new elections. In fact fascist military Generals could not tolerate the popularity of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who was still alive in the hearts of people of Pakistan even after an 11 years long period of suppression.
In upcoming elections of 1990, Nawaz Shareef became Prime Minister. Elections of 1990 were fully controlled by Military and Nawaz Shareef was actually a hand-picked Prime Minister. But Nawaz Shareef soon demanded for restoration for real democracy that could never be tolerated by Generals. Nawaz Shareef's started standing against Army mafia. However, Ghulam Ishaq Khan was still president of Pakistan and was acting as a front-man of the military Generals. He removed Nawaz and dissolved National Assembly.
In the 1993 elections, the Generals did not have any dummy to appoint and Benazir Bhutto won with a heavy majority again. This time Benazir came in office with more power and she removed Ghulam Ishaq Khan from office. In 1996 she was removed from office again on the charges of corruption and bad governance. This time again Nawaz Shareef who had become a national level leader by now won with such a huge majority and popularity that the Generals felt threatened. Nawaz Shareef had now understood politics of the fascist Generals and he wanted to control their games.
Nawaz Shareef had been doing his best to restore democracy in the country and in his second tenure he secured extreme popularity in the country. He was the second leader in Pakistan who became so popular in a short period after Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Nawaz Shareef proved himself a sensible leader and he did not give any chance to US to support Pakistan Military to destabilize democracy.
Kargil War
In 1999, Generals played another nasty game to weaken democracy in the country. At this time Nawaz Shareef was working for the peace with Indian Government which could jeopardize the status quo which the military wanted to maintain. The Generals found it a golden opportunity and launched a plan to infiltrate Kashmir. They started an operation in Kargil with the help of some fundamentalist militant organizations. The situation was embarrassing for Nawaz Shareef. He came under pressure from the whole world especially from the USA. In furious state, Nawaz Shareef used his constitutional power and dismissed General Parvez Musharraf who was the mastermind behind Kargil operation.
Kargil war started after military operation code named Operation Badar in 1999. In the beginning Pakistan Army supported intruders and provided logistic support. As a result, they captured Indian Positions at a time when Indian forces had left positions due to cold weather. Due to extreme weather, it was a common practice in both militaries to leave such positions in winter and re-occupy them in spring. Pakistani paramilitary forces took control of Indian positions but Indian forces responded and forced them back to the line of control.
Pakistan Military tried to capture Kargil posts with the help of intruders but Indian forces responded with mobilization of 20,000 troops to the line of control. Indian troops soon secured most of their territories and India also launched a diplomatic campaigned on international level that had been successful and this rogue misadventure by a fascist Army brought embarrassment to the nation. International Media titled Pakistan Army as 'The Rogue Army' for its coward act. Pakistan has been criticized for the criminal activities of its Military and “international community” forced Pakistan to withdraw its troops from Kargil.
Pakistan faced the loss of approximately 4000 troops and extreme damage to the morale of Military. As a result of this fascist act of violating the Line of Control by Pakistan Army, Pakistan faced the possibility of isolation and Pakistan's economy tumbled. Image of Pakistan shattered in international community. The ongoing peace process with India stopped. Prime Minister who was under pressure from international community tried to constitute a committee to investigate. Nawaz Shareef wanted to bring Parvez Musharaf under charge for such irresponsible action.
Tension between Prime Minister and Army chief arose on the issue of investigation. the Army chief, according to the traditions of Generals, started acting arrogantly. Army Chief, who was responsible for the loss, was afraid of investigations and under such fears he started ignoring constitutional orders from Prime Minister. He challenged the writ of democratic government and as a result, Nawaz Shareef issued the orders of dismissal of Army Chief to maintain the writ of parliament.
General Pervez Musharraf
As it had been the policy of Fascist Generals to never perform their constitutional duty and accept orders from Federal Government, General Musharraf refused to accept orders and captured the capital in a military coup in 1999. Generals once again murdered the democracy. General Musharraf arrested the elected Prime Minister and later exiled him. Musharraf charged Nawaz Shareef with accusations of corruption and bad governance.
Such charges of corruptions and bad governance always had been a lame excuse for military coups. Politicians all over the world are charged with such accusations but they do not solve such problems with military coups. It is only Pakistan's fascist army that uses its power to destabilize democracy and over-throw civilian government. It is evident that generals of Pakistan are more corrupt than politicians. Their only problem is that they cannot let democracy be strengthened.
General Parvez Musharraf hijacked power and illegally held the office of president. of Pakistan. He followed the footsteps of his predecessor General Zia-ul-Haq and used every dictatorial method to sabotage democratic process in the country. He used every brutal tactic to control voices of protest. He crossed every limit in serving his US master in order to remain in power. He is the first dictator of Pakistan who follows every command from Washington keeping aside national integrity.
General Parvez Musharraf started Military operation in his own land to control protests against his dictatorship and repeated the story of East Pakistan. Pakistan Army started brutal operations in Waziristan and Balochistan to control the people who are demanding their basic rights. General Musharraf recently killed a nationalist leader from Balochistan, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti who had been a strong voice against Military dictatorship and the due rights of his people. Conditions in Balochistan are being worsened and the exploited people are feeling insecure and frightened.
Under the Musharraf rule, the whole country has become a cantonment. Military is dominating the life in Pakistan. Fascist Army has captured every civil institution including schools, universities, factories, hospitals, public offices and public utility services. Pakistan Army has grabbed a large area of state owned land and it is being allotted to Military officers. They are looting all resources of the nation. Musharraf government is also selling profitable national assets at throw-away prices and getting huge kickbacks. Such corruption cases have been exposed before the Supreme Court but Musharraf is misusing his power and using every dictatorial method to control protests against his corruptions.
People of Pakistan are under a continuous state of fear under Musharraf rule. People are afraid to speak as they have seen how Military rulers killed Nawab Bugti for raising voice against dictatorship. Even international media is silent because Musharraf is being supported by his Washington based masters. Price for the fascist acts of Generals is being paid by common Pakistanis who are suffering poverty and humility.
General Mushararf, following the footsteps of his predecessor generals, forced censorship on media. Government banned websites and newspaper in Balochistan who were reporting the atrocities of Pakistan Army in Balochistan. At some occasions, the government also blocked a reputable news resource 'South Asia tribune' that published the reports of corruption of Generals. They have also blocked some other websites that publish reports on military operation in Balochistan.
Many journalists and activists were kidnapped by agencies and a large number of citizens have disappeared in the past few years. Reporters Sans Frontiers, International Organization of journalists ranked Pakistan as No. 12 in world’s most restricted press in 2006 because of Musharraf’s continuous attacks on the freedom of press.
More recently Pakistan Army raided a religious school in NWFP, killing more than 83 students, accusing them of terrorism. Most of these students were under 14 years of age and no evidence of any weapon or suspicious activity was found. Government also banned journalist to enter in the premises of bombed school. This act of Mushararf is extra-judicial murder and human rights organizations condemned Musharraf regime for such operation without investigation.
International Fund for Peace declared Pakistan a failed state in 2006 because of the policies of General Musharraf. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have condemned the criminal policies of the fascist General. Transparency International ranked his government as most corrupt in the history of Pakistan. But he is not willing to leave the office, ignoring protests going on in the country, condemnation worldwide and worsening situations of homeland security, national economy and human rights.
Land of Pakistan has been suffering the rule of these ambitious and opportunist military Generals denying people their right to self-determination and dancing at the tunes from Washington and London. It is the responsibility of conscientious people from around the world to raise voice against this cruel dictatorship and show support and solidarity with the people of Pakistan who had been a victim of cruelty of its Fascist Army sine 1952.
http://www.fascistarmy.org/
Pakistani Military corruption robs country's poor
by Sharif Shuja
News Weekly, December 18, 2004
The Pakistan army, as an institution, has been a major obstacle to promoting better governance and development.
With defence devouring a major portion of the budget, key sectors like health and education have been squeezed, and more and more ordinary people continue to fall below the poverty line.
General Pervez Musharraf took government on false pretences, promising to relinquish power after three years; but he is still around.
Law and order in Pakistan have not improved. Nor has the economy. Prices are still high; unemployment is rampant; the poor lack health facilities; and the population is exploding. Pakistan is still a mess socially, politically and economically.
Power centres
There are three main concentrations of power in Pakistan:
The Pakistani people are lost somewhere in between.
The basic question of how the country should be run does not seem to have been solved. The country has been torn since birth between conflicting cultures. It has a tribal and feudal social structure, an Islamic ideology and a legal and political system that is British in origin.
Islamic and secular law are at war with each other. Tribal loyalties, religious tensions and feudal social structure distort the democratic process.
The problem of government in Pakistan is that it is controlled by a handful of families, and the system they have created is corrupt and self-serving. Pakistan's political elite has been notably unsuccessful in nation- and state-building, and ordinary people have suffered as a result.
Feudalism is at the heart of Pakistan's problems. The army works in tandem with the powerful landlords, who have been allowed to keep their lands. And the majority illiterate population is not bold or courageous enough to stand up to the army.
The Pakistani army controls 70 per cent of Pakistan's economy. According to reports, the defence budget for the next year is being increased from 131 billion to 150 billion rupees.
But the "buck" does not stop at what is allocated to defence in the annual budget. A system of "legalised corruption" devours a major share of the country's limited resources.
Army officers are allocated plots in affluent localities for throw-away prices, and their children get the best education for free. Their families receive excellent health services without paying a penny, in addition to furnished accommodations, domestic help and rations, all at no charge.
To ensure these luxuries, resources are often diverted from the social sector to the military through covert avenues.
The argument that the military deserves all this for patriotic service rendered to the country's defence has long worn thin. The reality is that the generals wish to remain unaccountable to other institutions and the public at large.
Stories are legion of large-scale corruption within the military establishment; most organs of the military empire are running at a loss because of inefficiency.
General Musharraf presides over a vast industrial, commercial and real estate empire, with assets and investments of at least US$5 billion. This military-commercial complex is based on a little-known network - originally created to promote the welfare of retired servicemen - which has since branched out into numerous money-making ventures employing 18,000 serving and retired military officers.
These run a wide range of businesses from banks and insurance companies to airlines, all under the control of the Defence Ministry or one of the three services.
The armed forces also control powerful businesses in trucking and transport, road-building and construction.
Originally, these firms were established to serve military needs, but grew so fat with military contracts that they moved into the civilian economy and have gradually squeezed out most private competitors.
Loss-making
Many defence analysts believe that most of these ventures have incurred losses that are covered by financial injections from the defence budget or various public sector enterprises vulnerable to military pressure.
One interesting point to note here is that almost all the major government and semi-government departments, including diplomatic posts, are today headed by retired or serving army personnel. This more than anything else demonstrates the regime's lack of confidence in the ability of civilians to efficiently run national affairs.
By thus sidelining the civilians, General Musharraf is merely following in the footsteps of his predecessors, Generals Ayub Khan and Zia-ul-Haq.
http://newsweekly.com.au/article.php?id=1643
News Weekly, December 18, 2004
The Pakistan army, as an institution, has been a major obstacle to promoting better governance and development.
With defence devouring a major portion of the budget, key sectors like health and education have been squeezed, and more and more ordinary people continue to fall below the poverty line.
General Pervez Musharraf took government on false pretences, promising to relinquish power after three years; but he is still around.
Law and order in Pakistan have not improved. Nor has the economy. Prices are still high; unemployment is rampant; the poor lack health facilities; and the population is exploding. Pakistan is still a mess socially, politically and economically.
Power centres
There are three main concentrations of power in Pakistan:
- The feudalists and the elite with their money.
- The army with the guns and the claim to be "protectors of Islam".
- The ulema with its jihadi army which is contesting the rights to be "protectors of Islam".
The Pakistani people are lost somewhere in between.
The basic question of how the country should be run does not seem to have been solved. The country has been torn since birth between conflicting cultures. It has a tribal and feudal social structure, an Islamic ideology and a legal and political system that is British in origin.
Islamic and secular law are at war with each other. Tribal loyalties, religious tensions and feudal social structure distort the democratic process.
The problem of government in Pakistan is that it is controlled by a handful of families, and the system they have created is corrupt and self-serving. Pakistan's political elite has been notably unsuccessful in nation- and state-building, and ordinary people have suffered as a result.
Feudalism is at the heart of Pakistan's problems. The army works in tandem with the powerful landlords, who have been allowed to keep their lands. And the majority illiterate population is not bold or courageous enough to stand up to the army.
The Pakistani army controls 70 per cent of Pakistan's economy. According to reports, the defence budget for the next year is being increased from 131 billion to 150 billion rupees.
But the "buck" does not stop at what is allocated to defence in the annual budget. A system of "legalised corruption" devours a major share of the country's limited resources.
Army officers are allocated plots in affluent localities for throw-away prices, and their children get the best education for free. Their families receive excellent health services without paying a penny, in addition to furnished accommodations, domestic help and rations, all at no charge.
To ensure these luxuries, resources are often diverted from the social sector to the military through covert avenues.
The argument that the military deserves all this for patriotic service rendered to the country's defence has long worn thin. The reality is that the generals wish to remain unaccountable to other institutions and the public at large.
Stories are legion of large-scale corruption within the military establishment; most organs of the military empire are running at a loss because of inefficiency.
General Musharraf presides over a vast industrial, commercial and real estate empire, with assets and investments of at least US$5 billion. This military-commercial complex is based on a little-known network - originally created to promote the welfare of retired servicemen - which has since branched out into numerous money-making ventures employing 18,000 serving and retired military officers.
These run a wide range of businesses from banks and insurance companies to airlines, all under the control of the Defence Ministry or one of the three services.
The armed forces also control powerful businesses in trucking and transport, road-building and construction.
Originally, these firms were established to serve military needs, but grew so fat with military contracts that they moved into the civilian economy and have gradually squeezed out most private competitors.
Loss-making
Many defence analysts believe that most of these ventures have incurred losses that are covered by financial injections from the defence budget or various public sector enterprises vulnerable to military pressure.
One interesting point to note here is that almost all the major government and semi-government departments, including diplomatic posts, are today headed by retired or serving army personnel. This more than anything else demonstrates the regime's lack of confidence in the ability of civilians to efficiently run national affairs.
By thus sidelining the civilians, General Musharraf is merely following in the footsteps of his predecessors, Generals Ayub Khan and Zia-ul-Haq.
http://newsweekly.com.au/article.php?id=1643
Pakistan - Russian Ambassador called on Former President Zardari
https://mediacellppp.wordpress.com
Ambassador of Russian Federation in Islamabad Alexy Dedov called on Former President Asif Ali Zardari in Zardari house Islamabad Thursday evening.
Bilateral relations, regional situation and matters of mutual interest were discussed during the meeting that lasted for over one hour.
Meeting also attended by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Senator Sherry Rehman, Senator Salim Mandviwalla, former Advisor Mustafa Khokhar, ex MNA Palwasha Behram and spokesperson senator Farhatullah Babar. The Russian Ambassador was accompanied by Anton Chernov first secretary Russian embassy.