Sunni Terrorist Fragments of Unstable Pakistan-Jan 24, 2016

[SSridhar]

In the 80s, we failed to bomb the Kahuta plant. We must not remain idle with Diamar Basha.

[member_27581]

Just in case we get serious about bombing this inter country transfer of assets this might be of some use https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Chastise

[vishvak]

Giving a strategic project to phoren entities is like making cat guard sweet warm milk. Will be interesting to track year after year till we get PoJ&K back.

[wig]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36149315

Zeenat Shahzadi: Fears for missing Pakistan reporter since 19 aug 2015

Zeenat Shahzadi is believed to be the first female journalist "forcibly disappeared" in Pakistan. Her family and human rights groups say she was abducted by security agencies who have been accused of illegally detaining thousands of people under the guise of anti-terrorism operations. BBC Urdu's Saba Eitizaz investigates.
Nearly a year has passed since Zeenat Shahzadi disappeared but her room seems frozen in time.
Set against the peeling wall paint, her dressing table is gathering dust, her comb and favourite lipstick are exactly where she left them on the morning she went missing.
Her clothes are hanging in the closet and her mother, Kaneez Bibi, keeps them fresh and ironed.
"I just put away her winter clothes and took out the summer ones she will wear when she comes back," she said.
Her voice trembles, as do her hands as she wipes and cleans Zeenat's things.

Zeenat Shahzadi was proud to work as a journalist and was the main earner for her family
Zeenat's mother refuses to give up hope but it was too much for her son, Zeenat's youngest brother.
Saddam, who was 17, took his own life last month in March. His family says he was Zeenat's best friend.
"He used to ask me every day when Zeenat would be coming home," said Kaneez Bibi. "On the last day he said to me, 'Mum, Zeenat is never coming back'."
Kaneez Bibi starts sobbing into her scarf.
"It's my fault. Why did I cry for Zeenat in front of him? That child just couldn't take it any more."
Zeenat Shahzadi was a freelance reporter for local channels and also liked to call herself a human rights activist.
Despite coming from a humble background, she made a career for herself and was the only one financially supporting her family.

Zeenat's younger brother Saddam, seen here on the right, was unable to cope with the disappearance of his sister
Before her abduction, the 24-year-old journalist had been working on the case of Indian citizen Hamid Ansari who went missing in Pakistan in November 2012.
Through social media, she managed to get in touch with Hamid's mother in Mumbai and filed a missing person's petition in court on her behalf.
She played an important role in encouraging a government commission on enforced disappearances to investigate his case.
As a result, security agencies admitted to the commission that Hamid was in their custody.
He was later sentenced and jailed by a military court. That same year Zeenat went missing.
Human rights lawyer Hina Jillani says Zeenat's disappearance did not come out of nowhere.
"Zeenat's family told us that Zeenat was forcefully picked up by security officials before [her disappearance] and detained for four hours," said Hina Jillani.
"She told her family that they interrogated her about Hamid Ansari."
On 19 August 2015, Zeenat Shahzadi took a rickshaw to work but never got there.
Two cars blocked her on the road; armed men got out and abducted her.
She was due to appear before the Commission on Enforced Disappearances to give testimony on the Hamid Ansari case in the next few days.
Human rights organisations are worried that her abduction represents a dangerous trend.
She is the first female journalist to be "disappeared" and it happened in broad daylight in the busy city of Lahore, not some remote rural road.
"We are convinced that this is the work of the secret government agencies, because when someone is detained by them, the police can be quite helpless, and we have seen that in this case," said Hina Jillani.

Human rights laywer Hina Jillani says eyewitness descriptions of how Zeenat was abducted point towards the actions of security agencies
The government sponsored Commission on Enforced Disappearances has been investigating Zeenat Shahzadi's case.
A senior official, who would only talk off the record, said efforts were being made to "recover" her and expressed hope that there would be progress on her case soon.
This senior official also said security agencies had denied any link to her disappearance.
Although the government set up a special commission to try to locate the increasing numbers of missing people in Pakistan, human rights activists say the country's security agencies are not accountable to anyone.
According to government records, 1,300 out of a total of 3,000 cases are still pending unresolved before the commission.
Human rights activists are concerned that the new counter terrorism laws brought in to deal with the country's volatile security situation have a major drawback - they give security agencies ample leeway to illegally arrest people without a warrant or explanation. They can just disappear.
"When you are making new laws that run parallel to the existing legal system, then you are allowing certain individuals and institutions to operate without accountability and with impunity," said Hina Jillani.
Kaneez Bibi pays her respects at her son's grave but is at a loss as to the fate of her daughter
But it is the families of the disappeared who may be paying the highest price.
Zeenat's mother takes some comfort from visiting her son's grave. She brings flowers and prays. She sits among the tombstones for hours.
But Kaneez Bibi is deprived that sense of closure for her daughter.
"Can someone just tell me whether my daughter is alive or dead? I don't even know whether to wait for her return or pray for her soul."

[Falijee]

Must Read
New Child Abuse Case Shocks Swat Just A Year After the Kasur Scandal!

The Kasur child abuse scandal came to light in August last year, with media reports claiming that around 400 sexual-abuse videos of 280 victims were made by the gang in Husain Khanwala, Kasur. This was a shock to the country and the integrity of the “Islamic” Republic of Pakistan. It was a time of great shame, where all the country could do is hang their heads in despair. Yet at this time, a belief was formed that our government would never let anything like this ever go unnoticed again.

However… Less then a year later we are tormented with the notion that history is repeating itself!
In the area of Mingora (Swat) local police have arrested a key member of the gang allegedly involved in a child sex and ***** case.The unearthing of the case has fueled a gigantic public outcry with civil society groups and common citizens pleading with the government and police to take strict action against the perpetrators and stop this evil for good!

IMO, for every one case that is reported in the media, there are at least dozens which go unnoticed by the media or the victims are too afraid to come out in the open due to the stigma attached .

The gang operated in Swat and after kidnapping children and holding them in their underground cells they were forced to have sex with them while being filmed.

The police arrested suspected gang member, Aurangzeb, on a tip-off provided by a 13-year-old boy, who had been kidnapped by the group since 2014, and was set free recently due to a raid that was about to take place.
There Is Even Thought to be Police Involvement in this case
The boy that was recovered claimed that some policemen were involved in the sexual abuse as they would come there and have their way with the children “One day a policeman informed Aurangzeb about a possible police raid, on which the two facilitators took me in a vehicle to Barikot and threw me out there,”

KP province (and Swat ) falls in the jurisdiction of Imran Khan's PTI party !

[Falijee]

SRG1: Pakistan to Get a New Submarine Cable With Capacity of 20Tbps

Multinet Pakistan, a voice and data company, and Omantel of Oman yesterday announced the initiation of a new submarine cable network “Silk Route Gateway 1” to connect Karachi with Barka (near Muscat in Oman) with a strategic landing point at Gawadar in future.

Chini-blothers to foot the bill under the game changer CPEC ?

[Falijee]

Dar in Dubai for talks with IMF
This London trained, Finance Minister of Pakiland, and a relative of Ganja Sharif, and therefore a part of his inner circle is running from pillar to post to make sure that Pakistan does not end up on the official list of insolvent and bankrupt nations. Cannot understand why the IMF( review )delegation (always) hesitate to fly to Isloo (afraid of being lynched by the Aam Abduls !)

[Falijee]

Stop interfering in internal issues, Dhaka tells Islamabad

Bangladesh has asked Pakistan not to interfere in its internal affairs, like trial for crimes against humanity.
Besides, the country has also asked Pakistan “to stop misinterpreting” the 1974 tripartite agreement signed by Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam made the statement today reacting to Pakistan’s expression of concern over the dismissal of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami's review plea against death sentence awarded to him for the war crimes he committed in 1971.“We are disappointed with Pakistan’s reaction. We never welcome anyone interfering in our internal issues,” the state minister said.

So, the "brotherly nation" of Bangladesh is showing the "middle finger" to its " ex brother"

Despite repeated reminders, they are still doing it. They keep saying they are saddened by the verdict. But those being tried are Bangladeshi citizens after all,” Alam added.According to the 1974 tripartite agreement, it was agreed that the 195 Pakistani war criminals who were repatriated to Pakistan would be given immunity, but it was not mentioned anywhere in the agreement that the Bangladesh nationals who were involved in war crimes would not be tried, he further said.The state minister said the war criminals had conducted their atrocities against humanity on behalf of Pakistan. So, it hurts Pakistan as they are being tried now, he added.

The Pakis are masters at misinterpretation and /or reneging on any agreement ; look what happened to the Simla Agreement !

“I find this a serious issue, as these war criminals are trying to assure their future generation with the notion that Pakistan as a state will be by their sides. Otherwise, why would Pakistan be so saddened by Nizami’s death penalty?” the state minister said.

On this one, not one Pakistani politician has the courage to say that this is indeed an internal matter of Bangladesh

[Falijee]

Pakistani among three held in Italy over terrorist plots
Where there is smoke (Paki) there is fire (terrorism)

ITALY: Italian police arrested on Tuesday three people as part of an investigation into a militant cell, suspected of planning attacks in Rome and London, authorities said.

A third man, a Pakistani also suspected of aiding illegal immigration,(and probably making a living at it !) was detained in Milan later in the day, a police source said.

[Rahul M]

In the 80s, we failed to bomb the Kahuta plant. We must not remain idle with Diamar Basha.

banned under geneva convention.

[Falijee]

Use Of Tactical Nukes At Discretion of Colonels - New Reports
Insight: Pakistan's nuclear weapons in the hands of radicals: Hussain Haqqani

For the first time NewsX is in a position to confirm a thus far secret plan drawn up by Pakistan to punish India using tactical nuclear weapons. In an exclusive interview to NewsX, a top advisor to former Pakistan PM Benazir Bhutto has revealed the secrets of the deadly plot.
Hussain Haqqani has told NewsX that Pakistan's new nuclear doctrine envisages handing over tactical nuclear weapons to brigadier and colonel level officers in the field. Haqqani says this worrying departure from nuclear protocol virtually puts the operational control of these deadly weapons in the hands of Pakistan Army's second rung.
The Pakistani insider says that this is a nightmarish development as Pakistan's second rung military leadership has been notoriously radicalised through exposure to Pak-based Islamic terror groups and could be tempted to use these deadly tactical weapons against India.

If true and if confirmed, it is a very disturbing development. Or it could be psychological warfare; with Pakis, anything is possible !

[Abhay_S]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/farheen-r ... 68418.html

Pakistan’s Karachi Becomes a Human Rights Nightmare

Pakistan’s financial capital and largest city, Karachi, has witnessed several gruesome incidents within one week. Social activist Khurram Zaki, who protested against religious extremism, was gunned down by Taliban assailants after he demanded the resignation of the head of paramilitary forces in the city over the death in military custody of a local political leader. Even the US State Department, normally reticent in criticizing Pakistan military on the assumption that it can still be wooed into being a real American ally, had to speak out, showing concern about human rights violations in Pakistan that by all accounts have been going on for years.

State Department spokesperson Elizabeth Trudeau told Press Trust India (PTI),

“We have seen the reports of Aftab Ahmed, a local Pakistan leader’s death while in military custody, and we would direct you to the Pakistanis for any further information on the events surrounding his death.”

Trudeau was responding to a question on the death of Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM)’s, Aftab Ahmed, who died in the custody of Rangers paramilitary force under contentious conditions. MQM is Pakistan’s fourth largest political party in parliament, which commands virtual control over Karachi, winning every election since 1987. The Pakistani military, which is the country’s most powerful institution, has targeted the MQM with repression and negative propaganda since 1992. Although the secular MQM formed part of the Federal government as well as the government in the province of Sindh for 8 years, it is still being targeted by security forces ostensibly conducting counter-terrorist operations.

The head of the paramilitary Rangers that conduct operations in Karachi under the military’s directions, Major General Bilal Akber accepted that the MQM activist was tortured by the Rangers in custody, but maintained that Ahmed died due to cardiac attack. The pictures of Ahmed’s tortured body were released on the social media, which forced Major General Akbar to accept that torture happened in rangers’ custody. Ahmed was arrested by the rangers on the night of May 1, 2016 and brought to the local hospital on next morning in unconscious condition with severe injuries on his body. The autopsy report mentioned that more than 40 percent of the body was covered with bruises and fractures.

This is not the first instance of an extra-judicial killing by Pakistani forces during their operation in Karachi. Rangers were deployed in the city in 1989 to control ethnic tensions in the port city. Pakistan ranger is technically a border force under the Interior Ministry, but Minister Chaudry Nisar, excused himself while talking to a local media,,

“The provincial government can order an inquiry. Army chief and rangers have also ordered inquiries. But to make it meaningful, the Sindh government should set up a judicial commission.”

The same department, whose personnel were involved in the torture, has formed an investigative team for this custodial death.

The latest military operation in Karachi started in 2013. The MQM has accused the Sindh Rangers of at least fifty extra-judicial killings of its members since the beginning of the latest operation. The State Department’s 2015 Human Rights report had also criticized Pakistan for human right violation and has marked extra-judicial killing as serious problem in the country. According to Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP), in 2015, 157 mutilated bodies were found in Baluchistan. According to the report, most of the extra-judicial killings happened with the political activists belong to ethnic minority provinces like Sindh and Baluchistan.

In 2014, the civil and military leaderships of Pakistan began Operation Zarb-e-Azb, a military campaign against militant and terrorist groups in North Waziristan, the tribal area close to Afghanistan. But in December 2014, after six months of this fierce operation which started in June, Tehrik-i-Taliban managed to attack the Army Public School of Peshawar that killed 145 including 132 schoolchildren. Since the National Action Plan to counter terrorism launched in Pakistan, most of the ethnic minorities have seen the substantial rise in the extra-judicial killings in Sindh and Baluchistan.

While Pakistan’s ethnic minorities face the state’s repressive policy, the founder of Lashker-e-Taiba, Hafiz Saeed, a globally declared terrorist, is freely conducting the religious and social activities around the country. In 2015, he inaugurated the ambulance service, run by LeT charity wing Jamat-ud-Dawah in Karachi. The Baloch activist for missing persons, Mama Qadeer, was barred from arranging an event on Baluchistan in Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), while, in 2016, Hafiz Saeed was addressing to the students in University of Engineering and Technology (UET) in Lahore. Similarly, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on directives of Lahore High Court has put a bar on televised speeches and mention of MQM supremo, Altaf Hussain’s name even in print media.

It seems like Pakistan has not learned from past mistakes of breeding and allowing terrorists to prosper in the country. Pakistan has already damaged by the policy of harboring extremist organizations to secure its strategic depth in neighboring countries. The terrorist, who considers Afghan and Kashmir jihads as his duty, is a free citizen; while the political activists are getting picked and killed due to their ethnic background.

Human Right Watch has demanded an independent investigation over Ahmed’s custodial death. International community should fulfill its obligation in persuading Pakistan to follow its international commitment made to the Human Rights; or else, such feelings of deprivation among different groups, which represent Pakistan as a nation, result in sense of alienation. When even legal recourse of seeking justice is made impossible, then the citizen’s trust on the state declines and he may adopt a method that can have a detrimental effect on state itself.

[Falijee]

Paki Invokes Allah's Help To End Corruption In Pakiland
Only divine intervention can end corruption in Pakistan
So, This LUM, La-whori graduate still has faith in "Allah pae Bharosa" philosophy

The Panama leaks controversy has reopened long-standing questions about public accountability in Pakistan, namely, who is to prosecute corruption in the public and private sectors, and how they are supposed to go about it so that the process is fair to all.

These questions should have been answered by now given how we lose at least $15 billion dollars to corruption every year, according to current estimates by The World Bank. Almost 7 decades on from independence, we have lost just enough money to corruption to cover our national debt, currently around $68 billion, a few times over. We may even end up with a few loose billions to spare.

Are we talking about Lahori logic and Islami statistics or does this graduate has some primary sources to back up his figures!

Imran Khan would have us install a revolving door in the highest political office, at least for as long as he isn’t in it...

Nawaz Sharif, on the other hand, would have us watch him personally sniff out corruption in governments his own party had no role in forming. Presumably, you and everything you touch becomes squeaky clean if your last name is Sharif.

The other Sharif also has ideas about tackling corruption. Prosecute all corruption yourself. Go hard on it in civilian institutions and soft on it in your own. Presumably, if you have a stick large enough, nobody will question whether you’re using it fairly.

Bad Sharif always has his "barra danda" for use with him everything he is seen with Badmash

Each government has established its own anti-corruption watchdog, each with a different name and slightly different powers. We’ve variously tried forming Commissions, Councils and Bureaus, under both civilian and military regimes, all to no avail.

We’ve also tried various saviors, hoping desperately for deliverance. The Mr. Clean who snatched power in the ’90s from a “corrupt” civilian government turned out to be dirtier than we thought and now sits pretty abroad with wealth beyond his means. (Is he referring to Mushy here ?)Our current Mr. Clean may turn out to be no better judging by the people he surrounds himself with, including a Chief Minister who pays less a year in tax than I do. (And he is "shaming" the "clever brother" here !) [/quote]

So we may as well just do our ablutions and flood our neighborhood mosques. It’s clear corruption won’t end in this country without divine intervention. Inshallah, the Lord will not forsake us if we pray with a clean heart. Let’s hope we can at least do that.

[Peregrine]

There is many a Slip betwixt the Chinese Cup and the Cwapistani Lips.

CPEC: Perils ahead for Pakistan

China’s ship-borne trade currently amounting to $5 trillion may triple over a decade, much of which will be passing through Gwadar-Kashgar route. Undeniably, Gwadar not only holds enormous promise for Pakistan and China, but also Central Asia and Eurasia. However, there are still slips between the cup and the lip from the perspective of domestic economy.

Currently, Pakistan is basking in the glory of an economic corridor to China, a country known for dumping its goods and redundant technology globally. Notwithstanding enormous trade deficit amounting to $5 billion, the multilayered corridor is going to impact Pakistani industry adversely, sans stringent protections and implementations in place.

Trade ties were established after signing a bilateral agreement in 1963. By the end of 2002, Pakistan and China inked the Preferential Trade Agreement giving tariff relief to a limited number of products. Four years later, the two nations signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which came into force in July 2007. Ever since, Beijing and Islamabad have held talks, at least half a dozen rounds, to hammer out the nitty-gritty of a two-phased trade agreement.

The FTA with China envisaged the gradual liberalisation of tariff on goods in various phases. In the first phase, which was from 2007 to 2011, both sides decided on the removal of tariff on 30% of the products. The second phase envisions reducing duties on 90% of the tariff lines to further liberalise trade.

A study by Pakistan Business Council in 2013 concluded that Pakistan has not benefited from the FTA with China for two reasons: firstly, business community was not consulted while finalising the document and secondly, the ministry of commerce team simply lacked homework and imagination both.

Marred with inconsistent government policies, shortage of energy and trained manpower, Pakistani businessmen believe they will not be able to compete with Chinese products which are cheaper, better and come with lesser restriction to the consumer market. Furthermore, economists see the top most importer with reduced or no taxes as a serious blow to a country which collects almost half of its total revenue through levies.

Since emphasis on exports has never been a serious priority for Islamabad, rarely an FTA signed by the commerce ministry has yielded positive results for the economy. For that matter, one with China will have to be the hardest. Compared to Chinese imports worth around $500 billion, Pakistan’s share is a meagre $5.5 billion despite geographical proximity and the much clichéd taller-than-Himalayas-and-deeper-than-the-oceans friendship. Also it is Stronger than Steel, More Precious than Eyes and Sweeter than Honey

For now, Nawaz government fantasises the China economic corridor more for its own political ambitions rather than national interest. The coordination between the office of Ahsan Iqbal, Pakistan’s point-man on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and commerce and finance ministries is nearly non-existent. Characteristically lacking in-depth homework, the government is working in isolation from think-tanks and universities. CPEC affiliated projects have little input from other stakeholders, including the political and business community and local people.

The nervous business leaders are not only scared of massive dumping of goods but also smuggling of goods from China at the same time. Chinese investment in special economic zones is another fantasy unless Islamabad accepts investment with lasting technological relevance and good profit margins besides other factors.

Forgetting its pre-election rhetoric about eliminating load shedding within a year, the Nawaz government has revised the target by the end of its term in 2018. With power cuts lasting longer and political anarchy becoming more rampant, there remain no visible catalytic factors to boost the country’s economy, especially exports. So far, lower oil prices have been a blessing in disguise for the tax-friendly regime.

Given Pakistan is already putting all economic eggs in one basket, its stakes are high. Learning from mindless policies of Ziaul Haq on the Afghan front, Pakistan can avoid being trapped in an economic whirlpool for many decades to come. If Beijing is spending billions of dollars on CPEC, it’s neither for Pakistan’s makeover nor for the PMLN’s success in 2018 elections. Alone Ahsan Iqbal can’t visualise the fate of Pakistan’s peasants, labourers, consumers and entrepreneurs with their respective advantage.
Cheers

[Peregrine]

Paki Invokes Allah's Help To End Corruption In Pakiland
Only divine intervention can end corruption in Pakistan
So, This LUM, La-whori graduate still has faith in "Allah pae Bharosa" philosophy

Falijee Ji :

When the Creator was "Doling out Corruption" Cwapistanis - 225 Million strong - were at the Head of the Queue!
Cheers

[Falijee]

Police deployed to protect Chak 44 Christians

LAHORE:
Mandi Bahauddin police have deployed a team at Chak 44 to ensure protection of life and property of Christian families of the village following an attempt by a charged mob to burn their houses last Friday, The Express Tribune has learnt.

So, in this day and age of 24/7 news cycle, it took 3-4 days before the news was published !

The mob had gathered after Friday prayers at a mosque and planned to burn the houses of Christian families, claiming that the community had failed to hand over a youth, identified as Imran Masih, suspected of blasphemy. Masih’s colleagues at a rural health centre (RHC) in Bosaal, five kilometres away from Chak 44, had accused him of watching a blasphemous video on his cell phone some three weeks ago.

It appears that the Aam Abduls must have been "aroused" by the local mullah - in his juma khutba!

On Friday, police were called to the scene by one Fayyaz Ashraf who said he was present at the mosque when the mob was planning the attack. Before calling the 15 police helpline, Ashraf said he had tried to pacify the mob but was beaten up and forced out of the mosque. Ashraf was later taken into protective custody.

ASI Muhammad Nawaz, in charge of the nearby post, told The Tribune that after a thorough investigation into the matter he had come to the conclusion that the charges were false. He said that during interviews with Masih’s colleagues, no one had claimed to have seen any blasphemous video in his cell phone. “Each of them tried to put the onus of providing evidence [of allegations against Masih] on someone else,” he said. One of them said that Masih was illiterate and doubted that he could open videos on his smart phone, ASI Nawaz said.

If true justice is to be done (which is doubtful) the " mullah on duty" should be booked under the necessary provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code !

Meanwhile, a mosque committee announced a Rs200,000 bounty on Masih’s head and a cash award of Rs100,000 for anyone who facilitated his arrest, some residents of the area told The Tribune.

Vigilante and /or sharia justice running parallel in almost all parts of rural Pakiland

In a telephonic conversation with The Tribune, Muhammad Saleem Bhatti, the committee head, said that he would do anything to bring a blasphemer to justice. He said the committee would track down the youngster at all costs.

Jhakkar, a monitoring and evaluation assistant at the RHC, told The Tribune that he had been at the RHC when some of Masih’s colleagues accused him of watching a blasphemous video on his cell phone. Asked if he had verified the accusations, he said he had not checked Masih’s cell phone.

Aftab Gill, a rights activist who recently visited the area, told The Tribune that at least half of the Christians residents of the village had left their houses.Those remaining there were living in fear, he said. Only a handful of guests had showed up at a wedding on Saturday, he added.

Unless some important Paki politico takes interest in this case to calm down the passions of the Aam Abduls, this person will meet the same fate as many others !

[Falijee]

The sordid saga of FC corruption

The action ordered by the army chief against six officers for offences committed during their tenures in the Balochistan Frontier Corps generated considerable debate on social media where some commentators lauded the military action while others questioned why the offenders were allowed to keep their pensions, medical benefits and were not jailed.Such questions were expected against the backdrop of the army chief’s call for steps to curb corruption as the battle against terrorism could not be won with widespread corruption eating away at the vitals of society.

Corruption within limits is one of the "perks" of the job, otherwise why would risk their lives in the backwaters of Balochistan .

Many observers said his statement that came on the heels of the Panama Papers leak amounted to ‘interference’ in the civilian domain and advised him to also focus on corruption within his institution.

Before further ado, the ‘dismissals’ news was leaked to the media though officially it took the army’s spokesperson a couple of weeks to confirm it in passing during a TV interview where he wouldn’t give any further details.

Effect on morale ?

It is already in the public domain that the inquiry was initiated by the deaths of two officers in a car crash; they had been ordered to fix and test-drive an expensive high-performance car belonging to the son of the last IGFC, Maj-Gen Ejaz Shahid, towards the end of 2014.An internal FC inquiry tried to hush up the matter, suggesting the two officers were on leave and, therefore, there was no institutional responsibility. Their families protested as they feared losing some of the ‘on-duty’ benefits and wrote to the army chief. The inquiry opened up a Pandora’s Box. The officers were not on leave and were on active duty. This wasn’t all.

One key officer involved headed the Pishin Scouts and Ghazaband Scouts as a colonel. When Brig Asad Shahzada arrived in Kharian to take command of a brigade on promotion; many officers were shocked to see him alighting from a personal Land Cruiser. Another two were said to be in tow.Later he was posted as centre commandant, Armoured Corps and was arrested literally as his retirement farewell ended by the little known but feared Special Investigations Branch officers who report to the adjutant-general, Pakistan Army. It was the previous AG who had conducted the probe.

More details about the others are not forthcoming but it has been reported already that during the initial investigation Maj-Gen Ejaz Shahid was unable to establish a source of income for the expensive high-performance car he gave presented his son.The said officers have been disgraced and have lost all plots, houses they became entitled to as per the army’s generous perks to senior officers. It will of course remain an issue why they escaped prison sentences.

There is a certain limit red line beyond which even the Bad Sharif cannot cross, otherwise he will have an internal revolt on his hand !

The only reason one can think of is that the army chief who is leading his men in a battle against terrorists did not want the deeds of a handful casting a shadow over the blood sacrifices of hundreds of other upright, valiant officers and men. This could have had an adverse impact on morale.

Equally, dozens of their own FC colleagues and men were being killed in the fight against separatists. How could their judgement in any area have been trustworthy, and how could they have remained in saddle for as long as they did? Alas, the dead can’t be brought back to life.

IMO, the Paki Fauj afsars should be patient as there will be "lots of opportunity" to do gol-maal once the so-called CPEC game changer starts rolling

[Prem]

http://www.dawn.com/news/1257795/myster ... tage-audio
Mystery shrouds leak of PM-Raheel meeting footage audio

KARACHI: Leaked video footage of the prime minister’s meeting with the army chief at PM House on Tuesday has raised eyebrows because of its rare audio content and timing of release.

News TV channels aired the footage in which Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in an apparent one-on-one meeting with Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif can be heard telling him that a “date has been given”.
Although the sound is not clearly audible and the chief’s response is unclear, one TV journalist quoted the general as saying, “You [Nawaz] have to reach there before that date”.While such high-level meetings between the civil-military leadership are routinely recorded by the state TV crew on camera, the audio is always muted.A former news in-charge at Pakistan Television (PTV) explains how it is done: “According to standard protocol, the audio should be on mute. At times it happens that a general sound is captured by the camera microphone. Even then, when it is being broadcast on PTV it is always put on mute.”He said the footage is recorded by a PTV cameraman or the crew member assigned to cover functions at PM House, but the audio is not recorded.The timing of the video release raises alarm because it was broadcast soon after “unnamed sources” told reporters in a selective leak that the army chief had conveyed a ‘pointed’ message to PM Sharif, asking him to resolve the Panama Papers issue at the earliest.“Gen Sharif believes that the issue is causing instability and insecurity,” a source had said.A PM Office statement swiftly denied that any message about the offshore entity scandal had been conveyed, and asked the media to “avoid speculation/flashing of news pertaining to unrelated issues and obtained through sources”.Speaking to Geo News later on Tuesday evening, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif too denied that the Panama Papers issue came under discussion.
“Whichever media channel or journalist has leaked it, was he in the meeting?” he asked. “It was a one-on-one meeting; who was the third person getting these details? Panama leaks is a political issue that is already dying.”

[SSridhar]

Time to Put the Squeeze on Pakistan - Editorial, NYT

Nearly 15 years after 9/11, the war in Afghanistan is raging and Pakistan deserves much of the blame. It remains a duplicitous and dangerous partner for the United States and Afghanistan, despite $33 billion in American aid and repeated attempts to reset relations on a more constructive course.

In coming weeks, Gen. John Nicholson Jr., the new American commander in Afghanistan, will present his assessment of the war. It’s likely to be bleak and may question the wisdom of President Obama’s goal of cutting the American force of 10,000 troops to 5,500 by the end of the year. The truth is, regardless of troop levels, the only hope for long-term peace is negotiations with some factions of the Taliban. The key to that is Pakistan.

Pakistan’s powerful army and intelligence services have for years given support to the Taliban and the Haqqani terrorist network and relied on them to protect Pakistani interests in Afghanistan and prevent India from increasing its influence there. Under American pressure, the Pakistan Army recently waged a military campaign against the Taliban in the ungoverned border region. But the Haqqanis still operate in relative safety in Pakistan. Some experts say the army has helped engineer the integration of the Haqqanis into the Taliban leadership.

Pakistan’s double game has long frustrated American officials, and it has grown worse. There are now efforts in Washington to exert more pressure on the Pakistan Army. Senator Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has wisely barred the use of American aid to underwrite Pakistan’s purchase of eight F-16 jet fighters. Pakistan will still be allowed to purchase the planes, but at a cost of $700 million instead of about $380 million.

Mr. Corker told The Times he would lift the hold on the aid if Pakistan cracks down on the Haqqani network, which he called the “No. 1 threat” to Afghanistan and American troops there.

President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan is also getting tougher with Pakistan’s leaders. He courted Pakistan for more than a year in the hopes that the army would bring the Taliban to the negotiating table. But the surge in violence forced him to effectively end negotiations. Last month, he threatened to lodge a complaint with the United Nations Security Council if Pakistan refuses to take military action against Taliban leaders on its soil.

While such pressure makes sense, severing ties as the United States did in the 1990s after Pakistan developed a nuclear weapon is unwise. The two countries still share intelligence, and Pakistan allows American drones to target militant leaders in the border region. Given that Pakistan has the world’s fastest-growing nuclear arsenal, America needs to be able to maintain a dialogue and help Pakistan keep the weapons out of the hands of extremists.

Last year, more Afghan civilians and troops were killed than in any other year since the Taliban was toppled in 2001. Since taking office in 2014, Mr. Ghani has been a more reliable leader than his predecessor, Hamid Karzai. But his unity government is crippled by political infighting, endemic corruption, a budget crunch and an unsustainable troop casualty rate.

That grim reality presents difficult choices for Mr. Obama, who must decide whether to keep the current troop strength and possibly to change the military’s role to fight the Taliban more directly.

President Obama declared, with undue optimism, more than 16 months ago that “the longest war in American history is coming to a responsible conclusion.” It will be left to his successor to figure out how and whether the Taliban can be lured into political negotiations. That will only happen if the American government finds a way to convince Pakistan {Now, that is where problems crop up. Pakistan can be convinced only if India is destroyed. Nothing short of that. How is the US going to do that?} to stop fueling the war.

[svenkat]

That will only happen if the American government finds a way to convince Pakistan {Now, that is where problems crop up. Pakistan can be convinced only if India is destroyed. Nothing short of that. How is the US going to do that?} to stop fueling the war.

One cannot 'accuse' the US of not trying.

[Falijee]

IMF to provide $510 million aid tranche to Pakistan
By REUTERS May 12, 2016

Every few months there is a headline like the above from the IMF .
Conclusion: The IMF have Pakiland by the bxlls; living hand to mouth or paycheque to paycheque

Pakistan must speed up reform of energy sector: World Bank
By REUTERS May 10, 2016

Every few months, there is a headline like the above

Translation :" Diplomatic language " to increase electricity prices, control corruption , and ensure collection of unpaid dues and increase supply of electricity (easier said than done !)

[shiv]

Time to Put the Squeeze on Pakistan - Editorial, NYT

An extraordinarily stupid article - a special brain fart

Given that Pakistan has the world’s fastest-growing nuclear arsenal, America needs to be able to maintain a dialogue and help Pakistan keep the weapons out of the hands of extremists.

Naturally Pakistanis will keep on producing or pretending to produce more weapons, to keep the US engaged. The US is not serious..

[Peregrine]

Cwapistani Pyaar kay Dushman - Hai Hai!

Pakistan's journalist gunned down for supporting love marriage

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani journalist has been brutally shot dead by the relatives of a woman for supporting her in marrying a man of her choice without the family's permission in Punjab province, sparking massive protests.

Ajmal Joyia, who was in his 30s, was going home on a motorbike when he was targeted by at least three gunmen in Lodhran district.

He was killed on Monday while his cousin, who was also riding on the same motorbike, was critically injured, police said.

"Joyia was targeted by the relatives of a woman who married a man of her choice without the permission of the family," a police official said.

He had reportedly extended his support to the beleaguered couple and was said to have approached district authorities to provide the couple with adequate security, reports said.

Police have arrested one of the killers while two others were still at large.

Journalists in various cities of Punjab organised protests against the killing and demanded arrest of the killers and financial compensation for Joyia's family.

Honour killings are common in Pakistan and women defying family for love or marriage are often killed. Sometimes those supporting such couple are also targeted.

Last month, a teenaged girl was killed and her body was burnt in Abbotabad district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province for allegedly helping her friend run away with a boy and marry him.
Cheers

[Falijee]

Understanding Waziristan’s Agony
By Abubakar Siddique

May 12, 2016

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif recently visited Bannu, a bustling city in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province -- the gateway to Waziristan.
The vast tribal region borders southeastern Afghanistan and has been the epicenter of conflict in the two neighboring countries. Al-Qaeda and its Afghan Taliban hosts retreated to and established a safe haven in Waziristan after fleeing the U.S.-led military attack on Afghanistan in late 2001.
Sharif lambasted the opposition and announced plans for cash grants, building a university, and an airport to woo Bannu voters (these are just bombastic announcements with no possible chance of implementation !). But he offered mere words to the more than 1 million displaced Pashtun residents of Waziristan. Now living in abject poverty in Bannu, they were forced to leave their homeland after the Pakistani military launched what it billed as one of the biggest offensives against so-called terrorists in 2014.​ This is the other side of the so-called fight against terrorism, being waged by the Paki Fauj against their own people .

“The displaced of North Waziristan are dearer to us than our lives,” he told thousands of cheering supporters, referring to the part of Waziristan targeted by the ongoing offensive. “We are working for their early return to their homeland and providing them with health care and education.”

Sharif's claims best illustrate Pakistan’s attitude to the western Pashtun tribal backyard. Since the country’s independence in 1947, rulers in Islamabad have praised the courage and loyalty of the estimated 7 million Pashtun residents of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). (and used them as canon fodder by invoking the slogan of "Malsi in danger !) But by failing to provide real economic opportunities and modern governance, successive governments have failed to integrate their homeland into Pakistan.

Taliban suicide bombings and targeted assassinations, Pakistani artillery barrages and airstrikes, and U.S. drone strikes have killed tens of thousands of militants, soldiers, and civilians. For every combatant, at least five civilians have died.

And then they get "bounty" from Massa, who is the "real owner" of the Pakistan Army !

Nearly half, or more than 3 million, FATA civilians have experienced displacement as a consequence of a war in which outside forces have often encouraged violence as part of competition for global and regional dominance. It is striking that none of the warring parties claimed to be fighting for the rights of FATA Pashtuns or to free them from oppression and underdevelopment.

A new book by a Waziristan native captures the gloom in his long-suffering homeland. Ghulam Qadir Khan Daur’s Cheegha – the Call is an invaluable contribution to understanding the conflict in Waziristan.
Daur, a Pakistani government bureaucrat, has delivered an emotional plea for understanding the grief and suffering of Waziristan. The direness of the situation in his homeland appears to have persuaded him to take this approach instead of a dry, fact-based analysis.

After this alienation, it will be difficult for the Pakjabi Govt of Pakistan to control the Pashtuns' desire for Pashtunistan !

His storytelling transports readers to his picturesque mountain home where generosity, loyalty, and rectitude once ruled supreme. In Waziristan, Daur writes, his tribal chieftain father successfully prevailed over emotional youth and haughty officials to keep the peace and slowly steer a new generation toward modernity and prosperity through education.
Daur attempts to answer the question: Why did Pakistan let Waziristan be destroyed when its residents had done nothing to warrant the anguish they face?“The security forces destroy whole villages during military operations without getting a militant,” he writes. “[But] the breeding of militants continues to this day. Some train them, others fund them and some others protect them. Who is doing all this – no one knows.”

IMO, the Paki Govt is underestimating the thirst for "badal" (revenge) which is at the heart of Pashtunwali - the code of conduct governing tribal life in FATA. This can be seen in the occasional news of active and retired army officers being gunned down in Peshawar, Quetta and Karachi and the miscreants being reported in the press as a Tehrik-e - Taliban (TTP)

Cheegha is informed by Daur's decades-long career as a senior security and administration official in FATA. He is not afraid to criticize the archaic governance regime Islamabad employs to keep FATA tormented as a backwater.
“Even the elected lawmakers from our area are barred from legislation for their homeland,” he said, noting a glaring anomaly in Pakistani supreme law that still keeps FATA outside the jurisdiction of the country’s courts and legislature.

Old British Frontier Laws from the 1800's still being used to govern in the twenty first century !

Daur's prognosis of the main problem in Waziristan and the tribal areas also sounds a universal truth for tribal societies and ungoverned spaces across the Muslim world.“The enemy is the lack of voice of the tribesmen; they have no provincial representation and no local government,” he writes. “All laws for the tribal areas are designed and promulgated by people in Islamabad, who have no clue.”

There is a role for the nationalist pushtuns on both sides of the Pak-Afghan border to expose the dirty game of the Paki authorities .

[Falijee]

Is there any connection between
This :

Mystery Surrounds Leak Of PM-Raheel Meeting Audio Footage

And This :

PM Nawaz to address Parliament on Monday

18 mins ago

I was under the impression that in a "normal " parliamentary democracy, it is given for a PM (leader of the ruling party ) to attend most of the sessions and address the House on important issues facing the nation.
Reading between the lines, it seems that the Bad Sharif is "ordering" the Good Sharif to shape up or ship out !

[Falijee]

Tensions heating up between Pakistan and Bangadesh

Pakistan summons Bangladeshi diplomat over Nizami’s execution

Pakistani school principal detained in Dhaka; denied counselor access

DHAKA (Web Desk) – Police in Bangladesh have detained a Pakistani school principal citing “unknown reasons”.
Sources said Yasmin, principal of City School System in Dhaka, was arrested in a police raid on the school at the behest of country’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed.
Initially, the Bangladeshi police denied the raid and arrest; however, later on, the officials confirmed the arrest saying Ms Yasmin was held for interrogation and will be released soon.
Sadly, the authorities have also denied counselor access to Ms Yasmin, the Geo News reported on Thursday.

Obviously there is more to the story that what is being reported here ! Is this a school under by the Pakistan High Commission ? Does the PM of Bangladesh have the time to herself order a police raid on a school ? Lots of unanswered questions which an objective report should have tackled !

[Falijee]

First It Was Ghost Schools Only - But Now It Is Ghost Madrassas Also

Over 10 thousand ghost Madrassas revealed in Sindh

KARACHI (Web Desk) – Over ten thousand seminaries revealed in Sindh province on Thursday.
According to details, a meeting of apex committee was held under Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Qaim Ali Shah.
The meeting was told that ghost schools revealed during geo-tagging of Madrassas, 8885 seminaries have been registered with Sindh government.
As per details, 1178 seminaries are yet to be registered.
The meeting reviewed the progress made so far in the ongoing operation in Karachi.

So, in other words going from the above, 8885 Ghost Madrassah are registered , but 1178 Ghost Madrassahs are not registered, which equals 10,063 in total rounded off to 10,000 even ! . And someone is making a lot of money getting Govt funds (ghost teachers, ghost chowkidars, ghost "free lunch money ", ghost Islamic books etc etc ) for the "invisible" dens of Islamic Learning; just wondering if Zardari , through his minions is still getting his "usual Dus Percent ", while enjoying "life" in Dubai and Londonistan

[Falijee]

Turkey’s ambassador to Bangladesh recalled after hanging of Islamist leader

Turkish Foreign Ministry has summoned Turkey’s ambassador to Bangladesh to report to Ankara for consultations in the aftermath of the hanging of a senior Jamaat-e-Islami party leader in Dhaka, an unnamed diplomatic source said May 12.
According to the diplomatic source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking with the media, Turkish Ambassador Devrim Öztürk is expected to arrive in Ankara on May 12.
On May 11, the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a written statement strongly condemning the execution of Motiur Rahman Nizami.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also condemned the execution of Nizami, while demonstrators in Ankara and Istanbul protested against Nizami’s execution.

Ummah Brother (Turkee ) to the rescue of Pakistan; so events in faraway Bangladesh have thrown the Aam Apduls of Turkey in an "Islamic frenzy". The Islamic Republic Of Turkee will have to decide pretty soon whether it wants full membership in the EU or is interested in reviving "Islamic Glory" by joining the Sunni Islamic Club (members Saudi and Pakistan !)

“I condemn the mentality that sentences to death a mujahid, who is over the age of 70 and who we believe has no earthly sin. I think that such proliferation of hatred there, and the ordering of such death sentences despite our repeated initiatives, is neither fair governance nor a democratic mentality,” said Erdoğan May 10.

Note the Islamic code words spoken by this Islamist !

“Twelve million people have been victimized in Syria and about 600,000 innocent people have been killed. No Muslim can completely free himself/herself of responsibility for this sin. Those who keep silent now in the face of what happens in Bangladesh cannot abdicate their responsibility either,” Erdoğan said.

In Ankara, groups connected to several Turkish NGOs protested in front of the Bangladeshi embassy late on May 10, while members of the Anatolia Youth Association (AGD) gathered to voice their objections at a park in Istanbul.
“Oh Muslim, don’t sleep, protect your brother,” some shouted, while others chanted “Hell awaits the wrongdoers.”
AGD head Hasan Karaman described the death sentence as “unlawful,” saying a prerequisite of the Islamic faith is to cherish human life.

“Law cannot be implemented in the most brutal manner against the legitimate demands and choices of the people. Oppression cannot continue forever,” Karaman told state-run Anadolu Agency.
“It is clear that peace and tranquility cannot be maintained in Bangladesh under the shadow of an oppressive regime, one that makes no legitimate claims and has no conscience of mercy in the world,” he added.

[ramana]

^^^ Sunni Islamic Club = SIC(k)

[Falijee]

Qadianis Are Also Named In Panama Leaks !
Biggest Charity Fraud in Panama Papers

So, I have been called names for calling the Qadiani branch of the Ahmadiyya religion as a cult run by the Mirza Family for their personal financial gain.
In 2010, we exposed their secret web of companies and charities and how they were funneling away money in property investments. The Charities Commission looked the other way. We showed how Mirza Masroor Ahmad (below) re-organized the corporate structure in 2003 to be under the control of his trusted family and friends, while not having his own name on a single organization.

So, Pakis can get " some satisfaction" that "faux Muslims" like the Ahmedis also "got trapped" like Ganja Sharif ( a "true" Muslim

We said then that when the cult implodes, the family may run away with their property investments. The time may have come for them to hide their wealth even further. And this wealth is not through business. It is by forcing poor people — benefits recipients — to cough up 5–10% of their income on penalty of ostracization. Just as the Internet has laid bare the theological fraud of the Mirza family, today it lays bare the rest of their secret web of offshore companies and accounts due to the Panama papers.

But, as far as I can recall, although they are victims of persecution at the hand of their fellow citizens they have never adopted an "holier than thou" pious attitude adopted by Ganja and his family !

Money flows as charitable donations from ‘have’ countries like U.S.,. Canada, Pakistan, Germany and U.K. into AMJ International from where it is distributed into dubious projects around the world. The accounting in each country is kept up to date, but money gets lost in international transactions.
The actual work of the organization is carried out through just one charity — Al-Shirkatul-Islamiyyah, and curiously, its income and expenses almost balance every year.
Since Mirza Masroor Ahmad came to power, he has focused on investing in properties and totally unrelated to the goals of the organization. We see from the Panama Papers that the businesses are involved mostly in property

There are other companies with links directly to the Qadiani Ahmadiyya town of Chanab Nagar in Pakistan but we are still researching the ownership links which will eventually be found to be traced to the Mirza Family.
It appears that the offshore companies are organized as trust funds along the family branches and provide income to various parts of the vast Mirza family — not unlike a royal family renowned for idleness and extravagance.

It is obvious that this "true Muslim" is an Ahmedi hater !

[Gagan]

Interesting house in Clifton Karachi

[Falijee]

Ode To Pakistan Corruption
By Mohammed Hanif
author of the novel “A Case of Exploding Mangoes”

KARACHI, Pakistan — I once knew a building contractor who worked for the government of Pakistan. He was very corrupt and very open about it. After hearing endless stories about bribes given for contracts and payments received for projects that were never finished, I asked why was he so open about all this stealing.
He was a bit puzzled. “Why do you call it theft?” he asked. “Look, the state is like our mother, and surely everyone takes something from their mother when she is not looking. Don’t you?”

For Pakistan’s ruling elite, mother is never looking. (specially, as in the case of Ganja Sharif, where both these persons are one and the same )

In the wake of the Panama Papers leak, this country, like many others, is consumed by a debate over corruption. People accused of owning offshore companies include our prime minister’s children, senior opposition politicians, a media tycoon, two judges and about 400 businesspeople.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was in prison for 14 months and spent eight years in exile, but that didn’t stop his family empire from expanding and running sugar mills and poultry farms. To clear his name after the Panama Papers story broke, he promptly went on the air and in a whiny speech recounted all the sacrifices his family has made for the country and how their business has suffered.

Mr. Sharif’s spin masters reminded us that the allegations weren’t about the prime minister but about his children. They reminded us that owning an offshore company is not illegal. Maybe it’s unethical, they conceded, but you can see this country doesn’t really protect its rich, so what were they to do?

This might have stayed a mere debate if Pakistan’s army chief, Gen. Raheel Sharif (not even remotely related to Mr. Sharif), hadn’t then sacked six senior army officers, including two generals, on charges of smuggling and other forms of corruption. One of the generals was accused of getting two officers killed while test-driving a smuggled Nissan Fairlady.

It turns out that some of those army officers were actually sacked last year without facing a military court, and that they will continue to receive pensions and medical benefits. But never mind that. The timing of the army’s public announcement sent a clear message: We don’t tolerate corruption in our ranks; civilian governments shouldn’t either.

According to this, Badmash Sharif is in a bind. It seems that the "psychological noose/ pressure" is getting tighter every day; let's see what speech he has prepared for the National Assembly ( on Monday !)

[ramana]

He might hand over power to another Sharif and seek to enjoy in his pajama leaks.

[Falijee]

Pakistani PM’s children raised £7m against UK flats owned offshore
Mossack Fonseca took six years to discover Nawaz Sharif’s family was behind firms on its books, Panama Papers reveal

The children of Pakistan’s prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, raised a £7m loan from Deutsche Bank against four flats in Park Lane (it would be interesting to know if he defaulted on this loan, as he did on countless domestic loans when he was in power!) in London owned by offshore companies.
Acquired while Sharif was in opposition, the properties were owned by British Virgin Islands shelf companies on the books of the offshore agent Mossack Fonseca, the Panama Papers show.

The Sharif family’s investment in upmarket London property was disclosed in 1998 by Rehman Malik, a political opponent and the head of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency, who had fled to London after allegedly being arrested and tortured.

But, then RM ( 007 agent) , later Pakistan's interior minister is no saint himself- he has hitched himself to Ganja's political opponent, Dus Percenti.

Malik compiled a report that he claimed showed the Mayfair homes had been bought using “ill-gotten wealth earned through corrupt practices”. He claimed they had not been declared on tax returns, in breach of Pakistani law.

In April 2000, after Sharif had been toppled from his second term as prime minister and put in prison by Pakistan’s then military leader, Pervez Musharraf, the country’s chief corruption prosecutor repeated the allegations, saying: “We believe the money used to buy these apartments was stolen from the people of Pakistan.”

Sharif and members of his family have always denied any wrongdoing, and none have ever been convicted of any offence. Supporters say the charges against them are politically motivated. It is not illegal to own property through an offshore company.
Yesterday the family responded to the furore in Pakistan with a statement saying the Panama Papers “have made no allegations of wrongdoing against the Sharif family”, and that “all of the corporations owned by the Sharif family are legal and financially sound”.

To unravel the tangled web of financial dealings, tax evasions, money laundering, and other financial shenanigans practiced by the Sharif clan, it would require a team of forensic auditors ! I would not be surprised if some of the " expert advice" on how to "hide the loot" came from no less than the present Finance Minister of Pakistan who is said to be closely related to Badmash !

Deutsche Bank said: “We fully recognise the importance of this issue. We have enhanced our procedures for bringing clients on board and verifying with whom we are doing business, and our policies, procedures and systems are designed to ensure that we comply with all applicable rules and regulations.”
Deutsche began auditing its private banking clients in 2013, seeking confirmation that they complied with all relevant tax rules. Checks on its Swiss and Luxembourg clients are now understood to be complete.
The flats in question are at Avenfield House overlooking Park Lane, where Sharif was once photographed at a press conference with his political rival Benazir Bhutto. They are held by two BVI entities on the books of Mossack Fonseca, Nielsen Enterprises and Nescoll Limited.

Using her married name, Mariam Safdar, Sharif’s daughter declared herself as the sole shareholder of Nescoll in 2006 in a letter filed with Mossack Fonseca.
Under the arrangement with Deutsche, Nescoll and Nielsen were allowed to borrow up to £1.75m each, and a third BVI company not represented by Mossack Fonseca, called Coomber Group, another £3.5m. Papers for Coomber were signed by Mariam and Hussain Nawaz Sharif in June 2007.

In their statement, the family said the companies in question belonged to Hussain Nawaz Sharif and not his sister, and that he had filed all relevant tax returns. “None of the corporations mentioned are owned or run by Mr Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan. Ms Mariam Nawaz Sharif is not a beneficiary or owner of any of these companies.” The statement added that Ms Nawaz Sharif had not received any income or financial benefits from the corporations owned by her brother “that warrant any tax disclosures or implications”.

“Ms Mariam Sharif is merely a trustee of the corporations owned by Mr Hussain Nawaz, which only entitle her to distribute the assets to Mr Hussain Nawaz’s family if required. Mrs Hussain Nawaz has unequivocally and clearly disclosed all corporations mentioned in the leaks, their sources of funding – primarily the sales of the steel mill in Jeddah – and other financial facts in recently televised interviews.”

Hussein Nawaz was "exported" to Londonistan first as a student and after completion of his "studies" was ensconced in London to look after the "family loot "!

Seen as a rising star in her father’s Pakistan Muslim League party, Mariam Safdar launched a political career of her own in the most recent general elections in Pakistan, campaigning in her home city of Lahore.

Her father has apparently selected her to be his heir apparent

Investments in sugar and iron businesses in the 1980s have made the Sharifs one of the wealthiest families in south Asia. The Park Lane flats were bought between 1993 and 1996, but the companies behind them were not transferred to Mossack Fonseca until 2006.
Leaked data shows it took the firm until 2012 to realise that it was acting as agent for the companies. Sharif returned to power for a third term as prime minister in 2013. The firm was concerned enough to immediately place the companies on a watch list, ordering checks every six months.

A note on the files warned not to offer Mossack Fonseca’s own staff as nominee directors or shareholders. The British Virgin Islands authorities were alerted, in a letter that mentioned Mariam Safdar was the owner of Nielsen and that the company had a loan with Deutsche Bank in Geneva.
Panama Papers: call for offshore tax reform after data revelations
Political leaders named in leaks deny wrongdoing while other governments launch inquiries amid demands for reform
But the firm appears to have carried on processing paperwork, including the appointment of new directors, and acted for the Sharifs until their companies were transferred to another representative two years later.

Anti-money-laundering laws and guidelines require licensed organisations and individuals, including banks, accountants and lawyers, to carry out enhanced checks on politicians, public officials, their friends and associates. So-called politically exposed persons (PEPs) have the same legal right to be directors and shareholders in offshore companies as other individuals. But their dealings are supposed to attract additional scrutiny, particularly with regard to the sources of funds.
Mossack Fonseca said: “PEPs do not have to be rejected just for being so, it is just a matter of proper risk analysis and administration. We have duly established policies and procedures to identify and handle those cases where individuals either qualify as PEPs or are related to them. PEPs are considered to be high risk individuals. Hence, enhanced due diligence procedures apply in these cases. Periodic follow-up is conducted to assure that no negative results are found.”

[arun]

Turkey’s ambassador to Bangladesh recalled after hanging of Islamist leader

Turkish Foreign Ministry has summoned Turkey’s ambassador to Bangladesh to report to Ankara for consultations in the aftermath of the hanging of a senior Jamaat-e-Islami party leader in Dhaka, an unnamed diplomatic source said May 12.
According to the diplomatic source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking with the media, Turkish Ambassador Devrim Öztürk is expected to arrive in Ankara on May 12.
On May 11, the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a written statement strongly condemning the execution of Motiur Rahman Nizami.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also condemned the execution of Nizami, while demonstrators in Ankara and Istanbul protested against Nizami’s execution.

Ummah Brother (Turkee ) to the rescue of Pakistan; so events in faraway Bangladesh have thrown the Aam Apduls of Turkey in an "Islamic frenzy". The Islamic Republic Of Turkee will have to decide pretty soon whether it wants full membership in the EU or is interested in reviving "Islamic Glory" by joining the Sunni Islamic Club (members Saudi and Pakistan !)

“I condemn the mentality that sentences to death a mujahid, who is over the age of 70 and who we believe has no earthly sin. I think that such proliferation of hatred there, and the ordering of such death sentences despite our repeated initiatives, is neither fair governance nor a democratic mentality,” said Erdoğan May 10.

Note the Islamic code words spoken by this Islamist !

“Twelve million people have been victimized in Syria and about 600,000 innocent people have been killed. No Muslim can completely free himself/herself of responsibility for this sin. Those who keep silent now in the face of what happens in Bangladesh cannot abdicate their responsibility either,” Erdoğan said.

In Ankara, groups connected to several Turkish NGOs protested in front of the Bangladeshi embassy late on May 10, while members of the Anatolia Youth Association (AGD) gathered to voice their objections at a park in Istanbul.
“Oh Muslim, don’t sleep, protect your brother,” some shouted, while others chanted “Hell awaits the wrongdoers.”
AGD head Hasan Karaman described the death sentence as “unlawful,” saying a prerequisite of the Islamic faith is to cherish human life.

“Law cannot be implemented in the most brutal manner against the legitimate demands and choices of the people. Oppression cannot continue forever,” Karaman told state-run Anadolu Agency.
“It is clear that peace and tranquility cannot be maintained in Bangladesh under the shadow of an oppressive regime, one that makes no legitimate claims and has no conscience of mercy in the world,” he added.

Brotherly Birds of Geeen Genocidal feather band together.

Having perpetrated the Armenian Genocide of 1915-17, Turkey somehow feels obliged to come to the rescue of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for the Bangladeshi Genocide of 1971 despite the fact that many victims of the 1971 Genocide were also Sunni Mohammaddens like themselves.

[abhijitm]

When sauds are bleeding turks are smelling the opportunity to step in. Their dream of rebuilding ottoman empire. They will poke their nose in every damn business in the islamic world. Major catch is ottoman had strong European (german) backing. Without them turks are only hot air.

[Gagan]

Hydra shaped N-bunker in Masroor Air Base Karachi







Red arrows: Entrances

[Gagan]

All Bunkers in Masroor AFB, Karachi

[Prem]

Pakistan, Afghanistan deploy tanks as fencing dispute escalates
( Time to Equip Afghan Forces with Konkurs)

LANDI-QITAL: Tension further heightened between Pakistan and Afghanistan on Thursday and the two countries deployed tanks and armoured personnel carriers along the tense Torkham border besides sending more troops after their negotiating teams failed to resolve the border fencing dispute, political adminis­tration sources told Dawn.The two countries have locked horns over the issue of fencing of some points at the border.Pakistan has started fencing some vulnerable points of the border with Afghanistan to plug illegal and secret border crossings and movements of people.The sources said that Pakistan sent army troops and additional Khasadar Force and Frontier Corps personnel on the border on Thursday in retaliation to Afghanistan’s reinforcement of its troops and border security forces along the border.Afghanistan has objected to the border fencing and officially protested to Pakistan over the issue.Because of the tense situation, the border remained closed for the third consecutive day.Informed sources told Dawn that negotiating teams of the two countries briefly met at the Pakistan side of the border at around midday amid expectations that the issue would be resolved.These expectations, however, proved short-lived as the meeting ended without reaching any agreement, much to the disappointment of scores of travellers and traders who have been stranded on both sides of the border for a couple of days.

[ArmenT]

Interesting house in Clifton Karachi

I have to ask: what's so interesting about it?