Sunni Terrorist Fragments of Unstable Pakistan- November 7, 2016

[shiv]

In a huge country like India we complain that Muslims are getting new majority areas (say Kerala or Bengal). We may even be right in predicting that this will be a new Pakistan. But we must also then acknowledge that when a new area of India (say Kerala or Bengal) become neo-Pakistan - the people will behave like Pakistanis and Wahhabi money will start killing minority Muslims like Shias and attacking Ahmedi mosques. Shias from Bengal may start migrating to other areas.

We Hindus will call this a Shia invasion - not realizing that shias are being killed by Sunnis in Kerala or Bengal while other Hindus blame Hindu fundamentalists for these killings. This is all off topic.

It would be typical "cargo cult" behaviour of Indians resulting from our education that makes us understand what sociologists from the west said about us but are unable to apply those sociological rules/paradigms to what is happening in our own society. Our moronic "secular" dimtellectuals lead from the front but the rest of us are not far behind.

[jamwal]

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2015/11 ... drome-aws/
Arab-Wannabe Syndrome (AWS)

Major symptoms and treatment





What with the recent media obsession with Ebola, swine flu and the like, there’s one global health hazard that has managed to remain relatively unnoticed. Arab-Wannabe Syndrome (AWS), rampant in many of the Muslim communities of the world, deserves much more attention than it has been accorded to date. Untold numbers of sufferers are crying for help, so to speak, without assistance forthcoming from any quarter.

While it may not trigger as much terror in the public as some of the other afflictions, AWS is perfectly capable of making life miserable for both its victim and the innocent bystander. With a view to helping both parties as well as spreading awareness in the general public, here’s a brief survey of AWS, its diagnosis, and treatment of its more manageable manifestations. If the author’s efforts lessen the misery of even one sufferer, they will have been worthwhile.

AWS is an uncontrollable urge to pretend to be, or to behave like, an Arab, when in fact the patient is not an Arab. There are two broad classifications: acute and chronic. Fortunately, most acute presentations start to subside after five to seven days. That is, provided a balanced diet, plentiful sleep, and decent company. Most of the chronic cases too can be treated without drugs provided an early enough diagnosis.

No living soul today doubts the influence of the subconscious on the conscious mind, thanks to Dr Freud. There’s an equally strong case to be made for the opposite process as well. Barring a few recalcitrant cases that probably require drugs, autosuggestion – alteration of the subconscious by repetition of conscious, rational thoughts – can be very effective in handling most instances of AWS. Major symptoms, along with the relevant advice to address each, are listed here:

Symptom: You have got Al Bakistan (in Arabic) printed on your vehicle’s license plate.

Treatment: Every night before going to sleep, meditate along these lines:

There’s a very good reason why the Arabs refer to our beloved homeland as Bakistan — they don’t have the equivalent of p in their alphabet. Now, inasmuch as Arabic doesn’t have the p sound it’s a poorer language, despite its undeniable place in the pantheon of great languages. You have no such limitation and so there’s absolutely no reason why you should follow this particular suit.
It’s egregious grammar to use the Arabic definite article al with a foreign noun, especially if it happens to be already quite definite. So unbeknownst to you, you have been guilty of making scores of noble Arab grammarians turn over in their graves. This needs to stop
Having Arabic – correct of incorrect – on your license plate won’t make you an Arab any more than wearing boxer shorts makes one a boxer.


Al Bakistan



Stick to this regimen until the appearance of desirable results. Caution: if your number plate reads Al-Bunjab or Al-Bakhtunkhwa (still a rare manifestation, thankfully), please seek professional medical [and perhaps psychological] help immediately.

Symptom: You take offence when somebody says Khuda Hafiz, and insist on the use of Allah Hafiz instead.

Treatment: Consider:

Khuda is Persian for Allah (the same thing, really).
No real Arab ever said Allah Hafiz, so if the goal is to sound like one, this formula is obviously a non-starter
Symptom: In your weaker moments you toy with the idea of having a kunya.

Treatment: Bravely stare this uncomfortable fact in the face: While Abu Dawood, Sulaiman ibn Abdullah Al-Maraghimay be perfectly alright for an Arab, something like Abu Jamshed, Babar Tanvir sounds rather stupid.

Symptom: You sometimes have visions of yourself wearing thawb, ghutrah, and agal (or an alternative in the form of a doubled bicycle tube).

Treatment: Make yourself cognizant of the disturbing fact that you are only a step away from disaster. A funny headgear, aloose dress open at the bottom, juvenile delinquents and stones in copious supply everywhere, constitute an extremely volatile mix. Caution: If you already have a thawb and agal in your closet, see a registered medical practitioner now!

Symptom: You believe that a French beard is a symbol of piety in addition to being a fashion statement.

Treatment: This one is fairly easy to treat. Remind yourself that, while undoubtedly patronised by the powers that be in the Middle East, anything French can hardly be a sign of nobility, French fries being the only possible exception.

Note: While effective, none of the above guidelines goes beyond addressing the various symptoms of AWS. If at all possible, the real goal must be to strike at the root of the problem. Having a high self-esteem has been reported to have helped enormously in that respect.

[Peregrine]

X Posted on CPEC and PESW Threads

CADGING PAKISTAN ENRICHING CHINA - Capital suggestion

November 9, 2014: PM Nawaz Sharif met China’s President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Pakistan and China signed a total of 19 agreements, including the ‘CPEC Energy Projects Cooperation’ agreement. The total committed amount under CPEC is said to have gone up to $50 billion, of which $35 billion is being allocated for energy projects and the remaining $15 billion for infrastructure.

February 4, 2017: The Ministry of Water and Power submitted financing details of eight power sector projects being built under CPEC to the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Planning and Development. For the record, this is the first time that such financing details have been made public.

Projects: Engro Powergen Thar Coal-II, Port Qasim Power Plant, Thar Coal Power Plant, Hubco Coal Power, Thar Energy Limited, Sahiwal Coal Power, Suki Kinari Hydro and Karot Hydro. The projects will have a cumulative generating capacity of 7,680MW and will cost a total of $12.5 billion. Of the $12.5 billion roughly $9.5 billion will be debt and the remaining will be contributed as equity by the sponsors.

Financing cost: The Ministry of Water and Power disclosed that the debt amount of $9.5 billion shall carry an interest rate of LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) plus 4.5 percent. In effect, the Chinese loan shall bear an interest rate of 6.21 percent (as the current one-year LIBOR hovers around 1.71 percent). Additionally – and amazingly – the Beijing-based China Export & Credit Insurance Corporation will charge an insurance premium of 7 percent (even though the Government of Pakistan has guaranteed to purchase each and every unit of electricity that will be generated).

Return on equity: The return on equity in the Sahiwal Coal Power Project “shall be 27.2 percent” and the return on equity in the 1,320MW Thar Coal Power – by Shanghai Electric Power – stands at 34.49 percent. For the record, these dollar-denominated, Government of Pakistan-guaranteed rates must be among the highest on the face of the planet-and an investor’s dream come true.

Financing burden: The annual financing burden for these eight projects will be around $2 billion plus an insurance premium of $650 million. And assuming that the entire amount of $35 billion is utilised for energy projects the annual financing burden shall go up to $5.3 billion plus an insurance premium of $2 billion (Budget 2016-17 allocated a total amount of $1.1 billion as ‘mark-up on foreign debt’).

National Savings Schemes: The Government of Pakistan’s guaranteed Bahbood Savings certificates for Pakistan’s widows and senior citizens are being paid 9.36 percent. Then why has the Government of Pakistan guaranteed Chinese and Qatari investors up to 13 percent (first year) on debt and up to 34 percent on equity?

China’s investments in the US: For the record, China has invested more than $1.2 trillion (trillion not billion) into US Treasury instruments earning an average of 1.9 percent a year. Then why is Chinese money invested in Pakistan earning up to 13 percent (first year) on debt and up to 34 percent on equity?

Cost of electricity: The cost of electricity produced by power projects – projects that will be paying a high rate of interest on debt and up to 34 percent return on equity – will be one of the highest on the face of the planet. The mother of all questions is: what will we do with such expensive electricity? Is it a case of ‘privatising gains, socialising risks’?

India should "Vote" and send the Chinese a "Note of Thanks" for Ruining Cwapistan!
Cheers

[Rishi Verma]

http://m.timesofindia.com/india/pakista ... 232682.cms

Afghan speaker speaks the truth that India speakers have avoided...

[Gagan]

CADGING PAKISTAN ENRICHING CHINA - Capital suggestion
Cost of electricity: The cost of electricity produced by power projects – projects that will be paying a high rate of interest on debt and up to 34 percent return on equity – will be one of the highest on the face of the planet. The mother of all questions is: what will we do with such expensive electricity? Is it a case of ‘privatising gains, socialising risks’?

Pakistan is a Ponzi scheme.
Just before the ponzi scheme goes completely bust, they jack up the rate of returns and make it unbelievably attractive.

China wants to recover its money ASAP. a 34% rate of interest means they want to wrap things up in 5 yrs or so, having made a good profit. They recognize that Pakistan is a sinking ship and a failed state

[Rishi Verma]

A gem much longer pefore many PRF mempers were pourn.

Not a place for my mother-in-law
Botham once described Pakistan as "the kind of place to send your mother-in-law for a month, all expenses paid" in an off-the-cuff remark in a radio interview in 1984. Botham had returned home early from a tour of Pakistan for surgery but his comments soon reached Asia. The Pakistan authorities were angered and staff at the Hilton Hotel in Lahore, where the team were staying, threatened to strike....

[Pathik]

I'm worried the way you're washing your hands off TSP you'll also de facto start doing that with Valley, then Saharanpur, then Hyderabad, then West Bengal, then Bengaluru.

Its hygienic to wash hands after a visit to TSP, even in the mind.

[SSridhar]

India extends cautious support to Pak anti-terror moves - The Hindu

India on Monday extended cautious support to Pakistan’s crackdown against Lashkar-e-Taiba leader Hafiz Saeed. Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that placing Mr Saeed under anti-terror act of Pakistan would help in ridding South Asia from cross border terrorism.

“Effecive action mandated internationally against him (Hafiz Saeed) and his terrorist organisations and colleagues is a logical first step in bringing them to justice, and in ridding our region of the twin menaces of terrorism and violent extremism,” MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup told the media.

India’s comments came two days after Pakistan listed Hafiz Saeed and four of his aides under the anti-terrorism act of Punjab province, and imposed further restrictions on his movements. Pakistan had begun taking steps against the terror leader and had placed him under “preventive detention” on January 30. Earlier reports had suggested that Mr Saeed would launch a political party to sidestep the imminent crack down.

It is unwarranted and extremely premature comment. Very, very disappointing.

[menon s]

Cost of thermal (gas/coal) is about 6 cr per mwh in India . 7688 mw means about 46128 crore inr. Roughly 6.78 bn usd. Abdul will pay 12.5 bn. PMl N and Chinese will share the difference. Mango abdul ... Being a bakra ...since 1940.

[Peregrine]

J&K News and Discussion Thread

My govt managed freedom fighters in Kashmir: Pervez Musharraf

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's former dictator General Pervez Musharraf has said his administration 'managed freedom fighters' in Kashmir but later realised a political process was needed to negotiate the issue with India, a media report today said.

Musharraf, who served as Pakistan's president from 2001 to 2008 after he threw out the elected government in a coup in 1999, said his government was able to force India to discuss issues that New Delhi was unwilling to negotiate.

He said his government was managing freedom fighters in Kashmir, and later they realised that a political process was required to negotiate further with India, the report said.

Musharraf left Pakistan for Dubai in March last year, after his name was removed from the Exit Control List.

The 73-year-old said Afghanistan's intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security, was playing into India's hands and was being used as a tool to facilitate terror groups in Pakistan.

He claimed operation 'Zarb-e-Azb' - during which the Pakistan Army claimed it killed thousands of militants - had no shortcomings as it was specifically for North Waziristan.

"This operation cleaned up all the camps and launching pads of terrorist, who were supported by the Indian spy agency with the collaboration of NDS, to destabilise the tribal areas."

Musharraf said a holistic approach and planning was crucial at the moment to curb terrorism in the country. His possible reference was to a series of deadly terrorist attack in Pakistan this year, particularly the suicide bombing at a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh in which at least 88 people died.

Pakistan has blamed Afghanistan for allowing sanctuaries to terrorist groups targeting Pakistan on their soil.

The former military chief questioned the steps being taken by Pakistan to eliminate the "sleeper cells" active in the country, including the previously peaceful Punjab province.

"What steps are being taken to eliminate these sleeper cells? Punjab has become the stronghold of militancy," he said, refuting a question that terrorist attacks and terror outfits like the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi existed during his tenure.

"This all started after I stepped down, we had carved out an effective strategy vis-a-vis Kashmir, we were near resolving Kashmir issue with India on a four-point agenda, our policies were successful; America and China were aligning with us."

On Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's "house arrest", Musharraf said the Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief is not a terrorist. He claimed India is after Saeed because his supporters go voluntarily to Kashmir to fight the Indian Army.

Cheers

[ramana]

It was dumb of GOI to have informed TSP of plots against Mushy.
Only good Paki is a dead Paki.

[ramana]

Bravo. Awesome insight and prescription.

You graphic of concentric circles for Muslims should be multiple such ovals in a sea of Dar-ul-Harab which keeps them from fratricide. Or more like flesh eating bacteria.

[shiv]

Bravo. Awesome insight and prescription.

You graphic of concentric circles for Muslims should be multiple such ovals in a sea of Dar-ul-Harab which keeps them from fratricide. Or more like flesh eating bacteria.

This is absolutely right. In fact that was the picture I had when I spoke of "oil droplets in water". Each concentric circle graphic is one oil droplet that could represent one Muslim ghetto or one Muslim sect - all in a sea of kafirs

[ramana]

Next update give droplets of various sizes to emphasize the size of the factions.

Thanks for the insights.

One of these days need to publish a book.

[Falijee]

Nawaz seeks ‘endorsement’ from Trump administration

ISLAMABAD: With Panama case dangling over his head, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif seeks immediate backing from the Trump administration to mitigate the political pressure both from inside and outside the country.Sources told Daily Times that spokesman to the prime minister, Musadiq Malik, is in New York for the last several weeks to meet important personalities in the new administration. The spokesman had some connections with Wilbur Ross, picked as commerce secretary by US President Donald Trump (IOW he was not successful !). Ross is a billionaire, who made his fortune by buying bankrupt companies and, later, selling them after improving their operations. Malik is expected to visit Washington in the next couple of days and continue lobbying on behalf of the prime minister. Sources said Nawaz was not satisfied with the performance of Pakistan's Embassy in the US. It remains to be seen if his hand -picked new ambassador to DC will be able to create a "new and improved " image of Pakistan

The obsession of Pakistani rulers to win the backing of the new US administration took an ugly turn when the Pakistani authorities leaked a conversation between the prime minster and the US president. A statement, then issued, from the PM House exactly quoted the US president in a flowery language which annoyed the US administration.[

The US media had also made fun of the Pakistani government saying the contents of the conversation should not have been leaked. Former White House press secretary, Ari Fleischer, then stated: "It's entirely inappropriate for the Pakistani government to release what an American president-elect says in the course of a phone call.". Which proves the point that the Paki Foreign Office is staffed by incompetent "diplomats"

The Washington Post called the Pakistani release "a surprisingly candid read." The New York Times called it "a bizarre conversation."The Forbes magazine described Mr Trump's comments as "cozy, expansive, even flattering."

[Falijee]

BASANT- A forbidden festival

The festival that used to brings joy, celebrations and a lot of positivity, has often been subjected to serious criticism in recent times, resulting in enforcement of a ban by the government. The ban was the outcome of numerous deaths caused by the glass-coated strings commonly known as “dor”. The ignorance of some reckless citizens caused many people to lose their lives. The increasing number of deaths resulted in more requests to the Supreme Court, demanding ban on the festival. This is just a pretext for banning this festival ; the real reason is surely the "non-Islamic" nature of this holiday . Anything, that has its roots before the "introduction of Malsi" is forbidden

This ban was supported by the Muslims of Jamaat-e-Islami who declared the festival an un-Islamic act. JI’s stance gave a chance to a ‘prominent’ section of society to protest against the festival until it was considered forbidden.

The government should not ban the festival but instead restrict the main reason behind the deaths by banning the use of harmful strings. Moreover, efforts should be made to make this festival peaceful, safe and financially viable for the government. The Mullahs will be up in arms !!!

[SBajwa]

Actually from Lohri (pongal in Tamil Nadu, Makar Sakranti else where) to Basant Panchami (fifth of the month of Basant) all over India the kite festivals are organized (not in cities like Chandigarh but in Amritsar, etc).

So! these 20+ days are all fun with home made goodies, kites, bonfires, dancing, peanuts, etc.

[Peregrine]

Are Indians and Bangladeshis replacing Pakistani manpower in Gulf countries?

Cheers

[venug]

Families flee as Pakistan cracks down along Afghan border

On Friday Pakistan gave Afghanistan a list of 76 "Afghan-based" militants and demanded that Kabul take action against them.
In a tit-for-tat move Monday, Afghanistan supplied Islamabad with a list of 85 militants it said were sheltering in Pakistan, calling for similar action.

But critics have long argued that the government has not addressed the root causes of extremism, and analysts said there were "visible signs" militants were regrouping after last week's attacks.

[Falijee]

Pakistani khawajasiras( Transgenders) Dare To Come Out Of The "Islamic Closet"

Pakistan's transgender community seeks a reformation

AFP

Farzana draws all eyes when she dances, with the twist of her hips and hair ─ but today she is above all the voice of a Pakistani community with an ambiguous status: the khawajasiras.The 30-year-old is a guru, a matriarch at the head of a “family” of several hundred khawajasiras, an umbrella term in Pakistan denoting a third sex that includes transsexuals, transvestites and eunuchs.She is co-founder and president of TransAction, a rights organisation launched in 2015 in Peshawar, capital of deeply conservative Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province.

Later, Pakistan became one of the first countries in the world to legally recognise a third sex. They number at least half a million people in the country, according to several studies ─ up to two million, say TransAction.Since 2009, they have been able to obtain an identity card as “khawajasiras”, and several have run in elections. A Lahore court has ruled they should be counted in the next census, set to be held this year.

The Islamic brigade is surely not happy with this turn of events ; surely, no one in Pakistan, seriously thinks that this the "transgender community " will be treated as "equals" !

Against all odds, conservative and Islamist lawmakers are sensitive to their cause.
“They are a creature of God. Allah's creation. They should have their rights, as we have,” said conservative MP Amina Sardar, who spearheaded legislation supporting political franchise for khawajasiras.“This is what I preach. Hijras are Muslim, same human beings (as us), with the same rights,” said Mullah Tayyab Qureshi, imam of the main Peshawar mosque.

Most khawajasiras say they have been abandoned or bullied to the point of fleeing their families, often as they approach adolescence, when their effeminate behaviour becomes intolerable in a patriarchal society where homosexuality is illegal.The community is also weakened by the practices of some so-called “gurus” who act as merciless pimps, exploiting disoriented young people instead of behaving as the protective adoptive mothers most pride themselves on being.

Paro, who left her parents and school aged 11, was prostituted, raped, and shot before joining TransAction.

On the wall, two screens: one broadcasts music clips, but the other is the video surveillance she installed in front of her door ─ six TransAction leaders have been assaulted because of their activism.

Which, reinforces the message that Pakistan is not yet ready for "equal rights" for everyone! Someone, should approach Ms. Maryam Sharif , d/o Ganja Sharif , the so-called self appointed guardian of the "fair" sex of Pakistan

[Falijee]

Pakistan links emerge in Zakir Naik case, IRF involved in religious conversion, says ED

For the first time in the money laundering case of controversial Islamic preacher Dr Zakir Naik, Pakistan links have emerged. Sources within the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have confirmed IndiaToday.in exclusively that money has flown in IRF's bank accounts via Dubai, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and United Kingdom.As of now, the agency has traced the money trail of about Rs 200 crore, which could go up by few more crores.

Whether the money coming in has any direct links with Pakistan or Dr Naik has used the Dubai route, it is getting investigated. "As of now, the agency is not ruling out Dr Naik connection with Pakistan and few other countries, but investigation is on before coming to conclusion," the source told IndiaToday.in exclusively. For all his so-called religosity, this "pious, pompous preacher" is an agent of influence for his principals in Pakistan and Saudia, tasked with the object of furthering the cause of Malsi in India and lining his own pocket in the process !

Whether the money coming in has any direct links with Pakistan or Dr Naik has used the Dubai route, it is getting investigated. "As of now, the agency is not ruling out Dr Naik connection with Pakistan and few other countries, but investigation is on before coming to conclusion," the source told IndiaToday.in exclusively.

Among the several entities created by Dr Naik for this purpose, Gazdar who has been arrested by ED on Thursday night, was one of the directors. These companies are - Universal Broadcasting Corporation, Lords Production Ltd, Harmony Media Pvt Ltd, Longlast Constructions Pvt Ltd, Majestic Perfumes Pvt Ltd and Alpha Lubricants Pvt Ltd.Harmony Media has been used to produce videos of provocative speeches and was exported to Dubai for telecasting the same. Gazdar is one of the directors of Harmony Media.

Among the several entities created by Dr Naik for this purpose, Gazdar who has been arrested by ED on Thursday night, was one of the directors. These companies are - Universal Broadcasting Corporation, Lords Production Ltd, Harmony Media Pvt Ltd, Longlast Constructions Pvt Ltd, Majestic Perfumes Pvt Ltd and Alpha Lubricants Pvt Ltd.
Harmony Media has been used to produce videos of provocative speeches and was exported to Dubai for telecasting the same. Gazdar is one of the directors of Harmony Media.

Interestingly, Gazdar is a marble trader involved in contracting and supplying business under the name of Gazdar & Company and with a turnover of Rs 25-30 lakh. "In year 2003-04, he got connected with Dr Naik and since then he has become the close confidante of Dr Naik in every activities and decision-making process," said the official.The remand application said, "Investigations also revealed that huge amount of cash transaction (of about Rs 10-15 crore) without levying any trail of its origin or utilisation were conducted by Dr Naik through the present accused Gazdar. The cash amounts were collected and/or provided to the employees/officials of the IRF trust by Gazdar. However, Gazdar did not disclose any further details, it means, he is chewing more than is divulging."

Interestingly, Gazdar is a marble trader involved in contracting and supplying business under the name of Gazdar & Company and with a turnover of Rs 25-30 lakh. "In year 2003-04, he got connected with Dr Naik and since then he has become the close confidante of Dr Naik in every activities and decision-making process," said the official.
The remand application said, "Investigations also revealed that huge amount of cash transaction (of about Rs 10-15 crore) without levying any trail of its origin or utilisation were conducted by Dr Naik through the present accused Gazdar. The cash amounts were collected and/or provided to the employees/officials of the IRF trust by Gazdar. However, Gazdar did not disclose any further details, it means, he is chewing more than is divulging."

[RCase]

J&K News and Discussion Thread

My govt managed freedom fighters in Kashmir: Pervez Musharraf

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's former dictator General Pervez Musharraf has said his administration 'managed freedom fighters' in Kashmir but later realised a political process was needed to negotiate the issue with India, a media report today said.
...

Pakistan has blamed Afghanistan for allowing sanctuaries to terrorist groups targeting Pakistan on their soil.
...

On Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's "house arrest", Musharraf said the Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief is not a terrorist. He claimed India is after Saeed because his supporters go voluntarily to Kashmir to fight the Indian Army.

Kammangandu is showing of his tactical brilliance!
So how can a blatant admission of providing sanctuary to Hafiz Saeed who targets Indian Army on Indian soil not constitute him being a terrorist?

Majority of world class terrorists have been given sanctuary in PAKISTAN to target other countries. The creme-de-la-creme being OBL, KSM, Mullah Omar, Omar Saeed, Hafiz Saeed etc.

[Peregrine]

Hafiz Saeed threat to us, says Pak minister

NEW DELHI: The Pakistan government appears to have acknowledged for the first time that 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed, who has been placed under house arrest by Pakistan and listed under an anti-terrorism law, was a threat to the country. Pakistan media quoted the country's defence minister Khawaja Asif as saying that Saeed could "pose a serious threat to society and has been arrested in the larger national interest".

The report came after the Indian government cautiously welcomed Pakistan's decision to go after Saeed under the country's anti-terrorism act for the first time. "Effective action mandated internationally against him and his terrorist organisations and colleagues is a logical first step in bringing them to justice, and in ridding our region of the twin menaces of terrorism and violent extremism," MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said on Monday.

In recent weeks, certain changes appear to have taken place in the country with regard to Saeed, whose detention and the financial curbs on his organisations are connected to international pressure from the financial action task force.

There has been a lull in cross-border firing since the appointment of Pakistan's new army chief General Qamar Bajwa, although infiltration bids have increased with the waning winter. Bajwa's statements are seen as more reasoned, less vitriolic than predecessor Raheel Sharif's. His reported statements show him to be exhorting the Pakistan army to wean itself away from politics. In addition, Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif has succeeded in appointing his own foreign secretary, Tehmina Janjua, instead of someone like Abdul Basit, the envoy to India believed to be closer to the army-ISI. Basit, disliked by the Indian government for years, will also be moved from New Delhi, another sign that Sharif may be clawing back some control on foreign and security policy.

The past weeks have also seen deadly terror attacks in almost all of Pakistan's big cities, the latest targeting the Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine, which prompted the Pakistan army to shell areas near the Afghan border used as hideouts by several militant groups.

The actions may not be the direct result of Indian pressure, but if taken forward, could create a conducive atmosphere for re-engagement between India and Pakistan. The Centre is in a wait-and watch mode. It's taking small steps, like encouraging Pakistan's action against Saeed. On Monday, India and Pakistan extended a 2007 agreement on reducing risk of accidents relating to nuclear weapons for another five years. This would go some distance to address global concerns about Pakistan's nukes falling into the hands of terrorists. What is not yet clear is whether this could lead to a change in the outlook of the Pakistan army. But it appears that a start has been made.

Cheers

[Peregrine]

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE - EDITORIAL - Terrorism is here to stay?

It is time to take the gloves off, take the wool from our eyes and face up to the most uncomfortable of truths. Terrorism in its many iterations is here to stay and its very bedrock, sectarianism, is here to stay with the blessing of the state both federal and provincial. It is time to admit to the reality that the grip of extremism is now so great that it has the capacity to trump the power of the state at every level and in that sense the state has now ceded power to forces far greater than those that are the product of an electoral process.

How can this be said with such certainty? The Sindh government has caved in to pressure from sectarian parties and groups some of them banned, and stopped the operation against those which it suspects of either extremist or terror sympathies or of active participation in acts of terror. These people have gained refuge in 93 seminaries around the province and an operation against them started in November last year. Leaders and activists of sectarian groups were arrested, both Shia and Sunni. Leaders and activists of both groups protested by taking to the streets and it did not take long for the provincial government to fold.

The provincial government got no support federally either. The Interior Minister rejected reports submitted provincially saying they were ‘ambiguous’, demonstrating a partiality that has long been suspected at the very top. The provincial government was not making it up as it went along, and it had good reason to be concerned enough to take action. The Sindh Apex Committee decided to move against the clerics and seminaries that were suspect – but the action did not happen. Some action does continue but not at the root-and-branch level that would definitively take down the groups suspected of activities counter to the welfare of the state. If the most fundamental of battles against terrorism is to be strangled at birth what chance is there for the wider battle to be fought and won? It is on that basis that we say that terrorism is here to stay. Now prove us wrong.
Cheers

[Falijee]

Pakistan will be world’s only economy in 2150: PwC ( Patriotically weird Claims)

With some help from "taaler than mountain, deeper than the ocean flienld"

[Falijee]

Euphoria Dies ! Pakistanyat Comes Alive To CPEC
CPEC project:China perturbed at delay in vital CPEC project

ISLAMABAD: Chinese company has issued reservations and agitated against the delay in the vital CPEC project.China has sought an end to delay in starting the implementation phase of $1.6 Gwadar-Nawabshah LNG terminal & Pipeline Project (GNGP) which will ensure the supply of 1.2 bcfd RLNG to the country.

Gwadar-Nawabshah LNG terminal & Pipeline Project is one of the 51 projects promoted by President Xi Jinping during the state visit to Pakistan in April 2015.

Maybe, the Pakis have seen the Chini game of Colonizing Pakistan To Enrich China (CPEC) and are no longer interested in this "game changer"

[Falijee]

Lal Masjid distances itself from Jamaat ul Ahrar’s operation ‘Ghazi’

ISLAMABAD – Lal Masjid on Saturday decried the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar’s statement announcing terror strikes in the name of Abdul Rasheed Ghazi.According to reports, the group (Jamaat-ul-Ahrar) has said the recent attack in Lahore was carried out as part of ‘Operation Ghazi’ to avenge the killing of Lal Masjid preacher Abdul Rasheed Ghazi. However, on Saturday Ghazi’s son, Haroon Rasheed Ghazi, released a video statement addressing Jamaatul Ahrar and suggesting that the bloodshed was not in the interest of anyone.

The video statement also suggested that the country had faced a wave of unrest since the 2007 Lal Masjid operation because of international powers. Mr Ghazi blamed the United States and local politicians for turmoil in Pakistan.

In another statement, Lal Masjid questioned the transparency of the operation conducted after the Sehwan Sharif bombing that left over 90 people dead.The Shuhada Foundation demanded that the names and details of the deceased be made public.‘Under which law were these people declared terrorists and then eliminated through extrajudicial killings?’ it said. One person's "terrorist", is another person's "Ghazi"

Jamaat ul Ahrar, an offshoot of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan was allegedly behind the Lahore Charing-cross blast that left 15 people dead including two senior police officials.

Maybe, Ghazi and Hafeez ul- Suar need to join hands and stop these "extra-judicial killings" by the Paki Fauj

[Falijee]

Paki Journo Wishes For A "Abdul Salaam" Pakistan Instead Of A "Zahid Hamid" Pakhanistan

Time to be blunt on Pakistan

There will be ‘No more restraint’ on terrorism, Gen Bajwa has vowed after a wave of terrorist attacks that killed over a 100 innocent people in a week. One only wonders if and why was there a restraint before? More than just slogans what the country now needs from its leaders and those in control is to not hogwash around terrorism but to be blunt, both in policy and practice against terrorism.

In a country where to be a Muslim you have to officially declare a particular sect (Ahmadis) as heretics, passports that have religious columns, different laws for rich and poor on-top of politicians allowing free hand to Saudi Arab and Iran to pollute their sectarian ideology in Pakistani schools and madrassah’s in exchange for properties or perks in London or Panama, the State of Pakistan is unfortunately through its policies as much responsible for terrorism as the terrorist organizations. Hence, no amount of military operations by the Pakistan Army can wipe out terrorism since it’s deeply embedded in the nation’s sub conscious and requires a long-term policy commitment to eradicating the drivers of terrorism. This Paki writer, sitting in far-away Sydney, Australia can afford to be frank; if he was residing in Pakistan, he would have been "invited" by the Deep State for a "talk"

The problem with Pakistan is that its otherwise secular elite has used and abused the country, through religion most of the times, as its personal property for petty political and monetary gains. Bhutto colluded with a tiny minority of religious far right to save his power in the 70’s by declaring Ahmadi’s as Kafirs (Infidels) and setting the course of the nation towards extremism, while Zia took it to another level and Arabized the country in the 80’s. PML-N for its own sake pushed in the Punjabi conservativeness, while Gen Musharraf came up with his confused enlightened moderation while at the same time providing safe havens to the militants in the region to wage war in Afghanistan.

The worst, however, has been that successive governments have not only allowed penetrating space for a terrorist to freely operate but at times enforced policies that directly help the cause of terrorist organisations. For instance, with a youth bulge of 65% in Pakistan, the Government placing a ban on music concerts, Basant festival, sheesha cafes, access to informational/non-informational websites is basically pushing the younger lot to the frustration that ends up getting easily radicalised through highly sophisticated social media campaign of the terrorist organisations.

To then blame Afghanistan or India for the attack on Lal Shahbaz Qalandar is turning one’s face away from the reality that the different governments in Pakistan have created through decades of infusing and breeding two generations of Pakistanis to hate each other based on their sect. The state of Pakistan continued to cultivate the religious identities in the country that were supposed to dilute into a larger Pakistani identity. It’s not then the militants that have succeeded but the Government that has lost its ability to govern through failed policies. Terrorism, after all, is cancer that plagues the poorly governed states.

It’s unfortunate that if Pakistan, as it is today, could be a person it would be Zaid Hamid. Full of passion, but the lack of depth and vision, misplaced imagination of past and future glories, big on slogans but little on substance, somewhat inclusive yet hates certain minorities, support good militants until they become bad, and most of all riddled with hypocrisies and self-destruction blaming others for every ill.The million-dollar challenge for us now is how to transform this current state of Zaid Hamid into a state of Abdus Salam. Perhaps, better governance and peace sensitive policies with heart and mind in the right place might be a good start instead of only relying on a military operation. Pakistan is now reaping the "benefits" of it's past policies ; there is no "magic solution" as the "PhD candidate" wishes for his nation !

[Falijee]

Sexual Frustration Alive In "Islamic Pakistan" !

A shocking discovery about sex in Pakistan

I have been asked by my editor to write a story about sex given the fact that the topic attracts internet views the way slightly stained toilets attract Harpic and Fahad Mustafa. Like any young journalist trying to make a name (and some $$$), I have no choice but to comply and so I present to you the scandalous truth regarding the matter of how sex/gender is dealt with in Pakistan.

While this man does have a point, I assume he has never been excluded from the air-conditioned (family) section of Karachi Broast. Several girls of dhaba variety have opined that this measure is necessary to avoid harassment of their gender as well as the fact that such exclusion should provide men a woman’s perspective of being unable to frequent public spaces.

This idea was reinforced shortly afterwards when Atif Aslam halted his concert to call upon the harassment of females at the event (with the immortal question of ‘Aap ke ghar mein Maa Bhen nai hai?‘) and succeeded in making his teenage fans even crazier for him.

The public however, need to understand that sex (like any other phenomenon) is not a watertight phenomenon and these issues do not exist within a vacuum. Therefore, these problems and their repercussions reach much deeper than not being allowed inside Dolmen Mall on a Sunday and perhaps those girls at dhabas had a point. However before we use the F word to describe ourselves, we must stop short of implementing feminine supremacy that is so rampant in our society. There is one way that this can be accomplished and that is applauding every small success of the Pakistan (mens) Cricket team while ignoring that of the women. IMHO, it will be better for all, if Pakistan (media ) stops pretending that it's salvation lies in becoming a " liberal society" ; the "Saudi model " is best for Pakistan

[Prem]

http://linkis.com/www.dawn.com/news/YR2xR
Metro Bus or Mars: The problem with our priorities
( Old but relevant: )

While the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was established in 1969, the same year when humans set foot on the moon, Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) was established in 1961 – eight years before its Indian counterpart.SUPARCO was set up by the most famous of all Pakistani scientists and the country’s only Nobel Laureate: Dr Abdus Salam.Dr Salam had advised Field Marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan, then President of Pakistan to establish a Space Sciences Research Wing within Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission. This later turned into SUPARCO in 1964.In 1960, President John F Kennedy had announced that the United States planned to land an American on the moon, and bring him safely back to earth before the decade was over.Dr Tariq Mustafa, a scientist at Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission’s, writes in his memoir that for this project, NASA needed to map the wind conditions at the upper atmospheric region above the Indian Ocean.In mid-September 1961, Dr Abdus Salam and Dr Tariq Mustafa held a meeting with NASA officials in Washington. On the occasion, NASA offered help to Pakistan in the development and launching of rockets to map the atmosphere above Indian Ocean, on the condition that any data acquired from the research on upper atmosphere will be shared with NASA.Pakistan quickly bagged the offer, and started working on the project. On 7 June 1962, Pakistan launched an unmanned rocket, Rehbar-I from Sonmiani, with assistance from NASA.Dr Tariq Mustafa led the team working on this project. With this experiment, Pakistan became the third country in Asia, first in South Asia, and only the 10th country in the world to have conducted such a launch.
According to a report of the Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control, before the June 1962 launch, NASA had started training Pakistani scientists at Wallops Island and the Goddard Space Flight Centers. It also put up fellowships and research associate programs at American universities for "advanced training and experience" in the field of space.In subsequent years, however, Pakistan’s space program severely lagged due to the political turmoil which enveloped the country.India built its first satellite Aryabhata, and launched it in 1975. Pakistan built its first satellite Badr-I and launched it in 1990.India is now independently developing satellites, launching them on its own, and is the first nation to put its orbiter in Mars’s orbit in the first attempt. Meanwhile, Pakistan is still limited to Geographical Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, and communication satellites.
.But at the same time, I think about Pakistan, the country whose passport I hold, and whose National Identity Card gives me an identity.Pakistan is now nowhere in the space race.Pakistan is nowhere near eliminating polio.Pakistan is nowhere in literacy.Where is Pakistan?Pakistan’s education budget was, in actual terms, reduced by 11 per cent in the recent budget, whereas other countries are investing more in health and education.It is obvious that the nation’s priorities are wrong.For example, it was the US space shuttle’s fuel pump design which led to invention of the artificial heart. The heart has now been transplanted to more than 20 people.The algorithm developed for sharpening the images acquired from the Hubble Space Telescope now helps sharpen the images of mammograms for treatment of breast cancer patients.A number of people are still bashing India on failing to eliminate poverty before reaching out for Mars.I will respond by saying Pakistan has neither eliminated poverty, nor reached Mars.SUPARCO can still take the lead in the regional space program, if the government puts its attention towards it.I am sure that if India has reached Mars in its first attempt, Pakistan will reach a new horizon too, in its first attempt, if it makes one.And who knows if that horizon is as far as Pluto?

[Gagan]

The one thing that I see everywhere is that open societies get exposed to conversion and get assimilated by these marauders.
The more insular and closed a society there is, the more protected they are.
Alas, such is the modern era, societies and people get educated, become more open minded, and more accepting of other cultures - all in good faith.
In return, these marauding hordes will invade with a single mindd determination to conquer and convert

This is happening all around us. J&K, West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, Kerela, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, chhatisgarh and Jharkhand. The latter 4 by EJs.
Ouirope is facing a pissful onslaught, having let the hordes in, small towns are seeing rape and murder for the first time in 50 years and are asking women to not venture out after dark!

[SSridhar]

Centre not for terming Pakistan a ‘terror state’ - Vijaita Singh, The Hindu

The Centre will oppose a Private Member’s Bill moved in the Rajya Sabha recently seeking to declare countries like Pakistan “terror states.”

Independent Member of Parliament Rajeev Chandrasekhar had moved The Declaration of Countries as Sponsor of Countries as Sponsor of Terrorism Bill, 2016 to impose legal, economic and travel sanctions on citizens of countries which promote terror. The Bill came up for discussion on February 3.

The Home Ministry has written to the Parliament Secretariat opposing the Bill as it jeopardises international relations under the Geneva Convention.

“We have diplomatic relations with the neighbouring country which includes High Commissions as well as trade relations. It will be not prudent to declare any country as a terror state as India is bound by international norms,” said a senior government official.

Engagement continues

India has accused Pakistan of instigating terror attacks but the two countries have maintained diplomatic relations even during the Kargil war and Operation Parakram.

Last year, India asked its officials in Pakistan High Commission to not send their children to schools there and return them to India.

While presenting the Bill, Mr. Chandrasekhar said, “For decades, India and other countries in the region have been victims of terror attacks from organisations and individuals based in and with the support of elements in Pakistan. Yet for decades we have remained engaged with Pakistan in an attempt to draw it into the mainstream. Pakistan’s track record of fostering terrorism and terrorists is long and incontrovertible… It is time that we stop running to other countries to declare Pakistan a terror state and stood up and did this job ourselves.”

A private member’s Bill can be enacted into a law once it has been screened by a House committee, which is optional, and passed by a majority vote. Parliament adjourned for the recess and will resume on March 9; there is a probability that the Bill might again be taken up for discussion.

Mr. Chandrashekhar had said that from 1998 to January 29, 2017 as many as 14,741 civilians had been killed in terror attacks in India and 6,274 security force personnel lost their lives. As many as 23,146 terrorists were also killed.

[Rishi Verma]

http://m.timesofindia.com/world/pakista ... 268873.cms

Todin 20-20 match so far four wickets are down. One player sacrificed his wicket but other was run out. Match was between Tunday Talibs vs Gunday Garibs.

[asgkhan]

Mr. Chandrashekhar had said that from 1998 to January 29, 2017 as many as 14,741 civilians had been killed in terror attacks in India and 6,274 security force personnel lost their lives. As many as 23,146 terrorists were also killed.

I am betting my left testimonial that these 23146 brave fighters were either Buddhists/Rastafarians or worse Jains.

[asgkhan]

On Reddit, life of a puki living in paki-$hit-land of pure-lunders,

[–]LEM-Memester 163 points 3 days ago*
I've grown up in this along with my friends and if you guys need a perspective to what it feels like I can provide it.
We grew up in Pakistan, during our high school, college we were in the 2005-2013 era which were one of the bloodiest. There were bomb blasts, suicide attacks, gun attacks pretty much every day just in our city. It was the Taliban waging war on the civilians and army of Pakistan because they are dumb ****** pieces of shit.
Our daily routine consisted of getting in a school van, going to school and then calling home to tell our parents that we arrived school safe. On the way we'd regularly get a bomb blast either ahead of us, behind us or many times directly hitting our van albeit with enough distance that thankfully I'm still alive. Sometimes our parents would call and tell there was a bomb blast on your route just checking. It would break the windows etc. Funniest part is that 90% of the time we didn't even get the day off school, you were supposed to spend the entire day in school just like normal.
Seeing dead bodies, blown up bodies, getting shot at was a regular occurrence because we lived in a City that was like a home base for the army. Its not the army's city per se but there were too many army hospitals, schools, different type of bases that they kept getting hit. Then again army wasn't even their main target, they would blow up a market just for the sake of it because the end result was spreading terror and showing they were in control.
As we grew up I lost countless friends. Most were in mosques which is funny to consider that the 'Islamist' terrorists were blowing up the proclaimed 'houses of God' just to kill people because they had their guard down. I lost many friends close to me over these years and I remember them all. They died at times in places where I was supposed to be but I guess I was fortunate. This is the bomb blast list just for the year 2011 and just see how many there are :
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries ... st2011.htm
More data of any type you need relating to attacks:
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries ... index.html
However none of us got therapy. We didn't get our hands held or someone didn't counsel us. Ofcourse our parents loved us but they didn't even want us to drop out and focused on giving us a better life. I went through this when I was young and was still going through it through college. Through any of this time no one I know of ever got therapy. They instead instilled us to be 'hardened' or whatever they did and somehow got us to get used to it and I don't know how but it worked.
We became so desensitized that we didn't even bother discussing these blasts and attacks anymore. We were discussing Premier League football in school 20 times more than terrorist attacks. It wasn't like we were afraid to bring it up, it just somehow became so common that we kind of accepted it. People I knew from a young age were loving, caring but above all they were strong. Stronger than they should've been as kids of that age and that mentality was forced onto them from no other choice being given to them. We were also kind of like a unit. Like you see in foreign schools how the kids are divided, some get picked on regularly, this is something that would not stand and it seemed like everyone knew everyone and were friends with everyone. I guess when you have much bigger things to worry about you see how similar you are instead of finding differences. Bullying for example didn't exist and if someone bullied they would be chastised just by the kids let alone a teacher.
The 40-50 people I know well through the years and still keep in touch with all ended up achieving a lot of great things. I have friends who are engineers in Germany, Bankers in UK, own their own businesses in many countries. Those who never left the country are also doing extremely well. They are well educated and work in government, health, finance, entrepreneurs etc. Pretty much all of them have families because in our society you are supposed to get one and being single isn't really a choice past an age. No one I know of committed suicide, went to a facility, lost their mind or something like that. I don't have PTSD or anything like that nor does anyone that I know of and I'm really really close to some of them. I don't have trouble sleeping or anything like that but thats not to say I don't care. We do care, we care deeply but how we react to something like this is just very different and its more of resilience and not losing than to turtle up. I don't know how else to explain it.
Then Pakistan army waged war against these terrorist groups and the number of attacks declined so significantly that this isn't much of a problem anymore for kids.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Zarb-e-Azb
The last biggest attack was actually the worst one where terrorists attacked a school and killed innocent kids but even those kids in retaliation didn't pick up weapons, they retaliated by continuing their education while their friends were freshly buried because they wanted to show they wouldn't be left in the dark ages by terror. In fact kids of other schools directly took admission in that school to bring the numbers up again.
However these days the situation is a lot better. In the last few days there have been some bomb attacks again but it has been so silent in comparison for years now and the terrorist cunts are getting slaughtered every day and being pushed out. We are losing a lot of people, some of whom I grew up with who are now in the army but we are driving them out. Its mostly the 1 province which borders Afghanistan and Iraq which is infested with these scums and its become such a huge problem cleaning it.
But even when things go calm Pakistani people them self want to make things dangerous and difficult. For example today was a kite flying festival in Pakistan. You would think "oh great kite flying festival I want to go there sounds nice" well no its not. The kites aren't exactly for flying, they are for fighting other kites. You fly a kite, I fly a kite suddenly the sky fills up with kites and we are intertwining our threads laced with crushed mirror created to make the thread as sharp as possible and I'm supposed to cut your kite in the air while you do the same to me.
If that wasn't dangerous enough there is constant firing, loud music, standing on roof tops many of which don't have walls on the outside just to take part in this. This is something which is even banned and there is a big chance you would get arrested because people were getting arrested but how many people will you arrest if everyone is doing it? The sky was still full of kites today. A lot of people die from the stray bullets, even the thread itself kills people on bikes on occasionally which got it banned in the first place. However you look around and someone fires an entire clip of an AK-47 either up or diagonal, you hear the bullets whip but no one bats an eye or even moves. They keep doing it. Tomorrow 100% the newspaper will show how many people died from stray bullets but I don't know why they get so high on danger. I guess with the fall in actual danger we are so set on creating it.
I will add some pictures and videos from the festival from today :
http://i.imgur.com/RHs5Deo.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/h47nIf7.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/kHtGzIM.jpg
You can see in this video the guy hears the gunfire but just smirks. You know stray bullets kill, he knows stray bullets kill but the reaction is far different. This is just a pistol in the video the AK is much more common:
https://streamable.com/3ptb7

Link

[Bart S]

A gem much longer pefore many PRF mempers were pourn.

Not a place for my mother-in-law
Botham once described Pakistan as "the kind of place to send your mother-in-law for a month, all expenses paid" in an off-the-cuff remark in a radio interview in 1984. Botham had returned home early from a tour of Pakistan for surgery but his comments soon reached Asia. The Pakistan authorities were angered and staff at the Hilton Hotel in Lahore, where the team were staying, threatened to strike....

At the time Botham was just miffed because of blatantly biased umpiring, lack of good alcohol or entertainment and having to deal with third world infrastructure for several months.

Now it's a completely different story. Like the dwarves from the LOTR mining too deep in Moria and awakening the Balrog of Morgoth, Zia+TSPA+CIA dug a bit too deep and unleashed the full flow of Islamism. Leave alone Pakistan, Botham would feel very uncomfortable among young Pakis in Bradford.

[Bart S]

It was dumb of GOI to have informed TSP of plots against Mushy.
Only good Paki is a dead Paki.

Even if said Paki is an incompetent egomaniac who helped accelerate the process of the internal contradictions of TSP taking its toll?

OTOH though, if he had been bumped off, it might have caused even more chaos and hurt them more, though Benazir might still be around. Personally, I thing Benazir would have been 10 times more dangerous than Mushy to India.

[Peregrine]

7 possibly more
Cheers

[SSridhar]

China should ensure Pakistan avert debt default: Chinese media - Economic Times

China must ensure that the rising fiscal deficit in Pakistan does not "snowball" into a major financial crisis as it has invested heavily in the country, specially in the USD 46 billion CPEC project, official Chinese media said today.

"While Pakistan's fast growing economy has made it a darling for foreign investment, the surge in the country's fiscal deficit and public debts has increasingly become a source of concern for international investors and has led to doubts about its capability to repay its debts," an article in the state-run Global Times said.

The investments under the CPEC alone amounted to USD 51 billion, the article said.

"Given the massive investment that China has made in the country as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), China has a vested interest to ensure that the rising fiscal deficit in Pakistan not snowball into a major financial crisis," it said.

"China should work closely with Pakistan to make sure that the projects it has invested in can generate tangible growth in Pakistan's real economy, help the country properly manage its deficit level and put it on a sustainable growth path," it said.

Write-ups critical of Pakistan are rare in Chinese media, considering the all weather close relationship between the two.

Citing Mongolia's experience where the fiscal deficit climbed to around 15 per cent of GDP in 2016, making it hard for to repay foreign debts, the article said "the worst-case scenario is the last thing China would desire in Pakistan".

Citing Pakistan media reports it said Pakistan's fiscal deficit surged to around 2.4 per cent of GDP during the first half (July-December) of the fiscal year 2016-17, the highest in four years.

In 2014-15, the half-year deficit stood at 2.2 per cent and full-year deficit at 5.3 per cent.

The government hopes to keep the deficit below 3.8 per cent of the GDP during the full 2016-17 year.

"A surge in the country's deficit would make it vulnerable to external shocks and would increase Pakistan's chances of a debt default. As a major creditor and the largest investor in Pakistan, China has an obligation to safeguard its investments in Pakistan and ensure it can recoup its loans," it said.

[Gagan]

http://linkis.com/www.dawn.com/news/YR2xR
Metro Bus or Mars: The problem with our priorities

The SUAR-CO establishment in Karachi is not doing much Space related things, specially considering that in 60 years they have constructed a grand total of (hold your breath) 3 satellites!
They are mostly mijjile maalishing and paalishing, and making components used for 'other' ujej, all under the strict watchful Fauji eyes.

AoA