Sunni Terrorist Fragments of Unstable Pakistan - March 17, 2017

[abhijitm]

If pakis mess this KJ affair - and I am sure they will, they will make unpredictable Modi very very angry.

[anupmisra]

Libyan ban on al bakistanis.

Khalifa Haftar introduces a 'Muslim ban' in east Libya

Forces loyal to the rebel general in control of east Libya, Khalifa Haftar, are reportedly enforcing an immigration ban against nationals from six Muslim-majority countries.

Yemen, Sudan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran and Syria.

"Large numbers of travellers, especially Syrians and Pakistanis, do not hold residency permits or visas," the order reads.

But...but...but...I thought I read somewhere that the muslim world looks to bakistan for leadership. Hain?

https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/ ... east-libya

[Vikas]

What could be the end game for Pakis in trying to murder KJ ?
FWIW, no one cares for world opinion and pakis as source if terror is position of fact and that will not change by killing one Indian.
Could be a case of going up the escalation ladder and then being forgiven by President to score some brownie points. The state of discussion would change from releasing a kidnapped Indian to a spy who will die in Paki Jail serving life sentence.

Could it be the start of chain of events on which Pakis have no control and will result in blowback of unimaginable order.

[sudeepj]

What could be the end game for Pakis in trying to murder KJ ?
FWIW, no one cares for world opinion and pakis as source if terror is position of fact and that will not change by killing one Indian.
Could be a case of going up the escalation ladder and then being forgiven by President to score some brownie points. The state of discussion would change from releasing a kidnapped Indian to a spy who will die in Paki Jail serving life sentence.

Could it be the start of chain of events on which Pakis have no control and will result in blowback of unimaginable order.

1. Its a ploy to get India to talk to them on a stronger wicket.
2. Its a ploy to get their jihadi ISI colonel released.
3. Its possible they have managed to murder Sri Jadhav and are not covering up.

[Prem]

India will go out of its way to save Jadhav from death row: Swaraj

Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday assured lawmakers that New Delhi would go "out of its way" to save sentenced spy Kulbhushan Jadhav from death row in Pakistan, according to Indian media reports.Calling Jadhav "a son of India", Swaraj issued a warning to Pakistan saying, "I would caution the Pakistani government to consider the consequences for our bilateral relationship if they proceed on this matter.""Our position is very clear, there is no evidence of wrongdoing by Kulbhushan Jadhav," Swaraj told the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament."This is an act of premeditated murder," she said, referring to the death sentence handed to the Indian spy by a Field General Court Martial (FGCM) on Monday.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1326291/india ... row-swaraj

[VKumar]

They want to force the issue - India should swap the Pakistani for KJ. India will try various threats and offers other than the Pakistani. Nothing will work. Pakistan believes that like in the IA hijack, India will handover this terrorist too.

Its an acid test for this government.

[CRamS]

What could be the end game for Pakis in trying to murder KJ ?
FWIW, no one cares for world opinion and pakis as source if terror is position of fact and that will not change by killing one Indian.
Could be a case of going up the escalation ladder and then being forgiven by President to score some brownie points. The state of discussion would change from releasing a kidnapped Indian to a spy who will die in Paki Jail serving life sentence.

Could it be the start of chain of events on which Pakis have no control and will result in blowback of unimaginable order.

Just basic TSP 101. Just look at the hysteria this has thrown entire India into: parliament, DDM etc. Don't you think TSPians, from the jihadi scum to RAPE to average Abduls are laughing their arses off. Has one single country condemned this move by TSP? (Can you imagine how US/UK would have moved UNSC had Iran or NK done this to a citizen of a white country, notably US/UK/Israel?). And of course our pukish cowardly DDM inviting so called journalists from TSP to regurgitate TSP propaganda to add to this joke and insult to India. So just put yourself in the shoes of TSP and assuming you know your TSP 101, you will realize this gives that abomination of a country some short term Adrenalin.

At least the saving grace is that Indian opposition is not playing politics. I saw on TV that even Owaisi condemned this. So, so far, Indian MEA reaction sans parliament has been measured. No need for too much hysteria as thats exactly what TSP wants. And traitors like that Mustafa Mofo and Farooq Abdullah etc if they open their mouths too much must be dealt with silently.

[Peregrine]

X Posted on the PESW Thread

Trade deficit widens to historic level



ISLAMABAD: In what is seen as a dangerous development for Pakistan’s external sector, the monthly import bill crossed $5 billion for the first time in March, which took the nine-month trade deficit to $23.4 billion – also a new record.

The gap between imports and exports stood at $23.38 billion in the July-March period of current fiscal year, which was 38.8% or $6.53 billion more than the comparative period of previous year, stated Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Tuesday.

It was the highest-ever trade deficit recorded in the country’s history for the nine-month period.

The main reason behind the ballooning deficit was constant double-digit growth in imports and contraction in exports. The nine-month trade gap was $2.9 billion more than the fiscal year’s annual deficit target of $20.5 billion, set by the Ministry of Finance.

Exports fell 3.1% to only $15.1 billion during July-March 2016-17, which were $478 million less than the shipments made in the comparative period of last year.

Imports, however, increased 18.7% to $38.5 billion in the same period. In absolute terms, the import bill was $6.6 billion higher than the previous year.

“This is an alarming situation and the government should immediately call an emergency meeting of the federal cabinet to discuss the deteriorating external sector,” commented Dr Ashfaque Hasan Khan, former economic adviser to the Ministry of Finance.

He said the trend showed that the import bill would cross $50 billion for the first time and the worrisome element was the contraction in exports.

Exports in the first nine months were about 61% of the annual target of $24.8 billion while imports reached 85% of the annual projection of $45.2 billion.

Slower-than-projected export earnings show that like previous three years the government will not be able to achieve its annual export target this time again. This comes despite the fact that the government has given two bailout packages to the exporters in the last one year.

These packages had been given without addressing root causes of the persistent decline in exports – high cost of doing business and a lack of enabling environment.

In its four budgets, the PML-N government has levied an unprecedented Rs1.2 trillion in new taxes on every kind of trading, business and banking activity. It also slapped various surcharges on electricity and gas, increasing the cost of doing business for the industries.

In its latest statement on the state of Pakistan’s economy, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has asked Islamabad to remain “vigilant” about the external sector, which is facing problems. However, it gave the warning only after the end of its three-year $6.6 billion bailout package.

However, the Ministry of Finance in a statement said on Tuesday the government was cognisant of the challenges on the external side, which were more related to the weak global economic environment that not only affected Pakistan’s exports but other emerging economies were also facing the same issue.

It claimed that the negative impact on exports was bottoming out as from July to February some months showed growth on a yearly basis.

The delay in receipt of the Coalition Support Fund also affected the external sector, the ministry said, adding the government had taken a number of policy measures, which were likely to help increase exports.

The ministry attributed the increase in imports to the expanding economic activities.

However, independent economists said the ballooning trade deficit had exposed vulnerabilities of Pakistan’s economy as financing such a huge gap in the midst of slowing foreign remittances and low level of foreign direct investment had become a challenge for the federal government.

This would mean a higher trade deficit and higher current account deficit. The IMF recently revised its current account deficit projection for Pakistan from 1.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) to 2.9%.

Likewise exports, worker remittances were also on the wane, standing at $14 billion in the first nine months, which were about 3% less than the previous year.

March data

On an annual basis, the trade deficit in March was 77.4% more than the comparative period of previous year and the main reason was the record imports of goods valuing $5.1 billion.

The trade deficit last month increased to $3.2 billion, which in absolute terms was $1.4 billion more than the deficit recorded in March 2016.

Exports in March stood at $1.8 billion, showing a small growth of 3.6% compared to last year, according to the PBS. In absolute terms, the exports were up by just $63 million.

However, the growth in imports jumped to 41.2% as payments grew to $5.1 billion in March. The import bill was $1.5 billion more than last year.

Even on a monthly basis, the trade deficit widened 15% in March over February.

Cheers

[Prem]

Indian Rats with Poakroaches

[Falijee]

Mush Shows His " Pakistanayat"

'We should not bow down to int'l pressure,' – Musharraf on Jadhav sentence

Former army chief General (retd) Pervez Musharraf has said that unlike the propaganda in Indian media, the Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav was provided a lawyer to defend himself before being awarded death sentence.“This guy was involved in espionage and sabotage activities and was tried by Field General Court Martial and was provided a defence lawyer .. this is what happens when anyone is arrested for espionage,” said Musharraf.He denied the impression generated by Indian media that he had no defendant by maintaining that he was given a civil lawyer (which he himself demanded) and was allowed to defend himself.“He can appeal to an appellate bench headed by a two-star general and the case can be taken to Supreme Court of Pakistan and finally a mercy petition too can be sent to president,” explained Musharraf. Publicity - hungry Ex- President showing off his inside knowledge of the "Justice System" practiced by Paki Fauj.

Musharraf was of the view that Indian media will start propaganda against Pakistan after this decision and may use the west’s disapproval of death penalty as a tool to bring Pakistan under pressure.When asked what he would have done if he were army chief today, Musharraf maintained that he will not comment on what he would have done but he is against taking international pressure. This person is known as a "serial liar" . Public memory is short, but many remember that after 9/11, when the" US threatened to bomb Pakistan to stone age" if it refuses to "co-operate", Mush ordered Pakistan to "open its legs" once again in the service of Massa . So, he should not talk about "resisting international pressure "

“I would have considered a lot of things but I am against taking pressure, we have our laws and no other country has the right to comment on our laws or to tell us that we should not award someone death penalty,” said Musharraf.

[RCase]

^^^
Coming from a guy (Mushy) who could not face a regular civilian court and resorted to all kinds of bogus excuses - heart ailment drama, visit aged mom in Dubai etc.

In fact this coward should be captured and tried in India (and executed) for his war crimes in Kargil. Wasn't he the COAS during Kargil?

[Falijee]

Paranoid Pakistan Hints At "Brotherly Iran" Devious Role In Kulbhushan Affair .

Kulbhushan Yadav: Why Iran did not inform Pakistan about RAW agent

LAHORE: New revelations have surfaced about the mysterious character cum RAW agent in Pakistan, Kulbhushan Yadav. India had claimed that Kulbhushan Yadav was arrested from Iran and taken to Pakistan. According to recent reports by the Indian media, the Iranian government had informed the Indian government about the suspicious activities of Kulbhushan Jadhav.

However Iran failed to inform Pakistan as it failed to inform Pakistan when US drone strike struck Afghan Taliban Commander. During last year , the Iranian President visited Pakistan . And in a closed meeting, contrary to diplomatic norms, the Bad Sharif openly accused Iran of aiding and abetting India to carry out "terrorism" In Pakistani Balochistan . Al this was reported in Pakistan media . Ever since its creation in 1947, Pakistan is trying to give an impression to Muslim and Arab Ummah that it is the voice of Muslims in Pakistan as well the voice of their "persecuted brethen" in "Hindu India". Nowadays, no one is "buying that line" ; be it brotherly Saudi Arabia ( Sunni) or brotherly Iran ( Shia )

[ranjan.rao]

since us money is not coming due to indian pressure could we pay them off like in the case of Raymond Davis

[Falijee]

"Rounded Up Pakistanis" To Await Deportation From Serbia ?

Pakistani, Afghan migrants rounded up in Serbia

Serbian police have rounded up more than 200 migrants in the country's north following reports of alleged attacks against the local population.
The raid early Tuesday morning happened in the town of Sid on the border with Croatia.The migrants, who allegedly did not register with local authorities, were packed into buses and sent to southern Serbia and the border with Macedonia.They are mostly from Afghanistan and Pakistan.Only the elderly, women and children were allowed to remain in a local refugee center.Sid Mayor Predrag Vukovic says the migrants "stole, fought among each other and attacked the locals".Thousands of migrants seeking to reach European Union countries have been stranded in Serbia since neighbouring Hungary and Croatia battened down their borders. Firstly most likely they are "economic refugees" ; secondly, they may be Pakistanis posing as Afghans ( due to the "special reputation" of Pakis ). Thirdly, indulging in loot, plunder, violence is nothing new . Since the number to be eventually deported is very small, IMO, I doubt that a "Special Counter" for these illegals will be set up at Krachi or Isloo . Or will Ch. Nisar ( who is "acting" like a PM these days ) announce - like last time - that "he will not take these back as they do not have a Paki passport" , but had to "eat his words" later on

[Falijee]

Pakistan, India cannot be enemies forever: Janjua, NSA

Blowing "hot and cold" at the same time depending on who and where the audience is , ( foreign or domestic) and what is needed from the audience ( foreign aid,show of " patriotism" ). In this case, need Canadian aid money, Canadian sympathy and support for "Kashmir cause" or maybe a "future Kannadian Vijja"

[ramana]

Any updates on Mr. KB Yadav?

[Guddu]

Indian Exphttp://indianexpress.com/article/india/ ... a-4609708/
‘Missing’ Pakistan operative was in team that trapped Kulbhushan Jadhav
Zahir retired from the Pakistan Army on in 2014 but was said to have been engaged thereafter by the ISI for its covert operations.

Written by Rashmi Rajput | Mumbai | Updated: April 12, 2017 5:17 am
Kulbhushan Jadhav, Kulbhushan Jadhav spy, Kulbhushan Jadhav death sentence, Kulbhushan Jadhav death penalty, India-Pakistan, nawaz sharif, pakistan, indo-nepal border, missing pakistan operative, Muhammad Habib Zahir, Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif, Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Army, Death Sentence, Spying, Pakistan PM, world news, india news, indian express news Kulbhushan Jadhav
Muhammad Habib Zahir, the retired Lt Colonel of the Pakistan Army who disappeared from Lumbini near Nepal’s border with India and now suspected to be in Indian custody, was in the team that nabbed Kulbhushan Jadhav in March 2016.
Sources in the security establishment have told The Indian Express that Indian agencies had been on Zahir’s trail for long. He was last seen in Lumbini. Monday’s announcement of the Pakistan military court’s decision to award the death penalty to Jadhav, sources said, was tied to the disappearance of Zahir.
India Summons Pakistan Envoy Abdul Basit After Court Sentences Kulbhushan Jadhav To Death
“Zahir was at the Indo-Nepal border last week. He was in the team that had trailed Jadhav. There is definitely a connection between the two cases,” an officer said. “No sooner did the Pakistani authorities learn of Zahir’s disappearance, Jadhav was pronounced guilty of being a spy. The purpose is clear. They didn’t want any Indian agency to go public,” the officer said.
Also Read: There will be consequences…will go out of way to get justice for son of India: Sushma Swaraj
Zahir retired from the Pakistan Army on in 2014 but was said to have been engaged thereafter by the ISI for its covert operations. In 2015, he picked up conversations between Jadhav and his family members and started tracking him, sources said.
“Jadhav used an Indian passport issued in the name of Hussein Mubarak Patel to carry out his dhow business in Iran. Pakistani agencies heard him speaking to his family members in Marathi. Zahir started trailing Jadhav. A trap was laid and Jadhav was apprehended in March 2016,” the officer said.
Sources said Zahir was lured to Nepal with the promise of a “big catch”. The man who turned in Zahir connected with him through a UK phone number to pass “information on a mole”. He met Zahir a couple of times in Oman.
“Zahir arrived in Oman on April 2 and reached Kathmandu the next day. On his arrival in Nepal, he was handed over a SIM card at Bhairawa. Zahir was told that this was to facilitate his communication with a point person. From there, he was made to travel to Lumbini near the border,” the officer said.
Zahir’s family also told the press in Pakistan that he was likely picked by an “enemy spy” agency. A PTI report from Islamabad Monday said Zahir’s son Saad lodged an FIR with Rawat police station near Rawalpindi, saying his father was received in Nepal by one Javed Ansari who took him to Lumbini.
“We suspect that my father has been abducted and enemy spy agencies might be responsible for it,” a police officer quoted Saad as saying. “Enemy” word is often used for India in Pakistani security circles. Zahir last contacted his family on Thursday afternoon and since then his phone numbers have not been reachable

[Falijee]

Zahir's Disappearance Smells of " A Indian Sting Operation "

Was a Pakistani Ex-Colonel 'Kidnapped' as a Swap for Cmdr Jadhav?

The “disappearance” of a retired Pakistan army lieutenant colonel from Nepal last week and a phone number and an email trail, which have now turned cold, point to a suspected intelligence operation by an Indian security agency – to set in motion a chain of events that could lead to a 'spy swap' in the future.Information culled from Pakistani sources indicate that Lt Col (retd) Mohammad Habib Zahir, a Pakistani artillery officer who may have worked as an undercover ISI agent runner in Nepal while in service, got a call (from a UK number) from a certain Mark Thompson, informing him of a “successful” job offer from Strategic Solutions. The website domain of the firm is registered in Australia.

Investigations by The Quint show that the Strategic Solutions website.has been shut down, though information in the cache revealed interesting details on recruitment.The current requirements of the elusive “company” include “applications open for the role of Director (Investigations), the role of IT Lead (MAS) and the role of Vice-President (Security & Intelligence)”.

Indian security sources say the “operation has tell-tale signs of Indian intelligence involvement” and that Lt Col Zahir “is very likely” lodged in one of several safe houses in India. Or he may have been “handed over” to non-state actors, a euphemism for criminal and smuggler networks that operate on the Indian side of the India-Nepal border.

“This would lend deniability to the operation,” a former top intelligence operative said, adding that networks' bases in Gorakhpur, Nautanwa and Raxaul have often been used in by the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in past operations.

Several former Indian security officers with special operations background agreed that the elaborate ruse to “lure in” Lt Col Zahir appears to be linked to the Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav's continued incarceration in Pakistan. A Pakistani military court's meting out the death sentence to Jadhav could be the ISI's way to raise the bargaining level in the event of a 'spy swap' between New Delhi and Islamabad. Two can play the game

[sum]

“Zahir was at the Indo-Nepal border last week. He was in the team that had trailed Jadhav. There is definitely a connection between the two cases,” an officer said. “No sooner did the Pakistani authorities learn of Zahir’s disappearance, Jadhav was pronounced guilty of being a spy. The purpose is clear. They didn’t want any Indian agency to go public,” the officer said.
Also Read: There will be consequences…will go out of way to get justice for son of India: Sushma Swaraj
Zahir retired from the Pakistan Army on in 2014 but was said to have been engaged thereafter by the ISI for its covert operations. In 2015, he picked up conversations between Jadhav and his family members and started tracking him, sources said.
“Jadhav used an Indian passport issued in the name of Hussein Mubarak Patel to carry out his dhow business in Iran. Pakistani agencies heard him speaking to his family members in Marathi. Zahir started trailing Jadhav. A trap was laid and Jadhav was apprehended in March 2016,” the officer said.
Sources said Zahir was lured to Nepal with the promise of a “big catch”. The man who turned in Zahir connected with him through a UK phone number to pass “information on a mole”. He met Zahir a couple of times in Oman.
“Zahir arrived in Oman on April 2 and reached Kathmandu the next day. On his arrival in Nepal, he was handed over a SIM card at Bhairawa. Zahir was told that this was to facilitate his communication with a point person. From there, he was made to travel to Lumbini near the border,” the officer said.

I believe this to be the closest we will know the truth about this whole affair

Loving this cloak and dagger stuff and hope it ends in a happy end for Shri Jadhav

[Falijee]

'It is implementation of law by Pakistan,' Farooq Abdullah's brother on Kulbhushan Jadhav's death sentence

"Action on (Kulbhushan) Jadhav is implementation of law by Pakistan," senior National Conference (NC) leader Mustafa Kamal said on Tuesday while supporting former Indan naval official's death sentence. Kamal is former MP and brother of NC supremo Farooq Abdullah.... Openly siding with Pakistan, not surprising !

[Vikas]

If God forbid, Sh. KJ is killed by Pakis, can it result in a war ?
Knowing NM and AD, response will be swift and violent.

[Philip]

Great news if the missing Paki scumbag was part of the team that kidnapped our gallant hero.Now we need to take serious stock of the lunacy of the Paki establishment (army),and list our options should he be murdered by them.

1.Ban all Indians from travelling to Pak immediately,so that no more hostages can be plucked by the ISI. Allow Pakis to visit India though.We can always pluck them up when required as "spies".Also reduce the number of Indians at the HC in Pak.Send all families home if not already done.

2.Suspend all trade with immediate effect,no Paki goods to enter India.Cut all air,road,rail links. Threaten a ban on overflights.

2.Should KJ is murdered by them,then an immediate suspension of dpl. relations.Ban on overflights,Immediate trial and execution of all Pakis found to be spies in India.Demand Pak's expulsion from SAARC/Start new SAFE eco forum (details posted before) without Pak. Call for a Paki ban in the Commonwealth/threaten India leaving and downgrading of relations with Britain (looking for pals after Brexit) if such a terror entity is allowed to remain.

4.Military options.Here we have a huge menu. Targets could include Karachi,Gwadar,all other Paki ports/bases on the coast,select terror bases in J&J,etc., and unrestricted mil ops of opportunity with a view to destroying as much of the Paki mil. capability as poss.

KJ's murder may take place at any time.The bloodlust of the Paki army chief appears to be vampirish. Therefore,immediate war plans and acquisitions must be made as of yesterday. As was recently done with ammo,etc.,we should acquire as much of war material,weapon systems,etc. as we can before the sh*t hits the fan. We need to prepare though for the coming confrontation.24X7 production at all our DPSUs must take place with extra shifts. Stcoks of oil,petro products should be stocked up for reserves of at least 6 months,as the barbarians from the east may choose to come to the aid of the ungodly Pakis.

2017 is going to be a decisive year for India,with aggro from both Pak and China. We need to met the challenge ourselves and prepare for it ,instead of running to an "Uncle" with a big stick pleading with him to be saved!

[Manish_P]

Allow Pakis to visit India though.We can always pluck them up when required as "spies".

By extension of that logic, let's allow the Pak army in Kashmir, we can pluck them as "POWs" when required.

[yensoy]

2.Suspend all trade with immediate effect,no Paki goods to enter India.Cut all air,road,rail links. Threaten a ban on overflights.

Pakistan has a grand total of one or two flights per day crossing Indian territory. We on the other hand have a couple dozen. The entire Air India operation hubbed in Delhi, flying to around 14 destinations in Europe/North America/Afghanistan, as well as some other flights flown by Indian carriers - many of them at a daily frequency - will be jeopardized if Paki airspace is closed. The endless delays in building the new Mumbai airport has led to a situation where the national hub cannot be relocated either. We have far more to lose than Pak if airspaces are closed.

PK frequencies:
3/week to Dhaka
4/week to Kuala Lumpur
3/week to India, that is it.

I'm not even counting the dozens of Delhi-Gulf flights which overfly Paki airspace since they will be less affected than the others.

[putnanja]

The slap has to be high decibel and should convey we mean business. Since ISI picked him up, a couple of high ranking ISI officers or the ISI HQ need to be sent mango cases

[Philip]

If KJ is not released,then the situ will deteriorate so much that overflights will cease. e have to bite the bullet and route all flights around Paki airspace.

Moreover,POK HAS a border with Afghanistan! We should exercise complete air control over POK when the balloon goes up and allow our civvy flights to use that route under escort. This is where outr retd. MIG_25s would've come in v.useful.A pity that we never took the offer of one-for-one replacements with MIG-31s.

The Farkhor air base in Tajikistan could be made a real operational base with front-line fighters to deal with Pak from its north.

[jagga]

Zahir's Disappearance Smells of " A Indian Sting Operation "

Was a Pakistani Ex-Colonel 'Kidnapped' as a Swap for Cmdr Jadhav?

Sweet!

[Vikas]

..More on what Philip has elucidated.

1. Declare Bajwa & whosoever was heading the kangaroo court as war criminals
2. Abrogate IWT with immediate effect
3. Kick every Paki out of the country and suspend all Visas to Pakis irrespective of who he/she is
4. Use hammer in Kashmir
5. Escalate along LOC with massive artillary
6. Get Few Ex Paki Jarnails meet Allah
7. Work overtime to cause economic crash of Paki terrorist army

[SSridhar]

Pakistan has a grand total of one or two flights per day crossing Indian territory. We on the other hand have a couple dozen. . . .

All Indian flight operators have been demanding a more direct route to Gulf & Europe, overflying the Arabian Sea, rather than the more dangerous, cautious and circuitous Pakistani airspace. This demand has been there for a while. With satnav these days, routing is not a problem. It is the GoI that has to take a stance, especially Civil Aviation & MoD.

I remember that when the US launched Op. Enduring Freedom in Af-Pak, there were similar airspace restrictions on flights to Europe and India approached China to overfly their north western territory, which was granted. I do not think China will oblige now when we have an issue directly with one of their provinces, Pakistan. But, a direct sea-route should be feasible.

[yensoy]

2 hours extra flying time, additional fuel, some of the destinations going out of range needing en-route stops and making the route uncompetitive. There is nothing circuitous about Pakistani airspace maybe with exception of flights to Kabul - tracks are there for all to see on flightradar24.com.

[Lisa]

Retaliatory action must be cost free. Renounce IWT and blame the puki army for causing this reaction. This pain will last forever and its screams may well exceed screams for Kashmir. At absolutely no cost to us this action will provide us much needed relief from this miserable treaty.

[chetak]

Great news if the missing Paki scumbag was part of the team that kidnapped our gallant hero.Now we need to take serious stock of the lunacy of the Paki establishment (army),and list our options should he be murdered by them.

1.Ban all Indians from travelling to Pak immediately,so that no more hostages can be plucked by the ISI. Allow Pakis to visit India though.We can always pluck them up when required as "spies".Also reduce the number of Indians at the HC in Pak.Send all families home if not already done.

2.Suspend all trade with immediate effect,no Paki goods to enter India.Cut all air,road,rail links. Threaten a ban on overflights.

2.Should KJ is murdered by them,then an immediate suspension of dpl. relations.Ban on overflights,Immediate trial and execution of all Pakis found to be spies in India.Demand Pak's expulsion from SAARC/Start new SAFE eco forum (details posted before) without Pak. Call for a Paki ban in the Commonwealth/threaten India leaving and downgrading of relations with Britain (looking for pals after Brexit) if such a terror entity is allowed to remain.

4.Military options.Here we have a huge menu. Targets could include Karachi,Gwadar,all other Paki ports/bases on the coast,select terror bases in J&J,etc., and unrestricted mil ops of opportunity with a view to destroying as much of the Paki mil. capability as poss.

KJ's murder may take place at any time.The bloodlust of the Paki army chief appears to be vampirish. Therefore,immediate war plans and acquisitions must be made as of yesterday. As was recently done with ammo,etc.,we should acquire as much of war material,weapon systems,etc. as we can before the sh*t hits the fan. We need to prepare though for the coming confrontation.24X7 production at all our DPSUs must take place with extra shifts. Stcoks of oil,petro products should be stocked up for reserves of at least 6 months,as the barbarians from the east may choose to come to the aid of the ungodly Pakis.

2017 is going to be a decisive year for India,with aggro from both Pak and China. We need to met the challenge ourselves and prepare for it ,instead of running to an "Uncle" with a big stick pleading with him to be saved!

like earlier, Indian passports were stamped "not valid for travel to South Africa"

It just requires an administrative notification that pakistani passports are not valid in India and the same for Indian passports to pakistan

[Baikul]

2 hours extra flying time, additional fuel, some of the destinations going out of range needing en-route stops and making the route uncompetitive. There is nothing circuitous about Pakistani airspace maybe with exception of flights to Kabul - tracks are there for all to see on flightradar24.com.

I'm not an expert but are the potential mutual bans only for each other's national airlines?

If Pakistan bans overflight for all airlines national and foreign that are operating out of India (Air India, Lufthansa etc) then I'd assume the economic impact is the same for all airlines? Which means that if prices rise because of increased fuel costs, it's the same for everyone?

And if Pakistan bans only AI overflights, can't we disallow all carriers from India to overfly Pakistan, leading to the same same situation as I have described in the previous para?

Of course I haven't estimated the respective economic impact on the 2 nations.

[yensoy]

Bans on overflight can be imposed at the will of the overflown country, and the bans will be reciprocated. Pakistan would never ban Gulf based airlines to overfly en-route to India, and they would be stupid to ban European airlines in light of negative publicity. To hurt India the most, they will only ban Indian flag carriers as a retaliatory measure. As I said before, their need to access countries East (including Pak and non-Pak carriers) pales in comparison with our need to access countries West, so any overflight ban will hurt us 10x-20x what it will hurt Pakis.

And if we unfortunately have to go down this path, we can have the nuclear option of not recognizing Pak ATC which will disallow all airlines crossing over into Indian airspace from Pak - including ones flying say Singapore-Europe. This will ensure that Indian flag carriers are not unduly disadvantaged (though for reasons stated in an earlier post AI will suffer a lot), and by essentially disincentivizing overflights over Pak, their foreign exchange collections will reduce. But this starts to look like a "cut your nose to spite your face" kind of action.

[jagga]

Watch this video and see the Paki frustration. By kidnapping Colonel Habib, India will do tit for tat, ruthless Hindu India blah blah

[sanjayc]

‘Missing’ Pakistan operative was in team that trapped Kulbhushan Jadhav
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/ ... a-4609708/

[Falijee]

British man of Pak origin arrested in UK for 'misbehaving with air hostess' on PIA flight

Jo Pakistan mae mae ghandoo, woho Birmingham may bhi ...... ( fill in the blanks !)

[Vikas]

I seriously doubt if Pakis would want to do a swap after declaring KJ as terrorist and murderer and what not.
There will be immense loss of face for Terrorist army after going up this point of almost no return. My fear is that KJ still may end up dead like Sarabjeet by non state actors. What is India going to do in that case ?
Banning flights from Pakistan hardly hurts Pakis as no one anyways flies PIA and how many times we are going to use this as card. The Pain should be tangible and should hurt Terror army and put fear of death in their heart.

[abhijitm]

Take back Haji Pir.

[SSridhar]

There is nothing circuitous about Pakistani airspace maybe with exception of flights to Kabul - tracks are there for all to see on flightradar24.com.

That is true only for flights from New Delhi, not from Ahmedabad, for example.