Terrorist Islamic Republic of Pakistan (TSP): Dec. 28, 2010

[Vikas]

But would have uncle escalated militarily if USSR had fired the salvo on the shoulders of Afghan Army. Unlike today, Soviets were pretty strong and loaded while USA was struggling with economy in those fays. If USSR had taken out part of Pakistan and denied sanctuary to Muj. , they probably would have won the Afghan campaign.

[Sanku]

But would have uncle escalated militarily if USSR had fired the salvo on the shoulders of Afghan Army.

Sure using the PA in turn, they certainly would have. And for sure, the Afgan Army was itself not able to meet up to Jihadi challenge, I do not think they were a suitable vehicle to punish Pakistan.

Note this was not the drone era. So this would mean Soviet Mig 27 and Hinds raking FATA (no such assets with Afg Army) attacking TSPA assets with embedded US citizens etc.

Oh yes, US would have escalated militarily for sure, as it is they did escalate substantially in all manners.

[RajeshA]

Published on Jan 26, 2011
Protest in Rome against Pakistan’s blasphemy law: AFP

ROME: Italian lawmakers and religious associations protested in Rome Wednesday against Pakistan’s blasphemy law, calling for the release of a Christian woman sentenced to death under the legislation.

Catholic and Jewish associations joined human rights group Amnesty International and representatives of the Pakistani community in Italy in a 100-strong demonstration in front of the Italian parliament.

“We want this law to be abolished,” Pakistani-born Joseph Philip told AFP, explaining that his uncle, a Catholic Bishop, had been killed for his religious beliefs. He said he had come to the protest along with 15 compatriots.

Asia Bibi, a 45-year-old, Christian mother-of-five, was sentenced to death in November after Muslim women labourers who worked with her in the fields complained she made derogatory remarks about the Prophet Mohammed.

Umberto Bossi, head of Italy’s anti-immigrant and populist Northern League Party and prime minister Silvio Berlusconi’s partner in the centre-right coalition, attended Wednesday’s protest here.

“We want to express our solidarity,” he told journalists. A delegation from the protest also met Foreign Minister Franco Frattini.

Last Thursday the European parliament urged Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari to pardon and release Bibi following calls from several countries, international organisations and an appeal by Pope Benedict XVI.

European parliamentarians also called on the Pakistani government to revise their blasphemy laws and their application.

I think, if Aasia Bibi is hanged for blasphemy or killed otherwise by anybody in Pakistan, EU Parliament should stop ALL imports from Pakistan. Perhaps BRFites should write to EU Parliamentarians, Pakistani Christians in Europe like Mr. Joseph Philip, and to North League Party and any other group, which has influence in the EU Parliament.

The less foreign exchange Pakistan has, that many less weapons would Pakistan be able to purchase, that much more would be the inflation on petroleum products, and that much sooner would Pakistan collapse. If one can get a few of Pakistani industries to collapse - garments, carpets, sports goods, agricultural produce for exports, etc., the more difficult it would be to get these industries up and running again.

In fact, this import ban should stay as long as blasphemy laws in Pakistan are not done away with, that means for ever.

This is an emotive enough issue in many circles in Europe, especially in the various Roman Catholic countries, and it would be easier to win over EU legislators on this issue, than on terrorism.

The screws need to be tightened on Pakistan.

[SSridhar]

Christine Fair sets the record straight and nails the Pakis for being such egregious liars. She also nails those DC foggies who encourage and partake in such Paki lies.

The U.S.-Pakistan F-16 fiasco
http://afpak.foreignpolicy.com/posts/20 ... _16_fiasco

This is a good beginning by an American of Ms. Fair's status. But, they have a long way to go to reveal how they let a terrorist state develop in the first place. I am sure it will be a gargantuan project, if one attempts to do so, to chronicle this as it dates back to the early 1950s.

[Rajdeep]

Is this the new First Lady of Pakistan?

http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/s ... 110204.htm

The ruling Pakistan People's Party has condemned an internet rumour that its chief, President Asif Ali Zardari, has secretly remarried three years after the assassination of his wife Benazir Bhutto, describing it as a 'vicious and unethical tirade'.

The pic is Benis worthy material.

[aditya]

http://www.doseofme.com/2011/02/03/tanv ... son-video/

She speaks Pakjrezi (not Pakrezi). Mentions "hamara Bilawal beta".

[James B]

Is this the new First Lady of Pakistan?

http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/s ... 110204.htm

Even thij ij also benis worthy

[jrjrao]

A good article by Robert Clark ("a retired U.S. Marine Corps Officer").

Faux Ally in a Real War
http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/02/ ... l_war.html

The world, including President Obama, Secretary Clinton, and the U.S. media, remains focused on the unfolding turmoil in Egypt... while...Simultaneously, another drama unfolds more quietly in America's faux-ally, Pakistan.

Long-term, the administration must also address the true nature of our Pakistani "allies." The Pakistani government remains a dishonest partner in the war against Islamist terrorists and the Taliban while bilking the U.S. of billions of dollars every year. Pakistan supports Islamist groups as part of its enduring campaign against India...

[Vikas]

This is an emotive enough issue in many circles in Europe, especially in the various Roman Catholic countries, and it would be easier to win over EU legislators on this issue, than on terrorism.

The screws need to be tightened on Pakistan.

RajeshA Ji, Somehow love for Pakistan in western world runs deeper than we think it is. Atleast until the point, Pakistan is useful for Geo-strategic reason. Once that phase is over, Pakistan has been and will been thrown away like hair stuck in the comb.
These days only religious issue that is emotive is, if it involves followers of RoP.

[Pranav]

Free Baluchistan-selig harrison

Another article from National Interest magazine, this time about Pashtunistan -

Going Machiavelli on Islamabad

February 3, 2011
Mark N. Katz

Despite the advice of some military commanders and intelligence officials, the Obama administration has decided to increase U.S. aid to Pakistan due to the conviction that Washington cannot afford to alienate a country whose assistance is “essential” for the achievement of American goals in the region. This, however, is a mistake. Pakistan has already done much to undermine American actions in Afghanistan. Nor is it likely to change course as the Obama administration prepares to withdraw U.S. forces from there. What is needed instead now is for the United States to work with other countries—especially India and Russia—to contain Pakistan’s efforts to expand its influence by supporting jihadists in Afghanistan, India and elsewhere.

...

Clearly, the United States has failed to persuade Pakistan to fully cooperate in the “War on Terror.” Nor does Pakistan appear likely to become a reliable ally in the near future, either. Possessing a population larger than that of Russia, as well as an arsenal of nuclear weapons, Pakistan is an aspiring great power. Indeed, many Pakistanis consider their country to already be one. Islamabad’s strategy of protecting or even supporting jihadist groups such as al-Qaeda, the Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiba is part and parcel of its ambitions to spread its own influence and limit that of its rival, India. It should not be surprising, then, that American efforts to persuade Pakistan to jettison this policy have failed—and that they are likely to continue to fail.

For Pakistan to continue aiding and abetting these jihadist organizations, however, is highly detrimental to the interests of America and the American-sponsored government in Afghanistan, as well as India and many other countries. So if the United States cannot persuade Pakistan from doing this, perhaps it needs to adopt a policy of imposing costs on Islamabad until it abandons its policy which harms others. Washington, of course, is unlikely to adopt this approach so long as it remains dependent on supply lines through Pakistan in support of the large American troop presence in Afghanistan. However, once the American foot print in Afghanistan has been greatly reduced or even eliminated, this U.S. dependence on Pakistan will cease—thus allowing the United States far greater freedom to pursue a strategy of containment vis-à-vis Pakistan as punishment for supporting jihadists.

...

A more Machiavellian American foreign policy would seek to undercut the relationship between the Pakistani security forces, on the one hand, and the Pushtuns, on the other, through taking up the Pushtun nationalist cause. Arguing that the division of the Pushtuns between Afghanistan and Pakistan was the artificial creation of nineteenth-century British imperialism, Washington might propose that the Pushtuns of both southern Afghanistan and northern Pakistan be allowed to vote in referendums on whether they wished to secede from the state they are now in and become part of an independent Pushtunistan. Pakistan would, of course, virulently oppose any such initiative. American support for it, then, could be expected to result in Pushtun nationalists (including many in the Taliban) seeing Islamabad as their primary opponent, and not the United States. And just as Moscow’s enormous nuclear arsenal did not serve to protect the USSR from the rising tide of non-Russian nationalism in the Gorbachev era, Islamabad’s much smaller nuclear arsenal will not protect it against Pushtun (and perhaps other non-Punjabi) nationalism. (The non-Pushtuns of northern Afghanistan, of course, might not like this initiative at first, either. They might be open to persuasion, though, that they would be better off if the Pushtuns did secede, since they are highly likely to perpetually try to regain dominance over an Afghanistan retaining its present borders.)

This may seem like a harsh policy. But because engaging Pakistan for many years has only helped it to aid jihadist forces targeting other countries, containment would at least force Islamabad to understand that it faces serious costs for continuing this policy. ...

http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/ ... 775?page=1

Big Q is that whether the US will actually act on the realizations that seem to be dawning.

[Lalmohan]

the frequency of pakistan-balkanisation papers has certainly gone up
some appear to be clear lifafa efforts
perhaps there is one final policy war going on within the beltway
and soon unkil will come to the conclusion that a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do...
however, in all scenarios the picture for pakistan is decidely ugly

[SSridhar]

Going Machiavelli on Islamabad

February 3, 2011
Mark N. Katz

A more Machiavellian American foreign policy would seek to undercut the relationship between the Pakistani security forces, on the one hand, and the Pushtuns, on the other, through taking up the Pushtun nationalist cause. Arguing that the division of the Pushtuns between Afghanistan and Pakistan was the artificial creation of nineteenth-century British imperialism, Washington might propose that the Pushtuns of both southern Afghanistan and northern Pakistan be allowed to vote in referendums on whether they wished to secede from the state they are now in and become part of an independent Pushtunistan.

The Great Game would come a full circle and Shri Olaf Kirkpatrick Caroe should be making multiple turns in his grave.

[Muppalla]

This is an emotive enough issue in many circles in Europe, especially in the various Roman Catholic countries, and it would be easier to win over EU legislators on this issue, than on terrorism.

The screws need to be tightened on Pakistan.

RajeshA Ji, Somehow love for Pakistan in western world runs deeper than we think it is. Atleast until the point, Pakistan is useful for Geo-strategic reason. Once that phase is over, Pakistan has been and will been thrown away like hair stuck in the comb.
These days only religious emotive issue is if it involves followers of RoP.

As long as India is not divided, this love will be there. The love will never go away and I will bet even if a JDAM goes to US mainland, the love will still be there. Thing might change even if a small district is made independent from India.

We just go in loops and circles on the forum with a lot of analysis and some false hopes.

[Venkarl]

This das pratishath reminds me of Boman Irani's faces in 3 idiots and Munna Bhai series.

[RajeshA]

This is an emotive enough issue in many circles in Europe, especially in the various Roman Catholic countries, and it would be easier to win over EU legislators on this issue, than on terrorism.

The screws need to be tightened on Pakistan.

RajeshA Ji, Somehow love for Pakistan in western world runs deeper than we think it is. Atleast until the point, Pakistan is useful for Geo-strategic reason. Once that phase is over, Pakistan has been and will been thrown away like hair stuck in the comb.
These days only religious issue that is emotive is, if it involves followers of RoP.

As long as India is not divided, this love will be there. The love will never go away and I will bet even if a JDAM goes to US mainland, the love will still be there. Thing might change even if a small district is made independent from India.

We just go in loops and circles on the forum with a lot of analysis and some false hopes.

I think, we should not see the West as one big bloc working under a singular assumption and control. It is a heterogenous bloc, and may be the pro-Pakistan lobby or the anti-India lobby is there to talk the various groups into supporting Pakistan's longevity, but any such lobby would have its work made more difficult if the various groups get increasingly agitated against Pakistan and want to lash out.

This is where I think, India and Indians should work on, to make various constituencies increasingly feeling betrayed and angry at Pakistan. At some point the pro-Pakistan lobby may not be able to control the storm.

Whereas in individual countries and their foreign policy machineries there is a keen awareness of Pakistan's importance, the level of altruistic thinking is much much higher in the European Parliament, and European Parliament is powerful in some areas.

[Vikas]

So for Pakistan to survive, It is important that India remains intact and stays partially important on world stage. If I were a Paki Crore commander, This how I will construe the whole equation. A India that can not harm Pakistan fatally but stays as threat to Paki existence.
A moderately wealthy but not super rich dhimmified India in the neighborhood works well for Pakistan.
So to twist the logic, Pakistan can and will raise the temperature but never so much so as to force India to shut down the Kitchen. That would mean end of free lunch for Pakistan and maybe Sudan type division eventually.
But Does that mean India is doomed with this curse because as many revolutions may happen in Tunisia and Egypt, Pakis are not going anywhere anytime soon. Other than green, we will not see any other color be it Pink, Orange or jasmine.
The western and Islamic world cannot afford to let Pakistan sink.
Is this the future for us in near term ?

I wonder How can we think out of the box to break this shackle. As of now it seems like all of us including GoI is living on hope that Pakis will repeat history and end up dividing the Land.

I look forward to the day when I can peacefully and without fear drive to all the natural borders of India from Arunachal to Kandhar/Kabul.

[shiv]

Going Machiavelli on Islamabad

February 3, 2011
Mark N. Katz

A more Machiavellian American foreign policy would seek to undercut the relationship between the Pakistani security forces, on the one hand, and the Pushtuns, on the other, through taking up the Pushtun nationalist cause. Arguing that the division of the Pushtuns between Afghanistan and Pakistan was the artificial creation of nineteenth-century British imperialism, Washington might propose that the Pushtuns of both southern Afghanistan and northern Pakistan be allowed to vote in referendums on whether they wished to secede from the state they are now in and become part of an independent Pushtunistan.

The Great Game would come a full circle and Shri Olaf Kirkpatrick Caroe should be making multiple turns in his grave.

I personally am convinced that Pakistan CANNOT remain together as one state. To remain as one state - each sub-state (component region/political area - eg Balochsitan) should have freedoms for their people as well as a stake in the national economy and purpose.

For over 60 years the central government of Pakistan, dominated by the army and elite - mostly Pakjabi and Mohajirs/Sindhis to an extent have utilised the resources of the Pakistani nation to build up the army, fight India and enrich themselves. And these processes have involved ingratiating themselves with the US and China - both of whom have readily funded the Pakistan government and army in exchange for favors. Those favors have led to the deaths of many Pakistanis. As long as those deaths could be blamed on India and the USSR the Pakistani people were unable to complain much. But for a decade now the deaths of Pakistanis has been on the orders of the Americans or Chinese.

Of course the entire fight against the Taliban is US directed.

But Lal Masjid was a cruel blow - and it was done under the orders of the Chinese and the Paki army has not been forgiven. As an aside I believe that we must do our utmost to fan the grievance that the Lal Masjid action caused - to the extent (if necessary) to be sympathetic to the people who ran Lal Masjid and whose lives in Lal Masjid and the Madrasa next door were shattered by the Pakistan army.

The Pakistani army is now clearly seen as killing Pakistanis - and it is getting more and more difficult to pass that off as an Indian act. Even passing it off as American is getting difficult. Under the circumstances the ONLY solution for Pakistan is to break it up into a rump state of Pakjab and Sindh with a separate Pashtunistan and a Baluchistan

One theoretical possibility would be a "United states of Pakistan" in which 3 separate stated are formed - "Rump PakjabiSindhistan", "Baluchistan" and "Pahthunkhwa". But for these states to have friendly relations the Pakistani/Pakjabi army will have to be wiped out. But the main sponsors of the Pakistan army - the US and China are not looking at things in this way yet. they are still arming and funding the Paki army. That is only going to lead to more trouble in Pakistan.

[Abhijit]

Don't know if this should go to Benis or if it would be of use to Shiv for his videos. The thought of TFTA packees with long missiles going to Dr Lyn Choos(WTF?) for advanced farmulas seems a bit too

You kuffr yindoos have no vision or imagination in your dark places. One letter was missed from the esteemed dactar's name onlee. It is dr. Lyng Choos. Now it all makes perfect sense.

[shravan]

Three killed, 27 hurt in Lahore blast

Thursday, February 3, 2011

As many as three people were killed and dozens injured when a low-intensity remote-controlled bomb blast detonated outside the Haider Sain Darbar shrine in Lahore, as a large number of worshipers paid respects to a Sufi saint

[shiv]

Three killed, 27 hurt in Lahore blast

Thursday, February 3, 2011

As many as three people were killed and dozens injured when a low-intensity remote-controlled bomb blast detonated outside the Haider Sain Darbar shrine in Lahore, as a large number of worshipers paid respects to a Sufi saint

I.E.D. Mubarak to paki mofos

[ramana]

Shiv, The Ottomon Turks had a system called "millat" where the sub-nationalities could have their own rules and regulations and live under the Sultan's umbrella. However it was for sub-nationalities with different religious follwoing.

So if TSP wants to continue then it has to forget the modern state theory and go back to a form of Millat of the pre-modern age. This might not be agreeable to the Pakjabi elite who are on political steroids fed by UK and US.

Anatole Livien is one of the many 'scholars' feeding them this dominance steroid.

[Raghavendra]

Pakistan: Prosecutor in Salman Taseer murder case quits http://www.zeenews.com/news685051.html

Islamabad: Saiful Malook, the Pakistani prosecutor who was pursuing the case against the police guard who assassinated former Punjab governor Salman Taseer, has withdrawn from the case citing security concerns, a media report said on Friday.

[Lalmohan]

the circle is complete, the islamists have now de facto imposed sharia on pakistan
sherry is as good as dead if she stays there
makes a muslim brotherhood run egypt look positively heavenly by comparison...

[Anujan]

Is this the new First Lady of Pakistan?

http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/s ... 110204.htm

The ruling Pakistan People's Party has condemned an internet rumour that its chief, President Asif Ali Zardari, has secretly remarried three years after the assassination of his wife Benazir Bhutto, describing it as a 'vicious and unethical tirade'.

The pic is Benis worthy material.

That would be this lady. Again BENIS (of the dhaagha type) worthy

[Rajdeep]

14-year-old killed for refusing to marry father’s cousin

http://tribune.com.pk/story/113887/14-y ... rs-cousin/

Mukhtar Hussain had admitted to killing his daughter. Hussain wanted to marry the girl to his 52-year-old cousin, Saeed Ahmed.

The victim’s mother, nominally the complainant, told The Express Tribune that she did not want her husband to be jailed. “My daughter was a disgrace to the family. We can’t tolerate our children disrespecting their elders’ wishes so we killed her,” Mukhtar Mai said, “why would I want my husband to be punished? He did the right thing.”

[arun]

Britain Charges Pakistani Cricketers in Alleged Match-Fixing Case

VOA News February 04, 2011

Authorities in Britain have filed criminal conspiracy and bribery charges against three star players on Pakistan's national cricket team for alleged match fixing last year during a test match in London.

Prosecutors said Friday that Pakistan's former test captain Salman Butt, and opening bowlers Mohammad Asif and 18-year-old Mohammad Amir, are charged with conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments, and with conspiracy to cheat. ………………….

VOA

[Gagan]

Zardari marriage rumour swirls, PPP denies

The ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Friday rejected rumours that President Asif Ali Zardari has secretly tied the knot in the US with a Pakistani doctor based in Boston. Rumours abound on Zardari's remarriage with Tanveer Zamani, 40, who has declined to comment.

...

Another Pakistani newspaper, The News, said that the 40-year-old surgeon linked to the rumours, responded differently when approached for comments.

The Sindh Medical College graduate, who did her PhD in political science from Ireland in 1996 before moving to US, is of Mediterranean descent and reportedly lives in Manhattan, New York.

She is also a Democrat supporter who also participated in the 2008 US election campaign. She actively campaigned for President Barack Obama's health care reform bill.According to The News, Zamani said she would not say anything but she had sought legal advice on how to handle the rumour.

Zardari secretly married to NY physician?

The rumour, floated on several hitherto unheard of blogs and websites late on Wednesday, claimed Zardari had

married Tanveer Zamani, a New York-based physician and PPP loyalist.

The rumour was laced with innuendoes, including a claim that the so-called wedding was solemnised according to Shia customs.

More about the 'bride'

It described Zamani as "a Mediterranean descent American resident" who lives in Gramercy Park, Manhattan, New York.

He is so Wajib-ul-dismissal-e-revolution onree.

AoA.

[Anujan]

^^^

Zardari already requested guards from the US to protect him. This might be a green card ploy.

[RajeshA]

So Zardari who can hardly read or write a sentence without making 150 mistakes, marries a NY physician.

[Mahendra]

Physician with a PhD in political science!

[rajsunder]

Physician with a PhD in political science!

may be she did not get through USMLE

[abhishek_sharma]

We'are going to Thimphu with open mind: Pakistan

http://www.hindu.com/2011/02/05/stories ... 301500.htm

JuD warns of ‘jihad' if Kashmir is not freed through civil agitation

No compromise on Kashmir issue: PPP

[Brad Goodman]

The extremist majority

Taseer's son in law writing

Pakistan’s descent into religious extremism and fanaticism is deeper than any moderate had imagined. Only a hard line against those inciting and condoning violence in the name of religion will provide any hope.

Two weeks before his assassination, my father-in-law, Governor Salmaan Taseer, tweeted: “Covered in the righteous cloak of religion even a puny dwarf imagines himself a monster. Important to face [religious leaders]. And call their bluff”.

Everything has changed. I’ve suddenly realised where moderates and liberals lie in Pakistan — in an ivory tower, with pen and paper and surrounded by only their own kind. What are the numbers? A few thousand at best, in a country of well over 170 million people.

[nachiket]

Taseer's son-in-law writing...

Everything has changed. I’ve suddenly realised where moderates and liberals RAPES lie in Pakistan — in an ivory tower, with pen and paper and surrounded by only their own kind. What are the numbers? A few thousand at best, in a country of well over 170 million people.

So basically what BRF has been saying for ages now.

[saip]

190 Pakistanis deported from US during last two years

Malik Amad said members of the Pakistani community are generally imprisoned in US jails for charges like overstaying, domestic violence, alcohol abuse, sexual assault, illegal arms possession and other minor crimes.

If the minister considers these minor crimes, what crimes would he consider major? Perhaps a cartoon?

http://www.dawn.com/2011/02/04/190-paki ... years.html

[A Arun]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ5sm7nR0_Q


More BENIS worthy stuff from Tanveer Zamani. At the end of the video, she calls her step son "mera beta Bilawal"

[putnanja]

Two years and still counting - Siddharth Varadarajan

An entire year has passed since the Manmohan Singh government decided it was time to find a way to break the dialogue deadlock and kickstart the process of engagement with Pakistan.
...
...
At the root of the Islamabad fiasco was the fact that neither side was willing to risk upsetting political equations at home by appearing to concede too much ground to the other. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi wanted to be able to tell the stakeholders who matter in his country — the military — that he had got India to agree to a calendar for the resumption of dialogue on Kashmir and Siachen. But India's External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna was not prepared to go that far. He wanted to calibrate any timetable for the resumption of talks on politically sensitive issues like Siachen to visible progress in the investigation and prosecution of those involved in the Mumbai terrorist attack of November 2008. What resulted, thus, was a stalemate.
...
...
India knows “rejecting the process of engagement” will not enable it to achieve its goals on the terror front and yet it is unwilling to talk until it sees satisfactory progress in the Mumbai attack case. A second policy paradox it must overcome is that it is reluctant to resume the harmless ‘front channel' talks on Kashmir even as it is “willing to pick up the threads” on the far more substantive back channel if Pakistan agrees. Finally, Pakistan, which has spent the better part of the past six decades demanding substantive progress on the Kashmir issue must explain why it is obsessed with the immediate resumption of the formal process (even though it knows this will lead nowhere) but is reluctant officially to embrace the back channel process and formula which offer the best chance for a speedy, win-win outcome.
...
...
For the past two years, I have been part of a Track-II India-Pakistan dialogue process that the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies in Delhi and the Jinnah Institute in Islamabad have been conducting. The meetings take place in Bangkok because neither government is willing to guarantee it will issue visas for all the participants coming from across the border, but that is the subject of another article! Besides strategic analysts and journalists, the ‘Chaophraya Dialogues' have brought together senior retired military, intelligence and foreign service officers, many of whom spent their entire careers planning and executing moves against the other side.
...
...
In our most recent round, however, both sides made some progress. “The absence of a formal and sustained engagement on the full range of issues confronting India and Pakistan is unhealthy, counterproductive and dangerous,” the Indian and Pakistani participants declared in a joint resolution. “We welcome the forthcoming meeting of foreign secretaries in Thimphu and hope that the two sides will be able to prepare the ground for the resumption of a comprehensive and sustained dialogue.” More significantly, the principle which Mr. Lambah spoke of — and which Khurshid Ahmed Kasuri, who was Foreign Minister in the Musharraf years, has also spoken of — found joint support: “We agree with the broad vision of India-Pakistan relations in which borders cannot change but can indeed be made irrelevant. We resolve that a dialogue between the two countries should include discussions on Jammu and Kashmir. The formal bilateral dialogue should be complemented by back-channel contacts. The people of J&K should be appropriately consulted in this process”.

Terrorism, the resolution noted, is of deep concern to both India and Pakistan. “Indian concerns about the Mumbai attacks in 2008 have seriously affected the dialogue process. The perpetrators of the attack should be brought to justice at the earliest. Pakistan has deep concerns about the tragic loss of lives in the Samjhauta Express attack. India has to expeditiously prosecute those involved and keep Pakistan informed.”
...
...
On terror, the aftermath of the assassination of Salman Taseer has brought home to most Indians the degree to which the Pakistani state is caught in a vortex. A system which cannot ensure justice when a high constitutional functionary is killed is unlikely to be able to offer India much relief on 26/11. This is not to say India should stop insisting on progress. But tying the future course of our bilateral engagement to this futile pursuit is unhelpful and counterproductive. Liberal Pakistanis say the resumption of dialogue with India will strengthen them in their struggle against the jihadis and the ‘establishment'. They may well be exaggerating their own influence and our own. In the worst case scenario, dialogue will turn out to be a placebo that will not help them or us. But India has nothing to lose by following their prescription.

By linking samjhauta to RSS, the government has shot itself in the foot. Now, Pakistan is linking progress on 26/11 attacks to Samjhauta probe.

Looks like not only Indian and pakistani nationals, but US nationals like Siddarth Varadarajan too are part of the track-II diplomacy. Wonder who else is included in this track-II diplomacy, and who is orchestrating this entire tamasha.

[Muppalla]

Liberal Pakistanis say the resumption of dialogue with India will strengthen them in their struggle against the jihadis and the ‘establishment'. They may well be exaggerating their own influence and our own. In the worst case scenario, dialogue will turn out to be a placebo that will not help them or us. But India has nothing to lose by following their prescription

This is exactly like Omar Abdulla's arguments with center during stone throwing saga.

When everything was alright, they demanded JK or whatever the adjustments are. When chips are down they beg. When GOI complains of terror they say that it is easy to counter the jihadi-terror (Pak) and stone throwers (JK CM) if there are some concessions. Eitherway all solutions are in India's hands and for no reason India has to cede some land or some exclusive rights on the land to these mofos.

fckdup.

[Joseph]

The extremist majority

Taseer's son in law writing

More from your link...

The writer, a graduate of Brown and Cambridge universities, is managing director at an investment bank in Singapore [email protected]

Bilawal was recently cited for being the most vocal among the PPP in speaking out against the assassination of Taseer and now the son in law writes this Opinion piece.

Are the young overseas RAPES like Bilawal in the UK, Salman in Hong Kong and others outside the country actually cognizant of the present day realities in Pakistan and are spouting off because they have less to fear than those in Pakistan or are they delusional and think that the trend can still be reversed?

As the drumbeats continue in support of Qadri, a premeditated murderer by his own admission, I sit in a combination of grave concern and deep sadness about the future of Pakistan. Until this event, I was certain that the vast majority of our population was moderate and abhorred acts of violence.

Since Salman is living in Hong Kong, he shouldn't include himself in the population of Pakistan.

There is no moderate majority in Pakistan. The large majority of Pakistanis are poor, living from meal to meal and focussed (understandably) mostly on their survival. This makes them particularly vulnerable to exploitation by irresponsible and ambitious maulvis.

The RAPES lay the blame on the maulvis for the problems in Pakistan and refuse to take some of it on themselves. The RAPES have exploited the poor over the decades and Salman makes no mention of that.

If Pakistan is to stand a chance, someone with real power in Pakistan needs to take on the religious leaders.

The PA is the real power in Pakistan and why Salman is unable to comprehend that is a true mystery. Since the PA hasn't come out with a definitive statement against the assassination of Taseer, the real power has already decided not to take on the religious leaders. Salman has degrees from Brown and Cambridge, yet has absolutely no street smarts.

They need to have those who incited Salmaan Taseer’s murder arrested. They must prosecute maulvis who issue murderous fatwas. Any religious leader inciting hatred against others, or encouraging acts of terrorism or violence, should be chased to the full extent of the law, not hold the rest of us hostage.

They?

RAPES will gladly sit in political office to delegate, make speeches and perform other figurehead functions, but are quite unlikely to go out and be on the frontlines to actually make the arrests and prosecute the maulvis as Salman suggests.

The RAPES would like to preserve what they have had over the decades, but lack both the abilities and bravery to even attempt to change the direction that Pakistan is going.

Speeches given and Opinion pieces written by overseas RAPES are meaningless and they appear to not even realize it.

[shiv]

The extremist majority

Taseer's son in law writing

I left a response - but its awaiting moderation

Sir, your article is hypocritical at best. Late realization of a blatantly obvious fact and a blame game.

Pakistan was moderate, once upon a time. In that era Pakistanis – who were perhaps less than a 100 million then were exhorted to do jihad to fight the kafirs of India, who, it was alleged, were out to snuff out Islam. And gradually in righteous indignation, Pakistan nearly wiped out all its non Muslim minorities.

It is the height of hypocrisy to blame Zia and Sharif for setting examples of the very same attitudes that Salman Taseer himself was guilty of displaying – a veneer of westernized moderation covering a cheerful candour towards the elimination of all non Muslim minorities in Pakistan. None of the “moderate, liberal” Pakistanis ever shed a tear as the numbers of those minorities were whittled away by people who are described as “extremists” today. The guilt of omission comes back to haunt Pakistan’s fraudulent pretend-moderates who howl when its their own lives at risk. Let the Islamists rule Pakistan. After all they now own the place. Its your ilk who need to get in line and conform.