Terrorist Islamic Republic of Pakistan (TSP): June 30, 2011

sum · Post by **sum** » 29 Jul 2011 22:03

^^ Good to know that people are alert, esp when TSP comes into the picture.

Fidel Guevara · Post by **Fidel Guevara** » 29 Jul 2011 22:09

The next Finance Minister of Pakistan:

Sharmila Farooqi
Qualifications for the job: managed the media portfolio in Sindh, played golf in her youth, damn sexy, and a niece of Salman Farooqi a well-known confidante of President Asif Ali Zardari.

The next Home Minister of Pakistan:

Kashmala Tariq
Qualifications for the job: member of National Assembly (PML-Q), damn sexy, and rumoured to have worked very closely with several senior PML-Q netas

abhijitm · Post by **abhijitm** » 29 Jul 2011 22:11

yaar this Hina Mandi @Khar Road affair is becoming obnoxious.

Altair · Post by **Altair** » 29 Jul 2011 22:13

sum wrote:^^ Good to know that people are alert, esp when TSP comes into the picture.

People are alert to the word Pakistan not just in India but also even in remote parts of Europe like Finland,Poland and Czech republic. US and Australia are anyways alert to Pakis. Only African continent is not in the loop I guess. I may be wrong because I know nothing about them.
I would be happy when People stop buying goods in Walmart which have been made in Pakistan. That my friends is the final nail.

abhijitm · Post by **abhijitm** » 29 Jul 2011 22:23

My rabies vs your rabies

LAHORE: The incidents of rabies’ are increasing in Pakistan where 5,000 deaths are recorded annually while rabies cases reported from India are much higher

I dont know whether the reporter is complimenting Indian dogs for their efficiency or is upset over the complacency of pakistani dogs

abhijitm · Post by **abhijitm** » 29 Jul 2011 22:44

Pakistan's Changing Images of India: A Personal View
by Zubeida Mustafa.

A pakistani WKKite article. A personality walk through the partition till now. I don't know whether to rate it good or bad. Just read it and thought somebody here might be interested in commenting.

warning: long read.

Fidel Guevara · Post by **Fidel Guevara** » 29 Jul 2011 22:49

Altair wrote:
sum wrote:^^ Good to know that people are alert, esp when TSP comes into the picture.
People are alert to the word Pakistan not just in India but also even in remote parts of Europe like Finland,Poland and Czech republic. US and Australia are anyways alert to Pakis. Only African continent is not in the loop I guess. I may be wrong because I know nothing about them.
I would be happy when People stop buying goods in Walmart which have been made in Pakistan. That my friends is the final nail.

Our family was travelling to India last year, and we halted at Frankfurt airport. Our 5 year old had just learned about the various airlines of the world, and was playing with his toy plane, in the waiting area. Then he said "this is a Pakistan Airlines plane, zoom, zoom!" "Big Pakistan Airlines plane", etc. Probably because his grand-dad had earlier mentioned to him that Pakistan Airlines is no good.

The cold stares of the other passengers were really sinister. We hushed him up, and moved to another part of the lounge.

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 29 Jul 2011 22:52

anupmisra wrote:In short, yes. The liberal media here would go all over town to promote that beacon of modernity and Islam. NYT and LAT would have full page spreads extolling how liberal that nation has become since bebe bhutto. No one will dare (except maybe Fox) to ask her pointed questions for the fear of pushing her over the edge.

Close, but no cigar. Come on, what is "liberal media" Rush Limbaugh trash talk? This is BR

. There is liberal and right-wing nut case media when it comes to US domestic affairs, on foreign policy, especially India and Paaaaakistaaan, its a nationalistic media. Yes, US media would be extolling her, but true to their national objectives, they would do profuse equal equal with India, saying India has "Hindu extremists", TSP has Isalmic exptremists, India is Indeeera Gaaaaandeee, while TSP has Hina. Basically, saying how both India & TSP can be loyal US allies onlee, and US can bring piss to both sides. But not a chance that they will gubo before here like the new Delhi demented elites. And of course, they would not appear so desparate as New Delhi is in kissing and making up with TSP forgeting all the crimes TSP has perpetrated.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 29 Jul 2011 23:21

shiv wrote:
This is the most fractal recursive of Macaulayite fractal recursives. Here is a Paki beggar paying big money for obscure unheard of weshtren brands and a paper reporting that as if people actually understand what is being mentioned. Not sure who is the most foolish in the group.

KJo · Post by **KJo** » 29 Jul 2011 23:28

sanjeevpunj wrote: Our minister is scared about shaking hands with the lady? Cautious approach!

Maybe he is afraid she will blow herself up in praise of the holy brophet.

BijuShet · Post by **BijuShet** » 30 Jul 2011 00:10

Opinion piece from The News (posting in full)
Pakistan and the FMCT

Ikram Sehgal
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Share On December 16, 1993, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for the “negotiations of ‘a non-discriminatory, multilateral and internationally and effectively verifiable treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices”. Since then, negotiations for the fissile material cut-off treaty (FMCT) continue to be stalled on various issues.

The US contributed to the stalemate by refusing to accept international mechanisms for verification and insisting that National Technical Means (NTMs) were adequate to ensure compliance. The Obama Administration broke the impasse last year by its pledge to support international verification.

Fundamental differences between the 65 members of the Conference on Disarmament (CD) on the purpose and scope of the FMCT have failed to evolve its final draft. Every member has the right of veto, countries have the right to halt negotiations; if the national interests of any member country is targeted the next stage is not possible. Many members question whether it would be a measure of nuclear non-proliferation or would it address the issue of stockpiles of fissile material possessed by some states through progressive and balanced reduction to promote nuclear disarmament.

Pakistan refuses to sign the FMCT because of its apprehensions that a fissile material ban should cover existing stocks of fissile material instead of simply halting future production, a position backed by several other CD members, primarily from the developing world. Most nuclear weapons possessors, including India, insist on a production cut-off that does not address current stockpiles.

Prohibiting future production would freeze the imbalance between Pakistan and India, making the treaty discriminatory and Pakistan-specific. Pakistan would be at a permanent disadvantage in the nuclear equation with India because of India’s greater fissile material stockpiles. Attempting to cap Pakistan’s atomic programme, the US has tried to stop our enrichment of fissile material, asking us to return the fissile material it had furnished in 1960 (which we could not do having consumed the same as per agreement).

India’s civilian nuclear deal with the US, its growing conventional military superiority over Pakistan, its long-term plans for a ballistic missile defence system and evolving dangerous war strategies such as “Cold Start” puts pressure on Pakistan’s declared goal of maintaining a credible minimum nuclear deterrent. As the Indian war machine acquires more offensive and defensive capabilities, the more Pakistan would need to ensure its own viable nuclear deterrent.

Through the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement and the consequent Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) India can escape the cap on the size of its nuclear arsenal, the waiver allows it to conclude agreements with countries, including Russia and France, to supply it with nuclear fuel, allowing acquisition of hundreds of nuclear warheads. India can increase its fissile material stocks qualitatively and quantitatively and divert most of its indigenous stocks to its weapons’ programme. It can even abrogate its international understandings in the future to redirect the externally supplied fuel meant for civilian purposes to nuclear weapons development.

India’s pursuit of ballistic missile defence (BDM) for which it seeks help from Russia, Israel and the US and development of a Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) capability will alter the strategic balance in the region. Pakistan has no option but to respond by accelerating its own missile development programme and develop more warheads, for which it will need more fissile material.

Islamabad’s position in the past called for a declaration by the parties of their stockpiles, an agreement on “balance” in stocks (reflecting the requirements of different countries and a reduction in excess stockpiles). Without verifiable elimination of fissile material stocks, and concerned only with stopping future production of nuclear material is inherently discriminatory not serving the purpose of global nuclear disarmament. Freezing inequalities would place Pakistan at a strategic disadvantage in the South Asian region. The issue of fissile material stocks is important not only for the goal of global zero but Pakistan’s survival as well.

Alternatively the Fissile Material Treaty (FMT) has been proposed. All existing stockpile of fissile material should be disposed off as well as a ban on future production of fissile material. This proposal also reflects US President Barack Obama’s mission of “Nuclear Zero”. Presently this plan of disarmament is only an idealistic theory i.e. first arms control measures (FMCT) must be implemented and only than measures for disarmament taken.

Pakistan’s position was articulated clearly by Dr Shireen Mazari during the debate on FMCT in the CD in Geneva in February this year. To quote “We may accept the FMCT in about five to seven years down the road because by then we will have built up a proportional fissile reserve to India’s as a result of our plutonium production picking up”, unquote. She added, “it was time for Pakistan officials to stop being apologetic about their nuclear development, India has been evolving conventional strategies such as Cold Start, pre-emptive war, limited war as well as low intensity warfare doctrines in order to get out of nuclear deterrence stalemate in a way”.

Without seeking to achieve parity with India, Pakistan has to maintain the status quo, by upgrading its non-conventional weapons capabilities i.e. better and more accurate delivery platforms, more plutonium (instead of uranium) based warheads for its ballistic and cruise missiles (because they ensure a better ratio of yield versus weight of the fissile material used per warhead) and ensures second nuclear strike capability by deploying plutonium based warheads on its subs. This does not achieve parity with India but maintains status quo. The delay will enable Pakistan to accumulate sufficient plutonium stocks before negotiating over it.

Fazal H Curmally eloquently summed up that the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) has hit a wall, “the world is changing and this change could be a constructive change instead of a destructive change or a change where the acrimony intensifies. It will depend on the wisdom of the leaders who are in positions of power and can influence what the new shape of things looks like. Irrespective of what anyone says, possession of a nuclear weapons’ programme is your ticket to a world power status. All the pontifications of experts that this is not the case do not alter the situation. You can’t be overlooked ever again. You have become a member of the big boys’ club and will be counted when push comes to shove. The FMCT talks came to a grinding halt in 2010 because according to William Langweische, in his book The Atomic Bazar, “....transformed this runt called Pakistan into something like a runt with a gun,” this delayed the progress in framing an Agenda. New Economic and nuclear realities are rewriting the shape of the Non Proliferation regime of which the FMCT is a part.”

Unless Pakistan is treated at par with other countries and given its due right, Pakistan has no recourse but to continue to block the FMCT that remains intensely discriminatory towards Pakistan’s national interest.

As a measure of our detente with India which has conventional superiority, we have the nukes and the means to deliver them, is it a surprise that the Pakistan Army and the ISI are targeted ad nauseam? Without “Balkanizing” them, how else would our nuclear assets be “secured” to the satisfaction of our detractors?

The writer is a defence and political analyst. Email: isehgal@pathfinder9.com

Rony · Post by **Rony** » 30 Jul 2011 00:11

SSridhar wrote:A Pakistani records his Indian visit

From the above link,

Next to India Gate was the seat of Indian democracy, the Parliament, also known as the Rashtrapati Bhavan..

anupmisra · Post by **anupmisra** » 30 Jul 2011 00:21

abhijitm wrote:Pakistan's Changing Images of India: A Personal View
by Zubeida Mustafa. A pakistani WKKite article.

Not a WKK article at all. It's a "why the hell did my forefathers choose to leave their cushy jobs in India" article. But this sums it all up (typical paki way of saying, "yes, we are in this hell hole together with our long lost Hindu kith and kin":

Two years ago writer Arundhati Roy proclaimed in Karachi that were she to learn that India was planning to fire a nuclear missile at Pakistan she would be the first one to fly to this country to act as a human shield. After that declaration, how can anyone feel that we can't live as friends with the Indians?

Arundhatti Roy, Heroine and Saviour Extraordinaire!

anupmisra · Post by **anupmisra** » 30 Jul 2011 00:54

Fidel Guevara wrote:The next Finance Minister of Pakistan:

Sharmila Farooqi
Qualifications for the job: managed the media portfolio in Sindh, played golf in her youth, damn sexy, and a niece of Salman Farooqi a well-known confidante of President Asif Ali Zardari.

You forgot to mention b1tchy. Watch this:

Sharmila-Farooqi

KJo · Post by **KJo** » 30 Jul 2011 00:56

anupmisra wrote:
abhijitm wrote:Pakistan's Changing Images of India: A Personal View
by Zubeida Mustafa. A pakistani WKKite article.

I vote for another Paki

Towel Throwing

thread. Our old ones were classics!

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 30 Jul 2011 00:57

anupmisra wrote:
Two years ago writer Arundhati Roy proclaimed in Karachi that were she to learn that India was planning to fire a nuclear missile at Pakistan she would be the first one to fly to this country to act as a human shield. After that declaration, how can anyone feel that we can't live as friends with the Indians?
Arundhatti Roy, Heroine and Saviour Extraordinaire!

The Pakistanis should tell Arundhati Roy, she should shut up! If she keeps saying these things, some in India would really get tempted to throw a nuke over on Pakistan.

KJo · Post by **KJo** » 30 Jul 2011 00:57

anupmisra wrote:
You forgot to mention b1tchy. Watch this:

Sharmila-Farooqi

I am perplexed how she wasn't halaaled right on the spot. Yeh budtameezi!

BijuShet · Post by **BijuShet** » 30 Jul 2011 01:00

From The News (posting in full)
US not to get custody of Bali bomber

Amir Mir
Friday, July 29, 2011
Share After much debate, Pakistan has declined Indonesian government’s request to hand over Umar Patek, the prime suspect in the 2002 Bali nightclub bombing, to the United States and instead decided to extradite him to Jakarta which had maintained that its local courts won’t be able to effectively prosecute the al-Qaeda-linked terrorist who was arrested from Abbottabad in January 2011 where he was supposed to meet Osama bin Laden.

Carrying one million US dollars head money, Patek was arrested along with his Filipino wife on January 25, 2011 from Abbottabad district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province following a bloody gun battle with Pakistani law enforcement agencies. However, the Pakistani authorities made public his arrest two months later on March 30, 2011. Patek is a key leader of Jemaah Islamiyah (or Islamic Group), which has deep links with al-Qaeda and wants to establish an Islamic state in the region. Trained with al-Qaeda in Afghanistan before the 9/11 terror attacks, he was able to remain plugged into transnational terror networks for almost a decade despite being one of the world’s most wanted terrorists for his role in the Bali bombing that killed more than 200 people, mostly tourists from Australia and the United States.

Patek’s seizure became possible in the wake of a tip off by US intelligence sleuths who had been monitoring some of his close aides in Pakistan following intelligence reports that he and some other al-Qaeda-linked terrorists operating from the Pak-Afghan tribal belt are planning to carry out yet another major terrorist attack in the US to commemorate ten years of the 9/11 attacks. As per the Indonesian intelligence input already shared with Islamabad,

Patek is a well-trained explosives expert who had entered Pakistan via Bangkok to meet the fugitive al-Qaeda chief and discuss funding, recruiting and future terrorist operations. To recall, commanders from al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, al-Qaeda in Iraq, al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb, and Jemaah Islamiyah are sighted in Pakistan from time to time.

There are those in the intelligence community who believe the 40-year-old Indonesian terrorist, who was treated at a Pakistan Army-run hospital for bullet wounds to his legs following his arrest, might have spilled the beans on Osama bin Laden’s whereabouts during interrogations. According to the Indonesian authorities, he had travelled to Abbottabad in August 2010 and was aiming to meet bin Laden to get his support and protection. Indonesian Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro had already claimed on May 5, hardly two days after Osama was killed, that Patek had been in Abbottabad along with his Filipino wife and trying to meet bin Laden”.

According to well-informed circles in the Pakistani security establishment, the run of good luck for Umar Patek had actually ended on January 23 2011, with the arrest of two Frenchmen from Lahore. Both white jehadis were detained from the Defence Housing Authority area while they were meeting with an al-Qaeda-linked Pakistani national, Tahir Shehzad. The Frenchmen were part of the Jemaah Islamiyah and were scheduled to travel with Patek from Abbottabad to the North Waziristan tribal region where al-Qaeda’s top command is based. One detained French citizen was of Pakistani origin while the other was a convert to Islam. In fact, Tahir Shehzad had been under surveillance since last year when he was spotted in Abbottabad with an Arab terror suspect. As he left Abbottabad for Lahore on January 23, Pakistani security sleuths followed him and eventually arrested him along with the two French militants, whom he had picked up from the Allama Iqbal International Airport. Their subsequent interrogations led to the arrest of Umar Patek from Abbottabad.

The Indonesian terrorist remains in Guantanamo-like legal limbo in Pakistan since his arrest six months ago, amid concerns that he would not be successfully prosecuted in Indonesia. In fact, the Pakistan government had given Indonesia the first choice over three other countries — the United States, Australia and the Philippines — to get Umar Patek’s custody, primarily because of his Indonesian citizenship. This was despite the fact that Pakistan does not share an extradition treaty with Indonesia and the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had sought his custody for having killed seven American nationals in the Bali bombing and also because of his links to al-Qaeda that is blamed for the 9/11 attacks. Similarly, Australia too wants his custody for having killed 88 Australian nationals in the Bali suicide attack. And last but not the least, the Philippines wants Patek for planning several terrorist attacks in the country with the help of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a separatist terror group which is active in the southern Philippines.

However, to the surprise of the Pakistan government, the Indonesian authorities maintained that they were not very keen to get Patek’s custody, adding that they would have no objection if Islamabad hands him over to any other country, which wants to prosecute him on terrorism charges. Indonesian authorities were of the view that his extradition to Jakarta to face terrorism charges would create problems for them due to the fact that the anti terrorism law in Indonesia was only enacted in August 2003 which can’t be applied retroactively to punish Patek for the Bali bombing, carried out in October 2002.

Therefore, the National Anti-Terror Agency (BNPT) of Indonesia has requested Pakistan to hand over Patek to the United States, as had been the case with his co-conspirator in the Bali bombing, Riduan Isamuddin alias Hambali who was arrested in Thailand in 2003, but was later flown to the United States. Hambali is lingering in the US-run terrorist detention offshore facility in Guantanamo Bay, along with hundreds of other terrorist suspects linked to al-Qaeda. Jakarta did make a formal representation on Hambali’s behalf, but never seriously, knowing well that bringing him back to Indonesia would only lead to legal complications that could also lead to him walking free.

However, Pakistan, whose military and diplomatic ties with the United States have touched their lowest ebb in the aftermath of the May 2 Abbottabad operation to hunt down bin Laden, has turned down the Indonesian request, apparently in anger and decided to hand him over to Jakarta. Diplomatic circles in Islamabad say Pakistan has already delivered a message to the authorities in Jakarta that Patek would be deported to Indonesia shortly. In an interview in the first week of July 2011, the head of Indonesia’s anti-terrorism agency Ansyaad Mbai had stated that Patek would become a new figurehead for violent jehadis if returned to the country of his birth. Ansyaad said that Indonesia would face difficulties bringing him to justice, adding that the bombings occurred before Indonesia enacted its counter-terrorism laws.

Terrorism experts say the Indonesian authorities’ reluctance to get Patek’s custody is telling. Since the 2002 attacks, they remind, Indonesia has made counter-terrorism a national priority, arresting hundreds of militants and weakening al-Qaeda-linked networks. But the threat of militarism persists. In March 2011, a series of book bombs were sent to four liberal Indonesians — a politician, a counter-terror expert, the chair of a youth organization and a singer. In April the same year, a suicide bomber attacked a security forces’ mosque killing himself and injuring 30 others. In June 2011, Jakarta was put on lock-down for the trial of extremist Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, who, despite being sentenced in connection with the Bali bombings, was greeted like a religious rock star outside the court.

Therefore, the Indonesian authorities rightly worry that Patek’s case, like that of Abu Bakar Bashir, could become a rallying cry for would-be jehadis. The million-dollar question remains: will the Indonesian authorities be able to penalize Patek once he is extradited to Jakarta?

BijuShet · Post by **BijuShet** » 30 Jul 2011 01:04

From The News (posting in full) a history of the US-TSP aid relationship.
Suspension of US aid to Pakistan

Jawayria Malik
Friday, July 29, 2011
Recently, Obama administration has withheld more than one-third of all military assistance to Pakistan — an aid envelope worth $800 million (£498m) — and that too with out the approval from the US Congress. The withheld aid includes funding for military equipment and reimbursements for selected Pakistani security expenditures including a payment of $300m for counter-insurgency programmes. The latest suspension of the US military aid to Pakistan is not the first time but the seventh such instance during the last 56 years. Since 1955, same kind of impasse has greeted the roller-coaster relationship between the US and Pakistan after every eight years.

Although the United States had established diplomatic relations with Pakistan on October 20, 1947 but a more practical cooperation between the two countries started after signing the Baghdad Pact or Central Treaty Organization (CENTO) in February 1953. The US promised Pakistan generous military and economic aid packages in case later signs the Baghdad Pact.

First Pakistani premier Liaquat Ali Khan’s visit to Washington instead of Moscow in 1951 not only made US excited but also earned Pakistan nearly $50 million in grants, $19 million in defence assistance and dollar five million in cash or commercial purchases between 1955 and 1965.

It was during the 1965 Pak-India war when the US military aid to Pakistan was suspended for the first time and second time during 1971 Pak-India war. In 1972, Pakistan started receiving aid from Washington as a reward to facilitate the then US President Nixon’s visit to China for the first time. Again in April 1979, the US cut off its military assistance to Pakistan for the third time under the 1977 Symington Amendment to the US Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.

In foreign affairs, necessity makes strange bedfellows, and it serves equally well as a description of the relationship between the United States and Pakistan. In December 1979, Soviet invasion of Afghanistan converted both US and Pakistan into natural allies. During that period the United States provided billions of dollars in aid to Pakistan to be funnelled to the Mujahideen and guerrilla fighters that resisted the Soviet occupation.

Restriction under the Symington Amendment on military assistance to Pakistan were also waived off by the US Congress in March 1986 and the two countries further agreed on a multi-year (1988-93) dollar four billion economic development and security assistance programme. It is notable that the US aid basically swelled from $60 million in economic and development assistance in 1979 to more than $600 million a year in the mid-1980s and the military aid was in addition to the $3.1 billion economic assistance for Islamabad.

But as soon as the Soviet troops withdrew from Afghanistan in 1990, US military assistance was again suspended under the provisions of the Pressler Amendment. As per the Larry Pressler-proposed Amendment, the then US president was required to annually certify to the Congress that Pakistan did not possess the nuclear weapons. Following Pakistan’s successful nuclear tests in May 1998, the United States responded by suspending virtually all assistance to the country under the Glenn Amendment.

In the wake of the dethroning of Nawaz Sharif by General Pervez Musharraf in 1999, the US government put another set of sanctions on Pakistan under the Foreign Appropriate Act. Under that Act, only funds for refugee and counter-narcotics assistance were given to flow but curbs were imposed on economic assistance and loans to Pakistan. After 9/11, the United States lifted sanctions and renewed its aid programmes as Pakistani cooperation became vital in the war on terror.

The result of all this back-and-forth is that US is being perceived as an unreliable and fickle ally by Pakistan, who cannot be trusted. The US has always suspended aid to Pakistan whenever it was passing through the crucial phase.

President Obama’s Chief of Staff, William Daley, explaining about the recent halt of aid to Pakistan said that the US has suspended the $800 million in aid ‘until’ the two countries could patch up their relationship. For all the talks of Pakistan and the United States being strategic allies in the war on terrorism, the two countries are a pickely pair with both sides suspicious of each other.

Holding back the $800 million aid at present moment could be anything but a mean to improve worsening ties between Pakistan and the US. The aid has been cut off at the time when Pakistan was about to start the North Waziristan operation to drive out militants from there, if there are any. As about $300 million from the trimmed aid was intended to reimburse Pakistan for the cost of deploying troops along the Pak-Afghan border. It has disappointed all the factions of Pakistani society as they have been paying dearly for the US’ war on terror for almost a decade now.

The US strategy to pressure Pakistan will strengthen only those elements within Pakistan that have always had grave misgivings of the relationship with the United States. Besides, a military and intelligence organization, this aid stoppage has stoked anger among ordinary Pakistanis. Many have never forgiven the US for slapping sanctions on the country in 1990 — a decision that came only after Pakistan made it possible for US to succeed in a decade long quest to drive out the Soviets out of Afghanistan.

The US has lost its credibility due to its double-dealings and inconsistent relations with Pakistan. The US’ past records have rightly fixated Pakistan on the fact that in an effort to leave Afghanistan the US is once again all set to leave Pakistan in this cauldron.

The US needs to realize that she needs Pakistan more than the Pakistan needs her. Pakistan shares a long border with Afghanistan and the influence it exerts in that country make Pakistan an ever-present consideration for the US military there. With its indispensable intelligence assets, Pakistan remains an undeniably crucial partner in the COIN operations in Afghanistan. In simple words, the United States cannot hope to navigate an end to the Afghan war and defeat al-Qaeda without the assistance of Pakistan.

Since cooperation cannot be coerced by punitive actions thus the US policy makers should prioritise improving the US’ image in Pakistan during every aspect of its engagement. And for that matter, an easy place for the US to start would be maintaining its influence, which is not possible by withholding or suspending assistance to Pakistan.

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 30 Jul 2011 01:06

sanjeevpunj wrote:
Our minister is scared about shaking hands with the lady? Cautious approach!

Hina: Come, take it out!
SMK: What!! Here!

BijuShet · Post by **BijuShet** » 30 Jul 2011 01:25

From The News (posting in full), a look at what has become of the proud martial race of TSPians who are now reduced to eating subsidized green vegatables and grains but can no longer afford to eat meat.

Nominal reduction in prices does not go well with public

Khalid Iqbal
Friday, July 29, 2011
Rawalpindi

The City District Government Thursday fixed rates of essential commodities for ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaars’ by giving a nominal relief of Rs2 to Rs20 on different items.

According to the notification, the ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaars’ will not be providing mutton, beef, chicken, mangoes, guavas, sweet melons, grapes and apples in the holy month.

According to the rate list, a 20-kilogram bag of ‘atta’ would be sold for Rs415 and a 10-kilogram bag for Rs210 as compared to their rates of Rs440 and Rs220 respectively in the open market

A one-kilogram bag of sugar will be sold for Rs68 as compared to Rs72 in the open market.

One-kilogram of local ghee and cooking oil would be sold for Rs165 against Rs170 in the open market

One-kilogram of rice will be sold for Rs80 against Rs82 in the open market.

One-kilogram of ‘daal channa’ will be sold at the rate of Rs70 against Rs72 in the open market. One-kilogram of ‘daal maash’ will be sold for Rs130 against Rs140 in the open market. One-kilogram of gram flour will be sold for Rs70 against Rs72 in the open market. One-kilogram of white ‘channa’ for Rs90 against Rs95 in the open market.

The City District Government fixed prices in a meeting held in the Commissioner’s Office, which was attended by Chief Minister’s ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaar’ Committee Chairman and PML-N MNA Bilal Yaseen, PML-N MNA Malik Ibrar, Rawalpindi Division Commissioner Captain (r) Zahid Saeed, District Coordination Officer (DCO) Saqib Zafar and other high-ranking officials.

Ironically, mutton, beef, chicken and some fruits, which are widely used in the holy month of Ramazan, have not been included in the ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaars’, as the City District Government could not strike a deal with butchers and chicken wholesalers as well as fruit merchants.

However, the City District Government decided to establish a ‘Green Channel’ in ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaars’ where nine essential vegetable items, including tomatoes, potatoes, ladyfingers, dates, bananas, onions, gram flour, cucumber and pumpkin would be sold at wholesale rates. Vegetables would directly come to ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaars’ from ‘mandis.’

Addressing the meeting, Chief Minister’s ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaars’ Committee Chairman Bilal Yaseen said, “We would strictly monitor ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaars’ and price violators would face immediate action.” He asked the City District Government to constitute teams for monitoring the situation besides conducting surprise visits of all bazaars to address public grievances on the spot.

Talking to ‘The News,’ District Coordination Officer (DCO) Saqib Zafar said: “We have finalised all arrangements for ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaars’. I have formed special checking teams for working in shifts during the holy month. Profiteers would not be spared and strict action would be taken against them.” He assured that people would be provided with vegetables at controlled rates.

Talking to ‘The News,’ people belonging to different walks of life said that the City District Government was befooling them.

Nida Mumtaz, a housewife, said that people want to eat good food at ‘Sehr’ and ‘Iftar’, but the City District Government failed to provide substantial relief on food items and also did not include apples, mangoes, meat and chicken in the ‘Ramazan Sasta Package.’ {Mango TSPians are no different than their TSP govt when they assume it is their divine right to enjoy all good things in life without paying the full price for it.}“The Punjab government is befooling the public just to earn ‘cheap fame’,” she added.

Javed Iqbal Qureshi, a resident of Aria Mohallah, said relief of Rs2 or Rs20 on a handful of commodities does not auger well with the inflation-hit people. “We were expecting something substantial from the Punjab government, but we are disappointed from this package and even now there will be no meat, chicken and majority of fruits at the ‘sasta bazaars’ so why should we go there,” he added.

Fazila Altaf, a resident of Satellite Town said, “Is this a joke by the Punjab government, I don’t think this is a relief. I will prefer buying these edibles from my nearby stores and shops instead of spending money on taxis or walking to reach ‘sasta bazaar’ near my locality just to find relief of Rs2 to 20 on basic commodities. If the government was interested in providing relief then it should have provided it on all basic commodities instead of some selected ones.”

RSoami · Post by **RSoami** » 30 Jul 2011 01:27

US not to get Bali bomber

US will get Bali bomber.It remains to be seen whether they will get it from the pious beards by giving them some bheekh or g mein d.

RSoami · Post by **RSoami** » 30 Jul 2011 01:34

BijuShet · Post by **BijuShet** » 30 Jul 2011 01:35

From The News (posting in full). It looks like mushyrat is slowly losing his RAPE political allies in the west.

Musharraf's APML in tatters

Azim M Mian
NEW YORK: Despite the fact that Pervez Musharraf had very cordial and encouraging meetings with some US Congressmen and senators and was assured of some support in his mission to return to Pakistan next March, he had to face strong criticism from his own friends and political supporters of his party, the APML.

His close confidant for the last nine years and former chairman of Pakistan Cricket Control Board, Dr Nasim Ashraf, has resigned from all positions and basic membership of the party. He was the top boss of his party in North America with the title of Chief Coordinator of APML in North America. Dr Ashraf had established 11 chapters of APML - eight in USA and three in Canada.

The reasons for his resignation are not known and all efforts to reach Dr Nasim Ashraf failed. He did not respond to phone calls. However, Pervez Musharraf did attend the wedding of Dr Nasim Ashraf's daughter in Virginia on July 22 before he left USA.

Another staunch supporter of Pervez Musharraf since his days in power has also announced his complete dissociation with Musharraf and his party. Arshad Khan, a New Yorker, who held rallies to support Pervez Musharraf till recently, has publicly blamed Musharraf for making wrong decisions, promoting his relatives and those who can organise colourful evenings for him. "We cannot support his objectionable activities and wrong decisions any more. I have been supporting him for too long, even after he had resigned; but now I cannot take his nepotism, faulty decisions and struggle to capture power again," said Arshad Khan of New York's Pak-America Rabita Council. He also pointed out that Pervez Musharaf's public meeting in New York was a total failure as hardly 250 people came to listen to him.

Nasim Ashraf's resignation has caused gloom among APML supporters in New Jersey, Houston and other parts of USA. Imran Siiddiqi, who was made APML coordinator for Canada by Pervez Musharaf last week, however, claims that there is no rift or unrest in his party in Canada and he will do his best to resolve issues through dialogue among members. But sources say that other party chapters in Canada have not accepted Pervez Musharaf's decision to promote Imran Siddiqui from Ontario to the top party post.

Insiders have disclosed to The News that Dr Nasim Ashraf has informed Pervez Musharaf about his plan to quit politics completely. He plans to return to his medical profession after long absence. According to his family sources, Dr Ashraf plans to spend some time with a hospital in Abu Dhabi.

RSoami · Post by **RSoami** » 30 Jul 2011 01:54

The aid has been cut off at the time when Pakistan was about to start the North Waziristan operation to drive out militants from there, if there are any.

Its all Unkills fault onlee.Pakistan was willing to launch a complete military operation to find out if or not there are militants in North Waziristan.

The US strategy to pressure Pakistan will strengthen only those elements within Pakistan that have always had grave misgivings of the relationship with the United States

The US needs to realize that she needs Pakistan more than the Pakistan needs her.

Bhikhari Shiromani is getting very repetitive...no new trick onlee.

RSoami · Post by **RSoami** » 30 Jul 2011 02:04

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 30 Jul 2011 02:18

RSoami wrote:
The US needs to realize that she needs Pakistan more than the Pakistan needs her.
Bhikhari Shiromani is getting very repetitive...no new trick onlee.

Pakistan thinks that everybody would cringe and give in, just because it threatens to crap in everybody's soup! Somehow it never occurs to Pakistan, that someday the others would get together and cork its hole for good. And then Pakistan would simply die of constipation!

anupmisra · Post by **anupmisra** » 30 Jul 2011 03:04

New York Times editorial in today's edition. Honestly, when I first saw the print version (the headlines for the editorial) earlier today, I though to myself that NYT is finally coming around to becoming level headed. Then, as one read through it, it beccame obvious that NYT was doing what it does best when it comes to pa'astan: pulling its punches. Here, make up your own minds:

Holding Pakistan to Account
So far, so good. Read on....Posting in full.

The Obama administration’s decision to suspend $800 million of its $2 billion in annual security aid to Pakistan inevitably raises the question of why the United States should continue to give Pakistan any military aid at all.

The White House acted after Osama bin Laden was found living near Pakistan’s leading military academy and Pakistan then expelled American military trainers. Islamabad should see this as a serious warning that Washington has all but run out of patience with its double games. Both sides will pay a high price if this goes on too long.

Ending all military aid would be a serious mistake. This country tried that before with disastrous results. In the 1990s, Washington — incensed about Pakistan’s illicit nuclear program and no longer worried about a post-Soviet Afghanistan — cut off nearly all support. Pakistan’s military and the rest of the country are still bitter about it.

A total cutoff would destroy any hope of Islamabad’s continued cooperation, as limited and cynical as it is, which is essential to defeating Al Qaeda and other militants. The Pentagon needs Pakistan as a supply route for troops in Afghanistan. If there is any possibility of a political deal with the Taliban, Pakistan will have to be involved.

Ending $1.5 billion in annual civilian assistance — for energy, schools and other projects — would make even less sense. The aid needs to be better managed, but the hope is that over time it will contribute to a more stable, less suspicious Pakistan.

The administration’s challenge is how to calibrate the military aid suspension to maximize leverage without pushing Islamabad even closer to the extremists or to the edge. We don’t minimize the difficulty. If there is any chance of getting the Pakistanis to clean up their act, and fending off deeper cuts in Congress, this is the moment.

Of the military aid withheld, $300 million was to compensate Pakistan for deploying 100,000 troops on the Afghan border to combat terrorism. They are battling militants in the FATA region — and taking casualties — but not the Haqqani network targeting American troops in Afghanistan. An additional $500 million worth of equipment — body armor, rifles, radios, night-vision goggles and helicopter spare parts — hasn’t been delivered or is being held in Pakistan until the government grants visas to the American trainers and to 200 or more diplomats and civilians assigned to the United States Embassy in Islamabad. After suggesting that they didn’t need American aid, and would rely more on China and Iran, Pakistan’s powerbrokers may be taking the suspension more seriously. Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha, head of Inter-Services Intelligence, visited Washington recently and a senior American official said those talks made progress.

President Obama has offered Pakistan a broad relationship and its best chance to chart a new path. Rather than seize this opportunity, Pakistan’s leaders have stoked intolerance, anti-Americanism and an exaggerated fear of India. Perhaps most delusionally, they continue to see the fight against extremists as a favor to Washington. They are running out of time to salvage Pakistan’s future.

Mr. Obama needs to keep working with Islamabad. But he is right to show that the days of unconditional American support are over.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 30 Jul 2011 03:24

JE Menon wrote:Meanwhile, note that the author of the article is a cousin of HR Khar ... minor league back-scratching going on

asinus asinum fricat - A jackass rubs another jackass

MurthyB · Post by **MurthyB** » 30 Jul 2011 03:52

SSridhar wrote:A Pakistani records his Indian visit

Also

"Delhi is like Lahore and Mumbai like Karachi," I had heard numerous people tell me. But my first impression of the city, which also lasted, was that it is nothing like Lahore. It is a different world where different rules apply. If anything, it is a combination of Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad; Lahore with its heritage, Karachi with its business centers and plazas, and Islamabad with its capital-ness, its manicured greenery and air of enforced cleanliness. And even this is an inept description of the city. One would also have to modernize the combination of these three cities to create a Delhi.

This is one of the busiest railway stations in India. Like Amritsar, this station too has been given a face-lift and wears a very modern look.

There was a part I as well:

Crossing Over, Part I

One of the first things I noticed in "India" was the red strings tied around people's wrists. These are tied at Hindu temples as well as Muslim dargahs or shrines. Until recently it was quite common for Pakistani Muslims to have a red thread around their wrists, but the spread of orthodox Islam has cut away at such ancient practices {especially after Kasab was proven to be yindoo by profit zaid zaman hamid} . On the Indian side, however, there is no such issue. Again and again on my journey I saw a person with a red string or bangle or some other ornament tied around their wrist as a symbol of their spirituality.

Waiting in this downstairs room, I started talking to an Indian official standing next to me in plainclothes. He too had a red string around his wrist. When I asked him which temple he got it from, he started explaining to me the logic behind it. I cut him short and showed him a similar string that I was wearing and told him that I got it from Durga Mata's temple in Bahawalnagar on the occasion of Nauratri. He was surprised to hear about a temple there. He confirmed my religion. His surprise increased .

And then there was a whole army of them. Women of all ages appeared out of nowhere, all of them on scooters. There were young girls, probably students, often dressed in jeans or capris. There were mothers whose children clung to the little space between the handle and the seat. There were daughters-in-law taking their mothers-in-law with them. And then there were the cycle rickshaws. That ancient Indian ride, which is a small cart, for no more than two passengers attached to a cycle; mostly occupied by teenage girls, probably heading to or back from their tuitions. It was nothing like Pakistan. Women walked on the streets, unguarded by male protectors, not shy of their male-dominated society { so why is it "male-dominated" then if they are all over the place} . They were all over Amritsar.

The actors at Ajoka knew that once they entered India they wouldn't get the same rates, so they had exchanged their Pakistani rupees for Indian ones at the Pakistani border through unlicensed money exchangers. I think the rate was somewhere around 0.55, so 55 Indian rupees for 100 Pakistani. On the Indian side of the border, the rate declined drastically to 0.44, 44 Indian rupees for 100 Pakistani .

Worth reading the whole thing.

MurthyB · Post by **MurthyB** » 30 Jul 2011 04:18

China your enemy: Jethmalani walks all over Pak’s red carpet

There were several red faces at the Pakistan High Commission’s reception for visiting Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar here this evening when former Law Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Ram Jethmalani called China an “enemy” of both India and Pakistan — in the presence of the Chinese Ambassador — and peppered his speech with politically incorrect references, including one to Khar’s photograph.

Unless India and Pakistan are locked in the embrace of love, they will eventually be destroyed. Do not accept China as your friend, China is an enemy of both... beware of them (the Chinese),” Jethmalani said, addressing the visiting Pakistan Minister.

I wanted to be invited for this dinner today, and I wanted to come, especially after I saw your pictures in the newspapers today,” he began, addressing Khar.

Then he recalled his marriage: “Whenever I see democracy in Pakistan, I feel like the day I got married at the age of 18 . The excitement like the day of my marriage, I feel the excitement every time I see Pakistan’s democracy coming through :evil:{unfortunately, it can only 'half' emerge due to ...ahem... }. I hope it will not be destroyed by any dictator.”

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 30 Jul 2011 04:32

JE Menon wrote:From article linked by Singha on HR Khar's lounge:

>>Ms Khar, 29, is a Grammarian and graduated from LUMS. She spent over a year at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst studying the hospitality trade and tourism and came back to her hometown with the idea to marry her two passions—food and riding—by opening the Lounge.

Whom does she ride?

Her customers?

shiv saar, actually the DDM article is bang on the buck - absolutely trivializes this Khar for exactly what she is, a pretty face for the Pakjabi Army.

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 30 Jul 2011 04:56

MurthyB wrote:
Unless India and Pakistan are locked in the embrace of love, they will eventually be destroyed. Do not accept China as your friend, China is an enemy of both... beware of them (the Chinese),” Jethmalani said, addressing the visiting Pakistan Minister.

The more Indian elites show their desparation for making up with TSP including the blow hot blow cold Jethmalani, the more TSP knows drives a hard bargain with its pigLeTs. It knows that India has no stomach for a fight, and as they dig deep into the terror trove, India will make concessions. Embrace of love with a terrorist state, my foot.

MurthyB · Post by **MurthyB** » 30 Jul 2011 05:00

CRamS wrote:The more Indian elites show their desparation for making up with TSP including the blow hot blow cold Jethmalani, the more TSP knows drives a hard bargain with its pigLeTs. It knows that India has no stomach for a fight, and as they dig deep into the terror trove, India will make concessions. Embrace of love with a terrorist state, my foot.

But from a Paki point of view, "embrace of love" with India means certain death!

Prasad · Post by **Prasad** » 30 Jul 2011 05:40

Raja Bose wrote:
JE Menon wrote:From article linked by Singha on HR Khar's lounge:

>>Ms Khar, 29, is a Grammarian and graduated from LUMS. She spent over a year at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst studying the hospitality trade and tourism and came back to her hometown with the idea to marry her two passions—food and riding—by opening the Lounge.
Whom does she ride? Her customers?

shiv saar, actually the DDM article is bang on the buck - absolutely trivializes this Khar for exactly what she is, a pretty face for the Pakjabi Army.

When even numbskulls like the ibn wailing queen can say that showing off designer pearl jewellery and handbags isnt exactly right, I think it shows just how much people consider to be of any bearing.

g.sarkar · Post by **g.sarkar** » 30 Jul 2011 05:42

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/ ... 63130.html
'Enforced disappearances' in Pakistan slammed
Human Rights Watch report says hundreds in Balochistan province dragged from their homes by armed men since 2005.
Human Rights Watch has called on the Pakistani government to immediately end widespread "enforced disappearances" of activists by the military and intelligence agencies.
The New York-based rights group said in a report released this week that hundreds of enforced disappearances have been committed since 2005 in the southwestern province of Balochistan.
The Pakistani government on Friday rejected the claims. "We have responded to all this before. It's basically untrue," Army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said.
HRW said it had also recorded 150 so-called "kill and dump" deaths in Balochistan since January alone, many of which may have been by Pakistani security forces.
The report detailed 45 cases of alleged disappearances gathered from more than 100 interviews with victims, families, local rights activists, lawyers and witnesses.
Victims told the group that they had been picked up from their homes at night by gangs of armed men, questioned and beaten without being told why.
"Pakistan's security forces are engaging in an abusive free-for-all in Balochistan as Baloch nationalists and suspected militants 'disappear,' and in many cases are executed," said Brad Adams, Asia director at HRW.
The rights group's report, entitled "We Can Torture, Kill, or Keep You for Years", documented cases of uniformed paramilitary troops, police and the much-feared ISI intelligence agency being involved in the abductions.
The government in Islamabad has cracked down on dissent in Balochistan since rebels rose up in 2004, demanding autonomy and a greater share of wealth from the region's oil, gas and mineral resources.
"Pakistani security services are brazenly disappearing, torturing, and often killing people because of suspected ties to the Baloch nationalist movement," Adams said.
"This is not counterinsurgency - it is barbarism."........
Gautam

Anindya · Post by **Anindya** » 30 Jul 2011 05:53

Why is this necessary?

Digvijay pleads with PM, HM on Pak singer Adnan Sami's stay in India

NEW DELHI: Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and sought his intervention to enable Pakistani singer Adnan Sami to stay longer in the country.

"I met the Prime Minister on the issue. I support Adnan Sami and have requested the Prime Minister to allow him an extension for staying further in India. He is a good singer and has a lot of fan following in this country. He wants to stay in this country, He should be allowed to stay here", Digvijay Singh said.

He said the Prime Minister and the home minister have assured him of their support in the case of Sami.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 412930.cms

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 30 Jul 2011 05:55

Nandu wrote:
Suddenly the old man jumped into the booth and asked me loudly where I was calling. I told him Pakistan. He shouted at me to shut the phone immediately.
So, even aam-aadmi now knows about Pakistaniyat..
Must be regulations. He doesn't want to be picked up by police after a terrorist incident for inadvertently helping the terrorists.

Particularly operators of internet browsing centers and public phone booths who are all questioned about people who call Pakistan or connect with Pakis. Most terrorist acts do have a Pakistani connection no matter how many moderates travel to India and it is wise to be alert to Terroristani citizens.

Jarita · Post by **Jarita** » 30 Jul 2011 06:03

anupmisra wrote:
Fidel Guevara wrote:The next Finance Minister of Pakistan:

Sharmila Farooqi
Qualifications for the job: managed the media portfolio in Sindh, played golf in her youth, damn sexy, and a niece of Salman Farooqi a well-known confidante of President Asif Ali Zardari.

You forgot to mention b1tchy. Watch this:

Sharmila-Farooqi

You serious.. This is not sexy. This looks like a case of Goitre

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 30 Jul 2011 06:09

RSoami wrote:
The US needs to realize that she needs Pakistan more than the Pakistan needs her.
Bhikhari Shiromani is getting very repetitive...no new trick onlee.

[/quote]

What is wrong with saying this? Why is it wrong to aspire to be a toilet? After all humans need toilets more than toilets need humans. Some country has to accept the responsibility and Pakistanis are accepting that they are like a toilet.