Terrorist Islamic Republic of Pakistan - Aug 21, 2013

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 29 Sep 2013 15:09

Latest on Peshawar blast

Peshawar: 37 killed in police station blast

PESHAWAR: At least 37 people were killed and more than 80 injured in a blast near Khan Raziq police station in Qissa Khawani bazaar of Peshawar, Geo News reported.

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 29 Sep 2013 15:11

Saad Rafiq asks Taliban to give up arms for talks

SAHIWAL: Federal Railway Minister, Khawaja Saad Rafiq Sunday said that if Taliban wanted to hold talks, then they should give up arms, get under the banner of Pakistan flag and accept the constitution of Pakistan, Geo News reported.

Talking to media at the railway station here, Khawaja Saad Rafiq said that the government stands firm on holding talks with Taliban, but because of its numerous groups it was difficult to make out as to who would represent Taliban in talks.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 29 Sep 2013 15:13

TSP to 'fast track' grant of MFN to India - Sujay Mehdudia, The Hindu

Pakistan is likely to decide soon on extending the Most favoured Nation (MFN) status to India as the Nawaz Sharif government has given a written assurance to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in this regard while seeking a $6.64 billion loan from it last month. What has not happened for decades might fructify soon due to the IMF conditionality imposed on Pakistan. {Pakistan has brazenly violated almost all bilateral and multilateral agreements; both written and oral.}

The government has told the IMF that it was taking steps to eliminate the negative list on trade with India and for grant of MFN status as part of its new policy to promote trade and economic ties in the region.

“The Pakistan government is expected to take a decision on this issue soon as majority of the hurdles have been removed and concerns of the stakeholders have been addressed in the last few months on various issues. This will help give a positive twist to overall sentiment and give a big boost to trade and economic ties between the two nations,” India-Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry president, S. M. Muneer, told The Hindu on Saturday.

Concerns addressed

Mr. Muneer, one of the most influential and strong proponents of free trade between the two countries, said, “ It is in the interest of the people of the two nations that MFN is granted to India and overall trade sentiments takes an upturn.” One of the major concerns for Pakistan was the agriculture and textiles sectors, where it was felt that India had a commanding lead and imports from India would wipe out local industry. However, it seems those concerns have been addressed and now the opinion seems to be strongly moving in favour of giving India the MFN status and moving towards a liberal trade and visa regime. {Various reasons have been attributed at different times for withholding MFN status to us. Duplicitous Pakistan can be trusted only at one's own peril}

Officials also indicated that the government is likely to take the matter to the Cabinet and then formally announce the grant of MFN status to India as a part of confidence-building measures. Officials said during the negotiations for the $6.64 billion bailout package, Pakistan had clearly given an undertaking that it would take positive steps to grant MFN status to New Delhi.

Interestingly, India had granted the MFN status to Pakistan way back in 1996.

Last year, the PPP-led government decided to switch over from a positive list of about 1,900 tradable items to a negative list of about 1,206 items, thereby allowing about 5,000 items to be traded. Pakistan’s assurance on December 31 last that it would grant MFN status by doing away with the negative list has not materialised. The bilateral trade stood at $2.35 billion in 2012-13, as against $1.93 billion in the previous fiscal.

The Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies, which the Finance Minister submitted to the IMF on August 19, spelt out the major contours of the trade policy with the primary focus on normalisation of trade relations.

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 29 Sep 2013 15:16

If CBMs for India possible, why not for Taliban, asks Imran

ISLAMABAD: Sticking to his demand for the establishment of a Taliban office, Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan Saturday asked if Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) could be taken for peace with India, why could the same not be done in the case of the Taliban for internal peace and stability.

I think this was from before the latest peace-hour score ..

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 29 Sep 2013 15:21

pankajs wrote:Saad Rafiq asks Taliban to give up arms for talks
Federal Railway Minister, Khawaja Saad Rafiq Sunday said that if Taliban wanted to hold talks, then they should give up arms, get under the banner of Pakistan flag and accept the constitution of Pakistan, Geo News reported.

Khawaja Saad Rafiq must remember what happened to another Khawaja who was close to the Taliban. This Khawaja is imposing unacceptable three conditions on the Taliban.

The Taliban have made it unambiguously clear that they would never give up arms. They have their own flag and they do not accept the man-made constitution of Pakistan. They accept Shariah and only that as interpreted by them. In fact, TNSM Chief Maulana Sufi Muhammad (the sky-lift operator, Mullah Radio's father-in-law) had clearly said it should be written in Pashto in his own hand. So, what is this new Khawaja on the block talking about ?

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 29 Sep 2013 15:27

SS saar the talibs on talks

Talks with militants: Govt not sincere about meaningful talks, says TTP

MIRAMSHAH:

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid has said Pakistan government was not sincere in holding meaningful dialogue as it took dictates from the US and, therefore, it cannot be trusted.

“Nawaz Sharif is deceiving us as well as the Pakistani nation,” he said, speaking from an undisclosed location.

The TTP spokesperson said it would negotiate with the government only if it withdrew army from the tribal areas, stopped drone strikes and released their prisoners.

“Nawaz has demanded that Taliban should disarm before initiating peace dialogue and show allegiance to the Constitution of Pakistan,” he said, adding that these demands were not included in the All Parties’ Conference (APC) announcement.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 29 Sep 2013 15:34

pankajs, thanks.

The TTP spokesman is correct. The All Parties Conference did not have these three conditions. I am sure the dimwit Khan would force the issue for Nawaz Sharif. Pakistan had always demanded talks with India without any pre-conditions. Dimwit would use that analogy too as he has already said about CBMs.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 29 Sep 2013 16:32

Pakistanis could face travel ban because of polio virus - DT

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 29 Sep 2013 17:15

SSridhar wrote:pankajs, thanks.

The TTP spokesman is correct. The All Parties Conference did not have these three conditions. I am sure the dimwit Khan would force the issue for Nawaz Sharif. Pakistan had always demanded talks with India without any pre-conditions. Dimwit would use that analogy too as he has already said about CBMs.

It's like how pakis talk like Indians outside especially in Europe, US. Pakis find themselves Europe for TTP. Good job pakis.

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 29 Sep 2013 19:02

Witness to Pakistan blast: "Women and children were burning."

Peshawar, Pakistan (CNN) -- At least 40 people were killed and about 100 were wounded after a bomb exploded at a bazaar in Peshawar, officials at a Pakistani hospital said.

A car carrying 220 kilograms (440 pounds) of explosives detonated in the city's historic Qissa Khawani bazaar, destroying at least 10 shops, several vehicles and leaving a huge crater, said Shafqat Malik, chief of the bomb disposal unit.

The Pakistani Taliban, Tehrik-i-Taliban, condemned the attack and denied any involvement.

<snip>

The death toll is expected to rise, as most of the wounded are critically injured, said Dr. Arshad Javed, chief executive of Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar.

krisna · Post by **krisna** » 29 Sep 2013 19:29

SSridhar wrote:Pakistanis could face travel ban because of polio virus - DT

this fear is real for Indians also with aman ki tamasha becomimg a real pain in the butt.

hope the poilo does not wreak havoc on us due to stupidity at the top.

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 29 Sep 2013 19:36

Guys, I love Modi's dig at Indian journalists for having sweets with Paki terrorists in NY abusing MMS. Any guesses for which Indian journalist he was referring to?

fanne · Post by **fanne** » 29 Sep 2013 19:37

How do you think these journalist get phat?

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 29 Sep 2013 19:49

CRamS wrote:Any guesses for which Indian journalist he was referring to?

At least one of them must be Sidharth Varadarajan of The Hindu

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 29 Sep 2013 19:53

Perhaps, but this should give you a clue. Look at alacrity with which "needless controversy" is being dispelled.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/i-hea ... eststories

arun · Post by **arun** » 29 Sep 2013 20:01

Yesterday at the UN there was a major complaint regards the visits of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s “National Bird” by that country’s Prime Minister :

Pakistan PM uses UN address to press US over drone strikes

Today the US aka Amir Khan's showed what they thought of the complaint by having the Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s National Bird pay yet another visit

:

Drone strike kills 6 in North Waziristan

Brad Goodman · Post by **Brad Goodman** » 29 Sep 2013 22:01

SSridhar wrote: Khawaja Saad Rafiq must remember what happened to another Khawaja who was close to the Taliban. This Khawaja is imposing unacceptable three conditions on the Taliban.

The Taliban have made it unambiguously clear that they would never give up arms. They have their own flag and they do not accept the man-made constitution of Pakistan. They accept Shariah and only that as interpreted by them. In fact, TNSM Chief Maulana Sufi Muhammad (the sky-lift operator, Mullah Radio's father-in-law) had clearly said it should be written in Pashto in his own hand. So, what is this new Khawaja on the block talking about ?

How about TSPA lay down arms, come under black flag and accept sharia?

Gagan · Post by **Gagan** » 29 Sep 2013 23:40

shravan wrote:Samaa TV got the footage during prayers from inside All Saints Church when today's blast took place. Exclusive. Watch.

Eyewitness: Blast took place when the prayers were offered in the All Saints Church, targeted last week by suicide bombers #Peshawar

Do you have a link to the video?

Anantha · Post by **Anantha** » 30 Sep 2013 00:26

SSridhar wrote:
CRamS wrote:Any guesses for which Indian journalist he was referring to?
At least one of them must be Sidharth Varadarajan of The Hindu

It was burkha baby along with Hamid mir when Badmash insulted Indian rural women

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnBxhm3a1_8

krisna · Post by **krisna** » 30 Sep 2013 01:23

CRamS wrote:Perhaps, but this should give you a clue. Look at alacrity with which "needless controversy" is being dispelled.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/i-hea ... eststories

see the SM(social media) where she has been dissected for her lies.

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 30 Sep 2013 04:21

Karan M wrote:We'll never, ever compromise on J&K border: Manmohan at UN

NEW YORK: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has a message for Pakistan as far as the Jammu and Kashmir is concerned: Forget it.

In some of the bluntest, uncompromising message ever put across by an Indian Prime Minister at the UN, Singh laid down the line in the sand — the lakshman rekha so to say — saying "There must be a clear understanding of the fact that J&K is an integral part of India and there can never, ever, be a compromise with the unity and territorial integrity of India."

Probably someone reminded him about the unanimous bill in parliament during PVNR era that claimed entire J&K to be part of India.

Sushupti · Post by **Sushupti** » 30 Sep 2013 05:09

‘Army’s secret Division would have prevented Samba-like encounters’

The Samba attack by Pakistan-based elements could have been avoided if the Technical Services Division (TSD) had not been shut down a year ago, claim senior military officers who wish to remain unnamed. Speaking to them, it becomes clear that the decision by incoming Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Bikram Singh to shut down the TSD of the Army immediately upon taking charge from General V.K. Singh a year ago has been greeted with dismay by his own officers, especially those on the frontline of Pakistan terror. These officers say that the scrapping of the TSD is a major reason why there has been a spurt in cross-border intrusions over the past year, and warn that unless the organisation gets re-established, counter-insurgency operations will suffer.

"The decision to finish off TSD was political and not military. It was done to show (former COAS) General V.K. Singh in a bad light," a senior officer commented, while another claimed that "the TSD enabled our boys to get prior information on the movements of terror groups, so that these were caught before sneaking into India". He claimed that "despite the effort by the ISI to create a Kashmir Intifada by motivating youngsters to pelt stones at security forces, the situation was quickly brought under control." An officer claimed that the TSD was able to use technical means to operate deep within Pakistan and find out the trajectories of terror plots against targets in India. "At a cost of just Rs 20-30 crore annually, the Army was able to finally reach the actual sources of terror operations and not just tackle the symptoms," a former officer claimed.

The 26/11 Mumbai terror attack of 2008 showed the need for the army to go beyond its focus on the Line of Control and run sources deep inside Pakistan. In March 2009, a meeting took place to discuss this need, and then COAS General Deepak Kapoor asked Military Intelligence to work on a position paper, which was approved by Defence Minister A.K. Antony soon after its submission in October. The proposed TSD was to function under the Director-General of Military Intelligence, who would audit its funds and give operational directives. However, although the proposal had been cleared, it was not implemented until General V.K. Singh took over as COAS in April 2010. Among the tasks of the new unit were to keep a watch on separatists and other pro-Pakistan elements, as well as identify and record the groups and individuals seeking to destabilise the Kashmir valley. The getting of sources from within Pakistan was a high priority. The 2010 Intifada, which was countered less by standard police procedure than by an "information war" (Infowar) pointing out the harm the movement was doing to the physical and financial well-being of residents of the valley. A senior officer then in J&K admitted that "some NGOs which promoted peace and conciliation were funded by the TSD, but such expenditure was nothing compared to ISI cash pouring into the valley".

Among the examples of Infowar carried out by the TSD were the securing of numerous videos showing the maltreatment of locals in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir by Pakistan army personnel, and the humiliation that locals had to daily endure, besides their economic hardship. "We showed the valley that life was hell on the other side, and this hurt the pro-Pakistan groups who painted a rosy picture of the other side," an officer claimed. His colleague claimed that "at least three dozen terror plots against targets in India were discovered because of the TSD, and foiled". He added that the (26 September 2013) Samba attack "showed the problem created by removing the TSD 'eye' from the armoury of the army". He added that the attack showed that "military intelligence needed to operate not only just across the LoC but deep within Pakistan to be effective". He warned that the "peace group (now running policy) had taken away from the army the right to a robust response to provocations after first draining it of Infowar capability". Another claimed that "these days, only officers who are more adept in cultivating superiors rather than in fighting get ahead" and warned that this would "affect the success of war operations, where courage and improvisation are key to victory".

The officers claimed to have no knowledge of any TSD connection with an NGO that filed a complaint against the present COAS, General Bikram Singh, over the 2001 Janglath Mandi encounter, in which a 70-year-old local resident (who seems to have been indigent) has been identified by the army as a dangerous militant, who shot and killed the commanding officer of a unit as well as injuring then Lt Gen Bikram Singh. The NGO claimed that the alleged militant was only a bystander and that he was killed in the crossfire between two units of the army, one of which mistook the other to be terrorists. A source close to the present COAS says that Gen Bikram Singh "is a very bold officer and just because a man is 70 years old, does not mean he cannot be a threat". The military has consistently taken Gen Bikram Singh's side of the story, even while Gen V.K. Singh was COAS, and has refused to conduct any fresh investigations into the encounter that left both the alleged terrorist as well as an army officer dead and the present COAS injured.

About news reports that Gen V.K. Singh snooped on officials and politicians using off-air interceptors ordered by Military Intelligence, a source pointed out that only one of the interceptors was in army use, "and that on the LoC and not Delhi". He said that the other vehicles were in the possession of the NTRO. When then Defence Secretary (and now Comptroller and Auditor General) Sashikant Sharma ordered an inquiry into all such matters in July 2012, the Board of Officers concluded that there was no evidence of any wrongdoing. Interestingly, the role of the officer who actually ordered the purchase of the off-air interceptors has never been probed. This has, however, not prevented a spate of reports from coming out about the TSD, thereby obscuring its utility as a low-budget instrument both for collection of information about hostile elements and for the conduct of Infowar in sensitive theatres.

http://www.sunday-guardian.com/news/arm ... encounters

Anindya · Post by **Anindya** » 30 Sep 2013 05:24

Indian, Pak commanders to meet to defuse LoC tension

The tone and body language of national security advisor Shivshankar Menon, who briefed the media on the hour-long talks, bespoke an engagement that, if not frosty, was weighed down by the issue of terrorism, with India refusing to even examine other matters unless the terrorism issue was addressed. Even the usual cliches about the meeting between cordial or constructive was absent.

When a Pakistani journalist asked about the broader dialogue, Menon's crisp reply was: "That stage has not come yet."
....
Evidently, the Pakistani side tried hard to raise issues of trade and the usual raft of disputes such as Siachen and Sir Creek. The Indian side was unmoved beyond the issue of terrorism.

There was some recrimination too. While India raised the issue of Pakistan's Punjab government, controlled by Sharif's party and led by his brother Shahbaz Sharif, funding a terrorist organization like Jamaat-ul-Dawa, Pakistan harked back to India's alleged activities in Balochistan.

This counternarrative found expression in a question from a Pakistani journalist who asked whether India took cognizance of Pakistani complaints that India was also an epicenter of terrorism. "No," Menon said shortly, and then added, "I wish we could say the same about Pakistan."

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 30 Sep 2013 05:36

^^

‘Army’s secret Division would have prevented Samba-like encounters’

Among the examples of Infowar carried out by the TSD were the securing of numerous videos showing the maltreatment of locals in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir by Pakistan army personnel, and the humiliation that locals had to daily endure, besides their economic hardship. "We showed the valley that life was hell on the other side, and this hurt the pro-Pakistan groups who painted a rosy picture of the other side," an officer claimed.

Kudos to all the posters who started and contributed to TSP and BENIS threads and the moderators who kept them in open forum.

Anindya · Post by **Anindya** » 30 Sep 2013 06:03

Pak waiting for next PM to do business?

Tweeting about Sharif's informal meeting with journalists, well-known Pakistani TV anchor Hamid Mir said Sharif had not said anything demeaning about the Indian PM. However, Hamid told a Pakistan channel that Sharif did not seem hopeful of his meeting with Singh. "Unka ye khayal hai ki Manmohan Singh kamzor hai aur Rahul Gandhi ne unke saath kal jo kiya hai, uske baad Manmohan Singh sa'ab ki credibility India may kaafi kharab ho gayi hai. Wo ab position mein nahin hai ki Pakistan ke saath koi bada breakthrough kare (He is of the view that Manmohan Singh is weak and after what Rahul Gandhi did yesterday his credibility in India has been hurt. He is not in a position to make a big breakthrough with Pakistan)," Mir said.

According to Mir, Sharif is now waiting for the new government in India next year to do business.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 30 Sep 2013 06:14

CRamS wrote:Perhaps, but this should give you a clue. Look at alacrity with which "needless controversy" is being dispelled.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/i-hea ... eststories

From her explanation, it is obvious that NS was indeed referring to MMS as 'dehati aurat', may not be in so many words. Whether it is right or wrong is another debate, but the reference is obvious and Hamid Mir put it exactly as NS meant. Where is the controversy ?

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 30 Sep 2013 06:18

Anindya wrote:Indian, Pak commanders to meet to defuse LoC tension

Pakistan harked back to India's alleged activities in Balochistan.

This counternarrative found expression in a question from a Pakistani journalist who asked whether India took cognizance of Pakistani complaints that India was also an epicenter of terrorism. "No," Menon said shortly, and then added, "I wish we could say the same about Pakistan."

This is the direct result of S-e-S.

member_26255 · Post by **member_26255** » 30 Sep 2013 07:06

Drone strike in N Waziristan kills two, injures one

PESHAWAR: A drone strike in North Waziristan tribal region's Datta khel area on Monday killed two persons and injured another, DawnNews reported.

A US drone fired two missiles at a house situated in Mohammad Khel village of Datta Khel tehsil in North Waziristan tribal region.

The number of casualties was expected to rise.

The identities of the victims could not be ascertained till the filing of this report as access to media and journalists is restricted in the area.

Unkil seems to be humiliating porki's at will. This is the second drone attack in two days.

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 30 Sep 2013 07:15

It would be instructive to see those videos from POK and the reality of their Pakjabi overlords.

Infowar is of course a key component of governments. India has a most potent propaganda department which renders Pakistan hopeless.

Written by ahem a Pakistani Indian, Sahir, music by the South Asian Khayyam, sung by oppressed minority Jagjit Kaur (hence the dard in her voice); Raag Pahadi (developed by those wicked Hindoos).

KJo · Post by **KJo** » 30 Sep 2013 07:19

Why is "dehati aurat" an insult? Badmaash Ganja needs to meet a dehati aurat to realize how street smart they are. I only wish MMS was like a dehati aurat, he would have taken Pak to task long time ago.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 30 Sep 2013 08:01

sanjaykumar wrote:Written by ahem a Pakistani Indian, Sahir, music by the South Asian Khayyam, sung by oppressed minority Jagjit Kaur (hence the dard in her voice); Raag Pahadi (developed by those wicked Hindoos).

arun · Post by **arun** » 30 Sep 2013 08:10

Article by Kapil Komireddi , though not one of those that matches his usually high standards, in Forbes:

For Over Six Decades Pakistan Has Been At War With Itself

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 30 Sep 2013 08:19

sanjaykumar wrote:It would be instructive to see those videos from POK and the reality of their Pakjabi overlords.Infowar is of course a key component of governments. India has a most potent propaganda department which renders Pakistan hopeless.Written by ahem a Pakistani Indian, Sahir, music by the South Asian Khayyam, sung by oppressed minority Jagjit Kaur (hence the dard in her voice); Raag Pahadi (developed by those wicked Hindoos).

But Singh have been seen singing

Agar Mujhse Mohabbat Hai, Mujhe Subb APne Gham De Dho
Woh Har Shaih Jo Tumhe Dukh Dey, Mujhe Mere Sanam De Dho
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBCx4r3HGY8

arun · Post by **arun** » 30 Sep 2013 08:36

X Posted from the "Capitulation at Sharm El Sheikh" thread.

The foolish position regards Balochistan / Baluchistan adopted by the Nehru-Gandhi family led Congress Party administration of our PM Dr. manmohan Singhat Sharm El Sheikh continues to be used by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to blunt India’s quest to have the Islamic Republic of Pakistan stop using Mohammadden Terrorism to target India. Text of question by a journalist from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and its answer by one of the key players in the surrender at Sharm El Sheikh, our National Security Adviser, Mr. Shiv Shankar Menon:

Question:Yeh kaha jaata hai ki donon Vazeer-e-Azam ki mulaqaat mein donon mulqon ke daakhili haalaat ka asar tha, aur khaas taur par Bharatiya Vazir-e-Azam par. Jab ki BJP is mulaqaat ki mukhaatib kar rahi thi aur Prime Minister ke liye badi mushkil thi. Kya aap samajhte hain ki is mahaul jis mein jismein guftagu hui hai, uska asar aapko vahan dikhaayi diya donon taraf, aur khaas taur se Indian Prime Minister par?
Aur savaal aapse yeh karna hai ki kya Balochistan ki situation discussion mein aayi jiske baare mein aapko evidence Sharm-al-Sheikh mein Pakistan ke then Prime Minister ne diye the interference ki?

National Security Advisor: I think we are two sovereign states dealing with each other. And the principle on which we at least act is not to interfere in each other’s internal affairs. We are neighbours. And as the Prime Minister has said, you can choose your friends, you cannot choose your neighbours. You have to deal with these issues that we face in the relationship, and we will continue to do so.
Balochistan was mentioned. I think Prime Minister has made it clear in the meeting and also in other contexts that there is no question of India interfering in Pakistan’s internal affairs in any way. If there is any evidence of this, we have not seen it. We will be happy to look into it if it were given to us.

From here:

Transcript of Media Briefing by National Security Advisor on Meeting between Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan (September 29, 2013)

rajanb · Post by **rajanb** » 30 Sep 2013 10:07

KJoishy wrote:Why is "dehati aurat" an insult? Badmaash Ganja needs to meet a dehati aurat to realize how street smart they are. I only wish MMS was like a dehati aurat, he would have taken Pak to task long time ago.

Well, the Pakiees seem to forget their history. Being indirect (dubious lineage of various beings) descendants of Arap four fathers, their bravado defeats them.

In 1971, an aurat, castrated them. They seem to have forgotten that.

williams · Post by **williams** » 30 Sep 2013 11:34

National Security Advisor: I do not think that is really a factor. When Prime Minister Vajpayee went to Islamabad for instance, it was how many months before an election? It was three months before an election and less than a month before the campaign started. I do not think that is a factor. The fact is that we are neighbours; that is not going to change. We have a relationship: that is not going to change. And that is something we have to deal with. So, I think we have dealt with it in good times and bad, and we will go on doing that. So, we will make the effort certainly.

The above pretty much sums the policy from Indian side. So this was a high level chai biskoot session with few nuances to watch for. Probably this is the most blunt chai biskoot session between the UPA regime and Paki regime. I am speculating UPA regime is affected by bad internal poll numbers. Other than that it is just a waste of time.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 30 Sep 2013 14:23

We do not know how forceful was Man Mohan Singh with Nawaz Sharif. They had met for a full hour and so they had plenty of talking. We have to be sure that throughout the one hour period, India was consistently tough with TSP before we can conclude this was the bluntest session between UPA-led India and TSP.

Be that as it may, let us look at the talks per se. NS's tactic was to go to the talks as if nothing bad had ever happened to India from Pakistani soil and to dangle the 'future trade' carrot in front of the econmist Indian PM. 'Let's bury the past and look to a bright future' has been his constant refrain but the immediate past (even if one were to forget the Pakistani atrocities of the distant past) is so full of horrendous evil activities by TSP that India cannot get a closure easily by simple Pakistani entreaties. NS knew that the 26/11 issue would be raised and that was why he delayed the arrival in India of the second Pakistani judicial commission so that there was not much time for any controversies by the time the MMS-NS meeting took place in New York. He knew that he could once again throw some vague promises at the Indian delegation and buy time. The MFN issue was already delayed by TSP so that it would have a lever in its hand during the meeting if it went too negative. I believe that NS had a Plan B if the talks did not go as per his expectation. And, that was to cite the impending Indian elections (even though they are 6 months away) as an excuse for TSP inaction and wriggle out for the time being. A considerably weakened Indian PM, weakened on account of Rahul Gandhi's insult just ahead of this meeting, came as manna in the end. It was far more than he could have hoped for. Alla'h, in one of those rare occasions, was kind enough to TSP.

The Pakistani perfidy is palpable because only a few days earlier, Pakistan had been saying that India missed a golden chance in c. 2007 when it delayed the political process with Pakistan citing upcoming Pakistani elections. This was a falsehood because India continued the engagement with Pakistan even after the horrendous serial commuter train bombings in Mumbai in 2006, that killed 270. Besides, by mid-2007 Pakistan had spiralled into yet another grave turmoil with the CJP being dismissed, with countrywide agitations by the lawyers that GoP struggled to contain, with BB & NS returning to TSP and the high drama that accompanied their return, serious insurgency by the Taliban all over the country especially in Swat, the emergency-within-emergency that Gen. Musharraf had declared to meet a deteriorating political situation and above all the assassination of Ms. BB later on. Pakistan was in no position to continue the talks and called them off due to the grave internal situation. As usual, Pakistan is proving yet again that it is so unashamed to lie and double-speak even internationally.

williams · Post by **williams** » 30 Sep 2013 14:42

I just commented on NSA Menon interview which sounded very blunt. I am also happy if MMS did not dole out any more concessions. Being forceful? Are you kidding?

Peregrine · Post by **Peregrine** » 30 Sep 2013 15:42

SSridhar Ji :

Your Post : 30 Sep 2013 14:23

Would it be possible to enumerate the "Trade Benefits" to India if Pakistan Grants "MFN Status" to India?

Personally I think that this "Trade Benefits" are just a lot of "Hype" and no substance, the Pakistanis have to use their Forex Holdings for "Bare Essentials", which for them is Arming Pakistan to the teeth, and not for Commercial Goods.

Meantime, I would take the following from Khurshit that Badmaash did indeed use the "Dehati Aurut" Term - if not why would he accuse Modi for not likeing "dehati aurat"?

Narendra Modi doesn't like 'dehati aurat' : Salman Khurshid

NEW YORK : Slamming Narendra Modi, external affairs minister Salman Khurshid on Monday said the BJP leader's attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the purported "dehati aurat" remark shows that he does not like village women and likened him to a "parrot" who makes utterances without verifying facts.

Khurshid said there is nothing wrong in being a "dehati aurat" (village woman) and Modi is out of touch with ground realities.

"Mr Modi does not like 'dehati aurat'. Of course he does not like dehati aurat. Why should we think of a dehati aurat being a pejorative term," he told in an interview here.

He was reacting to Modi's remarks that Singh had been insulted by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by purportedly comparing him with "dehati aurat" in the context of his voicing concern over cross-border terrorism during his meeting with US President Barack Obama.

A Pakistani journalist, who first attributed the "dehati aurat" comment to Sharif, later denied that the Pakistani prime minister had used such a word.

"He (Modi) attacked the Prime Minister on what Nawaz Sharif is supposed to have said or not have said. He didn't bother to check, didn't watch television, except when he is speaking, so it's very difficult for him to know what others are saying and he takes what he has been told," the minister said.

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williams · Post by **williams** » 30 Sep 2013 15:47

So Salman Khurshid agrees MMS is proud to be a dehati aurat