Sunni Terrorist Fragments of Unstable Pakistan - 19 Jul 2014

[member_22733]

In response to a question at the Carnegie Endowment for International peace, McCain said recent events have shown that there is a very serious situation in Pakistan.

"A nuclear power makes the situation worse," he said.

"Recent events in Pakistan have emphasized that military plays a more important role in Pakistan," he said.

For a start, I think McCain would be advised to look at his own countries track record of arming Bakistan. And if Unkil wants to play a meaningful role, then plizz to stop arming the Bakis with F solahs etc. As a four father of Bakistan, Unkil overlooked the acquisition of Nukular weapons by the Bakis and now they want India to clean up the mess.

I hope Bakistan acquires ICBM capability soon.

[svinayak]

I think this is the "The Coup that failed" and will have consequences.

Either PAA will go back to barracks like in FSU or there will be a hanging.

Either way Dimran has shown himself to be a dimwit.

So, the drama is not over and we can't go around concluding ns has won this round. Pak military, like all militaries are sticking to tried and tested formulas.

Uncle has a condition for the money and mil to keep rolling to Pak. Pak has to pretend to be civilian rule and a pretend democracy
They promoted Mushy to take care of the jihadi army for 10 years till 2008. Kiyani did the rest under the 'demoracy' till 2013.
Now this sleeping jihad is awake again and can consume the AAA

Need to watch it carefully

[shiv]

For decades, the Paki army has been the single most powerful and important force in shitistan - being able to interfere in governance at will. That power has waned somewhat.

For any nation, having a single power center benefits the nation in many ways because decisions are taken rapidly and other nations (eg USA, China in the case of Pakistan) are able to strike deals with the power center. Diluting the single power center of Pakistan and making it multiple power centers is beneficial to India.

Using the half-open/half-shut door analogy, the claim that Nawaz has been brought down a notch needs to be taken with the fact that the Paki army too has not been able to take him down and claim total power. Taking him down only a notch reveals the limits of the army's power. At this point in time it would, in my view be beneficial to India in numerous ways to simply shake hands with Nawaz Sharif. That would become a public display of Indians "commitment" to
1. Peace with Pakistan
2. "Democracy" ( ) in Pakistan

If neither the army, nor Sharif are in full control of Pakistan that is quite a good thing for India. Donors like the US will always find means to fund the army. All this faux American concern about the "serious" situation in Pakistan is purely domestic American politics. The US needs to keep having its job done by the Proxytute army of Pakistan. If army takes over then US opposition party/public opinion will ask why US is supporting non democratic forces in Pakistan and they will have to cook up fresh lies to keep funding the Paki army causing delays and increasing demands from shitland army.

If Modi shakes hands with Sharif it will make Paki army claims of Indian belligerence hollow and that too after a failed soft coup. And if Paki army has really really got control of Paki foreign policy as alleged - then Sharif should not be able to shake hands with Modi because of Paki army pressure. if Modi says let us shake hands, and Sharif says no - it will mean that Sharif (with or without army goading) is the belligerent party. This will look bad for donors. It ain't gonna happen.

In fact i think Modi simply meeting Sharif in Noo Yark or wherever would be a good idea even if both simply break wind.

[shiv]

McCain said the "Kashmir situation could flare up at any time", and added that the issue could be solved only through negotiations.

It would be stupid if India cannot read between the lines here - it is so obvious it makes me want to puke

"Kashmir can flare up any time" is what Pakistani army tells the Americans. When a US senator acknowledges that it means the US is listening to the Pakistani army.

Fair's book is only the latest in a long line of references that tell us that the Pakistani army asks the US for military parity with India because "Kashmir can flare up any time" and that India will overwhelm Pakistan.

The US listens to Pakistan and gives the Pakistani army enough aid for it to feel that they have a semblance of military parity with India. Once the Paki army feels there is a degree of military parity, they can no longer complain that India will overwhelm them. The US then says "OK - now we have given you enough military aid so India cannot overwhelm you, so you need to settle Kashmir by negotiation because India can no longer settle it by war"

That statement is loaded with innuendo of the US speaking directly to the Pakistan army - "We will keep arming you to make you feel secure. Just don't go to war and complicate things for us". It has no relevance to india other than the fact that nothing has changed as far as the US is concerned

[Shreeman]

^^^^. We should know the senator from arizona well by now. Given his approach to syria, and iraq before that, and afpak before that, and his last reelection primary against the tea party candidates. He is known to be a hawk, as in the vietnamese did bad things to me, I am going to get even by having everyone else experience the same nightmare one way or another. That is the driving force behind most decisions. In a way Palin did a huge favor to the US regardless of how the Obama years turned out. She does not realize it.

The PM visit is coming up -- expect a ton more of nonsense on NYT and WaPo in particular. McCain carries little currency unless the senate goes republican in November.

[partha]

Regarding Naval dockyard attack -

http://tribune.com.pk/story/760271/braz ... e-support/

KARACHI: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday hinted at the possible involvement of some navy personnel in the botched Sept 6 attack at the PNS Dockyard amid responsibility claims by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and fresh details emerged.

He added that ‘other elements’ could also be involved in the brazen attack that had left two terrorists and a petty officer of the navy dead.

“The attackers got onto PNS Zulfiqar which was docked at the Pakistan Navy berth,” a navy official close to the matter told The Express Tribune. “A sentry saw a suspicious movement on the ship. He raised alarm before he was shot and injured by the attackers. A petty officer rushed to the site but was immediately shot down,” he added.

Commandos from the Special Services Group (SSG) were called in immediately who engaged the terrorists in a gunfight, the official said. “It took the SSG commandoes two hours to complete the operation, he added. “However, the combing of the area continued for another six hours.”

If it took two hours for the operation, then I wonder about the extent of the damage to PNS Zulfiqar.

Sources said that investigators have not ruled out possible involvement of navy employees. In view of confirmed ‘inside support’ for earlier major attacks on military targets, investigators have started keeping a check on the staffers’ cellphones and their movements. In most of the major attacks, including the one at PNS Mehran base, GHQ and Kamra airbase, investigators pointed towards inside support.

In the 2009 GHQ assault, the army had detained Brigadier Ali Khan, who was serving at the military headquarters in Rawalpindi, for his alleged ties to a pan-Islamic extremist group. Similarly, defence officials had informed a parliamentary committee in June 2011 that insiders were involved in the PNS Mehran base siege in Karachi. Subsequently, three navy officers were court marshaled and sentenced.

Moreover, three low-ranking officers of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) were arrested in connection with the August 16, 2012 Taliban attack on the PAF airbase Minhas at Kamra.

In another startling revelation, AIG Karachi Ghulam Qadir Thebo said that evidence also pointed to the possible involvement of Ovais Jakhrani, son of AIG Ali Sher Jakhrani.

Ovais, who had left the navy four months ago, told his family on Sept 5 that he was going to Islamabad to take CSS exams. However, his body was recovered from the sea at the PNS Dockyard on Sunday, triggering speculation that he might have been kidnapped and murdered. “He [Ovais] was not kidnapped,” AIG Thebo told The Express Tribune. “Circumstantial evidence suggests that he was involved in the assault.”

The TTP claimed that it carried out the attack with help from within the navy. “The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claims responsibility for the attack on the Karachi Dockyard,” the group’s spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid told media persons by the phone from an undisclosed location on Tuesday.

[Vikas]

How does it benefit India whether Terrorist Army went up a notch or Shareef Shareif was brought down a notch. As far bleeding INdia by thousand cuts policy is concerned, Everyone is onboard in terroristant from Shareef to Shareif to Hafeez to Dim'with-ran.
It may or may not mean a lot to Internal Paki polity but would mean zilch to India. Pakis are dying star being consumed by a black hole in a slow motion process currently and they are trying to take India down along with them.
NaMo can meet NS as many times as he wants but what can NS do for NaMo is something we need to ask ? Pak Army may be weakened but remember it was the weak Pak Army that hanged Bhutto later once he had saved their a$$ and it is not hard for them to kick out NS and install a dummy like Junejo in the past or American Citizen in Mushy's days.

[Vikas]

McCain said the "Kashmir situation could flare up at any time", and added that the issue could be solved only through negotiations.

Why doesn't US negotiate with Iran or Advice Israel to negotiate with Hamas. After all Issues can be solved only through negotiations especially when the opposing party believes in terrorism and Middle East situation can flare up anytime.

[sum]

^^ One can safely expect PNS Zulfikar to be a virtual write off if a 2 hour firefight took place inside it.

[Shreeman]

^^ One can safely expect PNS Zulfikar to be a virtual write off if a 2 hour firefight took place inside it.

Well, if you will insist on naming it PNS Zulfiqar, what else do you expect? Its like drawing a torpedo target on the poor thing.

[partha]

Geo aur jeene do TV reports -

http://www.geo.tv/article-159269-Terror ... estigation

Credentials of more than 200 Naval personnel have so far been screened by Pakistan Navy as part of the ongoing scrutiny following the failed attempt of terrorism.

[Anujan]

^^ One can safely expect PNS Zulfikar to be a virtual write off if a 2 hour firefight took place inside it.

A frigate is a big thing. Firefight with small arms wouldnt have damaged it much. Bigger explosives under the waterline could have done damage. Real interesting scenario would have been if the talibs had commandeered it.

[SSridhar]

From NightWatch on the PNS Zulfiqar issue

Pakistan: Today the Defense Ministry had to defend its failure to prevent a Taliban attack at a Pakistan Navy base in Karachi and for suppressing the news of the attack for three days.

During a joint session of parliament on 9 September, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif explained that there might have been insider involvement in the attack last Saturday, for which the Pakistani Taliban - the Tehreek -e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibiliuty. "An investigation is under way. I'll get back to the house with details on Wednesday," he told the lawmakers.

On the night of 6 September, a Pakistani Taliban team attacked the navy dockyard from the sea and managed to board the Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) Zulfiqar {If you sow wind, you reap whirlwind. PN deputed its personnel to train the 26/11 sea-borne terrorists and equipped them too. It is coming back to haunt them. But, in its blind fury and obsession with India, Pakistan never learns. Stew forever in your own juice guys}. A sentry sounded an alarm, but was wounded. The attackers also shot and killed a petty officer and wounded six sailors. Commandos from the Army's Special Services Group exchanged gunfire with the terrorists for two hours, killing two and arresting four.

After interrogating the suspects, a navy statement said that intelligence agencies had carried out raids to arrest suspected collaborators and accomplices and had recovered "a large quantity of arms and ammunition".

According to Pakistani press, PNS Zulfiqar is the first of the F-22P Chinese-designed frigates jointly built by Pakistan and China about four years ago. About 20 more ships and submarines of the Pakistan Navy were docked at the time of the attack. {A Pearl Harbour waiting to happen if security is so poor as the comment below shows}

Comment: The Defense Ministry has tried to spin the outcome of the attack as a counter-insurgency success. However, parliament is not accepting that.

Pakistan Navy facilities get attacked once a year from land, always with the help of sympathetic guards, sailors or officers. This is the first attack from sea. It confirms that security at sea is as sloppy as security ashore. Plus, there is no shipboard security at dockside.

Now and then, the TTP mounts some spectacular efforts, but they are not very successful. Gone are the Marriott days which made this which made this thread sprint like Usain Bolt.

[partha]

TTP probably lying low because of zab zab operation?

[Anujan]

Not that I am complaining, but what is the takleef that the talibs have with the Navy in particular? You'd expect them to be more pissed with army and airforce

[RSoami]

Bad Taliban has huge influence in Karachi. So its easier to attack the Puki navy.
For the same reason, Peshawar is attacked all the time.

[Ranjani Brow]

Flood Relief Camp staff vanished after CM Shahbaz Sharif's departure

[kish]

24 pakis killed while praying in a mosque, the roof of the mosque collapsed sending 24 of them to Arrah.

21 injured, 7 of them seriously(these 7 have a good chance of meeting Arrah).

Tamil News link

பாகிஸ்தானில் மசூதி இடிந்து விழுந்ததில் பலியானோர் எண்ணிக்கை 24 ஆக உயர்வு

[anupmisra]

Sunni cleric gunned down in Karachi. Tit for tat reaction by the shias.

The cleric, who was the son-in-law of renowned cleric and head of Jamia Binoria Mufti Naeem, was shot while heading home from Karachi University by assailants riding a motorbike.

On Saturday, the elder son of former senator Allama Abbas Kumaili, also a cleric, was gunned down and his two guards were wounded in a targeted attack in Azizabad.

Ali Akbar Kumaili, father of four, was known for his oratory skills and for his style of addressing Majalis-i-Aza. He will be missed.

Karachi, beset with various gangs perpetuating their brand of violence, in particular offers little security against those bent upon using their own interpretation of faith to exterminate the ‘other’.

Once, not too long ago, an incident of sectarian killing anywhere in the country would have various groups of people up in protest and the government vowing to catch and punish the attackers. With time, and amid an increasing number of incidents of sectarian violence, government officials were gradually reduced to offering empty statements of solidarity with the targeted. Now, even this formality has been done away with.

As Half-Fees and his fellow piglings have said time and again, all this violence in k'rachi and rest of bakistan continues because India has not given Cashmere to the pakis and it continues to release more water from its illegally constructed dams.

[vivek.rao]

24 pakis killed while praying in a mosque, the roof of the mosque collapsed sending 24 of them to Arrah.

21 injured, 7 of them seriously(these 7 have a good chance of meeting Arrah).

Tamil News link

பாகிஸ்தானில் மசூதி இடிந்து விழுந்ததில் பலியானோர் எண்ணிக்கை 24 ஆக உயர்வு

24x72 = 1728 Virgins

Heaven must be running out of Virgins

[vivek.rao]

Flood Relief Camp staff vanished after CM Shahbaz Sharif's departure

OMG

[SBajwa]

I will be happy if Indian Navy attacks the Karachi naval dock yards and destroy it.

Pakistan is India's problem and Indians must solve it. Indians should not "look/blame USA"
or be wary of "refugee" or afraid of destroying the jihadis after taking over that part of the land.

There is no other way but the one and the only "Give peace a Chance!! DESTROY PAKISTAN NOW"

[Peregrine]

Nawaz Sharif's ouster could trigger US sanction against Pakistan: Report
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's ouster through illegal means could trigger another round of democracy-related US sanctions against Pakistan, according to a report.

A congressional reported titled 'Pakistan Political Unrest' warns that "any overt military ouster" of Sharif "could trigger another round of democracy-related US sanctions on foreign assistance to Pakistan", the Dawn said on Wednesday.

This could put "an indefinite halt to what has been one of the highest-priority American aid programmes since 9/11."

The report also warns that the ongoing political crisis could impact Pakistan's relations with India by increasing the powerful army's influence in foreign policies, the paper said.

The "Army's more openly direct control of Pakistan's foreign and security policies may, over time, shift Pakistan's approach towards Afghanistan further into a policy framework that seeks to counter Indian influence there," warns the report prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS).

The report notes that while the Sharif government does not face an imminent ouster, "many observers see the current unrest weakening Sharif".

It also represents "a setback to democratisation in a country that has suffered three outright military coups in its 67 years of independence".

The report informs US lawmakers that despite the protest, Pakistan is unlikely to change its foreign or security policies that are of interest to the United States.

The unrest could "present new challenges to the goal of improving India-Pakistan relations, and put a damper on hopes for effective regional cooperation and commerce in South Asia," said author Alan Kronstadt, CRS specialist in South Asian affairs.

"Whether Sharif sought out or merely acceded to the army's late August intervention as a facilitator between the government and the protesters, most analysts contend that because he has not demonstrated civilian control over domestic security he will be left in a weakened state," the report says.

CRS warns that the army's involvement could have negative implications for US efforts to strengthen Pakistan's democratic governance institutions as well.

"Observers doubt, however, that the army would seek to take direct control of the government, not least as it is embroiled in offensive operations against Islamist militants in western tribal areas," the report says. The army, however, might welcome "a soft coup in which popular support for the civilian government is reduced such that the army can take full control of foreign and security policies".

The report came in the wake of nearly a month-long protest by Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan and Awami Tehreek head Tahir-ul Qadri demanding Sharif's ouster.

Khan wants Sharif's ouster over alleged rigging in last year's poll which his party lost, while Qadri wants to bring a revolution in the country.

Both the leaders are agitating since August 14. At least three people have been killed and over 550 injured during the protests.

Cheers

[ramana]

Err what means other than illegal ones are there to oust Badmash?

[Baikul]

From NightWatch on the PNS Zulfiqar issue

Pakistan: Today the Defense Ministry had to defend its failure to prevent a Taliban attack at a Pakistan Navy base in Karachi and for suppressing the news of the attack for three days............

I sympathize with the D'fanse Min'stry on the second point.

Suppression? What suppression? Of the many simultaneous attacks underway in any Pakistani city at any given moment, how the hell are they supposed to know the Taliban charging in to brown shalwar the PN from some random Sunni charging out to halal a convenient Shia from some already charged Abdul ecstatically AK- phyrring in the streets because soon his cousin's going to become his wife from the Pakistan Army trying to take charge without being shown to be trying a coup from Zaid Hamid farting charged bolts against the cowering bania? The surprise is that it only took three days.

[Prem]

Flood Relief Camp staff vanished after CM Shahbaz Sharif's departure

Poaqers complaining Kush Nahi Milla Kusch Nahi milla. BhootniKaPuttar dont know Paki have build straight path to Jannat. Hazoor Hoors Zarror Millengi , ask the Cricketman.

[Peregrine]

Chinese President Xi Jinping to come one day ahead with birthday gifts for PM Narendra Modi

BEIJING: Pakistan's loss is Ahmedabad's gain. After cancelling visit to Islamabad, Chinese President Xi Jinping will arrive in Ahmedabad on September 17, earlier than scheduled - on a day when Narendra Modi turns 64 - with a slew of offers in bullet trains, industrial parks, twin city projects, investments besides new cooperation pacts in climate change, energy sector, food security, culture, tourism and film industry.

The details of the visit was finetuned when PM's special envoy and NSA Ajit Kumar Doval met Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi and special representative Yang Jiechi. Later Doval met Xi and handed over Modi's personal letter of invite at the People's Great Hall here. Talking to a select group of media, Doval said that Modi and Xi share excellent personal rapport. Yang and Doval are also special representatives for the boundary question.

Xi will be on four nation report that will take him to Tajikistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka and at the end to India, for three days from September 17. This would match President Pranab Mukherjee's schedule, after he returns from a four-day Vietnam visit on 17th. This is Xi's maiden trip to India as President.

Gujarat and Maharashtra are big gainers from this trip. Following Modi-Xi dialogue on September 18, both sides will announce setting up two industrial parks in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Industrial parks will contribute to Modi's dream of making India a manufacturing hub.

On the protracted issue of unresolved line of actual control that divides India and China, Liu said that both sides are holding serious consultations on resolution of the matter to settle it in spirit of peace and friendship.

Cheers

[Vikas]

Err what means other than illegal ones are there to oust Badmash?

Let me put on Pak Army Lota and think of various "Legal" means that can be justified in a Paki Court..

1. Sun Roof Lever (Tried and tested)
2. When PM turns out to be a murderer (Tried and tested)
3. When PM is replaced within the party (Tried and Tested)

Dang!! Paki history has just 3-4 PM's so where does one go looking for precedents in History.

[Prem]

No back channel diplomacy with India at present: Sartaj
GANDHA-AARDHGANJA SIRRKHAAJ

ISLAMABAD – Adviser to the Prime Minister Sartaj Aziz has said that no meeting was scheduled between the Pakistani and Indian prime ministers on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York.To a question in the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs meeting here on Wednesday, he said that there was no back channel diplomacy with India at this time. The meeting was chaired by senator Haji Muhmmad Adeel in which core foreign policy areas were discussed.Muhmmad Nafees Zakriya from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefed the members of the committee about the situation on Line of Control with India. Pakistan’s relations with India in the wake of new Indian government were also discussed.The Senators were also told that Pakistan remains committed to a meaningful dialogue process despite cancellation of Foreign Secretary –level talks by India. Provisions of Indus water treaty with India were also discussed due to the prevailing conditions.Zaheer Pervaiz briefed the senators about Pak-Afghan relation. Sartaj Aziz said that both Pakistan and Afghanistan need to agree that neither would let its territories be used against the other. On the issue of official and diplomatic passports with UAE, the adviser said that he had a meeting on the issue and the problem would be resolved soon.Sartaj said that a draft agreement was in process regarding shifting of prisoners in Pakistani and Saudi Arabian jails.

[svinayak]

McCain said the "Kashmir situation could flare up at any time", and added that the issue could be solved only through negotiations.

It would be stupid if India cannot read between the lines here - it is so obvious it makes me want to puke

"Kashmir can flare up any time" is what Pakistani army tells the Americans. When a US senator acknowledges that it means the US is listening to the Pakistani army.

Fair's book is only the latest in a long line of references that tell us that the Pakistani army asks the US for military parity with India because "Kashmir can flare up any time" and that India will overwhelm Pakistan.

The US listens to Pakistan and gives the Pakistani army enough aid for it to feel that they have a semblance of military parity with India. Once the Paki army feels there is a degree of military parity, they can no longer complain that India will overwhelm them. The US then says "OK - now we have given you enough military aid so India cannot overwhelm you, so you need to settle Kashmir by negotiation because India can no longer settle it by war"

That statement is loaded with innuendo of the US speaking directly to the Pakistan army - "We will keep arming you to make you feel secure. Just don't go to war and complicate things for us". It has no relevance to india other than the fact that nothing has changed as far as the US is concerned

The Uncle policy has always tilted with Pak first and then they make the policy for India
The uncle dialogue with Pak establishment continues even if the they have problem with pak nationals. Every U India policy is vetted with Pak.
Number of Indians do not matter. Uncle looks at the 'south asia' thru the eyes of Pak. Pak view of the region is what the Uncle hears. This needs to be changed

But this is joint coordination between the two to fool India

[muraliravi]

How does it benefit India whether Terrorist Army went up a notch or Shareef Shareif was brought down a notch. As far bleeding INdia by thousand cuts policy is concerned, Everyone is onboard in terroristant from Shareef to Shareif to Hafeez to Dim'with-ran.
It may or may not mean a lot to Internal Paki polity but would mean zilch to India. Pakis are dying star being consumed by a black hole in a slow motion process currently and they are trying to take India down along with them.
NaMo can meet NS as many times as he wants but what can NS do for NaMo is something we need to ask ? Pak Army may be weakened but remember it was the weak Pak Army that hanged Bhutto later once he had saved their a$$ and it is not hard for them to kick out NS and install a dummy like Junejo in the past or American Citizen in Mushy's days.

100% correct. India does not benefit one bit from the chaos in bakistan. When time comes they will all be on board to fight India. None of this drama going on in Pak will result in a break up of their country either. All this is just time pass. India at present should just focus on fixing its economy and see if it can try to get any of bakistan's friends to stop gifting them aid. That will be the 1st success if we have any.

[gandharva]

[SSridhar]

Nawaz Sharif's ouster could trigger US sanction against Pakistan: Report

Nothing of that sort will happen. In fact, this is the best time for the PA to stage a coup and win the US approval too for that while they still need PA's support. This report is just to 'show' US committment to democracy.

[KLNMurthy]

24x72 = 1728 Virgins

Heaven must be running out of Virgins

Found on the net:

[ramana]

A big assumption that they will go to terrorists heaven.
Most likely only Shirleen/Afsia types will go there.

[Prem]

Chinese President Xi Jinping to come one day ahead with birthday gifts for PM Narendra Modi

BEIJING: Pakistan's loss is Ahmedabad's gain. After cancelling visit to Islamabad, Chinese President Xi Jinping will arrive in Ahmedabad on September 17, earlier than scheduled - on a day when Narendra Modi turns 64 - with a slew of offers in bullet trains, industrial parks, twin city projects, investments besides new cooperation pacts in climate change, energy sector, food security, culture, tourism and film industry.

Guess who last week predicted this one extra day in India by Xi!!! Xi wont do Shiii in Peeland.
Added to Xi's plan will be to visit Attari Wagha border to watch the gate closing ceremony. Both Shiiiriiifudeens can meet him there .

[Prem]

Gen Raheel meets Chief of Air Staff
http://www.dawn.com/news/1131066/gen-ra ... -air-staff

ISLAMABAD: Army Chief General Raheel Sharif said terrorists will be pursued even in the remotest areas and all their sanctuaries will be taken out.The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) made these remarks during a meeting with Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt, who called on him at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi today."The two reviewed the progress of the ongoing Zarb-i-Azb operation and discussed conduct of future operations," said a statement from the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).The spokesman said the air chief and the army chief vowed to employ all resources for a joint campaign plan in North Waziristan and ensure the success of the operation.Sixty-five suspected militants were killed in aerial strikes by fighter jets in the North Waziristan tribal region, the military said on Wednesday. The claims, however, could not be independently verified as journalists have limited access to the restive tribal agency.A statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations said “three terrorist hideouts were destroyed in precision strikes in the northwest of Dattakhel early on Wednesday”.The latest statement from the army comes as military operation Zarb-i-Azb is completing its third month. The operation was launched by the Pakistan Army on June 15 following a brazen militant attack on the Jinnah International Airport and failure of peace talks between the government and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) negotiators.The Taliban and their ethnic Uzbek allies both claimed responsibility for the attack on the airport which was seen as a strategic turning point in how Pakistan tackles the insurgency.

[shiv]

How does it benefit India whether Terrorist Army went up a notch or Shareef Shareif was brought down a notch. As far bleeding INdia by thousand cuts policy is concerned, Everyone is onboard in terroristant from Shareef to Shareif to Hafeez to Dim'with-ran.
It may or may not mean a lot to Internal Paki polity but would mean zilch to India. Pakis are dying star being consumed by a black hole in a slow motion process currently and they are trying to take India down along with them.
NaMo can meet NS as many times as he wants but what can NS do for NaMo is something we need to ask ? Pak Army may be weakened but remember it was the weak Pak Army that hanged Bhutto later once he had saved their a$$ and it is not hard for them to kick out NS and install a dummy like Junejo in the past or American Citizen in Mushy's days.

100% correct. India does not benefit one bit from the chaos in bakistan. When time comes they will all be on board to fight India. None of this drama going on in Pak will result in a break up of their country either. All this is just time pass. India at present should just focus on fixing its economy and see if it can try to get any of bakistan's friends to stop gifting them aid. That will be the 1st success if we have any.

From what I can gather, what both of you have implied is the exact opposite of the general view that a stable Pakistan is not in India's interests. You are saying that an unstable Pakistan is of no use to India. I disagree.

Pakistan has at last 3 power centers and if none of them is totally in charge it benefits India. To some extent the US attitude towards the communists is useful. Every day's delay in the latter achieving some goal was a day extra for the US to get ahead. The Paki "parliament" has not been working for a month now and the instability has prompted Xi to postpone his visit. Xi was supposed to come with a 22 billion package for Pakistan with the caveat that Pakistan hand over all projects to China, ask no questions and NOT put any of them up for competitive bidding. I think what people miss out here is the fact that in Pakistan "competitive bidding" is to see if there are western companies that will pay bigger bribes. For that, the Pakistani powers that be - the politicians and the businessmen have to strike deals about what they will get from China if they accede to China's demand and then they have to openly declare in parliament that China is being given the contracts. That has not happened - so it is likely to be delayed. Every delay benefits us - and allows us to grow just that much more.

The cynical view that the army can take over any day is simply misinformed and I think enough attention has not been paid to the fact that the army has less backing today than back in 1972 simply because the tide has turned in favour of the third power center in Pakistan, the Islamists. Sharif has the backing of Islamists in Pakjab and the army, stuck as it is in Arse-e-zamzam cannot simply take over.

[A_Gupta]

Idle curiosity only. East/West Pakistan could break up because of geographic separation. TSP is a contiguous region. The closest to dividing it into two would be to take out all the bridges (and ferries and subsequent pontoon bridges) across the Indus, and of course, keeping them taken out for six months to an year, to give the fissures a fighting chance to become full-fledged schisms.

Just wondering, idly then, just how many bridges across the Indus does Pakistan have?

[partha]

Idle curiosity only. East/West Pakistan could break up because of geographic separation. TSP is a contiguous region. The closest to dividing it into two would be to take out all the bridges (and ferries and subsequent pontoon bridges) across the Indus, and of course, keeping them taken out for six months to an year, to give the fissures a fighting chance to become full-fledged schisms.

Just wondering, idly then, just how many bridges across the Indus does Pakistan have?

Good question onlee I think. Just like how Dnieper river runs cuts through Ukraine from top to bottom dividing Ukraine into eastern and western parts, Indus river cuts through Pakistan dividing it into Pashtun, Baloch lands on one side and Pakjabi, Sindhi lands on the other. It creates a natural border. During the height of Ukraine crisis, there were reports of Putin's larger plan to annexe the eastern part of Ukraine completely and make the Dnieper river, the new border. Something similar could be designed for Pakistan too.