Terroristan - 4th Jan 2018

[anupmisra]

https://dailytimes.com.pk/187286/health ... -pakistan/

Next time we see any baki begging for medical visa to SS, we should quote this link to SS

Actually, this claim should be shown to all those baki leaders who end up overseas for minor ailments.

[anupmisra]

Pakistan’s agriculture productivity among the lowest in the world

Pakistan is not an agriculture country any more,” comments Gada Hussain

When did this transformation/elevation from an agricultural state to an industrial state happen? Did I miss it? I did not get that memo.

At best, bakistan can be classified as a suicidal state.

[anupmisra]

Weren't the pakis supposed to shoot down all drones?

Comments in Pawki websites reminding Air force Chief of his bluster, promptly vanish.. like their Forex reserves.. Through him, Pakistan now has earned it's air-borne musharaff.. spews hot air and nothing else..

As if on a cue, bakis have started to "condom"...

Pakistan condemns 'unilateral' US drone strike in Kurram Agency

...detrimental to the spirit of cooperation between the two countries in the fight against terrorism...

the political administration of Orakzai Agency's Speen Thal Dapa Mamozai area said that the drone strikes had targeted a house belonging to Afghan refugees

...targeted an Afghan refugee camp

That's right, since there are no terrorists in ba(w)kistan, those that were killed must be afghans.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1384978/pakis ... ram-agency

[anupmisra]

Every hour on the hour, there's news of another kid raped in ba(w)kistan. It is indeed the rape & pedophilia center of the world.

[sudhan]

The Fizzleya could atleast attempt the following..

1. Intercept bredator, issue a pious beard challenge. Breadator will fail miserably and sulk away.

2. Intercept Bredator and issue a lungi check challenge. Bredator will cower at the sight of the TFTM paki planes and sulk away.

No need to shoot them down, just apply the immensely successful taknikis used in the erstwhile East Pawkistan.

[sudeepj]

Strike was in FATA.. Wake me up when Drone-acharya hovers over Karachi and Lawhore.

[Bart S]

Strike was in FATA.. Wake me up when Drone-acharya hovers over Karachi and Lawhore.

Actually the Pakis have slyly moved the goalposts in that fashion as well, going by their talk shows. They are no longer talking about shooting down any and every drone that invades their airspace but are now claiming that they will fight back if 'drone strikes happen over densely populated areas'.

[Peregrine]

X Posted on the PESW Thread

Al Jumooriya Islamia Al Terrorstania

Exports and Imports of Goods & Services (Billion US $ ) : June 2017 – Dec 2017

Exports of Goods & Services : June–Dec 2017 : 14.356 : June–Dec 2016 : 13.093
Imports of Goods & Services : June–Dec 2017 : 31,239 : June–Dec 2016 : 26,691
Goods and Services Balance : June–Dec 2017 : 16.883 : June- Dec 2016 : 13.598

Cheers

[Rana]

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/4 ... s-us-funds
Pakistani Islamism Flourishes in America SAM WESTROP
Charitable proxies for notorious terrorist outfits openly collect donations.

One of the most important American JI organizations is an international aid charity named Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD). Founded in 2005, HHRD was annually raising an astonishing $40 million by 2015.
:
HHRD is not the sole JI organization operating in America. It is just one component of a powerful network of JI groups coordinated by an organization named the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA). ICNA has openly identified itself as a JI organization on a number of occasions. Other ICNA-run organizations include another aid organization named ICNA Relief (formerly run by HHRD chairman Mohsin Ansari) and a youth wing named Young Muslims.
:
ICNA and its offshoots also promote extremism at home. Its annual symposium in Chicago is one of the largest conferences in the American Muslim calendar. The conference frequently features JI operatives and some of America’s most extreme and bigoted Muslim clerics. ICNA’s youth wing, Young Muslims, operates in mosques all across America and teaches extremist Islamist tracts to Muslim youth.

In spite of its extremist associations, in 2016 ICNA received a grant of over $1.3 million from the Department of Homeland Security. ICNA Relief is also included in the U.S. government’s workplace-giving program. Moreover, as I have previously noted for National Review, other JI front groups in Pakistan have secured another $2 million in U.S. government grants since 2013.

[Rohit_K]

Snippets from a Conde Nast article published in March 2017
https://www.cntraveller.in/story/jinney ... i-vekhiya/

Later, the DIG, Police (Traffic), Ahmad Mobin, who is in charge of the security at the conference, also complains about how international media projects Lahore as a militancy-ravaged city, even as he shows us around the Central Control room with its 8,000 cameras looking over the city.

A day after my return to Mumbai, I receive the saddening news that DIG Mobin was martyred in a blast at Mall Road where he had gone to negotiate with some protestors that evening. I look at some photos I had clicked of him just two days ago and I say a prayer.

[arun]

US Senator Rand Paul introduces bill seeking to divert Jaziya paid by the US to the Mohammadden Terrorism Fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the Highway Trust Fund.

Besides straight forward national security considerations, Rand Pauls actions seems to be also motivated by some communal Christist concerns adding an Intra-Abrahamic squabble bit to his act:

Paul introduces legislation to redirect Pakistan foreign aid money to Highway Trust Fund

Sen. Rand Paul introduced a bill Wednesday that would prohibit two federal agencies from sending taxpayer money to Pakistan and instead redirect the funds to domestic efforts.

“We fail our responsibilities to protect our country and properly steward taxpayers’ hard-earned money when we support countries that chant ‘Death to America’ and burn our flag. Let’s bring that money home and use it to help rebuild our infrastructure instead of giving it to a nation that persecutes Christians and imprisons people such as the doctor that helped us get Osama bin Laden,” Mr. Paul, Kentucky Republican, said in a statement.

The bill would bar the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, known as USAID, from giving the $1.28 billion and $852 million to Pakistan, respectively. Instead, the money would go towards the Highway Trust Fund.

President Trump tweeted his support for the plan earlier this month.

A similar bill will be introduced in the House by Reps. Mark Sanford, South Carolina Republican, and Tulsi Gabbard, Hawaii Democrat.

[arun]

Two days in a row, journalists from the Mohammadden Terrorism Fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan, no doubt acting under the instructions of the Uniformed Jihadi’s of the Punjabi Military dominated Deep State who are at the receiving end of India’s pasting, bring up the matter of UN intervention in bilateral matters between India and the Islamic Republic and get the brush off from Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General:

On January 22 (Clicky):

22 JANUARY 2018
Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General. ……………………….

Question: I know… Stéphane, thank you. I know you're a little reluctant to answer these questions. The situation in occupied Kashmir is getting bad to worse, and India and Pakistan are exchanging fires across the border. Do you have any… I mean, have anything from the Secretary‑General on this? Is the Secretary‑General concerned about the situation…?

Spokesman: We're obviously aware. We're following this… what's been going on, really for the last 10 days, and I think our… again, the Secretary‑General would encourage both sides to address any outstanding issues through dialogue.

Question: I mean, on the my… my… my… I just wanted to… as to what is the reason… this is one of the most… the crisis simmering for a very long time, and the border exchanges and people are being killed. But, why isn't the Secretary‑General so keen to involve himself in this crisis?

Spokesman: As a matter of principle, all right, I'm not talking specifically about this issue, but about any issue where there is conflict between parties, the Secretary‑General's good offices are always available. And, as in any issue, both parties or more than… you know, if there are multiple parties, everyone needs to agree on involving the United Nations. That is true of any mediation effort. Yes, sir?

On January 23 (Clicky):

23 JANUARY 2018

Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General. ……………………….

Question: Thank you, Stéphane. Two questions. Stéphane, this… about Afghanistan where yesterday the bomb… whatever, bombing happened where almost 25 or 20… 30 people died, has the United Nations been able to determine as to which party was responsible? Because Pakistan…

Spokesman: We do not have the investigative capacity nor mandate.

Question: Oh, I see. Now, on the Secretary‑General's interview that was published, I think, this morning in which he said, I asked Pakistan and India to resolve their disputes bilaterally and that he expressed no inclination to get himself involved because… why? Is it because Pakistan… India is not willing to accept his good offices?

Spokesman: I don't know of any interview that he gave. You may be quoting me back to me. It's what I… there was… I had an exchange with your colleague, I think, yesterday on this very issue, and I really have nothing more to say than what is in the transcript from yesterday.

[arun]

Yet again our country India’s state of Jammu & Kashmir is rated as being freer (Freedom Rating 4.0) than the Mohammadden Terrorism Fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Freedom Rating 4.5) and Mohammadden Terrorism Fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (Freedom Rating 5.5).

The Freedom House annual report “Freedom In the World 2018” yet again debunks the Mohammadden Terrorism Fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s pretensions that it is any way qualified to comment on “Indian Oppression” in Jammu & Kashmir:

Freedom in the World 2018

Article on the Freedom House Report in main stream media of the Mohammadden Terrorism Fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan, namely the Express Tribune, remains conspicuously silent about the fact that our Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir enjoys greater freedom than the Mohammadden Terrorism Fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Mohammadden Terrorism Fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir:

Pakistan declared 'partly free' in Freedom House annual report

[anupmisra]

Five days to shariah (and bliss)....

Four days to shariah (and pure bliss - paklurks: do you feel it yet?)

Three days to shariah (and eternal bliss - I am getting giddy with anticipation)

[anupmisra]

And to put the bakis in their place...

US rejects Pakistan's 'claim' of forces striking an Afghan refugee camp in Kurram Agency

On Wednesday, Pakistan had condemned an alleged US drone strike deep inside its territory, saying: “Pakistan condemns a drone strike in Kurram Agency carried out by the Resolute Support Mission (RSM) this [Wednesday] morning, which targeted an Afghan refugee camp."

Pakistan's claim that United States forces struck an Afghan refugee camp in Kurram Agency on Wednesday is false, US Embassy Spokesperson Rick Sinelsine told DawnNews on Thursday.

Ouch!

https://www.dawn.com/news/1385202/us-re ... ram-agency

[abhijitm]

^^ ch ch ch.. those were american non state actors

[rsingh]

Two days in a row, journalists from the Mohammadden Terrorism Fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan, no doubt acting under the instructions of the Uniformed Jihadi’s of the Punjabi Military dominated Deep State who are at the receiving end of India’s pasting, bring up the matter of UN intervention in bilateral matters between India and the Islamic Republic and get the brush off from Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General:

On January 22 (Clicky):

22 JANUARY 2018
Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General. ……………………….

Question: I know… Stéphane, thank you. I know you're a little reluctant to answer these questions. The situation in occupied Kashmir is getting bad to worse, and India and Pakistan are exchanging fires across the border. Do you have any… I mean, have anything from the Secretary‑General on this? Is the Secretary‑General concerned about the situation…?

Spokesman: We're obviously aware. We're following this… what's been going on, really for the last 10 days, and I think our… again, the Secretary‑General would encourage both sides to address any outstanding issues through dialogue.

Question: I mean, on the my… my… my… I just wanted to… as to what is the reason… this is one of the most… the crisis simmering for a very long time, and the border exchanges and people are being killed. But, why isn't the Secretary‑General so keen to involve himself in this crisis?

Spokesman: As a matter of principle, all right, I'm not talking specifically about this issue, but about any issue where there is conflict between parties, the Secretary‑General's good offices are always available. And, as in any issue, both parties or more than… you know, if there are multiple parties, everyone needs to agree on involving the United Nations. That is true of any mediation effort. Yes, sir?

On January 23 (Clicky):

23 JANUARY 2018

Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General. ……………………….

Question: Thank you, Stéphane. Two questions. Stéphane, this… about Afghanistan where yesterday the bomb… whatever, bombing happened where almost 25 or 20… 30 people died, has the United Nations been able to determine as to which party was responsible? Because Pakistan…

Spokesman: We do not have the investigative capacity nor mandate.

Question: Oh, I see. Now, on the Secretary‑General's interview that was published, I think, this morning in which he said, I asked Pakistan and India to resolve their disputes bilaterally and that he expressed no inclination to get himself involved because… why? Is it because Pakistan… India is not willing to accept his good offices?

Spokesman: I don't know of any interview that he gave. You may be quoting me back to me. It's what I… there was… I had an exchange with your colleague, I think, yesterday on this very issue, and I really have nothing more to say than what is in the transcript from yesterday.

how could spokesperson allow this? It was his duty to correct the journalist that it is Indian Kashmir or Indian Administrated Kashmir ( as it is known in UNO). This is a gross mistake and MIA has to take notice of that.

[anupmisra]

how could spokesperson allow this? It was his duty to correct the journalist that it is Indian Kashmir or Indian Administrated Kashmir ( as it is known in UNO). This is a gross mistake and MIA has to take notice of that.

It was an open Q&A and hundreds of issues were called out. That specific question was asked by a paki correspondent named "Masood". The spokesperson for the UNO did the right thing by not challenging the idiot paki as that would have opened up a pandora's box for which that Q&A was not the platform and would have compromised the UN.

[anupmisra]

Four days to shariah (and pure bliss - paklurks: do you feel it yet?)

Three days to shariah (and eternal bliss - I am getting giddy with anticipation)

DAMN IT! DARN IT! DAMN! I wished for eternal bliss and contentment too soon. My count down was wasted. Pakis have (again) let me down. No fireworks. And I have all this beer...DAMN IT!

Sialvi calls off protests after meeting Shahbaz Sharif

Pir Hameeduddin Sialvi of the Sial Sharif shrine has called off a protest aimed at 'bringing down the government' following discussions with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday.

"Peaceful Khatm-i-Nabuwwat and Sirat-un-Nabi conferences will be held [instead of the protests]"

Earlier in the week, at a Khatm-i-Nabuwwat conference in Lahore, Pir Sialvi had set a deadline for the government seeking the enforcement of “Shariah” within seven days or risk protests "in every nook and corner of the country".

If you can't trust a paki any more, who can you trust? What has this world come to?

https://www.dawn.com/news/1385213/sialv ... baz-sharif

[partha]

Can you call off demand for Sharia? No blasphemy?

[Peregrine]

Pakistan accuses India of exceeding its legitimate defence needs

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday accused India of exceeding its legitimate defence needs and said New Delhi's buildup of advanced weapons would negatively impact strategic stability in South Asia and beyond.

Foreign Office (FO) spokesman Mohammad Faisal said there was a clear disconnect between India's declared policy of restraint and its relentless pursuit of an ambitious missile programme. This is a clear case of Terroristan FINALLY looking at Bankruptcy due to having "Half the Defence Capacity as India" at a supposed Figure of One Sixth the Indian Defence Budget. IMO Terroristan is spending a Minimum figure of US$ 20 Billion - possibly US$ 25 Billion Annually in having Half the Defence Capability as India!

He alleged that the development of Agni V intercontinental ballistic missile showed India's real designs of pursuing hegemony. He termed it an "exercise in power projection".

"While every state has a right to its security, the buildup of sophisticated and advanced weapons and delivery systems by India far exceeds its legitimate defence needs," he said.

"Seen in the backdrop of other acquisitions of advanced capabilities in both the conventional and non-conventional domains, these developments will negatively impact strategic stability in the South Asian region and beyond," he said.

Faisal said Pakistan will continue to adhere to a policy of restraint and a responsible defence posture but will also take steps to ensure its defence.

Faisal said Pakistan believed in a peaceful neighbourhood, which is essential for peace and development. He said that cooperation instead of conflict was the only way forward but it should be reciprocated by actions and not words.Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!

To a question about sharing of test reports of the shoes of Indian prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife, he said "the report will be shared at an appropriate time."

Jadhav, 47, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April.

India had hit out at Pakistan for the way it treated the wife and mother of Jadhav when they met him in Pakistan on December 25.

He also accused India of launching a malicious propaganda campaign against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Cheers

[ArjunPandit]

someday i will die laughing at chinese and their FO statements

[SSridhar]

Pakistan accuses India of exceeding its legitimate defence needs

He alleged that the development of Agni V intercontinental ballistic missile showed India's real designs of pursuing hegemony. He termed it an "exercise in power projection".

When Pakistan talks about Agni V, it clearly talks at the behest of or upon instigation by China.

[Aditya_V]

Pakistan accuses India of exceeding its legitimate defence needs

When Pakistan talks about Agni V, it clearly talks at the behest of or upon instigation by China.

Missiles like Agni V has another strategic implication, none of the Ummah bros will now be willing to risk giving thier hardware to Pakis in a Hot war. Who knows how India might retaliate to a Paki Nuke now it has the ability to target those who help the Pakis.

[anupmisra]

Najam Sethi backtracks on five-year agreement with West Indies

Two months after the announcement of a five-year plan that involved West Indies touring Pakistan every year until 2022, PCB chairman Najam Sethi has walked back on that claim, saying it was a cost-ineffective option.

when we did our calculations, we found out that matches here are loss-making and they (West Indies) thought it would be a profit-making. The reason is the high production cost and player cost.

we do not get enough sponsors

So, a new MoU is being prepared

http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... est-indies

[Rohit_K]

Nothing new here...

Asia Times: Minorities packing their bags as religious freedom plunges in Pakistan
http://www.atimes.com/article/minoritie ... -pakistan/

[wig]

quite some money appears to be put up for the senate elections by Zardari

Informed sources say that the late lamented Big Ben’s Hubby has spent a whopping Rs 1.5 billion on affecting a change of government in Balochistan. This he has done so that he can “manage” the forthcoming Senate elections to his advantage, given that Provincial Assemblies make up the electoral college of Parliament’s Upper House. Hubby’s Party will now not lose the 9 seats it would have done if Balochistan had remained in The Man of Steel’s camp. Our mole further reports that big spender Hubby has set aside another Rs 3 billion for the rest of the Senate elections, due in March.

http://www.thefridaytimes.com/tft/such-gup-221/

[SSridhar]

When Pakistan talks about Agni V, it clearly talks at the behest of or upon instigation by China.

Missiles like Agni V has another strategic implication, none of the Ummah bros will now be willing to risk giving thier hardware to Pakis in a Hot war. Who knows how India might retaliate to a Paki Nuke now it has the ability to target those who help the Pakis.

As far back as 1999, when the NSAB released the DND, it said, "India will not resort to the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons against states which do not posses nuclear weapons, or are not aligned with nuclear weapon powers."

I thought the implication was clear. The 2003 announcement by the CCS on the nuclear posture did not alter the above in any way.

[anupmisra]

Asia Times: Minorities packing their bags as religious freedom plunges in Pakistan
http://www.atimes.com/article/minoritie ... -pakistan/

Rohit, from the above article:

“What’s ironic is that those ideologues who were against the creation of Pakistan not only accuse us of heresy, but also call Ahmadis – who played a crucial role in Pakistan’s freedom struggle – anti-nationals,” Ahmadiyya spokesperson Saleem Uddin said to Asia Times. “We have been the convenient scapegoats for the state since Pakistan’s inception.

Amnesic liars! Read from another article (below):

The Furqan Battallion

Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, the second Head of the Ahmadiyya community propelled the formation of an all-Ahmadi volunteer militant force called Furqan Battalion that fought on the Kashmir front in 1948 as a non-State proxy of Pakistan army. This unit or battallion’s troops were drawn exclusively from the Ahmadiyya community – even its expenses were paid for by Ahmadis.

Formed in June 1948[2] at the direction of Ahmadiyya leader Mirza Mahmood, at the request of Pakistan government, the Furqan Force, along with the Pashtun Lashkar of Waziristan, was amongst the first non-State actors used by Pakistani State for Jihadist activities.

Following the anti-Ahmadiyya Lahore riots of 1953, a Pakistani court of inquiry cited the Furqan Battalion in discussions of the Ahmadi role in Pakistani society.

Why would any Indian shed even a tear for these self-serving traitors when they were instrumental in supporting, financing, and even actively participating in the formation of ba(w)kistan and the first Kashmir war?

https://lubpak.com/archives/317821

[anupmisra]

Pakis on the march towards shariah!

Motion to publicly stone Zainab’s murderer presented in Punjab Assembly

The ruling party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) lawmaker on Friday presented a motion in the Punjab Assembly demanding public stoning of the man who raped and murdered 7-year-old Zainab.

“This house of province demands the federal legislative house [National Assembly] to publicly stone or execute after immense torture the criminals arrested for the savage, ruthless, brutal and heart-wrenching and grave crimes committed against girls in Pakistan and all their facilitators after investigation and legal proceedings are done.”

https://dailytimes.com.pk/189100/motion ... -assembly/

[anupmisra]

Pakijabi acts of repression against other ethnic communities continue.

Women march against arrest of Pakhtun, Baloch, Saraiki and Gilgiti students

Female students belonging to different educational institutions on Friday held protest at Charring Cross area against arrest of Pakhtun, Baloch, Saraiki and Gilgiti students from University of the Punjab.

‘our Pakhtun and Baloch brothers are being arrested by government for raising their voices’

https://dailytimes.com.pk/189099/lahore ... -students/

[Peregrine]

Republic Day: BSF refuses to exchange sweets with Pak Rangers

NEW DELHI: Months after a warm exchange of greetings and sweets on Diwali, the Border Security Force (BSF) on Friday refused to share sweets with Pakistan Rangers on the occasion of India's 69th Republic Day.

Sweets were, however, exchanged between the BSF and Bangladesh's Border Guards at Fulbari post, reported ANI.

"Atmosphere was such that no exchange of sweets took place with Pakistan Rangers. I think in the coming time, old tradition of exchanging sweets will be revived soon," ANI quoted BSF DG KK Sharma as saying at the Attari-Wagah border.

He added that ceasefire violations were the main issue of discussion during the flag meeting between the two sides.

"Both sides agreed that ceasefire violations should be reduced. BSF never initiates ceasefire violation," he said.

According to prevalent tradition, the border forces of both India and Pakistan exchange sweets and greet each other on various festivals and events of national importance, like Independent Day and Republic Day. This is expected to create an atmosphere conducive to harmony and coordination between the two sides.

"Sweets and greetings are exchanged on border if there isn't anything serious between the two nations and the practice comes to halt if there is bitterness in relations," a BSF officer had told TOI during Diwali.

Earlier, the tradition was suspended during Diwali 2016, when the BSF decided to protest the killing of its jawans in unprovoked firing along the international border and LoC in Jammu and Kashmir by the neighbour's forces.

A similar thing happened in August 2015, when the BSF did not exchange sweets with its Pakistani counterparts on the occasion of India's Independence Day, following the Dinanagar terror attack.

Cheers

[anupmisra]

NA worried over GB being depicted as part of India

Lawmakers in the National Assembly on Thursday voiced concern over the depiction of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) as part of India instead of Pakistan in Google and other internationally recognised maps(if these are "internationally recognized maps, then why complain and not accept reality?).

Pakistani students and researchers were forced to use maps showing Gilgit-Baltistan as Indian territory.

Minister for States and Frontier Regions Abdul Qadir Baloch (budding Einstein) said that anti-Pakistan elements were behind such issues

(Everyone's favorite) Shireen Mazari also criticised the Survey of Pakistan for not providing up to date maps on its website. “If India can pursue Google and other search engines to show Gilgit-Baltistan as its part, then why cannot we contact them?” she asked.

https://dailytimes.com.pk/188844/na-wor ... art-india/

[Vips]

Haraam Link:Fitch revises outlook on Pakistan’s ratings to negative.

Fitch Ratings has announced that it has revised the outlook on Pakistan’s long-term foreign and local currency issuer default ratings to negative from stable and has affirmed ‘B’ rating for both the categories.

Porkitsani currency aka toilet paper now certified as Soiled.

[anupmisra]

Republic Day: BSF refuses to exchange sweets with Pak Rangers

NEW DELHI: Months after a warm exchange of greetings and sweets on Diwali, the Border Security Force (BSF) on Friday refused to share sweets with Pakistan Rangers on the occasion of India's 69th Republic Day.

About time someone stopped that idiotic, senseless exchange of sweets between the two armies. The next act which should be stopped, in my opinion, is that moronic synchronized dance that happens at Wagah every day. From the Indian side, an elderly peon from the immigration and customs department wearing a dhoti and chewing paan should come out and open/shut the gates.

[Vips]

After 9,000 rounds of BSF shelling, Pak Rangers seek peace meeting.

The Border Security Force's strong retaliatory action in response to 'unprovoked firing' from across the border bore results on Thursday with the Pakistan Rangers seeking a meeting to resolve the issue.

The BSF officers strongly objected to Pakistan targeting sniper assaults at its jawans and unprovoked firing and shelling directed at a number of Indian villages, innocent civilians and their properties.

Pakistani officers reportedly didn't have anything to say when charged by India with attempting to disturb peace at the border but suggested that lines of "communication" should be kept open in such scenarios.

So Porkistani army does not commit on not launching dastardly and sly sniping attacks on our soldiers but wants to keep downhill skiing opten open when India effectively retaliates and kills a few of the scums.

The BSF said in a statement that the meeting took place "on the request" of the Pakistani side. A similar request by the Indian side was "not responded to" by the Rangers a few days back, official sources said.

Why should BSF (and India) be the perennially good guys? Next time Rangers want to do down hill skiing by requesting talks, India should refuse and agree to talks only after the pakistanis agree to formally raising the white flag and after the BSF/Army has videographed the flag being raised by them.

[VKumar]

Republic Day: BSF refuses to exchange sweets with Pak Rangers

NEW DELHI: Months after a warm exchange of greetings and sweets on Diwali, the Border Security Force (BSF) on Friday refused to share sweets with Pakistan Rangers on the occasion of India's 69th Republic Day.

About time someone stopped that idiotic, senseless exchange of sweets between the two armies. The next act which should be stopped, in my opinion, is that moronic synchronized dance that happens at Wagah every day. From the Indian side, an elderly peon from the immigration and customs department wearing a dhoti and chewing paan should come out and open/shut the gates.

Only that's it's a great tourist attraction and citizens, NRIs have a lump in their throat after the ceremony. But yes, stop all interaction with pukistan, even trade. They still refuse MFN status to India.

[yensoy]

...The next act which should be stopped, in my opinion, is that moronic synchronized dance that happens at Wagah every day. From the Indian side, an elderly peon from the immigration and customs department wearing a dhoti and chewing paan should come out and open/shut the gates.

Disagree fully. It's a huge draw. Tourism helps GDP. Amritsar, otherwise known for spiritual Harmandir Sahib and somber Jalianwala Bagh, suddenly becomes a full-spectrum tourist destination for young and old with an energetic and positivity filled ceremony to round out the day for busloads of tourists from every corner of India.

And then we have a stark juxtaposition of contrasts - on the Indian side we have dancing, flag waving women and men in colourful trendy & traditional outfits, and the Paki side they have drab sherwani clad dour beards with a bewildered look. It helps that the sun sets in the West, bathing the Indian stands in its orange rays and casting a dark shadow on the Pakis.

This is psyops in our favour we shouldn't give up.

[Peregrine]

Fitch revises outlook on Pakistan’s ratings to negative

KARACHI: Fitch Ratings has announced that it has revised the outlook on Pakistan’s long-term foreign and local currency issuer default ratings to negative from stable and has affirmed ‘B’ rating for both the categories.

In an assessment released on its website on Thursday, Fitch – one of the three big credit rating agencies – said it revised the outlook because since the completion of Pakistan’s three-year International Monetary Fund (IMF) Extended Fund Facility in September 2016, there had been a partial reversal of gains made under the programme.

In particular, foreign currency reserves of the country have declined and fiscal deficit has widened.

The IMF had provided a loan of $6.2 billion under the programme to help shore up Pakistan’s shrinking foreign currency reserves.

Though measures had recently been taken to address these trends, including some currency depreciation, tax rebates on exports and import duties on non-essential goods, these proved insufficient thus far to arrest the ongoing decline in reserves, Fitch said.

Moreover, political uncertainty and upcoming elections by July 2018 are likely to constrain the government’s ability to address them convincingly in the near term.

Fitch forecast that Pakistan’s overall reserves (including gold) would fall to $16.8 billion at the end of FY18 in June, which would cover 2.9 months of current account payments, after having peaked at $22.6 billion at the end of the IMF programme.

This forecast incorporates proceeds from the $2.5 billion worth of Sukuk and Eurobond issuances at the end of November 2017.

“The deterioration could be sharper in the absence of further currency flexibility and tightening of macro policies sufficient to restrain domestic demand,” Fitch said.

The decline in reserves is driven by a rise in the current account deficit, which widened to 4.1% of gross domestic product (GDP) in the fiscal year ending June 2017 from 1.7% in FY16. The deficit reflects rising capital imports for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, higher energy prices, sluggish exports and loose macroeconomic policies.

Fitch expected a further modest widening of the current account deficit to 4.7% of GDP in FY18 on the basis of a pickup in exports and levelling off of imports following recent currency depreciation.

Elaborating, it pointed out that the decision of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in early December to allow market forces to play a greater role in determining the exchange rate would, if implemented, relieve some of the pressure on Pakistan’s reserves and current account.

Immediately after the announcement, the rupee depreciated by nearly 5% against the US dollar, but the currency has been held stable since then and reserves have continued to slide in recent weeks.

“It remains to be seen how much flexibility the authorities will tolerate should there be sustained downward pressure on the currency,” Fitch remarked. Fiscal consolidation efforts in Pakistan suffered a setback last year, limiting progress on reducing the elevated public debt-to-GDP ratio.

The fiscal deficit surged to 5.8% of GDP in FY17 compared with 4.6% in FY16 and a revised target of 4.2%, driven by higher provincial government expenditures and an underperformance in revenues.

“The government views last year’s breach of the target as temporary and aims to return to a path of fiscal consolidation,” Fitch said.

It projected a decline in the FY18 deficit to 5% of GDP based on rising revenues and expenditure constraints, which would lead to a fall in the public debt ratio from 67.2% of GDP in FY17 to 66.8% in FY18.

Recent revenue performance has improved, but risks remain as the upcoming elections could limit near-term improvements to both revenue and expenditure.

According to Fitch, Pakistan’s ‘B’ rating reflects a high public debt-to-GDP ratio, weak governance standards as measured by World Bank indicators, domestic political and security risks and a fragile external position, which are balanced by a relatively strong growth.

The rating also reflects that despite the rising external and fiscal pressures, Pakistan’s growth performance has continued to improve with annual GDP growth accelerating to 5.3% in FY17. This compares favourably with the ‘B’ country median of 3.5%.

Fitch forecast that the growth momentum would be sustained at 5.5% in FY18 and FY19, bolstered by recent investments under the CPEC initiative and reduced capacity constraints.

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[Peregrine]

Monetary policy: SBP increases key interest rate to 6%

KARACHI: Against market expectation, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) raised the key interest rate by 25 basis points to 6%, a clear signal that the pace of inflation was increasing.

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