Terroristan - July 27, 2018

[RCase]

Imran Khan's Bitches get their own Wikipedia page

Lisa-ji :
According to Paki Media, the ultra - Islamic Peerni , ( the third and current wife of Imran Khan, The PM - In -Waiting Of Pakiland ! ) hates dogs with a passion and is rumoured to have banished Imran's four legged friends from inside the house to outside quarters ( In Malsi "hadith stories", dogs are considered unclean creatures [felines are OK!]

Makes sense for the pissful religion that is obsessed with pussies and their control!

[Bart S]

Wife beating former ambassador and delusional India-hater Munir Akram comes up with a new plan to solve Pakistan's problems by essentially blackmailing China (while singing paeans to Pak-Chinese friendship and covering it with layers of flattery):
https://www.dawn.com/news/1425049/devel ... only-truth

Only time will tell if the Chinese fall for the Paki nonsense, and in case they do, what kind of price they might extract from Pakistan in return

[Falijee]

Hazrat Allama Khadim Rizvi Is On A Roll

WHAT IS BEHIND THE SUDDEN RISE OF TLP? ( DEEP STATE )
DAWN
Ahmed Yusuf
Aug 5, 2018

Alternate realties are the stuff of dreams. They often require an enemy, real or imagined, and the ideal world is one where the enemy has been vanquished. Powered by blind belief, legends are created and heroes are born. The case of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik (TLP) is about a common alternate reality that is shared by many people — at least 2,234,265 of them according to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), making it the fifth largest political party in the country.

I am seated on a bed with TLP chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi. The “allama” has just woken up from his afternoon nap and his hosts have already served water to him. Around us are about a dozen men and an air of being in the company of a man who is revered by many. Some young ones kneel to seek his blessings, other stand in respect their hands crossed below the waist. An ideologue of the tehreek [social movement] is introduced to Rizvi, who insists that the ideologue sits on a chair. The rest are to sit on the floor.

Nawaz was also "treated" in this way by his chamchas, until he was "dethroned" by Deep State.

Before the interview starts, a senior leader regales “Hazrat Sahib” with a tale from Nawabshah. Similarly, Ganja was called "Quaid" !

“We were playing our anthem Deen Aaya, Deen Aaya [Religion is here, religion is here] when the Peoples Party camp started playing their songs,” he narrates. “We asked them to stop because there was mention of deen being made. But their in-charge refused. Imagine Allah’s wrath, that man passed away that very night. The next morning PPP guys switched over to our camp saying that these people of deen must have been right.” The "Allama" believes in "omens" .

A legend had been born.

With some "help" from the Military Establishment .

The audience gasps and Hazrat Sahib explains that this was God’s will. The audience nods in unison. A prayer is said to ask for God’s forgiveness and his blessings. Rizvi finally turns to me, apologises for the delay, and asks me to begin.

This is Rizvi’s second trip to Karachi in electoral season, having first arrived in the city a few days ago, on July 2, before leaving for a whirlwind trip to other cities of Sindh and Balochistan. A rally across Karachi was organised on that first trip. Karachi was his stopover on the way back to Lahore but his party had also scheduled public appearances during his brief stay. That evening, he was to visit Lyari, the old city locality that was once the stronghold of the PPP.

“Wherever we went, nobody said that we aren’t with you or that we are on the wrong path,” says Rizvi. “Even those in opposing camps said that we have some constraints but we are with you and will vote for you.”

How was Balochistan, in particular? “Balochistan was very surprising. People used to say that Baloch people are very angry, they kill Punjabis when they see their faces or identification. But nobody said anything to us, they welcomed us, cheered our slogans. I even spoke in Punjabi, I don’t even know if they understood or not, but they raised slogans in response.”

Of course, the Maulana's Allama's organizer made sure that it was a "guided" tour away from the terrorist infested areas

I reference the religious polarity found in Balochistan and Rizvi fires an Allama Iqbal couplet back to explain that those who were supposed to guide themselves embarked on the wrong path. With religion sidelined, he says, “the sardars remained sardars and the poor remained poor.”

The Allama , like Maulana Fazl, has a gift of the gab, surely an asset !

He goes on to explain that those who continued to defend mosques in these times have joined. “Young ulema have now stood up for our cause, that’s change for you. Wherever someone has raised a voice for deen, deen has come to their aid, just like we are being aided.”

Till now, Rizvi has quoted Allama Iqbal umpteen times as arguments and that, too, in multiple languages. What did Iqbal mean to him? Was he fond of his poetry, his thoughts or was Iqbal a complete ideology in and of himself? “The Quran has condemned poets and poetry. When this ayat was revealed, Kaab bin Maalik who was a poet of the Prophet’s (PBUH) court, rushed to ask what next. The Prophet replied that this ayat did not concern those who carried out jihad through their speech. I am influenced by Iqbal because of his love for the Prophet (PBUH).”How long has he been a fan of Iqbal?“For many years, ever since I was a student,” says Rizvi. “Even if I had no other book, I always had a copy of Iqbal.”

So, he must be FaceBook "friends" with Sir Jahil - Ham-Eid , who himself is a "big fan" of Sir Mohamed Iqbal !

We turn to his family and he goes on to describe how his parents were both illiterate: “My father was a farmer and we had lots of land. My brother lives there now. I don’t even know if my name is on the land deeds. I just go there, stay in a room and return.”

An example of Paki "upward mobility", IMO !

His favourite food? “Nothing,” he replies before adding that since the essence of the Prophet’s (PBUH) life is simplicity, these kinds of things hold no meaning for him.”

Since, he is a village rustic, do not rule out parathas and lassis as his favourites !

We soon begin talking about Karachi and the political space that the TLP had carved for itself. Rizvi claims that the religion will prove to be a binding force in a city that has found itself in the throes of ethnic division. The retort is that parties such as the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) have had an established presence in Karachi in the name of religious politics but haven’t been successful in translating that to votes. How does the TLP differ? Rizvi points to the purity of their cause, alluding to how those who haven’t been honest to the cause of the finality of Prophethood (PBUH) cannot possibly win popular support. But this is the rhetoric.

But does anyone has the "guts" to point this out to the "Allama" , who is also well known for using Pakjabi "curse words" as a "weapon of choice"

Karachi might have been a far-off outpost for the TLP, which has greater roots in Punjab, but its presence in Karachi is bedded in organic factors. In theory, the political vacuum created by Altaf Hussain being put on mute was to be filled, in part, by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and the Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP). But neither of these two parties was able to do that, for one reason or another. The MQM-P attributes this to a decimated organisational structure while the PSP’s narrative of not being “Mohajir” did not go well with the Mohajir voter.

In the upheaval since August 22, 2016 — when Altaf delivered an incendiary speech at the Karachi Press Club — the greatest knock to the MQM came in the form of their mohalla [neighbourhood] network being dismantled. Party offices were shut down or razed altogether, activists were picked up by law enforcement and sometimes without cause or warrants, while their release was secured on the guarantee of not rejoining Altaf’s party.But while the ordinary MQM neighbourhood office disappeared from sight, the neighbourhood mosque remained a point of propagating ideology. The TLP’s success in Karachi owes largely to using the pulpit of the mosque to spread a political message. In a sense, therefore, the mosque replaced the mohalla network in localities previously labelled hardcore MQM areas.

So, the subsequent vacuum that was created was nicely filled up by the TLP- right place at the right time , kind of a thing .

And it is from the pulpit of the mosque that the message of redemption was hammered in, in a manner and scale not seen since the call of jihad in 2001 to fight the American invasion of Afghanistan. The argument now was that since people had committed crime and violence for a mortal, redemption in the eyes of God was only possible if these people took up God’s cause. In other words, repentance for their crimes will take the form of volunteering their time and labour for the TLP.

This first time the success of this line became apparent was in the MQM-P’s rally in its Liaquatabad stronghold. Organised in retaliation to a rally conducted by PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari in the same locality, the MQM-P pulled in impressive numbers but not as much as would be expected. One reason was the loyalty of many to Altaf but equally, the MQM-P was hit by former MQM activists and organisers now working for the TLP.

Paki politics is not "principle oriented" . Politicians and political workers have to earn a living and therefore they offer themselves for sale to the highest bidder

Similarly, while mainstream parties used the holy month of Ramazan for meet-and-greet gatherings, the TLP focussed its energies into organisating religious lectures around sehri, iftar, and taraweeh prayers. The most obvious of these gatherings took place in the Hakeem Saeed Ground, where about 6,000 cadres convened for sehri and to discuss political strategy. This was larger than any cadre-based gathering in the city during electoral season.

Free food for the bhooka nanga awaam might have played a big part in this !

But what remained hidden from the public eye was the TLP’s work inside working class localities. The TLP largely targeted Urdu-speaking and Punjabi labour in the city’s industrial zones to find foot soldiers. They drummed up their political message around sehri, iftar, and taraweeh prayers — all of which was, as one senior TLP ideologue put it, to reverse the “brainwashing” (religious and political) that these people had been subjected to.

Religion is the opium of the masses and there are "different brands" of charas available in the Karachi market. The "brand" offered by TLP is one of the best !

What is TLP? A sapling, a growing plant, or a tree? Or is it just a wave for the time being?
“It is a wave,” argues Rizvi. “The seed was planted by Mumtaz [Qadri] seven years ago when he defended the sanctity of the finality of Prophethood (PBUH). Then it became a small plant and we are on our way to becoming a tree.”

Throughout the election season, the mainstream Pakistani media described the TLP’s role as a spoiler — a party formed to draw votes away from the major parties and, therefore, spoiling their chance of winning an election. The post-electoral numbers released by the ECP tend to back that theory.The TLP might have received over two million votes from across the country but the chunks of votes it chewed up served to dent the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) prospects in at least 13 constituencies [see table] and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) vote in at least six constituencies.Consider the constituency of NA-13, Mansehra. The TLP bagged 4,731 votes — just enough to hand the PTI a win by 1,474 votes in a constituency where both major parties received over 100,000 votes. This trend is repeated in many other constituencies.

The Maulana and his Party have not won a single seat in the Paki National Assembly . But Deep State has achieved its purposes of dividing the Islamic vote - away from Ganja's Party . Now , ironically , Rizvi ( "used "by the Deep State ) is claiming "elections are rigged" mantra and has promised protests !

Throughout the election season, the mainstream Pakistani media described the TLP’s role as a spoiler — a party formed to draw votes away from the major parties and, therefore, spoiling their chance of winning an election. The post-electoral numbers released by the ECP tend to back that theory.The TLP might have received over two million votes from across the country but the chunks of votes it chewed up served to dent the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) prospects in at least 13 constituencies [see table] and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) vote in at least six constituencies.Consider the constituency of NA-13, Mansehra. The TLP bagged 4,731 votes — just enough to hand the PTI a win by 1,474 votes in a constituency where both major parties received over 100,000 votes. This trend is repeated in many other constituencies.

Then there were constituencies where the TLP emerged not just as a spoiler but as a legitimate player in its own right. Consider NA-118, Nankana Sahib. While the PTI (victors) and the PML-N both polled over 60,000 votes, the TLP bagged 49,345 votes. The margin of victory here (2,405) was just a fraction of what the TLP received. Similar is the case with constituencies in Karachi [see table].

In his Karachi interview, Rizvi had argued that there was no place for the military in politics and that it ought to do its job of protecting the borders. But on election night, the TLP announced that it will start a Faizabad-like protest in Islamabad if this mandate were not returned. In many constituencies, the TLP had gotten “waada forms” [deed to pledge vote] signed by its prospective voters — this was to tally the numbers who’d eventually show up and cast their vote in favour of the TLP. This plan didn’t quite work but the party remains adamant that its mandate has been stolen.

Like the TTP, once nurtured by Deep State , now deadly against the Paki State, TLP of Rizvi also might turn rogue , if HIS type of Islam is not implemented !

In a later press conference, Rizvi steps back from his threat. “If we have grievances, we will of course take them to our people, not to some foreign masters.” The TLP is now contesting eight National Assembly and 16 provincial assembly results from Karachi as their stolen mandate. A protest march has been scheduled in Karachi as well following the one in Lahore.

Meanwhile, the legend of how deen has managed to remove artificial boundaries such as ethnicity or community has been doing the rounds in TLP circles. There are heroes, too: the women and men roughed up during and after polling, for example. And there is the notion of an alternate reality inching closer to becoming a universal truth. Unlike past times, Barelvi politics might just have found its teeth.

And might create a problem for Deep State also .


PS: IMO, a Khomeni type revolution just might cleanse all corruption from Paki politics and send the senior echelons of the Fauj packing to Dubai, Australia, UK, Malaysia , USA . Just needs a right leader !

[Prem]

After Iran and North Korea; Now Hold Pakistan’s Feet to the Fire
https://nationalinterest.org/feature/af ... fire-28067

Yet American silence about nuclear weapons competition in South Asia muddies the picture still further. It’s as if the United States has simply walked away from the world’s most dangerous proliferation challenge. India and Pakistan continue developing their respective nuclear weapon arsenals while both nurture festering territorial disputes. And unlike most of North Korea’s bluster, India and Pakistan conduct continuous planning for nuclear war.
So why is Trump deafeningly silent about this arena of proliferation in another corner of Asia? The more irresponsible of the two competitors, Pakistan, continues to receive proliferation support from China, India’s (and America’s) principal strategic adversary. Does this count for nothing? Why not beat a drumbeat about Pakistan’s destabilizing role in the region especially after, in his tweet of 2018, he abruptly announced a cancellation of American aid to Pakistan? No specificity emerged and, as abruptly as Pakistan’s vilification began, the U.S. hectoring of Islamabad ceased.The United States seeks a broad-based, strategic relationship with India. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Alex Wong recently described India as a weighty player in the Indo-Pacific region. Echoing guidance from previous administrations, he called India a partner with which the United States shares common interests and goals in terms of security, diplomacy and trade. The U.S. intent focuses on helping India become one of the most influential countries in the vast Indo-Pacific region, a motivation reinforced by concern about the recent expansion of China’s presence in the Indian Ocean.

[Prem]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcpUC-7S7vM

at 0900. PM Low-IQ Khan has warrant out in USA and he can't visit Massaland.

[Falijee]

One Example of Exploitation of Balochistan By the Chinese !


Lijian Zhao 赵立坚
‏Verified account @zlj517

Marble & other stones are being exported via Gwadar Port. Balochistan is rich in resources. It can earn a lot through mining &export. Gwadar could be an engine for economic development of Balochistan. @VOGwadar @VofBalochistan @COPHCofficial @CathayPak @CPEC_Official @investinpak


Note : Raw material not finished product ! ( ie added value )

[Falijee]

‘Shame on you,’ Jemima Goldsmith admonishes Ghinwa Bhutto over highly speculative tweet
August 6, 2018

LAHORE – Jemima Goldsmith, the former wife of Pakistan’s prime minister in-waiting Imran Khan, slammed a member of the Bhutto family for making false comments on a picture of the Goldsmith family shared by a social media user on Twitter.Ghinwa Bhutto, daughter-in-law of former slain PPP leader Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and wife of Mir Murtaza Bhutto, made speculative comments on a picture in which the ex-wife of the cricketer-turned-politician, her two sons and alleged daughter of Khan, Tyrian White, can be seen, wearing ponchos.

Bhutto claimed on Twitter that the family is “on a visit to the apartheid state of Israel,” a self-proclaimed state which is not accepted by several countries, including Pakistan

The ex-spouse of Khan replied, “”This tweet is staggeringly ignorant and would be funny if it weren’t dangerous. The photo is taken on a family holiday in Mexico (not Israel) and we are wearing ponchos (not Jewish religious dress) @GhinwaBhutto – shame on you.”

Family Reunion Pic - Without The Kaptaan

[Falijee]

This Is One Way How Imran Khan Will Get The Numbers To Become PM

LHC stops Khawaja Asif’s NA-73 victory notification
Aug 6, 2018

LAHORE – The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday restrained the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from issuing the victory notification of former foreign minister Khawaja Asif in NA-73 Sialkot constituency.

LHC Justice Mamoonur Rasheed announced the decision on a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Usman Dar and issued notices to the electoral commission and Khawaja Asif.

Dar, in his petition submitted through Advocate Anees Hashmi and Advocate Tajamul Gondal, had challenged the victory of Asif pleading that the returning officer did not provide Form-45 to the polling agents.

The PTI leader maintained that as many as 7,346 votes were dismissed in his constituency and he lost to the PML-N leader by a margin of 1,406 votes.

Justice Mamoonur Rasheed restrained the ECP from issuing the notification and issued notices to all respondents.

On the other hand PML N candidates who lost to PTI have been stopped to file appeals against the rigged vote !

[Falijee]

China Now Demands That Gwadar Civilians Be Relocated For Security Reasons And To Make Room For Chinese Civilians And Military !

Bailing out Pakistan
Jed Babbin
Washington Time
July 29, 2018

Nuclear-armed Pakistan is not a model of stability. It just elected a new prime minister after a campaign that featured widespread violence and election day bombings. The apparent loser has alleged vote-rigging in favor of his opponent, who was supported by the omnipresent Pakistani army.
That’s one half of the context in which the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will soon consider another financial bailout for Pakistan, which has benefited from a dozen of them since the 1980s.

The other half is the fact that Pakistan’s economy is in shambles due to large-scale corruption and a growing debt crisis. The money it owes other nations and non-Pakistani entities is more than 30 percent of its GDP partly because of the extensive loans it has received from China to build parts of CPEC, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, by which China is building roads, power plants, railroads and military bases in Pakistan.Pakistan needs about another $3 billion in the next few months to avoid defaulting on loans from the IMF, the World Bank and China. The IMF will almost certainly bail Pakistan out of its financial troubles again. But should it? There are two reasons that weigh heavily against such an action.

The first is Pakistan’s continuing support of a variety of terrorist networks through its infamous Inter Service Intelligence agency, ISI. Among the terrorist groups Pakistan supports are al Qadea, the Taliban (also supported by Russia and China) and Lashkar-e-Taiba, which massacred more than 160 people in Mumbai, India, in 2008. Osama bin Laden hid for years in Abbottabad, Pakistan. It’s inconceivable that ISI wasn’t responsible for his concealment.

The Trump administration has terminated military aid to Pakistan because it refuses to cease supporting terrorist networks with money, fighters and intelligence information. But there is no action we, or any other nation, can take to stop Pakistan’s religiously-based support for terrorism. Why, then, shouldn’t we block another IMF bailout?

Bum falling in "wrong hands" is one reason . Access to land locked Afghanistan for US is only through Pakistan is another reason . !

he second reason not to bail out Pakistan is China’s growing de facto colonization of Pakistan through CPEC. According to a Wall Street Journal report, China is investing about $62 billion in Pakistan to build infrastructure projects. Three years into the program, according to that report, about half of the CPEC planned projects have begun.

China is conducting what some call “debt trap diplomacy,” through which Pakistan is becoming so indebted to China that it will be compelled to follow China’s policies in Southwest Asia and beyond. In fact, the debt trap has already been sprung with the eager assistance of the Pakistan’s government, ISI and army.

Gwadar is a large Pakistani city on the Arabian Sea. Chinese officials have demanded that much of the nearby population be moved away for security reasons and to make room for thousands of Chinese military and civilian people being brought in to construct large port facilities and eventually transform Gwadar into a Chinese naval base.

Pakistan’s government — dependent on its army for whatever level of stability it can achieve — will not suffer de facto colonization gladly. Despite Pakistan’s support of terrorism, China’s corrupting largesse will be able to satisfy the Pakistani army and ISI sufficiently to quell any thoughts of rebellion.

In June, Defense Secretary James Mattis said of China, “The Ming Dynasty appears to be their model, albeit in a more muscular manner, demanding other nations become tribute states, kowtowing to Beijing.”

Another IMF bailout for Pakistan would be a Western contribution to China’s transformation of Pakistan into a tribute state. In these circumstances, the United States — the largest contributor to IMF — needs to voice its opposition to another bailout of Pakistan and try to prevent it. We probably can’t prevent it, but we certainly need to try. We have some leverage.According to a 2016 report by the Congressional Budget Office, U.S. obligations to the IMF were then $164 billion. But, as the CBO reported, it is very difficult to account for the actual costs we incur. Nevertheless, as the CBO wrote, because of the risk of defaulted loans U.S. contributions to IMF are at risk.

akistan’s immediate importance to us is the logistics route it has provided for supply our and our allies’ forces in Afghanistan. China’s power over Pakistan may cause future closures. Thus, our policy toward China has to factor in the war in Afghanistan. India, which borders both Pakistan and China, is the key.But our policy toward China is unclear. President Trump’s accelerating tariff war won’t turn it into a fair trader, far less an ally. It would be far better for the president to speak out on the dangers of China’s de facto colonization of Pakistan and other nations.If such action were coupled with a clear embrace of India, comprised of a new trade agreement and the beginning of a defense alliance, the president’s policy could help contain China’s ambitions.

• Jed Babbin, a deputy undersecretary of defense in the George H.W. Bush administration, is the author of “In the Words of Our Enemies.”

[anupmisra]

Pakistan may fail to persuade IMF for bailout, says EIU

Pakistan may fail to convince its international lender of last resort, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to plug the economy’s widening current account gap, but neighbouring China is likely to help the south Asian country get out of the existing foreign exchange trouble, a top British think-tank said.

Pakistan has adopted IMF’s financing programs 14 times since 1980.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/351500 ... t-says-eiu

[arun]

Pakistan may fail to persuade IMF for bailout, says EIU

Pakistan has adopted IMF’s financing programs 14 times since 1980.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/351500 ... t-says-eiu

The Mohammadden Terrorism Fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan is lot more dedicated serious serial, repeat and persistent borrower from the IMF then The News suggests.

“According to IMF data, the fund has had 21 programs with Pakistan since 1958, 14 of which since 1980.”

Mark Sobel :

Pakistan, the United States, and the IMF

[kancha]

Bailing Out Pakistan - WaPo

Another IMF bailout for Pakistan would be a Western contribution to China’s transformation of Pakistan into a tribute state. In these circumstances, the United States — the largest contributor to IMF — needs to voice its opposition to another bailout of Pakistan and try to prevent it. We probably can’t prevent it, but we certainly need to try. We have some leverage.

More of the same narrative.
But read this article for the comments from good folks from the Land of the Pure

[la.khan]

Only time will tell if the Chinese fall for the Paki nonsense, and in case they do, what kind of price they might extract from Pakistan in return

The Chinese are famous for extracting their pound of flesh, and all the blood that comes with it But again, pakis are no babes-in-the-woods; they got here by honing their skills milking American Bulls Yes, sir, only time will tell who will get the better of whom. My bet is on China coming out ahead.

[Prem]

Wohi Kaale Muhh Wala
https://www.thequint.com/voices/opinion ... tsapp_feed
Pakistan’s Financial Crisis: India Should Be a Friend in Need

Here is how we can help. First of all, as the world’s fifth largest economy, we are now in a position to assist Pakistan. Not many Pakistanis know that India is now an aid-giver, and no longer a mere aid-receiver. After having been one of the highest recipients of multi-lateral development aid for several decades after independence, India has become a net provider of aid to foreign countries.ndia has so far provided nearly USD 3 billion in line of credit to Bangladesh, for developing its infrastructure of railways, ports, roads and communications.To begin with, India should fully back the IMF’s bailout to Pakistan. Our stand will be in sharp contrast to that of Washington, and Pakistanis will surely see it in a positive light. That is the least we can do, and there is a lot more we should do.He has also pointed out that, after removal of non-tariff barriers, liberalisation of visa and normalisation of mutual relations, the two-way trade can easily go up from the present USD 5 billion to USD 30 billion. Notably, Imran Khan, in his highly conciliatory post-election comments on the need to promote friendly relations with India, has also highlighted the need to increase Indo-Pak trade ties.

[Kashi]

More of the same narrative.
But read this article for the comments from good folks from the Land of the Pure

There appears to be an abundance of comments from terroristanis (in all guises) on the recent WaPo, NYT articles on Terroristan. Contrarian comments are hardly published.

[pankajs]

Bleddy ...

These are the same folks who will scream about our spend on ISRO, etc when there are hungry people to feed in India

[Peregrine]

Mods : Posting on the this Thread as it draws the Most Readers.
X Posted on the Neutering & Defanging Chinese Threat

First it was Islam in Xinjiang - Not a Dickie Bird from the OIC or the other Guardians of Islam. Now it is with the Christians. China has Successfully and Totally "Controlled the Two Proselytizing Religions" of our World. Again not a Dickie Bird from His Eminence the Pope or any other Christian Nation! THE SILENCE IS DEAFENING!

'We must pay so dearly': China's churches raided, silenced

The 62-year-old Chinese shopkeeper had waited nearly his entire adult life to see his dream of building a church come true — a brick house with a sunny courtyard and spacious hall with room for 200 believers.

But in March, about a dozen police officers and local officials suddenly showed up at the church on his property and made the frightened congregants disperse. They ordered that the cross, a painting of the Last Supper and Bible verse calligraphy be taken down. And they demanded that all services stop until each person, along with the church itself, was registered with the government, said the shopkeeper, Guo.

Without warning, Guo and his neighbors in China's Christian heartland province of Henan had found themselves on the front lines of an ambitious new effort by the officially atheist ruling Communist Party to dictate — and in some cases displace — the practice of faith in the country.

"I've always prayed for our country's leaders, for our country to get stronger," said Guo, who gave only his last name out of fear of government retribution. "They were never this severe before, not since I started going to church in the 80's. Why are they telling us to stop now?"

Under President Xi Jinping, China's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong, believers are seeing their freedoms shrink dramatically even as the country undergoes a religious revival. Experts and activists say that as he consolidates his power, Xi is waging the most severe systematic suppression of Christianity in the country since religious freedom was written into the Chinese constitution in 1982.

The crackdown on Christianity is part of a broader push by Xi to "Sinicize" all the nation's religions by infusing them with "Chinese characteristics" such as loyalty to the Communist Party. Islamic crescents and domes have been stripped from mosques, and a campaign launched to "re-educate" tens of thousands of Uighur Muslims. Tibetan children have been moved from Buddhist temples to schools and banned from religious activities during their summer holidays, state-run media report.

This spring, a five-year plan to "Sinicize" Christianity in particular was introduced, along with new rules on religious affairs. Over the last several months, local governments across the country have shut down hundreds of private Christian "house churches." A statement last week from 47 in Beijing alone said they had faced "unprecedented" harassment since February.

Authorities have also seized Bibles, while major e-commerce retailers JD.com and Taobao pulled them off their sites. Children and party members are banned from churches in some areas, and at least one township has encouraged Christians to replace posters of Jesus with portraits of Xi. Some Christians have resorted to holding services in secret.

A dozen Chinese Protestants interviewed by the Associated Press described gatherings that were raided, interrogations and surveillance, and one pastor said hundreds of his congregants were questioned individually about their faith. Like Guo, the majority requested that their names be partly or fully withheld because they feared punishment from authorities. After reporters visited Henan in June, some interviewees said they were contacted by police or local officials who urged them not to discuss any new measures around Christianity.

The party has long been wary of Christianity because of its affiliation with Western political values. Several Chinese human rights lawyers jailed for their work, including Jiang Tianyong and Li Heping, are outspoken Christians. So too are many Hong Kong pro-democracy activists, not least among them 2014 protest leader Joshua Wong.

"Chinese leaders have always been suspicious of the political challenge or threat that Christianity poses to the Communist regime," said Xi Lian, a scholar of Christianity in China at Duke University. "Under Xi, this fear of Western infiltration has intensified and gained a prominence that we haven't seen for a long time."

———

Guo, who keeps a small storefront selling ornate doors in a riverside district, once had eyesight so poor that he could not distinguish the sky from the earth. But after finding God at 27 years old, he made a seemingly miraculous recovery that he attributes to his faith.

For decades, he, like many Christians in China, shuttled from one unregistered house church to another, where folding chairs served as pews and coffee tables as lecterns. Two years ago, he and 10 other Christians pooled their money to erect a permanent church on his property.

They are part of what experts describe as a spiritual awakening in China.

The number of Chinese believers of all faiths has doubled in two decades to an estimated 200 million, by official count, as the hold of the Communist party has weakened. Among them are an estimated 67 million Christians, including Catholics — a number that is expected to swell to become the world's largest Christian population in a matter of decades. This rapid growth has reinvigorated the party's longtime mission to domesticate a religion traditionally aligned with the West.

Historians believe that Christianity was known to China as early as the seventh century, and was later propagated by Jesuit missionaries starting in the 1500s. In recent decades the religion has faced by turns heavy persecution and tacit acceptance.

During the Cultural Revolution, when Mao sought to eradicate all religions, Christians were jailed, tortured and publicly humiliated. But they survived by operating covertly and grew steadily in number after Mao's death in 1976, when a populace disillusioned with the Communist Party began to seek moral guidance elsewhere.

Chinese Christians say the Bible gives them a sense of right versus wrong and the strength to endure in a country where power often trumps justice. While China's rapid growth has brought prosperity to many, others despair at what they see as a deterioration of public morals. The deaths of children in scandals involving tainted infant formula and shoddily-built schools in recent years have led to the sense that modern China was in the midst of an ethical crisis.

"After the 'collapse' of communist ideology, no value system has been in place to fill the spiritual vacuum," said writer Zhang Lijia. "China has witnessed a religious revival in recent decades precisely because of this vacuum and relaxed control."

Officials once largely tolerated the unregistered Protestant house churches that sprang up independent of the official Christian Council, clamping down on some while allowing others to grow. But this year they have taken a tougher approach that relies partly on "thought reform" — a phrase for political indoctrination. Last November, Christian residents of a rural township in southeast Jiangxi province were persuaded to replace posters of the cross and Jesus Christ inside their homes with portraits of Xi, a local official said.

"Through our thought reform, they've voluntarily done it," Qi Yan, a member of the township party committee, told the AP by phone. "The move is aimed at Christian families in poverty, and we educated them to believe in science and not in superstition, making them believe in the party."

The poster campaign appears to symbolize what analysts see as the underlying force driving the change in the party's approach to religion: the ascendance of Xi.

"Xi is a closet Maoist — he is very anxious about thought control," said Willy Lam, a Chinese politics expert at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. "He definitely does not want people to be faithful members of the church, because then people would profess their allegiance to the church rather than to the party, or more exactly, to Xi himself."

Various state and local officials declined repeated requests to comment. But in 2016, Xi explicitly warned against the perceived foreign threats tied to faith, telling a religion conference: "We must resolutely guard against overseas infiltrations via religious means." And in April, the religious affairs department published an article saying that churches must endorse the party's leadership as part of "Sinicization."

"Only Sinicized churches can obtain God's love," the article stated.

The government is even cracking down on Christians more aggressively through legal means. In March, a prominent Chinese house church leader with US permanent residency was sentenced to seven years in prison after he built Christian schools in Myanmar. And half a dozen Christians were sentenced last month to up to 13 years in jail for involvement in a "cult," according to U.S.-based Christian non-profit ChinaAid.

The pressure has pushed several dozen pastors and their families to flee to the United States in recent years, ChinaAid says. The wife of one pastor under house arrest left for Midland, Texas about a year ago, after authorities warned that their children might have trouble getting an education in China. She said members of their church in China were barred from being baptized, and even a simple Christmas service was interrupted.

"The government says that we have religious freedom, but really there is no freedom at all," said the pastor's wife, who asked to remain anonymous for her husband's safety. "Many of our Christian brothers and sisters are upset and fearful."

Those who resist pay the price.

After Jin Mingri, a prominent pastor who leads Zion Church in Beijing, refused local authorities' request to install surveillance cameras inside his house church, police individually questioned hundreds of members of the 1,500-person congregation, he said. The congregants faced veiled threats, Jin said, and many were asked to sign a pledge promising to leave Zion, which the government agents called illegal, politically incorrect and a cult. Some people lost their jobs or were evicted from rented apartments because police intimidated their bosses and landlords.

For 11 years, the church has been housed on one floor of an office building, but the property management informed Jin in May that they would have to move out at the end of the summer. Jin said the management admitted to being influenced by external "pressures."

"A lot of our flock are terrified by the pressure that the government is putting on them," he said. "It's painful to think that in our own country's capital, we must pay so dearly just to practice our faith."

At the epicenter of the drive to control the Christian community in China is Henan, the cradle of Chinese civilization and the entry point for many of the earliest foreign missionaries. Today, the province is one of the most populous in the country and a key part of Xi's fight against poverty, as proclaimed by red banners across acres of peanut farms and oil fields.

Around the time authorities ordered Guo's church to stop congregating in March, his district announced a crackdown on private Christian meeting spots. On a single Sunday morning, the announcement said, 700 religious banners were removed, 200 religious texts seized and 31 illegal Christian gathering places shut down. Officials went door-to-door stripping decorative scrolls bearing the cross from home entrances.

In Zhengzhou, Henan's capital, all that is left of one house church is shattered glass, tangled wires and torn hymnbooks, strewn among the rubble of a knocked-down wall. Pegged to another wall is a single wooden cross, still intact.

The church inside a commercial building had served about 100 believers for years. But in late January, nearly 60 officials from the local religion department and police station appeared without warning. Armed with electric saws, they demolished the church, confiscated Bibles and computers and held a handful of young worshipers — including a 14-year-old girl — at a police station for more than 10 hours, according to a church leader.

The authorities called the church illegal. The church leader said they had brought documentation to the religion department three or four times in an attempt to formally register it, but never received a response. Now, they have ceased to congregate.

The church leader prays that the government will change its mind.

"We support President Xi," he said. "All we ask for is a space for our faith."

That space for Xu Shijuan, a 63-year-old Seventh-Day Adventist, was her living room, where she held house church gatherings for four years. She stopped in March, after a group of men led by a local official ordered her to disband the meeting of about two dozen elderly Christians.

"If you don't heed our orders, the next group to come will be law enforcement," he said, according to Xu. "They will use force to disband you."

Xu readily complied. "The people have dispersed, but our faith has not," she told the AP at her home in Zhengzhou. "God's path cannot be blocked. The more you try to control it, the more it will grow."

Even Protestant churches already registered with the state have not been spared greater restrictions. When reporters visited five such churches in Henan this June, all bore notices at their entrances stating that minors and party members were not allowed inside. A banner above one church door exhorted members to "implement the basic direction of the party's religious work." Another church erected a Chinese flag at the foot of its steps.

Some congregations now sing the national anthem during services, according to a house church pastor named Liu. Another pastor said his government-approved church shut down its Sunday school and cancelled all activities for children after receiving orders in February.

Across Henan, house churches that once hosted gatherings of hundreds have now sealed their doors and split into groups of no more than a handful. Services are announced last-minute and held in different locations each week, often under the cloak of darkness.

For a time, Guo's church did the same. They avoided congregating on Sundays to escape authorities' notice.

But the church members were scared, and the group dwindled to 30. Authorities appealed to Guo to help gather information on his fellow Christians. He was given a form, reviewed by the AP, which asked for churchgoers' names, educational background and addresses, as well as the length of time they had been faithful and whether they were baptized.

The brick house was largely deserted this summer. Around the door frame, tattered red outlines remained of a scroll that once read "God's love is as deep as the sea."

Inside, Guo has refused to remove the cross and other decorations, telling authorities they are within his private property.

Cheers

[Pratyush]

Looks like Imran's defence minister is going to be our own Shirleen.

[hanumadu]

Supposedly Exxon found huge amount of oil and gas reserves in Balochistan - greater than that of Kuwait.

India has to move rapidly to electric vehicles and drive down the prices of oil and nullify the effect of this discovery. There is probably a gap of 4 or 5 years before the production comes fully on line. By that time we have to make significant strides in adoption of electric vehicles.

F*ck, India does not need this at this time.

PS: I feel sorry for the balochis. They will be wiped out now.

[abhijitm]

Supposedly Exxon found huge amount of oil and gas reserves in Balochistan - greater than that of Kuwait.

India has to move rapidly to electric vehicles and drive down the prices of oil and nullify the effect of this discovery. There is probably a gap of 4 or 5 years before the production comes fully on line. By that time we have to make significant strides in adoption of electric vehicles.

F*ck, India does not need this at this time.

PS: I feel sorry for the balochis. They will be wiped out now.

That's shale oil if I am not wrong.

Oil discovery will be a proportionate problem for pakistan. The west has drawn borders around the world only for oil. There is high chance baloch will be freed.

[anupmisra]

Looks like Imran's defence minister is going to be our own Shirleen.

Shrill'een! Nirmala Sitharaman's counterpart! Imagine them in a face to face confrontation. One, a poised, calm and collected thinker. The other, Jabba the Hutt with purple hair, behaving like a "tractor-trolley". (There, SS, I remembered).

[anupmisra]

There is high chance baloch will be freed.

...or chinified or islamicized. Either way, its the death knell for the enslaved balochis.

[hanumadu]

Supposedly Exxon found huge amount of oil and gas reserves in Balochistan - greater than that of Kuwait.

India has to move rapidly to electric vehicles and drive down the prices of oil and nullify the effect of this discovery. There is probably a gap of 4 or 5 years before the production comes fully on line. By that time we have to make significant strides in adoption of electric vehicles.

F*ck, India does not need this at this time.

PS: I feel sorry for the balochis. They will be wiped out now.

That's shale oil if I am not wrong.

Oil discovery will be a proportionate problem for pakistan. The west has drawn borders around the world only for oil. There is high chance baloch will be freed.

They didn't mention it as shale. Its offshore drilling.
https://timesofislamabad.com/06-Aug-201 ... try-report

[hanumadu]

So far, all news items about the discovery or quoting the paki foreign minister. No confirmation from Exxon yet. Keeping fingers crossed its another paki lie.

[anupmisra]

Uh-oh! Someone did not follow the rules.

Raheel Sharif did not obtain NOC from cabinet for heading Saudi military alliance, SC told

The Supreme Court was informed by the attorney general on Tuesday that former army chief Gen Raheel Sharif did not obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the federal cabinet before leaving for Saudi Arabia to head a 41-nation military alliance.

Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan said that as per the law, the NOC is issued by the federal government to government officers willing to join service in foreign lands.

The attorney general presented the legal perspective after defence secretary retired Lt Gen Zamirul Hassan informed the court that it was the defence ministry which had granted NOC to the ex-chief of army staff after General Headquarters (GHQ) cleared him to accept the post of Commander of Islamic Military Counterterrorism Coalition in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Speaking about Lt Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha, the secretary told the court that the former ISI director general has informed in his reply that he is currently unemployed.

"We have to proceed according to the law," the CJP said

https://www.dawn.com/news/1425538/rahee ... ce-sc-told

In 2017, this was reported by yawn!

Raheel Sharif departs for Riyadh to lead military alliance after govt issues NOC

Media reports suggested that the former chief of army staff was granted approval to serve as head of the alliance for three years.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told Geo News that Sharif had been "given permission to head the military alliance after completion of all legal formalities and requirements" by the federal government.

approval for Raheel Sharif's departure had also been granted by General Headquarters Rawalpindi according to established procedures.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1328349/rahee ... issues-noc

[Falijee]

Imran Will Personally Take Care Of The "Core Issue" Next Month At The UN

Imran Khan to leave for first crucial US visit after becoming PM in September

D – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan, who is set to become prime minister, will be visiting the United States for first time as country’s premier in the next month after taking oath.

The incoming PM will attend 73rd United Nations General Assembly session in New York going to be held in the second week of September. He will also address the UNGA session to highlight Pakistan’s stance major issues, including grave human rights violations and Indian atrocities in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir, local media reported.

Expect some verbal bluster against India and maybe some barbs directed at Modi-ji also. In retrospect, the meeting last week with "Doctor" Lodhi at Bani Gala makes sense now !

The annual session of the General Assembly has special significance as it is attended by a large number of Heads of States and governments. The Pakistani premier will also give policy statement ( Pakiland is against terrorism, has suffered $ 1000 billion economic damage due to this, Pakistan wants "peace" with India with H&D, Pakis want" peaceful" Afghanistan blah, blah blah ) during the session.

On the sidelines of the UNGA, the Prime Minister would hold meetings with the members of the US administration where he will highlight the ideology of new Pakistan, a famous slogan of the PTI during election campaign.

The so called "Naya Pakistan" with old discredited politicians in charge .! The Kaptaan is aware that Islamic Welfare State ( whatever it means ) is not achievable without the financial cooperation of Massa . So begging bowl is necessary !

Khan is also expected to hold talks with US officials on various matters, including economic ties, Pakistan’s name on FATF’s grey list, war against terrorism, etc.During his visit, the new prime minister is expected to hold meetings with heads of different countries, including China, Afghanistan, Iran and others.

Would not rule out a handshake and chit chat if PM Modi is in attendance !

During his victory speech on Julu 26, Imran Khan highlights key features of his government’s foreign policy. “We want to learn from China how they brought 700 million people out of poverty … The other thing we can learn from China is … the measures they have taken against corruption, how they have arrested more than 400 ministers there. And the Chini Internet And Censorship System is also on the way via the Khunjerab, courtesy CPEC

With the US, we want to have a mutually beneficial relationship … up until now, that has been one way, the US thinks it gives us aid to fight their war … we want both countries to benefit, we want a balanced relationship.

On India: I think it will be very good for all of us if we have good relations with India. We need to have trade ties, and the more we will trade, both countries will benefit. The unfortunate truth is that Kashmir is a core issue, and the situation in Kashmir, and what the people of Kashmir have seen in the last 30 years …. they have really suffered”.

Imran is "old wine in a new bottle" IMO !

[Falijee]

Bad Sharif On The "Hot Seat" ? When You Are COAS Of Pak Army, You Do Not Worry About N.O.C. From The Cabinet

Raheel Sharif did not obtain NOC from cabinet for heading Saudi military alliance, SC told

The Supreme Court was informed by the attorney general on Tuesday that former army chief Gen Raheel Sharif did not obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the federal cabinet before leaving for Saudi Arabia to head a 41-nation military alliance.During the hearing of a suo motu case regarding dual nationality of civil servants and judges, Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan said that as per the law, the NOC is issued by the federal government to government officers willing to join service in foreign lands. It is required for the NOC to be approved by the federal cabinet under government service rules, he added.

This kind of "once in a life-time" opportunity to "mint money" (rumours were that Raheel is drawing one million US dollars per annum ) do not come too often, so who cares about NOC anyways . Others say that this was a quid pro quo with the "Good Sharif" , when Raheel was coming hard on him . Ganja whispered a few good words in the ears of the Saudi Monarch and Raheel got the "job"

The attorney general presented the legal perspective after defence secretary retired Lt Gen Zamirul Hassan informed the court that it was the defence ministry which had granted NOC to the ex-chief of army staff after General Headquarters (GHQ) cleared him to accept the post of Commander of Islamic Military Counterterrorism Coalition in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Speaking about Lt Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha, the secretary told the court that the former ISI director general has informed in his reply that he is currently unemployed.

Imran should "pick" him up and employ him , is some capacity or the other. After all, Pasha is responsible for "popularizing" Immy, when he was ISI Chief !

After hearing all sides, a three-judge bench of the SC headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar ordered authorities that the matter of Sharif's appointment be placed before the federal cabinet for a regular approval (or disapproval)."We have to proceed according to the law," the CJP said during the hearing, observing that the authority of the federal government is controlled by the cabinet. He said the matter at hand was of an urgent nature.

Just back date the NOC Certificate Date and get it approved by Imran's cabinet. And the problem will be solved . ! Does anyone seriously expect that some sort of a punitive action will be taken against GENERAL RAHEEL SHARIF ! If they were serious in this regard they could have summoned him when he was seen in La-Whore casting his vote !

The hearing was adjourned till an unannounced date after the summer vacations as the attorney general and defence secretary sought time to refer the matter of NOC to the cabinet.The court was earlier informed by the defence secretary that the process is underway to receive an undertaking from all members of the armed forces that they are not dual nationals.

The appointment of Raheel Sharif as the leader of the Saudi military alliance last year had sparked debate over how the move will impact Pakistan's foreign policy, and whether it was fully sanctioned by parliament.

What Raheel ( and Saudia ) want, Raheel ( and Saudia) get !

Various quarters subsequently raised concerns about the nature of the alliance and how it may affect a pre-existing parliamentary resolution on Yemen passed unanimously by lawmakers calling for "neutrality in the conflict" in 2015.The then-defence minister Khurram Dastagir had later informed the Senate that the alliance will not take part in "unrelated military operations".

All this hoopla about Raheel not getting NOC from Ganja cabinet is just to assuage the "Echendee" of Saquib and the Paki Supreme Court . How dare that "proper procedures" were not followed .! As usual, this matter will probably die a natural death , and "other matters" will be sniffed out for future actions ( look busy, do nothing syndrome!)

[Falijee]

CJP Saquib "Orders" Shaheen To Pay Damages To Stranded Passengers !

Pay damages to affected passengers, top court tells Shaheen Air

You cannot get blood out of a stone
The Airline is on its last legs wings, if reports are to be believed !

[Falijee]

Jemima Khan Cannot "Get Enough" Of Pakis And Pakistan

Jemima Goldsmith makes a humble request to Pakistanis
Aug 7, 2018

LONDON - Jemima Goldsmith has urged not to involve her children in the politics of Pakistan.Pakistan Peoples Party-Shaheed Bhutto (PPP-SB) chairperson Ghinwa Bhutto apologised on Monday to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan's ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith over a misinformed tweet.

Ghinwa had shared a tweet of a picture of Jemima on a family holiday and said, "Imran Khan’s family on a visit to the apartheid state of #Israel. What does this mean to Pakistan?"Following this, Jemima pointed out that they were visiting Mexico and not Israel and called out Ghinwa for her "staggeringly ignorant" tweet.

"This tweet is staggeringly ignorant and would be funny if it weren’t dangerous. The photo is taken on a family holiday in Mexico (not Israel) and we are wearing ponchos (not Jewish religious dress) GhinwaBhutto - shame on you," Jemima replied.In response to Jemima's tweet, Ghinwa issued an apology. However, the PPP-SB chairperson asked Jemima to not 'lecture' her about shame.

"Oh my god! that was Mexico? My apologies. How perceptions can easily blind people, even me. But please, please do not lecture me about shame," Ghinwa wrote.However, the back-and-forth ended on a positive note, with the PTI chief's ex-wife tweeting: "Apology accepted. Thank you. I know your own lovely children have been attacked unfairly for political reasons so I’d appreciate it if you’d please think twice before doing the same to mine. They are not involved in politics in Pakistan nor anywhere else."

She probably has made a such a "private" appeal to the Kaptaan in one of the phone calls, she still regularly makes , according to Reham Khan ! In all fairness, it should be pointed that "all" Pakis "love" Jemima , except for Maulana Fazl ( AKA Diesel) who holds a special "grudge" against "all Jews and Zionists" ! So, it is possible that he and his followers may not heed to this "reasonable request" from Jemima

[Falijee]

Now The "Famous" Hamid Mir Is Beginning To Sing The Paeans Of Kaptaan Khan

The Imran Khan I know

“Do you remember how I made my political party and do you remember the days of my struggle?” Imran Khan posed this question to me at the start of a recent meeting that took place days after his victory in the general elections 2018.

It was not a formal interview. It was just a coffee meeting in his Banigala office where a big change was visible a few days before his oath as the prime minister. I was asked to deposit my mobile phone at the entrance of his office. It never happened in the last so many years since he shifted from the posh E-7 area to the hill top of Banigala in Islamabad. I suddenly realised, oh! I am going to meet the new prime minister of Pakistan.

Before meeting Imran Khan, I saw former chief minister of KP Pervaiz Khattak, his old comrades Dr Arif Alvi and Muneeza Hasan sitting in a nicely decorated waiting room next to the office of Imran Khan. It will become the camp office of the new prime minister on weekends because Imran Khan will not spend his weekends in the official residence of the prime minister.

His "beloved" dogs,- who recently made it to the Wiki Page - will not be allowed at the Official Residence . So, it makes sense to see them at the weekend ! IMO, it is also going to be "long distance marriage" The Kaptaan in Isloo, the Peerni in Pakpattan

Imran Khan met me with a tension-free smiling face. During our conversation, he was mentioning the big challenges waiting for him with a smile on his face. This time he was not talking against Nawaz Sharif or Asif Zardari. He was talking about the energy crisis, water shortage and debt problem. When I said problems are big and opposition in parliament is also very big, he said: “Many people used to say Imran Khan cannot become prime minister, now the same people saying Imran Khan cannot resolve our problems but wait and see I will defeat these problems.”

Imran Khan was very much aware that he may face some difficulties in the election ofspeaker and deputy of the National Assembly. The election of prime minister will be open but the election of speaker and deputy speaker will be held through secret ballot. He was confident that he will easily win the speaker's election. “I am not worried from this opposition, they are not natural allies,” he added.

Can anyone seriously believe, that the sanctity of the secret vote is assured in Pakiland ? Rigging is endemic at ALL ballots !!!

He surprised me by saying that he is ready to meet Baloch leader Akhtar Mengal and he will support his six demands. The first demand of Balochistan National Party (BNP) head is about missing persons. He is demanding to produce all the missing persons in a court of law. He has only three seats in the National Assembly but Imran Khan was not supporting his six demands just for three votes. He said: “I supported six points of Akhtar Mengal in 2012 and I will try to address his six demands in 2018 as prime minister because I see nothing wrong in his demands."

Imran is well known for doing a 180* when it suits him . He is unpredictable . Therefore , he cannot be trusted !

Akhtar Mengal is one of those who are openly talking about pre-poll and after poll rigging in the 2018 election. He is an old critic of the powerful military establishment. Imran Khan can become the prime minister without his three votes but his engagement with the BNP is a message for all those who think that he is a puppet of powerful forces who never wanted to see people like Akhtar Mengal in parliament.

Imran Khan is committed to resolving the issue of missing persons with the help of army and all the concerned State institutions. It was Imran Khan who first broke the disappearance story of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui from Karachi in my TV show Capital Talk on Geo News in 2003. Then Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat was present in the show. Dr Aafia is now spending her life in a US prison and Imran Khan cannot afford to remain silent about her.

A trial balloon is being floated that Afia, the Al-Qaeda sleeper agent be traded for the so-called CIA agent, Dr Shakil Afridi. Do not think that Massa will entertain this exchange !

The issue of missing persons was directly linked with the war against terrorism. A big number of people were picked up by security agencies for their alleged links with militants and Imran Khan was one of those who were loudly saying “it is not our war, it is America’s war, we should not fight with our own people, and we should produce all disappeared persons in the courts of law”. Many critics declared him Taliban Khan.

Rightly, IMO. Did he not seek alliance with Sami- ul-Haq , one of the founding fathers of the Taliban ?

We also discussed why Indian star Aamir Khan is not coming to his oath taking. I guessed that Aamir is not busy, may be he is under pressure. Imran never made any comments and just smiled. We discussed Indian PM Modi’s telephone call to him. He told me Modi never mentioned Kashmir but "I am committed to Kashmir cause".

And that is why he is going to the UN to "raise the core issue" !

He may not go to NAB in person on August 7 but the Imran Khan I know must appear in front of NAB team after taking oath as prime minister. By appearing before NAB, a sitting prime minister can give a message to the whole world that it’s the beginning of a New Pakistan (Naya Pakistan). He should also respect criticism and critics. I criticised him many times in the past but he never complained.

He did go to the NAB.after taking Mir's advice. Mir should be happy

Imran Khan must introduce a tolerant policy for the media and win support for his government through good governance, and not through unseen pressures. Imran Khan must realise that he has become a majority leader not due to his manifesto, but because of the blunders and mistakes of his political opponents. Now his opponents are waiting for his mistakes. He cannot afford any mistakes because once this opposition will get united and start marching towards Islamabad Imran Khan will not be able to defend his government without public support. He needs more public support with pro-public policies

Did not Mir ask him about allegations that Deep State helped him ? Guess that was a "hot potato" topic ? Mr. Mir desperately wants to be on the "good side" of the Kaptaan to feed his "big size" ego !!!

[Falijee]

Maulana Fazl's JUI To Create Hurdles In Karachi For Imran's PTI

JUI-F to block Karachi’s entry, exit points to protest ‘rigging’ in elections
August 7, 2018

Rejecting the results of the July 25 general polls, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Sindh chapter has decided to organise a protest and block the main entry and exit points of Karachi tomorrow (August against the alleged rigging in the elections.The JUI-F is part of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, an electoral alliance of five religious parties, which took part in the general elections across the country. The party’s Sindh chapter in a provincial meeting rejected the result of the elections and decided that a protest would be launched against the alleged rigging.

Whether through rigging or not, the Maulana and his JUI Party have been dealt a "resounding defeat" so much so that the "esteemed politico" himself lost his MNA seat and for the first time in 13 years has been completely "shut out from power", with the result that he had to completely vacate his (free ) bungalow,- and seek shelter in an Isloo farmhouse - return back the (free) bullet proof car, pay himself now for his previous free air travel, pay for his own health care, pay for his own servants and own "office" staff . IOW, his "free loading" days are completely over . And hence the angst

Addressing the meeting, provincial secretary general Dr Rashid Mehmood Soomro that his party had rejected the rigged elections and would block all important roads on August 8 and organise a sit-in outside the Election Commission of Pakistan office in Karachi on Aug 9.

Sour grapes

According to its strategy for Karachi, the party announced that its organisations in Malir, Korangi and Thatta districts would organise a sit-in at Ghaghar Pathak on August 8, blocking the National Highway for traffic, while members of the party in East and Central districts would organise a sit-in in Sohrab Goth, blocking the Super Highway.Similarly, the party’s organisations in West and South districts would block Hub River Road. The next day, on August 9, the JUI-F will organise a sit-in outside the ECP office in Karachi.

Doubt that the Karachi authorities, would "tolerate" this nuisance. As it is , there is a lot of anti- Pashtun sentiment still lingering in the largest city of Pakiland !

Qari Muhammad Usman, the JUI-F deputy chief, said that the July 25 elections had set the worst precedent of rigging in the country. “Public mandate had been stolen while the administration and the election commission failed to conduct free and fair elections,” Usman, who was also a candidate for a provincial assembly seat in Karachi, told The News. He said that it was a conspiracy against the MMA to keep its candidate out of the assembly through rigging.

IMO, the JUI should join hands with the new (religious) kid on the block , the Khadim Rizvi led TLP, who is also protesting for the same reason . Two ( Islami) heads are better than one

[Falijee]

This B.S. Farticle Dares To Say That Pakistan Can Come Out Of Its Financial Misery Just Like India Did When It Borrowed $ 2.2 Billion From IMF

An accounting problem?
Mosharraf Zaidi- The News International
August 7, 2018

Take a long, hard look at the difference in how much power India enjoys on the world stage, and how little Pakistan does. It begins in 1991.

No mention in the attached farticle about shedding defence expenditures ( an obviously no-go area), about fomenting terrorism in neighbouring countries, about suppression of minorities and non-Pakjabi ethnicities, about the corrupt politicos and the corrupt bureaucracy, about depending on "free lunch" , about using "Pakiland's so -called strategic location" to milk money from other countries etc etc

[Falijee]

A Bonus From Allah

A Man from Karachi Just Found Rs 8 Billion in His Bank Account ( And Paki F.I.A Is "Investigating" )

IMO, he should just withdraw the windfall , purchase air tickets for him and his family and take the first flight out to Rwanda, Zimbabwe , Haiti or Somalia (first choice because of halal grub ) . These countries "still allow" visa less entries for Pakis. Once there, future "immigration" to other "good" countries can easily be arranged with the Manna from Allah

[Falijee]

Bakra Eid Market Goes Hi- Tech In Pakiland

These Websites Help You Purchase and Sacrifice Animals for Eid-ul-Azha

PS: Caveat Emptor ( Buyer Beware) Is Advisable, due to the endemic disease of Pakisaniyat

Here is a list of Online Qurbani Websites that are providing services.

Note: Buyers are advised to do their due diligence before ordering sacrificial animals from the mentioned resources. These online services accept online bank transfers, Easypay, Debit / Credit Card details before deals can be executed.

Note : No "due diligence" was performed when Pakistan "purchased" the 60 Billion US Dollar " White Elephant " called CPEC. The "shrewd Chinese " have "refused" to return the monies back to the Pakis

[Peregrine]

Front, Front Watching Happening Happening What!

ECP withholds Imran Khan's victory notifications from Lahore, Islamabad constituencies

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan has withheld victory notifications of Imran Khan from NA-131 and NA-53.

Moments after TV channel reported that the electoral body has withheld results from all five constituencies Imran Khan won, the Election Commission of Pakistan clarified that it held back notifications of only two constituencies .

The ECP move comes a day after the former cricket hero was formally nominated as its candidate by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for the slot of prime minister.

The ECP has conditionally notified results of three seats won by Imran Khan.

Notification of victory from Islamabad was withheld for a case related to violation of election code of conduct against PTI chairman Imran Khan .

The PTI chairman was issued a notice by the ECP for casting his ballot in front of cameras on July 25.

While in NA-131, the result was not notified by the ECP due to a case pending in the Lahore High Court.

Senior analyst Hamid Mir said it was incumbent upon ECP staff to ask Imran Khan to maintain secrecy while casting ballot.

The ECP's decision to withhold the results has jeopardized holding of election for next prime minister of the country.

Cheers

[Falijee]

This Indian Analyst Predicts That Imran's Naya Pakistan Is Likely To Be A Hoax !

All That’s Not New in Naya Pakistan
30 Jul, 2018
Pranay Kotasthane- PRAGATI
POSTED IN FULL

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party under Imran Khan’s leadership upstaged the grand old parties in the Pakistan general elections 2018. With outside support from the Pakistani Army and inside support from a few other political parties, PTI is set to form the next government that will administer the putative State of Pakistan.

In his post-election speech, Imran Khan promised to bring about a Naya Pakistan. Regardless of what he promised and what he didn’t, a deluge of commentaries on election day projected how this election was at once a slap on the face of corrupt leaders, a big moment for the democracy in Pakistan, and even a new opportunity for rekindling India-Pakistan relations.

So, in sympathy with fellow readers who had to endure these commentaries, I will focus on something diagonally opposite: what are the structural factors in Pakistani polity that haven’t changed with the 2018 elections.

The First Constant: Dominance of the Military-Jihadi Complex

By no means is this election a new hope for democratic forces in Pakistan. If anything, the message was quite the opposite — even a splendid success in national elections is no ticket to question the dominance of the Pakistani military-jihadi complex. Those who unravel this socio-political contract will find out that the judiciary no longer certifies the political leaders to be sadiq and ameen (honest and righteous), two conditions for holding public office that Zia ul-Haq inserted in the Pakistani Constitution to remind everyone where the power centre really was.

Not that there was ever a doubt. We have argued earlier that Pakistan is not one geopolitical entity, but two. The first is a putative state; represented by civilian governments and a civilian de-facto head of state, having its own flag and other paraphernalia that make it appear like a sovereign state. The competing entity is not just the military, as it is generally held. Instead, it is a dynamic syndicate of military, militant, radical Islamist and political-economic structures that pursues a set of domestic and foreign policies to ensure its own survival and relative dominance: the Military—Jihadi Complex (MJC).

Riding on his last electoral success, Nawaz Sharif asked tough questions of the MJC. This was made public in a October 6, 2016 Dawn report and the above-mentioned script played itself out. Even as a new government shapes up, the MJC’s message to it is clear: know thy limits. So called "red lines" of the Deep State

The Second Invariant: A Friction Between the Two Pakistans

Like Imran Khan, Nawaz Sharif was also a creation of the MJC. And yet, the two Pakistans clashed with each other on more than one occasion. Such is the logic of power, and we can expect that the same will play out even under a PTI leadership, albeit in an attenuated manner.

Najam Sethi explains it best: Admittedly, the Miltablishment has stitched up an extraordinary political dispensation in difficult times. But, unlike Nawaz, the person they have chosen to lead it is strong-willed and unpredictable. In fact, Nawaz was eminently pliant. Yet, after a while, he felt compelled, given the nature of power, to try and be his own man. But this was unacceptable and he had to pay the price for even thinking such rash thoughts. Imran Khan, on the other hand, is a different kettle of fish. He may have embraced the Miltablishment as a tactical move but sooner rather than later he will begin to challenge the conventional wisdom of the national security state handed down to him. That’s when all bets will be off.

The MJC’s strong action against Nawaz Sharif has quelled the opposition to its ways and means for now. But as the tougher challenges of governance are taken up, there will be friction. The Army’s resistance to the 18th Constitutional Amendment which tried to bolster the fiscal autonomy of the provinces might well prove to be a starting point for these clashes.

With Imran as a "showpiece", the MJC has a "better chance" of Pakiland being (wrongly !) portrayed as a "liberal" kind of a nation, until Imran wises up

The Third Disappointment: Dialogue Will Continue to Be Futile

The new PM of Pakistan hasn’t been sworn in yet. But that didn’t stop commentaries from both sides on why the ball is in India’s court to resume dialogue with Pakistan at the highest level. We released a discussion paper in 2016 arguing exactly the opposite. We explained that talks, especially at higher levels of the political ladder, have a close correlation with provocative action from Pakistan.

So, instead of wasting political capital on an exercise that is imminently counter-productive, India must recognise that talking to Pakistan is no guarantee against terrorism, just as not talking to Pakistan cannot ensure India of a terror-free environment. We had written back then:

Only by putting in place mitigation strategies can India hope to better protect itself from the terror infrastructure that continues to thrive in Pakistan. These mitigation strategies require India to muster resources at its disposal (including political, diplomatic, economic and military) and channelise them much more effectively to both insulate the country and impose costs when transgressions occur. As for the current peace initiatives, India is better served by leaving the handling of its Pakistan policy to civil servants and diplomats, rather than its political leadership. Hence, formulating India’s actions on the basis of a few conciliatory notes made in Imran Khan’s victory speech belies an understanding of the Pakistani politics.

Concrete measures needs to be seen on the "ground level", before even talks can begin on the "talks", to ensure that this is new wine in a new bottle !

The Fourth Constant: Strains in the China-Pakistan Relationship

Pakistan’s economy is in dire straits with unsustainable levels of debt. The Chinese are proving to be tough ‘masters’ for Pakistan (with apologies to Ayub Khan). On the economic front, China’s support to Pakistan has been conditional, and in the form of loans rather than grants. China’s flagship Belt & Road initiative, the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, is now beginning to face opposition from several sections in Pakistan. There are many points in this engagement where the interests of Pakistan and China collide. Andrew Small, who has been tracking the China-Pakistan relationship observes that a CPEC slowdown is likely. Given how the Pakistani leadership has tied its economic fate to this one arrangement, such a move is bound to increase tensions between the two countries.

The IMF will want to see details of all the "secret clauses" that were hidden from the Paki populace and the Paki National Assembly, before they part with a single IMF Dollar. US Secretary Pompeo is quite clear on this point !

The Fifth Fixed Factor: Terrorism in and out of Pakistan

The failure of the new and old Islamist parties in the elections has been interpreted by a few as a rejection of extremism and terrorism. That is again a misconception. The PTI has been a supporter of the Afghan Taliban. It has backed Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. Imran Khan has himself indulged in blatant anti-Ahmadi rhetoric. Besides, the fact that these elections saw the deliberate mainstreaming of terrorist outfits in the elections is itself a big cause of worry for the citizens of Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan alike.

Finally, the question of whether the Pakistan Army rigged the voting process is a moot one because those who are in control of the entire putative state need not depend on rigging the final voting process. Hopefully, these five constants outlined above will help us look at the Pakistan general elections 2018 for what it really was.*

And one "surprising" outcome of this whole "rigged exercise " being is that the new (religious) kid on the Islami Block - mainstreamed by the Deep State - is also "complaining" that the "election is rigged ". Khadim Rizvi of the TLP is makes "noises" as well !!!

[SSridhar]

This Indian Analyst Predicts That Imran's Naya Pakistan Is Likely To Be A Hoax !

The failure of the new and old Islamist parties in the elections has been interpreted by a few as a rejection of extremism and terrorism. That is again a misconception.

I don't know why people don't want to learn from history. It used to be said of the same thing citing Jama'at-e-Islami losing elections in Pakistan. They used to claim that there was no widespread support within Pakistan for extremism. So, from where did all these jihadism, extremism and fundamentalism emerge? How did Pakistan hit the top of the jihadism/terrorism chart and has managed to continue to remain there head and shoulders above its nearest competitor? Winning elections and propagating extremism/hatred/terrorism/jihadism are two independent things in Pakistan, for several reasons. This has been proved true again and again (not that there have been many elections in Pakistan).

[Peregrine]

Khan says PTI govt will go to IMF after thorough deliberations

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and prime minister nominee Imran Khan has expressed optimism saying we have to bring change in Pakistan in next five years and that this change cannot be achieved without sacrifices.

Imran Khan was addressing the elected MPAs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Peshawar during the PTI’s Parliamentary meeting here Tuesday.

“Over 50 percent of Pakistanis were living below poverty line. We have to make Pakistan a welfare state. We have to serve the people as coming in power in not for our one personality,’ said Imran Khan.

“We have to reduce expenditures and bring austerity measures. A committee will be formed to reduce expenditures of President, Prime Minister and the ministers,” PTI chief said.

Imran Khan went on to say the government will go to the International Monetary Fund after thorough deliberations, Radio Pakistan reported. Immy Dimmy : You have to go and beg at IMF's Doors - No Ifs No Buts!

Electing the Chief Minister and his cabinet was his responsibility, therefore everything will be made on merit and everyone will be held accountable.

All ministers will be given certain targets and they have to arrive office sharp at 9:00 am.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, we have to bring more reforms in local bodies besides improving education sector.

Cheers

[anupmisra]

Khan says PTI govt will go to IMF after thorough deliberations

Screw deliberations, celebrations. Just ask the peerni. After all, she sees and knows all.

[anupmisra]

They used to claim that there was no widespread support within Pakistan for extremism. So, from where did all these jihadism, extremism and fundamentalism emerge?

A moderate paki is he/she who holds down the legs while the extremist pakis go about beheading the poor kufrs. A liberal paki is he/she who looks the other way. An educated paki is he/she who writes a blog about it, justifying the murder. The only difference is in the length of their beards.