Terrorist Islamic Republic of Pakistan - September 15, 2009

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 04 Oct 2009 07:25

SSridhar wrote:Twists, Turns & U-turns
Did Pakistan’s strategy as a major supporter of the Taliban actually change?

I believe that even the talking heads on our private TV channels have realised by now that General Musharraf’s support to the Taliban did not reverse; it merely became clandestine. As all records and memoirs of the Winter War of 2001-02 show, Al Qaeda and the Taliban consciously fled south and east from the ISAF bombings, knowing they would find safety in Pakistan. . . . Therefore, no real U-turn by Musharraf in 2001, merely continued clandestine support of the Taliban assets who had helped project Pakistan’s “strategic depth” into Afghanistan. If there was any U-turn, it was by the US Presidency, which reversed its principled disapproval of usurper regimes to becoming a ‘tight buddy’ of General Musharraf. This was not just a change of personalities in the White House. It was a fundamental change of tactics. An American U-turn, if there ever was one.
Read the whole article. Quite interesting coming from a Paki. This particular author has been one of the saner analysts in Pakistan.

its clear that TSP has always supported the jihadis. Now with the $7.5B 'aid' sanctioned there will be pressure to act on them. And that will lead to its own dynamics. When a softliner (TSPA) meets a hardliner they will defect and cause a civil war. TSPA wants to avoid that. These will be dicey times ahead.

Nandu · Post by **Nandu** » 04 Oct 2009 07:56

asprinzl wrote:Nandu,
I think it is widespread practise among diplomats posted at the UN, Western Europe and in consulates and embassies across the US to acquire Green Card or American citizenship. Currently in circle of people that I hang out I know of three individuals whose diplomatic families from India that acquired either greencard or citizenship, two others from Pakistan and another from Bangladesh. Spoilts brats all of them.
Avram

I don't particularly care what her actual legal status is. The point is that here is a vested member of the Pakistani establishment shamelessly trying to present herself as speaking as an American while speaking before the US senate, and nobody calls her on it or even blinks.

Anujan · Post by **Anujan** » 04 Oct 2009 08:29

Britain to help Pak establish MI5-like network

Britain will assist Pakistan to set up a counter-intelligence agency on the line of British secret service, MI5.

BBC's Richard Watson quoted senior British and Pakistani counter-terrorism officials as saying that British training and funding will be made available to the new security authority.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 04 Oct 2009 09:46

http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=201524

Guboed lives

Mai Soor Hasan
Yet the affluent ones are regally indifferent. Wearing the flag of Pakistan on their imported designer suits impresses nobody, because this kind of patriotism is not worth a rat's ass. Perhaps Pakistan has insurmountable problems and perhaps everything that you do is bound to hit you back in the face, but where is the exemplary leadership that Mr Jinnah showed us not too long ago? Why do we bow and salute his picture when we are not the least bit pushed about him or what he stood for? What kind of mockery is this? And yet, shamelessly, it is enacted day after day. Look at the moral indignation that we express every time drones attack us, or Blackwater operators rain down on Islamabad and look at the noises we make when our sovereignty is trounced, but tell us that a few nickels are awaiting us in Swaziland and we will make a beeline for it, without shame and with a begging bowl the size of Maulana Fazalur Rehman's torso, complete with dishwashing cloth. The president thunders at the United States, wags threatening fingers at the Congress and tells our media that Pakistan will not take any dictation. Is this a soap opera? Since when did beggars call the shots? The prime minister thunders as drones waltz in Pakistani airspace. No one will dare mess about with Pakistan's virginal sovereignty, he roars. I am sorry to shatter the dream, but this ain't no virgin. In fact it's been had by just about everybody and the rates hit rock bottom years ago. So shout as much as you like. No one is fooled but faithfools

( Bale Bale BR Graduate, Bakistan can get free Virginity Restore Devise from Fliend China )

arun · Post by **arun** » 04 Oct 2009 17:03

Nandu wrote:
SSridhar wrote:US should not do a Sabra or a Shatila like action on Quetta
Pakistan cannot do a Sabra-Shatila in Quetta, warns Dr Maleeha Lodhi, the former Pakistani envoy to the US and Britain.

“If we tried, for example, to do a Sabra and a Shatila in one of the camps in Quetta, you can imagine what the outcry will be from within Pakistan, much less the international community,” she told the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
"We"? When did Maleeha become American?

Never.

She identifies herself as Pakistani in the first line of her testimony to the US Senate:

Mr. Chairman, members of the Committee, I am honored to appear before you today as a Pakistani citizen, not as a spokesperson for the government. ………………

Maleeha Lodhi Testimony

arun · Post by **arun** » 04 Oct 2009 17:12

SSridhar wrote:Pak fears rising India in Afghanistan: US Official

Pakistan believes Afghanistan is developing into an Indian garrison and has been nurturing groups like the Taliban and Lashkar-e-Tayiba over the years to counter it, a key United States Senate Committee has been told. {Snipped}.............

Milton Bearden's testimony to the US Senate about the takleef India is creating for Pakistan in Afghanistan is available here :

The War in Afghanistan, The Regional Effects

shynee · Post by **shynee** » 05 Oct 2009 00:56

Akram can't do commentary in Champions League: Indian government

KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain and expert commentator Wasim Akram has been denied permission by the Indian government to do commentary in the Champions League tournament starting in India from October 8.

According to a newspaper report, Wasim, who was in Johannesburg covering the Champions Trophy was all set to fly to India for his fresh stint in the Champions League T20 tournament.

"But, at the last moment, he was informed by the tournament organisers that his services were no longer required," the report said.

"Wasim was surprised to learn about this and was later explained unofficially that the Indian Cricket Board had told the organisers to avoid inviting Wasim to India because of policy instructions from the government," the report added.

The report said that the Indian government had apparently advised the BCCI that since no Pakistani player or team was featuring in the Champions League, it should avoid inviting Pakistani cricketers to India.

Knight Riders can't avail of Akram's services

MUMBAI: The Indian Premier League (IPL) team Knight Riders will now have to shelve plans to get Pakistani bowling great Wasim Akram on board as bowling consultant for IPL-3.

According to BCCI sources, the board, the IPL's governing council and franchisees have been asked to restrain from hiring/recruiting players/officials/coaches from Pakistan, till further orders from the home ministry.

Post 26/11, the home ministry had clearly told BCCI that no Pakistani player would be allowed to play in India. According to sources, as the ongoing differences between India and Pakistan are yet to be settled at the diplomatic level, the board does not want any IPL team to sign new players or coaches.

This also means that the hopes of Pakistani players - who are now World T20 champions - to get to play in IPL-3 or get fee hikes will not become a reality, at least for now

pgbhat · Post by **pgbhat** » 05 Oct 2009 01:02

^^
I can't wait to see Pakis/RAPEs

.

Nihat · Post by **Nihat** » 05 Oct 2009 01:36

I was hoping they could make an exception for Akram though

Karan Dixit · Post by **Karan Dixit** » 05 Oct 2009 01:37

It seems like our beloved neighbor is going down the toilet. Even the puny Kiwis were able to beat them up.

http://sports.yahoo.com/sk/news?slug=re ... &type=lgns

harbans · Post by **harbans** » 05 Oct 2009 05:31

I was hoping they could make an exception for Akram though

Yes i agree. Akram was never the Jihadi type like the Waqar younis, Imrans etc. Akram one can make out genuinely has fondness for India. Not the regular Paki. Somewhat like Zardari who has'nt any hatred to India. Guy like Gilani does. GOI should start understanding the difference also. Though if it is a policy statement dictated to BCCI i wish they implement it thoroughly. BCCI cannot differentiate. The GOI functionaries are not looking into the Ghazwa E Hind mindset of Paki players. Akram is certainly excluded from that. So is Akhtar. These guys want to break off from the PCB Inzamum mould. Look at the way the PCB exposed Akhtars STD to the world! No Doctor in India would do so, the medical profession does not allow disclosing client details like this in public! The Akrams and Akhtars and Zardari's are the good guys in Pakistan. Very few of them though.

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 05 Oct 2009 06:17

I don't care. If such Pakistanis are so good, then let them renounce their citizenship.

We shouldn't be hosting Pakistanis. I notice this Knight Rider team is backed by people like ShahRukh Khan, who likes to don a military uniform in the movies, but in real life couldn't care less for the country, as he hobknobs with the other side. A friend to all is a friend to nobody - certainly not a friend to us.

vera_k · Post by **vera_k** » 05 Oct 2009 06:52

Sanjay M wrote:I don't care. If such Pakistanis are so good, then let them renounce their citizenship.

Is this even feasible though? Does India have an immigration program for Pakistanis who would further Indian interests?

Vivek_A · Post by **Vivek_A** » 05 Oct 2009 07:22

People don't follow E-A-S anymore?

http://pakobserver.net/200910/05/Articles03.asp

Another Mumbai attack soon?

Shumaila Raja

Reports suggest that there is credible intelligence information that India in collaboration with Israel is going to stage manage another Mumbai like incident to implicate Pakistan in terror-sponsoring state. As per plan, Israelis and Indians would create hype about some secret information blaming ISI for deploying terrorist groups against Indian-Israeli interests in India ! A James Bond plot designed to kill multiple birds with one stone – target ISI, establish nexus between Pakistani State and terrorist groups, declare Pakistan a terrorist State and also exploit the subsequent global media explosion to kill the Kashmiri unrest against Indian State. The Israeli threat level advisory is a major psy-ops geared towards above objectives. The key words in the press release – Israel , India , Pakistani military, militants, Al-Qaeda, Mumbai styled, Jewish tourists, western tourists – all geared towards creating the fear factor.

There is no doubt that Israel and India are collaborating together to frame Pakistan on terrorism charges. Last year, in Mumbai attacks, there were concrete proofs that Israeli secret service was involved with the Indian military intelligence in planting dubious groups as terrorists from Pakistan. This is serious and stunning development exactly in line with what we anticipated. Indians are most aggressive against Pakistan these days on multiple fronts. Denying any talks, building global campaigns to declare Pakistan as terrorist State, blocking Pakistani waters, massively building their own conventional and nuke weapon systems, waging insurgencies within tribal regions and Balochistan, demanding full trade and economic concessions and waging a massive propaganda and information warfare to dilute Pakistan’s ideology, identity and confidence as a nation. Despite clear proofs that the Indian government had been involved in faking encounters and planting evidences on innocent civilians to prove them Pakistani terrorists, no PPP government official or minister is found nailing India for their propaganda and disinformation war against the Pakistan . There is no response from Pakistani government but a stunned silence, baffled stammering and confused or even sinister moves supporting Indian game plan on all counts. If the government is not going all guns blazing supporting Indians, it is simply because it does not have enough moral and political strength to do it; else the criminal intent is all there to auction the national security.

Gagan · Post by **Gagan** » 05 Oct 2009 07:45

Hold your verdict on Zardari.
I am suspicious of his frequent visits to china. If his bibi could carry CDs with nuke proliferation sensitive material to the NoKo's and god knows what else in the aircraft, hubby could be doing the same too for the permanent government in pak-land.

I do appreciate that there are a few pakistanis who are not pakis, well meaning and genuinely world citizens. Unfortunately this can't be said of the majority of pakistanis, whom one can put in the categories of jihadis or closet jihadis. When GoI makes a policy, it has to be applied to all, unfortunately it hurts the sensible pakistanis too.

Hope this message penetrates the thick skulls of the pakistani faujis.

archan · Post by **archan** » 05 Oct 2009 08:10

Perhaps the pakis have a hint of another attack being planned, or are actively involved in the planning and this is the groundwork to avoid the blame which will come out in the open as always. Then they will be able to say "look, we told you so. They would blame us!".
Or it could be a fake plan to show their sponsors that they are fighting terrorism. They "uncover" a terrorist plot and save hundreds of lives and a potential war with India. In the process they lose some "good men" and arrest a few (after proper pyjama check). Then they need more bakshish onlee.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 05 Oct 2009 08:33

The road ahead for India-Pakistan

Since the LeT has never launched a terrorist attack inside Pakistan, however, it is easy for sceptics there to argue that the group does not pose a threat. That is why the establishment there is reluctant to act against Lashkar chief Hafiz Saeed. {That is where people like Sidharth Varadarajan make the mistake. Everyone agrees that LeT had been a state-sponsored outfit. The book by Imtiaz Gul that Sidharth Varadarajan refers to also says the same thing. If reluctance of the Pakistani government stems from LeT not having participated in any attack on the Pakistani state itself, what does that convey ? It conveys that Pakistani government and the masses want to use terror as a state policy to fight other countries so long as these terrorist outfits work under their control. It means Pakistan is a terrorist state. Why will they act then against LeT ? Why should we expect any result from the 26/11 trial in Pakistan ? Where would it leave all this clamour for more talks ?} But wise statecraft is about recognising the early warning signs, not waiting for the tipping point.{Pakistan's practice of statecraft has been a lot smarter than us, burdened as we are by by our own imaginary fears, indecision and dhimmitude. Pakistani intel agencies have always broken up tanzeems that they themselves assiduously built, into various factions whenever they threatened to go out of control. Some might have gone really out of control but even they maintain a relationship with their mentor however tenuous they may be. Besides, they may differ over many issues but come together when it means India. Also, there are elements within the Army and the Intel agencies that identify totally with the approach of these out-of-control tanzeems and help them in various ways. When a spectacular strike against India happens, those who otherwise profess to be tough on jihadis, try to protect them under one pretext or another as we have been witnessing in the Hafiz Saeed case now. }

At a recent Track-II meeting of Indian and Pakistani analysts, former ambassadors, military officers and intelligence chiefs organised by the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies in Bangkok, there was consensus on the grave threat terrorism poses to Pakistan and to India. Specifically, the need for India and Pakistan to open a back channel on counter-terrorism was recognised, with the participation of intelligence agencies from the two countries. This would supplement the back channel on Jammu and Kashmir which worked effectively till 2006 and which, the Track-II meeting felt, needs to be revived at an early date. The Composite Dialogue process, too, was seen as having served a useful purpose in the past. {It is such Track-II meetings that are causing problems for India. People like Sidharth Varadarajan, Kuldip Nayar and similar ilk represent India, we have a huge problem. I don't know how these representatives for India are selected.}

With last month’s meeting in New York between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan yielding little in terms of forward movement by either side, there is a danger of the bilateral relationship getting stuck into one of those ruts that finally require the mediation of extra hands in order to be rescued. Rather than wait for that, the first available improvement in optics — the start of the Mumbai trial in Pakistan, for example — should be seized upon to move ahead on the back channel {Pakistan is cleverly using its incremental and calibrated actions in the investigation of the 26/11 case. Eventually, nothing will come out of the case. We will once again start the back-channel and then the front-channel dialogues and will be back to square one until the next terrorist incident happens and the cycle repeats}, with the front channel being revived in a calibrated manner as confidence increases. Indefinitely postponing talks will not help protect India from future terrorist attacks. {Nor will it protect India} And talking will not make it more vulnerable {nor, less vulnerable}. India should stop confusing hard line diplomatic strategy for effective counter-terrorism.{That is the strategy of Pakistan. Under the garb of counter-terrorism and sharing intelligence, Pakistanis want to make their terrorist outfits smarter by leaking to them what India knows. Pakistan has to pass too many milestones before India should trust them. That country has not even taken baby steps in that direction, nor is there any intention of that country doing that.}

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 05 Oct 2009 08:40

comment: Resolving Indo-Pak logjam — Fuddu Shahzad Chaudhry

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.as ... 2009_pg3_5
To be fair, Pakistan perhaps has a few objectives embedded in the successful outcome of any such dialogue process. Issues such as Siachen and Sir Creek can be resolved with mutual benefit to both sides. It is almost established now that militarising Siachen is not only an environmental nightmare, it holds to ransom the future of both India and Pakistan in diminishing their water reserves much faster than global warming alone; it is equally a nonsensical expense, more so for India than Pakistan. It is time to turn around from the famous Zia-ul Haq quote and let a few blades of grass grow, if not in Siachen then at least in the plains below.
Water and Kashmir are lifeline issues for both sides. One has been the cause of three wars without getting us any nearer to resolution, while the second, unless sensibly handled, may soon become the second biggest irritant leading to armed confrontation. The gravity of the situation calls for continued engagement, promising to deliver solutions on both. Though there are in place international arrangements to arbitrate on both matters, is it not time that we make attempts to resolve them like two mature sides, on a mutual format?
Failure to provide space to the other only reinforces hardened attitudes, leading to only one possibility — of defying every commonsensical effort to avoid resort to violent ways. After seeking India’s understanding on the need to continue with the dialogue process and failing to elicit a mature response, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s recent change of tack in bringing to fore the Kashmir problem and his public rejection of any dictation on the judicial processes related to Mumbai must be viewed in the same light.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 05 Oct 2009 08:43

http://www.thepakistaninewspaper.com/

Watch Jihadi Sethi interviewing Karl Inderfuth and Kargil
Rise of India and China will change the geopolitic of the world.

arun · Post by **arun** » 05 Oct 2009 08:55

US aid for fighting the war on terror was diverted, with US blessing, to “buy and support capability against India”.

A lesson that needs being absorbed by our ruling classes …………. When expedient the US can be guaranteed to set aside all talk of being natural allies and having shared democratic values and will sell India down the river.

AP quoting Maj. Gen. Mahmud Durrani (Retd), Pakistan's Ambassador to the U.S. under the Gen. Musharraf dictatorship :

Billions in US aid never reached Pakistan army

By KATHY GANNON (AP) – 11 hours ago

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The United States has long suspected that much of the billions of dollars it has sent Pakistan to battle militants has been diverted to the domestic economy and other causes, such as fighting India. .....................

Some of the money from the U.S. even went to buying weapons from the United States better suited to fighting India than in the border regions of Afghanistan — armor-piercing tow missiles, sophisticated surveillance equipment, air-to-air missiles, maritime patrol aircraft, anti-ship missiles and F-16 fighter aircraft.

"Pakistan insisted and America agreed. Pakistan said we also have a threat from other sources," Durrani said, referring to India, "and we have to strengthen our overall capacity. "The money was used to buy and support capability against India." ..................

AP via Google

archan · Post by **archan** » 05 Oct 2009 10:14

^^^

Monthly food bills doubled for no apparent reason, and for a year the Pentagon paid the bills without checking, according to the report.

"They both deserved each other, Musharraf and the Americans," he said.

arun · Post by **arun** » 05 Oct 2009 13:22

Today’s demonstration of the IEDology of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. This particular bomb attack however does not look like an IED Mubarak variant of the IEDology of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan :

At Least 3 Killed in UN Office Blast in Pakistan's Islamabad

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 05 Oct 2009 16:02

Just as two top British ministers were planning to visit Pak,the UN bomb attack took place,showing the world that Pak is living up to its reputation as the world's epi-centre of terror.While the UN shuts down its office for the moment,the US on the other hand keeps on pumping in more money to the "rulers' of Pak,who are misusing the money sponsoring terror,filling their pockets and amassing arms to be used against India,the fastest way to spread further chaos in the region.It is quite clear that pres.Obama is utterly clueless as to how to deal with Pak.His actions are akin to simply pouring more fuel onto the fire that threatens to engulf the whole region.The GOI simply has to batten down hatches and keep the powder dry.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... mbing.html

United Nations shuts offices in Pakistan after suicide bombing
The United Nations said it had temporarily closed its offices in Pakistan after a suicide bomber killed three people in an attack on the World Food Programme in Islamabad.

Pakistani security officials and rescue workers survey the site of a bomb blast in Islamabad. Photo: REUTERS

A UN spokesman, Ishrat Rizvi, said no specific threat had been received and the move was a precaution following the attack in the Pakistani capital.

Two Pakistani women and an Iraqi national were killed when a suicide bomber struck inside a heavily fortified UN office in the centre of the city.

Bob Ainsworth forced to admit troops crisis
Andrew Flintoff and Gary Lineker caught in Taliban attack

Bomb goes off at UN office in Islamabad as Bob Ainsworth visits The explosion inside the offices of the WFP followed a vow of revenge by the Pakistani Taliban after the death of their leader Baitullah Mehsud, killed in a US missile strike in August.

At least five people were also injured in the blast, and foreigners were believed to be among them. There were scenes of confusion around the walled compound and office in central Islamabad, where smoke billowed out and ambulances rushed to the scene.

"It was a suicide blast," said Bani Amin, deputy inspector general of police operations, adding that the bomber managed to enter the WFP office and detonate about eight kilograms (17 lbs) of explosives.

"Three people were killed, two of them are women and one is a foreigner. All the five injured are Pakistanis," the police official said.

"We have recovered legs and the skull of the suicide bomber. We are investigating how he managed to enter inside the building. There are scanners, there are cameras and strict security arrangements."

The office of the prime minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani, issued a statement saying he "strongly condemned" the blast and had ordered an inquiry.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Taliban militants holed up in the northwest tribal belt have been blamed for a string of attacks and suicide blasts that have killed more than 2,100 people in the last two years.

Nihat · Post by **Nihat** » 05 Oct 2009 17:04

While the UN shuts down its office for the moment,the US on the other hand keeps on pumping in more money to the "rulers' of Pak,who are misusing the money sponsoring terror,filling their pockets and amassing arms to be used against India,the fastest way to spread further chaos in the region.It is quite clear that pres.Obama is utterly clueless as to how to deal with Pak.His actions are akin to simply pouring more fuel onto the fire that threatens to engulf the whole region.The GOI simply has to batten down hatches and keep the powder dry.

Surely if we play our cards right we are capable of delinking Unkil from pakistan after they decide to pack their bags from Afghanistan. Clearly Unkil still enjoys the maximum leverage over TSP and effectively engaging with them in all strategic aspects may turn the head of Obama to look the other way and realize that there is an alternative to feeding the Paki monster.

Pull the TSP plug and Taliban are nothing more than a bunch of organized extremists or keep feeding TSP and watch Taliban rise to conquer once again.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 05 Oct 2009 17:06

Hakeemullah Mehsud meets the Press

Thus, putting paid to lies from Pakistani government that he was dead. How many times Baituallh died before he actually died !

Dilbu · Post by **Dilbu** » 05 Oct 2009 19:35

Suicide bomber kills five as top UK ministers visit Pakistan

Five UN employees were killed today in a suicide bomb atttack inside the offices of the United Nations’ World Food Programme in the Pakistani capital.

Several others were injured in the explosion, which coincided with a visit to Islamabad by Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary, and Bob Ainsworth, the Defence Secretary, although they were not affected and did not appear to have been the targets.

Police said they had recovered the head of a suicide bomber, and were investigating whether the attack had entered the heavily guarded WFP compound by climbing over the roof of a neighbouring building.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 05 Oct 2009 19:37

Now I understand, how could the porkis ever lose? Its always someone else's fault

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/287 ... erate.html

Basit Ali, PCB official berate umpire Simon Taufel
Karachi, Oct 5 (PTI):

Holding his ''fishy decisions'' responsible for Pakistan's defeat against New Zealand in the Champions Trophy semifinal, Basit Ali and a senior PCB official today reviled Simon Taufel and demanded an inquiry into his alleged ''sub-standard'' umpiring.

Pakistan lost the semifinal by five wickets on Saturday to crash out of the elite ICC event.
Ali adjured the Pakistan Cricket Board to approach the ICC for holding an inquiry into Taufel's umpiring.
"The PCB should also itself carry out an independent inquiry into some of the decisions made by Taufel as they cost Pakistan the match," Basit, a former Test player, said.

Ali reckons that the decision against Umar Akmal changed the course of the Pakistan innings and they ended up 30 to 40 runs short of setting a good target.

"Umar was given out when he had started to cane the Kiwi bowlers and then in the New Zealand innings some clear decisions went against Pakistan. There should be an inquiry as some fishy decisions were made," he said.

Muhammad Ali Shah, a member of the PCB Governing Council, entreated the Chairman Ejaz Butt to press for a ban on Taufel.
"His umpiring was awful in such a big match and it all went against Pakistan. The Board must ask the ICC to ban Taufel from all matches and if nothing else at least demand that he is not posted for Pakistan's matches in future," Shah said.

Dilbu · Post by **Dilbu** » 05 Oct 2009 19:38

Taliban leader vows revenge for drone attacks

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- The new leader of the Pakistani Taliban vowed revenge on Pakistan, the United States and NATO forces for drone attacks along the Afghan border, two local journalists who attended a meeting with him told CNN.

Leader Hakimullah Mehsud met reporters Sunday in South Waziristan, according to the journalists, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk to the news media.

Taliban commanders Wali-Ur Rehman and Qari Hussein, and spokesman Aazam Tariq, were at the meeting as well, the journalists said.

Mehsud also vowed to avenge the recent death of Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, they said. Officials think he was killed by a drone attack in August.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 05 Oct 2009 19:56

Status of Hafeez Saeed

He said Hafiz Saeed is an independent Pakistani citizen {whatever that means} and no action against him could be made on Indian dictation.

Rahul Shukla · Post by **Rahul Shukla** » 05 Oct 2009 23:34

Pakistan Postpones Mumbai Trial Again (NY Times)

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan once again on Saturday postponed the trial of seven suspects accused of planning the terrorist attacks that killed 163 people in Mumbai last year. It was the second time the trial was postponed, and formal charges have yet to be filed against the accused.

The next hearing of the trial, which is taking place inside a high-security prison on the outskirts of Rawalpindi, is scheduled for Oct. 10.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the Pakistani foreign minister, said the dialogue should not be conditional on the Mumbai prosecution but promised that the trial would be taken to its “logical conclusion.”

Rahul Shukla · Post by **Rahul Shukla** » 05 Oct 2009 23:41

India to station all MiG 29s along Pak border (Indian Express)

To beef up air defence capabilities and react in quickest possible time along the international border with Pakistan, the Indian Air Force has decided to station all its MiG 29 squadrons at Adampur, the second largest Air Force base in the country.

The Adampur Air Force station, which is also known as home of MiG 29s, already has two frontline fighter squadrons and will see another squadron moving from Jamnagar in Gujarat soon.

Gagan · Post by **Gagan** » 06 Oct 2009 01:53

Secret US military camp established in Pakistan

Myanmar News.Net
Sunday 4th October, 2009

The United States has reportedly established a secret military training camp just a few kilometres away from Islamabad.

According to The Nation, the base is situated in the heart of an industrial estate and is being used to recruit retired Pakistani military officers to work for the US military.

The high-walled structure bears signs which suggest it is an auto repair shop.

Military-style barbed wire is fixed to fences around the building and a watchtower can be seen from certain vantage points.

It is believed the camp is closely associated with private US defence contractor, DynCorp, which has made no statement on the issue.

Earlier this week, a retired official of the Pakistani Army, who is allegedly a partner of the DynCorp company in Pakistan, was arrested after a huge cache of illegal weapons was recovered from his office in the heart of the high-security zone in Islamabad.

pgbhat · Post by **pgbhat** » 06 Oct 2009 05:17

UK visa farce ---- DAWN edit. Yet another

UKStan visa policy is causing unbearable takleef to the RAPEs.

THE UK secretary for home affairs, Alan Johnson, is expected in Islamabad today to address the simmering anger over the inordinate, scandalous delay in issuing visas to Pakistani passport holders.

According to a report in this newspaper yesterday, an estimated 200,000 passports are piled up in the UK high commission in Islamabad and 2,000 passports are being added every week – with little indication that the backlog will be cleared any time soon. While Pakistanis face cumbersome visa application processes at the best of times, the extra ordinary difficulties in acquiring a UK visa are unacceptable and unnecessary.

Admittedly, there are genuine concerns that some Pakistani passport holders may pose a security threat, but the hurdles created by the UK authorities are unique. No other country – not the US, not other western European countries, not the Gulf or Arab states – has such onerous requirements, whereas arguably the potential security threats they have to address are no less severe. {bullsh!t !!, trying to pull equal-equal that too with unkil, outside of Bakistan it is UKStan that has the most jihadi Bakis} It is true that the volume of visa applications that the UK authorities must process from Pakistan is high, but volume alone does not account for the problems.

The other major problem is the increasing rate of rejections now that visa applications are being processed in Abu Dhabi. Unfamiliar with Pakistan and its processes, visa officers in Abu Dhabi appear to be going ‘by the book’ too much. Bank statements, residential addresses and other details are apparently being parsed too closely by visa officers who are not familiar with, say, the difference between a statement issued by a foreign bank operating in the country and one issued by a local bank in small town Pakistan.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 06 Oct 2009 05:31

Billions in U.S. Aid Never Reached Pakistan Army

Anujan · Post by **Anujan** » 06 Oct 2009 05:43

^^^^^

Pakistan is just mind boggling.

The military was financing the war on terror out of its own budget

As opposed to financing it from the budget of Madagascar ?

The army was taking from its coffers to pay for the war effort — the access roads construction, the fuel, everything. ... This is the reality — the army got peanuts

So the army has its own "budget" and "coffers". Nice.

Some of the money from the U.S. even went to buying weapons from the United States better suited to fighting India than in the border regions of Afghanistan...."The money was used to buy and support capability against India."

So the army did not get any money, except that it got money to spend on weapons to fight India. So the army was short changed by the government headed by its own COAS, who spent the money lining the pockets of generals and buying shiny toys which cannot be used against the taliban. What an outrage !! I am 400% sure the US is to blame for this !!

So what is the point of this article exactly ? Durrani-saheb gives a clue

The army was also frustrated about not getting more money

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 06 Oct 2009 07:34

About the UN Office bombing in Islamabad

In addition to being guarded by security guards of a private firm, policemen and Frontier Constabulary personnel, the WFP office was a well-secured fortress.

As with other diplomatic and international missions, the WFP office had recently erected a high wall made of bags of cement encased in hardy wire mesh.

The barriers are meant to absorb the impact of an explosion directed at the building from outside

So, how did the blast occur then ?

. . . but in this case, the suicide bomber had no problem gaining entry into the building. Disguised in a paramilitary uniform, a suicide bomber gained easy entry into the highly guarded office.

CCTV footage aired by Geo TV showed a man wearing the black shalwar-kameez Frontier Constabulary uniform entering the door of the office, behind another person, while a third was behind him. {obviously helped by insiders}

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 06 Oct 2009 07:45

Pak Resists Conditions for Expanded US Aid

The Pakistani army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, in an unusually stern reaction last week, said that missile attacks by American drones in Baluchistan, as implied by the Americans, “would not be allowed.”

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 06 Oct 2009 08:49

Sanjay M wrote:Pak Resists Conditions for Expanded US Aid

From the above,

American officials have said that Blackwater employees worked at a remote base in Shamsi, in Baluchistan, where they loaded missiles and bombs onto drones used to strike Taliban and Qaeda militants.

The operation of the drones at Shamsi had been shifted by the Americans to Afghanistan this year, a senior Pakistani military official said.{One can then be sure that it was not the case}

There was considerable unease about the American diplomatic presence in Peshawar, the capital of the North-West Frontier Province, one of the senior government officials said. Politicians were asking why the United States needed a consulate in Peshawar, which borders the tribal areas, when that office did not issue visas, he said. {Aha. The Peshawar Consulate is ending up like the hundreds of Indian consulates on the Afghan side of the Durand Line. Excellent}

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 06 Oct 2009 09:51

http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news- ... ok-into-it
Step Mother UK only says it will 'look into it'

He also called for early shifting of visa office from Abu Dhabi back to Pakistan, quicker processing of visa cases
and refunding of the visa fees to the applicants in case of rejection of their cases.
Talking to Alan Johnson, British Secretary of State for Home Affairs and Bob Ainsworth, British Secretary of State
for Defence here at Prime Minister’s House on Monday the Prime Minister had also raised other issues relating to
Counsellor affairs between the two countries like arrest of passengers on board PIA flights, denial of visa to
dependent children of Pakistani diplomats and officials posted to UK ( H&D gine but no Karo-Kari or Harakiri)

arun · Post by **arun** » 06 Oct 2009 11:40

Excerpt from a Boston Globe op-ed on Pakistan’s diversion of US Aid.

Brings to mind the adage, Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me :

US aid to Pakistan a shell game

By Derrick Z. Jackson
Globe Columnist / October 6, 2009

……………………… This week, the Associated Press reported that between 2002 and 2008, only $500 million of $6.6 billion in military aid meant to help Pakistan fight militants was actually spent on its intended purpose. Former president Pervez Musharraf spent the rest on his own pet economic projects and arming his country against India. ………………………

This is on top of two analyses over the past year that clearly show that Pakistan is playing a shell game with US aid. The Government Accountability Office found last year that, even though support funds are critical to the effort against terrorism, the Defense Department has not provided enough oversight to be able to say how Pakistan is spending US military aid. From 2004 to 2007, 76 percent of US reimbursements to the Pakistani army - a total of $2.2 billion - were paid without adequate documentation of how the costs were calculated.

So the Pentagon ended up paying for a radar system in an area of Pakistan even though terrorists in that area had no air attack capability. US taxpayers also paid the Pakistani army for road and bunker construction that may or may not have occurred. Even when the Pentagon got tough with Pakistan, questioning $22.3 million for helicopter repairs, that scrutiny came only after $55 million was already gone for helicopter “maintenance’’ that barely happened, if at all.

This summer, Harvard Kennedy School of Government research fellow Azeem Ibrahim published a report further detailing how America underwrites corruption in Pakistan with these unaccounted-for billions of dollars. Ibrahim described Pakistan as a “black hole’’ for US funds, enriching individuals while Pakistani frontier soldiers have been seen standing in the snow in sandals, wearing World War I-era pith helmets, and using barely functional rifles. He noted how Pakistan’s military received $80 million a month even during cease-fires “when troops were in their barracks.’’ ...................

The Op-ed concludes by saying :

Pakistan should get no more money until it becomes serious about accounting for the aid it receives. All Pakistan has done so far is toy around with our tools.

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