Terrorist Islamic Republic of Pakistan (TSP), Feb. 26, 2010

archan · Post by **archan** » 27 Mar 2010 16:48

sujoy wrote:Archan,

Is there a reason to believe that Pakistani manufacturers cannot label something as Made in Honduras or even Made in India? After all Chinese pharma manufacturers have been known to do that in Africa before getting pulled.

While one can never be sure unless one knows the exact dynamics of international trade, however, the Chinese *were* caught (possibly in the first shipment itself?) by the local African importer. So I would like to believe that the US importer would be a) careful of what stuff is coming in from Pakistan (there could be hidden jehadis in the clothes

) and b) check if the labels and products are up to spec.
While it may be easy for a paki to route his shipment through Bangladesh (bribing is easy in subcontinent) however it may not be easy to fool/bribe someone in unkil-land (after all you need phoren exchange for that, something which the pakis have less than the green grass in their lands).
I hear pakis do make certain specialty leather clothing, if you are into such a thing.

shaardula · Post by **shaardula** » 27 Mar 2010 17:33

more air borne raakit mard

@Orakzai 9 killed

PARACHINAR: Pakistani air strikes killed nine suspected insurgents on Saturday in a tribal region near the Afghan border, an official said, bringing the total killed in a military offensive there to more than 100 this week.

The fighting occurred in Orakzai, a tribal region where many Taliban militants are believed to have fled to avoid an earlier army offensive.

The helicopter strikes late Friday targeted several militant hide-outs while ground forces were clearing various areas in Orakzai, local official Sami Ullah said.

On Friday, officials said Taliban fighters seized a security checkpoint in the region, sparking clashes that killed five soldiers and 32 alleged insurgents. Security forces regained the site. Earlier in the week, air strikes killed at least 61 suspected insurgents, officials said.

Many of the dead insurgents in the Orakzai tribal region were Arab and Uzbek, said Maj. Gen. Tariq Khan, the commander of the Frontier Corps, a major force in the battle against the Pakistani Taliban in the northwest.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 27 Mar 2010 18:24

"Dollar ki Talaash"

Please do read it. A fine piece of writing.

arun · Post by **arun** » 27 Mar 2010 19:00

X Posted. In the Islamic Republic of Pakistan it is not enough to be Muslim to escape persecution on the basis of religious affiliation as belonging to a minority Muslim sect like the Shia can still get you persecuted.

In Parachinar an economic blockade has been imposed by those belonging to the majority Sunni Muslim sect against the minority Shia Muslim sect with violators of the economic blockade such as the below truck drivers being exterminated:

Six kidnapped truckers found dead in Thal

Saturday, 27 Mar, 2010

PESHAWAR: Police on Saturday found the bodies of six truck drivers who were kidnapped a few days ago in a restive northwestern town, officials said.

The drivers were shot dead and their bodies were found in Thal district, local police official Abdul Rehman told AFP.

“A letter found in the pocket of one dead truck driver said that if anyone supplied goods to the Parachinar Shia community, he will be treated like this,” Rehman said. ……………………

Dawn

shaardula · Post by **shaardula** » 27 Mar 2010 19:08

so how many of these recent close to 100 deaths in parachinar since the last of couple days related to this. anybody in punjab or on tv or on press on the streets in anguish? does not look like it.

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 27 Mar 2010 19:16

Acharya wrote:

One jab in Punjab —Salman Tarik Kureshi

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.as ... 2010_pg3_2
Shuja Nawaz, brother of the late army chief, General Asif Nawaz, and a historian of the Pakistan Army, has recently described how the LeT exploits the socially disadvantaged areas of central and southern Punjab as a fertile recruitment territory. According to him, the LeT is emerging as a trans-regional force, linked with the Students Islamic Movement of India, as well as with Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami of Bangladesh. It poses a serious threat to regional stability, he warns.

What we are seeing is a interesting link which seems that they want to support LeT as long as possible that SIMI starts behaving like LeT inside India. Very clever. There is transnational objective to keep the LeT running by both Pakistan and US at the same time.
This is the next level of the jihad plan they have been working on. They need the grievance which they want to develop inside India.

The funny thing this seems to same objective or certain parts of English Language media, Bollywood and Certain NGO's India. Hence, every weekend a programme how Muslims are mistreated in India. I guess when you visas and Foreign properties secured and don't consider India your motherland, you will do everthying possible destablise and earn your bread.

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 27 Mar 2010 19:41

Has this been posted before? Apologies if so.

Obama tells Pak to catch brain behind 26/11

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100327/j ... 269595.jsp

Very interesting. KPN always has the best inside info (somehow).
ToI and HT's news about unkil signing nooclear deal with TSP gets a new meaning.
Was it deliberately planted by GoI to put unkil on backfoot?

pgbhat · Post by **pgbhat** » 27 Mar 2010 19:46

Kati wrote:Has this been posted before? Apologies if so.

Obama tells Pak to catch brain behind 26/11

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100327/j ... 269595.jsp

Very interesting. KPN always has the best inside info (somehow).
ToI and HT's news about unkil signing nooclear deal with TSP gets a new meaning.
Was it deliberately planted by GoI to put unkil on backfoot?

May be obama is not liking the "inner pakistan"...you know with the Paki cabbie being caught and all.

Gagan · Post by **Gagan** » 27 Mar 2010 21:29

Pakistan May be Operating the Second Khushab Reactor:
ISIS report : Link

GoogleEarth recently posted satellite imagery from GeoEye featuring the Khushab nuclear site in Pakistan. Imagery dated December 31, 2009 shows what appears to be steam distorting the view of some of the cooling tower fan blades for the second plutonium production Khushab reactor. This would indicate that the second Khushab reactor is at least at some state of initial operation. On April 23, 2009

Here is the google earth Image. I have marked the relevant points.

Dipanker · Post by **Dipanker** » 27 Mar 2010 21:34

Time to send a thank you note to the Paki AF, they have killed over 100 Pakis in last 3 days. If they are going to continue at this pace then we should offer them refuelling service!

Gagan · Post by **Gagan** » 27 Mar 2010 22:01

^^^

rohitvats · Post by **rohitvats** » 28 Mar 2010 00:52

shiv wrote:
The Indian goes to America with a duty to fulfill, an exam pass and a bank loan. The RAPE is sent to America with papa's wealth. No wonder the average yank eventually finds Pakis such fun guys.

If there are 250-300 million middle class Indians - India has at least 20 million Indians of the middle class anglophone brfite category. The RAPE represent hardly 1 million. But we read all their articles and follow their fora and blogs imagining that this is the real Pakistan. We end up doing more of an equal equal than we imagine. This reasoning was what I had in my mind when I clamped down on unmentionable fora as adminullah.

True words, sir. But there is another angle to the story. It is the children from privileged background from India who go abroad for studies (to the best of institutions) and shop in London and Milan. They outnumber any number of RAPES in West. Indian affluent will do all that you say about RAPE and some more but their outlook is different. But there is a fundamental difference between these and the RAPE. These men and women are scions of businesses and trading houses in India. Most of them will come back and try and run and grow their businesses. They want to capitalize on the opportunities in India. And while all sort of business shenanigans are applicable to India as well, overall, the business will have to competitive to survive. RAPE business runs and survives on currying favor with the "Establishment" and feudal set-up. These RAPES need the external support to survive and flourish. They need the American $$$ and preferential trade agreements and arms-deals. Hence, you see them more interested in currying favor with western powers that be...

Another point is that this class is spread across length and breadth of this country. Which is different from the Punjab and Sindh contributing the bulk of RAPES and as the base of RAPE itself is low (relative to population), there is that much inter-relation and vertical and horizontal linkages. Hence, you see them speaking as one voice, with one objective and looking after each others back.

I don't know whether you're aware of recent development: Pakistan's soon Finance Minister to be (based on report on one article) is on the advisory board of New Silk Route Capital (NSR) - hedge fund of Senior Ambani...This is what elite of India are as compared to the RAPE..........

rohitvats · Post by **rohitvats** » 28 Mar 2010 01:05

Request for Information:

Is there a department in US Government (with a website

) which tracks the military equipment supplied to TSPA? I'm also interested in understanding the equipment 'donated' to TSPA free of cost and other paid for by TSPA - either own funds or those given by USA.

Thanx.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 28 Mar 2010 01:38

rohitvats wrote:Request for Information:

Is there a department in US Government (with a website ) which tracks the military equipment supplied to TSPA? I'm also interested in understanding the equipment 'donated' to TSPA free of cost and other paid for by TSPA - either own funds or those given by USA.

Thanx.

With privileges of national security lot of information is suppressed. Information is released several years later after the money has been disbursed.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 28 Mar 2010 01:59

http://www.ndtv.com/news/videos/video_p ... id=1212841

Hamid Mir is in a panel for discussion about India's internal politics

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 28 Mar 2010 02:32

Kati wrote:http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100327/j ... 269595.jsp

Is it just me or others too see some colored objects in kiyanahi's ears? Did he go to US with kaan me phool?

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 28 Mar 2010 02:57

rohitvats wrote:Request for Information:
Is there a department in US Government (with a website) which tracks the military equipment supplied to TSPA? I'm also interested in understanding the equipment 'donated' to TSPA free of cost and other paid for by TSPA - either own funds or those given by USA.

Unkil's Defense Security Cooperation Agency is required to notify the American Congress of these foreign military sales
http://www.dsca.mil/

See
http://www.dsca.mil/PressReleases/36-b/36b_index.htm

The Stockholm International Peace Research maintains an arms transfer database
http://www.sipri.org/databases/armstransfers

See
http://armstrade.sipri.org/armstrade/pa ... gister.php

kenop · Post by **kenop** » 28 Mar 2010 06:36

Satya_anveshi wrote:
Kati wrote:http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100327/j ... 269595.jsp
Is it just me or others too see some colored objects in kiyanahi's ears? Did he go to US with kaan me phool?

This is portion of a photograph (taken at a runway of the USAF?) as all the others in the full photpgraph were similarly equipped.

shaardula · Post by **shaardula** » 28 Mar 2010 06:43

Acharya wrote:http://www.ndtv.com/news/videos/video_p ... id=1212841

Hamid Mir is in a panel for discussion about India's internal politics

yeah but what he said is BM does not matter since we have been blowing mosques up back home.

shaardula · Post by **shaardula** » 28 Mar 2010 06:45

The Asset Managers (Outlook India)
Headley’s confessions prove a Pak role. But did the US know of 26/11 beforehand?
Saikat Datta

What Headley Has Told the Americans

* Out of the four Pakistani handlers involved in 26/11, identified as A, B, C and D in the court documents relating to Headley’s arrest, three are serving Pakistani army officials—Colonel Shah, Major Sameer and Major Iqbal.
* Headley has told US investigators that he received training in combat and tactical operations, counter-surveillance methods and weapons-handling from the Lashkar-e-Toiba in Pakistan between 2002-06.
* Headley has said he carried out a survey of the landing points on the Mumbai coast and collected the GPS coordinates that would be used by Kasab & co to land from the sea for the assault on targets in Mumbai.
* Headley conducted reconnaissance of all the key targets so that the terrorists could be given location-specific training. His inputs provided intelligence to the LeT, enabling them to prepare a concise attack plan.
* Intelligence sources say Headley has also revealed that he developed links with Al Qaeda through HuJI operative Ilyas Kashmiri, a former Pakistani army commando, in meetings in Waziristan in 2009.

shaardula · Post by **shaardula** » 28 Mar 2010 06:46

Phantom Under The Naked Bulb (Outlook India)

Forget getting Headley to India, will India get to Headley even in the US?
Ashish Kumar Sen

No Headway On Headley

The plea bargain effectively rules out Headley’s extradition to India

* Giving India access to Headley involves a judicial process. US district judge Harry Leinenweber in Federal Court in Chicago will decide on the issue.
* Getting one-to-one access to Headley looks difficult, though America allowed foreign investigators access to prisoners in the Guantanamo Bay
* America did tip India off about attacks on Mumbai, but it is not known whether Headley was the source of information
* The million-dollar question: did the US know about Headley’s trips to India before 26\11?

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 28 Mar 2010 07:28

U.S. Pacific Command focussed on LeT

http://www.hindu.com/2010/03/28/stories ... 391800.htm

Highlighting his recent travels to India, Thailand and Indonesia, Admiral Robert Willard, Commander of the United States Pacific Command noted that he was “focused in and around India, specifically with regard to Lashkar-e-Taiba, the terrorist group that attacked into Mumbai some months ago.”

Admiral Willard also said that areas along the borders of India and China are “contested”, adding that “it's in all of our interests that these issues be resolved peacefully through the use of multilateral forums like ASEAN… that these things be discussion items government-to-government and ultimately resolved in a peaceful way.”

2 hour Video of hearing

http://armedservices.house.gov/hearing_ ... tion.shtml

http://armedservices.edgeboss.net/wmedi ... 032510.wvx

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 28 Mar 2010 07:51

IMF defers $1.2bn tranche

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/daw ... ranche-830

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has deferred the disbursement of the fifth tranche of $1.2 billion to Pakistan for an indefinite period as the Executive Board meeting scheduled to take place on Wednesday has been postponed.

The bottleneck in the way of postponed Executive Board meeting to consider Pakistan’s request under the Stand-by Arrangement (SBA) is the presentation of draft law on Value-Added Tax to the Punjab assembly. The government has already submitted the draft law in the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies of Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan.

A senior official of the Ministry of Finance told Dawn that the bill had now been sent to the Punjab assembly to clear the last hitch of the IMF Board to discuss Pakistan’s case. The toughness of IMF is reflected from its stance that it was not prepared to accommodate the verbal commitment of the government.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 28 Mar 2010 07:56

Strategic dialogue

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/daw ... alogue-830

IF grades were handed out for particular events in international relations, the recently concluded strategic dialogue between Pakistan and the US would get a B+. Public relations disasters were avoided, the smiles were wide, the handshakes warm and the two countries appeared to be reaching closer to that ever-elusive goal of understanding one another. So is the strategic dialogue itself a good idea? Yes. But perhaps Pakistan needs to adapt its approach in future rounds of the dialogue to make them more result-oriented. First, the 56-page ‘wish list’ that the Pakistani government sent the US ahead of the dialogue was not the best idea.

...

Second, Pakistani officials must be careful to avoid building up hype domestically over demands that the Americans are likely to baulk at. The possibility of Pakistan getting an India-style civil-nuclear deal any time soon is remote. If it was difficult during the Bush administration because it was tilted towards India, it may be even more difficult now and for a very different reason: the Obama administration has generally been keen to tighten the global proliferation regime, meaning that a sweetheart deal for Pakistan like the one India got is very unlikely.

...

For the rest, Pakistan must continue to build on at least one excellent thing it has done: articulate forthrightly what its security interests in the region are. No doubt, much of the recent American softening has to do with Pakistan’s substantial gains in the war against militancy, but there is also a sense that the two sides have stopped talking past each other and are increasingly talking to each other. Pakistan has spelled out what it wants in Afghanistan, what it wants from India and what it wants global powers to help Pakistan with. This is good. What isn’t good — from a democratic perspective — is that the civilian government has virtually surrendered the national-security domain to the Pakistan Army.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 28 Mar 2010 08:04

rohitvats wrote:Request for Information:

I'm also interested in understanding the equipment 'donated' to TSPA free of cost and other paid for by TSPA - either own funds or those given by USA.

Just to clarify, there are essentially four ways to obtain military supplies and services from the US. One, by direct commercial sales (DCS) between the American companies and the foreign governments and the other through the famous Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme of the GotUS. In the latter, it is a government-to-government deal where the US government procures the hardware and/or services from American companies and transfer the same to contracting foreign governments. The FMS can be also funded by the US government itself (as it mostly happens with Pakistan) in what is known as the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) schemes of the Department of Defense (DoD). {A similar support programme by the State Deptt. for economic activities is known as ESF - Economic Support Funding} There is a third method by which the US transfers military hardware if it wants to and that is Excess Defense Articles (EDA). By law, the US government is required to publish annually a report known as Section 655 Report on transfers of weapons and weapons technology to other nations under all three categories of DCS, FMS and EDA. There is the fourth method which is the US President authorized Drawdown method. In this, the US President determines that some transfers to foreign countries are needed in the interests of the US. The US President is expected to keep the Congress fully informed of the Drawdowns.

Added later: In addition to what Gerard has listed, you may also want to see this: http://www.fas.org/programs/ssp/asmp/whatsnew.html

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 28 Mar 2010 08:44

Second, Pakistani officials must be careful to avoid building up hype domestically over demands that the Americans are likely to baulk at. The possibility of Pakistan getting an India-style civil-nuclear deal any time soon is remote.

The Paks are stupid but they are not that stupid. The outrageous demands are for domestic consumption:

-to demonstrate to the street abdul that their masters are trying damnably to keep up with India
-to keep the antiAmericanism stoked as now Pakistan's just ambition to be India's equal has been defeated by America; so keep up the grudge against those who feed you. This antiAmericanism thus stoked should be good for a future round of extortion.

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 28 Mar 2010 08:47

But of course the Americans are nobody's fool-The smiles are quickly followed by Headley's conveniently timed admission of four serving officers of the PA, and now this IMF deferral.

What is a good Paki to do?
(Wait for the next kick to Msrs H and D).

Anujan · Post by **Anujan** » 28 Mar 2010 08:51

sanjaykumar wrote:But of course the Americans are nobody's fool-The smiles are quickly followed by Headley's conveniently timed admission of four serving officers of the PA

All news about the Headley's admission is sourced from a single source: Outlook's editor.

Are there independent confirmation of this? (Not that I doubt Paki army's involvement, I want to see independent confirmation of Headley's admission)

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 28 Mar 2010 08:52

Nawaz & Miliband discuss Constitutional Reforms Deadlock

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband called PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif over the telephone on Saturday to discuss the constitutional reforms package, according to a private TV channel. Talking to another channel, Punjab government spokesman Senator Pervaiz Rashid confirmed that Nawaz and Miliband discussed the deadlock over the constitutional reforms. “They talked about the deadlock over the constitutional reforms,” said Rashid. The British secretary hoped that the PML-N would play its role in ending the deadlock over the reforms. The channel said Britain was a guarantor of the Charter of Democracy, which was signed between the Pakistan People’s Party and the PML-N in London. {Didn't realize that. The interference in internal political dynamic is complete. The US forced Musharraf to talk to Benazir. KSA was a guarantor for the exile of Nawaz and it also forced him to return to Pakistan. When he was refused entry to Pakistan on the tarmac of Lahore airport, the KSA ambassador was involved in negotiations. Later it sent emissaries who asked him to behave in 2007. Really a banana country, this Pakistan. One more reason why it should be divested of nuclear weapons.}

archan · Post by **archan** » 28 Mar 2010 09:27

As the above ^^ link displayes yet again, the pakis have sold their country, their souls and have not won an inch of Kashmir, or even concessions on water, for that matter. We should perhaps keep this reality in mind when declaring "pakis have won!" from our rooftops.

Rangudu · Post by **Rangudu** » 28 Mar 2010 09:29

Anujan wrote:All news about the Headley's admission is sourced from a single source: Outlook's editor.

Are there independent confirmation of this? (Not that I doubt Paki army's involvement, I want to see independent confirmation of Headley's admission)

TOI, IE and Hindustan Times have all reported about FBI sharing the names of TSPA officers as revealed by Headley well before this Outlook article.

Thanks to Unkil's perfidy, Headley's testimony and statement made during the plea deal etc. are all sealed, so we only have off the record stuff to go by.

FYI, the main TSPA officer in this whole deal is a man who goes by Sajid Mir a.k.a Abu Al Qama a.k.a Zarar Shah a.k.a Colonel Syed a.k.a Coloner Saeed. No one knows is real name for sure.

He's the key link between LeT and TSPA, i.e. he reports to Hafiz Saeed and also to TSPA and the other Majors likely reported to him.

I got all of the above from many sources over several years, including direct contact with a couple of the foremost Western experts on LeT, but no one tries to get to the bottom of this.

asprinzl · Post by **asprinzl** » 28 Mar 2010 09:37

Folks, as far as importing good to the US, there is a preety tight control administered by the US Customs at the ports. That does not mean things don't get smuggled in. They do. Just look at the drug problem faced by the country. Anyways, I used to know a small print shop that has gone out of business some years ago. A few times they were suspected of printing "Made in China" labels by the hundreds for some Africans and Arabs. This info was relayed to me by a friend in the NYPD. My guess is that whatever these guys were peddling, they must be sending their goods to some place where "Made in China" must be a sign of "High Quality".

Anyways, there are a lot of Bangla and Paki traders dealing in importation of textiles goods in New York City area (just pay a visit to the Garment District) and usually they store their goods in Long Island. Label manipulation can be carried out in the storage area. However, it is not easy to change the labels that are sewn into garments. To undo the stitches and re-stitch is costly, time consuming and economically not worth the effort. The manipulation has to happen in the factory itself.

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 28 Mar 2010 09:39

All news about the Headley's admission is sourced from a single source: Outlook's editor.

Good enough point. You mean the proximate source are the Indian news media. GOI has been sitting on this information for a while, it would not autonomously reveal it now as that would embarrass the US.

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 28 Mar 2010 09:42

My guess is that whatever these guys were peddling, they must be sending their goods to some place where "Made in China" must be a sign of "High Quality".

The last Made in Italy labelled pants I did not buy was because they had a Made in China label in the inseam.

I think that one does deserve a

Muppalla · Post by **Muppalla** » 28 Mar 2010 09:47

archan wrote:As the above ^^ link displayes yet again, the pakis have sold their country, their souls and have not won an inch of Kashmir, or even concessions on water, for that matter. We should perhaps keep this reality in mind when declaring "pakis have won!" from our rooftops.

See the irony!!!. Our PM after PM strategizes to find some way to talk with such losers. They give a full spin to defend the reason for talks and also a lot of newsprint about the occassional drama.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 28 Mar 2010 09:51

Pakistan negotiating for 14 more F-16s

“Our wish list is unending, but we are proceeding with a realistic approach,” he {Chief of Air Staff Rao Qamar Suleman} said

He said the coalition forces hardly commit any violations of Pakistan’s airspace {then, what is all this 'sovereignty issue' that Zardari/Gilani/Kayani/Quereshi/Rehman Malik frequently and feverishly talk about ?} while Islamabad had always strongly protested in case of any airspace violation by coalition forces in Afghanistan.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 28 Mar 2010 09:52

“Our wish list is unending, but we are proceeding with a realistic approach,” he {Chief of Air Staff Rao Qamar Suleman} said

These guys have no shame!

Sen_K · Post by **Sen_K** » 28 Mar 2010 10:24

Earth Hour marked in Pakistan

Earth Hour (EH) 2010 took place in Pakistan from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm as per local time in the Federal Capital as well as the entire four provincial capitals on March 27, Saturday.
In the Federal Capital lights and electric appliances of Parliament House, Faisal Masque, Daman-e-Koh, Punjab House besides streetlight of all-important roads were turned off. In Rawalpinidi, Roots school also turned off its lights and electric appliances. Besides light of Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan Assemblies buildings were also turned off during the EH. In Peshawar too, lights at all the important roads and buildings were also turned off.

Pakis probably have been the most pious adherents of earth hour(s) idea ranging from 10-14 hours that too daily.

No power for 14 hours makes life ‘living hell’

AT least eight to 10 hour loadshedding in urban and 12 to 14 hour loadshedding in rural areas is bringing untold misery to the people.

The Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) is shutting down power for as long as 14 hours in a day as shortfall between demand and supply has touched the figure of 5,000MW. Some rural areas in the country are even facing up to 17 hours of loadshedding. A man from Chak Narang, a village on the Rawalpindi-Chakwal Road, told The News on Friday that his village experienced up to 20 hours of loadshedding during since the Thursday night.

ArmenT · Post by **ArmenT** » 28 Mar 2010 10:33

With respect to this label manipulation business, quite a few countries do it. If you'll let me indulge in a bit of equal-equalitis, I'll explain the point of this post towards the end

In the early 90s, I had a friend whose father had a factory in Tirupur, making shirts for various large western brands (IIRC, Lacoste was one). Since there are always a few rejects during the manufacturing process, they would make (say) 110 shirts when the order was for 100 shirts. Many times though, only a few shirts would be rejected, so there would be some perfectly good extras left over. Every now and then, they would get rid of these extra leftovers at near to cost price. One time, he and I were looking at some of the extra stuff and I noticed that one of the shirts had a "Fabrique en Spain" label on it. I asked him if this was actually made in his father's factory and why it was labelled as made in Spain. He confirmed that it was indeed made in his father's factory and the labelling was actually at the behest of the importer. Apparently this shipment was destined for another country (perhaps Singapore or Malaysia) and according to the importer, customers would assume that the item was fake if it said "Made in India". Hence the buyer himself asked them to stick a Made in Spain label. The situation has since vastly improved so there is no longer a need to do this.

Now this situation is vastly different from that in Pakland. The difference is that my friend's dad had several buyers in the west willing to place orders with him because (a) he could deliver the quality that they asked for and (b) he could deliver it cheaper and on time. On the other hand, importers in the west are not willing to import from the Pakis in the first place, due to previous bad experiences (delayed shipments, destroyed shipments etc.) and the bad political situation in Pakland. So labelling the items as "Made in XXX" instead of "Made in Pakistan" is not going to help them if there are no large importers to purchase from them in the first place. And that is the key difference.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 28 Mar 2010 11:08

** Deleted **