Bharat Rakshak

ADB refuses to fund mega dam project

ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Wednesday declined to commit funds for the $14 billion Diamer-Bhasha dam project and called for governance reforms to encourage private investment and equitable growth for all Pakistanis.“We did not really make any commitment. This is a very big project,” ADB president Takehiko Nakao said on Wednesday at a joint news conference with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on the conclusion of the 15th ministerial meeting of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) programme.
He said the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) was conducting a feasibility study on the Diamer-Bhasha dam, adding that while it was a very important project for Pakistan’s energy and irrigation requirements, it called for the formation of more partnerships that could provide funding for the project.“We haven’t decided [whether to fund] this project yet because it needs big money,” he said, adding that the ADB might consider joining the financing of this project at a later date.The ADB was originally seen by Pakistan as the lead financier of the strategic project, which would have a water storage capacity of over six million acre feet and a power output of 4,500MW. Repeated efforts to rope the World Bank in as a co-lender failed two years ago when the government declined to seek an NoC from India for the project.Instead, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar accepted a funding offer from the World Bank to start the Dasu Hydropower project, downstream of Diamer-Bhasha, saying the government would simultaneously go ahead with both projects.The ADB has been advising the government to adopt a professional approach towards the construction of the big dam that cannot be funded by a single institution, country or group given its mammoth financial requirements and the risks involved.As a way out, the ADB had advised Islamabad to restructure the Diamer-Bhasha dam project by separating power generation, land acquisition and main dam structures and their various modes of financing.
Mr Nakao stressed that it was very important for Pakistan to continue fighting against corruption, tax avoidance and money laundering, saying that the government should make efforts to minimise these menaces. He said the signing of a tax avoidance treaty with the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Develop­ment (OECD) would greatly help in this regard.Responding to a question, he said good governance was critical for improving spending on the safety and security of people and raising their living standards. The government should take corrective steps; the sooner, the better, he said.He also asked Pakistan to wisely implement projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and utilise their funds well so as to avoid debt or repayment problems. He said the ADB supported regional integration efforts such as the CPEC because they ensured shared development.Finance Minister Dar and the ADB chief also witnessed the signing of a $250 million loan-agreement on the ‘Regional Improvement of Border Services’ between Pakistan and ADB to improve border management facilities at Torkham, Chaman and Wagah under the auspices of CAREC.

Rammpal wrote:"..This quote explains the idea

.."

That's National Service, vis-a-vis, Singapore, Israel, etc.[/quote]
National service for the Nation of Islam in this case. Should bring much cheer to a lot of people

shiv wrote:

Rammpal wrote:"..This quote explains the idea

.."

That's National Service, vis-a-vis, Singapore, Israel, etc.

National service for the Nation of Islam in this case. Should bring much cheer to a lot of people hopefully outside of India too

X Posted from the “Indo-UK News and Discussion - April 2013” thread.

UK Prime Minister Theresa Mary May answers a question by raised by Mohammadden UK Parliamentarian Yasmin Qureshi with origins in the Terrorist fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan, by toeing India’s position that Jammu & Kashmir is strictly a bilateral matter between India and the Islamic Republic and no third party mediation will be permitted.

UK PM also rightly characterizes in the first line of her response that the accusations levelled by Yasmin Qureshi are Qureshi’s own.

Relevant excerpt From Hansard of 26 October 2016 (Clicky):

Yasmin Qureshi (Bolton South East) (Lab)

Q10. In Indian-occupied Kashmir over the past three months 150 people have died, 600 have been blinded by the deliberate use of pellet guns, and more than 16,000 injured, many critically. There have been unexplained disappearances and shortages of food and medicine. Will the Prime Minister meet me and cross-party colleagues to discuss the human rights abuses and the issue of self-determination for Kashmiri people, as was set out in the UN resolution in 1948? Will she raise the matter with the Indian Prime Minister?

The Prime Minister

The hon. Lady sets out her case and the issues that she has identified. I take the same view as this Government have taken since they came into power and previously, which is that the issue of Kashmir is a matter for India and Pakistan to deal with and sort out. The Foreign Secretary has heard her representations and I am sure will be interested in taking up those matters with her.

Colonel Graff: Tell me why you kept on kicking him. You had already won.
Ender Wiggin: Knocking him down won the first fight. I wanted to win all the next ones, too. So they'd leave me alone.

--Enders Game

^^^ Much to be said for treating the Mohammadden Terrorist fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan as Stilson was.

Rammpal wrote:"..This quote explains the idea

.."

That's National Service, vis-a-vis, Singapore, Israel, etc.[/quote]
Can aam unwashed janta replace the mansabdar class of Uebermensch? What is going to happen to the Pak aafsars who are the true inheritors of the Mughal Saltanat? Tauba Tauba. Christine Aapa does not know what she is talking about. Again Tauba Tauba.
Gautam

Bheeshma wrote:Just think this coward was in IA? Did they kick him out?

He takes pride in calling himself a "tank man" when it suits him to bully others. When the true warriors do actual surgical strike, the rat gets scared

For money and fame, a brave warrior will declare himself to be a scared lil sissy. But what if he really was/is a coward..

shiv wrote:

SSridhar wrote: Yes, that one happened in the Punjab. I was referring to the Police College attack. It was ironic to me because my suspicion is that this was the joint operation (or at least with a wink and a nod) of the PA & LeJ.

Sridhar what does the Pakistan army gain out of this attack? They are scaring away the police who were a convenient whipping boy who could be blamed for failures while the Paki army did not have to do anything about jihadis groups

Shiv, That's a very good question. On the face of it, the Pakistani Army seems to gain nothing and in fact lose a lot. But, the Quetta attack is an extension of the tussle between the PA and Nawaz Sharif. Let me explain.

As I said before, LeJ is a sword-arm of the PA in Balochistan after the Supreme Court of Pakistan came down heavily over the torture, disppaerance and killing of thousands of Balochis in the last nearly two decades. As a quid-pro-quo, the PA turns a blind eye to the sectarian killing of Shi'as by LeJ within that province.

The Quetta Police College attack has to be understood in the current context of the political situation in Pakistan.

For various reasons, such as the traditional animosity between Nawaz & PA, Raheel Sharif's suspicion of Nawaz Sharif in his dealing with India, Nawaz's ill-treatment of Musharraf and Gen. Raheel's intervention to secure the release of the latter, the Panamagate scandal, the refusal by Nawaz to handover CPEC to the PA, the issue of the extension of Gen. Raheel's term etc., there is a serious rift between the PA and Nawaz Sharif as we all know.

The PA and PML-N are ganging up support for their respective positions from various quarters, as the situations appears to slowly reach a denouement.

The PA is relying upon Imran Khan & his PTI, the various pro-military terror tanzeems and madrasseh like LeT/JeM, LeJ, Sami-ul-Haq & his Haqqania, the Canadian cleric Qadri et al. The upcoming 'lockdown of Islamabad' by Imran Khan has the support of all these players. Of course, Imran is a creation of the Pakistani Army and will always have its support (until he becomes too big for his boots). The Ghazi of Lal Masjid is also on Imran Khan's side. The ISI is the real puppeteer. The Army siege of 2007 having long been forgotten for the sake of current convenience.

For its part, Nawaz Sharif is turning to his trusted SSP (now known as ASWJ or Ahl-e-Sunnat-Wal-Jama'at, the mother of terrorism in Pakistan) and trying to influence Diffa-e-Pakistan which largely consists of mostly Punjab-based Islamist groups. Since PML-N already has an electoral and close alliance with SSP on the condition that their terrorists do not attack the Punjab but carry out terrorism only elsewhere, he is trying to influence the Diffa against the Army. The LeJ is a breakaway faction of SSP which broke away many years ago on the 'softness' of the SSP!! LeJ is thus extremely violent and one of its past Emirs, Riaz Basra, is an all-time great terrorist in Pakistan.

The recent Cyril Almeida revelation about Shahbaz Sharif castigating the ISI for interfering in the arrests of terrorists by provincial police and getting them released was initially disbelieved by me as another usual Pakistani drama. But,I have to now admit that subsequent events have made me realize that it was perhaps true. Apart from being 'good' and 'bad' terrorists (for the consumption of the naive world community), there are also 'good' and 'bad' terrorists domestically and this is causing friction between the provincial governments on the one hand and the ISI on the other because of conflicting classifications. What is good for one is bad for the other and vice versa. This is a classic tussle between the elected representatives of the Pakistani State and the supra-national and all-powerful Pakistani Army. The politicians have to win the next elections and for that they need development, infrastructure and peace while the Supra-national Pakistani Army wants to destroy the hegemon, India, at all costs.

Thus, LeJ is 'bad' for the Punjab provincial government whereas it is 'good' for the Frontier Constabulary in Balochistan. Similarly, ASWJ is 'good' for Shahbaz Sahrif's Punjab government while it is 'bad' for the ISI because the anti-Pakistan faction of TTP (Mullah Fazlullah faction) is joined at the hips with ASWJ. The LeJ is having a freer hand in Balochistan, especially Quetta, after the gunning down by the Punjab police in a fake encounter last year of their Emir Malik Ishaque and his sons. In this arrangement with the LeJ, the PA gains on two fronts in my opinion. Its 'scorched earth' policy for Balochistan is getting implemented with no blame sticking to it. The LeJ is also fighting the BLA without FC getting involved much. The LeJ may, in future, become the 'first line of defence' for the branch of CPEC passing through Balochistan.

As for your question whether the PA gains anything because it loses its 'whipping boy policemen', the PA doesn't care about that. It will blame the provincial government always for law & order issues or inability to recruit policemen. In any case, Balochistan is totally blacked out and little news comes from there. The PA may not employ the same strategy in other provinces. Such strategies are province-specific.

Rule of Law Index 2016 which covers 113 Countries, lists the Islamic Republic of Pakistan at 106 rank. A hardly surprising ranking for the Islamic Republic which allows designated Mohammadden Terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar to freely roam around:

The most lawless countries in the world?

Pakistan spy Mehmood Akhtar told to leave India within 48 hours: MEA

NEW DELHI: A staffer of the Pakistan high commission, who was detained by police for alleged possession of sensitive defence documents and was immediately declared persona non-grata, has been asked to leave India within 48 hours, MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said on Thursday.

The staffer Mehmood Akhtar, who worked in the visa section of the high commission and has diplomatic immunity, was procuring critical details from two other accomplices who have been arrested here, police said.
Akhtar was released after prolonged questioning because of his diplomatic immunity.

"During interrogation, Akhtar said that he was posted in the Pakistan high commission here since about two-and-a-half years and was working in visa section," Vikas Swarup said.

"Akhtar is on deputation to Pak ISI since January 2013 and is a serving Hawaldar the Baloch Regiment of Pakistan army, Swarup added.

Swarup denied Pakistan's allegations that the arrested high commission staffer was manhandled. He said Mehmood Akhtar was treated with courtesy.

"We are happy that we nipped the ISI spy ring in the bud," Swarup said.

Shortly after the police disclosure, foreign secretary S Jaishankar summoned Pakistan envoy Abdul Basit to his office and conveyed to him that Akhtar has been declared persona non-grata for espionage activities, Vikas Swarup, external affairs ministry spokesperson said.

Basit strongly protested with the Indian foreign secretary the "detention and manhandling" of the Pakistan high commission staffer in violation of 1961 Vienna Convention, according to Pakistan Foreign Office.

The Pakistani envoy also denied the accusations as "false and unsubstantiated".

"The accused were involved in espionage activities for over a year-and-a-half. We were watching their activities for past six months. On a specific input, they were held on Wednesday. Akhtar is a kingpin of the spy ring," joint commissioner of police (crime branch) R S Yadav told a press conference.
Police said that Akhtar initially showed an Aadhar card in the name of Mehboob Rajput.

"He claimed to be a resident of Chandni Chowk but after sustained interrogation, he revealed his real name Mehmood Akhtar," said Yadav.

"He is serving with Pakistan ISI and has got diplomatic immunity since he is posted in the Pakistan high commission (PHC) of Delhi. This was verified through MEA and after confirmation and as per the due procedures, he was handed over to the PHC diplomats in presence of MEA representative," Yadav said.

There is likelihood of involvement of other persons as per the information elicited from him, which is being investigated, he said.

"Since Akhtar was working in the visa department, it gave easy access to him to identify people who could work for him as spies. People who were financially weak would be lured by promise of getting big money," said a senior police officer.

The officer said the honey trap angle was also being explored. "From initial investigation, it has been revealed that some girls were exploited after being promised good money and were used to lure men into the module. We are investigating this aspect," he added.

The other two arrested are residents of Rajasthan and identified as Maulana Ramzan and Subhash Jangir. A Delhi court later sent both into 12 days of police remand.

Another Jodhpur-based person identified as Shoaib will also be arrested soon for his involvement in the espionage ring, Yadav said.

Now we await Cwapistan's Tit for Indian Tat.
Cheers

g.sarkar wrote:

Rammpal wrote:"..This quote explains the idea

.."

That's National Service, vis-a-vis, Singapore, Israel, etc.
Can aam unwashed janta replace the mansabdar class of Uebermensch? What is going to happen to the Pak aafsars who are the true inheritors of the Mughal Saltanat? Tauba Tauba. Christine Aapa does not know what she is talking about. Again Tauba Tauba.
Gautam

Incidentally that quote is something written by a Paki called Qazi in 1964 and quoted by Christine Fair in her book

^
Steve McCurry shot to the top of his genre with this one. Unfortunately as it happens so often, it is very hard to stay on top hence like many, he succumbed to the temptation of 'staging' his images and altering them, some significantly. Won a lot of critical acclaim for his series on India, but it now turns out many were faked or altered.

Great talent, no doubt, but some people are really desperate to remain famous.

Paki Dastan Ha Yeh: Azal Sey Shuru Azal pey Khatam

Work on 7,000MW coal-based power plants likely to be abandoned

SLIMABAD: Several coal-based power plants with a cumulative production capacity of around 7,000 megawatts are encountering trouble and may be shelved because of unavailability of coal and funds.These projects include the 6,600MW Gadani Power Park, 330MW Salt Range power plant and 150MW Lakhra power project, according to officials aware of the development.They said the government had stopped work on the Gadani Power Park and was considering restructuring its business model as the number of plants planned to be established in the park had gone down.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had inaugurated the power generation park comprising many plants. A memorandum of understanding was also signed with a Chinese company, but it also distanced itself from the project later.About the Salt Range power plant, the Ministry of Water and Power has informed the premier that the project had to be abandoned as adequate coal quantity was not available that could be used on a commercial scale.The project was scheduled to start electricity production by the end of 2017. It was a $590-million mine-mouth project and the Chinese company working on it also refused to push ahead with the plan due to lower tariff.The government has decided that since the Salt Range power project was being financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), the Economic Affairs Division may request the development partner to sponsor a technical study to assess the commercial potential of coal deposits in the Harnai district.
The Ministry of Water and Power also informed the prime minister, in a meeting held in the last week of August, that the coal project in Lakhra had been put on the back burner in the wake of coal scarcity.Turning to other projects, the prime minister directed the ministry to take up the challenges faced by Port Qasim Electric Power Company with the Sindh government and help address them on a priority basis.He also said work on the Gwadar project with 300MW generation capacity should be accelerated and the issues delaying the project should be resolved.

http://www.msn.com/en-in/news/newsindia ... spartanntp

Hours after India expelled a Pakistan High Commission staffer India for espionage, Pakistan summoned the Indian envoy in Islamabad and asked that an Indian official, Surjeet Singh, leave Pakistan.
A communique from Pakistan's foreign ministry said, Surjeet Singh has been declared "persona non grata". "The Foreign Secretary expressed deep concern over the activities of the Indian official that were in violation of the Vienna Convention and the established diplomatic norms.

That was expected. It is called Tat fo Tit

Prem wrote:Paki Dastan Ha Yeh: Azal Sey Shuru Azal pey Khatam

Work on 7,000MW coal-based power plants likely to be abandoned

Prem Ji :

One of comments on the above Article :

"buga : I suggest you do some research on Thar coal. Thar Coal has enormous reserves but most of those reserves are under a deep layer of water which makes mining impracticable. Further – the BTU content of Thar Coal is relatively low – so low that it takes more energy to move it long distances than it’s worth … that means you have to build a power plant on site (google – mine mouth power plant) and that’s already being done."
Cheers

Any thoughts on what's going on with the uptick in cross-LOC / border shelling? Over the last few days, news articles from Pak about Indian shells killing many hapless civilians and cries for intervention from UNMOGIP, UK, US etc made it seem to me that Indian Govt and Army decided to pound the hell out of the Paks like what happened in 2014. I had figured it was a continuation of very tough stance post-Uri. Now I'm seeing reports that make it sound like Pak has opened up everywhere with heavy weaponry. ToI reporting that the level of Pak shelling in Rajouri is unprecendented according to locals. Thoughts?

Already posted, sorry.

Myanmar Muslims on trial in case of 90 'illegal' cows

Three Muslim men went on trial in Myanmar Monday for illegally importing nearly 100 cows that have spent the last month under police protection, in a case Islamic leaders say targets their religion.

The cows were intended to be ritually slaughtered for the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha last month, an event that has become a flashpoint for Myanmar’s Buddhist nationalists.

Hardline monks, including firebrand Wirathu from the Ma Ba Tha movement, have railed against the practice and pressured local authorities to ban it.

Police took posession of 92 cattle last month when a local monk, Pa Mouk Kha, complained they had been brought into the country illegally.

They have been keeping the animals in a football ground north of Yangon for just under a month at a cost of some $300 a day — spending more than $8,000 so far. Two cows have since died.

The monks have drawn derision from social media users, who have called the case a waste of public resources in a country where one in four lives below the poverty line.

On Monday, the three defendants appeared before the court, charged with illegal trading for allegedly importing the cows without the proper paperwork.

One of them, Myo Myint, in his 60s, has heart disease and had to be supported by police as he approached the courtroom.

His son, Ye Zarni Tun We, said he was “sure” the animals were bought in Myanmar, adding: “We have documents for purchasing the cows.”

The men were remanded in custody until their next hearing, while police are still looking for more than 30 other people linked to the case. The cows will soon be auctioned off.

Kyaw Nyein, leader of local Muslim group Ulama Islam, said the case amounted to religious persecution.

“They did not act illegally,” he told AFP. “I am not sure whether they technically broke the rules or not, but I think this case is concerned with religious affairs.”

Islamophobic sentiment has grown in Myanmar, especially since deadly communal violence erupted between Buddhists and stateless Rohingya Muslims in western Rakhine state in 2012.

Tensions flared on Sunday when nine police officers were killed in a series of attacks on three border posts, which local officials said were carried out by Rohingya.

Burmese Muslims also complain of being treated as second-class citizens in their own country, told they are foreigners and legally restricted from marrying Buddhist women.

While Ma Ba Tha has lost prominence since Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically elected party took power in March, it remains a powerful political force among Myanmar’s devout Buddhists.

Point to Note : All the Rohingya Muslims have Burmese Names!
Cheers

Peregrine wrote:

Prem wrote:Paki Dastan Ha Yeh: Azal Sey Shuru Azal pey KhatamWork on 7,000MW coal-based power plants likely to be abandoned

Prem Ji :One of comments on the above Article :
"buga : I suggest you do some research on Thar coal. Thar Coal has enormous reserves but most of those reserves are under a deep layer of water which makes mining impracticable. Further – the BTU content of Thar Coal is relatively low – so low that it takes more energy to move it long distances than it’s worth … that means you have to build a power plant on site (google – mine mouth power plant) and that’s already being done."Cheers

Another reply by one Janab E Aalli
CarlShmel

Best if Pakistan ask China for direct supply of Electricity on 90% concessional basis. This will solve the issue of capital as well payment. China also have the technological know how and spare capital to bring Brahmaputra river water to Pakistan. By doing so China will earn the permanent loyalty and gratitude of people of Pakistan by making them free from the obligations of IWT and force India to review the treaty.

Dinesh S wrote: Sir, if anything it makes your original position hypocritical. If your original position that we should give a damn about balochis is from a moral position, my position would be the same. But if you think we have more to gain by shedding crocodile tears for balochis now, then may be you may have a point.

But I don't agree with the notion that we need to take a actual high horse for pontification. All it needs is proper narrative. Pakistan until very recently was still on the moral high horse in international fora on Kashmir despite its perfidy in kashmir and jihad. India had jackshit despite constitution/democracy/secularism whatever. All that matters is narrative, not moral high ground/horse.

Can't say I understand your point, and maybe we can discuss this later. But the situation here is that we can eat the cake and have it too. No point asking for ice cream.

Eating the cake: "We condemn this incident... Pak govt should not distinguish between good and bad terrorists"
Having it too: "Pakistani state is unable or unwilling - due to incompetence, wilfull negligence or otherwise - protect its religious and ethnic minorities, in this case the Baluchis. India stands with the oppressed Baluchis who are the target of terrorist groups operating from Punjab, a province which enjoys patronage and special protection of the Govt and Army."
Asking for ice cream: "This incident was a false flag operation, masterminded by ISI, with a <insert favourite conspiracy theory here>".

World is not yet ready for deep conspiracy theories, however plausible they may be. We need some deep think tank investigate these angles, publish their arguments in an internal paper, index it on Google and file it away, and do this on a continuous basis. When the time comes, we can always pull these papers out of the stash and say "we told you so".

Today the narrative is in our favour. We need to consolidate it, and make sure we NEVER EVER slide back to "equal-equal" days. Any Westerner who makes it "equal-equal" should be instantly discredited like a holocaust denier.

Problems in the Mohammadden Terrorist fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s power generation sector seems to be the flavor of the week. Yesterday saw mention of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) refusing to fund the Diamer Basha Dam in Indian territory illegally occupied by the Islamic Republic and refusal of Sweeter than Honey friend Peoples Republic of China to finance the Gadani Power Park:

Prem wrote:ADB refuses to fund mega dam project

Prem wrote:Paki Dastan Ha Yeh: Azal Sey Shuru Azal pey Khatam

Work on 7,000MW coal-based power plants likely to be abandoned

Today the news reported is that the Neelum Jhelum Dam which was unsuccessfully designed to scuttle India’s Kishenanga Dam by attempting to “secure water rights over Neelum”, is beset with problems:

Hydroelectric power production: Neelum-Jhelum project had a poor design, says WAPDA chief

Our former National Security Adviser under the Dynastic Nehru-Gandhi ruled Congress Party led UPA administration, Shiv Shankar Menon, claims that the shameful surrender at Sharm El-Sheikh in July 2009 where the Mohammadden Terrorist fomenting Islamic Republic was permitted to incorporate the implication that India was fomenting freedom struggle in Balochistan “was another opportunity squandered in the long list of missed half chances in India-Pakistan relations”

Wanted to hit LeT camps in Pakistan after 26/11 strike: Shivshankar Menon : Would have been emotionally satisfying, govt felt more to gain by not attacking: former NSA in book.

For good order, full text of the July 2009 shameful surrender statement at sham El Sheikh is here:

TEXT - India, Pakistan prime ministers' joint statement

http://www.business-standard.com/articl ... 110_1.html
India's growing clout will make it difficult for Pak to buy high-tech weapons: Report
Declining American military aid will force Pakistan to carry a greater share of its defence spending
Press Trust of India | Washington
October 28, 2016 Last Updated at 08:01 IST
As India's purchasing power and geopolitical influence increases, Pakistan risks increasing global isolation when it comes to purchase of high-tech defence items, an American think-tank has said.
"Over the long term, Pakistan may be unable to access the most advanced weapons systems in the global marketplace. Instead, it may have little choice but to continue to rely on Chinese and possibly Russian military systems, which may or may not be the most appropriate for Pakistan's defence needs," the Stimson Center said in a report.
"Pakistan's access to high-end technology could be constrained by India's purchasing power and growing geopolitical influence," said the report titled 'Military Budgets in India and Pakistan: Trajectories, Priorities, and Risks'.
American military aid accounted for 21 per cent of Pakistan's defence spending between 2002-2015, allowing the country to maintain high levels of military spending while easing the burden on its federal budget and overall economy.
"The US has begun to gradually downgrade its assistance to Pakistan in the near to medium term," it said, adding that the support in Washington for the bilateral relationship has declined as Pakistan seems unable or unwilling to address concerns about violent extremist groups that direct their focus to Afghanistan and India.
India is a larger and more attractive market for global defence companies, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future, the report said, adding that the country has become the world's largest arms importer.
India accounted for 14 per cent of global arms imports from 2011-2015, a 90 per cent increase over the previous five years.
......
According to the report, Pakistan cannot compete with India when it comes to military expenditure, which is why it might step up spending in nuclear weapons.
However, it warned that investments in nuclear weapons at the expense of conventional capabilities would weaken Pakistan's ability to deal with counter terrorism challenges inside the country......

Gautam

Despite freeze, Indian, Pak. officials attend Oman meet - Suhasini Haidar, The Hindu

At a time when all official meetings between India and Pakistan are on hold, senior MEA and R&AW officials met their counterparts in the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and ISI at a conference in Oman, organised by the U.S. Military National Defence University and British think-tank International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) {organized by Sir Olaf Caroe's successors from either side of the Pond}, The Hindu has learnt.

The Indian delegation included the MEA’s pointperson for Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran, Joint Secretary (PAI) Gopal Baglay, Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Manpreet Vohra and an Additional Secretary of the external intelligence Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW). From Pakistan, the MOFA’s Director General for South Asia Faisal Chaudhary, a high ranking military officer from the Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen Zubair Hyat’s team and a senior Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) official. The delegates attended several sessions including one on “normalising India-Pakistan relations”.

While MEA officials insisted no “bilateral” meeting took place between the senior level delegations, this is the first multilateral event that India and Pakistan have participated at since India cancelled its attendance at the Islamabad SAARC summit over the Uri attack. The meeting is significant as it came as tensions between India and Pakistan are at a high point over heavy cross-LoC and cross-border firing in the wake of India’s announcement that it had conducted surgical strikes across the LoC.

After India pulled out of the SAARC summit, Pakistan has cancelled its attendance at an Asian Disaster Risk Reduction conference to be held in Delhi November 2-5. Pakistan’s foreign affairs advisor Sartaj Aziz confirmed last week that Pakistan would send a delegation to the “Heart of Asia” donor conference on Afghanistan in early December to be hosted by India in Amritsar, but hasn’t confirmed what level the Summit would be attended at.

The Muscat conference, that took place on October 21-23 was the 10th round of the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) and Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies at the US National Defense University’s dialogue on “South Asian Security”.

The conference, which is held annually in Oman, brings together officials from India, Pakistan and Afghanistan to discuss regional security.

When contacted by The Hindu , the conference organisers refused to comment, saying that its proceedings are “strictly off the record”, but a note on their website says the meeting allows “government and military officials from Afghanistan, Pakistan and India to discuss political and regional security issues.”

Invitees to the conference said some of the sessions saw “tense scenes”, especially when Pakistani delegates raised the Kashmir issue “even when the discussions didn’t warrant it.” However, officials would not comment on the broad speculation that the conference had provided an opportunity for India and Pakistani officials to meet when all other avenues are closed.

In the past, India has sent intelligence officials to the conference, and has consistently sent representatives, but this year’s participation is important in the context of the current situation. In 2014, the government sent the then BJP spokesperson M.J. Akbar to speak at the sessions. South Block sources said the main reason to send a delegation to the conference this year was the “growing intensity of ties between India and Afghanistan”, and that officials from at least 63 countries were present at Al Bustan Palace Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Muscat, where the event was held.

Lure of free khana peena is still very very strong.

There will of course be a "mandatory" meeting on the sidelines by some "trackIIers" with an axe and appetite to grind.

milano wrote:Any thoughts on what's going on with the uptick in cross-LOC / border shelling? Over the last few days, news articles from Pak about Indian shells killing many hapless civilians and cries for intervention from UNMOGIP, UK, US etc made it seem to me that Indian Govt and Army decided to pound the hell out of the Paks like what happened in 2014. I had figured it was a continuation of very tough stance post-Uri. Now I'm seeing reports that make it sound like Pak has opened up everywhere with heavy weaponry. ToI reporting that the level of Pak shelling in Rajouri is unprecendented according to locals. Thoughts?

No idea, but I guess our boys are giving back in spades From paki pasand NDTV no less BSF estimates 15 Pakis killed

Jammu: 15 Pakistani soldiers have been killed as Indian troops retaliated to incessant firing by Pakistan along the border in Jammu and Kashmir in the past week, the Border Security Force (BSF) said on Friday.

Two Pakistani Frontier Force soldiers and 13 Rangers were killed, suggested an initial assessment by the BSF.

chetak wrote:Lure of free khana peena is still very very strong.

There will of course be a "mandatory" meeting on the sidelines by some "trackIIers" with an axe and appetite to grind.

Chetak babu the Indians in attendance went there as representative of GOI no. So how can this be for "Lure of free khana peena"?

The border firefight is basically for 2 reasons.
1. Infiltration support on the Baki side.
2. Both Armies want to have the upper hand at the border and maintain izzat. Given that Bakis recently suffered a surgery they are more eager for a payback.

pankajs wrote:

chetak wrote:Lure of free khana peena is still very very strong.

There will of course be a "mandatory" meeting on the sidelines by some "track-II ers" with an axe and appetite to grind.

Chetak babu the Indians in attendance went there as representative of GOI no. So how can this be for "Lure of free khana peena"?

pankajs saar, isn't there some air marshal type who has wormed his way into yeshwant sinha's "peace overture cum discussions" with the kashmiri separatists??

How do you think that he got there and why?? these are all budding "track-II ers" with zilch to contribute. He may have any plausible explanation but at the end of the day, it's a materially rewarding proposition.

These GOI types (most of them, for sure!!) have gone with similar avaricious hopes. Some will sell out whilst in service and most will sell out after retirement.

Punjab Police Take Pre- Emptive Action Against Immy And His PTI Supporters By Confiscating Export Containers !

Containers impounded in Punjab ahead of PTI ‘lockdown’

LAHORE: The Punjab police have begun impounding hundreds of containers, most of which were carrying exports goods headed to Karachi port, in different parts of the province apparently to stop activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led opposition parties from enforcing the lockdown of Islamabad on November 2.

“Hundreds of containers have been impounded by policemen since Wednesday night at the cost of exporters and transports’ businesses,” said All Pakistan Transport Owners Federation Secretary General Malik Wasim Khokhar.

The Kaaptaan must be stopped by hook or by crook !

A source in the Punjab police told Dawn that the decision to impound containers to block the caravans of the PTI and the Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) was taken a couple of days ago in the cabinet committee meeting presided over by the Punjab chief minister.

The source said the Punjab police required at least 400 containers for the purpose.

A Punjab police officer associated with the development, while speaking to Dawn on condition of anonymity, claimed that impounding containers was done to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident of terrorism during the Islamabad lockdown.He, however, said the Punjab police authorities had no specific policy guidelines from the Punjab government to block activists of the PTI and its allied parties by using containers.The source said district police formations would act under the law and order guidelines to maintain peace on roads and cities.

Other press reports have suggested that Ganja Sharif has designated his "clever brother" to make sure that Immy's plan for disruption is nipped in the bud !

Unit of Dharna = TEU

"janaab, aapko yaad hai wo 2016 wali dharna to 300 TEU wali thi, is saal ki 2400 TEU wali hai"

Actually knowing the Sharif brothers business interests, they have probably impounded containers of their competitors in a great application of 2 birds with 1 stone.

X Posted on the PESW Thread
As Imran Khan plans protest, $3.4 billion wiped off of Pakistan stock market

NEW DELHI: More than jittery over cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan's plans to shut down Islamabad next week, as much as $3.35 billion has already been wiped off from Pakistan's stock market, reports The Express Tribune newspaper.

With massive protests, Imran's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party plans to bring Pakistan's capital to a standstill on November 2, to protest the alleged lack of transparency in the Nawaz Sharif-led government . Sharif has been implicated in the Panama Papers leak .

"Since hitting its record high on October 20, 2016, the benchmark-100 index has retreated 1,558.64 points, down 3.75% during the course of five trading sessions that wiped off over Rs 353.65 billion," the newspaper wrote.

Imran's had success in shutdowns in the past. He led a similar protest in the latter half of 2014, shutting down parts of Islamabad for as long as four months.

The selloff in the stock market halted the 26.6% gain seen in the KSE-100 index - akin to India's Sensex - in fewer than 10 months. And the push to sell has only increased since Pakistan Awami Tehreek chairman Allama Tahir ul Qadri said he will join PTI's protest.

"Increasing political uncertainty, as (the) date of PTI protests in Islamabad approaches, remains the main reason of nervousness among investors," said Muhammad Shamoon Tariq, a partner at the Sweden-based Tundra Fonder, which has assets under management in Pakistan worth $150 million, to The Express Tribune. "The situation is exacerbated with religious parties joining the protest," Tariq added.

Tariq said that a few other crucial developments on the political front are also making investors jittery.

"Markets are always scared of uncertainty and in the current protest call of PTI, no one is very sure of the outcome. The timing of these protests is also significant as the new Army chief's appointment is still pending," Tariq told the Pakistani newspaper, referring to the upcoming end of tenure of General Raheel Sharif.

"Political noise always has a greater impact on equities than any other news flow. The locking down of the capital where all the government machinery, foreign diplomats and foreign institutions reside is certainly the most important factor in the investors' minds right now," he added.
Cheers

Interesting bit.

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/ ... r-3727423/
Pakistani spy was trying to get info for a possible terror strike: Official - IE
<------------------
Before being let off because of diplomatic immunity, Akhtar confessed to police about his role in the spy ring. Delhi Police has also done video-recording of his statement. In his statement to police, Akhtar admitted that he was part of the spy ring for more than a year.

He has named a few officers of the Pakistani High Commission whom he was reporting to with all the information but police were yet to take action against them as there was no direct evidence as of now.

Things Heating Up in Pindi/ Isloo !

Arrest me if you can': Sheikh Rasheed makes brief appearance at Rawalpindi's Committee Chowk

As the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Awami Muslim League (AML) vowed to go ahead with their planned protests against the government, police and opposition activists came face to face at Rawalpindi's Committee Chowk near the Lal Haveli residence of Sheikh Rasheed.Sheikh Rasheed arrived at Committee Chowk on a motorcycle to join the protesters."If you have it in you, come and arrest me," he said while speaking to reporters.

The usual show of DRAMABAAZI for which the Paki pols are famous for !

Meanwhile, Imran Khan has reportedly cancelled his plan to travel to Lal Haveli, where he was to join an AML-organised meeting and is expected to address a press conference at 4pm.

So now the Chief Instigator has now reportedly backed down

The political atmosphere in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi turned tense with the PTI calling for countrywide protests on Friday after police stormed a youth convention of the party and arrested activists in the federal capital late on Thursday.

Section 144 was imposed in the twin cities a day earlier, leading to a ban on public gatherings and usage of loudspeakers.

Late on Thursday night, three buses carrying Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel reached the residence of the PTI supremo and troops were deployed in the area. Police deployment also began in the area early Friday.Meanwhile, PTI activists also took positions in front of Khan's residence. A PTI volunteer earlier claimed that around 2,500 party workers have already reached Banigala.

Most likely, this latest agitation will also fizzle out , but pressure on Ganja Sharif will still continue !

Rashid, who slept at a friend's residence last night, arrived at Committee Chowk on Friday morning and addressed reporters there after Friday prayers. He had said that the convention would be held at the Committee Chowk as the administration had sealed roads to Lal Haveli where the programme was scheduled to take place.Earlier on Thursday, he announced to "tear Section 144 into 144 pieces" as the administration announced the section's imposition."On Nov 2, Rawalpindi will be closed down no matter what anyone does," he said.

After months of verbal duels between the parties, Imran Khan announced plans to lay siege on the capital on Nov 2, and vowed to stay put until Prime Minister Nawaz resigns or presents himself for accountability in the backdrop of the Panama Papers scandal.

Questions are being asked as to whether the army would step in in case the protests get out of hand. There is ample speculation about street protests, possible bloodshed and an escalating situation creating space for the army to intervene.

IMO, there is no question of a "hard coup"; the Kerry - Lugar Bill has already "taken care " of that ! And a "soft coup" already happened a long-time ago !

pankajs wrote:Interesting bit.

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/ ... r-3727423/
Pakistani spy was trying to get info for a possible terror strike: Official - IE
<------------------
Before being let off because of diplomatic immunity, Akhtar confessed to police about his role in the spy ring. Delhi Police has also done video-recording of his statement. In his statement to police, Akhtar admitted that he was part of the spy ring for more than a year.

He has named a few officers of the Pakistani High Commission whom he was reporting to with all the information but police were yet to take action against them as there was no direct evidence as of now.

Even though it is given that TSP consulates will be teaming with moles and spies, it is disconcerting that known people are still loose. I don't understand what other action can the police take other than sending them home with diplo immunity crap, why not just accident them or use them somehow?

^
We accident one here and they will do the same to one of ours in Bakiland. Plus violation of vienna(???) convention which will scare even our friends. That is a no win game.

Any game where we can't win is not a game that we should initiate.