:::: MENU ::::
Posts tagged with: Army
Apr 29, 2009    |       8 comments

The Forthcoming Horror in Swat

This is an update on the Swat situation which was posted onto the Peoples Resistance Mailing List by Dr. Riaz Ahmed on 24th April [three days back]. I believe this analysis is worth reading and understanding the ground reality from the people in swat and their concerns surrounding Sufi Mohammad and the possible incursions by the Pakistan Army. Its good to keep into perspective the ground reality merely to balance the propaganda that keeps blasting away across the media
Continue Reading

Apr 11, 2009    |       8 comments

Stop Twittering – Fight or Succumb

Guest blog by temporal who blogs at Baithak Blog

Earlier I had posted Who killed the Baloch leaders? by Qurat ul ain Siddiqui. More on this saga here.

This should raise alarms. Will it? This is extra-judicial killings – by state organs. The last time it happened under Benazir and Sharif Governments, the agencies got emboldened and thousands of Baluchis and Muhajirs died.

Earlier in the 70s, the same agencies were involved in what was then East Pakistan.

A fool learns from his mistakes. An idiot does not.

We seem to be bent upon endlessly repeating mistakes. Either that, or the agencies are a power unto themselves and are a state within state and cannot be controlled.

The key question to ask is – ‘who exercises control over these agencies and how effective is their control?’

The concern of our MaiBaap is not displaced. They urge effective control over this behemoth (the Agencies) as much for their benefit as for ours.
Continue Reading

Apr 4, 2009    |       23 comments

23rd March Parade, went Missing, so what!

Guest Blog by Omar Javaid

23rd-march-pakistanThe Parade on 23rd march was canceled by the prime minister out of austerity. The cancellation was announced a couple of week back. Then 23rd march came and went without the grand event which was considered the hallmark of this day. It was astonishing to see the legacy getting broken and the reason that was cited, but most startling was the inaction, it didn’t bothered anybody, never sparked any uproar, never ignited any heated debate, there wasn’t any criticism, it almost went unnoticed.

The parade of 23rd March use to be morale booster, a blatant exhibit of Pakistan’s military strength, cultural diversity, and national integrity; for the masses it was an annual dose of self esteem and a sense of identity. This dose went missing this time, and didn’t bother anybody. It is unlikely that masses are stuffed or overdosed with self respect, confidence and esteem, rather the contrary seems more true, they are starved, their energies evaporated by continuous bombardment of negativity (there is hardly a good news in media), they are exhausted, disappointed, frustrated, contempt on present state of affair, politics, judiciary (though just been revitalized … ?), role of military in northern areas, extremism, and most importantly the threat of unemployment for employed, torture of unemployment for unemployed, and all of this multiplied by crippling inflation.
Continue Reading

Mar 11, 2009    |       23 comments

What should the army do?

Guest Post by Aqil Sajjad

There are some rumours that the PPP is planning to use the army to curb the long march. One hopes these stories turn out to be false, because if the military were to side with the government against the lawyers, it would be pitting itself against the people of Pakistan. Its public image would take another serious battering, and army officers would again come in for a lot of abuse from angry people when they went out in their uniform, as was the case in the post Nov 3 days.

This would be very unfortunate, since we need the army to play its due role in the defence of the country with full public support, rather than getting into a fight with te civil society on behalf of some vested interests.
Continue Reading

Feb 1, 2009    |       37 comments

Rafia Zakaria: Swat, Somalia and Sharia

Guest post by temporal from Baithak Blog

Speaking of the former rickshaw and truck driver’s reincarnation as PakTaliban Rafia Zakaria writes in today’s News:

The hijacking and effective recasting of sharia as a populist tool meant to convert the poor into accepting violence and barbarity as emblematic of Islamic justice is a tragedy. Viewing it as such also reveals how populations who have been plagued by sense of inferiority owing to their illiteracy and poverty present fertile grounds for exploitation by groups such as Al Shabab and the Taliban. Reducing justice to a crude pantomime devoid of equity and education to an expression of un-Islamic elitism, these groups rely on the most decrepit aspects of human nature to assure their own ascendancy.

I have no love for these illiterate rascals passing off as Maulvis/Maulanas..they are an insult to real aalims.
Continue Reading

Jan 24, 2009    |       74 comments

Baluchi women in military torture cells, sexual slavery, Musharraf accused

Asian Human Rights Commission has in early January published a report which reveals a shocking trend in Baluchistan, women who have been struggling for the greater autonomy of Baluchistan have been arrested by state agencies and have been forced into sex slavery under the custody of the Pakistan Army.

AHRC had earlier also published another report accusing General Pervaiz Musharraf of running these military torture cells during his tenure. The report initially originates from a Baluchistan Liberation Front activist Munir Mengal who in 2006 was trying to launch a Baluchi TV channel but as coincidence would have it, the Pakistan Army was dead-set in uprooting the Baluchi uprising which resulted in the assassination of Nawab Akbar Bugti.

The report can be read in its entirety on the AHRC’s website but a few shocking sections are reproduced here. A close look at the incidents that have been quoted range from 2005 to 2007, the Musharraf era. Though we cant be sure that if these cells still do exists or have been dismantled at the fall of military dictatorship in February 2008, and sincerely hope that such heinous crimes are not still being orchestrated by our democratic government. But it seems that Ms. Zarina Marri is still missing and suspected to be held hostage against her free will.
Continue Reading

Dec 23, 2008    |       138 comments

ISI, a freelance protector of national security of Pakistan

Guest post by Amjad Malik

ISI is protecting the national security of Pakistan and combating any viable threat to its borders from outside and since 1971 from within. It is not different to the work of the CIA, KGB, RAW, Mossad, and MI5 & MI6 who work day in day out to avert any threat to the security of their own respective countries. The passionate work of this institution though is hardly in the public domain but is paramount when the threat is looming from its neighboring country on its borders, heavy presence of a foreign force on its western borders, and the presence of groups like ‘Makti bahni’ which are promoted, financed and cultured inside Pakistani bordering areas by its enemy. The need of their passionate work become more imperative when the corrupt elite of the country wish to derail the sovereignty of the country and endanger the security of the state by forging an alliance with super power in lust for power putting aside national interest.
Continue Reading

Nov 23, 2008    |       59 comments

Operation LionHeart

I received this text message from a friend who fortunately is one of those who has not only read history but also never forget it.

“Richard the Lionheart fought the crusades against Muslims who were valiantly defended by Salahuddin Ayubi. In operation LionHeart, who is lion heart in present context? Can somebody ask Gen Ather Abbas?”

Since, I was running fever and hadn’t watched TV or read newspaper for a couple of days; I ask him that what operation Lionheart is? He informed me that joint operation of Pakistani and ISAF forces in FATA is named operation Lionheart. I then forwarded that text message to my favorite hosts and was lucky to get reply from two of them. In their reply they told me that they would ask the question as the next day they were meeting Gen Abbas in Seminar in the Capital. To my knowledge, till these lines are typed, no has asked this questions on-air, may be due to the censor policies of their channels.
Continue Reading

Oct 27, 2008    |       3 comments

Karachi University Seminar about the Military Operation in Bajaur, Waziristan, Kurram Agency & Swat

On 25th October, Saturday an event was organized in Karachi University organized by Karachi University Teachers Society, (KUTs) in collaboration of Peoples Resistance (PR).

The main speakers were, Mr. Kak Kahil a Peshawar based AJ TV Journalist and Mr. Wali Haider who has just recently returned from the Bajaur region. Both speakers spoke at length about the situation in the region and following their speeches were later peppered with some very interesting questions by the students about Imperialistic war in tribal & the settled areas of Pakistan, both speakers extensively criticized Taliban’s activities while also took the Pakistan Army to task for playing second fiddle to the NATO and US agenda which are leading towards a collapse of the sovereignty of Pakistan. The News reported on the event as follows
Continue Reading

Oct 23, 2008    |       38 comments

Don’t Blame the Victim – Detailed analysis of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s case

I share with you a detailed report published on the People’s Resistance mailing list analyzing the abduction of Dr. Aafia Siddqui and her ongoing trial in the US Courts. Please take time to read the report and if you agree with the contents then it would be a great help if you can join in the effort to spread the word far and wide to get more support for her.

Download the PDF Version
[download#6]

Case study

On March 30, 2003, Dr. Aafia Siddiqui disappeared from Karachi along with her three minor children. Media reported that she had been taken by the US authorities with compliance of Pakistani authorities since the FBI had wanted to seek some information from her. In the face of general outcry, the US and Pakistani authorities quickly backtracked but then a year later Pakistani Foreign Office admitted publicly that Aafia had been handed over to the US.1

She became a concern for human rights organizations including Amnesty International who kept the case alive for five years. On July 6, 2008, political party Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf presented a British journalist in Islamabad who said there was reason to believe that Aafia was the “Prisoner 650” at Bagram (Afghanistan) and had undergone brutal rape and torture for five years. Outcry reaches a high water mark and urgent appeals were sent by Asian Human Rights Commission on July 22, to President George Bush and other persons of authority.

On August 4, the US authorities officially admitted of having Aafia in their custody but the US Department of Justice brought forth a charge sheet against her, claiming that she was arrested on July 17 (and not before) while loitering around near the residence of Ghazni’s Governor. They alleged that papers found in her handbag included instructions on making bombs and notes about installations in US.

Continue Reading

Oct 18, 2008    |       13 comments

[MiniLinks] Humvees being built in Taxila

Saleem Shahzad of Asia Times Online reports that an order has been placed by the US Army for about 1000 military grade high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles Humvees at Heavy Industries Unit in Taxilla, Pakistan. The report does voice a concern to say that this new influx of military business is a worrisome understanding between America and Pakistan of a “a new and dangerous level“, but in all honesty I see it as a much needed influx of investment into our failing economy which might actually help bolster the foreign reserves and have an important side benefit of the much coveted ‘transfer of technology’. It must be noted that the report has not been fully confirmed by the ISPR spokesperson Major General Athar Abbass, but whatever be the situation it should be important to keep an eye on this development

Oct 15, 2008    |       31 comments

Pakistan is there to live

Guest Blog by Amjad Malik

As long as India keeps dreaming the disintegration of Pakistan, it will survive as a viable state as the very negativity serves the purpose of knitting this crowd of 170 million people into a nation, whenever it is confronted by its arch rival. Editor of Indian Defence Review, Mr. Bharat Verma writes that ‘new Delhi is its own enemy, when it permitted the creation of a pure Islamic state on its borders,” I for one disagree as this state emerged as a result of a successful struggle for independence by millions of Muslims of India who felt that two nation theory is the only viable option to preserve and protect each other’s identity and core values. Indian Hindus too got liberated after remaining under Moghuls for over 6 centuries and then British Raj through the same process due to Gandhi’s vision. Independence was neither granted through diplomacy, nor as a charity. It was snatched on the basis of fundamentals of the modern day democracy, one man one vote’ principle and majority of muslim populated areas vowed to join the newly established idea of ‘Pakistan’ where they saw security, identity and a peaceful enjoyment of civil and political rights, and a freedom of religion, culture and values.
Continue Reading

Oct 5, 2008    |       9 comments

Hot pursuit or breach of territorial integrity in Pakistan

Amjad Malik writes specially on the issue of US incursions in Pakistan

As Pakistan is paying the price for flirting with United States yet again and did not learn anything from Russian invasion results and being in the rock and hard place, the country is viewed by many that its giving too much to the Americans but according to the USA not enough, hence unilateral incursions. These attacks whether through missiles or land operations are fatal for state sovereignty principle as it not only establishes might is right principle but exposes a trust deficit amongst operators of war on terror at international front. King Abdullah rightly pointed out some intelligence failures and lack of cooperation at that front and insisted the need of joint Intel set up internationally to combat this menace which is affecting us all. When we look at UN charter, the forum which was set up to avoid war and to reaffirm faith in human rights and to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligation of treaties can be maintained, and the tolerance was the key and there was agreed prohibition of armed forces save in the common interest. Article 2(4) of the UN charter says that ‘All members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purpose of the United Nations.”
Continue Reading

Oct 3, 2008    |       13 comments

Tariq Ali speaks about Pakistan Current Situation

Guest Blog by Yaseen Khawar of Pakistanic.com

Tariq Ali s a renowned Pakistani intellectual of world reputation resides in U.K but visits Pakistan from time to time. Recently he gave an interview to Amy Goodman, It is presented here:

Amy Goodman: Recently Pakistani border security forces have stopped American army to cross the Pak Afghan border and do an operation in Pakistani territory but Pakistan’s army open fire on their helicopter. How would you comment on this?

Tariq Ali: I think circumstances have become quite dangerous. It is the point of discussion in American administration since last year whether to do operation inside Pakistan’s territory but there is a strong lobby inside U.S administration which says that if U.S operated inside Pakistan it will benefit those elements against which U.S is doing operation.

Amy Goodman: How?

Tariq Ali: When pushtoon population of North West Frontier Province will see that America has started operation against them, they will join Taliban inside Afghanistan to strengthen resistance.
Continue Reading

Oct 2, 2008    |       9 comments

McCain’s ‘failed state’ reference, challenged by ex-US Ambassador to Pakistan

The US Presidential debates are still over a month away, but the campaign frenzy is nearing its climax and mud slinging has slowly started to peak. The numerous comments made during last weeks Presidential debates are still being carefully analyzed with a magnifying glass and their subsequent meanings deciphered endlessly. As we may recall Pakistan was a hot topic in the discussion last Friday, due to its strategic importance on the war on terror, today an email report has surfaced where an ex-US Ambassador to Pakistan challenged McCain’s reference to Pakistan being a failed state in 1999 [I’m glad somebody stood up for us!! ]

During the debate if we may recall, McCain referred to Pakistan as a failed state in 1999 when President Musharraf came into power via a military coop, McCain in turn accused Obama to have not understood the problem in Pakistan and blamed him for an unrealistic plan of action. But in an interesting move William Milan the US Ambassador to Pakistan at the time of the coup, has categorically come forth to say that it’s McCain who doesn’t understand.

Matthew Yglesias asked Ambassador Milam about this issue and his response was
Continue Reading

Pages:‹1234›