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Posts tagged with: Terrorism
Sep 27, 2008    |       9 comments

President Kirdari: McCain & Obama debate on Pakistan

In roughly 37 odd days from today, The United States of America will be electing its 44th President. Though the elections are limited to only the citizens of United States of America but the outcome of electing the new President has a far greater global impact then being limited to the confines of the borders of US of A. In recent times Pakistan has come under an greater scrutiny and is considered a hotspot to become a core discussion issue during the first Presidential debate and both candidates shared their opinions about the various US-influenced problems in Pakistan.

McCain kicked off the Pakistan series by offering a more soft and understandable approach, he suggested in taking the people of Pakistan into confidence on the war on terror and moving forward hand-in-hand to irradiate the menace of terrorism, he said “We’ve got to get the support of the people of Pakistan. He [Obama] said that he would launch military strikes into Pakistan“, to which Obama quickly reacted “Nobody talked about attacking Pakistan. — if the United States has Al Qaida, bin Laden, top-level lieutenants in our sights, and Pakistan is unable or unwilling to act, then we should take them out.”
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Sep 27, 2008    |       9 comments

German terrorist arrests: Do all Terrorists lead to Pakistan? NO

Today German federal police seized two suspected terrorists from a Dutch passenger aircraft [KL 1804] at Cologne airport shortly before it was due to take off for Amsterdam. Sources say the two suspects were on their way to join terrorists in Uganda and Pakistan.

The suspects were a 23-year-old Somalian identified as Abdirazak and a 24-year old German citizen born in Somalia called Omar were “under suspicion of participating in a jihad action and of possibly planning attacks” and had found farewell letters

Firstly don’t get me wrong but I firmly believe that all terrorists must be apprehended in time and put behind bars well before they have a chance to hurt innocent human lives, but what irks me is when the international media conveniently loops Pakistan into every terror plot

Allow me to explain, the flight that these two suspects were expected to board was a KLM City Hopper flight from Cologne to Amsterdam, which is actually a Fokker 50. This Fokker flight has a maximum carrying capacity of 67 passengers and at full fuel load has a flight range of only 1243 miles, a far cry from Uganda which stands at 3800 miles from Cologne or more importantly Pakistan which clocks in at 3600 miles from Cologne
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Sep 25, 2008    |       23 comments

Rahman Dakait nominated for International Peace Award 2008

International Human Rights Commision has nominated Advisor to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik for the ‘International Peace Award 2008 for War against Terrorism. The real problem with Pakistan is there appears to be a complete collapse of moral fabric. I still choose to call him Rehman Dakiat for his endless list of goofups.

It should be recalled that this third Peoples Party nomination is right on the footsteps of Sherry Rehman being nominated for International Peace Award 2008 for Democrats a few months back.

Reading this news report for Rehman Malik – I am utterly speechless, as I and many Pakistanis will cringe at the thought of honoring REHMAN MALIK aka Rehman Dakait {of all people!!!} for the ‘peace prize’. It is yet another example of the political circus being run in Pakistan… I leave this news report at your disposal [and digestion] in utter disgust
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Sep 21, 2008    |       8 comments

Islamabad Update: ~60 dead, 200+ injured including Czech Ambassador

The death toll continues to rise on last nights Islamabad bombing and news reports are tallying the count to be somewhere around 60 dead and over 200 injured. This sadly also includes a few foreigners and the highest dignitary killed yesterday is the Czech Ambassador to Pakistan Ivo Zdarek while his Vietnamese parter is also missing up until now. Ambassador Zdarek had moved to Pakistan a month ago and was staying at the hotel.

Czech Embassy officials said that Zdarek called his embassy from inside the hotel moments after the explosion asking to be rescued, but had not been heard from since and later Czech media reports said police had pulled the diplomat’s body from the smouldering ruins.

Loss of life in any measure is condemnable, but it is far more embarrassing to have a guest visiting our country suffering the ultimate tragedy. Our heart and prayers go out to each person [local or international] killed in the incident, I only wish we could have done more to avoid this ultimate disaster and also wish a speedy recovery to those injured.

It is probably yet another incident that my heart truly weeps at seeing our Pakistan bleed so profusely. We must join hands and work towards taking Pakistan out of this spiraling disaster

Sep 21, 2008    |       20 comments

Speaker Fehmida Mirza, hosting an Iftar in Marriott for Zardari

STRATFOR quotes sources in Geo News that the Speaker National Assembly Fehmida Mirza was hosting an Iftar dinner in Marriott today in honor of the President Mr. Asif Ali Zardari when the blast occurred at the Hotel but luckily Mr. Zardari was not there. With this information coming into light, one must look at this bombing not simply as a random attack but mostly an assassination attempt towards the new President

Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza was hosting an Iftar dinner reception in honor of President Asif Ali Zardari at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan, when the hotel was bombed Sept. 20, Pakistani Daily The News reported. Zardari reportedly was not at the dinner, but the report said other important figures were present, without giving names. GEO News reported that some 100 people may have been killed in the attack. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.


Though Geo News for the moment has a report at the moment quoting Hashwani, the owner of Marriott that “There was no VIP or foreigner affected by the blast as most of the guests present in the hotel were rescued“. Though the facts are still to be deciphered with the on going investigation, but seemingly it might be important for the government to not expose this lapse in VIP security i.e. if at all such a breach did actually happen.

Sep 21, 2008    |       3 comments

Being fooled at will!

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. A must watch video.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xhy6BR8Hb38[/youtube]

The important thing in dealing with the Pakistani leadership (military or civil) is not to believe everything we hear. The only certain thing, the one thing we can depend on, is that every leader who poses as the man or woman who will lead us to a better life is practicing the ancient art of fooling the public. There is nothing new, it all started when the first tribal con-man learned that if he stood up and pounded his chest like a strong gorilla the people around the campfire would allow him to be their chief and give him all the food and women he wanted.

Over the past sixty years we have witnessed these con-men in uniforms, in religious turbans, in Mao caps and some even ‘directly landed’ in to office of ‘Caretaker Prime Minister’ ,from United States. The fact that we have been conned in past does not qualify us to be treated as fools, as most of the times we were subjected to conning on gun point or in more decent words through ‘martial laws’. For too long we have allowed our leadership to be elected as we possessed little or no choice and these ‘rulers’ have rode roughshod over us. But an average Pakistani has no illusions about the probity of their leaders or institutions.
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Sep 20, 2008    |       65 comments

Terrorism in Islamabad – Pakistanis Stand up and Say NO

Islamabad today was rocked by a massive explosion outside Hotel Marriott, as I write this post it still is burning and death toll continues to rise hovering around 34 dead & 170 injured in blast. The overall speculations can blame this attack on any of the terrorist organizations, some find a way to out the finger on the Taliban uprising, some find a way to blame the simmering political unrest while some feel the Indian spy agency RAW might have hand in all this. Whatever be the case Pakistan has suffered.

It is my analysis that the Indian spy agency RAW is the most likely to have a hand in this blast more in retaliation to the recent blasts in India. To make a killing blow on the eve of President Zardari speech to the joint session is a brilliant ploy to over shadow Zardari’s new making comments

What can we do !!! Simply sitting at home, writing emails & sending SMS’s will achieve nothing and the terrorists will run our country to the ground. If you believe in Pakistan we need to join hands and say STOP TO TERRORISM, mind you this STOP means a full out right condemnation against Talibans, against the American raids on Pakistan and our local armed uprising.

We have to join hands to help save Pakistan

Sep 17, 2008    |       8 comments

CBS ’60 Minutes’ edited Ahmadinejad’s comment on Israel/Palestine: ‘Solution Is Democracy’

About two years ago CBS ’60 Minutes’ did an interview with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.  Recently at the request of the Iranian President, the FULL UNEDITED version was shown on C-SPAN. The aired edited 60 Minutes was followed by the full 90-minute interview, to give viewers a window on what is left on the cutting room floor

A very diligent blogger has reported on what “60 Minutes” cut out of the interview when it initially aired. When Mike Wallace confronted Ahmadinejad with the “wipe Israel off the map” threats, Ahmadinejad said that “the solution is democracy” in Israel and Palestine, but it seems the CBS team decided to cut this all important section and continued to paint this leader in a negative view.

We can see what they cut out, a call for democracy. This is another example of Mainstream Media’s continuing suppression of basic facts concerning Israel and the Palestinians and other dramatic details related to the Middle East. It is a scandal for news editors to suppress the fact that democracy is being denied to people and that U.S. policy makers are behind the injustices. It is a scandal that the mainstream media suppresses the fact that the President of Iran is calling for democracy.

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Sep 13, 2008    |       339 comments

Sick of Musharraf lovers – a factual rant

Guest Post by Saira Ansari

I’m very disturbed, disappointed and sick to death to see the amount of facebook’ers on my list who think Musharraf’s leaving has been a catastrophe for Pakistan. Just because a new evil, a.k.a Zardari, is in the house does not mean that the previous evil is now a good man. A “leader” as some say. That’s our problem – as an entire nation. We forget and we repeat our mistakes over and over again.

People left right and centre have been levelling accusations at me, and countless others like myself, that we support Zardari. Unfortunately no one takes out 5 minutes to ask if that is so. Let me save you the time…we don’t. And no, he is NOT democratically elected. Hierarchic / Monarchic rule within the party does not ensure a democratic candidate, so stop ranting that its democracy that’s bad. We, the people, have been cheated again. The actual institution has been wronged.

I will get hate messages and mail after this because I get them often for my stance. Those who know me well know my passion for this country and its welfare so at least I can’t be labelled for propaganda as my other friends and colleagues are. But I must have my say – whether or not you bother to read the entire note.

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Sep 13, 2008    |       3 comments

A speech Zardari did not make

By Dr Muzaffar Iqbal
The News, September 12, 2008

Bismi’Llahi-Rahmani-Rahim
(In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Beneficent.)

My fellow citizens, assalamu alaykum. First of all, I am grateful to the Almighty for giving me the honour of serving a great nation as its president. It has become somewhat clichéd to say that today Pakistan stands at a crossroads, but today it is really so and I wish to turn the course of our journey towards a direction that is full of hope, vigour, and bright future for a nation that has been deceived, robbed, and cheated so many times.

Let me begin by stating that on Nov 3, 2007, a military dictator hijacked the entire system by serving a crushing blow to the judiciary. That one man can do so much harm to the system is in itself an indication of how bad things have become in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, but I will come back to that in a minute. First, let me share with you my decision to redress that action of Nov 3, 2007, by the military dictator. I have issued instructions to complete the legal process so that that the deed done by the general becomes null and void. Simultaneously, a process of accountability has started to bring to justice all those who have violated the Constitution, plundered national wealth, and the millions of American dollars given to Pakistan during the last nine years. Soon, you will hear more on this.
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Sep 11, 2008    |       2 comments

Lost war and a lost cause

By: Amjad Malik

On the anniversary of tragic events of September 11, the statements of both Pakistan and US armed officers are frightening for Asia. New York Times reported today that ‘President Bush secretly approved orders in July that for the first time to allow American Special Operations forces to carry out ground assaults inside Pakistan without the prior approval of the Pakistani government’. The article reported that the American commanders in Afghanistan have complained bitterly that militants use sanctuaries in Pakistan to attack American troops in Afghanistan. He said that “I’m not convinced we’re winning it in Afghanistan,” However, Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday. “I am convinced we can.” Toward that goal, Admiral Mullen said he had ordered a comprehensive military strategy to address the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The commando raid last week and an increasing number of recent missile strikes are part of a more aggressive overall American campaign in the border region aimed at intensifying attacks on Al Qaeda and the Taliban in the waning months of the Bush administration, with less than two months to go before November elections.
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Sep 5, 2008    |       18 comments

Dr. Aafia Indicted on Murder Charges but No Terrorism Charge

A US court on Tuesday announced the indictment of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui for allegedly attacking US agents who went to interrogate her after she was arrested by local police in Afghanistan. 

Dr. Aafia Siddiqui faces

  1. One count of attempting to kill US nationals abroad;
  2. One count of attempting to kill US officers and employees;
  3. One count of armed assault of US officers and employees;
  4. One count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and
  5. Three counts of assault of US officers and employees.

If convicted, Siddiqui faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on each of the attempted murder and armed assault charges; life in prison on the firearm charge; and eight years in prison on each of the remaining assault charges

Interestingly the U.S. intelligence officials have told Pakistani officials in past weeks that there is coercive evidence in their possession linking the Pakistani scientist to terrorism and Al Qaeda, surprisingly no such charge has been brought against her

Daily Times also adds two possible reasons for this: “one that the prosecution is fairly confident that it can obtain a conviction without charging her with terrorism; and, two, that the prosecution does not want to disclose information that would have had to be made public were Siddiqui to be charged with terrorism.” – truly this is hogwash B.S
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Sep 5, 2008    |       6 comments

The victory of ‘US lead war against terror’: on US judicial system and human rights

Guest Blog by Silence from Islamabad Observer

A United States court Thursday found American-educated Pakistani doctor Aafia Siddiqi guilty on charges to attack U.S army in Afghanistan as a member of Al-Qaeda, said a statement released from US court. This statement is a declaration of the first defeat of United States judicial system in so-called war on terror. Although, many of the citizens of civilized world and United States might not consider it of any importance, as, this is a case of a lady from third world country, who is accused of being related to terrorists.

Dr. Afia Siddiqui, a PhD degree holder, was arrested by Pakistani intelligence agencies while on her way to the Rawalpindi airport and she was later handed over to the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). At the time of her arrest she was 30 years and accompanied by her three sons the oldest of which was four and the youngest only one month.

On December 30, 2003 Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui, Dr. Afia’s elder sister met with Mr. Faisal Saleh Hayat (the then minister of interior) at Islamabad with Mr. Ejazul Haq, MNA, regarding the whereabouts of Dr. Afia. Mr. Faisal told Dr. Fowzia and Mr. Ejazul Haq that according to his information Dr. Afia Siddiqui had already been released by ISI and that she (Dr. Fowzia) should go home and wait for a phone call from her sister. Later, the Minister of interior confirmed her arrest on terrorism charges during his interview with a local weekly, “You will be astonished to know about the activities of Dr. Afia” the Minister claimed.
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Aug 21, 2008    |       40 comments

Nayyar Zaidi Missing

Guest Post by temporal who blogs at Baithak

Veteran journalist (daily Jang & Geo TV) and broadcaster (with VOA at one time) Nayyar Zaidi is missing according to a report filed by another veteran journalist Khalid Hasan from DC. Nayyar also had a history of launching a multi-million dollar suit against the FBI.

WASHINGTON: Nayyar Zaidi, the well-known US-based Pakistani-American journalist, who has been a citizen of the United States for more than 30 years has been in US custody for the last four months on what are said to be terrorism-related charges.According to one report, Zaidi is being held on the charge of “obstruction of justice”, a very serious offense. He is also said to be awaiting a trial. [more here]

While pursuing this story I came across this hand written note by Nayyar Zaidi from Federal Detention Center, dated August 8, 2008.

There is also another blog entry by Irshad Salim which alleges that Nayyar Zaidi was arrested by Ohio Police for “teen sex” charges.
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Jul 30, 2008    |       595 comments

Missing Pakistani – Dr. Afia Siddiqui – Prisoner 650

A few days back the Asian Human Rights Commission issued an urgent press release about a Pakistani, Dr. Afia Siddiqui, who has been missing from Pakistan for over four years, since 2003. Her kidnapping has since then been denied by both American and Pakistani governments but actually she has been suspected of being an operative of Al-Qaeda and has been on FBI’s wanted list. There is reason to believe that she is also one of the missing persons who had been ‘handed over’ to the Americans courtesy of Pervaiz Musharraf. Let us not forget that the missing persons case was a turning point in the history of Pakistan where Pervaiz Musharraf had a severe falling out with the then CJP Iftikhar Chaudhry who was investigating this case and probably stepped on a few toes definitely ended up rumbling a few skeleton locked within Musharraf’s treasure chest of hidden secrets

ACTION ALERT

  1. Sign Asian Human Rights Commission’s Urgent letter of Appeal which will send an email to Bush, Karzai, Gilani, Farooq Naek & Rehman Malik
  2. Sign the online petition for her release
  3. Join Facebook groups to participate in digital activism to raise awareness here and here
  4. Spread the word by email & SMS to all your contacts so as to create more pressure

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