Lashkar, ISI Expanding Anti-India Operations in Afghanistan: NYT

Srinagar, August 4: Many Afghan and international intelligence officials and diplomats stationed in Kabul have confirmed that with the help of ISI, Lashar-e-Taiba (LeT) has expanded its anti-India operations into Afghanistan and set up training camps, NYT reports. 

Officials said that LeT is believed to have masterminded and carried out three major attacks on Indian government employees and private workers in Afghanistan in recent months, reports said. 

The New York Times reported that Pakistan maintains that it doesn’t support or help Lashkar any longer but its expanded activities in Afghanistan, particularly against Indian targets, raises suspicion that it has become one of Pakistan’s proxies to counteract India’s influence in the war ravaged country, said reports. 

“Our concern is that there are still players involved that are trying to use Afghanistan’s ground as a place for a proxy war,” Shaida Abdali, Afghanistan’s deputy national security adviser, was quoted as saying. “It is being carried out by certain state actors to fight their opponents,” Abdali was quoted as saying. Experts opine that now the LeT is more of a threat in Afghanistan than even Al Qaeda is, reports said. The paper said that there were a few Lashkar cells in Afghanistan three or four years ago, but they were not focused on Indian targets and, until recently, their presence seemed to be diminishing, said reports. In a recent testimony to the US Congress, Pakistan analysts described the LeT as a terror group ‘having ambitions well beyond India’, reports said. 

   

“They are active now in six or eight provinces. They are currently most interested in Indian targets here, but they can readily trade attacks on international targets for money or influence or an alliance with other groups,” a senior NATO intelligence official, who spoke on conditions of anonymity, was quoted as saying.

On going freedom struggle now or never for Kashmiris: Hizb

Muzaffarabad, August 3: The Supreme Commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, Syed Salahudin Monday has said that the current phase of resistance movement has ushered the Kashmir conflict into a now or never phase.

Syed Salahudin while addressing in a extraordinary meeting of Command Council, the Hizbul Mujahideen spokesman Ehsan Ellahi in a statement said despite Indian suppression from past 63 years, the current mass struggle has now entered into now or never mode where people irrespective of age and sex are up in arms against India.

While condemning the criminal silence of world over the killing of innocent people in the Valley by paramilitary forces and police men Hizbul Mujahideen, indigenous outfit of Kashmir said that the ongoing freedom struggle has entered into now or never stage.

Everyday dozens of people are being martyred while hundreds are injured,” Hizb chief, Syed Salahudin said,

Terming as unfortunate the recent statement by Britain Prime Minister David Cameron, the Hizb Supremo said that the Kashmir issue was basically created by the United Kingdom. “He should have taken strong note of the human rights violations and the unresolved Kashmir and impressed upon the New Delhi to resolve the issue. Thereby, he would have honoured the tenets of democracy.”

United Nations and the world human rights bodies silence on Kashmir is unfortunate,” he said, adding, incase, United Nations and the other world organizations want to take account of the real situation obtaining in the Kashmir, they should rise above the Indian propaganda and depute a team to decide for themselves as to how the innocents are being killed for raising peaceful protests due to unresolved Kashmir.(Writer-South Asia)

UN expresses concern over situation in Kashmi

UNITED NATIONS, July 29: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed concern over the “prevailing security situation in Indian-administered Kashmir over the past month” and asked India and Pakistan to make renewed efforts to address outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir.

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, his spokes-person said the secretary- general “calls on all concerned to exercise utmost restraint and address problems peacefully” and he “encouraged both sides to rekindle the spirit of composite dialogue which was initiated in 2004”.

The statement said: “The Secretary-General welcomes the recent resumption of foreign minister-level talks between India and Pakistan.

“He encourages both sides to rekindle the spirit of the composite dialogue, which was initiated in 2004 and had made encouraging progress on some important confidence-building measures, and to make renewed efforts to address outstanding issues, including on Jammu and Kashmir.

Ruling out one again withdrawal of its observer mission in India, Pakistan, United Nation’s Secretary General  said the two countries should continue the composite dialogue process to maintain peace in the subcontinent. "India and Pakistan are two important countries in the subcontinent and they should continue to improve their relations through dialogue and cooperation," UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told reporters here. (Writer-South Asia)

Human rights excesses in disputed Kashmir highlighted in London

London, July 28: Dr Angana Chatterji, co-convenor of the International Peoples Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Jammu and Kashmir narrated human rights excesses in Occupied Kashmir and called for improving the monitoring of humanitarian situation in the valley.

Dr Angana Chatterji, while addressing a composite gathering at Kashmir Centre London, said that the disturbing concept of zero tolerance for non-violent dissent evolved round fear, surveillance of the ordinary Kashmiri irrespective of age or gender, discipline and punishment. 

This has proved to be a sustained and widespread offensive with mass and extra judicial killings in Kashmir by the military and paramilitary institutions as brought out in evidence in the report ‘Buried Evidence’ by the International People’s Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Indian administered Kashmir, she added.

Dr Chatterji reported that the disproportionate number of special forces in the occupied territory gave the impression that the armed forces were more powerful than the occupation authorities and that the reality in Kashmir was one of militarised controls and that Kashmir was not a dispute but a conflict zone.

She stressed the importance of cultivating alliances with credible institutions and organisations, adding these needed to be formed and developed as there was at present no monitoring was going on in Jammu and Kashmir, therefore, no sustained visibility.

Dr Chatterji emphasised that there needed to be a sustained outcry from the international media and that the international community needed to play a proactive role in establishing alliances with organisations, which were seen to be acceptable.

Representatives from Amnesty International, the Economist, Conciliation Resources, Asian Affairs and community activists also spoke on the occasion.

At the end, the Executive Director of Kashmir Centre London, Professor Nazir Ahmad Shawl presented his book ‘Speaking Silence’ to her.(Writer-South Asia)

Indian troops seize relief material, detain, release 60 persons

Srinagar, July 28: In disputed state of Kashmir, police seized huge quantity of relief material raised by the people of Shopian for the residents of Srinagar, who were under curfew and restrictions for last one month, near Sonawar and detained nearly 60 youth.

Policemen seized 40 relief-laden vehicles and detained people in Sonawar and Pantha Chowk areas on Tuesday. The vehicles were carrying rice, vegetables, cooking oil and other essential commodities from Shopian area to Maisuma. “We had pooled essential commodities and dispatched to Srinagar where people are facing shortage of essentials stuff due to curfew and restrictions. But it is unfortunate that police didn’t allow us to distribute the relief among the needy,” said an elderly man from Shopian who was accompanying the relief-laden trucks. “The vehicles were carrying items worth Rs 10 to 12 lakh,” he added.

As soon as the caravan of vehicles entered the city near Pantha Chowk, police raided the vehicles at several places up to Ram Munshi Bagh Police Station.

“We were travelling smoothly,” said Shabir Ahmad Butt, a relief worker of Shopian town. “As we reached near Ram Munshi Bagh Police Station, police stopped us and forced us to enter police station along with vehicles.”

President of Majlis-e-Mashwarat Committee, Shopian, Abdur Rashid Dalal said 40 Tata mobile vehicles were carrying relief. “Twenty-eight vehicles carrying aid were from Shopian town while the rest joined the cavalcade from peripheral villages while travelling toward the city,” said Dalal, who is detained at Ram Munshi Bagh Police Station.

“The relief was organised and transported by people of Shopian. The MMC had no role in the relief sending,” Dalal said. However, after forceful protests in Shopian and Pulwama and the tense mood in Maisuma, police was frced to release the vehicles and all aid workers in shifts after keeping them in police stations for several hours. (Writer-South Asia)

Saw-palmetto berries (serenoa repens) Seeds for Sale in Kashmir & India

Srinagar, July 27: Saw palmetto is a small hardy fan palm whose stem usually remains below ground or runs just along the surface. In some cases, it develops an erect or arching trunk that may lift the whorl of leaves 2'-8' above ground. The palmate leaves are 2'-3' across and green or bluish green. The cluster of leaves gets about 4'-6' high with a similar spread. In the wild, saw palmetto often grows in clumps 20 or more feet in diameter. The petioles (leaf stems) are about 2' long and sharply saw-toothed. The fruits are round, black and about an inch in diameter. An especially attractive form with silvery-white leaves occurs along the Atlantic coast in Florida.

Saw palmetto occurs naturally on the coastal plain from South Carolina to southeastern Louisiana. It grows in a wide range of habitats from seaside sand dunes and dry scrub to moist forests, pine flatwoods and even wetlands. Saw palmetto can be the dominant ground cover in certain southeastern pine forests, sometimes covering hundreds of acres. Culture: Once established, saw palmetto is virtually maintenance-free.

Light: Prefers full sun, but can tolerate partial sun.
Moisture: Tolerates drought but can also tolerate moderately moist soils.
Hardiness: Fully hardy to zone 7, this palm has been seen growing in zone 6, but does suffer foliage damage at 10 degrees F. and complete foliage loss at 3-5 degrees F.

Saw palmetto is a beautiful little palm and richly deserves a place in the ornamental landscape. The silver form is especially attractive. Plant saw palmettos in front of clumps of larger palms, or even underneath large palms. They look good massed in clumps in mixed borders, or as framing hedges. Use as accents to trees or in foundation plantings.

Features: The berries of saw palmetto are used as a treatment for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia or enlarged prostate gland. They are also used as a diuretic to tone the bladder, improve urinary flow, and decrease urinary frequency. They may help prevent prostate cancer.

Most herbal hair loss remedies contain Saw Palmetto berries. They are said to be an effective treatment for baldness, as well as relieving the symptoms of an enlarged prostate.
Saw Palmetto berries/seeds
Package of  50 seeds: 750/-
Other Packages: 100,250,500 Seeds
More details: Chenab Industries Kashmir- CIK
POB: 667 GPO Srinagar SGR J&K 190001
Mob: 09858986794
Ph: 01933-223705
e-mail: iirc@rediffmail.com,cikashmir@gmail.com

Shaheed-e-Azemat Sheikg Abdul Aziz vedio aired by KBC

Srinagar: The core viewers or the niche market of KBC is estimated to over 30 million people of which nearly 5 millions are settled in UK, Europe and Middle East with higher buying power due to long and sustained migration tradition.

Potentially the whole of Asia, Africa, Middle East, UK and Europe is our market. However, its target audience and niche market include the entire population of Jammu Kashmir along with Pahari, Pothowari and Hindko speaking Pakistanis and Indians in South Asia and across the world. But the transmissions of KBC are not to be confined to these communities. It will also cater for the wider English speaking audience across the globe and Punjabi, Urdu and Hindi speaking population of South Asia.

KBC tends to broadcast in all major languages spoken in the state of Jammu Kashmir and in South Asia in general. While the languages spoken across Kashmir include Kashiri, Pahari, Doagari, Gojari, Kishtwari, Ladakhi, Sheena, Broshiski, and Punjabi, Kashmir was the first state in South Asia where Urdu was adopted as official language in 1905.

Since 1947 Hindi has also been emerged as one of the state languages as well as English that has become state language at the government level as well as at public level due to large scale migration to UK and USA and strong linkages between Kashmiri diaspora with Kashmir.

The closeness and similarities between Pahari and Pothowari and Hindku languages and communities make programmes in these languages an essential component of KBC programming and news coverage.

The core languages of KBC programming include English, Pahari, Pothowari, Hindku, Kashiri, Dogari, Punjabi and Urdu. However, there will be programmes in other languages of Kashmir and South Asia in general.

more deatils and latest vedios:  

http://kbcchannel.tv/index.php?option=com_hwdvideoshare&task=viewvideo&Itemid=125&video_id=94

Strike to be observed in Kashmir tomorrow

Srinagar, July 17 :  In  Indian disputed  Kashmir, the forum patronised by veteran Kashmiri Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani has announced a 9-day protest programme in connection with its Quit Kashmir Campaign.

The programme includes complete shutdown on Sunday, protests by employees on Monday and sit-ins to be observed by the people across the occupied territory on Wednesday and Thursday, reports Kashmir Media Service.

The spokesman of the forum in a statement issued in Srinagar said, there will be a complete shutdown on Sunday against the atrocities being committed on Kashmiris by the occupation troops and after each prayer people should raise pro-liberation slogans.

 Monday, he said, employees should peacefully protest against the human rights violations being committed by the troops in occupied Kashmir. He urged the employees and their union leaders to massively participate in the programme.

The spokesman called upon the people to observe Tuesday, July 20, as “Day of Solidarity” with the illegally detained Kashmiri youth and Hurriyet leaders including Syed Ali Gilani. “We will continue peaceful protests till our goal is achieved,” he vowed.

He appealed the people to come out on roads on Wednesday and Thursday and hold peaceful sit-ins. “People should raise their voice to apprise the international community that Kashmiris are being suppressed,” he said.

The spokesman asked the Kashmiri people to hold peaceful protests outside the mosques on Friday after Juma prayers and in Srinagar they should march towards Khanqah-e-Mualla. “Doctors and lawyers should hold protests against the random arrests on Saturday,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Chairperson of Dukhtaran-e-Millat, Aasiya Andrabi in a statement in Srinagar, while endorsing the programme announced by the forum patronised by Syed Ali Gilani, has called upon the masses to make it a success. She also condemned the restrictions imposed by the authorities on Friday.

Curfew, restrictions to thwart demos in Kashmir

Srinagar, July 16 : In Jammu and  Kashmir, the Indian authorities continued to clamp curfew and impose stringent restrictions in Srinagar and other towns to prevent people from holding anti-India and pro-liberation demonstrations, today.

Despite restrictions people took to the streets in Srinagar, Pampore, Kakapora, Khrewa, Handwara, Kralgund, Wattergam, Budgam, Sopore, Kupwara, Islamabad and other areas. They raised slogans like ‘We want freedom’ and ‘Go India go’.

The forum patronised by veteran Kashmiri Hurriyet leader, Hilal Ahmad War had called for a march towards Batamaloo in Srinagar to pay homage to the youth recently martyred by the troops.

The authorities continued to confine the APHC Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to his residence while Hurriyet leaders including Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi and Yasmeen Raja were placed under house arrest. The APHC Chairman was not allowed to offer Juma prayers for the third consecutive week.

Official sources told mediamen that Indian police had arrested around 700 youth during the past four weeks for participating in anti-India demonstrations in the Kashmir Valley.

Addressing a meeting of religious scholars in Srinagar, the grand mufti of occupied Kashmir, Mufti Bashiruddin, stressed the need to resolve the Kashmir dispute, without any further delay.

An Indian army Major and two other troopers were injured at Beri Rakh in Mendhar area of Poonch district in the clash with Mujahideen, which entered the fourth day, today. Earlier, an Army Major was killed and seven other personnel including a Colonel were injured in the clash on Tuesday. So far, two Mujahideen have also been martyred in the gun battle, which continued till last reports came in.

Kashmiri students in the United Kingdom held a peaceful protest demonstration outside BBC's office in Manchester to express solidarity with the people in occupied Kashmir and call for the international attention to the happenings there. (Writer-South Asia)

'Lamhaa' banned in Middle East and Kashmir

Srinagar, July 15:  Veteran Kashmirian actor Anupam Kher is shocked and upset with the treatment meted out to his forthcoming movie "Lamhaa".

First, the film's premiere was cancelled in Kashmir and now it is banned in the Middle East.

"I am shocked to learn that 'Lamhaa' is banned in Middle East. Why? Without even seeing the film. And we talk about progress and culture. Sad," Anupam posted on his Twitter account.

The film, based on violence and terrorism in the Kashmir Valley, was due for release in Middle East Thursday. But the censors there felt it is a highly objectionable and controversial subject.

Featuring Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu and Kunal Kapoor along with Anupam Kher, "Lamhaa" questions whether wisdom would prevail in the Valley so that the Kashmiris are not crucified in the name of politics.(Writer-South Asia)

Latest updates from Kashmir

Srinagar, July 14 (Writer-South Asia):  In Jammu and Kashmir, an Indian army Major was killed and seven others including a Colonel were injured in a clash in Poonch district.

The clash took place at Beri Rakh in Mendhar area of the district. Major Amit Thingay was killed on the spot while seven troops including Colonel Ajay Katoch, Commanding Officer (CO) of 37 Rashtriya Rifles, Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar, Signalman Satinder Kumar, Naik Jasbir Singh, Sepoy Sunil Kumar and Rifleman Basharat Hussain were critically injured in the clash.

All injured Army personnel have been hospitalised. Indian army official sources have claimed that the two Armed Kashmiri Mujahideen were believed to be killed in the clash. The gun battle was going on till last reports came in.

An Army man, Naik Sudhir Radha was injured in a mine blast when he was shifting from Sagar Post to Hans Post in Balakote area of Mendhar sector along with a Road Opening Party (ROP) of 5 Maratha Regiment of Indian Army.

Meanwhile,condemning the media curbs in disputed Kashmir, media personalities of India have said that attempts are being made to paint journalists from Jammu and Kashmir as anti-India.

Indian journalists at a meeting convened by Press Club of India (PCI) to discuss vindictive policy against media men in the valley, described it a dangerous move and an assault on the press.

The Srinagar correspondents of News X Channel, Suhail Bukhari and Idris Lone, against whom FIRs have been lodged in the Pulwama police station under Unlawful Activities Act, gave their version at the meeting. They said that they had been harassed without any reason by the authorities. They said that they were being victimised by vindictive approach of the occupation authorities though they tried to discharge their duties honestly.

In South Kashmir, Indian Forces con
Scores of Delhi-based Kashmiri journalists also attended the meeting. A resolution was also moved in which the puppet administration was asked to immediately withdraw cases against News X correspondents.

“It said the ban on freedom of expression shows intolerance of the authorities. Attempts are being made to divide the local and international press. This should be resisted and all efforts should be made to mobilise full support for Kashmiri media,” the resolution read.

Seema Mustafa, Sidharat Vardharajan, Nidhi Razdhan, Zafar Agha, Onkar Singh, David Davidas, Shabnam Hashmi and scores of others attended the meeting to express solidarity with Kashmiri media associations. 

We Wellcome our Indian Brothers and Sisters, especially Yatrries: Hurriyat: APHC

Srinagar, July 02: : The General Secretary of Hurriyat Conference , Masarat Alam Bhat, on Thursday said the ongoing resistance movement in Jammu Kashmir had nothing to do with Amarnath Yarta.

“Our struggle is not aimed at sabotaging Amarnath Yatra but for liberating Jammu and Kashmir,” Alam said in a statement.

“The ongoing Quit Kashmir movement is gaining momentum with every passing day and it has unnerved the government and it is now vainly trying to give it a communal colour to mislead the people in India,” he said, adding that the “The local agents are a party to this propaganda.”

Masarat made it clear that the ongoing freedom struggle is not against Yatra. “We are fighting for freedom,” he said.

Reacting to the union home minister P Chidambaram’s statement, Masarat termed it as childish, saying that “We will not be overawed by such statements.”

Masarat condemned the deployment of heavy contingents of troopers in and around the Pathar Masjid to prevent the women from assembling there as part of the “Quit Kashmir” movement. “Despite curfew and other restrictions, thousands of women led by Dukhtaran-i-Millat chief Asiya Andrabi assembled at Mughal Masjid, Chattabal, here and made the programme successful,” said Masarat, adding that special prayers were offered on the occasion for the success of ongoing freedom struggle.

Masarat strongly condemned the arrest of youth and attack on the residential houses of civilians by the police and CRPF troopers at various places in the Srinagar city yesterday evening, smashing window panes and beating inmates.

He also condemned the continued detention of pro-freedom leaders and activists including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Dr Muhammad Qasim, Muhammad Yousuf Mir, Muhammad Yousuf Nadeem, Firdous Ahmad Shah, Gen Musa and Ghulam Qadir Bhat.(Writer-South Asia)

“Bharat Teri Shahmat Aayi …Lashkar Aaayi…Lashkar Aaayi. Translation : India , you are now faced with worst time as "Lashkar" has arrived .

Dear editor,

Lashkar-e-Taiba is a pro-jehadi organization fighting the forced Indian occupation in Kashmir. They have been known to be the most lethal, technologically advanced, highly trained and the most destructive force among all of the Kashmiri resistance groups and have been bleeding the Indian occupation forces in Kashmir for years now. In accordance with Islamic teachings, they have a policy of not attacking civilians, and have denounced countless terrorist acts targeting civilians in both India and Pakistan.

In addition to their resolve and ability, one of the reasons Lashkar-e-Taiba has been so effective in Kashmir is the popular support they enjoy among ordinary Kashmiris. Hundreds of thousands of Kashmiris have taken to the streets every day demanding freedom from India, chanting such slogans as ‘India teri maut ai, lashkar aai lashkar aai‘ and ‘lashkar-e-taiba se rishta kya, la ilaha il-Allah’

Meanwhile the vale of Kashmir reverberates with the slogan of “Bharat Teri Shahmat Aayi …Lashkar Aaayi…Lashkar Aaayi. Translation : India , you are now faced with worst time as "Lashkar" has arrived .

laming Lashkar-e-Taiba is not only a great diversion for the understandably angry Indian pulbic looking at their leaders for answers, it also helps paint Lashkar-e-Taiba as mindless terrorists and Pakistan as a state sponsor of Terrorism. Pointing towards the ‘traditional enemy’ means they can’t be held accountable, and provides the perfect cover for home grown Hindu terrorists, giving them a free hand to keep slaughtering Muslims and Christians in India.

Jahangir Khan

Via e-mail

Srinagar

India: Prosecute Soldiers in Kashmir ‘Encounter Killing’ : RRW

By: Johan Simith

New York, Jully 7: The recent killing of three men by soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir in an apparent faked encounter with so-called militants underscores the urgency for the Indian government to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers (Jammu and Kashmir) Act (AFSPA), Human Rights Watch said today. Under the Act, which has been in force in Kashmir since 1990, soldiers may not be prosecuted in a civilian court unless sanctioned by the federal government, which is extremely rare.

Police have accused Col. D.K. Pathania and Maj. Upinder Singh of the 4th Rajput Regiment of killing three Kashmiri villagers on April 30, 2010. The military men falsely claimed that the villagers were anti-government militants and shot at the Line of Control (LOC), the effective border separating the Indian- and Pakistani-administered regions of Kashmir. The army ordered an inquiry, suspended the major, and removed the colonel from command.

"We have seen too many army inquiries, supposed suspensions, and false promises of punishment whenever soldiers are implicated in killing civilians," said Meenakshi Ganguly, senior South Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch. "But when the dust settles, the army obstructs prosecution under the Special Powers Act, and fails to deliver justice."

The army claimed that it killed three militants after it foiled their attempt to infiltrate in the Machil sector of the Line of Control, and displayed AK-47 assault rifles, ammunition, and Pakistani currency allegedly recovered from the men. Police allege, though, that a member of the Territorial Army, Abbas Hussain Shah, deliberately lured the three men - Mohamad Shafi, Shehzad Ahmed, and Riyaz Ahmed, all residents of Nadihal in Baramulla district - into army custody with an offer of jobs.

Police arrested Shah, along with two alleged accomplices, after relatives reported that the three men were missing. The police said that Shah had admitted that he took the men to a village near the border, from which soldiers transported them to the Line of Control. Shah said he was acting under orders from Major Singh. The three bodies were later exhumed and identified by their relatives in the presence of a magistrate.

"The army's narrative of shooting infiltrators is the same tired story used time and again to claim military glory," Ganguly said. "The army's special powers to operate in conflict areas are being repeatedly abused and should be withdrawn."

A government-appointed review committee recommended repealing the act in 2004 because of repeated abuse. In 2009, the Indian government promised to revise the law to ensure human rights protections, but the bill has yet to be placed before parliament. The army has resisted any curtailment of its powers under the act, particularly its immunity from prosecution, saying that it will lead to frivolous complaints and will hurt troop morale. Human Rights Watch has documented numerous cases of faked "encounter killings."

For instance, in a 2000 case in Pathribal, the Central Bureau of Investigation filed murder charges against five army officers - Brig. Ajay Saxena, Lt. Col. Brajendra Pratap Singh, Maj. Saurabh Sinha, Maj. Amit Saxena, and Subedar Idrees Khan - for their role in abducting and killing five villagers in a staged armed encounter. The army challenged the charges under AFSPA since federal government approval had not been sought before the charges were filed. Court proceedings in the case still drag on, and none of the accused have been taken into custody or brought before a judge. According to some media accounts, some of the accused have continued to serve in the army and received promotions.

Everyone Lives in Fear"

We have seen too many army inquiries, supposed suspensions, and false promises of punishment whenever soldiers are implicated in killing civilians. But when the dust settles, the army obstructs prosecution under the Special Powers Act, and fails to deliver justice.
Meenakshi Ganguly, senior South Asia researcher

No plan to ban Lamhaa, says Govt

Srinagar, 30, June: With Kashmir on the boil, one would think a film with the troubled valley as its theme could run into trouble with the government. But Union Home Secretary G K Pillai says the government has no plans to stall the release of Lamhaa, which stars Sanjay Dutt , Anupam Kher, Bipasha Basu and Kunal Kapoor . Producer Bunty Walia's film is slated to release on July 16, reports rediff

The film, set in Kashmir, tells the story about a soldier played by Dutt and his Kashmiri love interest, played by a de-glamorised Basu. Parzania director Rahul Dholakia had made the film. Director Rahul Dholakia told 16 June to Ed. Sheikh GULZAAR in from Mumbay that film is stated to release on Jully 16.

The home secretary felt that stalling or banning a movie is not the answer to the problem. "This is a democratic set-up and in a democracy people have the right to speak up and put forth their views. I am confident that the release of such a movie will not add to the existing problem," he added.

Dholakia told Rediff.com that he is happy with the home secretary's statement. "This is the right decision. It is the time to create an environment of trust so that the problems are solved. Kashmir is burning today and it is our responsibility to create an environment of trust," the director said.

His movie, he added, is not reflective of the government's views, but deals with the plight of resident Kashmiris. The film does not deal with the sentiments of India or Pakistan on this issue, he added. "We are just dealing with the state of the residents of that beautiful place."

"I am hopeful that the movie will do well," Dholakia said. His last film, starring Naseeruddin Shah and Sarika is yet to be released in Gujarat.

Withdrawal of troops from entire Jammu and Kashmir and joint supervision by India and Pakistan.

Srinagar, June 30: Pakistan government has trashed former president Pervez Musharraf's four-point formula to resolve Kashmir issue, saying it was "his thinking" which did not have the endorsement of Pakistan Parliament or Cabinet and suggested a fresh approach to address the vexed problem, report Press Trust of India.


Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who will be meeting External Affairs Minister S M Krishna in Islamabad Images ] on July 15, said the two countries should build on progress made in any area and look at ways to make progress where it has not been done.

"We will not like to ignore anything. We will not like to ignore any development or any positive development that has taken place between India and Pakistan," he told PTI in an interview in Islamabad.

He was responding when asked to comment on India's emphasis that there was a need to "reaffirm" the progress made through "complex negotiations and dialogue through patient and unsung effort" whether in the composite dialogue or back channel diplomacy.

"Any issue, whether it is Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, water, any issue where progress can be made, should be made. Where it hasn't been made, we should look at ways and means how to make progress. Where progress has been made, let us build on it further," Qureshi said in a wide-ranging interaction.

Asked whether his government endorses the four-point formula floated by Musharraf in December 2006 to resolve Kashmir issue, he said, "The four-point formula that Gen Musharraf made then was his thinking. It was being done through quiet back-channel diplomacy."

The formula envisaged softening of Line of Control self-governance, phased withdrawal of troops from entire Jammu and Kashmir and joint supervision by India and Pakistan.

"We are a democracy, Parliament has to own them, Parliament has to endorse them, Cabinet has to discuss them," the foreign minister said, adding these proposals were "neither discussed by Cabinet, nor endorsed by Parliament. So, as democrats, there are certain parliamentary procedures that we have to fulfill."

Qureshi noted that over the last six decades many proposals have been made for resolution of the Kashmir issue.

"Over 61 proposals have been under discussion, some (given) by India, some by Pakistan and some by third party experts on how to resolve it," he said.

"It is a complex problem, there are no easy solutions, but if environment is created, then both sides can see what lies in their interest," the Pakistan foreign minister said.

Queried whether he had any proposals to resolve Kashmir issue, he responded, "I have ideas but can't share with you. I can share with Mr Krishna... I would like to be transparent with him, I would like to be candid, I would like to be honest and I would like to be constructive."

On whether he planned to share these ideas with Krishna during their upcoming meeting on July 15 in Islamabad, he indicated that he may not do so.

"This is the first meeting after a considerable pause. We will have to build on confidence level on both sides," he said.

Asked whether he had any new confidence-building measures in mind, he said this aspect could be talked about "when the time comes".

India using IHK for military experiments: IPT

Srinagar, June 30: International Peoples Tribunal (IPT), Jammu and Kashmir, has termed occupied Kashmir, as a laboratory of Indian military’s violent experiments.

Convener of IPT, Angana Chatterji, while addressing media persons, said that Kashmir was a laboratory of violent experiments conducted by Indian military and armed forces had got increasingly powerful in the territory.

She said that the occupation authorities, in collaboration with Hindu nationalists, were promoting militarised Hindu nationalism and vowed to externalise the recent spate of innocent killings in the occupied territory.

The IPT demanded of the international community to be accountable towards the gruesome situation in the Valley.

Speaking on the occasion, founder of Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), Parvez Imroz said the occupation authorities had no feeling of accountability. “The massive repression is highly condemnable,” he added.

Urging the international community to intervene, Imroz said that the US, European Union and other nations should help resolve the Kashmir dispute, as its amicable settlement was imperative for peace and stability of the region.

The Tribunal also condemned the presence of armed forces in educational institutions, hospitals, shopping centres, cafeterias, playgrounds and markets.

2700 unmarked graves discovered in Indian Held Kashmir

Srinagar, 30 June: A human rights group in Kashmir urged authorities to launch a probe into 2,700 unmarked graves believed to be people who died as a result of the region's revolt against Indian rule. Srinagar, India.

In disputed  Kashmir, 2,700 unmarked graves containing over 2,943 bodies across 55 villages in three districts, Bandipore, Baramulla and Kupwara have been discovered.

The Srinagar based human rights group, International People’s Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice for Kashmir (IPTJ) in its report released today in a press conference claimed that the graves could be of those missing from the custody of Indian troops. Rights groups put their numbers at ten thousand. The report is based on research between November 2006 and November 2009 and has been authored by prominent human rights activists of India and occupied Kashmir, Angana P. Chatterji, Parvez Imroz, Gautam Navlakha, Zahir-Ud-Din, Mihir Desai, and Khurram Parvez.

112-page dossier, titled ‘Buried Evidence’ was released at a press conference in Srinagar today by Angna Chatterjee, the convener of the group. The report documents in considerable detail how the actions of Indian military and paramilitary forces in Kashmir inflict terror on the local population, killed through extra-judicial means.

The detailed press note issued in Srinagar at the press conference is as follows:

BURIED EVIDENCE is authored by Angana P. Chatterji, Parvez Imroz, Gautam Navlakha, Zahir-Ud-Din, Mihir Desai, and Khurram Parvez.

[Dr. Angana P. Chatterji is Convener IPTK and Professor, Anthropology, California Institute of Integral Studies.

Avocate Parvez Imroz is Convener IPTK and Founder, Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society.

Gautam Navlakha is Convener IPTK and Editorial Consultant, Economic and Political Weekly.

Zahir-Ud-Din is Convener IPTK and Vice-President, Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society.

Advocate Mihir Desai is Legal Counsel IPTK and Lawyer, Mumbai High Court and Supreme Court of India.

Khurram Parvez is Liaison IPTK and Programme Coordinator, Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society.]

Findings

The graveyards investigated by IPTK entomb bodies of those murdered in encounter and fake encounter killings between 1990-2009. These graves include bodies of extrajudicial, summary, and arbitrary executions, as well as massacres committed by the Indian military and paramilitary forces.

Of these graves, 2,373 (87.9 percent) were unnamed. Of these graves, 154 contained two bodies each and 23 contained more than two cadavers. Within these 23 graves, the number of bodies ranged from 3 to 17.

A mass grave may be identified as containing more than one, and usually unidentified, human cadaver. Scholars refer to mass graves as resulting from crimes against humanity, war crimes, or genocide. If the intent of a mass grave is to execute death with impunity, with intent to kill more than one, and to forge an unremitting representation of death, then, to that extent, the graves in Bandipora, Baramulla, and Kupwara are part of a collective burial by India’s military and paramilitary, creating a landscape of “mass burial.”

Post-death, the bodies of the victims were routinely handled by military and paramilitary personnel, including the local police. The bodies were then brought to the “secret graveyards” primarily by personnel of the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The graves were constructed by local gravediggers and caretakers, buried individually when possible, and specifically not en mass, in keeping with Islamic religious sensibilities.

The graves, with few exceptions, hold bodies of men. Violence against civilian men has expanded spaces for enacting violence against women. Women have been forced to disproportionately assume the task of caregiving to disintegrated families and undertake the work of seeking justice following disappearances and deaths. These graveyards have been placed next to fields, schools, and homes, largely on community land, and their affect on the local community is daunting.

The Indian Armed Forces and the Jammu and Kashmir Police routinely claim the dead buried in unknown and unmarked graves to be “foreign militants/terrorists.” They claim that the dead were unidentified foreign or Kashmiri militants killed while infiltrating across the border areas into Kashmir or travelling from Kashmir into Pakistan to seek arms training. Official state discourse conflates cross-border militancy with present nonviolent struggles by local Kashmiri groups for political and territorial self-determination, portraying local resistance as “terrorist” activity.

Exhumation and identification have not occurred in sizeable cases. Where they have been undertaken, in various instances, “encounter” killings across Kashmir have, in fact, been authenticated as “fake encounter” killings. In instances where, post-burial, bodies have been identified, two methods have been used prevalently. These are 1. Exhumation; and 2. Identification through the use of photographs.

The report also examines 50 alleged “encounter” killings by Indian security forces in numerous districts in Kashmir. Of these persons, 39 were of Muslim descent; 4 were of Hindu descent; 7 were not determined. Of these cases, 49 were labelled militants/foreign insurgents by security forces and one body that was drowned. Of these, following investigations, 47 were found killed in fake encounters and one was identifiable as a local militant.

IPTK has been able to study only partial areas within 3 of 10 districts in Kashmir, and our findings and very preliminary evidence point to the severity of existing conditions. If independent investigations were to be undertaken in all 10 districts, it is reasonable to assume that the 8,000+ enforced disappearances since 1989 would correlate with the number of bodies in unknown, unmarked, and mass graves.

Allegations

The methodical and planned use of killing and violence in Indian-administered Kashmir constitutes crimes against humanity in the context of an ongoing conflict. The Indian state’s governance of Indian-administered Kashmir requires the use of discipline and death as techniques of social control. Discipline is affected through military presence, surveillance, punishment, and fear. Death is disbursed through “extrajudicial” means and those authorized by law. These techniques of rule are used to kill, and create fear of not just death but of murder.

Mass and intensified extrajudicial killings have been part of a sustained and widespread offensive by the military and paramilitary institutions of the Indian state against civilians of Jammu and Kashmir. IPTK asks that the evidence put forward in this report be examined, verified, and reframed as relevant by credible, independent, and international bodies, and that international institutions ask that the Government of India comply with such investigations.

We note that the international community and institutions have not examined the supposition of crimes against humanity in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. We note that the United Nations and its member states have remained ineffective in containing and halting the adverse consequences of the Indians state’s militarization in Kashmir.

We ask that evidence from unknown, unmarked, and mass graves in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir be used to seek justice, through the sentencing of criminals and other judicial and social processes. As well, the existence of these graves, and how they came to be, may be understood as indicative of the effects and issue of militarization, and the issues pertaining to militarization itself must be addressed seriously and expeditiously.

The violences of militarization in Indian-administered Kashmir, between 1989-2009, have resulted in 70,000+ deaths, including through extrajudicial or “fake encounter” executions, custodial brutality, and other means. In the enduring conflict, 6, 67,000 military and paramilitary personnel continue to act with impunity to regulate movement, law, and order across Kashmir. The Indian state itself, through its legal, political, and military actions, has demonstrated the existence of a state of continuing conflict within Indian-

Is Lashkar-e-Taiba a real global threat

By: Abdullah Muntazir

Srinagar, June 29: There is a debate going on in the west on the issue of a possible threat from Lashkar-e-Taiba – A Jihadi group fighting against Indian occupation of Kashmir and blamed for Mumbai attacks in 2008 – to the western interests. There is no doubt Lashkar hates United States for a number of reasons. Apart from the widespread anti-America resentment in almost all Islamic groups across the globe, the group has some of its own reasons to dislike US. US declared Lashkar-e-Taiba a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) a few months after 9/11 without any substantial reason. The group until then never attacked or planned any attack on US interests. Its focus was totally on Kashmir against Indian forces.

The group believes that by declaring it terrorist organization US wanted to please India and press Pakistan to back off from freedom struggle in Kashmir. Despite its anger the group refrained from attacking US interests in the region but US was not satisfied with its own measures by putting Lashkar on FTO list of the State Department and went to UN Security Council in 2005 for international sanctions against the group. Eventually UNSC put the group in the list of Al-Qaeda and Taliban affiliates and asked the member countries to freeze its assets and impose embargo on purchase of weapons while its members were banned from international travelling. These sanctions could not affect the group in Pakistan as technically it was not active in Pakistan anymore after January 12, 2002 when the then president of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf banned the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, Sipa-e-Sahaba, and Tehreek-e-Jafria.

US also tried its best to put the name of Jamat-ud-Dawah – a charity and preaching Islamic organization accused of being a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba – in the same UNSC list. Nevertheless, China blocked these moves repeatedly until December 10, 2008 when china, on the request of Pakistan, withdrew its technical hold and Jamat-ud-Dawah and the names of its some prominent leaders were included in the list of banned entities. Jamat-ud-Dawah denies any links with Lashkar and interestingly it took US almost five years to conclude that Jamat-ud-Dawah is an alias of Lashkar-e-Taiba. Lashkar was declared FTO in 2001 while US included the name of Jamat-ud-Dawah in the lists of aliases of Lashkar-e-Taiba in 2005.

In short, Lashkar has obvious reasons to be an anti-American Jihadi group but we will have to see whether this so-called anti-Americanism is ever translated into a practical action or it is just rhetoric in the west on the provocation of some Indian lobbies active in the west – particularly in the United States.

For a number of reasons I believe that Lashkar-e-Taiba is not a direct or indirect threat to western interests. Here are these reasons;

Although the group advocates revival of Khilfphah in the Muslim world but at the same time, it also believes in Pakistani nationalism from an Islamic context. For Lashkar, there are only two states on the world map based on ideology, which are Israel and Pakistan. Pakistan came into being exclusively on the base of Islam while Israel is Jewish state. Lashkar believes that protecting Pakistan is like protecting Islam. No transnational pan-Islamic Jihadi group honors geographical borders. For them these borders are un-Islamic and it is sinful to willingly accept these ‘un-Islamic lines’ drawn on the ‘land of Allah’. On the other hand, Lashkar believes Pakistan is a ‘gift of Allah’. Due to this pro-Pakistan ideology, the group naturally becomes closer to Pakistani security establishment. It thinks in the same line as Pakistani armed forces think –India is the number one enemy of Pakistan. It was quite rational for Pakistani security establishment to rely on Lashkar-e-Taiba for freedom of Kashmir. The group has successfully engaged Indian armed forces in Kashmir for almost 15 years along with other Jihadi groups fighting in Kashmir.

There was tremendous pressure on the group after 9/11 to join Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan to fight against US and NATO forces but the group did not want to create problems for its sympathizers in Pakistani state institutions, therefore it openly declined this popular demand of fighting America. Instead of shifting its focus from Kashmir to Afghanistan, the group expanded its operations from Kashmir to inside India. India accuses Lashkar for attacking dozens of high value targets inside its border including attacks on Mumbai, Indian Military Academy, Red Fort, Akshardham Temple, nuclear institute in Bangalore, Mumbai train attacks in 2006 and others. With its high profile attacks on Indian interests, it appealed the young Indian Muslims who are annoyed by dominating Hindu extremists. Massacres of more than five thousand Muslims by Hindu extremists in Indian state of Gujarat poured oil on fire and provided Lashkar with a great opportunity to exploit the Indian Muslim youths. Pakistani security establishment had/has no problem with Lashkar’s anti-India agenda because India is always suspected for its covet activities in FATA and Baluchistan.

Lashkar has ‘sacrificed’ more than five thousand ‘mujahedeen’ in Kashmir. For Lashkar, it will be betrayal to the souls of those five thousand plus martyrs if it leaves the ‘mission Kashmir’ uncompleted and indulges itself in a battle which is already saturated as far as the number of Jihadi groups are concerns. Lashkar believes that by attacking nations other than India will damage its Kashmir campaign.

Popularity graph of Lashkar in occupied Kashmir and Pakistan is on its peak. There was a time when Al-Qaeda was the mentor for all Jihadi groups and Osama bin Laden was one of the most beloved people in Pakistan. However, suicide attacks inside Pakistan became counterproductive and as result, Al-Qaeda and Taliban are deprived off their good reputation in Pakistan. However, this is not the case with Lashkar. It has an ideology that forbids attacking Muslim states. Therefore, Lashkar not only refrained from attacking Pakistani interests but it discouraged other groups too.

Due to its pro Pakistan ideology and policies, it has deep roots in Pakistani society. It is now able to work as a pressure political group in a number of areas in central and northern Punjab. Although it openly denounces democracy but covertly, it supports candidates of its choice. They can be from any political party. Lashkar knows very well that if it started a global Jihadi campaign it will no longer enjoy such a political advantage in Pakistan.

The group very well appreciates its weaknesses and strengths. It is not capable of challenging the whole west. Not only it will be fool enough to create more and more enemies but it will also invite the wrath of Pakistani security establishment, which is not tolerating Al-Qaeda at any cost, although it views Taliban from a different angle. For Pakistani security establishment Taliban are potential allies in the future but Al-Qaeda is ‘an enemy’. The simplest definition of Al-Qaeda is ‘anyone who attacks the west and has an Islamic origin’. Therefore, if Lashkar starts attacking western targets, Pakistan will obviously consider it Al-Qaeda.

Another reason that Lashkar cannot become ‘Next Al-Qaeda’ is that Al-Qaeda itself does not trust Lashkar. It blames Lashkar as a ‘B’ team of  ISI. Due to Lashkar’s reluctance in fighting against US, some of its member defected and tried to join Al-Qaeda but they were considered ‘planted’ people and could not win trust of seniors of Al-Qaeda leaders. One such fighter once told the author of this report, “We are never allowed to see the people of higher ups because they don’t trust us due to our Lashkar background.” While one cannot rule out Lashkar’s support for Afghan Taliban, it seems unlikely that Lashkar and Al-Qaeda can cooperate with each other in current circumstances. Most of the experts in the west quote the example of arrest of Abu Zubaida –a senior leader of Al-Qaeda – from a safe house of Lashkar-e-Taiba but these experts ignore that this arrest was the end of a short love affair between the two groups started right after 9/11. Lashkar was reportedly trying to evacuate ‘Muslim brethrens’ from the war zone but Al-Qaeda members blamed it for betraying and ‘selling’ Abu Zubaida to ISI and US.

Some analysts present David Headley’s case –an American citizen with alleged links with Lashkar as well as CIA –as a catalyst to prove that Lashkar has now global reach and next time a Mumbai style attack may occur ‘not in India but in Manhattan’. A question arises that why these experts and analysts ignore the fact that David Headley was working with Lashkar-e-Taiba since 2003. It was very easy for Lashkar to use Headley and his contacts in US to plan and execute an attack on American soil. Headley’s plea agreement clearly shows that an attack on US or other western countries was never even discussed. Headley only confessed to plan an attack on Danish newspaper. It is an exceptional case as the Danish newspaper committed a crime against the whole Ummah and anyone at anytime can go at any extreme in this cartoon-controversy.

There is a need to view Headley case from another perspective. While Al-Qaeda uses all its available human resource against western targets, Lashkar-e-Taiba succeeded in utilizing a western human resource against its prime enemy India. Think for a while that if David Headley was affiliated with Al-Qaeda what would have happened? A man with American passport, travelling freely across the world, having blessing of some US intelligence agencies –Al-Qaeda would have loved to use him against Pentagon or CIA headquarters or NATO headquarters in Brussels instead of asking him to scout Mumbai.

Virginia Jihad Network also proves that Lashkar is not interested in attacking US or the west. In this case, some American Muslims with Pakistani and Arab origins were allegedly involved in helping Lashkar-e-Taiba for its war against India. US had to enact an old law to convict them because they were not found guilty of harming US citizens. US government accused them that they were trying to harm a US ally. The sentencing of half dozen Muslims was highly criticized by human rights groups.

Pakistani experts on militancy also disagree with the hypothesis of a section of western press and US politicians that Lashkar-e-Taiba is a global threat. These Pakistani experts are not ready to buy the ideas that Al-Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taiba are one and same, and that ‘Lashkar is next Al-Qaeda’. Hamid Mir, a leading Pakistani journalist who interviewed Osama Bin Laden more than twice, while commenting on the article of Newsweek magazine in which Lashkar is presented as Next Al-Qaeda, said, “The author of the Newsweek’s article deliberately ignored certain facts to prove his point. Hafiz Muhammad publically condemns suicide bombings and killings of innocent non-Muslims while al-Qaeda does not condemn suicide bombings or killings of innocent people. Jamat-ud-Dawah works in rural Sindh province to help Christians and Hindus but the author of the article mentioned only its relief activities in Kashmir. Lashkar is not like Al-Qaeda.”

Another leading Pakistani journalist and expert on militancy Amir Zia, who works with SAMA TV and News Line Magazine, while talking to the author of this article, said, “Lashkar always remained a Kashmir focused group. It fights against Indian atrocities in Kashmir and tries to attack only military targets. After Mumbai attacks this perception prevailed that this group may become a threat to the west but for me it agenda is limited to Kashmir and India”

Defense analyst and a professor at renowned Quad-e-Azam University Islamabad commented on the issue from a different angle and said “It will be premature to say that Lashkar is a bigger threat than Al-Qaeda. The situation is a bit complex. The group is in evolution process. It works in different forms. It also works in the name of Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation to focus on relief activities. There can be some nexus between some old members of the group but as a whole, the group is not focused on the west. It tries to adopt same line as that of the government of Pakistan. Hafiz Saeed now has started to take up political issues between the two countries.”

Indeed Lashkar is a real threat to India and it is capable of bringing India and Pakistan to war. This indirectly may affect US interests in the region, as it wants Pakistan’s total focus on its western border. Pakistan can use its influence to keep this group away from any Mumbai style attacks inside India but trying to crush this ‘bunch of savages’ as demanded by anti-Pakistan US senator Gary Ackerman may become counterproductive.

Lashkar is not occupying any specific territory just as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan did in Sawat and Waziristan. It is impossible to launch a military operation against the group in Pakistan. If India with its hundreds of thousands of troops stationed in Kashmir could not control a few thousand fighters of Lashkar, how can Pakistan control millions of its supporters across the country? The government of Pakistan can only take administrative measures which it has already taken by arresting 7 top commanders of Lashkar and trying them in an anti terror court.

During current strategic dialogue, US officials demanded actions against Lashkar and its leaders. US are very much concerned on the issue. Nevertheless, Pakistan will have to think of its own interests. While Pakistan cannot support a militant group but it also cannot create another Tehreek-e-Taliban in Pakistan. The strategy of crushing the militants is no longer working and the world is compelled to find ways to peruse Afghan Taliban for dialogue.

Although Pro India senator Gary Ackerman is trying to convince US policy makers that resolution of Kashmir issue will not satisfy Lashkar-e-Taiba but the reality is that Kashmir resolution will end the reasons for Lashkar and other groups fighting in Kashmir to take up arms. On January 17, 2009, Lashkar itself made it categorically clear that it will lay down arms if Kashmir issue is peacefully resolved. Its spokesperson Dr. Abdullah Ghaznavi had said “Our struggle is only confined to Kashmir and we have no relations or association with armed groups operating at international level. We have no global agenda. We just want freedom of Kashmir and if it comes peacefully we will welcome it. We don’t see armed struggle as the only way to achieve our goal. If the world listens to our cries and play its role in resolving the Kashmir issue there would be no reason for is to fight.” ( Kashmir Newspaper )

One can argue that it is just a political statement of Lashkar to mislead the world opinion. Of course, it can be a political statement but if Kashmir issue is resolved then groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba will no longer enjoy sympathies of Pakistan. If the west really wants to contain Lashkar, it should ask India to come out of the fear that if it gives up Kashmir the whole India will disintegrate. A nation of more than a billion citizens should not be fearful from giving people their due rights. Boiling Kashmir will spoil the Indian dreams of becoming a permanent member of UNSC. For its growth and prosperity, India must adopt a conflict free policy in the region. This will make the Indian market secure for the western investors. So the west in general, and US and UK in particular, should come forward and help India in resolving Kashmir issue instead of pressing Pakistan for no long-term benefits.

About the authors: Abdullah Muntazir author of this report is an expert on militancy and regional security.

F-16s can be used against any adversary: PAF chief

By Iftikhar A. Khan

Islamabad, 28 Jun, 2010 :SHAHBAZ AIR BASE (Jacobabad): The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, has said there is no restriction on the use of newly-acquired F-16 combat aircraft against any adversary.

“Our mission is to maintain peace in the region with honour, but if the primary effort fails we will use all our assets, including these aircraft, to defend our country against any internal or external threats,” he said.

The air chief was talking to reporters at the newly upgraded Shahbaz Air Base on Sunday after a ceremony held to mark the formal induction of the first three of 18 advanced F-16 fighter jets into the PAF fleet.

The aircraft have been purchased from the United States for $1.4 billion. The ceremony was attended by Chief of Staff of US Air Force Gen Norton A. Schwartz, US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson, US Air Forces’ Central Command chief Gen Mike Hostage and US Defence Representative to Pakistan Vice Admiral Michael A. LeFever. Answering a question, Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar said the acquisition of the hi-tech falcons would neither spark an arms race nor disturb the balance of power in the region. It would be the other way round, he said, adding that the induction would restore the balance of power as the neighbours already had hi-tech aircraft in their inventory.

Earlier addressing the ceremony, he said the PAF had decided to induct the state-of-the-art aircraft with night precision attack capability in 2006 but the contract became controversial in both the countries from the very beginning, with critics (in the United States) questioning the decision and saying that F-16s would have no role in the fight against terrorism and cynics (at home) also challenged the wisdom of a contract with the US, because of past experience.

He said that Pakistan and the US were allies in the war against terror and trust between the two countries was an essential element required to achieve success in the war. He noted that delivery of the aircraft was the beginning of a process to develop the trust.

“The issue of trust between the two countries would take some time to be established fully, but the ceremony was an important step in that direction,” he said.

He said the new F-16s would provide the PAF all-weather day and night precision attack capability, adding a new dimension to the PAF potential. He said that operationalising capabilities of the new aircraft and mastering their technology was a challenge for the PAF, but expressed the confidence that it would be done in weeks and months.

He said that Shahbaz Airbase had been developed into a modern base capable of handling the most modern fighter aircraft in the world in less than one year. Completion of this task in a record time, he said, reflected the spirit of PAF.

US Air Chief General Norton Schawrtz said the event was symbolic and a tangible demonstration of the US commitment to stand by Pakistan in the long run as an important ally.

“Pakistan’s new F-16s will give PAF pilots and Pakistan’s military an unprecedented advantage against extremist groups who threaten Pakistan and the region by enabling precision targeting in all-weather conditions, during both day and night, while reducing potential for collateral damage,” Gen Schawrtz said.

“The aircraft will also enable increased tactical inter-operability between the PAF, the US Air Force and Isaf coalition air forces – greatly bolstering our ability to jointly communicate, coordinate and work together to achieve common goals while boosting the PAF’s status as a world-class air force.”

US Ambassador Anne W. Patterson said the ceremony was a manifestation of deep and broad strategic partnership between the two countries.

She referred to the useful discussion in a number of areas during the strategic dialogue and said the US was committed to a long-term partnership with an old ally.

She said both the countries were working together to make the region and the world peaceful and secure.