MNA threatens to sue journalist
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
ISLAMABAD: Mumtaz Alam Gillani, member national assembly (PPP) on Monday strongly contradicted a news item appearing in a section of the press on September 21 that he was witness to a US embassy white truck carrying steel boxes, which were unloaded and shifted inside the Marriott hotel.
Mumtaz Alam Gillani told APP that this was just a conversation in a light mood with the reporter when he along with his friends was coming out of the hotel and some foreigners were going inside the hotel. “I had just roadside chit-chat in a friendly manner with the newsman and told him that Pakistan is a victim of terrorism”, Gillani clarified.
He further said he would be issuing a legal notice to the reporter of the newspaper whose story is based on “pack of lies” and contrary to all professional ethics.
“I have asked the reporter to contradict the news item and tender unconditional apology as he tried to belittle my image as member of parliament in the eyes of the people, particularly of my constituency”, Mumtaz Alam Gillani said.
The MNA further said that on expiry of 10-day notice if the apology is not tendered and contradiction not issued, he will sue the reporter and the newspapers in a Court of law.—APP (The News)
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Tuesday, 23 September 2008
Liar, Taliban supporter, Ansar Abbasi must be tried in an anti-terrorism court because of his lies in the Marriott Hotel Attack Report - Mumtaz Gilani
Monday, 22 September 2008
Ansar Abbasi, Hamid Mir - Read this editorial in your own paper, Daily News.
Pakistan’s 9/11
Monday, September 22, 2008
The Marriottt in Islamabad is no more. This is a reality that many are still finding it hard to come to terms with. The hotel, where wedding guests assembled, where friends chatted, where journalists covering key events gathered, where business deals were struck and from where tourists ventured out to explore Pakistan has been converted into a charred ruin. The last ‘Iftaris’ taking place at it turned into a dark nightmare as a suicide bomber rammed a truck loaded with explosives into its entrance. At least 60 people have died; more than 300 injured. The precise toll is still impossible to determine with bodies still being pulled out from rooms engulfed by an inferno unleashed by the blast.
Even in a nation that has become resilient to shock and accustomed to terrorist violence, the attack has created horror. It is being described as the worst suicide bombing yet to take place in the country - Pakistan’s very own 9/11. The bomber is believed to have used 1000 kilograms of high-quality explosives in the attack. There can be no doubt about his intentions. The act has proven too that terrorism is an evil that Pakistan must fight. It is not a war that involves the US, or other powers. It directly affects each and every one of us; we must therefore fight it. The people who died are almost all Pakistanis. Most among them are poor security guards, drivers, waiters, hotel staff - caught as the explosion ripped through the building. Those who killed them are too Pakistanis. They are not aliens, not outsiders. It is our flawed policies that have allowed them to grow and to develop the maddened mindsets of hatred that spurs their actions. It is senseless to point fingers elsewhere. We must wake up to the fact that these people come from amongst us; they target venues within the country and they kill their own countrymen.
It is time we accepted this war is our own. There must be no ambiguity about this. The Marriott, for many, was the face of Islamabad. Its destruction is a reminder of the scale of the threat we face. No one in the country is safe, no place secure.
The opinions we still hear everywhere, in roadside cafes, in offices - and among the country’s establishment - that the militants who have entrenched themselves in northern areas are ‘good’ people, that force should not be used against them - is one reason why we today face such high levels of peril. Pakistan is now rated as the most dangerous place in the world. All those who have seen the charred graveyard of vehicles, of trees torn apart, of ash covering green belts, of people writhing in hospital beds, will not disagree with this assessment. Yet the fact that so many still believe the forces capable of the mayhem we saw in Islamabad on Saturday deserve some kind of protection, that they deserve to be regarded as men of honour with whom dialogue is possible, explains why they have so far proved invincible. Such thinking needs to change. There must be a consensus across society about the need to act with unity and determination to save what still remains of our wounded country. We must try to breathe life back into it. As inevitably happens after any major incident, rumours, theories, conjecture about why the Marriott was targeted will continue to circulate. There has been vague talk of US nationals being present, of equipment being moved in. This is irrelevant. It is senseless to attempt to decipher the motives driving killers to acts of evil. What is important is to find a way to vanquish them. The President, in the immediate aftermath of the blast, has spoken of the need to turn sorrow into strength, to face the situation with courage. The words express the right sentiments. What is crucial is to find the means to act on them and to ensure that everyone in circles of decision-making is working towards the same goal. The civilian and military government must ensure cooperation and combined planning towards this end.
There are now several key challenges ahead. They go beyond the question of immediate arrests or an investigation of the blast itself.
These are of course important, but we need to look further and draw up a plan of action that in time will help us build a country where people are safe and where the terror that lurks everywhere in Islamabad and indeed other cities does not forever haunt us. How can this be done? Indeed can it now be achieved at all? These are questions we must face up to. Too much time has already been lost. The actions being contemplated today should have come years, perhaps, decades sooner. After all, suicide bombings were, even five years ago, almost unknown in the country. We must ask ourselves how we so rapidly descended in the abyss of violence we face today. In 2003, 189 people in the country died in terrorist related incidents. In 2007 this figure stood at over 3,500. In 2002, 20 died in two suicide attacks.
For 2008 the figure already stands at over 300. Who knows what the toll will be by the time the year reaches its bloody end. An understanding of how this happened, and why it was allowed to happen, is crucial to developing a strategy to deal with the ghastly realty we face.
But there are ways to try and overcome terror, provided there is will, and commitment and a shared vision. The measures that are required include an improvement in security and the training of personnel at checkposts. In Iraq, such an enhancement in their skills has helped bring down the number of bombings and the number of deaths. But far more is needed than mere security. The fact is that today, thousands of persons recruited through the years for ‘jihad’ by militant outfits - with or without official patronage - roam in our cities, our towns, our tribal areas. In most cases their only skills involve the use of guns, grenades and bombs. A means has to be found to rehabilitate these people and prevent them from leading still others down the staircase that leads to violence. In times of high unemployment and high desperation such recruitment is taking place rapidly. We must also act decisively against key militants, their outfits and their seminaries. Many in northern areas are able to identify seminaries where killers are trained. Such institutions exist too in our cities.
They must be closed down. The immediate task for the government is to build the consensus required to go about this. There is no time to lose, no time to waste. The still smouldering remains of the Marriott are a reminder of the need for urgent action. If we fail now, there will yet be worse to come in the days ahead.
Read more...
Monday, September 22, 2008
The Marriottt in Islamabad is no more. This is a reality that many are still finding it hard to come to terms with. The hotel, where wedding guests assembled, where friends chatted, where journalists covering key events gathered, where business deals were struck and from where tourists ventured out to explore Pakistan has been converted into a charred ruin. The last ‘Iftaris’ taking place at it turned into a dark nightmare as a suicide bomber rammed a truck loaded with explosives into its entrance. At least 60 people have died; more than 300 injured. The precise toll is still impossible to determine with bodies still being pulled out from rooms engulfed by an inferno unleashed by the blast.
Even in a nation that has become resilient to shock and accustomed to terrorist violence, the attack has created horror. It is being described as the worst suicide bombing yet to take place in the country - Pakistan’s very own 9/11. The bomber is believed to have used 1000 kilograms of high-quality explosives in the attack. There can be no doubt about his intentions. The act has proven too that terrorism is an evil that Pakistan must fight. It is not a war that involves the US, or other powers. It directly affects each and every one of us; we must therefore fight it. The people who died are almost all Pakistanis. Most among them are poor security guards, drivers, waiters, hotel staff - caught as the explosion ripped through the building. Those who killed them are too Pakistanis. They are not aliens, not outsiders. It is our flawed policies that have allowed them to grow and to develop the maddened mindsets of hatred that spurs their actions. It is senseless to point fingers elsewhere. We must wake up to the fact that these people come from amongst us; they target venues within the country and they kill their own countrymen.
It is time we accepted this war is our own. There must be no ambiguity about this. The Marriott, for many, was the face of Islamabad. Its destruction is a reminder of the scale of the threat we face. No one in the country is safe, no place secure.
The opinions we still hear everywhere, in roadside cafes, in offices - and among the country’s establishment - that the militants who have entrenched themselves in northern areas are ‘good’ people, that force should not be used against them - is one reason why we today face such high levels of peril. Pakistan is now rated as the most dangerous place in the world. All those who have seen the charred graveyard of vehicles, of trees torn apart, of ash covering green belts, of people writhing in hospital beds, will not disagree with this assessment. Yet the fact that so many still believe the forces capable of the mayhem we saw in Islamabad on Saturday deserve some kind of protection, that they deserve to be regarded as men of honour with whom dialogue is possible, explains why they have so far proved invincible. Such thinking needs to change. There must be a consensus across society about the need to act with unity and determination to save what still remains of our wounded country. We must try to breathe life back into it. As inevitably happens after any major incident, rumours, theories, conjecture about why the Marriott was targeted will continue to circulate. There has been vague talk of US nationals being present, of equipment being moved in. This is irrelevant. It is senseless to attempt to decipher the motives driving killers to acts of evil. What is important is to find a way to vanquish them. The President, in the immediate aftermath of the blast, has spoken of the need to turn sorrow into strength, to face the situation with courage. The words express the right sentiments. What is crucial is to find the means to act on them and to ensure that everyone in circles of decision-making is working towards the same goal. The civilian and military government must ensure cooperation and combined planning towards this end.
There are now several key challenges ahead. They go beyond the question of immediate arrests or an investigation of the blast itself.
These are of course important, but we need to look further and draw up a plan of action that in time will help us build a country where people are safe and where the terror that lurks everywhere in Islamabad and indeed other cities does not forever haunt us. How can this be done? Indeed can it now be achieved at all? These are questions we must face up to. Too much time has already been lost. The actions being contemplated today should have come years, perhaps, decades sooner. After all, suicide bombings were, even five years ago, almost unknown in the country. We must ask ourselves how we so rapidly descended in the abyss of violence we face today. In 2003, 189 people in the country died in terrorist related incidents. In 2007 this figure stood at over 3,500. In 2002, 20 died in two suicide attacks.
For 2008 the figure already stands at over 300. Who knows what the toll will be by the time the year reaches its bloody end. An understanding of how this happened, and why it was allowed to happen, is crucial to developing a strategy to deal with the ghastly realty we face.
But there are ways to try and overcome terror, provided there is will, and commitment and a shared vision. The measures that are required include an improvement in security and the training of personnel at checkposts. In Iraq, such an enhancement in their skills has helped bring down the number of bombings and the number of deaths. But far more is needed than mere security. The fact is that today, thousands of persons recruited through the years for ‘jihad’ by militant outfits - with or without official patronage - roam in our cities, our towns, our tribal areas. In most cases their only skills involve the use of guns, grenades and bombs. A means has to be found to rehabilitate these people and prevent them from leading still others down the staircase that leads to violence. In times of high unemployment and high desperation such recruitment is taking place rapidly. We must also act decisively against key militants, their outfits and their seminaries. Many in northern areas are able to identify seminaries where killers are trained. Such institutions exist too in our cities.
They must be closed down. The immediate task for the government is to build the consensus required to go about this. There is no time to lose, no time to waste. The still smouldering remains of the Marriott are a reminder of the need for urgent action. If we fail now, there will yet be worse to come in the days ahead.
Read more...
Terrorism apologists - Read this editorial in Daily Dawn
Defeating terrorism
THE carnage at Islamabad’s Marriott Hotel has shocked Pakistan and has been rightly condemned. The target may have been ‘western’ but the timing — soon after iftar — ensured that the majority of victims were Pakistani. In the days ahead, the bombing will take to a fever pitch the debate about whether Pakistan is fighting its own war against terrorism or America’s. The debate will miss the point: it is an internal war, and it goes to the heart of what we want Pakistan to be. Do we want a country that provides a decent standard of living in a safe environment for its citizens? Or do we want to fight ideological wars that will condemn us to a vicious cycle of death and destruction? For the terrorism apologists, a strange distinction holds: that those opposing the Americans or Indians or the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan are not our concern because they do not want to harm us. This is not true. They do harm us because they retard our future and, as the Marriott bombing so viciously demonstrated, they destroy our present.
More urgently than ever, the defence establishment needs to get its act together. The civilian leaders and their uniformed counterparts must draw up a clear policy to fight terrorism. Pakistan is not faced with an ordinary law and order situation and the terrorist violence is not confined to a few areas. A counter-insurgency strategy is needed for all parts of Pakistan and the defence establishment must quickly pull together every strand of available resources. No doubt even the most efficient administrations in the world would be taxed by such a task. But what is truly distressing about Pakistan is the utter lack of any visible direction. Since Aug 6, Pakistan has been fighting militants in Bajaur. Yet virtually no one in the country is aware of who we are fighting and why. Worse yet, it’s not clear who is responsible for the operation: the political government, the military or both? Is it any surprise that the people are confused and split when they do not know who we are fighting, why we are fighting and even who ‘we’ is?
Read more...
THE carnage at Islamabad’s Marriott Hotel has shocked Pakistan and has been rightly condemned. The target may have been ‘western’ but the timing — soon after iftar — ensured that the majority of victims were Pakistani. In the days ahead, the bombing will take to a fever pitch the debate about whether Pakistan is fighting its own war against terrorism or America’s. The debate will miss the point: it is an internal war, and it goes to the heart of what we want Pakistan to be. Do we want a country that provides a decent standard of living in a safe environment for its citizens? Or do we want to fight ideological wars that will condemn us to a vicious cycle of death and destruction? For the terrorism apologists, a strange distinction holds: that those opposing the Americans or Indians or the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan are not our concern because they do not want to harm us. This is not true. They do harm us because they retard our future and, as the Marriott bombing so viciously demonstrated, they destroy our present.
More urgently than ever, the defence establishment needs to get its act together. The civilian leaders and their uniformed counterparts must draw up a clear policy to fight terrorism. Pakistan is not faced with an ordinary law and order situation and the terrorist violence is not confined to a few areas. A counter-insurgency strategy is needed for all parts of Pakistan and the defence establishment must quickly pull together every strand of available resources. No doubt even the most efficient administrations in the world would be taxed by such a task. But what is truly distressing about Pakistan is the utter lack of any visible direction. Since Aug 6, Pakistan has been fighting militants in Bajaur. Yet virtually no one in the country is aware of who we are fighting and why. Worse yet, it’s not clear who is responsible for the operation: the political government, the military or both? Is it any surprise that the people are confused and split when they do not know who we are fighting, why we are fighting and even who ‘we’ is?
Read more...
Admit it: this is Pakistan’s war
Twelve hours after the blasting of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, the flames had still not been doused. The medium-sized Shehzore truck, packed with 600 kg of RDX explosives, drove up to the hotel barrier and exploded, setting the hotel on fire. It is more than likely that, just as he was “pleasantly” surprised by the result of the attack on the World Trade Centre in New York in 2001, Osama bin Laden must have been “happily” surprised by the total annihilation of the hotel with a truck that, according to the owner Mr Sadruddin Hashwani, was not even allowed to enter the premises but stopped at the barrier near the main road by the hotel guards.
Islamabad has received major attention from Al Qaeda after the elections in 2008, at the rate of almost once a month. Al Qaeda has acknowledged bombing the Danish embassy while letting its Taliban minions accept responsibility for others. And Al Qaeda is not new to the task. In 1995, by his own admission, Aiman al Zawahiri had proclaimed his theory of al adu al qarib (the near enemy) by bombing and completely destroying the Egyptian embassy in Islamabad. However, despite all this special attention from Al Qaeda, the security agencies have not been able to “secure” Islamabad. One reason is obvious. Suicide bombers are virtually unstoppable. Another is the existence of Al Qaeda sympathisers and facilitators at every level of Pakistani society, but especially at the lower level. A third is the lack of anti-terrorist training in our civilian intelligence agencies which are ill-staffed and ill-equipped. Low levels of pay account for low levels of motivation too.
The target may have been the parliament building where President Asif Zardari made his speech in the presence of all the important personages of the state. A truck laden with explosives was allowed to move on the roads of the capital city without sufficient checking. One reason is that it was camouflaged as a contruction-goods carrier, which made it congruous with the construction sites across the city. Apparently it was “checked” a short distance from the Marriott but the checking was confined to diverting it in one sensitive area rather than examing its contents. According to former secretary FATA, Brigadier (Retd) Mehmood Khan, the explosives could be from the Wah munitions factory, contents of a truck hijacked by Al Qaeda not long ago. Al Qaeda was thus using local resources.
The Marriott Hotel was probably the secondary target. Unfortunately, no one in Islamabad possessed the imagination to visualise what Al Qaeda could do with suicide-bombing. The hotel had received three hits before this, once clearly threatened by the clerics of Lal Masjid who boasted having many suicide-bombers in reserve, an oblique reference to the destructive ability of Al Qaeda, the patron of the growing strength of violent clergy in Islamabad, with nearly a hundred madrassas, many of them illegal. The seizure of Islamabad is on the drawing board of the leaders of Al Qaeda.
Regrettably, there was some “deflective” journalism in evidence soon enough. One commentator said President Zardari should go to the US, stare President Bush in the eye and challenge him. Another seriously wondered if the blast might actually have been caused by “foreign” powers, a reference that could embrace anyone from India, Afghanistan, Israel and Russia to the United States. One journalist alleged that the Marriott was a target because some American Marines had secretly holed out there during Admiral Mike Mullen’s visit to Islamabad last week. A cleric in Quetta said he could not condemn the attack because it was a fidai hamla (suicide attack) aimed at “America and its accomplices”. A leader of Jama’at-e Islami thought it could be a sequel to blasts in India, meaning that it could be a tit-for-tat incident from India and not from someone inside Pakistan. It is amazing how these people are deceiving themselves and the people of Pakistan by not calling a spade a spade —Al Qaedi did it — because of their anti-Americanism, however justified that may be.
Thankfully, it was Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani who was direct and clear in his designation of the enemy. He said the attack had come from Al Qaeda and its thousands of “foreign” terrorists now located in the Tribal Areas. President Zardari was more exhortative when he said he and the people of Pakistan would together face the onslaught of terrorism and referred to “the wife that he had buried” after she fell victim to the same terrorists not too far from Islamabad last December. It was also good to see Rehman Malik, the advisor to the interior ministry, arrive at the site and take charge minutes after the incident and facilitate the treatment of the casualties in the various hospitals of the city.
Let us admit it. This is Pakistan’s war that Pakistan’s army is fighting. Let us also admit that Pakistan needs alignments at the global level to even diagnose what is happening to it, apart from the crucial intelligence about the movement and intent — through tapped phone calls — of Al Qaeda and those who serve it. And let us admit that, given its economic crisis, Pakistan cannot even deploy the muscle it possesses against the terrorists unless it is assisted with funds, expertise and technology from its friends abroad. (Daily Times)
Read more...
Islamabad has received major attention from Al Qaeda after the elections in 2008, at the rate of almost once a month. Al Qaeda has acknowledged bombing the Danish embassy while letting its Taliban minions accept responsibility for others. And Al Qaeda is not new to the task. In 1995, by his own admission, Aiman al Zawahiri had proclaimed his theory of al adu al qarib (the near enemy) by bombing and completely destroying the Egyptian embassy in Islamabad. However, despite all this special attention from Al Qaeda, the security agencies have not been able to “secure” Islamabad. One reason is obvious. Suicide bombers are virtually unstoppable. Another is the existence of Al Qaeda sympathisers and facilitators at every level of Pakistani society, but especially at the lower level. A third is the lack of anti-terrorist training in our civilian intelligence agencies which are ill-staffed and ill-equipped. Low levels of pay account for low levels of motivation too.
The target may have been the parliament building where President Asif Zardari made his speech in the presence of all the important personages of the state. A truck laden with explosives was allowed to move on the roads of the capital city without sufficient checking. One reason is that it was camouflaged as a contruction-goods carrier, which made it congruous with the construction sites across the city. Apparently it was “checked” a short distance from the Marriott but the checking was confined to diverting it in one sensitive area rather than examing its contents. According to former secretary FATA, Brigadier (Retd) Mehmood Khan, the explosives could be from the Wah munitions factory, contents of a truck hijacked by Al Qaeda not long ago. Al Qaeda was thus using local resources.
The Marriott Hotel was probably the secondary target. Unfortunately, no one in Islamabad possessed the imagination to visualise what Al Qaeda could do with suicide-bombing. The hotel had received three hits before this, once clearly threatened by the clerics of Lal Masjid who boasted having many suicide-bombers in reserve, an oblique reference to the destructive ability of Al Qaeda, the patron of the growing strength of violent clergy in Islamabad, with nearly a hundred madrassas, many of them illegal. The seizure of Islamabad is on the drawing board of the leaders of Al Qaeda.
Regrettably, there was some “deflective” journalism in evidence soon enough. One commentator said President Zardari should go to the US, stare President Bush in the eye and challenge him. Another seriously wondered if the blast might actually have been caused by “foreign” powers, a reference that could embrace anyone from India, Afghanistan, Israel and Russia to the United States. One journalist alleged that the Marriott was a target because some American Marines had secretly holed out there during Admiral Mike Mullen’s visit to Islamabad last week. A cleric in Quetta said he could not condemn the attack because it was a fidai hamla (suicide attack) aimed at “America and its accomplices”. A leader of Jama’at-e Islami thought it could be a sequel to blasts in India, meaning that it could be a tit-for-tat incident from India and not from someone inside Pakistan. It is amazing how these people are deceiving themselves and the people of Pakistan by not calling a spade a spade —Al Qaedi did it — because of their anti-Americanism, however justified that may be.
Thankfully, it was Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani who was direct and clear in his designation of the enemy. He said the attack had come from Al Qaeda and its thousands of “foreign” terrorists now located in the Tribal Areas. President Zardari was more exhortative when he said he and the people of Pakistan would together face the onslaught of terrorism and referred to “the wife that he had buried” after she fell victim to the same terrorists not too far from Islamabad last December. It was also good to see Rehman Malik, the advisor to the interior ministry, arrive at the site and take charge minutes after the incident and facilitate the treatment of the casualties in the various hospitals of the city.
Let us admit it. This is Pakistan’s war that Pakistan’s army is fighting. Let us also admit that Pakistan needs alignments at the global level to even diagnose what is happening to it, apart from the crucial intelligence about the movement and intent — through tapped phone calls — of Al Qaeda and those who serve it. And let us admit that, given its economic crisis, Pakistan cannot even deploy the muscle it possesses against the terrorists unless it is assisted with funds, expertise and technology from its friends abroad. (Daily Times)
Read more...
Ansar Abbasi, Hamid Mir, Irfan Siddiqi, other supporters of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda... Read this column! by Abbas Ather
Sunday, 21 September 2008
Defeating terrorism: The carnage at Islamabad’s Marriott Hotel
Sunday, 21 Sep,
The carnage at Islamabad’s Marriott Hotel has shocked Pakistan and has been rightly condemned. The target may have been ‘western’ but the timing — soon after iftar — ensured that the majority of victims were Pakistani. In the days ahead, the bombing will take to a fever pitch the debate about whether Pakistan is fighting its own war against terrorism or America’s. The debate will miss the point: it is an internal war, and it goes to the heart of what we want Pakistan to be. Do we want a country that provides a decent standard of living in a safe environment for its citizens? Or do we want to fight ideological wars that will condemn us to a vicious cycle of death and destruction? For the terrorism apologists, a strange distinction holds: that those opposing the Americans or Indians or the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan are not our concern because they do not want to harm us. This is a not true. They do harm us because they retard our future and, as the Marriott bombing so viciously demonstrated, they destroy our present. (Daily Dawn)
Read more...
The carnage at Islamabad’s Marriott Hotel has shocked Pakistan and has been rightly condemned. The target may have been ‘western’ but the timing — soon after iftar — ensured that the majority of victims were Pakistani. In the days ahead, the bombing will take to a fever pitch the debate about whether Pakistan is fighting its own war against terrorism or America’s. The debate will miss the point: it is an internal war, and it goes to the heart of what we want Pakistan to be. Do we want a country that provides a decent standard of living in a safe environment for its citizens? Or do we want to fight ideological wars that will condemn us to a vicious cycle of death and destruction? For the terrorism apologists, a strange distinction holds: that those opposing the Americans or Indians or the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan are not our concern because they do not want to harm us. This is a not true. They do harm us because they retard our future and, as the Marriott bombing so viciously demonstrated, they destroy our present. (Daily Dawn)
Read more...
Doublecross: Musharraf and Pakistan Army's ambiguous stance toward Al-Qaeda and Taliban-
According to the US-based Pew Research Centre’s Global Attitudes Project, the number of Muslims globally supporting suicide attacks and Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden has fallen sharply in the past six years. But the think tank still has its red signal on about “significant Muslim minorities in eight countries continuing to endorse suicide bombings and the Al Qaeda chief”.
Significantly, the number of Lebanese Muslims justifying suicide attacks has come down from 74 percent in 2004 to 32 percent today. In Pakistan, this support for suicide-bombing has come down from 33 percent in 2002 to 5 percent today. In Jordan, the support remains high at 25 percent although it has fallen recently. Only 10 percent of Indonesians now support suicide bombing, in contrast to Nigeria where 33 percent of Muslims still justify it, despite a fall from over 70 percent in 2002.
Popular support for Osama bin Laden has fallen steeply from a peak in 2002 but still remains dangerously high. In Pakistan one-third of those asked still think he is a good guy. Unlike Jordan, where support for him has fallen dramatically to 19 percent, in Pakistan it is steady around one-third. Understandably, secular Turkey has scored low on both counts.
It is important to view Pakistan a little differently from the rest of the Islamic world. This is where Osama bin Laden feels close to home. Also, he is probably located inside Pakistan. His organisation Al Qaeda is palpable here and doesn’t need “sleeper cells”. It has around 8,000 “foreigners” in Pakistan ready to lay down their lives as combatants or suicide-bombers because they are “uprooted” and ready to abandon life. It has its foot soldiers among two types of Taliban, the Afghan ones and those in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA); and among Pakistanis from the rest of the country who are members of once state-supported jihadi militias.
The Pew survey was carefully modelled to test the opinion of a cross-section of the population in Pakistan. But in many ways this methodology is irrelevant to the “devolution of power” in a state that is fast losing its internal sovereignty. In fact, our state has been leeched of its “monopoly of violence” by the madrassa with a stranglehold on the people no matter what opinion they hold about Al Qaeda and suicide-bombing. For instance, it would be useless to poll the citizens in Islamabad when 80 madrassas hold power over them and scores more have sprung up since the state’s face-off with Lal Masjid last year.
Another distortion that sets Pakistan apart is the “lost territory” in FATA and the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA). Populations living under Al Qaeda here were first unsure about who they supported but after the failure of the state to protect them they have generally swung in favour of Al Qaeda. Whereas in the Tribal Areas there is no difference between Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, in the rest of the country bin Laden is set apart as the symbol of Islam’s struggle against the US.
Al Qaeda was “facilitated” on the basis of the agreed military “doctrine” pronounced by General Pervez Musharraf in his address to the nation on September 20, 2001, after he had decided to join America’s global “war against terror”. His speech was lynch-pinned to this reference to India: “What do the Indians want? They do not have common borders with Afghanistan anywhere. It is totally isolated from Afghanistan. In my view it is so surprising that the Indians want to ensure that if and when the government in Afghanistan changes, it shall be an anti-Pakistan government...I would like to tell India: lay off.”
This “foundational” speech is the basis of the national security establishment’s policy on the war against terrorism. It committed Pakistan to retain the “proxy” of the Taliban acquired during Pakistan’s pursuit of “strategic depth” in Afghanistan against India. Al Qaeda clutched at it, and was tolerated, as a part of the bargain. After the 2002 election, the MMA was brought to power to underpin this policy. It is during the MMA’s tenure in Balochistan and the NWFP that Al Qaeda became entrenched in Pakistan. The madrassas all over Pakistan, which became the backbone of Al Qaeda and its foot soldiers, were not — or could not be — purged.
Today Al Qaeda sees itself pitted against the security forces of Pakistan because it knows that its final battle for the possession of the nuclear-powered state will be with the Pakistan Army. Therefore, it is incumbent on the politicians and media today to support the Pakistan Army in its war against Al Qaeda and its followers and not be swayed by what the influential clergy advocates in its pro-Al Qaeda rhetoric. (Daily Times).
.........
COMMENTS:
Jamshed Khan:
What sadden me to death is that most of our educated class lacks the ground realities in Pakistan.
First of all Talibans are FIGS, barbarians, headless, basters, and they have no religion or humanity.
The very existence of FATA (Federally Administrated Tribal Areas which includes Khyber, Mohmand, Bajaur, Orakzai,N-Waziristan, S-Waziristan & Kurram Agencies) is a conspiracy, and this should have been merged in NWFP as settled districts long time ago. They are the same pathans like the one lives 5 miles away in Peshawar or Malakand Division. They are no different than other pathans, then why should they enjoy the special status. And what FATA achieved of this special status. Nothing. Why were they kept in dark ages in the pretext that they are semi-independent was because the corrupt establishment reminded Pakistanis that our prophet MA Jinnah the great promised them this special status. All bullshit.
The corrupt establishment and ISI kept these areas in dark ages for the sole purpose of using them against Afghanistan. The magna Carta of Paki Army is that 1- keep Afghanistan busy with Talibans type people. and 2- India is our enemy # 1. On this ground Paki Generals sucks 90% of Pakistani Budget and has educated Urban Punjab with this KALAMA, who are the only Pakstanis. Any minority who sopke for their rights are traitors. Only Punjabis are patriots.
Now ISI and Paki Army was successful till 60 years, but now those Talibans created and trained by ISI have turned against Pakistan because Afghanistan border is closed by NATO. Now those masked barbers who belongs to Hell and call itself Taliban want to create Islamic State, and in this process has killed 1000s of innocent people.They are systemically killing the elder, elite and educated class of Pathans. This is a grave conspiracy. All those who justifies Talibans even 1% are Stupid and I wihs Allah bless their family with Talibans so they can have a taste of it too.
lance_naik:
The brutality of the Taliban during their rule in Afghanistan is well-documented fact. Any Afghan will testify to it. 99% of Afghans despise the Taliban. Over the years, I have found an alarmingly number of Pakistanis who try to defend them. Now that they are here, doing the same to us, this people seem to still be in denial. I’m not a fan of the army and certainly not the thugs of the bush administration. However, to blame all of this on the US & the army is just plain irrational. Things in the world are never black & white. There are ciminals hiding in our tribal areas who not only commit these heinous acts but have the audacity to use Islam as a pretext. Unless and until the majority of the people of our country acknowledge this fact, this problem will not go away. This is a mess created by the army and the US back in the 80’s and this is a mess that they will have to fix. We on our end will need to be honest about it. Conspiracy theories are an act of paranoia. And paranoia is a symptom of schizophrenia.
We need to stop acting insane.
MalangBaba:
USA has for sure crushed the Al-Qaida and Talban in Afghanistan and that poor country is progressing much faster than any time in past 40 years. The problem is that Musharaf played double game and let Talban establish them in FATA in the form of multiple war lords who provide fee-for-service suicide bombers to India, russia, drug lords etc to do actionsinside Afghanistan or Pakistan. There is is huge foreign money and drug mafia involved. We need to crush these savages for the sake of Pakistan or else they will make a Somalia out of this poor nation.
How to crush them is quite easy. Fund and Equip Tribes to fight with these groups wwith air and ground support from Army. Most tribes wants militants out because they are destroying their own life. This tactic is a success in Afghanistan and for sure will be a success in FATA.
“So it would be of help if you could stop blaming this or that since you have no evidence against Hamid Mir or anyone else.”
Media must stop portraying these militants as ‘innocent’ and ‘hero’. They are evil villians who will destroy the basic social fabric of Pakistan for ever. We have to choose between Talban and Pakistan and we want Pakistan.
Read more...
Significantly, the number of Lebanese Muslims justifying suicide attacks has come down from 74 percent in 2004 to 32 percent today. In Pakistan, this support for suicide-bombing has come down from 33 percent in 2002 to 5 percent today. In Jordan, the support remains high at 25 percent although it has fallen recently. Only 10 percent of Indonesians now support suicide bombing, in contrast to Nigeria where 33 percent of Muslims still justify it, despite a fall from over 70 percent in 2002.
Popular support for Osama bin Laden has fallen steeply from a peak in 2002 but still remains dangerously high. In Pakistan one-third of those asked still think he is a good guy. Unlike Jordan, where support for him has fallen dramatically to 19 percent, in Pakistan it is steady around one-third. Understandably, secular Turkey has scored low on both counts.
It is important to view Pakistan a little differently from the rest of the Islamic world. This is where Osama bin Laden feels close to home. Also, he is probably located inside Pakistan. His organisation Al Qaeda is palpable here and doesn’t need “sleeper cells”. It has around 8,000 “foreigners” in Pakistan ready to lay down their lives as combatants or suicide-bombers because they are “uprooted” and ready to abandon life. It has its foot soldiers among two types of Taliban, the Afghan ones and those in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA); and among Pakistanis from the rest of the country who are members of once state-supported jihadi militias.
The Pew survey was carefully modelled to test the opinion of a cross-section of the population in Pakistan. But in many ways this methodology is irrelevant to the “devolution of power” in a state that is fast losing its internal sovereignty. In fact, our state has been leeched of its “monopoly of violence” by the madrassa with a stranglehold on the people no matter what opinion they hold about Al Qaeda and suicide-bombing. For instance, it would be useless to poll the citizens in Islamabad when 80 madrassas hold power over them and scores more have sprung up since the state’s face-off with Lal Masjid last year.
Another distortion that sets Pakistan apart is the “lost territory” in FATA and the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA). Populations living under Al Qaeda here were first unsure about who they supported but after the failure of the state to protect them they have generally swung in favour of Al Qaeda. Whereas in the Tribal Areas there is no difference between Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, in the rest of the country bin Laden is set apart as the symbol of Islam’s struggle against the US.
Al Qaeda was “facilitated” on the basis of the agreed military “doctrine” pronounced by General Pervez Musharraf in his address to the nation on September 20, 2001, after he had decided to join America’s global “war against terror”. His speech was lynch-pinned to this reference to India: “What do the Indians want? They do not have common borders with Afghanistan anywhere. It is totally isolated from Afghanistan. In my view it is so surprising that the Indians want to ensure that if and when the government in Afghanistan changes, it shall be an anti-Pakistan government...I would like to tell India: lay off.”
This “foundational” speech is the basis of the national security establishment’s policy on the war against terrorism. It committed Pakistan to retain the “proxy” of the Taliban acquired during Pakistan’s pursuit of “strategic depth” in Afghanistan against India. Al Qaeda clutched at it, and was tolerated, as a part of the bargain. After the 2002 election, the MMA was brought to power to underpin this policy. It is during the MMA’s tenure in Balochistan and the NWFP that Al Qaeda became entrenched in Pakistan. The madrassas all over Pakistan, which became the backbone of Al Qaeda and its foot soldiers, were not — or could not be — purged.
Today Al Qaeda sees itself pitted against the security forces of Pakistan because it knows that its final battle for the possession of the nuclear-powered state will be with the Pakistan Army. Therefore, it is incumbent on the politicians and media today to support the Pakistan Army in its war against Al Qaeda and its followers and not be swayed by what the influential clergy advocates in its pro-Al Qaeda rhetoric. (Daily Times).
.........
COMMENTS:
Jamshed Khan:
What sadden me to death is that most of our educated class lacks the ground realities in Pakistan.
First of all Talibans are FIGS, barbarians, headless, basters, and they have no religion or humanity.
The very existence of FATA (Federally Administrated Tribal Areas which includes Khyber, Mohmand, Bajaur, Orakzai,N-Waziristan, S-Waziristan & Kurram Agencies) is a conspiracy, and this should have been merged in NWFP as settled districts long time ago. They are the same pathans like the one lives 5 miles away in Peshawar or Malakand Division. They are no different than other pathans, then why should they enjoy the special status. And what FATA achieved of this special status. Nothing. Why were they kept in dark ages in the pretext that they are semi-independent was because the corrupt establishment reminded Pakistanis that our prophet MA Jinnah the great promised them this special status. All bullshit.
The corrupt establishment and ISI kept these areas in dark ages for the sole purpose of using them against Afghanistan. The magna Carta of Paki Army is that 1- keep Afghanistan busy with Talibans type people. and 2- India is our enemy # 1. On this ground Paki Generals sucks 90% of Pakistani Budget and has educated Urban Punjab with this KALAMA, who are the only Pakstanis. Any minority who sopke for their rights are traitors. Only Punjabis are patriots.
Now ISI and Paki Army was successful till 60 years, but now those Talibans created and trained by ISI have turned against Pakistan because Afghanistan border is closed by NATO. Now those masked barbers who belongs to Hell and call itself Taliban want to create Islamic State, and in this process has killed 1000s of innocent people.They are systemically killing the elder, elite and educated class of Pathans. This is a grave conspiracy. All those who justifies Talibans even 1% are Stupid and I wihs Allah bless their family with Talibans so they can have a taste of it too.
lance_naik:
The brutality of the Taliban during their rule in Afghanistan is well-documented fact. Any Afghan will testify to it. 99% of Afghans despise the Taliban. Over the years, I have found an alarmingly number of Pakistanis who try to defend them. Now that they are here, doing the same to us, this people seem to still be in denial. I’m not a fan of the army and certainly not the thugs of the bush administration. However, to blame all of this on the US & the army is just plain irrational. Things in the world are never black & white. There are ciminals hiding in our tribal areas who not only commit these heinous acts but have the audacity to use Islam as a pretext. Unless and until the majority of the people of our country acknowledge this fact, this problem will not go away. This is a mess created by the army and the US back in the 80’s and this is a mess that they will have to fix. We on our end will need to be honest about it. Conspiracy theories are an act of paranoia. And paranoia is a symptom of schizophrenia.
We need to stop acting insane.
MalangBaba:
USA has for sure crushed the Al-Qaida and Talban in Afghanistan and that poor country is progressing much faster than any time in past 40 years. The problem is that Musharaf played double game and let Talban establish them in FATA in the form of multiple war lords who provide fee-for-service suicide bombers to India, russia, drug lords etc to do actionsinside Afghanistan or Pakistan. There is is huge foreign money and drug mafia involved. We need to crush these savages for the sake of Pakistan or else they will make a Somalia out of this poor nation.
How to crush them is quite easy. Fund and Equip Tribes to fight with these groups wwith air and ground support from Army. Most tribes wants militants out because they are destroying their own life. This tactic is a success in Afghanistan and for sure will be a success in FATA.
“So it would be of help if you could stop blaming this or that since you have no evidence against Hamid Mir or anyone else.”
Media must stop portraying these militants as ‘innocent’ and ‘hero’. They are evil villians who will destroy the basic social fabric of Pakistan for ever. We have to choose between Talban and Pakistan and we want Pakistan.
Read more...
Islamabad Marriott Attack: Parliament was the target
Sunday, September 21, 2008
By Muhammad Ahmad Noorani (The News)
ISLAMABAD: The Marriott attack was actually aimed at parliament where the entire civil and military leadership of the country had gathered, in violation of the security codes, but it was thwarted by the strict security arrangements.
Two security check-posts established on the Constitution Avenue saved the top civil and military leadership of Pakistan gathered in the Parliament House, listening to the first address by President Asif Ali Zardari, top security officials said.
The two security posts were installed on the Constitution Avenue, on the road leading to the Parliament House -- one in front of the main gate of the federal secretariat and the other near the Prime Minister Secretariat. These two check-posts were in fact installed on Nov 3rd last, at the time of imposition of emergency. However, security checking at these posts remained tough and soft, depending on situation or intelligence reports.
According to the officials, the checking at these check posts was made very strict on Saturday in view of the presidential address and the presence of the whole national leadership in the Parliament House. These security check-posts were allowing only relevant people to move towards the house on the Constitution Avenue.
Advisor to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik, while talking to The News, revealed that his ministry had received two days ago information regarding suicide attack on the Parliament House at the time of the presidentÃs address. Rehman said the security of the capital was beefed up and the surroundings of the Parliament House were declared as red zone. He said that he and his experts believed that the truck which hit the Marriott on Saturday tried to enter in the red zone during the time of address of the president. "However, because of strict security measures the truck was barred to go towards the Parliament House," Rehman said, adding: "This is our perception now that the terrorists had already set two targets, one direct and the other optional.î
Security personnel at the two check-posts were not allowing the vehicles to move towards the Parliament House, diverting them to other roads.
Rehman Malik also revealed that the truck was carrying construction materials, adding the terrorists made the best use of their mind, keeping in view the intense construction works going on in the area. They used such a truck to deceive the security officials. He, however, admitted that checking of trucks carrying construction materials was included in the security measures.
He said that first there was a small blast, perhaps to disperse the security personnel. ìAnd then there was the major blast, the worst of its kind in the capitalÃs history,î he said, adding not less than 1,000 Kg of explosives was used in the explosion.
When asked that when his ministry was mindful of a possible terrorist activity why such a great security lapse took place, Rehman said it was very hard to deal with suicide bombers all around the world. He maintained that such blasts were being even made in countries like India and the UK, adding security agencies were unable to control such activities despite their all out efforts.
When asked about the weaknesses in the relief operations, Rehman defended his ministry by saying that all available resources were used and the Army rescue team was called. He said though the Pakistan Army had fire-rescue helicopters but those couldn't be operated during night.
Secretary Interior Kamal Shah, during a chat with this correspondent, said that besides the Islamabad police his ministry had deputed the Frontier Constabulary, the Rangers, intelligence agenciesà officials, bomb disposal squads and even the Pakistan Army was at disposal. Kamal said that the whole Islamabad, including areas like Shakar Paryaan and all hilltops were under strict security through 18 different security check-posts. He said that August 14th security arrangements were in place.
Kamal Shah, while justifying the security lapse, said it is our culture that at the time of Iftar the security arrangements automatically become a bit soft. He said that the terrorists had no religion as they hit some moments after Iftar, exploiting the time.
..........
Who is responsible? Al-Qaeda, Taliban, Jihadis, Jangi Junoonis (war maniacs), Sectarian groups, rogue elements in ISI and other intelligence agencies.
http://letusbuildpakistan.blogspot.com/2008/09/appeal-show-no-mercy-to-terrorists-and.html
Read more...
By Muhammad Ahmad Noorani (The News)
ISLAMABAD: The Marriott attack was actually aimed at parliament where the entire civil and military leadership of the country had gathered, in violation of the security codes, but it was thwarted by the strict security arrangements.
Two security check-posts established on the Constitution Avenue saved the top civil and military leadership of Pakistan gathered in the Parliament House, listening to the first address by President Asif Ali Zardari, top security officials said.
The two security posts were installed on the Constitution Avenue, on the road leading to the Parliament House -- one in front of the main gate of the federal secretariat and the other near the Prime Minister Secretariat. These two check-posts were in fact installed on Nov 3rd last, at the time of imposition of emergency. However, security checking at these posts remained tough and soft, depending on situation or intelligence reports.
According to the officials, the checking at these check posts was made very strict on Saturday in view of the presidential address and the presence of the whole national leadership in the Parliament House. These security check-posts were allowing only relevant people to move towards the house on the Constitution Avenue.
Advisor to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik, while talking to The News, revealed that his ministry had received two days ago information regarding suicide attack on the Parliament House at the time of the presidentÃs address. Rehman said the security of the capital was beefed up and the surroundings of the Parliament House were declared as red zone. He said that he and his experts believed that the truck which hit the Marriott on Saturday tried to enter in the red zone during the time of address of the president. "However, because of strict security measures the truck was barred to go towards the Parliament House," Rehman said, adding: "This is our perception now that the terrorists had already set two targets, one direct and the other optional.î
Security personnel at the two check-posts were not allowing the vehicles to move towards the Parliament House, diverting them to other roads.
Rehman Malik also revealed that the truck was carrying construction materials, adding the terrorists made the best use of their mind, keeping in view the intense construction works going on in the area. They used such a truck to deceive the security officials. He, however, admitted that checking of trucks carrying construction materials was included in the security measures.
He said that first there was a small blast, perhaps to disperse the security personnel. ìAnd then there was the major blast, the worst of its kind in the capitalÃs history,î he said, adding not less than 1,000 Kg of explosives was used in the explosion.
When asked that when his ministry was mindful of a possible terrorist activity why such a great security lapse took place, Rehman said it was very hard to deal with suicide bombers all around the world. He maintained that such blasts were being even made in countries like India and the UK, adding security agencies were unable to control such activities despite their all out efforts.
When asked about the weaknesses in the relief operations, Rehman defended his ministry by saying that all available resources were used and the Army rescue team was called. He said though the Pakistan Army had fire-rescue helicopters but those couldn't be operated during night.
Secretary Interior Kamal Shah, during a chat with this correspondent, said that besides the Islamabad police his ministry had deputed the Frontier Constabulary, the Rangers, intelligence agenciesà officials, bomb disposal squads and even the Pakistan Army was at disposal. Kamal said that the whole Islamabad, including areas like Shakar Paryaan and all hilltops were under strict security through 18 different security check-posts. He said that August 14th security arrangements were in place.
Kamal Shah, while justifying the security lapse, said it is our culture that at the time of Iftar the security arrangements automatically become a bit soft. He said that the terrorists had no religion as they hit some moments after Iftar, exploiting the time.
..........
Who is responsible? Al-Qaeda, Taliban, Jihadis, Jangi Junoonis (war maniacs), Sectarian groups, rogue elements in ISI and other intelligence agencies.
http://letusbuildpakistan.blogspot.com/2008/09/appeal-show-no-mercy-to-terrorists-and.html
Read more...
Pro-Taliban journalist Ansar Abbasi with his usual venom again...
Notorious pro-Taliban journalist of the Jang Group (The News), Ansar Abbasi "reveals" that the terrorist attack on Islamabad Marriot was "in fact" targeted on US Marines, who were on a secret mission and had shifted a truckload of steel cases in the hotel on same night when General Mullen visited Islamabad last week.
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=17401
Comments by some readers:
ResidentEvil:
Very efficient on the part of Jang News Group to distract people from the real horror of the incident.
I hope the Pakistani people will not be distracted by the conspiracy theories of these irresponsible journalists with an agenda.
The fact is that over fifty people have been brutally killed and two hundred fighting for their lives.
Shame on Jang News Group - the likes of Ansar Abbasi and the propagandist Hamid Mir - for misleading the Pakistani people.
If this doesn’t open up people’s eyes to what our military and agencies have been doing in FATA for the last two decades, I don’t know what else will.
DilbarJani:
Typical obfuscation on part of Taleban apologists like Ansar Abbasi
So it is ok to kill 40 plus Pakistanis because some CIA was supposed to be at the hotel?
ataraxis6:
Even if Marines were engaged in some kind of operation at Marriot, there can be no justification for this horrendous act.
The reason U.S. is beginning to take matters in its hands is because our leaders have failed to address the problem and take bold/decisive steps to get rid of these fanatics.
Ahmed Bhai:
Well, if this information about US marine personnel in Marriott is true then it points to possible involvement of ISI. how?
1- It is not possible for tlaiban or alqeeda etc. to have information as much accurate and up to date as typically available with agencies (local or foreign)
2- look into the security lapse - information can be argued to be provided by foreign agencies but lapse is always due to local involvement. Remember attacks on Mush, locals were involved
3- the above point is also supported by the fact that army’s ISI’s double game is also pointed out by the US.
4- for ISI killing dozens of people especially not elite is not a big issue. Ojadhry camp is one example
5- finally the scale may went beyond expectations but our agencies are good in misjudging their endeavors.
6- suicidal attacker might be a taliban but there is need to look into the operational capability and destruction scale.
ResidenEvil:
For all the dimwits thinking this blast was targetting US Marines -
Ramming a vehicle with 800kg of explosives into the Marriott gate leaves no room for doubt as to who was the target. The target were innocent Pakistanis in and outside the hotel.
Which marines were being targeted in Wah?
It is utter shamelessness on the part of the people to point fingers anywhere else but Jihadi elements who are the creation of Pakistan itself.
It is no service to the people of Pakistan to protect and apologize for the Taliban within our ranks. This blame shifting is precisely what has brought us to this situation.
ijazahmad:
enemy of pakistan are trying to distract people.this is the work of talban.whole nation should get united against theses animals,no more talks and deals with theses animals.any one who support the talban he is enemy of pakistan and islam too.zerdari and rehman malek both are trying hard,they are the last hope,support them,dont undermine them,try to save pakistan.
Upbeat:
By fighting terrorists, what has Pakistan achieved?
This has been achieved:
This mixture of Taliban and Al-Qaida has been contained,fought back and they are on the run. Otherwise, you will be living in a country where all Girls Schools will be either bombed or Shut down. All barber Shops and CD shops bombed or Shut down.
Suicide bombings, blowing up buildings and taking out your opponents by any means allowed by Khalifah Mulla Omar or his couterpart Baitullah Mehsud.
Freedom of Press and Freedom of Speech ….
You are living in a dreamworld as all those who support Taliban. This is an idealogical War. If you don’t understand or fail to understand the danger, it’s up to you. It is all about what kind of country you want?
I think you are trying to suggest that towns and villages are being bombed indiscrimintely in FATA area.
I think you are trying to make an argument where none exists.
This menace has to be eradicated and Taliban sypathisers will come up with this propaganda all the time, Hamid Mir made this into a propaganda masterpiece.
Let me ask you this , who these Taliban are fighting for or against in pakistan?
Why don’t they lay down all Arms and go back to their normal lives?
If you suggest that Pakistan Army just loves to kill civilians and thats why Taliban have taken up Arms, you know in your heart this is not true.
Ask Baitullah Mehsud, who he is fighting in Pakistan and why?
The criminal element of Al-Qaida and Pakistani branch of Taliban are one and the same now.
If America leaves this region today, I bet you this war will never end and it is your war now, whether you like it or not.
MalangBaba:
A very stupid and unbelievable story by Ansar Abbasi that he reported within hours after blast. This story proves nothing except the stupidity of Abbasi and his naked attempt to justify this horrible act and massacre of innocent civilians.
Some very visible holes in this story of an right winger A Hole.
If he knew that marines or CIA staff were staying there then how come he didn’t report it earlier?
There was no justification for this cowardly attack by terrorists even if Americans were there. This story is an indirect support of Talban and Al-Qaida.
This idiot Abbasi should know that he is luckey that he was not in the hotel that he and hamid Mir frequently visit.
Upbeat:
Ansar Abbasi, a typical Thirld world journalist
and PKPolitics putting his article as the top news item
Both are being dishonest , editors of this website should ask themselves, what they are trying to achieve by making this obscure report into a top news item???
Marines off loading steel boxes? In view of all Pakistan and its journalists to see.
Is that a secret mission?????
How Ansar Abbasi has concluded that it is a secret mission???
According to Ansar Abbasi ‘the bright mind of Pakistani Journalism’ Those steel boxes made Al-Qaida and Taliban so nervous that they decided to attck the Steel Boxes.
I doubt Marines will stay in Marriot, otherwise Ansar Abbasi would have mentioned.
What about twice before this Hotel was attacked???
You know Alcohol is served in this Hotel. This my fellow Muslims is reason enough for Al-Qaida and Taliban to lose their decency completely and become the destructive,rabid animals that they are.
Paf123:
What a spin by the journalist who supports mullahs…he is trying to change the gravity of this henious barbaric and unislamic act…sad very sad….ansar abbasi should be ashmed of himself…..MR. Ansar Abasi…no matter what…poor people died…the drivers who were sitting in the parking…the door man..the valet parking people..the security gaurds…the people who were only bread winners for their family………now pro mullah elements are spinning it as if it was attack on american…Shame on AB….you are SICK….this is month of Ramadan…this is what islam says………what a big BS this is…mullahs should be crushed and they never supported the formation of pakistan and now they are trying to destablize it…any one who supports these barbarians is a traitor……and should also be crushed…People of Pakistan this is the time to act for the sake of Pakistan
Read more...
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=17401
Comments by some readers:
ResidentEvil:
Very efficient on the part of Jang News Group to distract people from the real horror of the incident.
I hope the Pakistani people will not be distracted by the conspiracy theories of these irresponsible journalists with an agenda.
The fact is that over fifty people have been brutally killed and two hundred fighting for their lives.
Shame on Jang News Group - the likes of Ansar Abbasi and the propagandist Hamid Mir - for misleading the Pakistani people.
If this doesn’t open up people’s eyes to what our military and agencies have been doing in FATA for the last two decades, I don’t know what else will.
DilbarJani:
Typical obfuscation on part of Taleban apologists like Ansar Abbasi
So it is ok to kill 40 plus Pakistanis because some CIA was supposed to be at the hotel?
ataraxis6:
Even if Marines were engaged in some kind of operation at Marriot, there can be no justification for this horrendous act.
The reason U.S. is beginning to take matters in its hands is because our leaders have failed to address the problem and take bold/decisive steps to get rid of these fanatics.
Ahmed Bhai:
Well, if this information about US marine personnel in Marriott is true then it points to possible involvement of ISI. how?
1- It is not possible for tlaiban or alqeeda etc. to have information as much accurate and up to date as typically available with agencies (local or foreign)
2- look into the security lapse - information can be argued to be provided by foreign agencies but lapse is always due to local involvement. Remember attacks on Mush, locals were involved
3- the above point is also supported by the fact that army’s ISI’s double game is also pointed out by the US.
4- for ISI killing dozens of people especially not elite is not a big issue. Ojadhry camp is one example
5- finally the scale may went beyond expectations but our agencies are good in misjudging their endeavors.
6- suicidal attacker might be a taliban but there is need to look into the operational capability and destruction scale.
ResidenEvil:
For all the dimwits thinking this blast was targetting US Marines -
Ramming a vehicle with 800kg of explosives into the Marriott gate leaves no room for doubt as to who was the target. The target were innocent Pakistanis in and outside the hotel.
Which marines were being targeted in Wah?
It is utter shamelessness on the part of the people to point fingers anywhere else but Jihadi elements who are the creation of Pakistan itself.
It is no service to the people of Pakistan to protect and apologize for the Taliban within our ranks. This blame shifting is precisely what has brought us to this situation.
ijazahmad:
enemy of pakistan are trying to distract people.this is the work of talban.whole nation should get united against theses animals,no more talks and deals with theses animals.any one who support the talban he is enemy of pakistan and islam too.zerdari and rehman malek both are trying hard,they are the last hope,support them,dont undermine them,try to save pakistan.
Upbeat:
By fighting terrorists, what has Pakistan achieved?
This has been achieved:
This mixture of Taliban and Al-Qaida has been contained,fought back and they are on the run. Otherwise, you will be living in a country where all Girls Schools will be either bombed or Shut down. All barber Shops and CD shops bombed or Shut down.
Suicide bombings, blowing up buildings and taking out your opponents by any means allowed by Khalifah Mulla Omar or his couterpart Baitullah Mehsud.
Freedom of Press and Freedom of Speech ….
You are living in a dreamworld as all those who support Taliban. This is an idealogical War. If you don’t understand or fail to understand the danger, it’s up to you. It is all about what kind of country you want?
I think you are trying to suggest that towns and villages are being bombed indiscrimintely in FATA area.
I think you are trying to make an argument where none exists.
This menace has to be eradicated and Taliban sypathisers will come up with this propaganda all the time, Hamid Mir made this into a propaganda masterpiece.
Let me ask you this , who these Taliban are fighting for or against in pakistan?
Why don’t they lay down all Arms and go back to their normal lives?
If you suggest that Pakistan Army just loves to kill civilians and thats why Taliban have taken up Arms, you know in your heart this is not true.
Ask Baitullah Mehsud, who he is fighting in Pakistan and why?
The criminal element of Al-Qaida and Pakistani branch of Taliban are one and the same now.
If America leaves this region today, I bet you this war will never end and it is your war now, whether you like it or not.
MalangBaba:
A very stupid and unbelievable story by Ansar Abbasi that he reported within hours after blast. This story proves nothing except the stupidity of Abbasi and his naked attempt to justify this horrible act and massacre of innocent civilians.
Some very visible holes in this story of an right winger A Hole.
If he knew that marines or CIA staff were staying there then how come he didn’t report it earlier?
There was no justification for this cowardly attack by terrorists even if Americans were there. This story is an indirect support of Talban and Al-Qaida.
This idiot Abbasi should know that he is luckey that he was not in the hotel that he and hamid Mir frequently visit.
Upbeat:
Ansar Abbasi, a typical Thirld world journalist
and PKPolitics putting his article as the top news item
Both are being dishonest , editors of this website should ask themselves, what they are trying to achieve by making this obscure report into a top news item???
Marines off loading steel boxes? In view of all Pakistan and its journalists to see.
Is that a secret mission?????
How Ansar Abbasi has concluded that it is a secret mission???
According to Ansar Abbasi ‘the bright mind of Pakistani Journalism’ Those steel boxes made Al-Qaida and Taliban so nervous that they decided to attck the Steel Boxes.
I doubt Marines will stay in Marriot, otherwise Ansar Abbasi would have mentioned.
What about twice before this Hotel was attacked???
You know Alcohol is served in this Hotel. This my fellow Muslims is reason enough for Al-Qaida and Taliban to lose their decency completely and become the destructive,rabid animals that they are.
Paf123:
What a spin by the journalist who supports mullahs…he is trying to change the gravity of this henious barbaric and unislamic act…sad very sad….ansar abbasi should be ashmed of himself…..MR. Ansar Abasi…no matter what…poor people died…the drivers who were sitting in the parking…the door man..the valet parking people..the security gaurds…the people who were only bread winners for their family………now pro mullah elements are spinning it as if it was attack on american…Shame on AB….you are SICK….this is month of Ramadan…this is what islam says………what a big BS this is…mullahs should be crushed and they never supported the formation of pakistan and now they are trying to destablize it…any one who supports these barbarians is a traitor……and should also be crushed…People of Pakistan this is the time to act for the sake of Pakistan
Read more...
Saturday, 20 September 2008
Democracy haters / enemies of Pakistan want to create a split between PPP and Pakistan Army
The PPP and the Army
The ruling PPP and the Pakistan Army seem to be in sync even as the Americans seem to be speaking with many tongues over policy in the war against terrorism. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has fully backed COAS General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on his handling of the two challenges facing Pakistan: the insurgency in Bajaur and Swat, and the American incursions into Pakistani territory from Afghanistan. The media also backs the civil-military consensus, and government representatives are very clear about national policy.
Reports have appeared about American officials in Washington telling our ambassador Husain Haqqani that there will be no repeat of the Angur Adda incident when American commandos landed on Pakistani soil and attacked a safe house of a Taliban leader without informing the Pakistan Army. The State Department has now released a statement on the subject by Deputy Secretary of State, John Negroponte: “Unilateral actions are probably not a durable or a viable solution over a prolonged period of time and I think the best way forward for both of our countries is to try to deal with the situation in that border area on a co-operative basis — co-operative both between the United States and Pakistan, but also with the country of Afghanistan. So I would say trilateral cooperation, if you will, is probably the best way forward”.
This should have been good enough to put all worries of a split between the Pakistani government and the Army to bed. But to drive the point home, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, more cautious about interpreting American signals that it would not attack without consultation, said Thursday that there were still no formal guarantees from the US about not attacking.
Unfortunately, the atmosphere in Pakistan is that of splits. The big falling away is between the PPP and the PMLN. In the past, the Pakistan Army was made the “third party that decides who wins”. So it is doubly unfortunate that London’s International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) may have inadvertently fuelled the fires of antagonism with its latest annual report that says, “Zardari’s major challenge will be to gain the trust of the army and build a consensus among the political establishment against terrorism and extremism”. Already the opposition politicians are carefully wording their criticism so as to show the PPP ploughing a separate furrow from the Army and the PMLN’s leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, is gradually zeroing in on the subject. He said Thursday: “The US media is reporting that some agreements between the US and the Musharraf-led government had allowed incursions into the Tribal Areas. We hope that Asif Ali Zardari would give a clear policy to cope with the situation at our borders. We demand that being the powerful civilian president, he should announce that he is scrapping such agreements”. Knowing that he was drawing close to the Army line, he added: “The statement of [US military chief] Michael Mullen that US drones would continue to launch aerial strikes is not acceptable to us. We will neither accept an airstrike nor a ground offensive inside our territory”.
If this was not enough politics-as-usual, Brigadier (Retd) Shaukat Qadir writing in The Friday Times (September 12-18, 2008) says: “When COAS Gen Kayani recently met Adm Mullen, it seemed as if Mullen understood Pakistan’s position and agreed not to permit strikes across the Durand Line. However, there is a fairly reliable rumour afloat that newly elected President Zardari has given carte blanche to the Bush administration to attack Pakistani territory at will”.
The truth is that the Army and the PPP government are standing together on the policy on US incursions. It is unfortunate that those who fear that a split might occur or who want the split to occur to create space for their favourite political elements to take over have jumped in to make things look uncertain. A split between the Army and the PPP will not strengthen anyone in opposition. Nor will it strengthen the Army or the PPP. And if the split actually happens, or the rumours about it actually bring it about, the country will lose its ability to stand up to the current challenges. For the “splitters” it will be a Pyrrhic victory. (Daily Times).
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The ruling PPP and the Pakistan Army seem to be in sync even as the Americans seem to be speaking with many tongues over policy in the war against terrorism. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has fully backed COAS General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on his handling of the two challenges facing Pakistan: the insurgency in Bajaur and Swat, and the American incursions into Pakistani territory from Afghanistan. The media also backs the civil-military consensus, and government representatives are very clear about national policy.
Reports have appeared about American officials in Washington telling our ambassador Husain Haqqani that there will be no repeat of the Angur Adda incident when American commandos landed on Pakistani soil and attacked a safe house of a Taliban leader without informing the Pakistan Army. The State Department has now released a statement on the subject by Deputy Secretary of State, John Negroponte: “Unilateral actions are probably not a durable or a viable solution over a prolonged period of time and I think the best way forward for both of our countries is to try to deal with the situation in that border area on a co-operative basis — co-operative both between the United States and Pakistan, but also with the country of Afghanistan. So I would say trilateral cooperation, if you will, is probably the best way forward”.
This should have been good enough to put all worries of a split between the Pakistani government and the Army to bed. But to drive the point home, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, more cautious about interpreting American signals that it would not attack without consultation, said Thursday that there were still no formal guarantees from the US about not attacking.
Unfortunately, the atmosphere in Pakistan is that of splits. The big falling away is between the PPP and the PMLN. In the past, the Pakistan Army was made the “third party that decides who wins”. So it is doubly unfortunate that London’s International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) may have inadvertently fuelled the fires of antagonism with its latest annual report that says, “Zardari’s major challenge will be to gain the trust of the army and build a consensus among the political establishment against terrorism and extremism”. Already the opposition politicians are carefully wording their criticism so as to show the PPP ploughing a separate furrow from the Army and the PMLN’s leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, is gradually zeroing in on the subject. He said Thursday: “The US media is reporting that some agreements between the US and the Musharraf-led government had allowed incursions into the Tribal Areas. We hope that Asif Ali Zardari would give a clear policy to cope with the situation at our borders. We demand that being the powerful civilian president, he should announce that he is scrapping such agreements”. Knowing that he was drawing close to the Army line, he added: “The statement of [US military chief] Michael Mullen that US drones would continue to launch aerial strikes is not acceptable to us. We will neither accept an airstrike nor a ground offensive inside our territory”.
If this was not enough politics-as-usual, Brigadier (Retd) Shaukat Qadir writing in The Friday Times (September 12-18, 2008) says: “When COAS Gen Kayani recently met Adm Mullen, it seemed as if Mullen understood Pakistan’s position and agreed not to permit strikes across the Durand Line. However, there is a fairly reliable rumour afloat that newly elected President Zardari has given carte blanche to the Bush administration to attack Pakistani territory at will”.
The truth is that the Army and the PPP government are standing together on the policy on US incursions. It is unfortunate that those who fear that a split might occur or who want the split to occur to create space for their favourite political elements to take over have jumped in to make things look uncertain. A split between the Army and the PPP will not strengthen anyone in opposition. Nor will it strengthen the Army or the PPP. And if the split actually happens, or the rumours about it actually bring it about, the country will lose its ability to stand up to the current challenges. For the “splitters” it will be a Pyrrhic victory. (Daily Times).
Read more...
Islamabad Marriott Hotel bomb blast 20 September - Appeal: Show No Mercy to Terrorists and Their Supporters
Islamabad Marriott Hotel bomb blast 20 September
Appeal: Show No Mercy to Terrorists and Their Supporters
To:
The President of Pakistan
The Prime Minister of Pakistan,
Chief of Army Staff
Chief Justice of Pakistan
In the light of the ongoing terrorist activities by Al-Qaeda, Taliban, Jihadi and sectarian organizations against innocent local and foreign citizens in Pakistan, we appeal you to:
1. suspend all forms of dialogue with any terrorist / violent organization or group;
2. deal with utmost state power (including army, air force and latest weapons) to crush all networks of violence and terrorism in FATA, Swat and all other areas in which terrorists / Jihadis freely operate;
3. set up summary anti-terrorist courts to swiftly deal with and execute those involved in performing or supporting acts of terrorism;
3. arrest and try in anti-terrorist courts all spokespersons/mouthpieces of terrorists including General Hamid Gul, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Mullah Munawar Hasan, Mullah Liaqat Baloch, Imran Khan, Professor Hafiz Saeed, Javed Ibrahim Piracha, Mullah Sami-ul-Haq, and all other culprits;
4. develop and implement a stiff anti-terrorism code of conduct for media; ban all those TV programs, internet sites and newspapers which are abusing the freedom of press and promoting acts of violence and terrorism in Pakistan (e.g. Auria Maqbool Jan, Irfan Siddiqi, Mushtaq Minhas, Kashif Abbasi, Ansar Abbasi and Hamid Mir);
5. completely reform intelligence agencies in Pakistan including ISI and IB to eliminate any violent, extremist elements presently operating within these agencies;
6. use state power to bring peace to the Kurram Agency and Parachinar, and also suspend the inhuman siege of Parachinar by the Taliban and Al-Qaeda;
6. develop a proactive and empowered regional anti-terrorism coalition including the following members: Pakistan, China, Iran, Afghanistan and India. The USA and Russia may have an observatory role in such a coalition.
We beg you to take these steps without late so that the people of Pakistan and the entire international community could live in peace.
Down with terrorism. Long live Pakistan.
Signed by 1500 citizens of Islamabad and Rawalpindi
Date: 20 September 2008
............
Massive Bomb Attack Kills Dozens in Pakistan's Capital
Explosion Rips Through Marriott Hotel in Islamabad; at Least 40 Dead
By Pamela Constable
Washington Post Foreign Service
Saturday, September 20, 2008; 12:21 PM
KABUL, Afghanistan, Sep. 20 -- A massive explosion ripped through the premier hotel in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad on Saturday night, killing at least 40 people and engulfing the building in flames.
Officials said a suicide bomber drove a truck up to the side of the heavily guarded hotel and detonated explosives.
Television footage of the Islamabad Marriott Hotel, located just blocks from many major government buildings, showed flames leaping from almost every window in the five-story hotel and bloodied survivors staggering from the lobby.
There were unconfirmed reports that more than 1,000 people had been inside the hotel at the time of the attack, and police said the death toll was expected to rise. Ambulances and other vehicles ferried dozens of injured survivors away from the scene.
Islamabad has been the site of several other bombings in recent months, including a suicide attack at the Danish Embassy and a planted explosion at a garden Italian restaurant frequented by foreign visitors. But the Marriott attack was by far the most powerful and lethal, even with the final casualty toll unknown.
The bombing came just hours after the country's newly elected president, Asif Ali Zardari, delivered a maiden speech to Parliament in which he vowed to rid Pakistan of the "shackles of terrorism."
Zardari and his government face a rapidly growing threat from violent Islamist extremists, especially in the northwest border regions with Afghanistan. The Pakistan army has recently staged several major military operations in that region, and extremists have vowed to retaliate.
"This is a message to the new government that nothing is safe, even in the capital," one analyst told Al Jazeera cable television, as the network showed live images of flames spreading and black smoke pouring out of the 258-room Marriott.
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Witnesses and residents of the modern, heavily policed capital said they heard and felt the explosion several miles away. The bomber detonated his explosive-laden truck during Iftar, the evening fast-breaking ritual that occurs each day during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.
Police said the truck used in the attack carried more than one ton of explosives. The blast left a huge crater, more than 30 feet deep, beside the building in the heart of Islamabad.
The hotel, located close to the country's Parliament, presidential offices, Supreme Court and other major institutions, is the center of the capital's social and political scene. It is also a longtime favorite of foreign visitors, including businessmen, journalists and diplomats.
Security is always heavy, with all vehicles checked outside the entrance.
Television footage showed the hotel's elegant stone lobby, known for its 24-hour buffet and constant political meetings, as a charred and collapsed ruin. Dozens of vehicles in the parking lot were twisted hulks of metal. The powerful explosion also ignited rooms on every floor of the hotel, and intense flames roared from dozens of windows into the night. Officials said there was no immediate indication of who was behind the blast, but Islamist militant groups have staged numerous smaller attacks in recent months, and some groups in the country's volatile tribal belt vowed last week to avenge the Pakistan army's recent attacks in several tribal districts.
Analysts said the blast was likely to intensify pressure on Zardari's government to crack down on terrorism, something the Bush administration has also been demanding, The two governments, major allies in the war on terror, have been at loggerheads the past week over U.S. cross-border military raids in pursuit of al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters.
..........
Daily Dawn
Suicide attack kills dozens in Islamabad
ISLAMABAD: A massive truck bomb devastated the heavily guarded Marriott Hotel in Pakistan's capital Saturday, engulfing the building in flames, killing at least 40 people and wounding at least 100.
The Marriott in Islamabad is a favorite place for foreigners as well as Pakistani politicians and business people to stay and socialize, despite repeated militant attacks.
The blast left a vast crater, some 10 meters (30 feet) deep in front of the main building, where flames poured from the windows and rescuers ferried a stream of bloodied bodies from the gutted building.
Police sought in vain to shoo away bystanders and reporters for fear of gas leaks and that the building might collapse.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the attack in a statement.
‘This is terrorism and we have to fight it together as a nation,’ Rehman Malik, the head of Pakistan's Interior Ministry, told reporters at a hospital overflowing with the wounded.
Witnesses and officials said a large truck rammed the high metal gate of the hotel at about 8 p.m. (1400 GMT), when the restaurants would have been packed with diners, including people breaking the Ramadan fast.
Senior police official Asghar Raza Gardaizi said rescuers had counted at least 40 bodies at the scene and he feared that there are ‘dozens more dead inside.’
Associated Press reporters saw at least nine bodies scattered at the scene. Scores of people, including foreigners, were running out _ some of them stained with blood. Witnesses spoke of a smaller blast followed by a much larger one.
A US State Department official using a section of white pipe as a walking stick led three colleagues through the rubble from the charred building, one of them bleeding heavily from a wound on the side of his head.
One of the four, who identified himself only as Tony, said they had begun moving toward the rear of the Chinese restaurant after the first blast when the second one threw them against the back wall.
‘Then we saw a big truck coming through the gates,’ he said. ‘After that it was just smoke and darkness.’
Ambulances rushed to the area, picking their way through the charred carcasses of vehicles that had been in the street outside. Windows in buildings hundreds of meters away were shattered.
Mohammad Sultan, a hotel employee, said he was in the lobby when something exploded, he fell down and everything temporarily went dark.
‘I didn't understand what it was, but it was like the world is finished,’ he said.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast.
DawnNews adds; a Danish diplomat and at least three US citizens are among the injured. Casualties were being shifted to the Poly Clinic and PIMS hospitals in Islamabad.
Footage from the channel showed flames rising from several parts of the hotel building; several vehicles were also completely destroyed. The hotel lobby was shown devastated by the blast.
Ambulances and fire brigades were on the scene and the entire area has been cordoned off by security forces. Security has been put on high alert across the country, interior ministry sources told DawnNews.
According to police sources, at least 15 people were trapped inside the burning hotel, and efforts were underway to try to rescue them.
The president and prime minister have expressed deep sorrow and sympathies for the victims and emergency has been declared at all major hospitals. The prime minister has also appealed for blood donations.
Further updates: http://letusbuildpakistan.blogspot.com
Read more...
Appeal: Show No Mercy to Terrorists and Their Supporters
To:
The President of Pakistan
The Prime Minister of Pakistan,
Chief of Army Staff
Chief Justice of Pakistan
In the light of the ongoing terrorist activities by Al-Qaeda, Taliban, Jihadi and sectarian organizations against innocent local and foreign citizens in Pakistan, we appeal you to:
1. suspend all forms of dialogue with any terrorist / violent organization or group;
2. deal with utmost state power (including army, air force and latest weapons) to crush all networks of violence and terrorism in FATA, Swat and all other areas in which terrorists / Jihadis freely operate;
3. set up summary anti-terrorist courts to swiftly deal with and execute those involved in performing or supporting acts of terrorism;
3. arrest and try in anti-terrorist courts all spokespersons/mouthpieces of terrorists including General Hamid Gul, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Mullah Munawar Hasan, Mullah Liaqat Baloch, Imran Khan, Professor Hafiz Saeed, Javed Ibrahim Piracha, Mullah Sami-ul-Haq, and all other culprits;
4. develop and implement a stiff anti-terrorism code of conduct for media; ban all those TV programs, internet sites and newspapers which are abusing the freedom of press and promoting acts of violence and terrorism in Pakistan (e.g. Auria Maqbool Jan, Irfan Siddiqi, Mushtaq Minhas, Kashif Abbasi, Ansar Abbasi and Hamid Mir);
5. completely reform intelligence agencies in Pakistan including ISI and IB to eliminate any violent, extremist elements presently operating within these agencies;
6. use state power to bring peace to the Kurram Agency and Parachinar, and also suspend the inhuman siege of Parachinar by the Taliban and Al-Qaeda;
6. develop a proactive and empowered regional anti-terrorism coalition including the following members: Pakistan, China, Iran, Afghanistan and India. The USA and Russia may have an observatory role in such a coalition.
We beg you to take these steps without late so that the people of Pakistan and the entire international community could live in peace.
Down with terrorism. Long live Pakistan.
Signed by 1500 citizens of Islamabad and Rawalpindi
Date: 20 September 2008
............
Massive Bomb Attack Kills Dozens in Pakistan's Capital
Explosion Rips Through Marriott Hotel in Islamabad; at Least 40 Dead
By Pamela Constable
Washington Post Foreign Service
Saturday, September 20, 2008; 12:21 PM
KABUL, Afghanistan, Sep. 20 -- A massive explosion ripped through the premier hotel in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad on Saturday night, killing at least 40 people and engulfing the building in flames.
Officials said a suicide bomber drove a truck up to the side of the heavily guarded hotel and detonated explosives.
Television footage of the Islamabad Marriott Hotel, located just blocks from many major government buildings, showed flames leaping from almost every window in the five-story hotel and bloodied survivors staggering from the lobby.
There were unconfirmed reports that more than 1,000 people had been inside the hotel at the time of the attack, and police said the death toll was expected to rise. Ambulances and other vehicles ferried dozens of injured survivors away from the scene.
Islamabad has been the site of several other bombings in recent months, including a suicide attack at the Danish Embassy and a planted explosion at a garden Italian restaurant frequented by foreign visitors. But the Marriott attack was by far the most powerful and lethal, even with the final casualty toll unknown.
The bombing came just hours after the country's newly elected president, Asif Ali Zardari, delivered a maiden speech to Parliament in which he vowed to rid Pakistan of the "shackles of terrorism."
Zardari and his government face a rapidly growing threat from violent Islamist extremists, especially in the northwest border regions with Afghanistan. The Pakistan army has recently staged several major military operations in that region, and extremists have vowed to retaliate.
"This is a message to the new government that nothing is safe, even in the capital," one analyst told Al Jazeera cable television, as the network showed live images of flames spreading and black smoke pouring out of the 258-room Marriott.
ad_icon
Witnesses and residents of the modern, heavily policed capital said they heard and felt the explosion several miles away. The bomber detonated his explosive-laden truck during Iftar, the evening fast-breaking ritual that occurs each day during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.
Police said the truck used in the attack carried more than one ton of explosives. The blast left a huge crater, more than 30 feet deep, beside the building in the heart of Islamabad.
The hotel, located close to the country's Parliament, presidential offices, Supreme Court and other major institutions, is the center of the capital's social and political scene. It is also a longtime favorite of foreign visitors, including businessmen, journalists and diplomats.
Security is always heavy, with all vehicles checked outside the entrance.
Television footage showed the hotel's elegant stone lobby, known for its 24-hour buffet and constant political meetings, as a charred and collapsed ruin. Dozens of vehicles in the parking lot were twisted hulks of metal. The powerful explosion also ignited rooms on every floor of the hotel, and intense flames roared from dozens of windows into the night. Officials said there was no immediate indication of who was behind the blast, but Islamist militant groups have staged numerous smaller attacks in recent months, and some groups in the country's volatile tribal belt vowed last week to avenge the Pakistan army's recent attacks in several tribal districts.
Analysts said the blast was likely to intensify pressure on Zardari's government to crack down on terrorism, something the Bush administration has also been demanding, The two governments, major allies in the war on terror, have been at loggerheads the past week over U.S. cross-border military raids in pursuit of al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters.
..........
Daily Dawn
Suicide attack kills dozens in Islamabad
ISLAMABAD: A massive truck bomb devastated the heavily guarded Marriott Hotel in Pakistan's capital Saturday, engulfing the building in flames, killing at least 40 people and wounding at least 100.
The Marriott in Islamabad is a favorite place for foreigners as well as Pakistani politicians and business people to stay and socialize, despite repeated militant attacks.
The blast left a vast crater, some 10 meters (30 feet) deep in front of the main building, where flames poured from the windows and rescuers ferried a stream of bloodied bodies from the gutted building.
Police sought in vain to shoo away bystanders and reporters for fear of gas leaks and that the building might collapse.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the attack in a statement.
‘This is terrorism and we have to fight it together as a nation,’ Rehman Malik, the head of Pakistan's Interior Ministry, told reporters at a hospital overflowing with the wounded.
Witnesses and officials said a large truck rammed the high metal gate of the hotel at about 8 p.m. (1400 GMT), when the restaurants would have been packed with diners, including people breaking the Ramadan fast.
Senior police official Asghar Raza Gardaizi said rescuers had counted at least 40 bodies at the scene and he feared that there are ‘dozens more dead inside.’
Associated Press reporters saw at least nine bodies scattered at the scene. Scores of people, including foreigners, were running out _ some of them stained with blood. Witnesses spoke of a smaller blast followed by a much larger one.
A US State Department official using a section of white pipe as a walking stick led three colleagues through the rubble from the charred building, one of them bleeding heavily from a wound on the side of his head.
One of the four, who identified himself only as Tony, said they had begun moving toward the rear of the Chinese restaurant after the first blast when the second one threw them against the back wall.
‘Then we saw a big truck coming through the gates,’ he said. ‘After that it was just smoke and darkness.’
Ambulances rushed to the area, picking their way through the charred carcasses of vehicles that had been in the street outside. Windows in buildings hundreds of meters away were shattered.
Mohammad Sultan, a hotel employee, said he was in the lobby when something exploded, he fell down and everything temporarily went dark.
‘I didn't understand what it was, but it was like the world is finished,’ he said.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast.
DawnNews adds; a Danish diplomat and at least three US citizens are among the injured. Casualties were being shifted to the Poly Clinic and PIMS hospitals in Islamabad.
Footage from the channel showed flames rising from several parts of the hotel building; several vehicles were also completely destroyed. The hotel lobby was shown devastated by the blast.
Ambulances and fire brigades were on the scene and the entire area has been cordoned off by security forces. Security has been put on high alert across the country, interior ministry sources told DawnNews.
According to police sources, at least 15 people were trapped inside the burning hotel, and efforts were underway to try to rescue them.
The president and prime minister have expressed deep sorrow and sympathies for the victims and emergency has been declared at all major hospitals. The prime minister has also appealed for blood donations.
Further updates: http://letusbuildpakistan.blogspot.com
Read more...
Breaking News: Marriott Hotel Bomb Blast in Islamabad 20 September 2008
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- A car bomb detonated Saturday night in the heart of Islamabad, killing at least 20 people and wounding at least another 20, police said.
Flames and smoke pour out of a window of the Marriot Hotel in Islamabad after the bombing.
The blast caused a natural gas leak that set the Marriott Hotel on fire, police said. More than a dozen cars were reduced to twisted steel.
Police described the blast, which occurred at 8 p.m. (10 a.m. ET), as a car bomb. Rescue workers pulled bloodied victims from vehicles.
The fifth floor of the hotel was ablaze and nearby trees were felled by the blast, which occurred hours after newly elected President Asif Ali Zardari addressed a joint session of Parliament and promised to root out terrorism.
.........
Who is responsible? Al-Qaeda, Taliban, Jihadis, Jangi Junoonis (war maniacs), Sectarian groups, rogue elements in ISI and other intelligence agencies.
http://letusbuildpakistan.blogspot.com/2008/09/appeal-show-no-mercy-to-terrorists-and.html
Read more...
Flames and smoke pour out of a window of the Marriot Hotel in Islamabad after the bombing.
The blast caused a natural gas leak that set the Marriott Hotel on fire, police said. More than a dozen cars were reduced to twisted steel.
Police described the blast, which occurred at 8 p.m. (10 a.m. ET), as a car bomb. Rescue workers pulled bloodied victims from vehicles.
The fifth floor of the hotel was ablaze and nearby trees were felled by the blast, which occurred hours after newly elected President Asif Ali Zardari addressed a joint session of Parliament and promised to root out terrorism.
.........
Who is responsible? Al-Qaeda, Taliban, Jihadis, Jangi Junoonis (war maniacs), Sectarian groups, rogue elements in ISI and other intelligence agencies.
http://letusbuildpakistan.blogspot.com/2008/09/appeal-show-no-mercy-to-terrorists-and.html
Read more...
Friday, 19 September 2008
Punjab’s undesirable politics of defection (i.e. Lota Politics)
Despite advice from all sane quarters, Punjab is in the grip of a power tussle. A firm arrangement is making transition to an uncertain one that is going to be haunted by court cases and general acrimony. The PMLN government wants to end the coalition with the PPP and wants its ministers out of its cabinet. Since it falls short of a majority after this exclusion, it wants the third largest party in the assembly, the PMLQ, to join it. And since it wants no truck with the leaders of the party, it is seeking defections from the ranks of the erstwhile ruling party of Pakistan.
The politics of defection — called “lota politics” by the electorate in a term of extreme contempt — is regrettably initiated through iftar parties, an abuse of the spiritual ritual of Ramazan. The iftar party thrown by the PMLN on Wednesday saw the PMLQ defectors turn up in large numbers, but not large enough to match the claims made earlier. According to one report, the PMLN had claimed that it had lured away 51 MPAs, but actually only 22 or thereabouts turned up to show that they had left their own party. Another report says the defectee “guests” were 28. Yet another says they were 34.
The PMLQ, the party that began fraying at the edges as its patron President Pervez Musharraf began to get into trouble during 2007, is being “milked” by the PMLN. But the Chaudhrys, Shujaat Hussain and Pervaiz Elahi, who lead the party claim their party has by and large resisted the move. The forward bloc that had formed earlier has performed the “double-lota” and come back into the fold, barring a few who will be proceeded against under the 14th Amendment of 1997 that unseats anyone crossing the floor. The PMLQ says the PMLN can’t show a majority in the house.
The compulsion to stage a confrontation has plunged the parties back into the arithmetic thrown up by the 2008 elections. After the elections, the PMLN was the leading party in Punjab with 110 seats, followed by the PPP with 78 seats and the PMLQ with 66 seats. There were 36 “independents” — a cover-up for permitted “lotaism” — to be had by whoever formed the government. The PMLN formed a coalition with the PPP at the centre and in Punjab; and together the two parties plus the independents reached a comfortable majority in the Punjab assembly.
Now the political stage in the province is shaky. It all began with the PPP and PMLN loathing the PMLQ in unison: the name was “Qatil” League after the assassination of Ms Bhutto. Then the PPP and the PMLN went back to loathing each other as they used to during the decade of the 1990s, Pakistan’s worst political interregnum. Now the PMLN wants to continue to hate the PMLQ and pluck its MPAs out of the opposition while the PPP wants to negotiate with the PMLQ leadership and kick the PMLN out of government in Lahore.
The PMLN and PMLQ are really an old party that bifurcated in 1999 and fought the 2002 election under the name of Quaid-e-Azam. While the PMLN was in the wilderness till 2008, the PMLQ ruled the country. Now is the time for the defectees of 2002 to do a “double-lota”, as was witnessed when the PML government was fired by the president in 1993. Fearing this possibility again the PML amended the Constitution to punish the floor-crossers. It was perhaps an over-correction and stands today as the most punitive clause for politicians in the Constitution. It is recoiling on the framers of the Amendment, which was actually held in abeyance by President Musharraf to facilitate defections from the PML. The 14th Amendment (1997) is quite strict. It has the following sub-clauses defining defectors that the law would unseat: (a) [Anyone who] commits a breach of party discipline which means a violation of the party constitution, code of conduct and declared policies, or (b) votes contrary to any direction issued by the Parliamentary Party to which he belongs, or (c) abstains from voting in the House against party policy in relation to any bill.
In India, defection is allowed if it is by a bloc comprising one-third of the party strength in the house. Perhaps that is why the name “forward bloc” has regained currency in Pakistan after the 14th Amendment. The two mainstream parties have landed themselves in another embarrassing situation. Instead of cooperating, as earlier pledged, they have now taken the path of confrontation. And if Punjab is destabilised, it means nothing will work smoothly in the country. (Daily Times).
Read more...
The politics of defection — called “lota politics” by the electorate in a term of extreme contempt — is regrettably initiated through iftar parties, an abuse of the spiritual ritual of Ramazan. The iftar party thrown by the PMLN on Wednesday saw the PMLQ defectors turn up in large numbers, but not large enough to match the claims made earlier. According to one report, the PMLN had claimed that it had lured away 51 MPAs, but actually only 22 or thereabouts turned up to show that they had left their own party. Another report says the defectee “guests” were 28. Yet another says they were 34.
The PMLQ, the party that began fraying at the edges as its patron President Pervez Musharraf began to get into trouble during 2007, is being “milked” by the PMLN. But the Chaudhrys, Shujaat Hussain and Pervaiz Elahi, who lead the party claim their party has by and large resisted the move. The forward bloc that had formed earlier has performed the “double-lota” and come back into the fold, barring a few who will be proceeded against under the 14th Amendment of 1997 that unseats anyone crossing the floor. The PMLQ says the PMLN can’t show a majority in the house.
The compulsion to stage a confrontation has plunged the parties back into the arithmetic thrown up by the 2008 elections. After the elections, the PMLN was the leading party in Punjab with 110 seats, followed by the PPP with 78 seats and the PMLQ with 66 seats. There were 36 “independents” — a cover-up for permitted “lotaism” — to be had by whoever formed the government. The PMLN formed a coalition with the PPP at the centre and in Punjab; and together the two parties plus the independents reached a comfortable majority in the Punjab assembly.
Now the political stage in the province is shaky. It all began with the PPP and PMLN loathing the PMLQ in unison: the name was “Qatil” League after the assassination of Ms Bhutto. Then the PPP and the PMLN went back to loathing each other as they used to during the decade of the 1990s, Pakistan’s worst political interregnum. Now the PMLN wants to continue to hate the PMLQ and pluck its MPAs out of the opposition while the PPP wants to negotiate with the PMLQ leadership and kick the PMLN out of government in Lahore.
The PMLN and PMLQ are really an old party that bifurcated in 1999 and fought the 2002 election under the name of Quaid-e-Azam. While the PMLN was in the wilderness till 2008, the PMLQ ruled the country. Now is the time for the defectees of 2002 to do a “double-lota”, as was witnessed when the PML government was fired by the president in 1993. Fearing this possibility again the PML amended the Constitution to punish the floor-crossers. It was perhaps an over-correction and stands today as the most punitive clause for politicians in the Constitution. It is recoiling on the framers of the Amendment, which was actually held in abeyance by President Musharraf to facilitate defections from the PML. The 14th Amendment (1997) is quite strict. It has the following sub-clauses defining defectors that the law would unseat: (a) [Anyone who] commits a breach of party discipline which means a violation of the party constitution, code of conduct and declared policies, or (b) votes contrary to any direction issued by the Parliamentary Party to which he belongs, or (c) abstains from voting in the House against party policy in relation to any bill.
In India, defection is allowed if it is by a bloc comprising one-third of the party strength in the house. Perhaps that is why the name “forward bloc” has regained currency in Pakistan after the 14th Amendment. The two mainstream parties have landed themselves in another embarrassing situation. Instead of cooperating, as earlier pledged, they have now taken the path of confrontation. And if Punjab is destabilised, it means nothing will work smoothly in the country. (Daily Times).
Read more...
Thursday, 18 September 2008
War maniacs: Hamid Gul, Imran Khan, Qazi, and their supporters, why don't you relocate to FATA? Leave Pakistan alone. By Nazir Naji
![[col8.gif]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4b9jMXA-xaYCHm1yRfwarOteK4qnfrA7hreD52HA4H1_GNPIOi_C-wWPrOFYExKtZE-uhvKk-VtO605OLhBmZtc57vjZwDS0TinMNrzvo2lxDpiFBURs8_3OAnddDF7dOmmIltyL7NM/s1600/col8.gif)
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Reform ISI? Not like this
The US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Mr Richard Boucher, said Tuesday that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) needed to be reformed. He did not point to any specific flaw in the conduct of the ISI but the general impression is that his remark sprang from a deep US suspicion that the ISI “retained links to the Taliban”.
The initial reaction against the suggestion has been negative in the Pakistani media, and it was of a piece with the reaction that met Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s attempt in July to place the ISI under the control of the Interior Ministry.
The American press had charged earlier that the ISI was allegedly using the privileged information it had about American attacks against the Afghan Taliban to forewarn the latter. In fact, the American government and most Western governments believe that a recent suicide-bombing at the Indian embassy in Kabul was carried out by the ISI. In India, the case is even worse; the ISI is blamed for anything violent that happens inside India which the Indian government cannot explain.
There is no doubt that all state institutions need a periodic review of their performance and have to face internal changes to make them more effective and responsible. But the problem arises when someone else tells you to do it. The act of reforming the ISI has to be initiated by Pakistan and its elected parliament, and it should not be seen as prompted or “ordered” by another state. Since the US and Pakistan are partners in their fight against terrorism — and the success of this partnership in the past has depended solely on the ISI — it would be normal to consult on intelligence and its effectiveness. But it would be counterproductive to make public calls for corrections within the ISI. This is what has happened. If the idea was to bring the PPP government under pressure, the Boucher statement has in effect had the effect of putting it on the defensive. The PPP cannot afford to carry out any reform now.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that politicians across the political divide don’t have their complaints against the ISI. They have used the ISI against one another so many times that the ISI has to some extent become tainted because of the use that has been made of its “political wing”. (One suggestion of reform has been the clipping of this wing.) Political “signalling” has taken place through the sudden blowing up of a car’s tyres or the car catching fire all by itself; and the politicians have not minced their words in accusing the ISI of wrong-doing. The PPP has been specially targeted in the past and it has given proof that the ISI has its share of “rogue” elements. Remember Operation Midnight Jackals against the ruling prime minister, Benazir Bhutto?
Nor is evidence lacking about the ISI becoming subject to “reverse indoctrination”. Some retired ISI chiefs put off everyone when they appear on TV and speak unrealistically about what Pakistan should do to get out of trouble. If you dwell on the past, there is no doubt that these senior officers became infected with the dangerous virus of jihad they were handling. One army chief, General Asif Nawaz, had actually complained that an ex-ISI chief while still serving as a corps commander had advised the mujahideen to reject a change of policy mandated by the GHQ. Under General Pervez Musharraf, an ISI chief, sent out to Kandahar to advise Mullah Umar against war, gave him the opposite message!
Then there are some lower-ranking officers like Mr Khalid Khwaja who left the ISI to become mouthpieces of the very elements that the world associates with the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Perhaps the most damaging aspect — which may need reform — is the amount of bragging some ex-ISI men do on TV channels, spreading doubt and disappointment about the ruling government by forwarding unrealistic prescriptions of what Pakistan could or should do but was “criminally” neglecting to undertake.
It is unfortunate that when terrorist blasts occur in Pakistan some people name the ISI as the culprit behind them. Just like the US, which has forgotten what the ISI did for it after 9/11, Pakistanis too often forget that the organisation has also done some good work in the cause of the security of Pakistan. (Daily Times)
Read more...
The initial reaction against the suggestion has been negative in the Pakistani media, and it was of a piece with the reaction that met Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s attempt in July to place the ISI under the control of the Interior Ministry.
The American press had charged earlier that the ISI was allegedly using the privileged information it had about American attacks against the Afghan Taliban to forewarn the latter. In fact, the American government and most Western governments believe that a recent suicide-bombing at the Indian embassy in Kabul was carried out by the ISI. In India, the case is even worse; the ISI is blamed for anything violent that happens inside India which the Indian government cannot explain.
There is no doubt that all state institutions need a periodic review of their performance and have to face internal changes to make them more effective and responsible. But the problem arises when someone else tells you to do it. The act of reforming the ISI has to be initiated by Pakistan and its elected parliament, and it should not be seen as prompted or “ordered” by another state. Since the US and Pakistan are partners in their fight against terrorism — and the success of this partnership in the past has depended solely on the ISI — it would be normal to consult on intelligence and its effectiveness. But it would be counterproductive to make public calls for corrections within the ISI. This is what has happened. If the idea was to bring the PPP government under pressure, the Boucher statement has in effect had the effect of putting it on the defensive. The PPP cannot afford to carry out any reform now.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that politicians across the political divide don’t have their complaints against the ISI. They have used the ISI against one another so many times that the ISI has to some extent become tainted because of the use that has been made of its “political wing”. (One suggestion of reform has been the clipping of this wing.) Political “signalling” has taken place through the sudden blowing up of a car’s tyres or the car catching fire all by itself; and the politicians have not minced their words in accusing the ISI of wrong-doing. The PPP has been specially targeted in the past and it has given proof that the ISI has its share of “rogue” elements. Remember Operation Midnight Jackals against the ruling prime minister, Benazir Bhutto?
Nor is evidence lacking about the ISI becoming subject to “reverse indoctrination”. Some retired ISI chiefs put off everyone when they appear on TV and speak unrealistically about what Pakistan should do to get out of trouble. If you dwell on the past, there is no doubt that these senior officers became infected with the dangerous virus of jihad they were handling. One army chief, General Asif Nawaz, had actually complained that an ex-ISI chief while still serving as a corps commander had advised the mujahideen to reject a change of policy mandated by the GHQ. Under General Pervez Musharraf, an ISI chief, sent out to Kandahar to advise Mullah Umar against war, gave him the opposite message!
Then there are some lower-ranking officers like Mr Khalid Khwaja who left the ISI to become mouthpieces of the very elements that the world associates with the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Perhaps the most damaging aspect — which may need reform — is the amount of bragging some ex-ISI men do on TV channels, spreading doubt and disappointment about the ruling government by forwarding unrealistic prescriptions of what Pakistan could or should do but was “criminally” neglecting to undertake.
It is unfortunate that when terrorist blasts occur in Pakistan some people name the ISI as the culprit behind them. Just like the US, which has forgotten what the ISI did for it after 9/11, Pakistanis too often forget that the organisation has also done some good work in the cause of the security of Pakistan. (Daily Times)
Read more...
A slap on the face of war maniac columnists such as Aftab Iqbal, Hamid Mir and Irfan Siddiqi - By Asadullah Ghalib
Tuesday, 16 September 2008
Hamid Gul and his jihadi agenda... Abbas Ather
To General Hamid Gul and other Jihad maniacs (jangi junooni) - By Abbas Ather
![[general+hameed+gul+and+jangi+junooni.gif]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAo-Lmn6Ku4uhzs9kC12sQfy8QuPvAzv3it0UDScqX8s17nfna5sPTKaRdIBb-_LcmKm4984Q2se6LJ7R-4npwkKMhkfrv6mbBB7UXG60oxQRu91u1Ro5omU15dlwuduOZqeeUwDp9Oc0/s1600-h/general+hameed+gul+and+jangi+junooni.gif)
Abbas Ather (16 September)
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War on Terror: Clash of realism and populism in Pakistan
Comment about the government’s policy on the war against terrorism is understandably rife in the media because of the sensitivity of the issue at hand. Some reporters speaking from areas of conflict are advising the government to “do what the people want”. Others are asking why there was no talk at the Foreign Office briefing to President Asif Zardari of the grave threat that continuous unilateral American strikes pose to the internal security of Pakistan. Indeed, the newspapers are full of rebuking articles about “national honour” that has been hurt by the American strikes. One brand of politicians and aspirants to national politics is using angry expressions to describe the “cowardice” of the government, which is allegedly unfocused on issues close to the hearts of the people. One aspirant to the presidency actually laid a bet on TV that there were no foreigners in the Tribal Areas because he had not seen them alive or dead on TV. One TV host referred to the latest show of defiance of the US in other parts of the world as a contrast to Pakistan’s passivity. A reference to the current trouble America is facing in South America was considered apt. Bolivia expelled the American ambassador after he refused to stop meeting the opposition leaders. This was followed by a “sympathetic” expulsion by Venezuela; and nearby Honduras told a US ambassador yet to present his credentials to stay out. This defiant conduct is apparently thought to be “ideal” and Pakistan’s government is being rebuked for not showing spine despite the fact that it is a nuclear power with a population of 170 million in contrast to the Latin American states with populations comparable to the city of Lahore. The debate recalled references made in the past by some intellectuals and politicians to the “nuclear defiance” of North Korea in contrast to Pakistan’s submissiveness today. [Of course, the same persons don’t mention North Korea as a model since it has become a lesson in how not to go nuclear. The example of the once-defiant oil-rich Libya is also not mentioned for obvious reasons.]
The stock answer to all foreign policy problems is: “go to the parliament” and do what the “national consensus” says should be done. But in parliament, politicians are on display and tend to read their diatribes out of newspaper reports. Should a relatively weak regional state consult the people in the street before deciding crucial foreign policy issues? How far should populism be followed before realism restrains rash action?
In the realm of foreign policy, action depends on a state’s ability to cause events to take place and prevent other states from doing so. In political science, some states have the leverage to dictate and some have the capacity to resist dictation, but most have to develop a flexibility of response to avoid damage from undue or provocative defiance.
Shouldn’t the “national interest” attached to the emotion of nationalism in a strong state be different from the cold-blooded national interest of a state that is trying to survive? Can Pakistan follow the lead of Venezuela and its two neighbours whom Venezuela can bail out easily for two reasons: one is the high price of oil which Venezuela produces and the other is the small populations of the two countries. Venezuela is aligned to Iran on how to use oil as an instrument of defiance. The presidents of both the oil-rich states use defiant rhetoric in line with the emotion of the people who want the state to assert itself. Can Pakistan perform this kind of defiant action without hurting itself? Given its economic situation, will an economically squeezed nation abstain from punishing the state after the act of bravado worsens the national economy?
Pakistan is a state with “ungoverned spaces” inside it that are occupied by anarchist gangs training an international network of terrorists. It is therefore hardly in a position to say boo to the world. Its nearly collapsed economy needs help from the rich states of the world at a time when most states are faced with their own food and energy squeeze; and one cannot get cash out of people if one is not prepared to give them a fair hearing in terms of their own national interest. The entire world knows that Pakistan can’t fight Al Qaeda on its own. But it also knows that if the NATO forces leave Afghanistan and foreign military assistance is switched off, Pakistan will not be able to stand up alone and prevent its nuclear weapons from falling into the wrong hands.
Last but not least is the tactic of using leverage. We can stop supplies to NATO, but then how will we get our tranche of dollars for the second quarter of the year (April-May-June) without which our army can’t carry on its operations in Swat and Bajaur? What if the NATO-ISAF forces withdraw from Afghanistan but use the Arabian Sea to target the terrorists with drones and missiles without any regard for Pakistan? Therefore realism must dawn. The government of Pakistan is approaching the problem in the right manner and has obtained the required pledge of restraint from Washington. It should be supported for its pragmatism rather than reproached for its lack of passion. (Daily Times, 16 September)
Read more...
The stock answer to all foreign policy problems is: “go to the parliament” and do what the “national consensus” says should be done. But in parliament, politicians are on display and tend to read their diatribes out of newspaper reports. Should a relatively weak regional state consult the people in the street before deciding crucial foreign policy issues? How far should populism be followed before realism restrains rash action?
In the realm of foreign policy, action depends on a state’s ability to cause events to take place and prevent other states from doing so. In political science, some states have the leverage to dictate and some have the capacity to resist dictation, but most have to develop a flexibility of response to avoid damage from undue or provocative defiance.
Shouldn’t the “national interest” attached to the emotion of nationalism in a strong state be different from the cold-blooded national interest of a state that is trying to survive? Can Pakistan follow the lead of Venezuela and its two neighbours whom Venezuela can bail out easily for two reasons: one is the high price of oil which Venezuela produces and the other is the small populations of the two countries. Venezuela is aligned to Iran on how to use oil as an instrument of defiance. The presidents of both the oil-rich states use defiant rhetoric in line with the emotion of the people who want the state to assert itself. Can Pakistan perform this kind of defiant action without hurting itself? Given its economic situation, will an economically squeezed nation abstain from punishing the state after the act of bravado worsens the national economy?
Pakistan is a state with “ungoverned spaces” inside it that are occupied by anarchist gangs training an international network of terrorists. It is therefore hardly in a position to say boo to the world. Its nearly collapsed economy needs help from the rich states of the world at a time when most states are faced with their own food and energy squeeze; and one cannot get cash out of people if one is not prepared to give them a fair hearing in terms of their own national interest. The entire world knows that Pakistan can’t fight Al Qaeda on its own. But it also knows that if the NATO forces leave Afghanistan and foreign military assistance is switched off, Pakistan will not be able to stand up alone and prevent its nuclear weapons from falling into the wrong hands.
Last but not least is the tactic of using leverage. We can stop supplies to NATO, but then how will we get our tranche of dollars for the second quarter of the year (April-May-June) without which our army can’t carry on its operations in Swat and Bajaur? What if the NATO-ISAF forces withdraw from Afghanistan but use the Arabian Sea to target the terrorists with drones and missiles without any regard for Pakistan? Therefore realism must dawn. The government of Pakistan is approaching the problem in the right manner and has obtained the required pledge of restraint from Washington. It should be supported for its pragmatism rather than reproached for its lack of passion. (Daily Times, 16 September)
Read more...
Bangladesh: familiar trajectory?
Begum Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) has been freed and become the party’s permanent chief. She was in jail for a year on corruption charges, which are still in place. Her son Tariq Rehman is known as Mr Ten Percent. The deal with the army, that imposed emergency in 2007 to break a fatal clinch between the two family-led parties, is that she will not boycott the polls coming up in December this year. Meanwhile the army has tried to clean up the political system, eliminating 1.5 million fake voters from the voters’ list.
Begum Zia’s rival Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League, also in jail for corruption, was released earlier. Everyone knows what the two begums and their family-owned parties will do. The pattern is similar to the PPP-PMLN rivalry in Pakistan whom a military ruler tried unsuccessfully to keep out of the system, just like the Bangladesh army. As the two lock horns, Islamists have penetrated Bangladesh and destroyed its magnificent Bengali culture. The state is coming apart at the seams. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? (Daily Times, 16 September)
Read more...
Begum Zia’s rival Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League, also in jail for corruption, was released earlier. Everyone knows what the two begums and their family-owned parties will do. The pattern is similar to the PPP-PMLN rivalry in Pakistan whom a military ruler tried unsuccessfully to keep out of the system, just like the Bangladesh army. As the two lock horns, Islamists have penetrated Bangladesh and destroyed its magnificent Bengali culture. The state is coming apart at the seams. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? (Daily Times, 16 September)
Read more...
Saturday, 13 September 2008
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto slaps General Zia and Ziaists from his grave - Hasan Nisar; Also Tariq Ali's interview on Zia and Bhutto
Hasan Nisar:
....
Tariq Ali on Zia and Bhutto (BBC Urdu)
Part 1:
Part 2:
Source: http://fanonite.org/2007/12/29/tariq-ali-on-zia-and-bhutto-bbc-urdu/
Tariq Ali is speaking about his play, The Leopard and the Fox commissioned initially by the BBC. The play dealt with the relationship between Pakistan’s former dictator, General Zia-ul-Haq, and former Prime Minister (and Benazir’s father) Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. In the play, Tariq wrote about the direct US involvement in ZAB’s execution who had earlier been warned by Henry Kissinger that he will be made an example of unless he ceased his provocations of the US. Zia was seen by Bhutto as a meek and obsequious figure, and hence the latter promoted him over many others to become the chief-of-staff. In the end, Bhutto, who despite his failures remained an immensely popular figure, was hanged by Zia. The courageous Leopard (Bhutto) was outsmarted by the wily Fox (Zia). Benazir essentially inherited the father’s legacy.
BBC, back then, got cold feet at the mention of US complicity, and asked Tariq to drop any mention of it. Tariq refused, and hence the play was scrapped. Channel 4 showed interest, but they did not have the resources. This year, the book was finally republished in India.
Some Comments
1. LeaNder Says:
December 29, 2007 at 4:25 pm
I read your comments over at Phil’s. It is a pity really the BBC interview of Tariq Ali is in Urdu only.
How about giving us central points?
2. Crimson East Says:
December 30, 2007 at 12:15 am
First off, m.idrees, thanks for posting this. I found this interview very interesting.
LeaNder,
I can try to give the central points.
Apparently, the BBC editor-in-chief asked Tariq Ali for the scripts, which Tariq provided. But then he got no response from the BBC for a long time. It turns out that the British Foreign Office told the BBC to be careful when broadcasting such material, as it might affect their cozy relationship with Zia-ul-Haq’s military regime in Pakistan.
The BBC suggested that Tariq Ali truncate those parts of the play which referred to US complicity in Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s hanging. Tariq Ali refused to go along with this censorship.
Tariq Ali then describes how the Indian publisher visited his home recently, saw the script for the play, and agreed to publish it. This publisher will also attach to the book the text of correspondence between Tariq Ali and the lawyers of the BBC, on the pros and cons of broadcasting the play back in the 80s.
The host then asks Tariq Ali why the issue of Zia’s regime hanging Bhutto is so important/relevant in Pakistan.
Tariq explains that post-1971, ZAB held immense power in the country, with the working masses firlmy lined up behind him. With this power, ZAB could have achieved much social progress in Pakistan, even bring about revolutionary changes.
ZAB didn’t achieve all these desired changes, but he still won the confidence of Pakistan’s working-masses. They knew that with him in power, they could not be exploited as brutally as before.
For his popularity as well as his mistakes, ZAB holds immense importance in Pakistani political history.
According to Tariq Ali, one of ZAB’s mistakes was to appoint Zia-ul-Haq as the Chief of Army Staff, over and above more senior generals. ZAB wrongly assumed that Zia was a quite and un-ambitious general
But actually, Zia had been trained at Fort Bragg in the United States.
When he had been posted in Jordan, he gained notoriety for his vicious military effort against the Palestinian resistance guerrillas during the brutal crackdown in Black September.
So basically, Tariq Ali is pointing out that Zia had a background of being a reactionary, pro-imperialist swine. :P
The host then asks Tariq Ali why the Pakistani working masses didn’t rise up against Zia’s regime when it tried to hang ZAB. After all, wasn’t he so popular among them?
Tariq responds by citing two possible reasons. First, the extremely repressive nature of Zia’s regime…hangings, torture, public hangings, etc. These effectively crushed resistance.
And furthermore, Tariq points out the fact that ZAB did not (or could not) carry out the policies which initially won him so much popularity with the masses. So perhaps they didn’t feel that they had enough to lose, and hence they didn’t feel the need to risk their necks for him.
Tariq also says that some generals in Zia’s military regime offered Bhutto a chance to leave the country safely, instead of being tried in a rigged court and hanged.
According to Tariq, ZAB refused this offer and insisted that his place was in his country, with his people, to the very end.
And so, ZAB (the leopard) proved brave, but Zia (the fox) proved more cunning and deceitful…
3. rumple stiltskin Says:
January 24, 2008 at 1:21 pm
I think it is also worth pointing out that due to the Feudal nature of Power in Pakistan ( brilliantly explained by Dalrymple), of which despite some populist reforms Bhutto was very much a central peg, have disempowered the local Populace to a fait accompli degree.
As of this moment Flour and Sugar , as well as electricity are in such short reply that the lot of the common man is to get up in the morning; get through the day and try repeat the process the next day requires all the capacity that one has.
The other factor is that there is no Middle Class as such , there is either the super rich or the poor ( and very poor).
Challenges to the elite are usually from the Middle Class asserting its rights to extract more gains from the elite ( from Revolutionary France ( which was actually a dispute between the new estate and the old royal order )to Todays South Korea ( where every right they enjoy today has had to be earned by rioting in the streets).
Though a great Man , i think to Lionise Bhutto the elder is to fall into the trap that Galloway has gotten into of making a secular super-hero out of a feudal landlord.Tariq Ali should be a little more careful than Galloway , as he knows the History better than outsiders , but i rather think that Tariq is tripping over his own ideology.
Read more...
....
Tariq Ali on Zia and Bhutto (BBC Urdu)
Part 1:
Part 2:
Source: http://fanonite.org/2007/12/29/tariq-ali-on-zia-and-bhutto-bbc-urdu/
Tariq Ali is speaking about his play, The Leopard and the Fox commissioned initially by the BBC. The play dealt with the relationship between Pakistan’s former dictator, General Zia-ul-Haq, and former Prime Minister (and Benazir’s father) Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. In the play, Tariq wrote about the direct US involvement in ZAB’s execution who had earlier been warned by Henry Kissinger that he will be made an example of unless he ceased his provocations of the US. Zia was seen by Bhutto as a meek and obsequious figure, and hence the latter promoted him over many others to become the chief-of-staff. In the end, Bhutto, who despite his failures remained an immensely popular figure, was hanged by Zia. The courageous Leopard (Bhutto) was outsmarted by the wily Fox (Zia). Benazir essentially inherited the father’s legacy.
BBC, back then, got cold feet at the mention of US complicity, and asked Tariq to drop any mention of it. Tariq refused, and hence the play was scrapped. Channel 4 showed interest, but they did not have the resources. This year, the book was finally republished in India.
Some Comments
1. LeaNder Says:
December 29, 2007 at 4:25 pm
I read your comments over at Phil’s. It is a pity really the BBC interview of Tariq Ali is in Urdu only.
How about giving us central points?
2. Crimson East Says:
December 30, 2007 at 12:15 am
First off, m.idrees, thanks for posting this. I found this interview very interesting.
LeaNder,
I can try to give the central points.
Apparently, the BBC editor-in-chief asked Tariq Ali for the scripts, which Tariq provided. But then he got no response from the BBC for a long time. It turns out that the British Foreign Office told the BBC to be careful when broadcasting such material, as it might affect their cozy relationship with Zia-ul-Haq’s military regime in Pakistan.
The BBC suggested that Tariq Ali truncate those parts of the play which referred to US complicity in Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s hanging. Tariq Ali refused to go along with this censorship.
Tariq Ali then describes how the Indian publisher visited his home recently, saw the script for the play, and agreed to publish it. This publisher will also attach to the book the text of correspondence between Tariq Ali and the lawyers of the BBC, on the pros and cons of broadcasting the play back in the 80s.
The host then asks Tariq Ali why the issue of Zia’s regime hanging Bhutto is so important/relevant in Pakistan.
Tariq explains that post-1971, ZAB held immense power in the country, with the working masses firlmy lined up behind him. With this power, ZAB could have achieved much social progress in Pakistan, even bring about revolutionary changes.
ZAB didn’t achieve all these desired changes, but he still won the confidence of Pakistan’s working-masses. They knew that with him in power, they could not be exploited as brutally as before.
For his popularity as well as his mistakes, ZAB holds immense importance in Pakistani political history.
According to Tariq Ali, one of ZAB’s mistakes was to appoint Zia-ul-Haq as the Chief of Army Staff, over and above more senior generals. ZAB wrongly assumed that Zia was a quite and un-ambitious general
But actually, Zia had been trained at Fort Bragg in the United States.
When he had been posted in Jordan, he gained notoriety for his vicious military effort against the Palestinian resistance guerrillas during the brutal crackdown in Black September.
So basically, Tariq Ali is pointing out that Zia had a background of being a reactionary, pro-imperialist swine. :P
The host then asks Tariq Ali why the Pakistani working masses didn’t rise up against Zia’s regime when it tried to hang ZAB. After all, wasn’t he so popular among them?
Tariq responds by citing two possible reasons. First, the extremely repressive nature of Zia’s regime…hangings, torture, public hangings, etc. These effectively crushed resistance.
And furthermore, Tariq points out the fact that ZAB did not (or could not) carry out the policies which initially won him so much popularity with the masses. So perhaps they didn’t feel that they had enough to lose, and hence they didn’t feel the need to risk their necks for him.
Tariq also says that some generals in Zia’s military regime offered Bhutto a chance to leave the country safely, instead of being tried in a rigged court and hanged.
According to Tariq, ZAB refused this offer and insisted that his place was in his country, with his people, to the very end.
And so, ZAB (the leopard) proved brave, but Zia (the fox) proved more cunning and deceitful…
3. rumple stiltskin Says:
January 24, 2008 at 1:21 pm
I think it is also worth pointing out that due to the Feudal nature of Power in Pakistan ( brilliantly explained by Dalrymple), of which despite some populist reforms Bhutto was very much a central peg, have disempowered the local Populace to a fait accompli degree.
As of this moment Flour and Sugar , as well as electricity are in such short reply that the lot of the common man is to get up in the morning; get through the day and try repeat the process the next day requires all the capacity that one has.
The other factor is that there is no Middle Class as such , there is either the super rich or the poor ( and very poor).
Challenges to the elite are usually from the Middle Class asserting its rights to extract more gains from the elite ( from Revolutionary France ( which was actually a dispute between the new estate and the old royal order )to Todays South Korea ( where every right they enjoy today has had to be earned by rioting in the streets).
Though a great Man , i think to Lionise Bhutto the elder is to fall into the trap that Galloway has gotten into of making a secular super-hero out of a feudal landlord.Tariq Ali should be a little more careful than Galloway , as he knows the History better than outsiders , but i rather think that Tariq is tripping over his own ideology.
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Bloody mess and the supporters of the fauji laundry - Munnoo Bhai
Munno bhai writes on the campaign of the Mullah Media Alliance against the political class and their insistence that NRO must be dry-cleaned in the 'fauji laundry'.
![[munoo+bhai+fauji+lanudary.gif]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqIzLiylIdXkQ4a0-BMaPic5DZi8PW3LtWoSFxvxpAKBgSo0jKUhWue9fhP0yFQR2NSVtZJmquJLEGTlrvYbzqoebq7n11TPkg20vf-MFbFxurbSw3DxCDSMVmWmpBkjxw1CEsFHLrS4/s1600/munoo+bhai+fauji+lanudary.gif)
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