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Mishandling of Armed Forces can weaken the Nation

Jaibans Singh
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Mishandling of Armed Forces can weaken the Nation

There was an instance recently where the Cabinet Secretary, of the government of India, had allegedly addressed the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Bipin Rawat as “Shri”  and put down his designation as “Secretary” DMA,  in an official letter to the Department of Military Affairs (DMA), Ministry of Defence.

The first thought that comes to mind is that this letter that is doing the rounds is fake and has been mischievously circulated to create dissension and bad blood with respect to the vibrant new organisation– the Department of Military Affairs. How otherwise could an official letter of such import be leaked with such ease? However, even if this letter is fake then too it has the potential to inflict damage to the aura of our revered Armed Forces. Even a presumption that it could be genuine raises one’s concern manifold. An attempt is being made through this article to address this matter in a manner that would bring clarity with regard to the Government-Military interface and role of the CDS (Chief of Defence Staff).

“Shri” is a beautiful word that gives the highest respect to the person being addressed, it is used for all dignitaries including presidents and prime ministers. However, in the context of the Armed Forces there is no precedent or tradition of affixing any title of reverence and respect before the name of a soldier, they are addressed only by their rank.

It is so since Armed Forces personnel hold Commissioned Ranks, granted to them at the pleasure of the President of India in his capacity of being Head of the State and also as Supreme Commander of the forces. A similar precedent in followed in other democratic countries like Britain where the Queen, as Head of the State, grants the Commission. A title given by the Head of State, can be taken away only by the same office. The Armed Forces personnel, therefore, retain their rank for life and are authorised to affix it to their names even after retirement. Such is the case across the world, and one does not hear of the British, American or other military personnel being called Mr. or General Mr.

The personnel of Central Government services are not Commissioned, they are Government Servants. As such, their designation is written after their names and they do not carry it to their retirement.

To address an Armed Forces personnel, serving or retired without rank amounts to insulting the President of India in whose pleasure the person holds the rank. This being done in a government communication is a very serious matter indeed. The fact that, prima facie, the communication appears to be fake only adds to the criticality.

The “Letter” signed by Cabinet Secretary and addressed to Gen. Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) India. Though this “letter” appears to be fake, yet it has the potential to inflict damage to the aura of our revered Armed Forces.

The designation of Secretary for the Chief of Defence Staff is also creating confusion with regards to the role and responsibility of the new appointment. Is he an Armed Forces personnel on the active list holding the rank of General or is he a civil servant on deputation to a department of the Government? Quite obviously he cannot be both since it would lead to contradictions as has emerged from the “letter” itself.

The “letter” in question is purportedly written by the Cabinet Secretary. In this letter, he has given an overall directive to ministries to remain ready to give a robust “Whole of Government” response to the CoronaVirus situation.

In this instance of a virus afflicting the nation and the whole world, the primary role of the Armed Forces would be to keep themselves isolated so as to stay fit to take on their primary responsibility of defence of the nation. The same has been clarified by the COAS (Chief of the Army Staff), General Manoj Mukund Naravane, in no uncertain terms. The office of the CDS cannot be leveraged to use the nation’s military resources as administrative assets.

More critical is the fact that by incorporating the highest office of the Armed Forces in a call for a “Whole of Government” approach, a message has been sent to the world through this “letter” that India is calling out the military to “assist” the Governments effort to meet the CoronaVirus situation.

Calling out the military in an emergency is seen as the last resort of a nation. It denotes a situation of emergency. In Pakistan, the Imran Khan government has failed and hence the Pakistan Army has taken charge. Such a recourse has grave strategic and security implications for Pakistan as it would have for any nation.

India is nowhere near any such situation where Army assistance would be required. The central and state governments, with their integral assets are very much in control of the situation. Across the nation, the Police is doing a wonderful job and even Paramilitary has not been called in. There does not seem to be even a remote possibility of a situation coming to pass where the Armed Forces would be required. Their singular responsibility in this situation is to ensure that troops stay fit and fine.

Certain Ministry of Defence assets like the DRDO, Ordnance Factories, some military hospitals etc. can assist in research and production fields or to boost the medical infrastructure. They are already doing so. These do not come under the Department of Military Affairs (DMA), but under the Defence Secretary. Undoubtedly, this “letter” if it was written at all, must have gone to the Defence Secretary. There was, as such, no need to separately address the DMA.

The contents of this “letter” (if written), would create a contradiction in what the government expects from a Secretary-led Department of Military Affairs (DMA) and what the nation expects from the Chief of Defence Staff.

The DMA should not be seen as one more department of the Ministry of Defence. If such becomes the case then Secretary, Department of Military Affairs would merely be fulfilling the vision of the prime minister of inducting highly-rated professionals in government departmental verticals on contract to offset the “Generalisation” that the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) cadre represents.

While “Secretary-DMA” would improve the staff level functioning of the Ministry of Defence, the requirement of a single point Advisor to the Defence Minister and through him the political leadership of the country would remain unfulfilled.

For too long now there has been confusion with regards to the interface between the Government Ministries and the Armed Forces. There are acrimonious protocol issues and turf battles that come up all the time. These could be genuine issues or created by inimical powers for vested interests towards weakening the national fabric. It is important to stay vigilant against any form of dissension.

Employment of the Armed Forces for any role in war or peace is a political decision conveyed to the force directly by the political leadership. The civilian structure has a staff duty to perform. It provides administrative inputs to political leadership to assist in the decision making process. The strategic and military input, which is of primary importance, is provided only by the Armed Forces themselves and this is the primary role of the Chief of Defence Staff.

Regardless of the government being a Democracy, Communist, Dictatorship, Monarchy or whatever, mishandling of the Armed Forces can lead to its weakening and that of the nation. The enemy remains forever active to create this confusion, build trust deficit and create dissension that weakens the national fabric. Within the sub-continent there are many examples to this effect. In recent history, the British took over the Indian sub-continent by using such psychological tools. Could the British have ever defeated the Khalsa Army in Punjab if it had remained politically cohesive?

Lingering sores can fast become cancerous. It is the responsibility of the political leadership to ensure that dissension does not creep in, and for this the leadership has to generate a positive political will and take on contentious issues in an honest and transparent manner to nip acrimony in the bud. Here’s hoping that the “letter controversy,” whether it is a fake or genuine, is dealt with the sensitivity and application that it deserves.

Some doubts remain over implementation of US-Taliban peace agreement: Rahimullah Yusufzai

Vivek Sinha
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Some doubts remain over implementation of US-Taliban peace agreement: Rahimullah Yusufzai

Even in these times when world is fighting against the Coronavirus pandemic, Afghanistan continues to be in news for different reasons. Soon after Islamic State Khorasan– IS(K) took responsibility for gruesome terrorist attack on the Kabul Gurdwara, the special forces of Afghanistan arrested Aslam Farooqi, the chief of IS(K). Thereafter, Pakistan promptly demanded the custody of Aslam Farooqi, which Afghanistan has now denied. News Intervention and Sangar Media House spoke to Rahimullah Yusufzai, Pakistan-based senior journalist and a security analyst. He has been a part of Track-II dialogues with Afghanistan and India. Rahimullah Yusufzai was also the first to interview Taliban’s founder Mullah Omar and has interviewed Osama bin Laden twice. He offered a fresh perspective into the recent developments in Afghanistan.

Vivek Sinha/Dosten Baloch: Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) has arrested Aslam Farooqi, who is the chief of Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K). Immediately after this arrest Pakistan sent a request to the Afghanistan government to hand over Aslam Farooqi. Why do you think Pakistan wants the custody of IS(K) chief Aslam Farooqi?

Rahimullah Yusufzai: This might not be the first time Pakistan is seeking custody of someone who has been captured in Afghanistan, because (even earlier) there were Pakistanis who had fled to Afghanistan. Same is the case with Aslam Farooqi who is also known as Abdullah Orakzai. Because Aslam Farooqi is a Pakistani citizen and he had been a part of the Tehreek-e-Taliban (Pakistan) in the Orakzai tribal district in Pakistan’s FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) and he had been fighting the Pakistani state as well. And then Aslam Farooqi joined the Islamic State (Daesh) Khorasan and his group under his leadership claimed responsibility for a number of terrorist attacks in Pakistan. So Pakistan is seeking his custody because it says this man has committed crimes and terrorist attacks in Pakistan.

But let me also tell that there is no extradition treaty between Afghanistan and Pakistan and Afghanistan has declined to hand him over to Pakistan because Afghanistan says he has committed terrorist attacks in Afghanistan and he will be tried in Afghanistan. So I don’t think that Aslam Farooqi will be delivered to Pakistan. In the past also Afghanistan has never handed over any wanted Pakistani to the Pakistan government. Never in the past. While on the other hand, Pakistan has handed over a number of Afghans including the Afghan Taliban who were wanted by the Afghanistan government. And I don’t think that this issue will be resolved because the relations between the two governments (Pakistan and Afghanistan) are not friendly.

Vivek Sinha/Dosten Baloch: Will the arrest of IS(K) chief by Afghanistan and the Afghanistan government’s refusal to hand over Aslam Farooqi to Pakistan create further unrest in the region?

Rahimullah Yusufzai: I don’t think it will lead to any disturbance because this was already understood that Pakistan may demand his (Aslam Farooqi’s) custody and that Afghanistan will not agree. It has happened in the past as well, relations are not good (between Pakistan and Afghanistan) and it will not become friendly or more hostile because of this one incident. Even the Pakistan government was aware that Afghanistan government may not deliver Aslam Farooqi to Pakistan.

Rahimullah Yusufzai (right) with Osama bin Laden (left).

Vivek Sinha/ Dosten Baloch: The Taliban in Afghanistan have released 20 Afghan government prisoners and the Afghanistan government has in return released 300 Taliban prisoners. How will this prisoner exchange impact the domestic politics of Afghanistan?

Rahimullah Yusufzai: This is an issue concerning Afghanistan so whatever impact it may have, it will be on Afghanistan and not on Pakistan. As the Americans say, Pakistan’s role is that of a facilitator for peace talks…to facilitate to bring Taliban to the negotiations table with the Americans. And now the US has been asking Pakistan to ask Afghan Taliban to hold direct peace talks with the Afghanistan government.

Also, this release of prisoners is part of the Doha peace agreement signed by the US and Taliban on 29th February. The timeline that was announced in the peace agreement has not been actually met. There has been delays. There was supposed to be an exchange of 6,000 prisoners. 5,000 Taliban prisoners were to be released by the Afghan government and 1,000 Afghan government prisoners by the Taliban by March 10thas per the agreement, but this did not happen. And the next stage was intra-Afghan peace negotiations which was also supposed to start on March 10th after the exchange of prisoners, which has now been delayed.

I think these delays are causing concern and there are now some doubts about implementation of the peace agreement between the US and Taliban. Now that some prisoners have been released so at least there is a good start. It has created some hope. But we must remember that 6,000 prisoners have to be exchanged and Taliban have been saying that they will not join the intra-Afghan negotiations until their prisoners are released. I think that this will take some time and there will be further delays.

Another issue which is holding up intra-Afghan negotiations is the political dispute between President Ashraf Ghani and his rival Dr Abdullah Abdullah, because they were supposed to reconcile and try form a coalition government as they did earlier in 2014. They were also supposed to form a joint negotiating team to talk to Taliban which, I think, would be in the next stage. But there’s some hope that probably President Ashraf Ghani and Dr Abdullah are moving towards some kind of power sharing, because the Americans are also mediating among senior Afghan politicians. Hamid Karzai, Professor (Abdul Rab Rasool) Sayyaf, Younus Qanooni, Kareem Khalili are trying that there should be reconciliation so there is now expectations that finally this dispute will be resolved and maybe Dr Abdullah will get a share of power in a government led by President Ashraf Ghani.

Vivek Sinha/Dosten Baloch: What will be the larger impact of the ongoing Pashtun movement in Pakistan and in Afghanistan? Can this Pashtun movement and the PTM have any kind of impact on the peace talks in Afghanistan?

Rahimullah Yusufzai: This movement for the rights of Pashtun people in Pakistan called the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) mostly has young people and also those who have suffered because of militancy and military operations. They (Pashtuns) have organised themselves and they are demanding their rights and they get some support in certain areas in the former FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) and other tribal areas. PTM has got more support in North Waziristan and South Waziristan where PTM has also won elections and have two seats in the National Assembly. I think that PTM still does not have much support in other areas such as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Karachi or Balochistan. They have pockets of support but not enough to win seats in Parliament. Also, PTM and its leader Manzoor Pashteen have clarified that they are working for the rights of Pashtun people in Pakistan and not of the Afghan Pashtuns. He has said that they are not working in Afghanistan and the Afghan Pashtuns have to struggle for their own rights, whatever they are.

So I think this movement is confined to Pakistan, though it has some support abroad among the Pashtun diaspora. It’s not going to have much impact on the Afghan peace talks because PTM is clearly supporting the Afghanistan government against Taliban and it is also very critical of the Pakistan Military. And the Pakistan Military will not give it a role in the peace processes in Pakistan or in Afghanistan. Yet, I believe that PTM’s campaign in Pakistan will continue. Some of their demands have been accepted but they still have many more demands because of the suffering of the people who have been displaced due to militancy and military operations. Because the people who are missing, killed, injured or arrested due to the land mines… and it has taken a toll on the lives of people in the former tribal areas and also due to unemployment. PTM will continue to have some support but I don’t think that it will replace other Pashtun political parties like the ANP (Awami National Party) that has more electoral support in Pakistan.

(News Intervention appreciates the efforts of Sangar Media House for facilitating this interview)

Dosten Baloch is Editor-in-Chief of Sangar Media House. Follow him on Twitter @DostenBaloch1
Sangar Media House: @DailySangar

No help for stranded Hong Kong Indians

Shantanu Guha Ray
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No help for stranded Hong Kong Indians

An estimated 1300 Hong Kong Indians are desperately seeking help from both India and Hong Kong for a passage back to the City of Victoria, the capital city of Hong Kong. The impasse has now turned into a diplomatic slugfest between the two nations.

Those stuck in India are known as Hong Kong Indians, they are Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (HKSAR) passport holders, and scattered across India.

In repeated interviews, they claimed they were unable to contact immigration officials in Hong Kong and worried about their status. Worse, the closure of Indian air space has added to their problems. They could leave India only if either Hong Kong or India organise charter flights. Or India decides to use some charter flights to send them home. 

But no one is responding.

Hong Kong Skyline

Half of those stuck are truck drivers, food supply chain workers, and cargo delivery agents. There are a number of students stuck across India. Bulk of them are holed up in Punjab, rest in other Indian states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and West Bengal.

“We are in a state of panic because nothing is working, nothing is happening. We are helpless, we need help badly. Hundreds have lost jobs, and there is no effort from the Hong Kong government to evacuate us, nor there is help from the Indian government to fly us out,” says Pune-based Kavita Khosa who is trying hard to compile a list of Hong Kong Indians stuck across over 30 Indian cities. “Like me, they all wish to go back to the safety of their home and families,” Khosa said in an interview.

She said she has personally written to the Consul General of India in Hong Kong and also the attached petition which has been sent out to the authorities in Hong Kong through a newly-organised task force. Kosha said she is under lockdown alone in an apartment in Pune while her family is back home in Hong Kong.

“We have around 3 WhatsApp groups of 250 people in each group, all worried and concerned for their safety and desire to get back home. Many have lost their jobs because they have not been able to return to work. Many are food delivery boys now left jobless with no money. Many separated from their babies and children in sealed areas with no WiFi or access to laptops to seek help,” said Khosa.

Khosa moved to Hong Kong from India more than three decades ago. She considers herself a Hong Konger. She said that she was left with only six eggs, a watermelon, some vegetables and a packet of rice. Worse, supplies were scarce at nearby grocery stores.

Khosa says she doesn’t know why the Hong Kong government is refusing to evacuate its own people. She says she often wonders if this is some kind of racial profiling because Indians in Hong Kong are considered ethnic minority. There are approximately 40,000 people of Indian origin in Hong Kong.

A senior official of the Ministry of External Affairs said the Indian government was looking into the demands of the stranded Hong Kong Indians. “But the problem is there is no single, comprehensive list of these Hong Kong Indians. They are scattered all over India. India has had no such evacuation request from Hong Kong.”

The official said tracking all Hong Kong Indians from all over India is a herculean task, now made difficult because of the Covid-19 scare.

The Hong Kong Indians stuck in India are flustered because the Hong Kong Government recently evacuated some 60 Chinese who were on holiday in Peru and 26 Chinese from Morocco. But till date, the Hong Kong government has not responded to repeated pleas from Hong Kong Indians stranded in India. “The apathy of the Hong Kong government and the Indian Consulate in the City of Victoria is appalling,” said Khosa.

The South China Morning Post, meanwhile, said the Indian Consulate in Hong Kong was poised to work with the city’s government to fly stranded residents out of India, even as the Hong Kong administration remained non-committal.

“Some foreign governments have requested the government of India for permission to arrange special flights to bring back their nationals,” consul Ajith John Joshua told the daily. 

“If the government of Hong Kong sends a similar proposal to the consul general of India in Hong Kong, we will process the proposal for obtaining necessary approvals from the government of India.”

The Hong Kong Security Bureau told the daily that the Immigration Department had provided “relevant information,” as well as “proper advice and practicable assistance” to those stranded in India.

An official of the Security Bureau told the newspaper that the Immigration Department had received 1,527 requests for help from Hong Kong residents stranded in 62 countries, with a “relatively large number” of them being stuck in Vietnam, Pakistan and the Philippines. It did not mention India.

“When necessary, the government of [Hong Kong] may render assistance in liaising with relevant airlines to reserve seats for the journey to return to Hong Kong, and where the circumstances so warrant, the government would assess the need to exceptionally charter a special flight for the return of stranded Hong Kong residents,” the official told the daily.

He added that factors to be considered included the ground situation in the countries, the availability of transport facilities, the number of Hong Kong residents involved and their locations, the feasibility for airlines to operate chartered flights in the countries, as well as the readiness and capacity of quarantine facilities in Hong Kong to receive the returning residents.

Mohan Chugani, a former president of the India Association in Hong Kong, said the government must come up with a plan to bring those stranded in India back home. 

Chugani told the South China Morning Post that stranded city residents in the mainland Chinese city of Wuhan were brought home on government-chartered flights much earlier because they were Chinese, accusing the government of “double standards” for dragging its feet over those in India.

Siachen Day: India’s domination of Saltoro Ridge is a strategic imperative

Jasbir Sarai
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Siachen Day: India’s domination of Saltoro Ridge is a strategic imperative

“I am proud of all Army personnel serving in Siachen who are leaving no stone unturned to defend our motherland. I am also proud of their parents who have sent their children to serve the nation by joining the Armed forces. I will personally send a thank you note to them,” said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in June 2019 during his maiden visit Siachen, the highest militarised zone in the world. The Defence Minister echoed sentiments of the entire India that remains in awe of the gallant Siachen Warriors ever since the launch of Operation Meghdoot on April 13, 1984 when, in an unimaginable feat of grit and bravery, the Indian Army gained control over the dominating heights of the Saltoro Ridge, Sia La and Bilafond La, in a short period of time. Since then, Siachen has witnessed a saga of unparalleled valour in the face of a belligerent enemy, arduous terrain and challenging climatic conditions.

Three years later, Pakistan tried to gain a dominant position by forcibly occupying a height which it called the Quaid Post. The Quaid Post was regained by a five member team of 8 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry led by Naib Subedar Bana Singh. This almost superhuman effort, after the unit had suffered initial setbacks and even lost an officer, Second Lieutenant Rajiv Pande, is now a part of military folklore. The post was renamed as Bana Post.

Indian Army’s Fire & Fury Corps celebrating the Siachen Day on April 13, 2020.

Siachen Day, celebrated on April 13, every year, honours all the brave Indian soldiers who have, over the years, successfully thwarted evil designs of the enemy in Siachen. It was marked this year with reverence and  remembrance of the gallant martyrs by a grateful nation, in a solemn and controlled manner. The Leh-based Fire & Fury Corps of the Indian Army in whose Area of Responsibility (AOR) the “highest battlefield in the world” is located held a somber Wreath Laying Ceremony.

Pakistan has been consistently pressurising India to demilitarise the Glacier since it is in a very weak position over there. Earlier in 2012, Pakistan had lost 130 men in a massive avalanche at Gayari, its post nearest to the Glacier. At that stage, instead of adopting a pragmatic approach, the then Pakistan Army Chief, General Kayani, reiterated the Pakistani position that it was India which started the dispute in 1984. Pakistan resorts to consistent lobbying to bring down international pressure in this regard on the Indian leadership.

Successive governments in India have not been averse to the idea of demilitarisation, On June 12, 2005 while on a visit to the Glacier, the then Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had said, “Now the time has come that we make efforts that this battlefield is converted into a peace mountain.”

Indian Army soldiers guard the “Frozen Frontiers” at Siachen Glacier with grit and determination.

In order for this to happen, India has laid down a few pre-conditions. The most prominent among these is authentication on a map of the Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) along which troops are presently deployed. Pakistan is insisting on a withdrawal to the positions held in 1984, which is clearly not acceptable to India. India is well aware that after having achieved its first step, Pakistan will declare the region as a disputed territory. After this, a Jihadi intrusion to fructify expansionist designs will then be resorted, regardless of the assurances given.

Control over the area would constitute a major strategic achievement for Pakistan as it would breathe down the Indian Army’s positions in Ladakh while denying India the capability to monitor the sensitive Pakistan-China axis. This matter has taken an even more critical turn for India now that Pakistan has been practically ceding to China the whole of Gilgit-Baltistan and especially the Shaksgam Valley. Due to this illegal deed, China is in a position to bridge the Aksai Chin-Gilgit-Baltistan gap and dominate the Karakoram Pass.

India cannot allow such a strategic misadventure to take place. Thus, holding of the Siachen Glacier is crucial for India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated the Diwali of 2014 with the soldiers at Siachen. He reiterated the commitment of his government to uphold the position that the Indian Army has maintained with so much sacrifice.

In October 2019, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced opening of the Glacier from Siachen base camp to Kumar Post for tourism purposes. Pakistan responded quickly by terming the region as a disputed territory. “India forcibly occupied Siachen Glacier and it is a disputed area. How can India open it for tourism?” said Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Muhammad Faisal.

In November 2019, six people (four soldiers and two porters) lost their life in an avalanche, triggering the usual media hype for demilitarisation of the region.  It is admitted that India has many weather related casualties in Siachen. Better procedures and precautionary process, however, have reduced the casualties to a great extent. Now advanced technology is being used to make the life of soldiers posted over there a little easier. A massive plan to modernise all roads and construct new ones leading to the Siachen Glacier, has been launched in the Ladakh sector for faster movement of troops and equipment.

Adverse climatic conditions or any other form of hardship will not deter Pakistan from covetously eyeing Siachen. Now even China would be equally interested to dislodge the Indian deployment over there. Such inimical designs make it imperative for India to steadfastly man the heights notwithstanding the cost and the difficulty.

For India, expenditure and effort to regain the Saltoro Ridge, if demilitarised, would escalate as a geometric/logarithmic progression. In fact, cost escalation for India would begin the moment any unfortunate decision to demilitarise from Siachen is taken. This will happen in terms of building a new line of defence further down which will require more infrastructure and troops involving prohibitive expenditure. As and when the conflict escalates, the money saved will go down the gutter in nanoseconds. A much larger number of soldiers will be called upon to sacrifice their lives than the few who are becoming unfortunate victims of the weather at present. More dangerous is the fact that this may well trigger a scary sub-continental conflict. Hence, domination of Saltoro Ridge by India has been a strategic imperative since Operation Meghdoot.

IS(K) chief can reveal Pakistan’s dirty secrets. But…?

Nilesh Kunwar
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IS(K) chief can reveal Pakistan’s dirty secrets. But…?

Afghanistan’s Vice President Amrullah Saleh is confident that captured Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) chief Aslam Farooqi will prove to be “treasure of intelligence.” What Saleh says certainly carries a lot of weight, not because he’s the Vice President of Afghanistan, but since he has been the chief of Afghanistan’s premier intelligence Agency, National Directorate of Security (NDS) for more than six years (2004-2010) as well the country’s former Minister of Interior Affairs (2018 -2019).

Saleh is a no-nonsense man. According a report in The Guardian, he had enraged Pakistan’s former President Pervez Musharraf in 2007, by saying that he was confident that fugitive Al-Qaida founder Osama bin Laden was not holed up in Afghanistan but instead was hiding in Manshera, a stone’s throw from the city of Abbottabad. In an apparent fit of rage (or perhaps due to discomfiture on account of Saleh’s near-accurate information regarding the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden), a fuming Musharraf told Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai “Why have you have brought this Panjshiri guy to teach me intelligence?”

Saleh is also the one who during the Tehran Security Forum in 2018, had said, “The presence of ISIS (IS-K) in Afghanistan is not genuine. It is an intelligence game played by some of our neighbours.” But as he was the Interior Minister at that time, diplomatic conventions prevented him from specifying who exactly was the patron of IS-K. But now that the so called ‘amir’ of this terrorist group is in NDS custody, Saleh’s tweet highlighting that Farooqi is a “Pakistani national” who “will sing more to the dismay of his patrons in and out,” leaves nothing to imagination.

Furthermore, Islamabad’s frantic attempt to secure the custody of Farooqi betrays its uneasiness with him being in Afghan hands. Islamabad’s conundrum is understandable as Farooqi will most certainly “sing” and what he has to say will expose the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which as we all know is Rawalpindi’s ‘dirty tricks’ department. But while there are great expectations that Aslam Farooqi’s revelations will completely expose the Pakistan Army’s nexus with terrorist groups, one needs to guard against over-optimism since there are bright chances that the ‘lyrics’ we end up hearing may not be as damning as Saleh hopes, and the reason for this is simple.

Islamabad, which has the most to lose from IS-K chief’s candid confessions, has an ace up its sleeve in the form of Pakistan-based Quetta Shura of the Taliban, which is the key player as far as US- Taliban peace accord is concerned. Islamabad has been successfully playing the Taliban card to have its way, ever since 2001, when Washington committed its troops in Afghanistan. Whereas Islamabad may have been talking a lot about its war on terror, but it never discontinued providing safe havens to the Taliban and other terrorist groups that it had created even though they are fighting against the US-led NATO forces in Afghanistan.

When even former the US Vice President Dick Cheney failed to convince Musharraf “to do more” against anti-US terrorist groups, President George Bush was left with no other option but to issue a secret executive order in July 2008 that allowed US forces in Afghanistan to conduct anti-terrorist operations inside Pakistan without informing or taking Islamabad’s permission. The fact that US Navy Seals supported by attack helicopters did raid a terrorist safe-haven in Pakistan’s tribal belt two months later proves that ultimately, even Bush had to reconcile to the idea that US forces would have to take-out the Taliban on its own since Islamabad will never ever abandon the Taliban and other terrorist groups that it considers to be its ‘strategic assets’!

Similarly, under Obama too, the Taliban enjoyed unfettered access to safe havens in Pakistan. In fact, in 2016, Sartaj Aziz who was then Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s special adviser on foreign affairs admitted that “…we have some influence on them (Taliban) because their leadership is in Pakistan, and they get some medical facilities; their families are here,” and boasted, “…so we can use those levers to pressurise them to say ‘come to the table’.” What is ironical is that these statements confirming that Islamabad was sleeping with Taliban were made during a panel discussion at the Council on Foreign Relations held on American soil– and that too in its capital city, Washington! No wonder Obama didn’t inform Islamabad about the details of ‘Operation Geronimo’ to get Osama bin Laden, as the US had no faith in the Pakistan Army!

Some thought that things would finally change when President Donald Trump, ushered in new year 2018 by tweeting “The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!” But, instead of mending its ways, Islamabad, (under instructions of the army) decided to brazen it out and played its ‘ace’ by pressurising the Taliban to threaten the peace accord with Washington, and like always, it worked yet again!

Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, (the de facto decision maker in Pakistan) knows that it’s election year in America and he’s fully aware of how badly Trump needs the US-Taliban accord in order to get his troops back home before the elections. So, it goes without saying that Islamabad will surely demand that Washington instructs Kabul to ensure that the IS-K chief’s revelations have the requisite degree of ambiguity so that it doesn’t inextricably nail Pakistan Army’s nexus with terrorist groups. Let’s not forget that if Pakistan can (in the words of Sartaj Aziz), “use those levers to pressurise them (Taliban) to say ‘come to the table’,” it can very well use the same “levers” to ensure that they ‘leave the table’!

For Trump to bully his way with Kabul is no big deal. Four decades of conflict has turned Afghanistan into a veritable wasteland and Trump knows that any government in Afghanistan cannot survive without substantial aid. So, in order to prevent Islamabad from playing its ‘Taliban card’ once again and wrecking the peace accord, Washington can easily hammer-out a ‘deal’ by promising aid to Kabul provided it in turn ensures that revelations of the captured IS-K chief gives Pakistan adequate scope to get off the hook as far as its shameless patronage of terrorist groups is concerned. This would be a ‘win-win’ situation for all, except those massacred by IS-K and their grieving families.

But then how does it matter for the US and Pakistan, and more importantly, who cares!

Patiala Attack: Few mavericks ruining centuries old reputation of Nihangs’ selfless service

Jaibans Singh
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Patiala Attack: Few mavericks ruining centuries old reputation of Nihangs’ selfless service

The horrific incident in Patiala, wherein, a group of Nihang Sikhs violently attacked police personnel deployed to ensure lockdown has caused widespread disgust in Punjab and across India. All the more unfortunate is the fact that this sword attack occurred a day before the auspicious occasion of “Baisakhi”– the Sikh new year and the day when Guru Gobind Singh Ji created the Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib in 1699.

On Sunday, the five Nihangs had come from Gurdwara Khichdi Sahib, located at village Balbera around 25 km from Patiala city, to the sabzi mandi (vegetable market) in Patiala in an SUV car. Probably they wanted to make purchases for a “Guru Ka Langar” to be organised the next day to celebrate Baisakhi.

Though further details of the incident are still coming in, but what can be surmised from various reports is that there was an altercation between these Nihangs on one side and the Punjab Police and Mandi officials on the other. What’s apparent is that the Nihangs tried to break through barriers and when accosted came out with swords and other weapons to attack the police. They cut off the hand of Harjeet Singh, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of police, and caused injury to a number of other policemen before running away.

The matter did not end here. Police located these culprits in Gurdwara Khichdi Sahib and went there to arrest them, only to be resisted by the entire group including their head, Balwinder Singh. They barricaded the Gurdwara and threatened to blast it with LPG cylinders. There was a standoff for several hours with police sending in appeals for a peaceful surrender. The sarpanch (local body head) of the village tried to negotiate with the group but to no avail. The police also reached out to Nihang leaders including Baba Balbir Singh, head of the Buddha Dal Nihang faction, but still the group did not surrender.

Finally, the police moved in with its Special Operations Group (SOG) under command of Inspector General of Police (Patiala Range) Jatinder Singh Aulakh. Special attention was paid towards observance of Maryada (respect) of the Gurdwara premises. There was an exchange of fire in which one of the Nihangs suffered a gunshot wound, and he was provided with adequate medical attention. Ultimately, all eleven members of the group, including one woman, were arrested and have been charged under relevant acts of law.

ASI Harjeet Singh in the hospital. Doctors performed a seven hour surgery to stitch the severed hand of this brave policeman.

The only positive in this  sordid incident is the courage and presence of mind of ASI Harjeet Singh. He showed great resilience and foresight in insisting that his chopped off hand was taken to the hospital along with him. After initial medical aid in Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, ASI Harjeet Singh was rushed to PGIMER (Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research), Chandigarh where a team of doctors performed the surgery. The very complex plastic surgery, that lasted for more than seven hours, has been declared to be successful. The doctors are quite confident that Harjeet Singh will regain use of his hand.

(Capt.) Amarinder Singh, Punjab’s Chief Minister has instructed the police to deal with anyone breaking the law in “strictest possible manner”. All political parties have, very rightly, condemned this barbaric act. What is of particular concern here is that the incident is being treated as a normal act of violence and a lot is being left unsaid and unaddressed. For instance, how could the SUV car travel all the way from Patiala to Gurdwara Khichdi Sahib, a distance of around 25 kms, without being accosted by other blockades en route?

Nihangs: A perspective

There are two major branches of the Nihangs– Buddha Dal and the Tarna Dal. Chief patron of the Buddha Dal group, Jathedar Baba Balbir Singh Ji, has condemned the attack in very strong terms and also said that the Nihangs involved do not belong to his Dal. The Tarna Dal also has not taken ownership of the group. So the question arises as to whether this was an independent group running a major Gurdwara for personal gains? Were they actual Nihangs or mere pretenders? The group not being a part of the overall Nihang structure opens the matter for further investigation into the activities being conducted in the name of this very noble community.

Nobility of the Nihangs emanate from the fact that they were given a special responsibility of protecting the Khalsa community by Guru Gobind Singh Ji personally. They were also the favourites of Maharaja Ranjit Singh with the Nihang Chief, Akali Phoola Singh, rated as one among his best Generals. Once, Akali Phoola Singh, in his capacity as Jathedar of Akal Takth ordered fifty lashes to be administered to Maharaja Ranjit Singh for a misdemeanor on his part. Maharaja acquiesced and prepared for the whipping that was suspended to a single lash. Such is the power, authority and moral standing of the Nihang community.

Even today Nihang organisations are running schools and hospitals across Punjab, especially in and around Patiala, and are involved in many socially relevant activities. The defining characteristic of Nihangs is standing for all that is truthful and righteous while dedicating their lives to the cause of and protection of the Sikh religion.

It is quite obvious that a Nihang who has been nurtured with the highest tradition of the sect would never attack an unarmed, innocent man, let alone a Sikh/Khalsa whom he has sworn to protect.

In this instance, notwithstanding provocation if at all there was any, the group resorted to a shameful act alien to their noble tradition. This matter, as such, needs to be seen by the Nihang community with utmost seriousness.

The Nihang organisations need to get to the bottom of this matter since such maverick elements, who function under no authority, can ruin the noble reputation of the sect built over centuries of selfless service. Those who are in the community for personal gains and those who consider themselves to be above law need to be identified and removed.

For the government, this should come as a wake up call for cleansing religious places of all communities from the clutches of evil elements who are there for personal gains. More importantly, religious places should not be allowed to become dens for storage of weapons, drugs and other such substances. As ASI Harjeet Singh recovers with prayers from the entire nation, those responsible need to get working to ensure that such evil is nipped in the bud.

In 3 months, BLF freedom fighters carried 26 attacks on Pakistani forces at Balochistan

News Intervention Bureau
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In 3 months, BLF freedom fighters carried 26 attacks on Pakistani forces at Balochistan

Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) releases the first quarterly report about its attacks against Pakistani forces during January-February-March 2020

The core reason for the establishment of Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) is to reinstate the separate Baloch identity and regain motherland Balochistan’s sovereignty from the occupier Pakistan. BLF is striving for a free Balochistan since its inception.

Since its inception, BLF along with the armed struggle, began to create political and ideological awareness about Baloch nation and has endeavored to bring together Baloch people from all walks of life to join the armed struggle, so that the masses can consciously, politically and ideologically get involved in the resistance. Because the struggle for independence is impossible without the participation of masses.

On the fundamental principle of freedom of occupied Balochistan, BLF is educating the Baloch people to be aware both ideologically and politically. Ideologically motivated BLF fighters, along with the armed resistance are expanding their struggle with political awareness across Balochistan.

Baloch nation is steadily destroying the Pakistan Army and responding in a befitting manner to their parliamentarian tools, death squads and religious extremists that includes countering the occupying state’s propaganda machinery and their fake narrative.

Organization’s fundamental principle is to ensure vetting and educating BLF fighters enough so that the weapon in their hands must remain a weapon in the hands of a revolutionary and their steps may never waver from defending Balochistan–their motherland.

Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) freedom fighters in action against the occupying Pakistani forces.

Today across the length and breadth of occupied Balochistan, BLF’s brave fighters are present on the ground with their revolutionary weapons in defense of their country against Pakistan’s regular army and other security forces.

Yes fighting on several fronts simultaneously against the Pakistan Army, federalists, local agents, informers, death squads, drug dealers and religious extremists is difficult. But at every given moment, BLF fighters are sacrificing their lives and vigorously leading the Baloch national struggle on the principles of the organization and towards their ultimate goal of attaining freedom for Balochistan.

Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) is the embodiment of its martyrs and Baloch nation’s countless unaccounted sacrifices, and if God wills, this struggle with the organization’s principles and values will reach its destination.

The journey is certainly long and difficult, but the destination of this revolutionary war is to attain an independent Balochistan upon which Baloch survival and national identity depends.

During the first three months of 2020, BLF carried out 26 attacks on the Pakistani forces. More than 51 soldiers of Pakistani security forces were killed and more than 33 were injured. Two motorcycles, 1 armored vehicle and 2 other military vehicles were destroyed. BLF revolutionaries attacked the camp of Pakistani military backed death squads and blew up and destroyed two mobile network towers. They killed two and injured 4 members of Frontier Works Organization. The Frontier Works Organization (FWO) is Pakistan Army’s construction company.

Details about BLF attacks on Pakistani security forces in January

January 4, 2020 – BLF Snipers attacked Pakistani military checkpost in Darsezi area of Mazan Band, Dasht in District Kech, Balochistan and killed one Pakistan military personnel.

January 9, 2020 — BLF attacked Pakistan military backed Death Squads camp with hand grenades in Singanisar area of Turbat, District Kech, Balochistan and inflicted heavy causalities.

January 11, 2020 — BLF revolutionaries attacked Pakistan military checkpost with heavy and automatic weapons in Teertej area of Kolwah in District Awaran, Balochistan. Two rockets landed inside the camp due to which the Pakistan military faced heavy causalities.

Details about BLF attacks on Pakistani security forces in February

February 7, 2020 – BLF attacked Pakistan military checkpost with hand grenades in Main Bazar Turbat area of District Kech, Balochistan. One Pakistani military personnel killed and three were injured.

February 12, 2020 – BLF attacked Pakistan military checkpost with rocket launchers and automatic weapons in Labach Dansar area in District Awaran, Balochistan. Three Pakistan military personnel were killed and two were injured in this attack.

On this day, there was also an attack on Pakistan military’s checkpost with rocket launchers and automatic weapons in the Kaur-e-Datt area of District Awaran, Balochistan. Two military personnel were killed and two were injured in this attack.

There was also an attack on Pakistan military backed death squad camp with rocket launchers and heavy weapons in the Labach Dansar area of District Awaran in which the BLF revolutionaries inflicted  heavy causalities on the Pakistani security forces.

BLF Freedom Fighters are confident of freeing Balochistan from illegal Pakistani occupation

February 13, 2020 – BLF freedom fighters attacked Pakistan military checkpost with rocket launchers and automatic weapons in the Kuch area of Pirandar, District Awaran of Balochistan and inflicted heavy losses to the occupying Pakistani forces.

On this day, BLF blew up a mobile network tower in the Gazzi area of Pirandar, District Awaran Balochistan. This mobile network tower was used by the military for communication purposes.

February 16, 2020 – BLF revolutionaries attacked Pakistan’s military checkpost with automatic weapons in Madag-e-Kalat area of District Kech, Balochistan. Two Pakistani military personnel were killed and two were injured in this attack.

On this day there was another attack on Pakistan military’s Miani Kalat checkpost with rocket launchers and automatic weapons in Wadi Mashkay area of District Awaran, Balochistan. Two military personnel were killed and three were injured in this attack.

February 19, 2020 – Skirmish between Balochistan Liberation Front freedom fighters and Pakistan military in Madag-e-Kaur, Kech, in which BLF fighters managed to escape and then surrounded the Pakistani military from other side to attack on them. 3 Pakistani military personnel were killed and two were injured in this attack.

Details about BLF attacks on Pakistani security forces in March

March 1, 2020 – BLF snipers attacked Pakistani military checkpost in Maleshband area of Wadi Mashkay, District Awaran and killed one Pakistan military personnel.

March 2, 2020 –  BLF freedom fighters ambushed Pakistan military patrolling team with automatic weapons in Katrenz area of Mand, District Kech, in which 3 military personnel were killed and one was injured.

March 3, 2020 –  A Pakistan military convoy which consisted of 2 motorcycles and an armored vehicle with automatic weapons and rocket launchers was ambushed in the Jahani Aap area of Bulaida, District Kech, Balochistan. Six military personnel were killed and 4 were injured in this attack. Both the motorcycles and Pakistan military’s armored vehicle were partially damaged. During this attack a few more Pakistan military vehicles of the rescue team arrived which were also attacked leaving four Pak military personnel dead.

There was also an attack on the Pakistan military checkpost with heavy weapons in Katrenz area of Mand, District Kech, Balochistan. Two Pakistan military personnel were killed.

March 4, 2020 – BLF freedom fighters blew up Ufone mobile network tower in the Bundiki area of Wadi Mashkay, District Awaran Balochistan. This mobile network tower was only for the use of military and for communication by its death squads.

March 5, 2020 –  Ambushed Pakistan military convoy consisting of 3 military vehicles with automatic weapons and rocket launchers in Makki Kaur area of Wadi Mashkay, District Awaran, Balochistan. One of the military vehicles was totally destroyed due to which all six Pakistani military personnel sitting in the vehicle were killed.

March 14, 2020 – Skirmish between Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) freedom fighters and Pakistan military in Meerabad area of Tump, District Kech, Balochistan in which all the BLF fighters managed to escape and inflict heavy causalities to the occupying forces of Pakistan.

March 17, 2020 –  BLF freedom fighters attacked Pakistan military camp with heavy weapons and rocket launchers in Ladh area of Bazdad, District Awaran and inflicted heavy causalities to the occupying forces.

March 19, 2020 – Skirmish between Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) and Pakistan military in Gazzi Kaur area of Jahoo, District Awaran, Balochistan. In this BLF fighters managed to escape and then set a trap in the mountains of Jahoo. The Pakistani military fell into that trap as BLF fighters attacked and killed ten Pakistani military personnel and injured more than a dozen.

March 21, 2020 – BLF snipers attacked Pakistani military checkpost in Apsaar area of Mand, District Kech, Balochistan and killed one Pakistan military personnel.

On this day, there was another attack on Pakistan Army’s construction company Frontier Works Organization (FWO) with automatic weapons and rocket launchers between Shand and Rideeg area of Mand, District Kech, Balochistan. Two FWO workers were killed and several others injured.

March 24, 2020 – BLF snipers attacked Pakistani military checkpost in Chokkaap area of Mand, District Kech, Balochistan and killed one Pakistan military personnel.

March 26, 2020 –  BLF ambushed Pakistan’s military convoy with automatic weapons in Dazeeg Kaur area of Gomazi, District Kech, Balochistan. Two military personnel were killed and four were injured in this attack.

March 30, 2020 – BLF snipers attacked Pakistani military checkpost in Raghai area of District Washuk, Balochistan and killed one Pakistan military personnel.

Despite Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan continues its proxy war in Kashmir

Nilesh Kunwar
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Despite Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan continues its proxy war in Kashmir

Incidents of encounters between security forces and terrorists attempting to infiltrate across the Line of Control (LoC) in J&K are common. Though the police leaves no stone unturned to establish the identity of deceased terrorists by checking records, soliciting assistance of locals and even releasing their photographs for public scrutiny. Yet, if the identity of the deceased cannot be established, the dead are buried as per Islamic customs. In case some claimants do emerge subsequently, the body is exhumed and handed over to the family members. But this is done only after a DNA test confirms relationship of the claimant with the deceased and though not common, such incidents do occur periodically.

On May 25, 2018 five unidentified terrorists were killed in Tangdhar sector near the Line of Control (LoC) in the Bhadwan area of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district. However, after their photos were circulated on social media, relatives of two of the deceased approached the district administration claiming relationship to the slain terrorists. They were identified as Shiraz Ahmad belonging to Lajoora village in Pulwama district who had joined terrorist ranks in 2017, while the other was Mudasir Ahmad of Parigam village in Kulgam district who had disappeared in 2016. Once the identities of the deceased terrorists were confirmed through DNA tests, their bodies were exhumed and handed over to their family members.

A month later, on June 29, 2018 a terrorist was killed in a gunfight with the army in Kachama forest of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district and since his identity could not be established, he was buried as an unidentified terrorist. However, some days later, one Ghulam Ahmad Bhat, resident of Nasti Mohalla, Old Barzulla, Srinagar, submitted an application to District Magistrate Kupwara intimating that after seeing the photograph of this unidentified terrorist on social media and later at the local police station, he realised that it was his son named Mudasir Ahmad Bhat. It later emerged that even though Mudasir had gone missing since 2016, since his family members never filed a missing report, the police weren’t aware of Mudasir having joined militancy. After DNA tests confirmed his father’s claim, the body of Mudasir was exhumed and handed over to him.

The reason for citing these two incidents is only to highlight the harsh reality that terrorist groups often disown their dead in order to conceal the exact magnitude of their losses, even if it results in the deceased being buried unsung and as an unknown entity, far away from their native place.  Resultantly, the unfortunate family members of such deceased terrorists are only able to establish the identity of their kith and kin after they have seen their photos that have been released by police and the time lag between release of photos and identification by family members may vary from a few days to even weeks or months.

However, the sequence of events starting from the encounter, followed by photos of unidentified terrorists being released, relatives identifying their kin from the same and thereafter approaching the authorities to claim the dead bodies, that has remained unchanged ever since terrorism erupted in Kashmir three decades ago, now seems to be a new trend!

On April 5, the Indian Army gunned down five terrorists near the LoC in Keran sector of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district. However, even while identification process of the deceased was still in progress and their photos hadn’t been released, people claiming to be related to three of them (two families from Shopian and one from Kulgam) had already reached Kupwara to claim their bodies. Such a development is both unprecedented and interesting, because it’s inconceivable as to how, without even seeing photographs of the deceased, family members of three slain terrorists are so sure of their identity that they have even reached Kupwara all the way from South Kashmir!

The most logical explanation is that due to the fear of being castigated by the international community for continuing its proxy war in Kashmir through cross-border terrorism even during times of Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan Army has instructed terrorist groups not to issue their standard statements declaring the deceased as ‘martyrs’ and lauding their ‘valour’. But since three out of the five slain terrorists are Kashmiris, the terrorist group to which they belonged didn’t want to risk incurring public wrath by concealing their identity. So, instead of making a public announcement, they decided to quietly convey this news to family members of the deceased through their over-ground workers (OGWs).

But Islamabad is literally getting away with murder only because New Delhi’s counter-offensive on Pakistan’s proxy war is woefully pathetic. Compare the consistency of Islamabad’s Kashmir rhetoric, with New Delhi’s knee-jerk response to Pakistan Army’s brazen patronage of proscribed terrorist groups. Be it the South Asian Speakers’ Summit on ‘Achieving the Sustainable Goals’ in Maldives, UNICEF’s South Asian Parliamentarian Conference on Children Right’s Convention in Colombo, Sri Lanka or even the recent SAARC head of states video conference on Covid-19, Kashmir was the common denominator everywhere, despite being totally out of context.

In contrast, despite Pakistan being encumbered by a surfeit of vulnerabilities, New Delhi’s diplomatic riposte is inexplicably so feeble and irresolute that the lesser we talk about it, the better it is!

Inside story of why Pakistan wants custody of IS(K) chief from Afghanistan

Nilesh Kunwar
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Inside story of why Pakistan wants custody of IS(K) chief from Afghanistan

The arrest of Islamic State Khorasan’s (IS-K) chief Abdullah Orakzai alias Aslam Farooqi is no mean achievement. Au contraire, it’s an accomplishment par excellence because, to put it in cricketing parlance, it’s a hat trick of ‘firsts’– one, this is the first time when an IS-K chief has been captured alive. Two, it’s the first time that any IS leader has been apprehended along with more than one and a half dozen of his fighters, and three, the IS-K chief was virtually ‘uncapturable’ as he seldom left the safe havens provided by the Pakistan Army spy agency ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence).

Those who consider mention of the IS-K chief being provided safe haven by ISI as an attempt to malign the Pakistan Army may like to log on to Canada.ca, which is the official website of the Government of Canada which states, “Farooqi was an advocate of appeasement with Pakistan, in exchange for being granted a safe haven by the Pakistani authorities. Since then, Farooqi has spent most of his time inside Pakistan, as have most of the other senior figures in the organisation. According to IS-K sources, Pakistani intelligence (ISI) have even started providing some financial support to the organisation.”

While confirming Farooqi’s arrest, National Directorate of Security (NDS) spokesperson Haris Jebran, declined to provide any further information as to from ‘where’ and under what circumstances was the IS-K chief and his fighters captured. Whereas, Jebran may be having good reasons for withholding this information, yet two issues raise suspicions– one, why the secrecy about the location from where IS-K chief was apprehended and how? Two, why is Pakistan so desperate to get his custody? Could there be a possible connection between Kabul’s silence and Islamabad’s desperation? 

One may cite ‘security reasons’ to defend Kabul’s reluctance in disclosing details of how Farooki and his band of 19 fighters were apprehended. Similarly, Islamabad’s frantic bid to get hold of him may be for bringing the IS-K chief to justice for the crimes his group committed in Pakistan. But then, IS-K has committed far more heinous crimes in Afghanistan than in Pakistan. Under such circumstances, instead of insisting on his immediate custody, Islamabad could have used a positive diplomatic approach by requesting Kabul that once it has tried and sentenced the IS-K chief, he could be handed over to Pakistan for facing trial for his crimes there. Islamabad could make an offer that Farooqi would have to undergo the maximum of the two sentences that had been awarded to him.

Returning to the apprehensions that arise out of Kabul’s silence and Islamabad’s cacophony. Let’s first take Kabul’s refusal to disclose the location and circumstances of the IS-K chief’s arrest. Could it be that circumstances of Farooqi’s capture were akin to that of Kulbhushan Jadhav? Was the IS-K chief ‘picked up’ from Pakistani soil in a covert trans-border operation? Or could it be that Farooqi was lured into leaving his safe haven on Pakistani soil and he unwittingly walked into a trap set by an intelligence agency, the identity of which Kabul doesn’t want to compromise? Lastly, did some intelligence agency strike a deal with a tribal warlord in Pakistan to betray the IS-K chief and hand him and 19 of his fighters to the NDS?

Since the IS-K chief and his fighters would be well aware of their fate in the eventuality of them being apprehended by the Afghan security forces, it is inconceivable that they would meekly surrender themselves and suffer unspeakable brutalities before being put to death. Furthermore, fighting unto death would make them martyrs with an assured place in ‘jannat’ (paradise). But in case they had been disarmed by deceit, then they had no other option but to give themselves up to their captors without a fight. So, even though the NDS spokesperson hasn’t disclosed any details, the possibility of the IS-K chief and his fighters being victims of the ‘mind game’ inspired by the Jadhav abduction episode that was played by some intelligence agency cannot be ruled out!

As far as Islamabad is concerned, its main worry is that since Farooqui could start singing like a canary, getting his custody is the only way to avoid embarrassment. It knows that should Farooqi make the IS-K’s link with Pakistan Army public, then it would not only expose Rawalpindi’s role in orchestrating attacks against the Hindu, Sikh and Shia minorities in Afghanistan but also reveal the Pakistan Army,  IS-K, Haqqani network and Muqami Tehreek-e-Taliban (MTT) nexus responsible for attacking the US-led NATO forces in Afghanistan. Pakistan may be impervious to international criticism, but when it dawns on the international community that they are being led up the garden path, many countries may rethink on giving aid to Pakistan and redefining relations.

Lastly, someone needs to tell Islamabad that when Pakistan Army could not even stop former Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) and Jamaat-ur-Ahrar (JuA) spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan who was involved in 2014 Army School Peshawar massacre, from escaping along with his entire family, then with what face is it demanding that the IS-K chief be handed over to it?

Tailpiece: After the March 25 Kabul Gurdwara attack that left 25 worshipers dead, Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Aisha Farooqui had said, “Seeking to implicate Pakistan in this terrorist attack is part of the desperate attempts India is making to divert attention from its own unacceptable actions and state-terrorism in India-occupied Jammu & Kashmir.”

But since the IS-K has already accepted responsibility for this attack and its chief is in the custody of NDS in Kabul, Aisha Farooqui better start working on its next rebuttal because this time Pakistan’s ploy of “diverting attention” won’t do as the facts would be coming straight from the horse’s mouth!

Pakistan’s inept response to the Coronavirus crisis

Mehtab Karan Singh
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Pakistan’s inept response to the Coronavirus crisis

The Coronavirus is turning out to be a test of leadership in the global arena. And the worst example of leadership is emerging from Pakistan. Prime Minister Imran Khan, never known for his administrative skills, has shown  unprecedented ineptness in dealing with the calamity.

The biggest disaster for the country was allowing Pakistanis who had gone for pilgrimage to Iran to enter the country from the border city of Taftan in Balochistan without proper test and quarantine processes. The pilgrims were packed together in unhygienic tents without medical facilities. Officials of Sindh have identified these pilgrims as the main reason behind spread of Coronavirus in the province. Undoubtedly, the impact on Balochistan would be disastrous, but then, no news ever comes out from the impoverished, suppressed and beleaguered province, hence, there is no way of finding out.

In what can be termed as the most blatant form of supplication, Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi visited China when the virus was at its peak. The stated reason was to gain knowledge about dealing with the pandemic but actually the country wanted to please its benefactor with a show of solidarity. He brought back no substantial methodology to fight the calamity in his own country.

After creating this huge problem, Imran Khan has stayed in a denial mode. He ruled out against a total lockdown on the premise that a poor country like Pakistan cannot afford such a situation. “Pakistan’s [economic] situation is not the same as that of the United States or Europe. There is poverty in our country, with 25% of the people living in extreme poverty,” he said while emphasizing that a lockdown would result in people dying of hunger.

He stuck to his stand even when provinces like Sindh that had been enveloped by the pandemic begged for a strict lockdown. As a result large congregations carried on with impunity. The Tablighi Jamaat held a congregation of more than 100,000 people on March 11, at Raiwind Markaz in the Allama Iqbal township of Lahore despite protests from the administration. Imran Khan also refused to discuss the situation with the opposition leaders; during the lone meeting of a specially notified committee of parliamentary leaders to discuss the Coronavirus crisis and shape shared responses. Prime minister Khan was vague and distracted. He parroted his views and then left without listening to the leaders present; it was an exercise in futility.

It is no wonder that the Pakistan Army, in a quiet and sure footed manner took over the administrative reins of the nation. On March 19,  Major General Babar Iftikhar, head of the ISPR (Inter-Services Public Relations) went public on to announce that, “The Armed Forces had begun assisting civil authorities with hospital beds and building quarantine facilities.” This, in other words, meant that the Pakistan Army was in charge. Three days later, the Sindh chief minister imposed an absolute lockdown in the province and formally requested army’s assistance to impose the same. Country wide lockdown was ordered on March 22 with Army personnel imposing the same with a heavy hand. The lockdown continues to be in place.

While the Pakistan Army has been able to put in place a system to contain the situation, it has its own set of problems. There is a rapid spread of the Coronavirus among its own rank and file. Secondly, the Pakistan Army is unable to contain the fast deteriorating economic situation that Imran Khan had predicted with reasonable accuracy.

Pakistan Army never allows any weakness within its system to become public. It has, therefore, established its quarantine and isolation centres away from the hub of its flagship province–Punjab, The centres, therefore, have come up in the remote, underdeveloped areas of the country. Reports speak of isolation and quarantine facilities in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) areas of Muzaffarabad, Domel, Bagh, Aliabad and Rawalkot and many areas of Gilgit-Baltistan. In Balochistan, the centres have come up in Pandharpur, Chhamb, Deva and Jhanda among others.

By doing so the Pakistan Army may have saved the primary areas of Pakistan’s Punjab and also moved its sensitive operations out of the media glare, but it has put at terrible risk the very poor, illiterate and impoverished people of occupied territories in Kashmir and Balochistan. Once the infection spreads among them, which is inevitable, there will be no means to contain and control it. Hence, the Pakistan Army has opened the doors for a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions.

The poor daily wagers in Pakistan are at their wits end.  Not only are they struggling to ward off the disease but they also have to stave off hunger since the promised financial and material assistance is nowhere to be seen. The larger businesses in Pakistan like the manufacturers and exporters were functioning under a prolonged period of economic depression, this crisis has literally broken their backs and they are teetering on the verge of bankruptcy.

Doctors treating Coronavirus patients have, on a number of occasions, boycotted their duties due to failure of the government to provide to them Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other facilities to take on this huge challenge.

Since the parliament of the country is in forced recess, fiscal re-prioritisation, revenue disbursements, social transfers to the immediately vulnerable are in suspension mode thus adding to the feeling of insecurity and despair. The Pakistan Army has temporarily bailed out Imran Khan’s government which, in any case is in dire straits. The specter of total collapse in Pakistan, however, continues to loom large. The country does not have requisite testing kits and probably not enough money to procure them, hence, the actual situation is not known, a near total media blackout is making matters worse.

India, despite being one among the most populous countries in the world, has minimal and manageable impact of the virus. It is so because of a proactive and coordinated response by the government  and cooperative participation by the people. It would be in Pakistan’s interest to shed its dependence on China and look towards India for support.

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