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Kashmir: Save Sharda Committee welcomes Yatri Niwas announcement for Sharda Temple

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Kashmir: Save Sharda Committee welcomes Yatri Niwas announcement for Sharda Temple

The Save Sharda Committee Kashmir (Regd.) has expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for announcing the construction of a Yatri Niwas at the historic Sharda Temple in Teetwal, Kashmir. The announcement was made during an assembly session in response to a question by MLA Javed Mirchal (Karnah). Additionally, the Chief Minister revealed plans for a cafeteria and emphasized the promotion of border tourism through home stays in the Karnah region. 

In an official statement, Ravinder Pandita, Head and Founder of the Save Sharda Committee, welcomed the decision but also raised concerns about the management of the Yatri Niwas. “Once completed, the Yatri Niwas should be handed over to our committee for its operation and maintenance,” Pandita said.

The committee has played a key role in constructing and managing the Sharda Temple and a Sikh Gurudwara at the site, with Ajaz Ahmad serving as the local coordinator. Pandita further urged the Tourism Department to allocate funds for the renovation and upgrade of home stays to accommodate the growing number of visitors. 

Last year, over 10,000 pilgrims and tourists visited the Sharda Temple at Teetwal, highlighting the urgent need for improved accommodation facilities. Currently, 31 home stays have been identified from Bag Bella to Teetwal to cater to the increasing influx of devotees and tourists. 

Pak Army raid homes in Quetta, abducts Baloch leader Nasser Qambrani

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Pak Army raid homes in Quetta, abducts Baloch leader Nasser Qambrani

In yet another case of enforced disappearance in Pakistan-occupied Balochistan (POB), Pakistan Army raided multiple homes in Quetta last night, forcibly abducting tribal leader Nasser Qambrani and transferring him to an undisclosed location.

At approximately 2 a.m., Pak security forces, along with CTD personnel and intelligence operatives, stormed the Killi Qambrani neighborhood, targeting the home of National Party leader Ghafar Qambrani and activist Bebo Baloch. The occupying forces subjected the residents to physical abuse, spreading terror within the community.

Shortly afterward, another raid was conducted at the residence of 59-year-old tribal elder Nasser Qambrani, where he was forcibly taken into custody and disappeared. As of now, his whereabouts remain unknown. Family members reported that Pak forces not only abducted Qambrani but also brutalized the household, confiscated their mobile phones, and left them in a state of fear and helplessness.

This is not the first time Nasser Qambrani has been targeted. He was previously abducted by Pak forces on August 20, 2015, and subjected to years of disappearance before being released in June 2018. His re-abduction underscores the Paki establishment’s continued campaign of terror against Baloch civilians.

Nine More Missing

This brutal raid is part of the systematic oppression and violence unleashed by the Pakistan Army since its illegal occupation of Balochistan in 1948. Over the decades, the Army has relied on enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and torture to crush dissent and tighten its grip on the region while exploiting its vast natural resources.

The enforced disappearances in POB have reached staggering levels, with countless students, political activists, and tribal elders falling victim to Army-sponsored abductions. Just yesterday, nine individuals were forcibly disappeared from Nushki by Pak forces, with no updates on their status.

Meanwhile, in Mastung and Mangchar (Kalat region), families of missing persons are staging protests, demanding justice and the return of their loved ones. Demonstrators have blocked major highways, highlighting the Baloch people’s growing resistance against Pakistan’s brutal policies.

For decades, the Pakistan Army has used abductions, assassinations, and fear tactics to suppress the Baloch people’s struggle for freedom, while simultaneously looting the region’s natural wealth. By targeting students, families, and civilians, the Paki establishment aims to cripple the Baloch national movement and erase their identity. Despite these atrocities, the Baloch people’s resilience remains unshaken, and their demand for justice and self-determination continues to grow.

Pak Army assassinates Pashtun scholar Mufti Munir Shakir

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Pak Army assassinates Pashtun scholar Mufti Munir Shakir

Pakistan’s oppressive military establishment has once again silenced a vocal critic through violence. Mufti Munir Shakir, a respected Islamic scholar and supporter of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), was assassinated in a bomb blast outside a mosque in Peshawar. The attack, widely believed to be orchestrated by Pakistan Army-affiliated gunmen, highlights the military’s continued persecution of Pashtuns and who challenge Panjabi Pakistani policies.

Mufti Munir Shakir was an outspoken critic of Panjabi Pakistani policies and its exploitative policies against the Pashtun people. His support for PTM—a grassroots movement demanding justice for enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and military excesses—had unsettled Rawalpindi’s military elite. Despite his popularity among locals, his opposition to the military’s stranglehold on Pakistan’s political and religious structures made him a prime target.

Pashtun Leaders Condemn the Murder

At his funeral in Bagh-e-Naran, Barkat Afridi, spokesperson of the Pashtun National Jirga, strongly condemned the assassination, calling it yet another example of the Paki establishment’s brutal oppression of Pashtuns.

“There should be no question whether Pashtuns are oppressed—it is an undeniable fact,” Afridi declared. He revealed that the Pashtun National Jirga had repeatedly sought justice from provincial and federal occupying-governments, but their pleas were ignored. He called Mufti Munir Shakir’s murder a “turning point” that would further unite the Pashtun nation in its struggle against the Paki establishment’s systematic suppression.

Mufti Munir Shakir’s transformation from a local cleric into an ethno-nationalist leader had alarmed the military establishment. His critiques extended beyond military excesses—he exposed how Pakistan Army’s intelligence agencies manipulated religious seminaries (madrasas) to influence domestic politics and advance their foreign policy goals.

Terror Against Pashtuns

Former Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh, known for his staunch opposition to Pakistan’s interference in Afghanistan, noted on social media platform ‘X’ that Mufti Shakir’s assassination was inevitable given his increasing influence.

In the aftermath of his assassination, Mufti Munir Shakir’s son publicly accused Pakistan’s intelligence services of orchestrating the attack. This accusation aligns with the military’s long history of targeting Pashtun activists, journalists, and political leaders through extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances.

Mufti Munir Shakir had also condemned the Pak Army Chief’s hypocrisy in selectively quoting Quranic verses to justify crackdowns on dissent while detaining thousands of innocent Pashtuns. His fearless criticism of the establishment’s religious exploitation was likely another factor leading to his assassination.

Since Pakistan’s continued exploitation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military has used extreme measures to silence resistance. The enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and state-sponsored terrorism against Pashtuns have long been tools of governance for the Paki establishment. Mufti Munir Shakir’s murder is yet another example of how the military systematically eliminates those who challenge its power.

BLA: ISPR’s claim of ending the operation is a pack of lies; the war continues

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BLA: ISPR’s claim of ending the operation is a pack of lies; the war continues

More than 30 hours have passed since the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) took control of Jaffar Express, with tensions continuing to escalate. In response, the Health Department has issued directives for all hospitals in Quetta to maintain a 24/7 presence of doctors and medical staff, anticipating casualties from the ongoing clashes.

Hospital says, ambulances carrying bodies and injured personnel from Bolan are en route to Quetta. The remains of killed and abducted security personnel are being transferred to the city. In light of the situation, the Pak Army has increased patrols across major roads, while security at hospitals has been further tightened.

Meanwhile, the BLA has released all women, children, and elderly hostages, while over 200 military personnel remain in their custody, according to a statement from the militant group. Several freed passengers, who arrived in Quetta late last night, confirmed in media interviews that they were released unharmed by the attackers.

BLA rejects prisoner exchange, executes 50 captive soldiers

In a new statement, BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch claimed that the group rejected Pakistan’s warnings and an offer for a prisoner exchange, leading to further escalations. He said that Pak Army attempted to advance using heavy artillery and weapons, resulting in intense clashes between the two sides.

Baloch said that BLA fighters successfully repelled the offensive, forcing the military into a humiliating retreat. He also confirmed that three BLA fighters were killed in battle, whom he hailed as heroes of the Baloch national freedom struggle.

In response to Pakistan’s aggression and refusal to negotiate a prisoner swap, the BLA claims to have executed 50 captive personnel, who have committed war crimes, enforced disappearances, and resource exploitation in Balochistan.

BLA Challenges Pakistan’s Victory Claims

Following reports from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) that the operation had ended, the BLA dismissed the claims as false propaganda to cover up military failures.

“The reality on the ground is that the war is still ongoing across multiple fronts, and the Pakistan Army is suffering heavy casualties,” said BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch. He further challenged Pakistan to allow independent journalists and neutral observers access to conflict zones, claiming that only then would the world see the true scale of military losses.

The BLA has warned that the conflict is spiraling beyond the Paki establishment’s control, asserting that the military’s defeat is inevitable. The group remains committed to continuing the battle on its own terms until its objectives are achieved.

Meanwhile, after failing in direct combat, Pak forces have begun targeting civilian areas in an effort to retaliate.

POGB uprising: Mass protests intensify against Pakistan’s Diamer-Bhasha Dam displacement plan

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POGB uprising: Mass protests intensify against Pakistan’s Diamer-Bhasha Dam displacement plan

Protests against Pakistan’s exploitative policies in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) have intensified, with affected communities demanding justice for their displacement due to the Diamer-Bhasha Dam project. Religious leader Maulana Hazratullah has presented a 31-point charter of demands to the occupying-govt’s committee, pressing for compensation, local employment, and a fair share of the dam’s royalties.

For years, the people of PoGB have been systematically exploited by the Paki establishment, which has prioritized Punjab’s interests while neglecting the rights and welfare of PoGB’s indigenous population. The construction of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam epitomizes this exploitation, as vast tracts of land have been seized without fair compensation, while the generated electricity and revenues are funneled to Punjab, leaving locals in perpetual deprivation.

The Diamer-Bhasha Dam, a massive 422-billion-rupee project launched on May 13, 2010, with Chinese and Frontier Works Organization (FWO) involvement, stands as a symbol of this exploitation. Since its inception, neither WAPDA (Water and Power Development Authority) nor the occupying Paki establishment has addressed the legitimate grievances of the displaced people.

Key Demands of the Protesters:

  • 80% royalty from the Diamer Dam and 30% from the Dassu Dam for PoGB.
  • Free electricity for Diamer district and discounted rates for the rest of PoGB.
  • Compensation for 18,000 acres of seized land and financial relief for 3,000 displaced families.
  • Six kanals of agricultural land per affected family and eligibility for the “Chulha Package” for every married couple.
  • Infrastructure development, including schools, hospitals, and sewerage systems.
  • Employment rights for local workers, including the regularization of daily wage laborers involved in the project.

The people of PoGB have sacrificed everything—ancestral lands, homes, and even the graves of their forefathers—to make way for the dam, yet they have received nothing in return. Over 80,000 affected individuals have still not received compensation.

Despite their repeated appeals, the people of PoGB have been subjected to broken promises by WAPDA and the Paki establishment. The affected communities have now vowed to halt all dam construction activities until their demands are met.

Punjab’s greed at PoGB’s expense

The ongoing protests expose a long-standing pattern of exploitation by the Punjabi-Paki establishment. The wealth generated from PoGB’s natural resources—including water, minerals, and hydropower—is shamelessly diverted to benefit Punjab, while the locals remain in poverty, joblessness, and energy deprivation. Despite being rich in water resources, PoGB faces severe electricity shortages.

Moreover, political and religious leaders across Pakistan remain deafeningly silent, unwilling to challenge the Punjabi Pak Army establishment that profits from PoGB’s suffering. The denial of basic rights, political suppression, and economic exploitation underscore Pakistan’s colonial-style governance over the region.

BLA highjacks Jaffer Express, kills 20 Pak Army personnel, issues ultimatum

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BLA highjacks Jaffer Express, kills 20 Pak Army personnel, issues ultimatum

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has launched a major attack on the Jaffer Express passenger train, which was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar on March 11. The attack occurred in the Mishkaf area of Dhadar, Bolan district in Pak-occupied-Balochistan, where explosives were used to destroy the railway track, forcing the train to halt. The BLA then took the passengers hostage.

According to the BLA spokesperson, Jeeyand Baloch, over 400 passengers were initially taken hostage. Women and children were later released, but 182 individuals remain captive. The spokesperson claimed that 20 Pak Army personnel were killed during the operation.

The BLA said that this operation involved fidayeen of Majeed Brigade, unit dedicated to high-profile operations, STOS (Special Tactical Operations Squad), Fatah Squad, and the BLA’s intelligence unit ‘Zarab’.

Pak Army Respond with Military Action

Following the incident, Pak Army launched an operation in the area. Helicopters and fighter jets were seen flying over Dhadar and nearby regions as forces conducted ground operations. Security personnel cordoned off the area and deployed additional troops. The BLA spokesperson reported that their forces successfully repelled the Pak military’s ground operation, forcing them to retreat. However, airstrikes by Pak helicopters and drones were still ongoing.

The BLA spokesperson issued a stark warning that if these airstrikes did not cease immediately, they would execute all remaining hostages within an hour. He warned that if Pakistan Army continued their actions, they would bear full responsibility for the hostages’ deaths.

Emergency measures enforced

In response to the situation, the occupying government imposed emergency measures. Emergency protocols were activated in Quetta and Sibi hospitals, with ambulances dispatched to the scene.

A senior railway control officer in Quetta, Mohammad Sharif, confirmed that the train driver had been injured during the attack and that the train was stopped near Sibi as a result.

The BLA’s warning emphasized that if Pak security forces continued their military operation, all hostages would be killed. The organization claimed full responsibility for the attack and stressed that any harm to the hostages would be the result of Pakistan’s actions. This incident is BLA’s response to years of enforced disappearances, military crackdowns, and atrocities that the Baloch community has been facing since 1948 after a forceful occupation.

Pakistan’s war on terror operates as a cover for it’s double game

Nilesh Kunwar
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Pakistan’s war on terror operates as a cover for it’s double game

An Arrest

Islamabad definitely deserves due appreciation for facilitating apprehension of Mohammad Sharifullah, a terrorist commander belonging to the UN proscribed Islamic State Khorasan Province [ISKP] terrorist group who was involved in the deadly August 2021 bombing at Kabul airport that killed nearly 200 people including 13 American soldiers. According to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s post on X, the “ISKP’s top tier Sharifullah commander” was apprehended by “Pakistan Security Forces… in a successful operation conducted in [the] Pakistan-Afghan border region.” 

And, US President Donald Trump did exactly this while announcing Sarifullah’s arrest in his speech to Congress on Tuesday night by thanking the Government of Pakistan “for helping arrest this monster.” Basking in the adulation heaped by the mercurial POTUS, Sharif deftly portrayed this isolated incident based expression of gratitude as comprehensive acknowledgement and appreciation of “Pakistan’s role and support in counter terrorism efforts across the region, in the context of Pakistan Security Forces.”

Not only this, he also went on to claim that “Pakistan has always played a critical role in counter terrorism efforts aimed at denying safe havens to terrorists and militant groups the space to operate against any other country.” Unfortunately, this claim doesn’t stand up to impartial scrutiny. For one, if arrest of ISKP terrorist Sarifullah wanted by the US is a feather in its cap, then isn’t Islamabad’s brazen refusal to hand over Lashkar-e-Taiba co-founder Hafiz Saeedwanted by the US for masterminding the 2008 Mumbai attacks a ‘black-eye’ for Pakistan?

Unanswered Questions

Next is the question as to who Sharifullah is and from where he was apprehended. The Pakistani prime minister mentioned that this ISKP terrorist is an Afghan national who was arrested fromthe “Pakistan-Afghan border region.” While description of the location has been intentionally kept delightfully vague, it’s evident that Sharifullah was staying in a safe house/hideout well inside Pakistan when he was apprehended. This makes things even more confusing because if Pakistan’s claim about “denying safe havens to terrorists” is indeed true, then why did a “top-tier” ISKP commander from Afghanistan be so imprudent to run the risk of being caught andeven killed by opting to seek refuge in Pakistan? 

Due to strained relations between Islamabad and Kabul, tension along the Durand Line as well asheightened security threat from terrorist groups like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan [TTP], the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region is heavily militarised and under enhanced surveillance like never before. With the security forces and intelligence agencies working overtime to identify aliens, how is it therefore possible that presence of a high ranking ISKP terrorist in this sensitive area escape notice of the Pakistan Army’s spy agency Inter Services Intelligence [ISI], that never ceases boasting about its professional competence? 

Readers would recall that ISI denied having any knowledge about Al Qaeda founder and 9/11 attack mastermind Osama bin Laden’s massive Abbottabad compound. Though downright implausible, Rawalpindi still got away with its barefaced lie, thanks to global apathy. Hence, could it be that having realised how easily the international community can be fooled by feigning ignorance, Pakistan acted as if it was unaware that the top ranking ISKP terrorist commander responsible for orchestrating the horrific Kabul airport bombing was present on its soil, till it was prodded by CIA?

An Enemy’s Enemy

Rawalpindi’s firm belief that the Taliban leadership would remain forever obliged to Pakistan for having hosted them for nearly a decade expectedly turned out to be a monumental blunder, and probably the only return favour it did to the Pakistan Army was to serve the then ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed a cup of tea at Serena Hotel in Kabul. However, Taliban did reward its old time frontline ally TTP by releasing all its fighters jailed by previous governments, and despite repeated requests from Islamabad, has refused to act against this terrorist group. 

So, it was but natural that ISI would exploit the irreconcilable ideological differences and intense animosity between Taliban and ISPK by patronising the latter in order to create a counterbalancing force for leveraging purposes, and there’s abundant evidence to suggest that it has done exactly this. 

Speaking at a UN side event in March last year, Baloch National Movement [BNM] chairman Dr Naseem Baloch disclosed that “active camps of the international terrorist organization known as Daesh [ISKP] are operating in Balochistan under the direct supervision and support of the Pakistan Army.” Just a month later, Taliban’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mawlawi Aimr Khan Muttaqi, too had without naming Pakistan, also accused it of “providing centres for planning, training and funding” ISKP. 

In September last year, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed that Kabul had credible inputs that “after the destruction of ISIS [ISKP] by the special units of the Islamic Emirate [of Afghanistan], the leaders and remaining members of the ISIS Khorasan branch, with the help of some intelligence organizations, were transferred to Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [KP], where they have training centers and camps.” 

Mujhid also stated that “From these new centers, they [ISKP] carry out attacks in Afghanistan and other countries, and also target religious scholars and members of religious, sectarian and political groups in Balochistan and KP…” He went on to reveal that “Investigations have revealed that the attackers of the employees of the General Directorate for the Pursuit and Supervision of Orders had come to Afghanistan from a training camp of the ISIS Khorasanbranch in Mastung, Balochistan,” reinforcing the BNM chairman’s claims.

Unfortunately, no one took these claims seriously, as everyone swallowed Islamabad’s palpably false assertion that ISKP was thriving on Afghan soil. Now with the high ranking ISKP terrorist leader’s arrest from the KP area of “Pakistan-Afghan border region” and the unique pattern of targeted killings in KP and Balochistan, it’s high time the international community examined Kabul’s allegation a bit more objectively. 

Rawalpindi’s ISKP Game Plan 

Former head of Afghanistan’s erstwhile intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security [NDS] Rahmatullah Nabil opines that “Pakistan’s recent maneuvers suggest a two-pronged approach,” that entails “Pressuring the Taliban by allowing the ISIS [ISKP] threat to expand within its borders-particularly in areas like Malakand, Bajaur, and Mastung in Balochistan.”According to him, “Pakistan is signaling to the Taliban that it can destabilize Afghanistan if its demands are not met,” and “key points of contention include the Durand Line dispute, regional alliances, and the Taliban’s position on India.”

Secondly, Pakistan is keen on “Securing U.S. Support…by amplifying the threat of ISIS [ISKP] within its own borders, [and]…positioning itself as an indispensable counterterrorism partner, hoping to secure military and financial aid from Washington-or even the possibility of hosting U.S. bases again.” Nabil is sanguine that “Pakistan’s long-standing strategy of cultivating and managing terrorist threats remains unchanged” and that “Today, ISIS-K is simply the latest pawn in Islamabad’s geopolitical game-one designed to expand its regional influence while securing support from the West.”

While some may consider these inferences as extreme or prejudiced, given the ISI’s unmatched ability to run with hares and hunt with hounds, these possibilities can’t be summarily dismissed. And doesn’t the apprehension of a top ranking ISKP terrorist commander from Pakistani territory reinforce President Trump’s accurate assessment made in his 2018 New Year tweet about howPakistan had “given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools [and how] they [Pakistan government and the Army] give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt…”

Reflecting on this reality may perhaps do President Trump a lot of good!

Tailpiece: In 2023, while exercising India’s right to reply to Pakistan’s statement at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, First Secretary of India’s Permanent Mission to UN Seema Pujani reminded Pakistan that “it has the unique distinction of hosting the most number of UNSC designated terrorists and terror organisations.” Knowing that it couldn’t debunk the Indian side’s contention, the Pakistani mission tried to save face by leveling ridiculous counter allegations.  

The Indian mission’s matter-of-fact statement raises the same old question- if “Pakistan has always played a critical role in counter terrorism efforts aimed at denying safe havens to terrorists and militant groups the space to operate against any other country,” as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has so glibly affirmed, then how come it is still remains the world’s most preferred safe haven destination for UNSC designated terrorists? 

So, while the arrest of an ISKP terrorist commander in Pakistan by security forces [even though made on explicit instructions of Washington] is praiseworthy, perceiving this incident as proof of Rawalpindi’s sincerity in its war on terror nevertheless remains highly suspect. 

As the wise have said, “One swallow doesn’t make a summer!”  

Revenge killings and clashes in Syria claim more than 1,000 lives

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Revenge killings and clashes in Syria claim more than 1,000 lives

More than 1,000 people have been killed in Syria amid fierce clashes between anti-government groups and security forces, coupled with a series of “revenge killings.” The surge in violence marks one of the bloodiest episodes in Syria since the civil war began 14 years ago.

According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the death toll includes 745 civilians, 125 government security force members, and 148 militants aligned with pro-Bashar al-Assad groups.

The violence comes just months after Syria’s long-time leader, Bashar al-Assad, was ousted by rebel groups in December. Hopes for a stable future in Syria are now overshadowed by the renewed unrest.

Recent Clashes

On Thursday (March 6), pro-Assad militias launched attacks on government forces in the coastal city of Jableh, a region dominated by the Alawite community — a Shia sect to which Assad belongs. The militias targeted security patrols and checkpoints, resulting in 13 fatalities among government personnel.

In response, government security forces cracked down harshly, killing scores of civilians. Armed Sunni fighters reportedly joined the violence, targeting Alawite civilians in what appears to be retaliation for past atrocities under the Assad regime.

In a televised address on Friday, interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa urged restraint. “Security forces should not allow anyone to exaggerate in their response… because what differentiates us from our enemy is our commitment to our values,” Sharaa stated. Despite his appeal, violence persisted.

Reports from Alawite villages describe gunmen attacking residents, with many men shot in the streets or at their homes. Witnesses recounted incidents of looting and arson in predominantly Alawite areas, according to the Associated Press.

Background to Syria’s Conflict

Syria’s unrest dates back to 2011, when the Arab Spring uprisings swept across West Asia. While Sunnis form the majority in Syria, power had long been concentrated in the hands of the Alawite minority under the Assad family’s rule. Economic inequality, unemployment, and rising prices fueled the protests, which escalated into a brutal civil war as Assad’s forces cracked down on dissenters.

The conflict was further complicated by the involvement of foreign powers, including the US, Israel, Turkey, Iran, and Russia, all backing different factions. Following Assad’s fall, Israel launched airstrikes in Syria to prevent advanced weaponry from falling into hostile hands.

On Sunday, Sharaa called for peace, emphasizing the need for national unity. “We have to preserve national unity and domestic peace… Rest assured about Syria, this country has the characteristics for survival,” he said in a video message.

However, with minorities deeply distrustful of the new Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) regime, and multiple armed groups with competing agendas still active, Syria’s path to stability remains uncertain.

POB: Assassins eliminate Mir, ISI’s key man in Kulbhushan Jadhav’s kidnapping

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POB: Assassins eliminate Mir, ISI’s key man in Kulbhushan Jadhav’s kidnapping

Mir, a key conspirator who aided Pakistan’s ISI in the abduction of Indian businessman and former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav from Iran and a religious leader in POB has been shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Turbat.

According to police, armed men on motorcycles opened fire on Mufti Shah Mir as he exited the mosque, leaving him critically injured. He was rushed to Turbat hospital but succumbed to his injuries. Hospital sources confirmed that he had sustained two fatal gunshot wounds to the head and jaw.

Mir was deeply involved in gross human rights violations in POB. As a key figure in military-operated death squads, he played a significant role in the abduction and extrajudicial killing of numerous Baloch youth. He was also known for spreading religious extremism in Pak-occupied-Balochistan’s historically secular society, using violence and coercion to further his agenda.

His actions contributed to the ongoing Army-sponsored oppression in the region, where enforced disappearances and targeted killings remain rampant. Mufti Shah Mir, who had ties to the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), had previously survived two assassination attempts. Authorities have launched an investigation, but the identity and motives of the attackers remain unknown.

Pakistan: Where Army wields power sans accountability

Nilesh Kunwar
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Pakistan: Where Army wields power sans accountability

He may have said it out of conviction or perhaps to please Rawalpindi. But by demanding that former Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa “must be questioned about why he resettled these [Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP] militants,” Pakistan Defence Minister Khwaja Asif could well have unwittingly annoyed the top brass of the country’s all-powerful military [appropriately referred to as the “establishment”], which is well known for fiercely protecting the dubious actions of its leadership from public scrutiny. 

Even at the cost of digressing, it would be in order to mention that some may argue that the arrest and ongoing court martial of former Director General [DG] of Pakistan Army’s spy agency Inter Services Intelligence [ISI] Lt Gen Faiz Hameed [Retired] contradicts claims regarding existence of some sort of covert arrangement within the Army that provides extra-constitutional immunity to Generals. While Lt Gen Hameed’s case may give the impression that as far as Rawalpindi is concerned, no one irrespective of rank is above the law, however, this notion is far from reality.

The fact of the matter is that the former DGISI’s trial is part of an elaborate plan entailing the killing of two birds with one stone conceived by Pakistan Army chief Gen Syed Asim Munir with twin objectives. One, securing his own position as Pakistan’s supreme leader by politically emasculating Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf [PTI] chief Imran Khan who has dared question Rawalpindi’s extrajudicial authority and is hence a potential threat, and two, avenging the humiliation of being unceremoniously removed from the prestigious post of DG ISI by Khan in 2019 to make place for the PTI chief’s favourite Lt Gen Hameed.   

Returning to Defence Minister Asif’s demand for questioning Gen Bajwa, there’s no doubt that the Pakistan Army is, through omission/commission [or both], solely responsible for the massive influx of TTP terrorists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [KP], particularly in Swat Valley in 2022. Readers would recall that in August that year, Swat Valley saw massive public protests against burgeoning presence of TTP fighters and this issue acquired such menacing proportions that it even came up for discussion in the National Assembly with Defence Minister Asif expressing serious apprehensions regarding success of the then ongoing peace talks between the Army and TTP that were cloaked in secrecy. 

However, Pakistan Army’s media wing Inter Services Public Relations [ISPR] inexplicably played down this serious threat. It issued a statement that “During the past few days, a misperception about the alleged presence of [a] large number of proscribed-organisation TTP’s armed members in Swat Valley has been created on social media,” it outrightly rejected the same calling it “grossly exaggerated and misleading.” To give this big fat lie a semblance of authenticity, ISPR added that “Presence of a small number of armed men on a few mountain tops between Swat and Dir has been observed, located far away from the population.” 

Since this deliberate attempt by Rawalpindi to deceive both the executive and public through an official communication occurred under Gen Bajwa’s charge, the defence minister’s view that the then Army chief should be questioned is perfectly in order as well as essential from the accountability angle. However, given the embarrassing details that would emerge should this happen, there’s no possibility of Gen Munir giving a go-ahead to this request. How damaging the disclosures could be can be gauged by the source-based revelation by British-Pakistani journalist Gul Bukhari that the Pakistan Army’s secret deal with TTP involved “signing away fundamental rights of citizens in return for peace”!

 Furthermore, since no Pakistan Army chief has ever been asked to justify his ill-considered actions that harmed the nation, why should Gen Munir set a precedent that could threaten Rawalpindi’s vulnerability? 

Field Marshal Ayub Khan didn’t have to explain the rationale of going ahead with ‘Operation Gibraltar’, a ludicrous military plan to wrest control of J&K by inciting a local insurrection orchestrated and led by regular soldiers disguised as razakars [civilian volunteers] that pushed Pakistan into a full blown war with India in 1965. Gen Yahya Khan was never called to give reasons for approving ‘Operation Torchlight’ in 1971, a pogrom  that gave the Army unbridled powers to indiscriminately kill, maim, torture and violate civilians in what was then known as East Pakistan that accelerated the country’s dismemberment. 

Gen Pervez Musharraf was the only Army chief who had to face charges of high treason, as the judiciary refused to be cowed down by Rawalpindi. But he never appeared in court, thanks to thepersonal intervention of the then Pakistan Army chief Gen Raheel Sharif. Gen Musharraf himself revealed that “I have been his [Gen Sharif’s] boss and I have been the Army chief before him. He helped [me] out …” He went on to elaborate that “Once he [Gen Sharif] got the government to relieve the pressure that they were exerting, the courts gave their judgment and allowed me to go abroad for treatment.”

True to its tradition of keeping the Army top brass beyond the reach of law, the Pakistan Army ensured that its former chief indefinitely extended his treatment period abroad so that he wouldn’t have to face a trial. And when Gen Musharraf took the impulsive decision to return and participate in elections as well as fight his court cases, Rawalpindi again came to his rescue. Dawn reported a source disclosing that the then DGISI Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha had “held a meeting with him [Musharraf] in Dubai and advised him not to return to the country as the situation is not conducive for his return.”  

The constitution of Pakistan stipulates that “the Federal Government shall have control and command of the Armed Forces,” and as such the Ministry of Defence is empowered to order any serving/retired member of the armed forces to be called-in for questioning. So, when the defence minister is convinced that Gen Bajwa “must be questioned about why he resettled these [TTP] militants,” he can always order the same.  However, there’s a catch- though it technically qualifies as a democracy with an elected government, in practice Pakistan has a unique military-dominant hybrid form of governance, where the Army and not legislature has the final say, and the ‘Dawn Leak’ incident exposes the absolute power the Pakistan Army enjoys.

Readers would recall that in 2017, when Dawn reported that the Pakistan Army top brass had been told by the government that “military-led intelligence agencies are not to interfere if law enforcement acts against militant groups that are banned or until now considered off-limits for civilian action,” all hell broke loose. Rawalpindi demanded that this news leak be investigated at the highest levels and action taken against those responsible and the Prime Minister’s Office [PMO] dutifully complied.

However, when the PMO released the inquiry report, DG ISPR, who was just a two-star General publicly scoffed the same saying, “Notification on Dawn Leak is incomplete and not in line with recommendations by the Inquiry Board. Notification is rejected.” Now, when a two-star General can outrightly “reject” a notification issued by the PMO, how can one expect the defence minister to have the courage to summon a four-star General [albeit retired], who had once headed the Pakistan Army?

And therein lies Pakistan’s problem!

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