Lt. Gen. Asim Munir had earlier held the plum positions of DG ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) and DG Military Intelligence.
Last year in February, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had castigated ISI for its the inept handling of the 2017 Faizabad sit-in that catapulted the hitherto unknown Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) to limelight across Pakistan. Lt Gen. Asim Munir was the director general of ISI at the time of this judgement. Ironically, Maj Gen. Faiz Hameed who was the deputy of Lt Gen Asim Munir at ISI and in charge of ISI’s internal security wing also faced heat in this judgement but was promoted as Lieutenant General and took over the reins of ISI from Asim Munir.
Lt. Gen Asim Munir was unceremoniously shunted out from the plum job of ISI’s director general and had to move on as the Corps Commander of Gujranwala, thereby earning the dubious distinction of being ISI chief for the shortest period of time. Asim Munir is now nearing his retirement and in order to make a quick buck like other Pak Army officers he contacted Sheikh Mahmood Iqbal, the chief executive officer of Master Tiles, and demanded ninety crore rupees.
Aghast at this blatant demand of extortion from the Corps Commander of Gujranwala, Sheikh Mahmood Iqbal, CEO Master Tiles wrote a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan Niazi, dated June 5, 2021, describing all the details of his meeting with Lt Gen Asim Munir and his subsequent demand of Rs 90 crore extortion money.
“Lt Gen Asim Munir sent a message to me by a staff member Colonel Ehtesham last Thursday morning that he wanted to have lunch with me. I left a meeting with Japanese importers and went to the cantonment to meet him (Asim Munir). I was offered good food, salmon fish cooked with broccoli and olive oil, among other delicacies. As we sipped black coffee with luxurious Cuban cigars Lt Gen Asim Munir said that he had found out that the executive range of our bathroom tiles was being smuggled to the Central Asian nations of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan through the Wakhan corridor in Afghanistan. He then said that billions of rupees was being lost in the form of taxes to the national treasury. Of course, all of this was a conspiracy to trap me,” wrote Sheikh Mahmood Iqbal, CEO of Master Tiles in his letter letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan Niazi.
“… they seized two of our company trucks from Peshawar at the Afghan border… this seizure was carried out in a similar fashion like the anti-narcotics force grabbed fake 20 kg heroin from Rana Sanaullah’s car, who is a leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (Noon). Asim Munir told me that in politics, business and espionage operations, perception is more important than reality, and if a perception gets etched into people’s mind that Master Tiles is involved in smuggling then our share price would tumble at the stock markets. I asked Lt Gen Asim Munir in a trembling voice as to what did he want from me. It was then the vileness of the whole world came to his little dirty eyes,” said Sheikh Mahmood Iqbal in his letter to PM Imran Khan.
“Lt Gen Asim Munir said that he wanted five million seven hundred thousand dollars which is equivalent to ninety crore rupees in Pakistani currency. Asim said that if I transfer the money to his Macau bank account then he would help me smuggle tiles to Central Asia as the Core Commander Peshawar has been his batchmate and roommate…,” explained Sheikh Mahmood Iqbal in his letter.
“…if at all, in order to save my business, I agree to give this kind of money to Lt Gen Munir, yet how long can we feed these fauji snakeletsAsim. They trample the constitution every time. Sometimes they torture journalists Asad Ali and Matiullah Jan, at other times through Papa Jones they set up a business empire funded by smuggling on the Pak-Iran border. I request you to help me with this issue, otherwise I will shift my whole business setup to Dhaka. But then you will have to manage one crore five thousand jobless people in Pakistan. After this incident, I have understood that a man loves his self-esteem more than his homeland. The vile Satanism and arrogance of power in these ugly eyes is unbearable. Sometimes when I am asleep, this anger wakes me up at night and I have to take water with aspirin,” said Sheikh Mahmood Iqbal, CEO Master Tiles in his letter to Imran Khan Niazi.
Who is Zakir Majeed Baloch? Why did Pakistani regime abduct Zakir Majeed on June 8, 2009? More than 30,000 Baloch people have been abducted by the Pakistani forces who remain ‘Missing’ till today. June 8 is observed as Baloch Missing Day, and this year, on this day, Balochistan erupted in protests. However, instead of listening to the genuine grievances of Baloch families, the Pakistani security forces used violent force on peaceful Baloch protesters.
Click on the YouTube link below to watch this video report. Video language: Urdu
Pakistan-occupied Jammu Kashmir (POJK), fallaciously called as “Azad Kashmir” and Gilgit-Baltistan is one among the most oppressed and exploited regions in the world. This region is legitimately a part of India but due to certain unfortunate circumstances at the time of partition, it remained under Pakistani control. Pakistan has refused to embrace the region and its people as its own. The dominant Punjabi Muslims of Pakistan look down upon the Kashmiri Muslims who inhabit POK, a bigger revulsion is reserved for the inhabitants of Gilgit-Baltistan who are of the Shia faith and as such an anathema to the Sunni Punjabis.
The Punjabi elite that rules the country has been exploiting and looting POJK for the last seven plus decades since partition. The resource rich region has been systematically subjugated, converted into a colony and bled ruthlessly. With each passing year, new methods are being evolved to strengthen the vice-like grip of the oppressive state.
The most evil manifestation of this policy is the ongoing process of demographic engineering of the region. It is being carried out to gain absolute control of the land and its assets and to ensure its final accession to Pakistan. The intention is to reduce the indigenous population to virtual slavery.
Demographic engineering is feasible in the region because of its sparse population and large area. The objective is being achieved with a two-pronged strategy of targeted genocide and settling down of Punjabi elites and former army men across POJK. Now even the Chinese are being settled there with impunity under the garb of operating the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and this after the illegal handing over of the 5,180 square km Shaksgam Valley of Gilgit-Baltistan to China. This apart, Pakistan is blatantly grabbing forest and agricultural lands to transfer them to Chinese companies for large scale infrastructure projects. The work force in these projects comprises of Sunni settlers who have totally displaced the Shia population from villages on the Karakoram highway.
Islamabad has gradually diluted constitutional provisions in the area to facilitate outsiders in grabbing the land and resources of the illegally occupied areas. It abolished the State Subject Rule in Gilgit-Baltistan in 1984, which opened the area for purchase of land and resulted in the demographic changes. “Pakistan has never kept its end of bargain when it comes to Jammu and Kashmir (POJK). It has encroached on the land….. it has awarded the land to China… it is changing the local demography that further violates the State Subject Rule,” says Senge H. Sering, a resident of Gilgit-Baltistan now living in exile in the US. He speaks for his people in international forums through his Institute for Gilgit-Baltistan Studies in Washington. “It (Pakistan) robs the locals of their resources. It denies them jobs and services. It has never paid royalty on local water resources. It never pays tolls on local transit routes. All these activities are illegal and not acceptable,” he adds.
The situation is so sensitive that in 2018 the then Indian Army Chief, General Bipin Rawat, openly flagged it in the course of a lecture. “Pakistan has very cleverly changed the demography of so-called Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan….. People from Gilgit-Baltistan are also now being taken over gradually…” he had said.
Statistics give a fair idea of the dismal situation in the region. In Gilgit-Baltistan, the locals to outsider population ratio has tripled in favour of the latter; the Shia population has diminished by almost 20 percent. Large Punjabi and Pashtun settlements have come up across the region, more so in important cities such as Gilgit, Ghizer, Shardo, Diamer etc.
While removal to the State Subject Law opened the floodgates in Gilgit-Baltistan, an equally malevolent design has been working in POK. The trade, banking and commerce of the region is now firmly in control of “outsiders.” Contracts for government-owned forest lands are being given predominantly to Punjabis, mostly retired army officers. The locals are being reduced to working as labourers with no rights to form unions. Almost all civil service posts are occupied by non-locals.
In POK too statistics give a clear indication of the level of demographic engineering that has been resorted to. The population index in POK rose from 2.9 million in 1998 to 4.5 million in 2017. Where did so many people come from? The federal government of Pakistan has a firm grip on the region with the toothless government of so-called “Azad Kashmir” looking on as a mute spectator.
The biggest demographic menace being faced by the region comes from the endless stream of militants who are brought in for infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir in India. These notorious gun-toting sub-humans harass the people endlessly; they are responsible for taking the crime rate to unacceptable levels, cases of rape and molestation of women are rampant. Many of these criminals prefer to settle in the region and are used to subjugate the poor people. The headquarters of terrorist organisations like United Jihad Council (UJC), Hizbul Mujahedeen, Lashkar-e-Taiba etc. are in POK.
In order to strengthen its position, Pakistan has suppressed all critical voices. Hundreds of activists have been executed and given life-time sentences in false charges of terrorism and spying. A large number of them emigrated to other countries. Further, the travails of the people remain hidden from the world because of repressive media restrictions. There is hardly any newspaper being published over there, what to talk of electronic media. The world gets to see only the few video clips that are smuggled out and shown by freedom fighters of the area living in exile across the globe. The brutality of the establishment is clearly visible in these video clips which is available on social media.
The people of the region have been protesting against this demographic engineering but their voices are not heard. The international community led by India needs to address the threat of extinction faced by these people in their homeland for millennia. Pakistan’s immorality in this cruel game plan to control the region has to be checked under all circumstances.
A highly expensive yacht acquired by the family of Cyrus Mistry earlier this year has raised eyebrows in both corporate and bureaucratic circles.
The Rs 700 crore acquisition is not illegal, it is the timing.
The Mistrys, promoters of Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) group, took delivery of the yacht earlier in 2021, the acquisition looked perfectly sensitive on paper but grossly insensitive otherwise because it happened in the midst of a raging pandemic that killed over 350,000 this year alone.
This is the second yacht the family acquired from the same company in recent times. The family of Shapoor Mistry along with friends like Eddie Poonawala and Homi Katgara regularly holiday on yachts, routine with Indian business families. Presently the yachts have been put in the charter market, which is an usual practice by yacht owners.
But the question many are asking is whether Indian banks, financial institutions or retail shareholders funded Mistry’s $100 million superyacht Tatiana? The development of the superyacht purchase during these difficult times may invite additional scrutiny from regulators and corporate governance experts, claim sources.
An official spokesperson of the SP group said the company has no comments to offer on the acquisition of the vessel.
Top corporate sources said the 262 feet long yacht, Tatiana, is built by Turkish company Bilgin Yachts. The Mistrys took delivery of the vessel earlier this year even as their companies are plagued with debt issues and a challenging business environment.
Ranked among the top 150 yachts in the world in terms of length, the mega yacht Titania is the largest yacht built in Turkey boasting steel hull and aluminium superstructure. The vessel’s naval architecture is by Unique Yacht Design and interiors by H2 Yacht Design. The yacht is the first of the Bilgin 263 series, showcasing striking exterior lines and modern interiors with huge deck spaces and innovative contemporary layout. The yacht accommodates up to 12 guests in 8 deluxe suites and a crew of 20.
Tatiana, the super luxury yacht bought by the Mistrys.
Tatiana’s vast range of inside spaces include an upper salon and vast main salon with separate lounge and dining area. Each social space holds its own entertainment center including a cinema room. The yacht holds a beautiful swimming pool, bar, and lounge space as also as a steam room, massage room and fully equipped gym. The super yacht which was delivered earlier this year has been put in the charter market. Details of the yacht can be accessed at https://www.yachtcharterfleet.com/luxury-charter-yacht-49357/tatiana.htm
Tatiana is the second yacht that the Mistrys have acquired from Bilgin. Tatiana, claim sources, has a Cayman Island flag and is presently in the Marmara Sea off Turkey. The first yacht, Tatiana1, has a Malta flag and is presently around Bodrum (Turkey).
The acquisition of the super yacht comes at a time when Mistry-owned SP Group has been undergoing financial restructuring including availing of a One Time Resolution (OTR). In September 2020, the SP Group had sought relief to restructure its Rs 10,900-crore of debt under the resolution framework for pandemic-related stress. SP Group had applied under the OTR, under which the company had asked the loan repayment timeline to be extended by two years. The OTR was approved by the Reserve Bank of India in the last week of March 2021.
This is not all. The SP Group has also been questioned by SEBI and the Registrar of Companies, Mumbai for its inability to fully repay the inter-corporate deposits of Rs. 2341 crore which was due to be paid within 90 days of taking Sterling Wilson Solar IPO in August 2019. SP Group has repeatedly waivered on the timelines of the repayment and Rs. 760 crore (approximately $100m) is outstanding and due to be paid by September 2021 as per the renegotiated timeline.
‘We have won the war, America has lost’[i], says Haji Hekmat, Taliban’s shadow Mayor in Balkh district to BBC correspondent on 15 April 2021. Interestingly the government forces stay within their base, as the territory belongs, or is controlled by the Taliban. This is the case in many districts/towns in Afghanistan. In addition to a stronghold in the strategically important Southern province of Helmand, the Taliban controls or contests territory in nearly every province, and continues to threaten multiple provincial capitals.
Taliban has control of the Southern and South-west portion of Afghanistan. On 3 May 2021, a series of bomb blasts outside a school in Kabul killed dozens of people, mostly students. The death toll in a horrific bombing at a girls’ school in the Afghan capital has soared to 50, and over 100 wounded, the Interior Ministry said on 4 May 2021. Officials blamed the Taliban who denied they were involved in the bombing and condemned it. Meanwhile, the hashtag “AfghansWantPermanentCeasefire” trended in Afghanistan on Facebook and Twitter in the lead-up to Eid[ii]. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told the Reuters news agency that the social media trend was an “emotional thing” and that the group “respected” these emotions. “But a ceasefire is something bigger than emotion, it is related to the larger issue of our country,” he said, adding that there would be no permanent ceasefire until the group’s goal of restoring an Islamic government is achieved.
A three-day ceasefire agreed by the warring Taliban and Afghan government come into force as celebrations of Eid-ul-Fitr got underway, after weeks of heavy fighting across the country. The temporary deal starting 13 May 2021 was proposed by the Taliban and agreed to by President Ashraf Ghani. The Taliban and the Afghan government launched peace talks in September last year, but progress has stalled despite international efforts to jump-start the negotiations. Ceasefires in the past have largely held in what is widely thought to be an exercise by the Taliban leadership to prove they have firm control over the myriad factions across the country that make up the hardline movement. While the Taliban have avoided engaging US troops, they have stepped up attacks against Afghan government forces.
Taliban Continue to Capture Territory in Afghanistan The Taliban have reportedly captured at least twenty-six Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) outposts and bases, along with four district centres, in the provinces of Laghman, Baghlan, Wardak, and Ghazni since the beginning of May[iii]. On 15 May after the ceasefire announcement, Taliban fighters seized Nerkh district, which lies in Wardak province about 40 kms from Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul. Several highways run through Nerkh. While the US and NATO forces have pledged to withdraw their troops by September 11, the US military has completed an estimated 16–25 percent of the process of withdrawing from Afghanistan, US Central Command said[iv]. Military officials said they hope to have troops fully withdrawn by mid-July. The NATO led ‘Resolute Support Mission’ has indicated that its withdrawal will be co-terminus with US forces.
Zalmay Khalilzad, US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Taliban’s senior commander signing the US-Taliban peace agreement at Doha.
Afghan Government forces conducted operations last week of May 21, that aimed to retake four districts in central and eastern Afghanistan from the Taliban, according to reports. The defense ministry said at least ninety Taliban fighters were killed across eleven provinces in a twenty four hour period. The Afghan Taliban on 26 May 2021, warned nearby nations against allowing the United States to use their territory for operations in the country after they withdraw from Afghanistan. On 25 May 2021, Australian PM Scott Morrison announced closing its embassy. Taliban reacted saying it will provide ‘safe environment’.
The Taliban has conducted sputtering talks with the Afghan government in April 21 in Turkey. Taliban has also promised to renew attacks on US and NATO personnel if foreign troops are not out by the deadline; and said in a statement it would not participate in “any conference” about Afghanistan’s future until all “foreign forces” have departed. It is not clear whether the militants will follow through with the earlier threats given Biden’s plan for a phased withdrawal between now and September[v].
Taliban fighters in Afghanistan. (File Photo: AP)
Trump’s Doha Peace Accord followed by the Biden Peace Plan
Trump astounded the world after more than a year of direct negotiations, by signing a peace agreement on February 29, 2020 (Doha Accord) with the Taliban, that set a timeline of 18 months for the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan. Taliban pledged to prevent territory under their control from being used by terrorist groups and enter into negotiations with the Afghan government by March 2020, which were tentatively started in September 2020 and immediately floundered.
The Biden administration has proposed a modified peace plan to the Afghan government and the Taliban, seeking to bring violence to a halt and form an interim government. The proposal included many elements; first, a UN-led conference of representatives of Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, India and the US “to discuss a unified approach to support peace in Afghanistan”; share written proposals with the Afghan leadership and the Taliban to accelerate talks. It urges both sides to reach a consensus on Afghanistan’s future constitutional and governing arrangements (the Taliban and the Afghan government still disagree on fundamental issues, including whether the country should remain a republic or even retain any features of electoral democracy); third, find a road map to a new “inclusive interim government”[vi]; and lastly, agree on the terms of a “permanent and comprehensive ceasefire”.
Essentially, the Biden administration is attempting to embed the peace process in a wider regional framework. The Biden administration has chosen a more decisive course in Afghanistan and has to make substantial movement on above aspects before final withdrawal. Cutting all rhetoric to the bone, ALL Nations want mainly two things, which need not necessarily be aligned to Afghan interests specially its people.
An Afghanistan aligned to their interests.
Their strategic space, influence and economic payoffs are bettered,
whatever the political dispensation, while ensuring ‘no spread of jihadi
culture leading to terrorism[vii]’.
Despite this new agreement, there is still no official ceasefire in place, and both sides including the US and NATO forces have launched attacks (US air targeting has actually increased) on each other till date. Taliban have restricted their attacks on ANSF (Afghan National Security Forces), their bases, government targets and made substantial territorial gains. The Taliban have also carried out high-profile attacks across the country, including in Kabul. There is also a disagreement on the timing of the release of five thousand Taliban prisoners. The Taliban expects the prisoners to be released before talks can proceed, while the Afghan government plans to release the prisoners after the negotiations make some headway.
Terrorists of the Islamic State of Khorasan (IS-K) admitted to having killed 25 Sikhs at the Gurdwara in Kabul. (Photo: AFP)
The Islamic State in Khorasan– IS(K) has also continued to expand its presence in several eastern Afghan provinces (sources talk of five provinces), continues to carry out major attacks in Kabul, and is responsible for an increase in suicide attacks targeting civilians. Uncertainty surrounding the future of international donor assistance has strained the Afghan economy. While the United States, its allies and international institutions and NGOs have pledged to provide support to Kabul, the transition to a peacetime economy risks further destabilizing Afghan society by inflating the budget deficit and increasing unemployment rates.
Regional Geo-Politics: China and Pakistan Commons Once Taliban comes to power it will use jihad and terrorism to create trouble, and exploit the façade of ambiguity. The longer the conflict more clout China and Pakistan will have with Taliban and thus in Afghanistan. They will enhance their geo-strategic and political clout in the region and leverage it with Iran, CAR (Central Asian Republics), and Russia. They will try to keep India out of Afghanistan, and constrict its strategic space.
China:Integrate CPEC with Afghanistan (Pakistan may not be too pleased), enhance land route of BRI towards CAR, Russia and Europe.
Pakistan: Cement its notion of strategic depth against India, keep Durand Line issue quiet and formalise it, opportunities for trade, entry into CAR, access to Middle East, influence Iran and play power broker in Middle East specially KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and Turkey.
Russia: Russia’s own security and geopolitical interests make it an interested party in a stable Afghanistan and in putting an end to armed conflict in the region. Its concern is that in the event of heightening instability, threat of extremist and radical ideology and violence could spill over into Central Asia and cause destabilisation close to Russia’s borders.
Iran: Seat of Shia Islam, Iran has historically been at ideological odds with a powerful Sunni Taliban. Tehran nurtures high-level contacts with the Taliban aimed at stopping the growth of the Islamic State (Khorasan) in the region and get US out of its underbelly. Currently adopted two-pronged approach; one regional in nature, and second in the context of Iran’s fractured relations with the US.
The Flipside. There is also a flipside to Taliban usurping power or having a major say in geo-politics in Afghanistan. It can bite back like the proverbial snake.
Spread of jihadi culture.
Taliban like others has never accepted the Durand Line (renewed demand for Pakhtunistan). It can cause instability as also interfere in China’s handling of Uighurs in Xinjiang, by supporting them (a threat which China takes very seriously).
Talibanisation of Pakistan.
Indian stakes in Afghanistan are not existential India too desires Afghanistan aligned to its national interests. The necessity is more due to geography as also the China-Pakistan adversarial collusivity with scope to exploit the violent jihadist elements in Afghanistan using ambiguity as a cover, causing both external and internal instability in India. On a positive note, India can also use its strategic partnership (India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Agreement in October 2021) with a stable aligned Afghanistan to leverage geo-political and economic gains and entry into CAR (Central Asian Republics), Iran and onto Middle East and Europe. We are well placed to play a pivotal role (despite being a low-key player so far) to form a consensus on how to shape the future of Afghanistan, which naturally depends on how we handle Taliban.
Iran is wary of elements who are anti-Shia which suits India, as it places Pakistan in the opposite camp. India views Russia as a balancer in the regional security matrix, despite its proximity with China, due to its interests in CAR and Europe. India needs to broaden diplomatic engagement/appoint Special Envoy, and further enhance multi-dimensional assistance.
The Future: Advantage Taliban, but can they close out the match?
The Taliban are not a monolithic organisation or a homogeneous group. The Taliban now have somewhere between 50,000 and 60,000 active fighters and tens of thousands of part-time armed men and facilitators, according to Afghan and American estimates. They are an assortment of groups/clusters; Afghan Taliban is the biggest cluster, and rest are broadly divided into Pashtun, CAR group apart from presence of IS (Khorasan) and Al-Qaida (AQ). “It is a networked insurgency; but very decentralized, and has the ability for the commanders at the district level to mobilise resources, and be able to logistically prepare,” said Timor Sharan, an Afghan researcher and former senior government official[viii].
However, at the top, they gain legitimacy from a single source, a single leader; Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada, commander of the faithful. Taliban political chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Barada, and military chief Mohammad Yaqoob, son of Mullah Omar, the erstwhile spiritual leader of Taliban; form the top leadership.
The Taliban insurgency has also been a unifying cause for some smaller foreign militant groups. Around 20 foreign militant groups are active in Afghanistan, including Pakistani extremist groups like the Pakistani Taliban, Lashkar-e Jhangvi, Lashkar-e Taiba, Jaish-e Muhammad, and Central Asian militant groups including the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), the Islamic Jihad Union, and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, a militant group fighting for Uyghur independence in China. Some of these groups operate under the Taliban umbrella.
Each of these groups has a unique relationship with the Taliban; operationally, ideologically, or economically. One thing that slowed down the negotiations with the US was that the Taliban’s political leaders wanted to take every small issue down to their commanders, bringing them on board to avoid rebellions and breakaways. They will likely face many of the challenges that once dragged the country into anarchy. The relationship between the political leaders and the military commanders who have monopoly over resources and violence will be tested. The 1990s civil war in Kabul happened not because the political leaders couldn’t agree among each other; it happened because the political leaders could not control the ground commanders, as they were not on the same page.”[ix]
As the Taliban smell victory, it is imperative that they the keep the groups together under one umbrella. The major thing holding the Taliban back at this point is the government’s supremacy of the air and its superior strike forces in the form of commandos and special police units. But those units are being worn down and the Afghan Army has been slowly failing as an institution for the past five years.
Al-Qaeda and IS (Khorasan) Al-Qaeda is a largely diminished force, with only several hundred fighters in Afghanistan. But it remains a crucial part of the Taliban insurgency. Taliban and Al-Qaida have been long time partners and are co-dependent, according to experts. The IS (Khorasan) group has bases in a few districts of Kunar Province, and they are also likely present in parts of neighboring Nuristan Province, another remote, mountainous province. Reports that IS (Khorasan) militants are active in northern Afghanistan are “unreliable”. The recent arrests of IS (K) fighters and leaders in major urban areas shows that there are still IS (K) “sleeper cells” in the country. Most IS fighters are thought to be former members of Pakistani militant groups, especially the Pakistani Taliban.
Getting Stronger with Political Legitimacy The new agreement and the looming US exit places the Taliban in the strongest position they have ever been. The Taliban have demonstrated to the Afghan people, the world, and especially militant groups around the world, that they possess the (military) capability to resist a US invasion and outlast a superpower. They have made themselves an intrinsic part of any attempt to find a long-term solution for peace. Adding to the Taliban’s leverage is the political legitimacy it has managed to gain as an international actor; one that the US has negotiated with, and now asking them to be part of an interim Afghan government[x] (and coercing Ghani!).
The Taliban over the years has evolved its relationships with all regional stakeholders barring India. Here too Taliban has shown diplomatic finesse stating that it will not act nor allow any party to act against another country, specifically naming India[xi].
A word of caution: Taliban has always rejected the democratic ideals of universal suffrage, free and fair elections, and respect for minorities, all of which are prerequisites, as outlined in the draft agreement. It has also always considered the ANG (Afghan National Govt) an ‘American puppet’. The Taliban are not pressed for time and can wait until they get what they want: A complete US withdrawal, a slow surrender of democracy, and a return to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan that the group installed and commandeered in Afghanistan from 1996 until losing it to the US invasion in 2001.
The Final Battle for Power Afghan government forces are in disarray. The Afghan National Army, which is meant to be the country’s backbone of defence, and the blue-uniformed police, which tends to bear the brunt of Taliban attacks, are operating at roughly 50 to 70 percent of their official maximum strength of 352,000, due to a combination of corruption, attrition and difficulty finding replacements. The most effective Afghan units are the special operations forces, which together with the remaining Americans, are holding things together. Yet even the Afghan special operations forces struggle to hold back the Taliban without the help of US advisers and airstrikes. After all, they are up against an enemy that uses suicide car bombs and improvised explosive devices, devastating tools that the Afghan government thankfully does not employ[xii].
In addition to local cadres, the Taliban field special “red units,” or quick reaction forces, that are trained, and are deployed to spearhead major offensives. The Taliban’s recent success on the battlefield will almost certainly motivate the group to fight on. With the South and East Afghanistan already in Taliban control the Government could collapse. It is also possible that the government, its special operations forces, and the old Northern Alliance—Tajik, Hazara, and Uzbek leaders—could muster enough unity and grit to stave off the fall of Kabul.
Indeed, the Northern Alliance is already rumoured to be mobilizing forces to fight. Violence levels and attacks by Taliban on ANSF (Afghan National Security Forces) will escalate once US and NATO finally withdraw. Even given the most optimistic scenario the ANSF (Afghan National Security Forces) may not hold on for long. Forecasting this very volatile geo-political and turbulent scenario is fraught with danger. US is vaguely talking of keeping mobile reserve forces either in bases nearby or even at sea and adopt ‘over the horizon’ counter-terrorism policy; deploying of USS Eisenhower aircraft carrier and Qatar or a CAR (Central Asian Republic) nation as mother base and basing of long range strategic lift aircraft, are being talked off. But will these actions even if executed be able to stave off the inevitable?
The Internal Political Wrangles and Prognosis Watching the inevitable, recently a fair number of Afghans are now willing to tolerate Taliban rule if it means finally achieving peace. As already discussed, not only will the Afghans and Americans determine the course of the war, but China, India, Iran, and Russia all have interests in Afghanistan and do not wish to see a Taliban Emirate (except Pakistan; China too will exploit its relationship with Pakistan and are getting closer to Taliban leadership).
However, it is unlikely that any of the regional players (certainly not India) will be keen to deploy peace keeping forces in Afghanistan. This has already been vehemently opposed by the Taliban, and was the raison d’etre for Taliban to emerge after the occupation of Afghanistan by USSR, to drive away any foreign forces from Afghanistan.
The current Afghan National Government led by Ashraf Ghani is on a weak footing with internal dissensions and very low credibility with the people. Their intransigence and inflexible approach have worsened the political environment. The rapprochement between Afghan government and Taliban seems even more unlikely and an ‘inclusive interim government’ appears to be a mirage. Neither side wants to compromise as President Ghani feels he is democratically elected leader. Unless the regional players coalesce and act towards peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan setting aside their differences and own aspirations: ‘We are staring at the grim prospect of a civil war’.
It’s been twelve years since Baloch student leader Zakir Majeed Baloch was forcibly kidnapped and ‘disappeared’ by the Pakistani security forces. His crime? Well, Zakir Majeed Baloch was well read and had a thinking mind, which is a big crime in Pakistan-occupied Balochistan (POB). Any Baloch who talks about his rights is conveniently picked up by the Pakistani security forces or their proxies, who then joins the long list of ‘missing persons’.
Baloch student leader and former vice chairman of Baloch Student’s Organisation-Azad (BSO-Azad) Zakir Majeed Baloch was born in Khuzdar’s Gazgi village on April 22, 1983. His father’s name is Abdul Majeed Baloch. Zakir Majeed Baloch’s sister Farzana Majeed and his old mother have been struggling for his safe recovery since the last twelve years.
Zakir Majeed Baloch completed his intermediate studies at the Balochistan Residential College (BRC) Khuzdar and his bachelor’s degree in science at the Government Degree College in Khuzdar. At the time when Zakir was forcibly abducted he was a master’s student of English at the Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences (LUAWMS) at Uthal University. On 8th June 2009, the fateful day, he was traveling from Quetta to his hometown Khuzdar and while en route, he was abducted from district Mastung. Mastung is merely 47 kilometers from Quetta, the capital city of Balochistan. Zakir Majeed was abducted along with one of his friend Waheed Murad Dehwar, who was released later on. Zakir Majeed was kept in extrajudicial custody and till this day there’s no news about him.
Zakir Baloch played a vital role in the growth of political awareness among Baloch youth. He constantly spoke against Pakistani regime’s human rights violations in Balochistan. Zakir played a key role in spreading awareness amongst Baloch students about Pakistan’s “Kill-and-Dump” strategy which entailed kidnapping Baloch people, killing them in cold blood and dumping their dead bodies. Ironically, Zakir Majeed himself became a victim of this criminal policy of Pakistan.
Farzana Majeed, Zakir’s sister along with Mama Qadeer Baloch, Dr Deen Mohammad Baloch’s daughter Sammi Baloch and other victim families went on a train march from Quetta to Islamabad in 2011. The Missing Persons’ relatives had also set up a hunger strike camp in front of the Islamabad National Press Club. Twenty three people, including women and children, were part of this march.
Family members of Zakir Majeed Baloch protesting with his photo. (Photo: News Intervention)
Historical Long March in Balochistan
Families members of the Baloch people who had been ‘disappeared’ by Pakistani forces went on a long march in 2013 from Quetta to Karachi and then to Islamabad, braving the biting cold of winter months. The purpose of this long march was to share their grief with those in power and explain about their innocence.
Family and friends of Baloch ‘Missing Persons’ had walked through the coldest mountains of Balochistan, crossed the roads of Sindh under hot weather and had then reached Islamabad. But it was futile to hope for empathy from the perpetrators of crime. Passionate appeals of the Baloch fell on deaf ears in Islamabad. The Baloch families returned back to Balochistan duped by false promises of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
“My son Zakir Majeed Baloch has been missing for the last twelve years. We, together with the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) took the path of peaceful protest for the recovery of Zakir, but today, 12 years have passed and we have not been provided with any information regarding Zakir’s disappearance,” said Zakir Majeed’s mother, tears rolling down her eyes.
Zakir Majeed’s mother was also the former vice chairman of Baloch Student’s Organisation. She added that it is painful for a mother to endure twelve years of separation from her beloved son. “I am also one among the thousands of unfortunate mothers who has been waiting for her beloved son for 12 years. Thousands of mothers, sisters, daughters, sons, and fathers whose loved ones have been abducted and disappeared by Pakistani forces in Balochistan are grieving and petitioning for their loved ones’ return, but their cries for justice have gone unheard,” said Zakir Majid’s mother wiping the tears from her face.
Massive protests rocked Karachi as Baloch and Sindhi came out in huge numbers to oppose the illegal land grab by Pakistan Army. Few days ago the BLF (Balochistan Liberation Front) revolutionaries had attacked the Bahria Icon Tower as a warning to Pakistani forces to desist from forcible land grabbing of Baloch and Sindhis. A day later the Sindhi organisations carried out a protest march in Karachi against this illegal land grabbing by the Pakistani forces.
“Our sarmachaars (freedom fighters) carried out a grenade attack on Bahria Icon Tower near Clifton bin Qasim Park in Karachi. It was a symbolic attack aimed at warning the notorious Bahria Housing Society of the Pakistan Army to abandon the forcible occupation of ancestral lands of the Baloch and Sindhi people in Karachi,” said Major Gwahram Baloch in his media statement. He warned the Pakistani forces against demolishing the homes and settlements of Baloch.
The ancient villages of Kohistan, Gopa Town, Kathor, Moiida Dam and Panhwar mountains are gradually and illegally being gobbled up by the Pakistan Army under one pretext or the other. Malik Raiz, the civilian puppet of Pakistan Army with the help of government officials of Sindh is busy occupying ancestral land of Sindh. Recently, armed men along with police and rangers came with heavy machinery to destroy the historical old residences and homes of Sindhi people in Kohistan area of Sindh. Sindhis too joined ranks with their Baloch brethren and called for massive protests.
“We will never allow destruction of villages in Kohistan and exploitation of our resources. Through DHA mega City, islands’ mega projects, coastal belt projects, Pakistan Army cantonments and other Bahria mega projects Punjabi establishment’s agenda is to merge Sindh in its greater Punjab plan,” said Zafar Sahito chief organizer Jeay Sindh Freedom Movement (JSFM).
Jeay Sindh Freedom Movement (JSFM) organized the rally and protests in support of Sindh Action Committee’s protest call against Bahria town, Defense Housing Authority (DHA) and other illegal mega projects in Sindh.
Balochistan’s leader Dr Allah Nazar Baloch came down heavily on Islamic extremists calling the jihadis as the B-team of rogue intelligence agency ISI, who are trying to spread their tentacles in Pakistan-occupied Balochistan (POB).
Dr Allah Nazar Baloch is Balochistan’s pro-independence leader who is leading the Baloch revolutionaries fighting for independence from Pakistan. In recent times Pakistan Army and its intelligence wing ISI have suffered huge setback at the hands of Baloch sarmachaars (freedom fighters), and in order to regain their vice-like grip the Panjabi generals are now resorting to their favourite tactic of spreading Islamic extremism in order to destabilise Balochistan’s social fabric. Dr Allah Nazar Baloch was quick to read through this nefarious gambit.
“Religious extremists in Balochistan are the B-Team of ISI. They want to destroy our secular values and eliminate minorities. The pamphlet after the murder of a Hindu trader & threatening of women in Wadh Khuzdar shows the nefarious plans of ISI. Its master mind is Shafiq Mengal,” Dr Allah Nazar Baloch criticized the Islamist poster in strong words in his tweet.
Baloch businessmen protest at the Quetta-Karachi highway against the murder of Hindu trader Ashok Kumar by Pak Army-backed Death Squad. (Photo: News Intervention)
The poster published by an Islamic extremist group Caravan Saifullah carries Taliban-style diktats that says people should not allow women to leave their homes and openly threatens Hindu traders in Balochistan. It does not stop here. The poster also warns women not to enter their shops and stay away from them. The poster also gives death threats to those who disobey the diktat. Caravan Saifullah functions under the command of Shafiq Mengal, the head of ISI-backed Death Squad in Balochistan.
As a young man arriving in Jerusalem, my first thought was managing the right kind of food during my stay. A vegetarian, filled with the notion that for all its attractions from the fabled Arabian nights to the stunning architecture of Palmyra, the region was a paradise only for meat eaters.
But Jerusalem surprised me. And there began by journey to experience first-hand, the strong Indian connect with Israel since antiquity.
A Jewish co-traveller, who was in the plane with me, took me to a few shops in Jerusalem on a Friday afternoon, and solved my culinary problem. Our forays in the cobbled streets in the heart of the Holy Land revealed an interesting tradition. To my persistent query on whether I could find anything vegetarian in the city, he said: “On a Friday we Jews eat pure vegetarian food cooked in utensils in which meat has never been cooked. Friday is our holy day.”
He added: “The idea of not eating meat on one day per week, may have come from India. After all the Old Testament says that sandalwood and gold for the construction of Jerusalem also came from India.”
The gentleman was referring to India’s vibrant trade relations with Israel since the days of King Solomon. In the long forty-year reign of the wise King, a peaceful Israel rose to unprecedented heights of prosperity. And India was very much a part of that boom. The secret of the great commercial connect was Ophir or Sopara, now known as Nala Sopara—a key port where King Solomon’s fleet of ocean-going ships docked.
The result was the import of the most exotic products, which even the Bible noted with a mention of the Ophir as a fount of wealth.
Yet, there is some controversy about Sophir’s location. But most geographers have nailed it as a seaport, 37 miles north of Mumbai. It is said to be four miles north-west of Bassein where an Asokan edict was discovered. The port also finds a mention in the Mahabharata, Bhagavata, and Periplus among others.
The ancient port town of Sopara, in Mumbai’s north, hosted numerous traders that included the traders from Israel. Sopara is known as Nala Sopara in present times.(Map courtesy: Scroll )
King Solomon received a cargo from Ophir every three years. Legend says that he imported goods on such a lavish scale that silver in his Kingdom became as common as stones.
It is well known that trade and commerce is the mid-wife of a cultural osmosis. Unsurprisingly, the Hebrew word for peacock is tukhin which is tokal in Tamil. There were no peacocks in Jerusalem and Hebrew had no word for a peacock. Peacock is the mount of Kartikeya the General of the Gods, and symbolises divine protection of the state.
Some historians see a connection with King Solomon’s famous mines, supposedly in modern Zimbabwe, with gold mining practices in Tamil Nadu.
An artist’s impression of King Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem
The Tamil connection with King Solomon’s mines has been developed in captain Leonard Munn’s book, Man in India. “Over the vast area of ancient workings in Rhodesia (former name of Zimbabwe), the method of mining and reduction of the gold quartz is identical with that of South India. Extensive areas of forest occur in the vicinity of the old Rhodesian old gold workings consisting of trees and plants not indigenous to Africa, but having their home mostly in South India.”
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