The true graveyard; Afghanistan or Washington or Moscow

A video is doing rounds on the social media of Afghan children throwing stones at some vehicles stated to be American. Some of us are thrilled with jingoistic write ups and with limited or pseudo knowledge claiming another empire bites the dust or the country being the graveyard of empires.

Which empire has become a graveyard? London, Moscow and Washington are glittering. If there's a graveyard it is Afghanistan. We sit in our cosy homes applauding the ghairat of Afghans. Most of their rentier warlords sit in Pakistan, Iran, India etc fighting proxy wars and destroying their own country and having their own youth killed at industrial scale. These warlords have earned huge money through acting as proxies, drug/weapon smuggling and taxing an ignorant and poverty ridden community. Imagine Tajik weapon smugglers supplying weapons to the Taliban smuggled from Central Asia.

As I would drive through the Afghan countryside during my visits to various cities there, my heart would break to see the poverty and misery of the common people. Two scenes have become indelible; one night as I was driving over to a diplomatic function in temperatures touching minus 12 degrees centigrade,  I saw a 8 - 10 year old boy sitting on the icy road shivering and crying. I asked the driver to stop and inquire. The boy a street beggar had not collected enough money that day to buy bread for his family. I could not hold back my tears. I gave him 200 rupees to go home and buy bread. The relief on the child's face I will never forget. At the diplomatic function I saw the warlords sipping the choicest drinks both alcoholic and non alcoholic. The other was a boy of similar age in snow covered Kabul selling toilet rolls outside Pul e Khashti mosque.

All the Afghan warlords, regional and extra regional powers are all partners in this crime being committed  on the Afghan people for the past almost two centuries. I can only pray that these proxies in Afghanistan and their backers elsewhere realise their crime and stop fighting.
courtesy Saad Muhammad

2nd day of US Taliban talks, Taliban seeks gurantees,US ceasefire for 6 months

Islamabad
US wanted the Afghan Taliban to announce ceasefire immediately for a minimum of six months period, offering the militia a good representation in future afghan caretaker set up as talks between US and Afghan Taliban proceeds for 2nd day. The UAE based talks between the two adversaries are brokered by Pakistan.

On the second day of the talks in Abu Dhabi the discussion primarily focused around the future of foreign forces in Afghanistan, US is also seeking a possibility of Ceasefire agreement for duration of six-month.
Taliban source said US is more focus on ceasefire and Taliban representation in future caretaker afghan Govt but taliban is so far resisting and not agreeing to ceasefire as it will benefit the US and Afghan govt not Taliban.
Source further said Taliban wants Saudi Arabia ,Pakistan UAE as guarantor of peace process and then The US appoint Taliban nominated head of future afghan govt then we can consider ceasefire,
On second day talks two ex Guantanamo bay prisoners mullah fazil and mullah khairullah also joined the talks.
In three days talks with US besides Qatar political office three member special delegation which also consist of representative of Haqani network send by Taliban Amir mullah Haibatullah to take part in dialogue.
Taliban Spox issued a new statement to clarify that Taliban team will not meet afghan govt negotiations team.
Zabihullah Mujahid objected to Afghan media reports and said ‘We once again reject these reports. Discussions are taking place with the representatives of the United States about ending the occupation, a matter that does not concern the Kabul administration whatsoever.
Afghan President office also said The Afghan negotiating team led by chief negotiator Abdul Salam Rahimi in Abu Dhabi to begin proximity dialogue with the Taliban delegation and to prepare for a Face-to-face  meeting between the two sides.
Earlier PM Imran khan tweeted that Pakistan help start the dialogue between US and afghan Taliban and will be doing everything in its power to further the peace process and end the afghan people suffering.
By Ayaz Khan

Taliban US talks enter 2nd day n UAE. Pakistan plays distant host.

Pakistan brokered peace talks between US and Afghan Taliban will continue for 2nd day.
Pakistan reportedly have paved the way for direct talks of US and Afghan Taliban after US president Donald Trump letter to PM Imran khan sought support of Islamabad in peace talks with Taliban.
  Afghan Taliban Monday said their negotiators reiterated demand for end to ‘foreign invasion ,and also reconstruction of Afghanistan ’ in talks with the US officials in the United Arab Emirates.
Sources close to the process said Taliban want a time frame of US troops withdrawal from Afghanistan not immediate withdrawal which shows flexibility  in Taliban stance previously afghan Taliban put withdrawal as a pre condition to the talks, source further said Taliban believes that reconstruction of war torn Afghanistan is huge task and it cannot be done with out US and world assistance and help  taliban also positioning itself as a good partner in reconstruction of Afghanistan as they believe their track record (when in power) is free of corruption.
It’s also shows significant departure and flexibility in stance which Taliban previously held.
Afghanistan national security adviser and govt officials are also in Abu Dhabi UAE but taliban refused to meet them,
Source says it was an embarrassment the afghan govt negotiations team waited in hotel lobby but taliban didn’t meet them.
After taliban refusal to talk directly to afghan team the national security adviser Hamdullah mohib posted a statement on Twitter used term proximity talks, a kind of talks by which he means near to the talking table if not on table.

Taliban-Zalmi Khalilzad Talks in Pakistan

Hassan Khan

It was not a mere coincidence that the US point person for talking to Taliban Zalmi Khalilzad and a senior delegation of the Taliban militia political office in Qatar were in Islamabad the same day.
The visit of Taliban delegation kept secret while Khalilzad spent a busy time meeting with Pakistani leadership.
Whether Khalilzad met with Taliban delegation members in Islamabad? No one heard about that but experts believed that it was quite possible.
Khalilzad is on his second visit to Islamabad and will be visiting eight other countries, before landing at United Arab Emirate capital for his schedule meeting with Taliban leaders.
In Islamabad Khalilzad wanted to seek Pakistani support - as requested in a letter written by his boss US President Donald Trump to Pakistani prime minister.
Historically, both President Trump and Khalilzad are known to be irrevocably averse to Pakistan and have time and again made their anti Pakistan sentiments public. It will be naive to suggest to the Pakistani leadership dealing with foreign policy affairs to be aware of the improvised change of mind of Trump-Khalilzad, however, as just soft reminder ' to be (aware)' before leaping into action on their behalf.
To the request put in the letter, Pakistan shall not exhibit any extraordinary haste like the one already exhibited by Khalilzad in talks with Taliban. Pakistan needs be careful in rolling out the red carpets. Please.
It has been observed that proxies and woofers of US in Pakistan have already started mounting the moving float of what they think is politically principled. They are raising questions about nauseatingly repetitive 'good Taliban' and asking who issued travel documents to Taliban negotiators? After all the question is valid, as how the Taliban delegations is visiting Pakistan? And on which country documents?
Of Taliban delegation in Islamabad and their reported meeting with the militia supreme leader Mulla Haibatullah. There are rumors the delegation also called on Khalilzad secretly. Very well. But where? Somebody must tell who other is Khalilzad going to talk to or meet and where? In Pul e Charkhi jail or caves of Paktika or town of Chaman? And be ware that President Trump is not seeking help from Pakistan for to see Mullah Fazlur Rehman or Hafiz Muhammad Saeed. Both Trump and Khalilzad are not requesting to be able to negotiate with Afghan Taliban with Pakistan's help. Talks with Taliban members are already there and in mid of current December Khalilzad will again see the militia members probably in Dubai. Its not asking Taliban to set with the US. But indeed convincing the Taliban to talk to Afghan government led by Dr Ashraf Ghani - a proposal Taliban are vehemently denying. The other demand, the US probably have, is forcing Taliban militia to announce immediate ceasefire...as the talks goes on.
The self appointed warriors of political morality who are asking Pakistan to jump the US bandwagon, must understand, if surly they don't know, what is the game plan.
This is the time Pakistani must ask the US and Afghan government to talk straight and put all the cards on the table before going to the room. Past is not a good experience.
Then. As the Taliban delegation is in Pakistan, on what papers? On whose permissions? The US has not yet declare Taliban negotiators as white. And the US is not going to take responsibility for their travel; nor has sought any permission for their travel officially from the UN Security Council. If Washington wants then why the delay? Both things US does not appear to have done and for a good reason perhaps. The trick might be that if talks fail as happened in Murree or QCG in recent past, Pakistan will be there to be whipped, and the likes of Zalmi  Khalilzads and Bruce Riedels be unleashed to pounce upon Islamabad for - might be - violating sacrosanct sanctions regime.
Meanwhile, besides Pakistan, Taliban leadership also have to revisit the recent history of direct talks with the US. Zalmi has been re-inducted into the talks after his fateful failure last time, for which he had his bloated ambitiousness only to blame.What is the guarantee that he has been fumigated this time around?
The next point to consider is that the US showed similar eagerness and rush last time when talks were held in Murree where reasonable progress for peace in Afghanistan had become visible.
And,with in days  they killed Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansur in a drone strike. Their doormat in Afghanistan wasted no time to officially complain to Security Council about travel ban violation by Pakistan. US actually shot themselves in the foot by this utterly thoughtless killing as he might have been their last hope for a political settlement in Afghanistan.
Finally they might begin with by asking US to unveil their strategic intent; Does the US want to permanently stay in that country or leave honorably that is with a notion of victory?
Strategic haziness will not work as defeat is staring at Resolute Support Mission right in the face.

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Prime Minister Imran speaks lie "with a straight face"

Hassan Khan

The interview of Prime Minister Imran Khan with select group of anchors on Monday has added more confusion to the already plagued state of affairs in Pakistan particularly on economic, security and political fronts.

Imran Khan interviews reminded me of a program on Khyber television, where Imran Khan was part of the panel along with former MNA Kashmala Tariq. It was 2005 or 2006.

In the middle of program Miss Tariq turned her face to Imran Khan and quite bluntly tells him; "Mr... you are speaking lie with a straight face."

On Monday, the prime minister right from his statements on issue of falling prices of rupee/raising prices of dollars by State bank of Pakistan; to his statements on the issue of missing persons; to Akhtar Mengal's inability to meet Chief of Army staff Gen Qamar Bajwa on the issue; there is a spree of clarifications ducking the PM totally.

The Prime Minister said it with straight face that 'he came to know about the hike in dollar price via media. Here come the State Bank of Pakistan. The bank clarified that prior taking the decision it informed the government a day earlier. Whom did the State Bank informed? The finance minister Asad Umar - a man who manages the country economy at the moment. But Asad has already accepted in a media interaction that he was informed by the bank; and he in return informed the prime minister about the bank decision. A lie with a straight face, Mr Khan. 

Then comes the statement about the issue of missing persons. Imran Khan during his election campaign already promised to work for recovery of all missing persons.

But when reminded on Monday, he said, the issue has been debated thoroughly with the military leadership. The military leadership agreed to pursue the matter. And he called the Baloch nationalist leader Akhtar Jan Mengal – as Mengal has joined the coalition on issue of recovering missing persons- to meet with chief of army staff Gen Qamar Bajwa. Akhtar Mengal did not turned out for the meeting, said the prime minister.

But what happen a day latter? Akhtar Mengal – a highly respected politician- responded on his social media netwrok – twitter. The PM never told him about meeting with COAS. However, when he did receive a call from the prime minister office, when he was busy in by election campaign in remove areas of Baluchistan. But the call said, “tomorrow you (Mengal) has a meeting with Prime Minister.” As I was not able to reach Islamabad on such a short notice, and the matter too gone silent. Mengal said he is all time available for meeting with any person including Gen Bajwa on the issue anytime anywhere.

And the PM got a bloody nose.  

Overall, the prime minister extended media interview turned out to be a disappointing performance. All the time during his interview he was untruthful, waffling, professing ignorance and avoiding straight answers to simple questions.

On the issue of external policy affairs, the PM was either dodgy or speaking lie, as said, with ‘a straight face’. 

Initially, Prime Minister was giving an impression that he has already taken charge of the external policy formulation. But again look at the analogy he was making of Pakistan security establishment with that of Pentagon influence on US on foreign affairs. This was comparing oranges with apples. Pentagon does not have veto power, while Pakistan security top establishment does have; as history is a witness.

Nobody was expecting the PM to be 'nonsense' on crucial questions related to country bad economy. When he was having no answers he would digress to corruption, corrupt political elites and loans that the previous government had taken.

Pakistanis are sick and tired of these dodgy rhetoric. Prime Minister should have either proceeded against the corrupt or shut this ifs and buts. A number of times Khan had to be reminded to come to the point as often he gone off the track. .

It was astonishing for all to hear, the country's Prime Minister - the top executive authority - telling the nation he learned via media of fall of rupee against the dollar. Its total nonsense Mr. PM. People especially the business community have lost billions of their hard earned money or savings worth billions of rupees. You are playing ignorant or speaking lie "with straight face". You didn't know because the State Bank is autonomous. This is annoying

No doubt, its quite disturbing that the prime minister Khan was having no idea of how to rejuvenate the economy. how to work for wealth creation. But of all the years, or month in government, what you have all learned only is like the essay of a proverbial student who memorized the essay on 'Hockey Match'. And he would reproduce the same essay regardless of what was asked in the test. Niazi only knows corruption and loans. He repeats it ad nauseam, rightly says a post on social media. God help us all.

----------end 

Taliban peace delegation in Islamabad meeting Mulla Haibatullah? Zalmi Khalilzad follows Taliban members

Hassan Khan

Islamabad remained quite busy on Tuesday December 4, 2018. Two
important delegations were in the town to discuss and carry forward the Afghan
peace process initiated by the US with the Taliban militia leaders. The same
day Islamabad also announced that her foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi
will be visiting Kabul next week.

Of the two delegations, the most important was the senior
Taliban members from Qatar office, as reports say, visit to Pakistan. Reports say
the team was called by the militia supreme leader Mulla Haibatullah for, what analysts
say, consultation. The team would also share the progress so far made in
meetings with US administration.

The other important team was of the US administration led by
Washington top point-man for Afghan peace process, Zalmi Khalilzad. Zalmi is primarily
tasked to broker a deal with Taliban followed the visiting Taliban delegation
to Islamabad – that reached here a day earlier. Both delegations seem to be the
follow up of letter written by US administration to Pakistan seeking her
role in the Afghan peace process. Zamli is meeting with Islamabad top political and
security leadership and will be sharing the points over which some progress has been
made so far with Taliban members of the militia political Qatar in office.  All efforts are aimed at ending the decades long
Afghan conflict.

The visit of Zalmi Khalilzad was public and announced
affairs.While, the visit of Taliban delegation led by Qatar office top boss
Abass Stanakzai,  was a secret affair and not
confirmed officially. Keeping the Taliban leadership’s visit secret from media
and public was quite obvious.

Reports say the Taliban delegation was here on the
instructions of Taliban supreme leader Mulla Haibatullah. The delegation was
called by Mulla Haibatullah for consultations with militia senior shura members.
Mulla Haibatullah wanted to hear directly from the members of his
negotiation team the progress so far made in talks and meeting with US and other countries.

The Taliban members are scheduled to be meeting with Mulla
Haibatulla and other shura members of the militia either somewhere in Pakistan
or in Afghanistan- in both cases near Pak-Afghan border.

The peace agreements with insurgents in Afghanistan is fast
taking a shape. One thing is disturbing – that is Zalmi Khalilzad extraordinary haste
in brokering a deal with Taliban insurgents. He is seems to be playing a typical
‘businessman’ wanting to strike a business-like peace deal with Taliban. He may
be. Because he has target to meet. His boss, Donald Trump desires of “getting
the hill out of Afghanistan” as soon as possible.

The visit of Taliban delegation and Zalmi Khalilzad to
Islamabad are the immediate follow up of the letter, the US president Donald Trump,
wrote to Pakistan leadership seeking Islamabad's role in the peace talks that
has already begun with Taliban. Trump has admired Pakistan role in Afghanistan
and appreciated sacrifices offered by Pakistanis in war against terror.

What US wants from Pakistan?

In Pakistan analysts believed as US and Taliban are already
in contacts with each others and have a number of meetings in Qatar and UAE and
other cities. Then what the US wants from Pakistan. Not mere bringing Taliban
to the negotiating table. But more. For US the big challenge is to convince
Taliban include Afghan government in talks process. And announcement of immediate
ceasefire by militia fighters.

The US is interested in Pakistan to come forward and press Taliban to accept – inclusion of Afghan government representatives and a ceasefire
and continue talking.

Pakistan has no doubt a role to play in resolution of Afghan
conflict. The Afghans and US officials religiously believed Pakistan still have
an influence over Taliban leadership. A fact Pakistan is denying. Islamabad’s
influence is very limited over the militia leadership, Pakistan claims.

This is immaterial how much influence Pakistan have over the
militia leadership. Important point is Pakistan must play a sincere role in peace
negotiation. No doubt, if Pakistan play its part sincerely and positively approach
the Taliban with a positive mindset Taliban can be influenced.

Now as Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi is also
visiting Kabul next week, Qureshi shall take into confidence Afghan leadership
into confidence what Pakistan intended to do in ending the conflict. Better
Pakistan play its ball with Afghan administration. Forgetting the past
experiences, Islamabad be better in a strong supportive role.

 ---------------

چکیسر جو والی سوات کے دور سلطنت سے اپنی تاریخی حیثیت رکھتا ہے- Aftab Shangla diary on Shakaser

ضلع شانگلہ کے دور آفتادہ چاریونین کونسلوں چکیسر ، اوپل ، بونیروال ، سرکول پر مشتمل تحصیل چکیسر بنیادی سہولیات سے محروم وہ علاقہ ہے جہاں پرانفراسٹرکچر ،مواصلات ، تعلیم ، صحت ، بجلی کے سہولیات غیر تسلی بخش ہیں۔اس تحصیل کو دیگرعلاقوں سے ملانے والا مین سڑک کروڑہ سے چکیسر آج کھنڈرا ت کا منظر پیش کر رہا ہے تو دوسری طرف اس علاقہ میں صحت اور تعلیم کے سہولیات کا فقدان نظر آتا ہے ، چکیسر جو والی سوات کے دور سلطنت سے اپنی تاریخی حیثیت رکھتا ہے ، یہاں پر اس وقت کے سلطنت کے اہم عہدیدار رہ چکے ہیں اور تاریخی خط و کتابت کی رو سے یہاں سے بادشاہوں کے قافلے بھی گزرے ہیں تاہم آج حالت بہت ناگفتہ بہ ہیں اور یہاں کے عوام حکومتی عدم توجہ اور سیاسی رسہ کشی کی وجہ سے حکومتی توجہ سے محروم ہیں ،لاکھوں آبادی والے اس تحصیل میں یہاں کے مکین انتہائی پریشانی اور مشکلات کے شکار ہیں اور آج کے اس اکیسویں صدی میں بھی بنیادی سہولیات کو ترس رہے ہیں۔ تحریک انصاف کے سابق حکومت میں علاقے کو تحصیل کا سطح بھی دیا گیا جو غالباً باقاعدہ طور پر ائندہ ماہ تک کام شروع کردیگا ۔ تحصیل چکیسر چار حجروں پر مشتمل ہے ۔اس علاقے میں گزشتہ دو دہائیوں سے بنیادی سہولیات کا فقدان ہے ، کروڑہ سے چکیسر سڑک جو تقریباً 28کلومیٹر ہے آج کھنڈرات کا منظر پیش کر رہا ہے ، ٹینڈر ہونے کے باوجود روڈ پر کام کا نہ ہونا حکومت کیلئے لمحہ فکریہ ہے کیونکہ حکمراں جماعت تحریک انصاف کے کئی اہم رہنماؤں کا تعلق بھی اسی علاقے سے ہے۔مارتونگ چکیسر روڈ تعمیر کے بعد بھی خستہ حالی کا شکار ہے اور جگہ جگہ یہ روڈ بھی خراب ہوتا جارہا ہے۔

چکیسر کوشاہراہ قراقرم سے ملانے والا دندئ تا چکیسر روڈ پرکی گئی بلیک ٹاپنگ اب خراب ہوتی جارہی ہے ، محکمہ کی عدم نگرانی اور ناقص میٹریل کی استعمال کی وجہ سے جگہ جگہ روڈ پھسل گیا ہے اور سڑک کے دونوں اطراف ریٹیننگ وال نقشہ کے مطابق نہ ہونے کی وجہ سے اس سڑک پر سلائیڈنگ اب معمول بن چکا ہے ، اس اہم سڑک پر جو اس علاقے کے لاکھوں مکینوں کو شاہراہ قراقرم سے ملاتا ہے مرمت نہ ہونے کی وجہ سے یہ سڑک بہت قلیل عرصہ بعد کھنڈرات کی شکل پیش کریگا۔ چکیسر کالج یوں تو ریاست سوات کے دور کے بعد تعمیر ہواجس میں ہزاروں طلبہ اسی کالج میں زیر تعلیم رہے اور ضلع بھر کے طلباء ان سے مستفید ہوتے رہے جو کہ 2005کے تباہ کن زلزلہ میں خرا ب ہوکر ناقابل استعمال ہوچکاہے تاہم یہ بھی حکومتی عدم توجہ کے باعث کھنڈرات کا شکل اختیار کرچکا ہے اور اس تعلیمی درسگاہ میں کسی بھی وقت کسی خطرناک حادثے کا ہونا یقینی ہے ، تیرہ سال گزر گئے نہ کالج بنایا گیا اور نہ یہاں کے طلبہ کیلئے کوئی اور بندوبست کیا گیا،چھ سو سے زیادہ طلبہ کالج کے نام پر ایک کھنڈر میں زیر تعلیم ہیں جو حکومت کیلئے باعث شرم ہے ،کالج کے دیواروں میں بڑے بڑے شگاف پڑے ہیں ،کالج کے چھتوں میں درازیں پڑ کر اس میں استعمال شدہ سریا واضح طور پر نظر آرہا ہے،کالج میں کوئی واش روم یا دیگر سہولت تک موجود نہیں ، ناقابل استعمال عمارت کو کالج کا نام دینا مناسب تک نہیں۔ چکیسر کے پورے علاقے میں پینے کے صاف پانی نہ ہونے کے برابر ہے، حالانکہ چکیسر میں سدا بہار چشمہ جات موجود ہیں لیکن ان کے عام لوگوں کیلئے سکیموں کوئی بند وبست موجود نہیں جبکہ بآثر لوگ بہ اسانی چشمو ں سے پانی حاصل کرتے ہیں ، تا ہم غریب آدمی پانی کے بوند بوند کو ترس گئے۔2005کے زلزلے کے بعد چکیسر میں تو ایک شاندار تحصیل ہیڈ کوارٹر ہسپتال تعمیر ہوا ہے مگر ہسپتال میں لیڈی ڈاکٹر سمیت سرجن،فزیشن ڈاکٹرز اور مشینری ناپید ہیں تو پھر اس بلڈنگ کا کیا فائدہ ہوا ،اس دور جدید میں بھی یہاں کے لوگ صحت جیسے بنیادی سہولت سے محروم ہیں حالانکہ اس ہسپتال کے اردگرد پانچ یونین کونسلوں پر مشتمل ہزاروں آبادی موجود ہے۔ علاقے میں صفائی ستھرائی کی کمی ہے ، میونسپل ایڈمنسٹریشن صفائی ستھرائی میں ناکام نظر آرہا ہے ڈمپنگ کا کام میونسپل ایڈمنسٹریشن کے پاس ہے ، پورے علاقے میں جگہ جگہ گندگی کے ڈھیر لگے ہوئے ہیں ،جس کو جلانے یا ضائع کرنے کیلئے عملی اقدامات اٹھانے کی ضرورت ہے کیونکہ اس سے علاقے میں بیماریوں کے پھیلنے کا شدید خطرہ لاحق ہے۔

 علاقے میں بجلی کا مسئلہ گزشتہ کئی برسوں سے حل طلب ہے ، جہاں کہیں بجلی کی لائن موجود بھی ہے تو وہاں وولٹیج انتہائی کم ہوتی ہے ، یہاں یہ بات قابل ذکر ہے کہ تحصیل چکیسر کو اقلیتی رکن قومی اسمبلی ازدیارسنگھ نے اپنے فنڈ سے ہزارہ ڈویژن کے گریڈ سٹیشن سے بجلی دی تھی،اب یہاں بجلی نہ ہونے کے برابر ہے کیونکہ آبادی بڑھ چکی ہیں، بجلی کے ٹراسمیشن لائن بوسیدہ ہوگئی ہیں معمولی بارش کیوجہ سے کئی روز تک علاقے کی بجلی بند رہتی ہے ، اب یہاں سے رکن قومی اسمبلی نے شنگ گریڈ سٹیشن کے افتتاح کے بعد اس تحصیل کو اسی گریڈ سٹیشن سے بجلی دینے کا وعدہ کیا ہے تاہم گزشتہ روز ان کے افتتاح کے بعد سوشل میڈیا پر گریڈ سٹیشن میں بجلی نہ ہونے کی خوب پوسٹیں شیئر ہوئیں ۔تحصیل چکیسر میں سکولوں کا حالت بھی غیر تسلی بخش ہے اور 2005کے زلزلے کے بعد یہاں کے سرکاری سکولوں کے بہت بڑی تعداد آج بھی تعمیر کے منتظر ہے ، جہاں سکول موجود ہے وہاں اساتذہ کی کمی اور جہاں آبادی زیادہ ہے وہاں پر سکول کا عمارت طلباء کیلئے ناکافی ہے۔اب چکیسر کے عوام کو حقیقی معنوں میں سوچنا ہوگا کہ وہ ایک ایسی حکمت عملی تیار کریں کہ آج کے دور جدید میں بھی ان کو درپیش ان مناسب کا مناسب حل تلاش کیا جائے کیونکہ چکیسر اپنی تاریخی حیثیت کے ساتھ ساتھ ایک بہت بڑی آبادی والا ضلع شانگلہ کا وہ تحصیل ہے جو اس شانگلہ کی سیاسی و سماجی حلقوں میں عرصہ دراز سے بڑی کردار ادا کر تے رہے ہیں ۔

شانگلہ میں مشران علاقہ و معززین کا پولیس کے ساتھ منشیات سے پاک مہم تعاون کی بھر پوریقین دہانی کردی

نشہ اور مواد انسان کی ذہن اور اعصاب پر انتہائی منفی اثرات مرتب کرکے انسان کے جذباتی پہلو پر اثر انداز ہوتے ہیں اور اچھے بھلے انسان کو خداداد صلاحیتوں کے بھر پور اور مثبت استعمال میں رکاوٹ بن جاتے ہیں ، نشہ اور چیزیں ذہن کو منتشر کرتے ہیں اور انسانی جسم میں کاہلی اور سستی پیدا کرتی ہے جس کا اثربراہ راست انسانی معاشرہ پر پڑ جاتا ہے ، ایک طرف تو نشے کے عادی انسان کا صحت بری طرح متاثر ہوتی ہے جو معاشرے کے ساتھ ساتھ ملکی معیشیت اور ترقی پر بوجھ بن جاتی ہے تو دوسری طرف معاشرے میں کئی جرائم بھی جنم لیتے ہیں کیونکہ منشیات کے عادی انسان نشے کے مواد کی حصول کیلئے طرح طرح کے طریقے استعمال کرتے ہیں، جب وسائیل کم ہوجائے اور منشیات دستیاب نہ ہو تو وہ غیر اخلاقی اور غیر ذمہ دار طریقے سے مالی وسائل کے حصول کیلئے کئی طرح کے ناجائز طریقے استعمال کرنے شروع کرجاتے ہیں جو کہ ائے روز ہمارے معاشرے میں بری طرح بگاڑ پیدا کرنے کا سبب بنتے ہیں۔ منشیات اور نشہ اور مواد معاشرے میں ایک ایسا ناسور بن چکا ہے جو دن بہ دن ہمارے نوجوان نسل کو تباہی کی طرف دھکیل رہی ہے ، اس وقت نہ صرف پاکستان بلکہ پورے دنیا میں منشیات میں روز بروز اضافہ ہورہا ہے اور تقریباً ساری دنیا کسی نہ کسی شکل میں منشیات نے اپنے لپیٹ میں لے لیا ہے ۔ اس حوالے سے اکثر ماہرین ہمارے پڑوسی ملک افغانستان کی پاکستان میں نشہ اور مواد کی پھیلانے میں ریڑھ کی ہڈی کی حیثیت اپنایا ہے اور ان کو عام کرنے میں ان کا بڑا دخل ہے ،اس وقت یہ منشیات فروش نے ایک نئے پالیسی پر عمل پیرا ہوچکے ہیں اور انھوں نے براہ راست تعلیمی اداروں کو نشانے پر لیا ہوا ہے ، ائے دن میڈیا رپورٹس میں تعلیمی اداروں میں ائس اور چرس و دیگر منشیات ان تعلیمی درسگاہوں سے بر امد ہوجاتے ہیں تاہم اس کیلئے سول سوسائیٹی نے خاموش تماشائی کا کردار ادا کیا ۔ ایک طرف دیکھا جائے تو قانون نافذ کرنے والے ادارے اس پر ہاتھ ڈالتے ہیں تو کچھ مایوسیاں بھی سامنے آجاتی ہے ۔

 اسی سلسلے میں ضلعشانگلہ پولیس نے منشیات کے روک تھام کیلئے سکولوں اور کالجوں میں سیمنارز اور واک کا انعقاد شروع کردیا ہے۔ عوام نے اس مثبت اقدام کو سراہ کر ان کی بھر پور خیرمقدم کیا۔ شانگلہ پولیس نے پہلے مرحلے میں کوٹکے بازارمیں منشیات کے خلاف واک کیا جبکہ گورنمنٹ ہائیرسیکنڈری سکول میں سیمنار کا انعقادبھی کیا، جس میں علاقہ مشران، ماہرین تعلیمات،بلدیاتی نمائندوں،علماء ، طلباء نے بھر پور شرکت کی۔شانگلہ پولیس نے منشیات کے خلاف مہم میں مشران علاقہ و معززین کے پولیس کے ساتھ منشیات سے پاک شانگلہ مہم میں تعاون کی بھر پوریقین دہانی کردی ۔ سول سوسائیٹی کے نمائندگان نے ہرسطح پر پولیس کے ساتھ شانہ بشانہ کھڑے ہونے کے عزم کرلیا۔ معاشرے کو اب منشیات کے ناسور سے پاک کرنا ہوگا،ہمیں بطور جہاد اس کالے دھندے کو اپنے ماحول سے ملیا میٹ کرنے کی اشد ضرورت ہے،اس وقت ہمیں بڑا چیلنج منشیات کا ہے اور نوجوان نسل کو ہمیں تباہی سے بچانا ہوگا۔منشیات سے پاک شانگلہ مہم میں علماء۔اساتذہ۔طلباء۔سول سوسائٹی اور میڈیا کو پولیس کا ساتھ دینا ناگزیر ہے۔ ڈسٹرکٹ پولیس افسر شا نگلہ رسول شاہ نے منعقدہ سیمنار گورنمنٹ ہائیرسیکنڈری سکول کوٹکے میں منشیات سے پاک شانگلہ مہم کے سلسلے میں منعقدہ تقریب سے خطاب کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ منشیات میں ملوث اور جرائم پیشہ عناصر کیساتھ سختی سے نمٹا جائے گا ،عوام پولیس کے ساتھ تعاون کرے تو شانگلہ سے جرائم پیشہ افراد کا صفایا کرادیں گے،عوامی تعاون کے بغیر پولیس ادھوری ہے ۔ انھوں نے کہا کہ جرائم پیشہ عناصر کے خلاف عوام شانگلہ پولیس کے ساتھ شانہ بشانہ کھڑے ہیں جس کی وجہ سے پولیس روز بروز منشیات کے خاتمے میں کامیابی سے آگے بڑھ رہی ہے ، عوامی تعاون کے بغیر پائیدار امن سمیت جرائم پیشہ افراد کی روک تھام ممکن نہیں ، منشیات معاشرے میں ناسور ہے اور اس کے خاتمے کیلئے شانگلہ پولیس انتہائی ایمانداری اور جانفشانی سے تگ و دؤ جاری رکھے ہوئے ہیں اور ان عناصر کے ساتھ انتہائی سختی کے ساتھ نمٹا جائیگا ۔ تمام تھانوں کو ہدایت کی گئی ہے کہ وہ ایسے عناصر پر سخت نظر رکھیں اورعلاقے میں منشیات کے خاتمے میں عوام اور مشران علاقہ سے مدد حاصل کریں۔ضلع کے ہر علاقے میں منشیات سے پاک شانگلہ مہم میں سیمنار منعقد کی جائے گی۔

آج خیبرپختونخوا پولیس نے جہاں دپشت گردی کے خلاف جنگ میں کامیابی حاصل کی اب منشیات کے خلاف جہاد کریں گے۔ سیمینار سے معروف عالم دین مفتی علی عباس نے قرآن و سنت کا مستند حوالہ دیتے ہوئے نشہ اورمواد کے حوالے سے شرکاء کو سیر حاصل بحث کیا، ان کا کہنا تھا کہ ہمارے دین اسلام میں بھی نشہ اور چیزیں حرام ہیں اور اس حوالے سے کئی مستند احادیث واضح طور پر موجود ہیں جو کہ نشہ اور مواد کی نفی کرتا ہے ، ہمارے دین اسلام نے نشہ کو استعمال کرنا حرام قرار دیتے ہوئے مسلمانوں کو اس سے دور رہنے کے احکامات جاری کئے ہیں ۔ سیمینار سے ایس پی انوسٹی گیشن محمد خالد ٗپرنسپل گورنمنٹ ہائیر سیکنڈری سکول کوٹکے سیدرفیق ٗسبجیکٹ سپیشلسٹ محمداسلام ٗریٹائرڈ سکول ہیڈ ماسٹر فضل کریم ٗعبیداللہ ٗ ٗمولاناسلطان محمود ٗظاہرشاہ ٗ سمیع اللہ ودیگر نے بھی خطاب کیا۔مقررین نے منشیات کے نقصانات پر علماء نے اسلامی نکتہ نظر قران و حدیث کی روشنی میں واضح طور پر بیان کیا گیا جبکہ ماہرتعلیمات اور طلباء کو منشیات سے دور رہنے اور انکو انسان کیلئے تباہی قرار دیتے ہوئے ان کو تنبیہ دیا کہ وہ ان سے دور رہیں ۔ڈسٹرکٹ پولیس آفیسر شانگلہ نے اپنے خطاب میں کہا کہ خیبر پختونخوا پولیس نے جہاں دہشتگردی کے خلاف جنگ میں انتہائی بہادری کا مظاہرہ کرتے ہوئے امن کو بحال کیا اور شہادت پائی ، دہشتگردوں کے خلاف جہاد کیا ، اب وقت آگیا ہے کہ خیبر پختونخوا پولیس منشیات کے خلاف بھی جہاد کریں ۔۔

سو دن کے بعد عمران نے الطاف حسین کی نقل شروع۔ Imran copy Altaf Hussain s...

Imran follows MQM Altaf Hussian in making lengthy, boring speech studded with lowly references on 100 days in office

Hassan Khan

The lengthy boring speech of Prime Minister Imran Khan at the pompous ceremony marking 100 days of Pakistan Tehrik Insaaf in office, no doubt, reminded the listeners such rhetorical utterances once made by Altaf Hussain – chief of Muthahida Quami Movement- to a similar captive audience.

To sum it up in a sentence, the speech made by Prime Minister Imran Khan to a locked up audience was high in rhetoric and very much low in substance.

It does not seem that a prime minister of a country with 200 million population making serious statement at an important ceremony. It was more like an angry opposition leader bombastically speaking with lowly references; counting on the problems faced by the people for which he was simultaneously accusing others for not delivering.

As said, listening to the long-drawn-out speech of Prime minister Khan - both its contents and spectacles brought in one minds the scenes when MQM supreme leader Altaf Hussain was making long boring sermons to an audience which once nicknamed by Imran Khan himself as ‘dead human elements’.

Truth of the matter is that any political government irrespective of political affiliation would have struggled hard to make certain visible achievements in its first 100 days in office. So PTI or Imran Khan was not any exception.

However, as to its character, the PTI’s extraordinary haste of demonstrating the people that its government was quite prepared in advance for meeting the demands of high office not only put undue pressure on administration, but also needlessly raised expectations of people.

The political opposition is right when it say that no body told the PTI to deliver in 100 days. It’s a fact the target was set by the PTI itself promising to deliver and achieve visible changes on the ground both in improving the system of governance and bettering the people lives.

Listening to the prime minister speech talking of 100 days achievements of the PTI regime in office, it turned out to be high in promises and rhetoric and lowly in delivery and achievements.

When PTI took over reign of power it promised to ‘deliver quick results’ saying people will feel the difference with in first 100 days.

However, to many, on the completion of 100 days in office, even the high-cost ceremony and media campaign proved to be a scene from famous Shakespearean comedy “Much Ado About Nothing”.

It would have been much better, had the PM avoided appearance with such fun fair when there was nothing to present or talk about. A simple press conference by a minister would have been enough.

In an hour long speech, the PM was quite short of saying something substantial, new or meaningful about policy matters or revealing achievements on the economic fronts. All he said was asking the people to tight their belt further and wait for Saudi Arab, UAE or the Chinese aids to reach.  

Daily Dawn has magnificently editorialized government performance saying, “On the financial crisis whose basic contours were set before PTI took office….was perhaps rendered somewhat worse by indecision on part of the PTI’s economic team… There is a contradiction in Khan’s economic philosophy that could hamper his government’s medium-term plans: is economic growth about bringing back allegedly looted wealth stashed abroad, or is it about creating a business- and investment-friendly economic climate?”

The references prime minister made in his speech were again quite similar to the ones generously made by Altaf Hussain sahib in his notorious speeches.

Had Prime Minister Imran Khan being a truthful or honest or somewhere near to politics of Quaid Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah as claimed by him, he would have honorably accepted failures of his administration instead externalizing all challenges or accusing past regimes.

For hundred days in office, PTI has did zero legislation despite spending millions of tax payers money on sessions of both houses of parliament. But how can legislation be done in absence of parliamentary committees which are yet to be formed.

Imran Khan again and again refers to corruption as prime malaise befallen on Pakistan. Certainly, corruption is unacceptable but again poor governance is tied to corruption. But the government seems to have not yet focused on generating wealth which is the obvious way to lift millions of poor out of poverty not the false promises of returning ‘billions of dollars’ stashed by Pakistanis abroad.

At the end one can assume Prime Minister Imran Khan has fortunately one good advantage over MQM leader Altaf Hussian. Imran has an intelligent wife in madam Bushra Manika which keeps on reminding him who he is once he make wrong moves or go off the track. This is a luxury that Altaf Hussian had not had otherwise he would not have fallen from the grace.

Afghan doesn't need Corridor with Pakistan, Kartharpur is for Sikhs in India & world over

Hassan Khan

On Wednesday November 28, when Prime Minister Imran Khan laid foundation stone of the Kartharpur Sahib corridor project between Indian and Pakistan providing a conduit between two holiest places of Sikh religion, some Pakistani politicians, nationalist leaders and social
media activists raised voices for having such a corridor between Pakistan
and Afghanistan.

The critics of Kartharpur corridor or the one demanding corridor between Pakistan and Afghanistan are criminally ignoring the huge differences that existed between Pakistan relations with India and Pakistan relations with Afghanistan respectively.

Since birth of Pakistan in 1947, both Pakistan and India are perpetually in state of hostility. Both had fought three major wars, scores of border conflicts still existed between Delhi and Islamabad and having killed hundreds of thousands of people from both sides.
Like the dissimilarities between people of Pakistan and India, there also existed multiple disputes between the two countries ranging from territorial disputes over Himalayan state of Kashmir to border disputes over Line of Control.

The cross border movement between people of India and Pakistan is almost non-existent; and exports and imports trade between the two countries is done via third countries.  

There is a strict visa regime between India and Pakistan.
People from both countries are facing extreme hardships in visiting each other families or relations, or even the religious sites in respective countries.

There is hardly any movement at the border points between India and Pakistan except Wahga and Attrari border point. The spectacles of machoism at Wahga-Attari displayed by border forces of India and Pakistan are just for the visitors eyes to see. However crossing the point even with valid documents  is the most difficult exercise and is hardly seen done.

Contrary, to this situation, there are multiple open border points between Pakistan and Afghanistan. During the last seven decades, the border points along Pak Afghan border are flooded by people round the clock from both sides.
Until recently, there was hardly any visa regime existed between Pakistan and Afghanistan and people used to visit each other countries without valid documents.

Even today, majority of Afghans are still not used to cross the border with valid visa or other documents. The scenes at Torkham, Chaman and Ghulam Khan border points are witness to the reality that prevailed between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Daily hundreds of thousands are visiting their relatives, hospitals for medical treatment and educational institutions.

Visiting the Torkham border point at any time of the day one can see thousands of people still coming from Afghanistan entering Pakistan without having visa. No doubt, to check the movements of bad elements on both sides of the border, both the countries agreed to have a proper visa regime like other
countries.

However, just a year or two ago, Afghans or Pakistani never felt any need to have a visa regime from either sides to cross the border. Even today more people or crossing border points between Afghanistan and Pakistan without valid visa than those having valid documents between any two countries of the world.

After Torkham, other most busy border point is Chaman linking Balochistan with Kandahar province of Afghanistan.

According to a senior official in Pakistan Consulate in Kandahar, majority of Afghans even today not applying for visas at the Kandahar mission; the reason is they believed – and quite obvious - for them it is more easy to cross the border without having visa than going through the ordeals of getting visa.

Hundreds of Afghans are visiting the Pakistani hospitals for treatment almost daily. Majority of the ailing Afghans are availing the facilities even at public sector hospitals which are meant for the Pakistan own people who are paying taxes. Afghans kids are studying in Pakistani educational institutions while residing with their relatives.

Ghulam Khan, Angoor Ada, Tri Mangal, Torkham, Nawa Pass, Arando and Chaman are the few important openings between Pakistan and Afghanistan which are flooded by people from both sides all the time. Scores such other points along the border are not listed, however, they are used by the local people from both sides.

Its a fact that people of Pakistan and Afghanistan are just like one nation, while people of India and Pakistan have lots of dissimilarities ranging from religion, language, culture and geographies.

Those asking Pakistan to have similar treatment with Afghans as Islamabad is meting out with Indians is asking for creating hatred and mistrust between the two people.

What I suggest would to have open border policy with Afghanistan as like the past instead having corridor type facilities which are symbol of hatred.
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In panel discussion on killing of SP Tahir Dawar with Aimal Khattak

لوئر اورکزئی دھماکہ اورچینی سفارت خانے پرحملہ

                                                                                                                                                  حسن خان
دو دن پہلے کرتا پور کوریڈورکھولنے کی پاکستان کی پیشکش پر بھارت کی جانب سے رضامندی کے فیصلے سے دونوں اطراف خوشی کی ایک لہر دوڑ گئی تھی اور یہ سمجھا جارہا تھا کہ دونوں ملکوں کے مابین کشیدہ تعلقات کی برف اب پگھلنا شروع ہو گئی ہے لیکن کراچی کے علاقے کلفٹن بلاک 4میں گاڑی میں سوار دہشت گردوں نے چینی قونصل خانے اور اورکزئی میں جو حملہ ہوا ہے یقینا اس نے اس خوشی کو ماند کر دیا ہے ۔ واضح رہے کہ دہشت گروں کے چینی سفارت خانے پر حملے کے نتیجے میں 2پولیس اہلکار وں سمیت 4افراد شہید اور سیکیورٹی گارڈ شدید زخمی ہوا ہے جبکہ پولیس اور رینجرز کی جوابی کارروائی کے نتیجے میں 3دہشت گرد ہلاک ہوئے ہیں جن کے قبضے سے خود کش جیکٹس، اسلحہ اور گولہ بارود برآمد ہوا ہے۔دوسری طرف لوئر اورکزئی کے علاقے کلایا بازار میں بارودی مواد کے دھماکے میں30افراد جاں بحق اور 40سے زائد زخمی ہوئے۔دوسری طرف کابینہ اجلاس کے دوران خطاب کرتے ہوئے وزیراعظم عمران خان کا کہنا تھا کہ چینی سفارت خانے اور اورکزئی حملے سر پرائز نہیں ہیں۔ ہمیں پہلے سے خدشہ تھا کہ ایسا ہو سکتا ہے کیوں کہ چین کے ساتھ معاہدوں کے بعد کچھ طاقتوں کو فکر لاحق تھی، کچھ طاقتیں پاکستان کو کمزور کرنا چاہتی ہیں۔عمران خان نے کہا کہ ہم چین کے ساتھ معاہدوں کو سامنے نہیں لاسکتے وہ خفیہ ہیں، سب کو پتہ ہے ایسے معاہدے کسی ملک اور پاکستان کے درمیان نہیں ہوئے لہٰذا ان معاہدوں کے بعد خدشات موجود تھے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ معیشت مستحکم ہو رہی ہے اور پاکستان میں انتشار دیکھنے والوں نے ایسا کرنا تھا۔اس سے قبل وزیراعظم عمران خان نے چینی قونصل خانے پر حملے کی مذمت کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ پولیس اور رینجرز کی بہادری اور کارکردگی پر فخر ہے، انہوں نے چینی قونصل خانے پر حملے کی جامع تحقیقات کا بھی حکم دیا۔
 جہاں تک چینی سفارت خانے پر ہونے والے حملے کا تعلق ہے اس حملے کی ذمہ داری علیحدگی پسند تنظیم بلوچ لبریشن آرمی نے قبول کی ہے جبکہ لوئر اور کزئی حملے کی ذمہ داری تاحا ل کسی کی جانب سے قبول نہیں کی گئی ۔ علیحدگی پسند تنظیم بلوچ لبریشن آرمی کی جانب سے حملے کی ذمہ داری قبول کرنے کے تانے بانے بھارت سے بھی ملتے ہیںکیونکہ بھارت کے جاسوس کلبھوشن یادیو نے اپنے اعترافی بیان میں ''بلوچ لبریشن آرمی(بی ایل اے)کو بھارتی فنڈنگ کا انکشاف کیا تھا اور اعتراف کیا تھاکہ یہ تنظیم بھارت کی ایما پر پاکستان میں کارروائیاں کرتی ہے۔ کلبھوشن یادیو کے اسی بیان کی بنیاد پر گزشتہ روز چینی قونصلیٹ پر ہونے والے حملے میں بھارت کے ملوث ہونے کا شبہ ظاہر کیا جا رہا ہے۔اس شبہ نے ایک بار پھر بھارت کے مکروہ چہرے کو بے نقاب کردیا ہے کرتا پور کوریڈور کے کھولنے پر رضامندی کے پیچھے بھی مودی سرکار کی ایک چال تھی کیونکہ اس وقت بھارت میں الیکشن ہونے جارہے ہیں اورمودی سرکارنے سکھ برادری کو خوش کرنے کیلئے ایسا کیا ہے لیکن دوسری طرف اس نے دہشت گردوں سے چینی سفارت خانے پر حملہ کروا کے پاکستان کو بھی واضح پیغام دے دیا ہے کہ وہ کسی غلط فہمی نہ رہے کہ وہ پاک چین تعلقات کو قبول کرے گا۔ یاد رہے کہ علیحدگی پسند تنظیم بی ایل اے نے حملے کی ذمہ داری قبول کرنے کے ساتھ ساتھ یہ بھی کہا ہے کہ یہ حملہ چین کے لیے ایک تنبیہ ہے کہ وہ ہماری زمین پر قبضے کی کوشش چھوڑ دے ورنہ مستقبل میں اسے مزید سنگین معاملات کا سامنا کرنا پڑے گا جبکہ چینی اور پاکستانی حکومتیں سی پیک کو پاکستان اور خاص طور پر بلوچستان کے لیے گیم چینجر قرار دیتی ہیں۔ ان کا موقف ہے کہ سی پیک کے ذریعے بلوچستان سمیت ملک کے بہت سے پسماندہ علاقوں میں ترقیاتی کام کیے جائیں گے جس سے ترقی سے محروم ان علاقوں میں خوشحالی آئے گیلیکن بھارت پاک چین تعلقات کو خراب کرنے کے ساتھ ساتھ پاک چین اقتصادی راہداری منصوبے کو بھی نقصان پہنچانا چاہتا ہے۔اپنے انہی مذموم عزائم کے حصول کیلئے بھارت بلوچستان لبریشن آرمی اور چھوٹی چھوٹی علیحدگی پسند تنظیموں کے ذریعہ پاکستان سے پراکسی جنگ جاری رکھے ہوئے ہے اگرچہ بلوچستان میں دہشت گردوں کا کافی حد تک صفایا کردیا گیا ہے لیکن مکمل صفایا اس لئے مشکل ہے کہ یہ دن کے وقت عام لوگوں کی زندگی بسر کرتے ہیں رات کو دہشت گرد کاروپ اختیار کرلیتے ہیں تاہم ان کی تعداد اب بہت کم ہے جس کا ثبوت صوبے کے ان علاقوں سے جہاں ان کا زور تھا پریشان کن خبریں نہیں آرہیں۔ بہت کم افرادی قوت رہ جانے کے باعث کیونکہ پہلے جیسی دہشت گردی ممکن نہیں رہی اس لئے اب ایک نئی حکمت عملی کے تحت ان چند دہشتگردوں کے ذریعہ جو پہاڑوں میں روپوش ہیں ہائی پروفائل ٹارگٹ نشانہ بنائے جارہے ہیں ظاہر ہے ایک سو عام لوگوں کے مارے جانے کو عالمی سطح پر اتنا محسوس نہیں کیا جاتا جتنا کسی پولیس آفیسر یا اہلکار اور فوج رینجرز یا ایف سی کے آفیسر یا جوان کا نشانہ بننا توجہ حاصل کرتا ہے اسی حکمت عملی کو بروئے کار لایا جارہا ہے۔لیکن بھارت یہ بھول گیا ہے کہ پاک چین دوستی ہمالیہ سے بلند اور بحریہ عرب سے گہری ہے، پاکستان اور چین کے معاشی، اسٹریٹیجک تعلقات کے خلاف سازش کامیاب نہیں ہوسکتی۔
اس میں کوئی شک نہیںکہ کچھ قوتیں نہیں چاہتیں کہ اس ملک میں استحکام اور امن ہو، یہ قوتیں معاشی ترقی کے راستے میں رکاوٹ بننا چاہتی ہیں تاہم سیکیورٹی فورسز نے ان کے عزائم کو خاک میں ملادیا ہے۔ پاک چین دوستی لازوال ہے اور دونوں ممالک کے راستے میں یہ قوتیں رکاوٹ بننا چاہتی ہیں تاہم وہ اپنے عزائم میں ناکام ہوں گے۔یقینادونوں حملے ملک میں بدامنی پھیلانے کی سوچی سمجھی سازش کے تحت کئے گئے ہیںاور ان حملوں میں وہ قوتیں ملوث ہیں جو پاکستان کی ترقی سے خوش نہیں تاہم کسی کے ذہن میں کوئی شبہ نہیں ہونا چاہیے کہ ہماری پاک فوج اور سیکورٹی ادارے ہر قیمت پر ان دہشت گردوں کو شکست دیں گے۔

Kartarpur Corridor&attack on Chinese consult; Is India behind attack?

Hassan Khan
The attack on Chinese Consulate in Karachi on Friday, just a day after India agrees to Pakistani proposal of opening the Kartarpur Corridor to facilitate the Sikhs pilgrims, has lead to many questions.
The incident hinted at the usual practice of saboteurs who always resort to such terrorist strikes whenever there is any positive development between India and Pakistan.
The group that claimed responsibility for the attack – known as Baluchistan Liberation Army – BLA has long been known to have relations with India intelligence agency RAW. The Indian prime minister Narender Modi and Indian National Security adviser Ajeet Davol has a number of times threatened Pakistan of being hit at Baluchistan front - if what they accused- Islamabad did not stop support to the Kashmiris freedom fighters.
The timing and the target of the attack is quite intriguing and seem to be done quite intelligently. Of the timing; Pakistan’s offer of Kartarpur corridor in August this year has been accepted by the Modi administration after lapse of months. While the target is the Chinese diplomats. Pakistan and China has come very close to each other, and the latter is investing billions of dollars in Pakistan on the CPEC projects.

Of the timing and the Kartarpur corridor opening; many in India believed the Indian administration has accepted the Pakistan proposal Kartarpur corridor with a heavy heart. Initially, New Delhi tried to put the issue under the carpet and kept silence over the proposal for months.
However, as national elections are around the corner in India, so it was not possible for Modi administration to annoy the Punjab population, largely comprising of the followers of Sikh religion. And Modi's Bahartia Janta Party does not want to loose the Sikhs votes in the parliamentary elections.

Then the patron of the attack is quite usual. We see in the recent past that whenever there is any good or positive development between India and Pakistan certain bad incidents happen. This sabotage all the good work consummated over the period of years by official of both the countries.
Right from the starting of composite dialogue to comprehensive talks to meeting of foreign ministers of India and Pakistan at the UN general assembly every move is followed by terrorist attacks in either country.
Now the question is whether BLA – which has accepted the responsibility for attack and has the alleged support of Indian intelligence agency- has done the act on behest of RAW or has acted on its own? However, its a fact that the good well created between the two nations following agreements on Kartarpur corridor just days before is dented and there is fear of the both the countries going to square one?
But if Kartarpur corridor is not a target then most probably India wanted to present Pakistan to the world as unsafe country and a good destination for investors? Or India - as it has already expressed apprehensions over the project of CPEC- wanted to create rifts between Pakistan and China – by targeting Chinese interests- so that the Chinese withdrew their investment from Pakistan.
The Indian government has no doubt condemned the attack on Chinese consulate, however, it is up to Pakistan what course its taking in the emerging situation. In the past Pakistan has also condemned such terrorist attacks in India, however, in return Indian government did not stop accusing Pakistan for being involved in the criminal acts.
God forbids if Pakistan blamed India for the terrorist attack it may damage the progress so far made on the Kartarpur corridor.
ends

Why Daesh attack Milad un Nabi function in Kabul?

Hassan Khan

On the day when faithfuls were
observing the birth anniversary of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in Kabul, terrorists strike and killed some 100 innocent Afghans and injured so many others. Officials sources termed the attack as one of the deadliest assaults to strike Afghanistan this year.

Among the victims majority were the students of the madrassas and followers of religious personality Pir Saif ur Rehman.

Eyewitness Mohammad Hanif said verses of Quran were being recited when there was a deafening explosion followed by “chaos” inside the packed 

According to the manager of the Uranus Wedding Palace, which also hosts political and religious functions, suicide bomber blew himself up in middle of gathering of around 1,000 people.

The Islamic State in Afghanistan group, sometimes known as Islamic State Khorasan, has claimed responsibility for most of the recent deadly attacks of this kind.

The gathering was of the followers of Pir Saif ur Rehman - a religious personality who died recently and is buried in Lahore. Pir was known as Pir-e-Kamil and was pursuing all the four important series of Tareeqat including Naqshbandiya, Chisteeya, Qadreya and Suharwerdiya. 

Pir sb basically belonged to the Kanduz province in Afghanistan and migrated to Pakistan in the decade of seventies when Afghanistan was attacked by Soviet Union forces. He was settled in Khyber Agency tehsil Bara - an area mostly inhabited by the Afridi tribe. 

In Bara when militancy started growing up a group named Lashkar e Islami was formed by one Mufti Muneer Shakir. The Mufti was dead against Pir sb. When the rivalry and enmity between both the Mufti and Pir sb reach at dangerous level the local jirga expelled both from the areas. Pir sb has migrated to Lahore and settled there permanently. 

After some time the leadership of Lashkar e Islami was taken over by a militant commander Mangal Bagh Afridi. Pakistan military carried a number of military operations against Mangal Bagh and his group. Mangal Bagh later shifted along with his group to Afghanistan to avoid wrath of the military.

Reports say, Mr Mangal Bagh after getting weakened has joined the terrorist group - ISIS- locally known as Daesh or sometimes known as Islamic State Khorasan.

Some observers are hinting at the fact that the Kabul attack on the followers of Pir Saif ur Rehman as being orchestrated by elements in Islamic State of Khorasan who belonged to Mangal Bagh group who has joined the ISIS.   

----------- ends

Can Pakistan fight Hybrid Wars without free media, vibrant civil society, control political environment?

Hassan Khan

Pakistan Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has said that Pakistan is currently faced with an intensely fought hybrid war. The enemy has opened war against Pakistan from different fronts.

What is Hybrid War? Is Pakistan capable in the current situation to win this completed war?
This seems to be a big question agitating minds of Pakistani intelligentsia. 

Keeping in view the present state of Pakistani society and political dispensation, the answer seems to be a big No. The reasons are; hybrid wars could not be fought with conventional weapons or by the security establishment only.
This multi faceted challenge - where the enemy primarily used non conventional tools to weaken the state and its social fabrics - so the response shall also be multi faceted from all segments of society.
What is the state of Pakistani society? We see the divided Pakistani nation is badly exposed and the society is near to crumbling down. Economy on the continuous down slide.
The nation is divided. There exists extreme religious polarity. The society is divided on the bases of sects and schism. One sects is hell bent on killing members of the other sects calling them kafirs and non believers. No sects is ready to accept members of other sects as Muslims.
In the same fashion country is fast faced with ethnic hatred and mistrust.
Be it the Pakhtuns, Baloch, Sindis or Punjabis there is growing mistrust against each other. One ethnic community is accusing other for all the ills befallen on them.
Pakhtuns are feeling to be marginalized. The growing feelings among Pakhtuns diaspora are the state have been using them as fodders for wars, specially the war against militants, since long.

There seem to be some facts in the accusations.
Pakhtuns intelligentsia believed the sate during the last several decades used their territory as launching ground for all its dirty war gaming in neighboring Afghanistan. Militancy was promoted, militants groups formed and jihadist networks established. But once these networks and militants organizations turned into monsters challenging its motherly-institutions; the state start military operations against them. But in fact caused colossal losses to the people and society at large in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and formerly tribal areas.
Millions were displaced, homes were razed to grounds flaura and fauna destroyed. In the name of war against terror billions of dollars were brought to the country but not single penny used for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of tribal areas and Pakhtunkhwa.
Though the whole dirty exercise was done by the establishment and states security top bosses specially those having lusts and greed for powers. However, the establishment purposely, presented the Punjabi population as sand bags and easy target of growing hatred against the state and its institutions.
The Baloch are already marginalized. They believed rest of Pakistan has been intentionally keeping Baluchistan province under developed. Their resources are being devoured by others specially by the Punjab.

Likewise, another important arm of society, the free Media is under sever attack from the state and state institutions. Media persons are labeled as traitors, lifafa journalists or being sold out to various
bodies.

The media persons who are not following the specific agenda of some powers or institutions or their narratives are sidelined and thrown out from their jobs. Others are getting threatened.
This is coupled with continuous targeting of the country political leadership. Since decades, the genuine political leaders are labeled as corrupt and inefficient and anti state. The society is in complete grip of fear and uncertainty. Who so ever is opposing the establishment or is myopic narratives is put behind the bars.

The culture of debate, discussion, discourse and study is gradually diminishing. Universities are turning out to be the factories producing domesticated human elements. Education is not existent everywhere. 
People have the growing perceptions that political leaders, media persons and civil society members of certain mindset are promoted and the other discouraged and thrown out of the line.

This is the state of affairs where the Pakistani nations is exposed to fight the hybrid wars as stated by the chief of army staff Gen Bajwa. But to fight a successful hybrid war one need a strong political culture, free media and vibrant civil society and strong educational institutions where real tolerant educated human beings are produced not robots.

Unfortunately, all arms of Pakistani nation and state are either not existent or being weaken to the level to put a genuine fight.
Here the dominate narratives are in total control, religious extremism is widespread. Political dissent is not tolerated. The mistrust among ethnicities is growing.
How can one successfully fight this complicated hybrid war without free media, strong political leadership and vibrant civil society.

It’s a big question. And those who are managing the affairs of the state – from behind the curtains- must realize gravity of the situation, otherwise, God forbid, we are heading towards a disastrous end.

Ends

US surrenders to Taliban; Adopt USSR strategy to Exit Afghanistan

Hassan Khan

US seems to have adopted the USSR strategy to exit from Afghanistan. Washington started negotiating peace in Afghanistan with Taliban militia completely keeping Afghan government out of loop. The current negotiations are started on conditions of Taliban. US accepted that solution to Afghan problem lies on political negotiations. The US also accepted Taliban Qatar office and had released a number of Taliban leaders as pre-conditions. Sources say US is also ready to postpone Afghan presidential elections scheduled in April next year on demand of Taliban and install an interim government.

Afghan president Ashraf Ghani is also complaining about US envoy Zalmi Khalilzad meeting with Afghan political leaders and political parties. Ghani wants to the US administration to include the reps of Afghan government in the negotiating team. However, the US is interested in a powerful Afghans representative board which is also acceptable to the Taliban. Taliban has already given a hint that the militia leadership will not accept any team nominated by Afghan president Ashraf Ghani.

In Kabul the Afghan intelligentsia believed that currently Dr Ghani is trying to make the talks between US and Taliban unsuccessful. As in case of success the elections might be postponed and then there will be less chances of Ashraf Ghani standing again as president.

Who kill Gen Raziq, Maulana Sami ul Haq; SP Tahir Dawar? All related to Taliban, militants

Hassan Khan

The most important question that is currently agitating minds
of those who are keeping focus on Pakistan and Afghanistan region, is who is
behind the killing of three most important personalities in span of weeks.

October is a very crucial month for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
In this month; for the first time Afghan Taliban started talking to the US. The
US envoy Zalmi Khalil Zad visited the Qatar office of the militia met with the
movement leaders.

Prior meeting with Taliban leaders US envoys met with senior
government leaders in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Saudi Arab. Following US reps interactions
Taliban; Pakistan released a number of important Taliban leaders from its
prisons including Mulla Ghani Baradar – who is the co-founder of Taliban
movement along with Mulla Omar.

In mid October a staunch anti Taliban police commander
General Raziq Achakzai was shot and killed in Kandahar at a high security
governor house compound in the presence of US general and other senior
officers.

Raziq’s murder created uproar in the entire Afghanistan as
he was considered the only strong man standing like a rock against the Taliban
and had kept them away from Kandahar province. In circumstances where in Gen
Raziq was killed, Afghan intelligentsia started pointing fingers at the US military
and the Afghan government being involved in the murder

 However, Afghan
president Dr Ashraf Ghani, as usual, accused Pakistan and said the handlers of
the lone shooters were in contact from across the border in Chaman town of
Pakistan.

The murder has somehow further tensed the relations between
Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The mud of Gen Raziq grave was not yet dried, when in
Pakistan capital Islamabad a senior clerk believed to be highly influential in
the Taliban leadership – Maulana Sami ul Haq – was stabbed to death at his
residence.

In Afghanistan and international community the Maulana had been
notoriously known as Father of Taliban leadership. Interestingly, the family
members of Sami ul Haq hinted at the involvement of Afghanistan in his murder.

Week after the murder of Maulana Sami, another major
incident happened in Pakistan. A senior police officer of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
police - Tahir Khan Dawar - who was known for doing daring operations against
the militants - was kidnapped from Islamabad. Latter his body was recovered
from across the border in Afghanistan.

Though his body was handed over to Pakistani, however, the
delay in handing over the body has led to sever tension between the two countries.
The situation has got so much vitiated that Pakistan military spokesman issued
a statement hinting at the involvement of Afghan intelligence body or
individuals in the kidnapping and killing of SP Tahir Khan Dawar.

Now important questions are who are behind the killings of
three important persons in Pakistan and Afghanistan? The timing is also very
much crucial in this regards.

Taliban has started negotiation with the US. The US has
accepted a number of conditions of Taliban movement like releasing their
prisons and allowing those members of the militia to be part of Taliban Qatar
office who were earlier released from the notorious Guantanamo prison.

Two of the deceased Gen Raziq and SP Tahir Dawar were known
as anti militant’s police commanders, while Maulana Sami ul Haq was known to be
father of Afghan Taliban.

No doubt none of the stakeholders of Afghan conflict are benefiting
from these murders. All including Pakistan and the US are at loss. So who has
done this? This is a question that needs answer.

Observers are demanding of the government of Pakistan and Afghanistan
that instead of getting involved in the blame game against each other, jointly
investigate the whole game. Definitely, such acts have further widened the
trust deficit between the two countries.

These acts are no doubts the handiworks of those who will
benefits from the destabilized environment in the region. These may be the acts
of the anti peace lobby or those who do not want to see Pakistan and Afghanistan
get close to each other.

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SP Tahir Khan Dawar body arrives in Pakistan.

 

Body of senior Pakistani police officer Tahir Khan Dawar is handed over to Pakistani authorities and family members on Thursday at Torkham border point.
Tahir was abducted from Islamabad posh sector on 26 October. He was taken across the border to Afghanistan and killed. The murder of senior police officer Tahir Dawar created a lot of confusion in Pakistan. 

The attitude of Afghan authorities also led to some suspicion whey they refused to handover the body to Pakistani officials who were waiting at the border point. In a very undiplomatic manner, the Afghan authorities said they would deliver the body to the tribal elders of Tahir Dawar or the family members.
However, after making a lot of wait, the Afghanistan handed over the body to Pakistan authorities and elders of the Dawar tribe at the border point.
Questions are being raised about the mysterious way the officer was kidnapped and taken across the border. Why Pakistani security agencies did not succeed in recovering him prior he was taken to Afghanistan. In Pakistan the political parties are questioning the role of government and police departments also. The major question is it took a long way to reach the border and one has to pass through cores of check points. 

Afrasiab Khattak asks for debate on allegations against him;says join PkSF in 1948 since then follows party line

Hassan Khan

In response to Awami National Party Central President Asfandyar Wali Khan ambiguous show cause notice; Mr Afrasiab Khattak in his detail reply asked the party leadership to convene meetings of party relevant forums and discuss allegations against me prior taking any decision.

Mr Khattak reply had been already rejected by the party and consequently party membership of Khattak was suspended - thus breaking his 50 years old association with the nationalist’s party.

In his detail response, Khattak referred to policies of state including imposition of Taliban on Afghanistan; blocking path of democratic, progressive and nationalist parties in Pakhtun areas.

Complained of spilling blood of thousands of innocents in Afghanistan; discouraging reforms in districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Khattak asked the party leadership not to opt to be fence sitter or aloof from vital issues facing Pakhtun nation and face the challenges posed by undemocratic forces or non-state terrorists like excluding it from electoral process.

“It is my sincere opinion a meeting of party’s relevant forums should be called to discuss the allegations on me and other colleagues before making any final decision,” says Khattak.

Following is the detail reply of Afrasiab Khattak to the show cause notice.

Respected Mian Iftikhar Hussain

Central General Secretary ANP

On 5^th November, I read on social media of the show cause notice sent to me, which you wrote on the instructions of the Central President. In the evening, I read the content of the notice in my twitter DM. The next day, details were published in newspapers. Two days later, I received the official notice in the mail.

In this short notice, there is a cryptic reference to my engaging in activities which have harmed the party’s interests and discipline. In the short response I sent you on the first day, I said that if this notice mentioned one, two or three activities then I could definitely explain my position but even after this, I wasn’t given a clear charge-sheet.

I joined the Pakhtun Students’ Federation in [1948]. From being a political worker, with a 50-year long political life, I have some sense of party discipline. I have obeyed the norm of civilized political discourse within the party, according to its constitution and manifesto. Although I was completely sidelined for the past 5 years, I have always discussed party policy within relevant party institutions. And during this time, whatever task the party gave me, I fulfilled to the best of my abilities.

From student days, I have been affiliated with journalism in a part-time capacity. At different times, I have written columns for different newspapers. However, my newspaper columns are a reflection of my personal opinion and I have never tried to imply that they reflect the party’s position.

Recently, the party’s provincial and central council meetings were held. If there were any allegations of violating discipline on any of us, then the central and provincial council meetings were the relevant and democratic forum at which to debate and decide this matter. But the issue wasn’t raised there.

In democratic political parties, there are different opinions on which there is ongoing debate. Who would know this better than the workers of NAP and ANP in which, in better times, the meetings of the central committee would last for days. A problem only arises when difference of opinion is no longer tolerated.

In the Awami National Party, it is the considered opinion of many of us that in the Pakistani state, undemocratic forces have not only failed to accept the country’s federal, parliamentary and democratic constitutional system but have constantly tried to destroy it. In particular, since 2014, there has been a creeping coup which has the following goals:

Strangulating democratic freedoms by imposing a civil martial law in the country, which has begun with the freedom of expression. The media is being shackled with the chains of fascist restrictions.

To end the federal democratic system, in particular the 18^th amendment, there are open and secret conspiracies and, through a new edition of the doctrine of necessity, the judiciary is being used to attack the federal democratic system. Cutting the share of provinces in the NFC award unconstitutionally is being discussed openly.

In order to advance the creeping coup, the political parties who oppose it are being arm-twisted through state resources and force. Accountability has not only become a source of political victimization but is being used to destroy opposition parties and force people into the King’s party.

The July 2018 elections were, in fact, the greatest theft of the popular mandate in the country’s history in which the Election Commission, judiciary, caretaker governments and army fully participated. For the first time in the country’s history, political parties named the serving army officers who interfered in the elections. Our party also held a day of protest against election rigging on 30^th But until now, there has not been any investigation or legal action.

The goals of the creeping coup include imposing the Taliban on Afghanistan and blocking the path of democratic, progressive and nationalist parties in Pashtun areas. On one hand, this is spilling the blood of thousands of innocents in Afghanistan and on the other hand, reforms have been stopped and the western districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are being practically kept under a martial law.

We feel that in this situation the party of Bacha Khan and Wali Khan cannot remain non-partisan and aloof. We also realize that the party has faced severe pressure from undemocratic forces and the card of so-called non-state terrorists has been used to spill the blood of the party’s countless martyrs and to exclude it from the electoral process. Within the party, lists of “acceptable” and “unacceptable” names have been circulating. I believe that everyone is aware of this challenge facing the party. There can be different opinions on the strategy used to deal with it. However, the way to solve this problem is to call a meeting of the party’s relevant institutions and to arrive at some conclusion through debate.

It is my sincere opinion that a meeting of the party’s relevant forums should be called to discuss the allegations on me and other colleagues, before making a decision, and the political issues that I mentioned should also be examined in order to reach a conclusion. (In the last meeting of the council, some of us raised these issues but there was neither detailed discussion nor a decision). In this case, I will abide by the decision of the party’s forums.

Afrasiab Khattak

Member Advisory Council and Central Executive Committee

Awami National Party

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