TERROR HAS A NEW MEANING IN PAKISTAN

3 05 2009

She was a teenage girl, barely 17. Clad in a dark blue burka and red salwar kameez, she was held down by two men, her face rubbing in the dirt. A third man in a black turban whippped her lower back more than 30 times in a minute and a half, while she kept screaming in her teenage voice out of terror and pain.

“Stop. It’s killing me.” “For God’s sake, stop,” she sobbed. “I swear on my father and grandmother I won’t do it again.”

She was a girl in remote Swat valley in Pakistan. Her fault was that she hosted a man in her house and slept with him, allegedly. No proofs or evidences were required. But Taliban pronounced its judgment and the girls, and thousand others were given an example of what `crossing a boundary’ would mean for women in the region.

Welcome to Taliban ruled Swat valley. Brutality has got a new meaning here. Not only Pakistan but entire world listened to her screams, probably a month after she underwent the cruel and humiliating punishment. But unfortunately this is probably only the beginning, dooms days might follow..

Swat was a garden of Ashoka and was prosperous land in the Buddhist time. It was a very peaceful place known for its beauty. If one sees Swat today, there is no sign of peace in the valley everything has been washed away. The people are living through the most miserable phase of its history. No doubt, the valley has witnessed invasions, turbulence and chaos from the time of Alexander’s invasion in 327 BC to the formation of Swat state in 1917 and now Taliban.

The provincial government agreed in February to let Islamists impose sharia law in Swat in exchange for peace. Critics said appeasement would only embolden the militants who aim to take over other areas. Pakistan’s Western allies fear pacts create safe havens for Taliban and al-Qa’ida fighters. And their fears are coming true as Taliban is out on street, all in the role of both judge and executioner.

One website quoted as saying, “Pakistan has admitted that it was compelled to ink a peace deal with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) because it faltered in its bid to counter the increasing extremism in the Swat Valley”.

Most of Pakistan’s 160 million people are conservative but moderate and most of them seem to shudder in fear looking at the heinous and relentless acts hardliners have started doing.

Swat was one of Pakistan’s main tourist destinations with mountain hikes, Buddhist ruins and skiing in the winter until a couple of years ago when militants infiltrated from enclaves on the Afghan border to support a radical cleric.

Militants attacked security forces and assassinated numerous opponents while banning girls from classes and destroying more than 200 schools. The military mounted offensives to push the militants out of the valley but they just slipped back when fighting eased.

Pakistani officials argue that many residents of the Swat Valley, which only became part of Pakistan in 1969, have long demanded Sharia law because of the weakness of the secular state judicial system.

It is also likely to reinforce fears that the militants are now using Swat, which is just 100 miles from the Pakistani capital, as a base to spread their ideology and launch terrorist attacks deeper within Pakistan. Probably this is what they call the quintessential `jungle raaj’, which is looking entire Pakistan in face.

One website quoted saying “Pakistan has admitted that it was compelled to ink a peace deal with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) because it faltered in its bid to counter the increasing extremism in the Swat Valley”.

Swat was a garden of Ashoka and was prosperous land in the Buddhist time. It was a very peaceful place known for its beauty. If one sees Swat today, there is no sign of peace in the valley everything has been washed away. The people are living through the most miserable phase of its history. No doubt, the valley has witnessed invasions, turbulence and chaos from the time of Alexander’s invasion in 327 BC to the formation of Swat state in 1917 and now Taliban.

Sumi and Saurabh Verma (manul)


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Exploring Terrorism

11 03 2009
As British daily ‘Daily Telegraph’ reported -’Helmets and pads aren’t enough protection any more. Machineguns are the order of the day. It might be bullet-proof glass on buses next,’, it is for sure that the terror attacks on six Srilankan cricketers in Pakistan have changed world cricket and nothing will be the same for players or officials.

One can be sure there is a different feeling every time a player steps on a team bus after the attack. Players have been shaken by what happened and are reconsidering where they will be willing to play cricket in the future.
  

Mahela Jayawardene - cut to ankle, minor injuries
Kumar Sangakkara - shrapnel cut to shoulder, minor injuries
Ajantha Mendis - shrapnel wound to back, minor injuries
Tharanga Paranavithana - shrapnel wound to his chest, minor injuries but went to hospital
Thilan Samaraweera - worst injured with what appeared to be a shrapnel wound to his leg.
Taken to hospital, but not seriously wounded.
Paul Farbrace- (assistant coach) – shrapnel wound to his arm, minor injuries

For several terrifying minutes on March 3, the Sri Lankan cricket team lay helpless, under siege by a band of gunmen armed with assault rifles, grenades and rockets who ambushed their convoy outside the cricket stadium in Lahore, Pakistan. The attack killed six police officers and a car driver and wounded seven of the athletes, an umpire and one of Sri Lanka’s coaches. 

Though other teams had refused to play in Pakistan, fearing the escalating chaos caused by Islamic insurgents, Sri Lanka agreed after being assured its most cherished sportsmen would receive the same level of security accorded a visiting head of state.

Watching different channels and looking at the footage of the attack, it is clear that religious fundamentalists may have struck yet again. They were armed with hand grenades, rocket launchers, modern rifles and other sophisticated weapons apparently they were with a small beard and looked to belong to Pushtoon origin. 

The government is claiming that they were able to save the Sri Lankan team and I remain shocked to hear the top Lahore police officers saying that there were no security lapses then one has to wonder how such a disaster could have been orchestrated amid a tight security situation. The team was assured a high-level security protocol, which should have ideally resembled a mile long blockade as witnessed during the VVIP movement of dignitaries. But 12 gun totting individuals making an ambush on the Cricket teams motorcade means a massive security lapse on the part of the local administration.

And it was not at all surprising to see the sheer force with which lunatic leaders of Pakistan are the blame game. There is mounting evidence that these attacks were perpetrated by locals, and were clearly intended to humiliate the Pakistani government and terrorize the population. These idiots first said that India orchestrated the attack in Mumbai, and now they are saying that India did this as ‘revenge’. Why the hell would India want revenge for something it did itself? That there is not a single anchor sharp or educated enough to point out these gaping holes in their shameless jingoistic ‘logic’ is disappointing, to be mild.

To save their face, now at least the shameless leaders should show some degree of honesty and do a proper investigation in the case. 

Sumi  and Saurabh Verma 


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Fools Pact

20 02 2009

Denial and oblivious to what is happening around them has became a signature style for Pakistani establishment and it is very funny and at times sad to watch leaders of Pakistan speaking against the Taliban, sweating and scared. The recent truce between Taliban and Pakistan is as fake as a “Hookers Orgasm” or to be a bit subtle succumbing to the demands of Nazi Germany by letting them annex Czechoslovakia in thinking peace was achieved. United States as usual has not said anything strong to disturb the delicate relationship as Pakistan is nothing but a means to a shortsighted end. It seems United States has lost its capability of thinking about the big picture. Short-term gains have become their signature style. No one wants to learn from History.

It is no surprise what led to the collapse of the American economy. The greed to make a quick buck drove the “I always know what is right for the country WALL STREET” to bankruptcy. Again, a shot term gain was the mandate. The desire to win the battle rather than the war has become the new strategy and everyone knows it is not important who wins the battle but who wins the war. Is America plagued with moral shortcomings? What has happened to that great American Pride of its leaders doing the right thing? Has America forgotten the teachings of its founding fathers? I wonder what would the likes of Jefferson, Adams and Lincoln would have done right now. I ask the American leaders to read the book, which was written by JFK. Maybe in that the leaders of United States would find their Profile of Courage.

I am sure anyone who would read these comments would wonder, why in god’s name I am talking about United States when we are discussing Taliban and Pakistan Pact. The reason I am involving the United States so much is because they are all in this together. It is a strange and twisted monajetwa where all the parties distrust each other. If the Taliban take control of Pakistan and Afghanistan, do not be one bit surprised if the United States makes a deal with them. If 9/11 attacks had not originated from Afghanistan, with outmost certainty America would be making pipe line deal with them to bring natural gas from central Asia. They would not even think for a second the crimes and atrocities committed by the Taliban in the name of god and Islam. It would surely have been “Business as usual”.

Balaji Subramanian.         

Brave New Word

Balaji in UK

 


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Unstable Pakistan Prepared To Fight India?

24 01 2009

Pakistan is not only disturbing the economy and the harmony with the neighbouring democratic countries like India and Nepal but also gaining a bad name for itself. If we look at the economical status of Pakistan in the present context, we will see that it is not even prepared to feed its military for two days in the time of war and it is talking of war. What an irony! Their intention is clear for one and all to see. Had the state wanted to spread peace, it would have helped India fight against terror. When New Delhi gave the list of 20 most wanted terrorists, Pakistan first denied that they had taken shelter there and now that there are clear evidences proving the fact, Pak  Prez blatantly refuses to extradite them. This when, Pakistan has emerged as a strategic ally of the United States in the “war on terror. They say that they will tackle the current situation in their own way.

“Pakistan is at the center of gathering firestorm engulfing south and central Asia in the most volatile confrontation since 9/11″ says yaleglobal.yale.edu.

Pakistan’s 40% population is employed in Agriculture and poultry farming, the mainstay of economy of Pakistan. Cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables, and tobacco are the chief crops. Now the scene has been a bit disturbed with the global recession, situation is very gloomy across the nation.
Despite of the fact that it is the third largest recipient of U.S. aid in the world, seeing the current meltdown it seeks hope from Dubai, United Arab Emirates for monetary aid to combat the recession with war looming large on it. On the other hand, Dubai is trying its best to bring the situation to normalcy with negotiation with India.

If you believe the reports from a leading website abcnews.go.com Pakistan’s current deficit soared to $14 billion this year, threatening to prevent the country from being able to pay its foreign debts. Twenty-four percent inflation in the cities — and even higher in rural areas — has made everyday items, especially food, unaffordable for many Pakistanis.

In the last year, 10 million people have become malnourished and now nearly half the country can be considered food insecure, according to the United Nations. The deepening economic crisis, in addition to a huge deficiency of electricity, comes during a time when Pakistan’s security has never been worse. Dr. Bengali, a veteran economist fears the country might be in the risk of defaulting.

“The danger of default will be hovering over the country’s economy if Islamabad remains unable to inject much-needed dollar inflows into the rapidly depleting national kitty,” he warned.

 “Because of our strategic location and the nuclear program, the international powers will not let us default. However, we canno totally depend on that. We have to see in long term.”

While browsing through the website specially meant for Pakistan and its affairs, I found one website called Islamonline.net. I have read some disheartening facts about the current economical balance of the country. Lets believe the website, it says Economic woes have plunged millions of families in the South Asian Muslim country of 170 million below the poverty line. According to government statistics, poverty rate currently stands at 28 percent while independent estimates put it at 40 percent. 

The World Bank and the UN Development Program (UNDP) classify nearly one-quarter of the population as poor. The UN World Food Program (WFP) warns that about 77 million Pakistanis are food insecure, a 28 percent increase from last year. According to government statistics, the consumer price index was nearly 22 percent higher in June than a year earlier.

A kilogram of flour now costs 22 rupees, 70 percent up from last year, while a 49-rupee bag of rice is 123 percent dearer.

The story does not end here…I will continue (Lack of time)

Saurabh Verma


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Pak is sheltering Terrorist.

26 12 2008

Pakistan is sheltering terrorism in its home and facing the wrath of that, even though they are not taking any action to curb it out and encouraging instead. If this goes on like this, Pakistan will be a chapter in History book known for its nasty things. Schoolchildren will be reading about Pakistan and it JIHAD.
Attacks on noncombatants for political ends has been prevalent in Pakistan since the 1980s and have reached very high levels in recent months. From the summer of 2007 to late 2008, more than 1,500 people were killed in suicide and other attacks on civilians. It has been attributed to lot of sources: sectarian violence – mainly between Sunni and Shia Muslims. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has charged the Pakistani intelligence agencies with sheltering Taliban leader Muhammad Omar, also called Mullah Omar, in the Pakistani city of Quetta.

‘We have solid, clear information indicating that. And I am sorry I cannot be silent about this. As much as our friends in Pakistan may not like my saying this’, he told The New York Times in an interview.


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Is terror or vendetta or a deadly combination of both?

15 12 2008

CAPITAL IN SHAMBLES 

It was a sense of déjà vu for Delhites, but a horrendous one as five bombs ripped through busy shopping areas of India’s capital within minutes of each other, killing at least 30 people.

The modus operandi of most of the blasts — orchestrated in public spaces, especially market places — indicates that there is a covert plan to strike at the root of India’s economy.
The explosions, which also injured about 90 people, are not thought to have been very powerful but happened in crowded areas. Four unexploded bombs were also found and defused. 

More than 400 people have died since October 2005 in bomb attacks on Indian cities such as Ahmedabad and Bangalore. CNN-IBN, a TV news channel, said it had received an e-mail before the blasts from a group calling itself the “Indian Mujahideen”. “Do whatever you can. Stop us if you can,” the e-mail reportedly said. Now that is called `in your face’ terror!!

For at least an hour after the blasts, phone lines were jammed and traffic slowed to a crawl as people rushed home to safety. WhileTwo bombs were  planted in dustbins metres away from each other in the central shopping district of Connaught Place and police believe that at least three other devices were planted at busy markets in the Karol Bagh area, on the Barakhamba Road and in the Greater Kailash area.

Although this is not the first time that Delhi has been targeted by Islamic terrorist organizations during the festive season (on Oct. 29, 2005, 68 shoppers were killed on pre-Diwali and pre-Id bombings in Delhi) the intensity and the meticulous precision with which the blasts were carried out perhaps proves one thing: that most major cities in India, even high security zones such as Delhi, are not safe from terror strikes.

These blasts Saturday’s serial explosions in the national capital, Delhi and the subsequent developments are another reminder of the unpreparedness of the political class to tackle the menace of terrorism head-on. They are the fourth major terrorist strike in the country in the last six months, and come close on the heels of the Bangalore and Ahmedabad blasts.

 Perhaps it is time for the think tanks in the country to wake up and realize that the police force has to be made more efficient to tackle terrorism and insurgency in the country, and that it cannot be done with the army or paramilitary and at the cost of the human rights of ordinary and innocent residents of the country. But the question which needs to be answered is that whether it is terror or vendetta or a deadly combination of both? 

While  Delhi and Mumbai have been placed on high alert, there is still a palpable sense of panic in the capital.  A chronology of the bombings this year will reveal that the nature of most of the blasts was similar. The first occurred on May 13, in Jaipur, where almost 70 people died. On July 25, nine blasts in Bangalore, India’s IT city, killed 2 people and injured 20 others. On July 26 in Ahmedabad, 56 people were killed and 200 injured. For Delhi on Sept. 13, so far 21 people (15 men, 6 women) are officially confirmed as dead and 72 more are battling for their lives in the hospital. The group claiming responsibility, the Indian Mujahideen, is suspected to be an amalgamation of home-grown and Pakistan-based terror outfits that profess to seek revenge for the purported injustices and atrocities against the country’s Muslim minority. In addition to the Ahmedabad and Bangalore blasts, Indian Mujahideen has claimed to have been behind blasts in the northwestern city of Jaipur in May, as well as serial blasts the northern cities of Varanasi, Faizabad and Lucknow in November 2007. 

Sumi and Saurabh Verma


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Terrorism in the World

10 12 2008

Mumbai bleeds again… 

Just a few days back, as Mumbai was combating its fiercest battle ever,  I was going through an article written by Suketu Mehta, celebrated author of `Maximum city: Bombay lost and found’ and his words `my city was attacked because it has wealth’ itched in my mind, perhaps forever. He has summed up the intention behind the mindless attacks very correctly. 

Can not forget another passing comment when I heard a colleague of mine saying `Mumbai was always referred as safest metropolitan in the country. `Nazar’ lag gayi is shehar ko..”, how true I thought once again. 

In the unique kind of terrorist attack that made Mumbai bleed and rest of the nation shudder in anguish and shock, what has been exposed is the fact that how vulnerable as a nation we are. Ten determined jihadist come armed with tons of sophisticated arms and ammunitions, get off shore at the most happening city in India, target most famous landmarks of commercial hub of the country and kill hundreds of unaware, innocent people in one of the cruelest attacks recorded in the history. Bravo… but how do we react in turn is that we send our trained guards to confront assailants and while they are fighting without caring for their lives our shameless politicians and policy makers are busy playing dirtiest of politics and their favorite-blame game. `Shame’, this is the word that would come in your mind when you think of the present status. 

Hotels Tajmahal Palace and Oberoi Trident, housing complex Nariman House, CST station and a taxi were badly hit by terrorists in a brutal series of attack killing hundreds and injuring even more number of people. But it were not only those who actually died faced the tragedy of death, as they say `death is not a tragedy for those who die, it’s a tragedy for those who are left behind and doomed to suffer.’  

While one can not stop shaking and marveling at the same time at the well executed, chilling and mind-numbing multiple attacks that were carried by Pakistan-based terrorists, even more painful feeling is the fact that it has ruthlessly exposed our vulnerability and lackluster policy or rather lack of it. 

In times when even biggest of disasters fail to move many as immunity to terror and tragedy is on an all time high, these kind of incidences make one sit back and wonder the basic philosophies of life- death can struck you even when you are dining with your wife in choicest of your restaurant or when you are waiting for a train to reach back home to your waiting kids.. Worse still this death is gifted to you by those animals who are doing it without any reason, just because innocent blood quenches their insatiable thirst. Maybe!  

But no Indian is ready to take this anymore I am sure neither is this soft stand going to work. Those in power should curse themselves when they see their bloody faces in mirror every morning because as it was rated – this attack was not intelligence failure. This was political failure and was caused because the spineless leaders sitting in parliament can not decide how to combat terrorism and tackle the situation.

If they can not take a tough stand this time, they have no right to be in chair. 

In the meantime, it will take a long time for the country in general and Mumbai in particular to get over the trauma. Even if the injuries go, scars will remain….

Saurabh and Sumi Verma

www.saurabhs.com


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