Is Jehad Passe’?

Jaish e Mohammad # 57

Chowk has a policy for abusive interacts-it does

not allow abusive interaction from any side.What

I read here is far beyond abusive,it is vulgar,it

is inhuman,it is KUFR.

Will the Chowk authorities take note of this hated

propaganda from these creatures (can`t call them

human)and ban their rhetoric?

Regards.

Pride, prejudice vanish into thin air here

Sanjeev Bikhchandani

Our business meetings for the day are over. The drive to the Wagah border from Amritsar takes a little over 45 minutes. We are in a hurry for we are likely to miss the Retreat -the impressive ceremonial lowering of the flags of India and Pakistan that takes place every evening at Wagah just before sunset.

The highway is excellent. As we get closer to the border, the traffic gets thinner. The fields are green but empty. Our host Rakesh Gupta, a local entrepreneur, tells us that people have probably been evacuated from the villages close to the border. My mobile screen goes blank as the signal is jammed about 10 kilometres from the border.

An unidentified couple from Pakistan sips tea at the border check-post at Wagah- AP



On the surface, everything looks normal. But if you take a closer look, you see evidence of the army build-up. Camouflage netting concealing tents, trucks and armoured personnel carriers. Rakesh informs us that there is a large increase in Army activity in the area. Normally it is the BSF that is more active but now the Army seems to have taken over many of the positions. Most of the Army movement takes place at night.

At Ambala station, our taxi driver had been a fountain of information. He told us about hundreds of trucks, tanks and rail carriages being sent to the border from Ambala and about anti-aircraft guns being installed not far from where he lives. To a lay person like me, it looks as if the preparations for war are serious. The public morale at Amritsar is high. People also feel that a Pakistan attack will not occur in this sector and that if it does, the Indian forces will win. Pakistan would prefer to attact in Khem Karan or Akhnoor. There is, however, a tinge of worry that if an attack does happen here and the army is forced to pull back to the other side of the Beas beyond Amritsar, the city will fall into Pakistani hands. They needn`t worry. The Indian Army would never let the Golden Temple fall to Pakistan.

We cross the Indian Army`s second line of defence - a smallish nullah with a line of bunkers on the Amritsar side. Within 10 minutes, we cross the first line of defence. A larger nullah with manned bunkers. It is lined with dense growth of Acacia, which provides additional cover to the Army. If it had not been pointed out to us, I would probably have missed it as we drove past. Rakesh duly informs us that this line of defence runs for over 20 km and is heavily fortified. I see the silhouette of a jawan keeping a watchful eye on the road traffic as we drive past.

Soon we reach Wagah. It seems to be a popular tourist spot, second only to the Golden Temple. There are over a hundred cars in the parking lot, several buses and a huge crowd. There are tea and pakora stalls doing brisk business, as well as a beer bar. As we walk towards the border, we see crowds of people returning - we have missed the retreat.

I am disappointed but we go on nevertheless.

As we approach the gate, we see a sign on our left proclaiming a prachin Shiv mandir. The mandir itself is small and looks less than 10 years old. When we get near the border gate, I realise that there is stadium-type seating on both sides of the border, where you can sit and watch the Retreat and the people on the other side. There is still a large crowd on both sides of the border although the Retreat is over. I take out my binoculars from the case and scan the crowd on the Pakistan side. I am somewhat miffed to see several Pakistanis observing us through their binoculars. How dare they do to me what I am doing to them. Clearly, watching the other side is a spectator sport at Wagah. I pass the binoculars to my colleague Vikram, whose trained eye immediately focuses on several beautiful women on the other side. Others in the crowd around us request us for a peek through the binoculars. We duly oblige.

Just then the guards on both sides allow the public to go right up to the border gates. The crowd surges towards the gate. We follow in its wake. To the right of the gate, there is a path that goes along the border. There is a similar path on the Pakistan side. The public on both sides can walk along the border with a few feet separating the two sides. We follow the rush of people along this path.

Is it my imagination or are the people on the other side a dirtier scruffier lot than those on this side? The Indians seem to be turned out in their Sunday best. Perhaps I am biased. I feel glad to be an Indian. The Indians are observing the Pakistanis as if they were animals in a zoo. The Pakistani`s are doing the same to us. A burly sardar next to me remarks loudly, ``Saadi kudiyan jyada soni haingi`` (Our women are prettier). There are hoots of laughter on the Indian side. The Pakistanis take offence and some respond in kind to the sardar. Some minor slogan shouting takes place from both sides - more in fun than anything else.

A man next to me says to his companion that the dress of the Pakistan Rangers makes them resemble chefs and waiters. They both laugh. An uncharitable remark, since the guards on both sides are impeccably turned out. Obviously, the best physical specimens are chosen on both sides for duty here. I don`t see any guard less than six feet two inches in height. The security staff on both sides seem to be buddies as they refer to each other by first name.

I make eye contact with a young man on the other side. He is accompanied by two children. I am reminded of my own two children back in Delhi. I smile at him tentatively - unsure of the response. He smiles back and mouths a hello. I mouth a silent hello back and nod my head. Neither of us speak. There is less than 10 feet of physical distance between us. However, the gulf between our perceptions of each other`s national identities is much larger. We share a few moments of kinship without speaking. Who is this stranger on the other side of the fence with whom I am bonding? What does he do? Where is he from? I will probably never find out the answers to these and other questions. The ridiculousness of the border is hammered home to me very tangibly. We are one people, why can`t we be one nation? A Utopian ideal in today`s times, a mad thought. Why should we be divided by an arbitrary line drawn on a map by an Englishman sitting in a bungalow in Delhi over 50 years ago.

I feel ambivalent and confused about Pakistan. Do I dislike Pakistan or do I like it? I figure it`s a bit of both. I can understand how my parents, who migrated from Sindh at the time of partition, feel about it.

We reach the convergence point - the place where the paths on both sides meet and where there is no fence - just a white line painted on the ground and a border marker with India written on one side and Pakistan on the other. We pause here. I am seized by an irrational urge to jump across to the Pakistan side for just one minute and then jump back. The BSF guard reads my body language and steps in front of me, indicating that I shouldn`t even think about it. I seek permission to stand next to the border marker while Vikram clicks a photograph. He obliges. I know that the photo won`t come out as it is getting dark and I don`t have a flash. As I stand next to the border marker while Vikram focuses the camera, I slip the heel of my right shoe over the line on the ground and place my left hand on the Pakistan side of the marker. The guards don`t notice; they are busy managing the rest of the crowd. In my own little way, I have bridged the border. I have undone Radcliffe. I have un-partitioned India. I feel a sense of achievement and elation. I am reminded of Stephen Alter`s insightful observation that for the Indians, the partition and the border are a tragedy and a disappointment but for the Pakistanis, they are a source of pride and provides them with a sense of achievement.

I resolve to return to the Wagah border soon with my family. Next time, we will be in time for the Retreat. Every Indian should visit the Wagah border. It is guaranteed to do strange things to you.

I am snapped out of my reverie by the BSF guard who tells me to move on: ``Sahib jaldi kariye humko bhi off duty jana hai``. I tell him that we have come all the way from Delhi so he shouldn`t hustle us. ``Hamara bhi to sochiye,`` he replies. What for me has turned out to be as fulfilling as a pilgrimage is just another day at office for him. Reluctantly, we walk away from the border and head for the car park.

On the way, we pass a section of the border where there are no guards. A man ahead of us expresses his intention to urinate across the fence into Pakistan. Perish the thought, his friend tells him. The fence is electrified. If your aim is not good you could run into some not inconsiderable difficulty. There is laughter all around.

We hear the loudspeaker from the mosque on the Pakistan side as the evening prayers are said. To my untrained ear, it seems to be proclaiming Pakistan`s national identity and making a point to the Indian public gathered there. I am pretty sure there is no spiritual significance to the mosque on the other side and the allegedly prachin shiv mandir on this side. They serve the purpose of making a political statement to the other side.

As we approach the car park, we see a group of five of our jawans going towards a bunker less than 50 yards inside Indian territory. I say a silent prayer for their safety in the days and weeks ahead. Soon enough serious business will be afoot. And this time we are determined to stamp out terrorism decisively. May God help the nation achieve its objectives.

On the drive back to Amritsar we are silent as we feel overpowered by the experience and are lost in our private thoughts.

Going from bad to verse

Sidharth Bhatia

As another year draws to a close and the nation takes stock of the triumphs and tribulations-mainly the latter-that it brought, it is time to cast aside gloom and get into a cheerful mood. And what better way to do so than to burst into song, as Hindi films have shown us over the decades. In that spirit, here is a musical look at the highs and lows of the year gone by.

It looked like any normal year in the beginning, the sense of mundaneness driven home by a massive Northern grid power failure on New Year`s day, which was very reassuring. Why should January 1 be any different, asked DVB, as citizens sang ``Diya jalao`` in the darkness of the winter morning. Life chugged along till March, when the Tehelka expose hit our TV screens. Even for a populace used to scams and scandals, this was a new one. The sight of a party president accepting cash became part of popular culture. ``Dinar nahin toh dollar chalega``, said Mr Bangaru Laxman, but then he did not know he was on candid camera. Worse was the fate of the army officers, who had spoken blithely about Black Label scotch in return for favours. They were upset that they were being singled out for persecution when there was corruption everywhere: ``Jangal mein mor nacha kisi ne na dekha, hum jo thodi si peeke zara jhoome, hai re sub ne deka``, was their plaintive cry.





Jaya Jaitley, who had so charmingly said to the West End arms agent, ``Tum ek paisa doge, woh das lakh dega``, had to resign and soon even her saheb George Fernandes had to eventually quit when no one listened to his protestations. He sighed ``My name is Anthony Gonsalves, mein duniya men akela hoon``. The Tehelka tapes were scoring high TRPs even more than KBC or Saas bhi..., proving that fact is always more fun than fiction. (Much later, it was Tehelka`s turn to be in the doghouse, as reports of its own shady practices came out and Jaya Jaitley couldn`t help but say ``Jaise ko taisa mila, kaisa mazaa aaya``).

The Government, already looking shaky, was given a further jolt when Mamatadi (remember her?) decided to go her own way and fight the reds in West Bengal. But anyone who expected the Prime Minister, by now used to tantrum throwing female allies, to buckle, was mistaken. He now had new knees and in his nonchalant style, told her ``Bye Bye Miss goodnight, kal phir milenge``. (Maneka Gandhi swears she heard this same song later in the year too). Mamata charged to Kolkatta but came a cropper in the elections, after which she sheepishly returned to Delhi, singing ``rula ke gaya sapna mera, baithi hoon kab ho savera``. She is still waiting.

The Prime Minister then decided that his pack of cards needed a reshuffle and changed portfolios. Jagmohan, who had heard Delhi`s plaintive cries for putting a halt to illegal constructions, ``Jaago Mohan Pyare Jaago`` was shunted out because he had upset the friends of other Delhiwallahs, the Verma-Khurana-Malhotra combine, who asked him, rudely, ``Mere Angne mein tumhara kya kaam hai``?

With a new found confidence, Atalji decided it was time to do something spectacular. After months of ignoring the entreaties of Pakistan to talk anytime, anyplace-``sajanwa bairi ho gaye hamaar``, the Prime Minister suddenly issued an invitation to General-turned-CEO President Musharraf to come and see his old House in Delhi, the Taj Mahal in Agra and even have a candid chat or two ``Hum tum ik kamre mein band ho aur chabi kho jaaye``.

General Musharraf was thrilled. He quickly made himself President, got a few new sherwanis tailored and hummed to himself, in anticipation ``Yeh vaadiyaan yeh fizayen bula rahin hen hamein``. But he was in for a disappointment if he thought that his generous hosts would give him everything he asked for. There was a lot of hype about Agra, mainly created by the media who thought a big breakthrough would happen-``Dushman dushman, jo doston se pyaara hai``, and all that but in the end if all fizzled out, not without a little help from Sushama Swaraj`s indiscretions in front of the cameras: ``Mene hicki lagaii to, hungaama ho gaya``, she afterwards explained, but the damage was done. A disappointed Musharraf headed back to Islamabad, singing ``Achca to hum chalte hain``. But instead of the expected ``Phir kab miloge`` reply, a collective chorus came from the entire cabinet ``Jaate ho to jao, bulayenge nahin, nakhre kisi ke uthayenge nahin``. (Note, Shri Jaswant Singh, who does not know any Hindi songs, chipped in with ``Goodbye, farewell, auf widersehen, goodnight``).

While Musharraf sulked, we got down to the real earnest business of mismanaging things in our own incorrigible way, and soon brought down the solidly respectable and safe Unit Trust of India to its knees, putting the savings of countless millions of middle-class people at serious risk. Respectable pillars of our economic infrastructure turned out to be greedy sharks: ``Bholi surat dil ke khote, naam bade or darshan choote``. (Our Finance Minister of course remained his usual unflappable self, declaring ``Yeh kya hua, kaise hua, kab hua, kyon hua, jab hua, yeh no poocho``). But while the UTI did not collapse, the twin towers in New York did and overnight changed the world. Suddenly, people in the complacent west found out what India had been complaining about for years: terrorism. India naturally thought it could play a part in the new war and sent out a message to the Americans: ``Gore gore, o baanke chore, kabhi meri gali aaya karo``, but the Yanks remembered their old friends Pakistan and Musharraf,sensing the chance to get back into favour thought ``Aji aisa mauka phir kahan milega`` to himself, and loudly warbled to his American friends, ``Aaiye meherbaan, baithiye jaane jaan, shauk se lijiye ji, ishq ke imtihan``, even as the Taliban grumbled, ``Dost dost na raha, pyar pyar na raha``. In already ravaged Afghanistan, American bombers rained down havoc, crying ``Chal shuru ho jaa, laga mukaa, jama thappad`` while an aghast world watched.

In India meanwhile, we were feeling left out and were desperately in need of some entertaining controversy and it came when Mike Deness penalised some of our overpaid and underachieving cricketers for sundry crimes and misdemeanours. The entire nation-or at least those gullible souls who still believe in cricket being the soul of our country-was up in arms: ``Hum kaale hain to kya hua dilwaale hain``, we sang collectively even as the cricket board capitulated after all that bravado.

Just as the year was ending and it looked like the war against terrorism and the destruction of Al Qaida and some of its offshoots would at last bring some peace, the terrorist struck in Parliament. As the usual charges were traded between politicians, the nation was more concerned with the brave souls who died while protecting the symbol of India`s vibrant democracy. ``Yeh desh hai veer jawanon ka, albelon ka mastanon ka, is desh ka yaaro kya kahna...``. But alongside, Indians could not help but think why so many troubles were being rained on us when we did not wish harm on anyone. We can only wonder ``Aasman pe hai khuda, aur zameen pe hum, aajkal woh is taraf dekhta hai kam``. Let us hope in the coming year, ``ooper wala, jo jaan ke anjaan hai`` will be more kind.

Footnote: Let us also not forget that Dadamoni Ashok Kumar, who gave so much joy to generations of Indians, died this year. We can only say ``O jaane waale ho sake to laut ke aana``.

SameerJB #55 Perhaps we should clear the baggage off the table. And try not to fall between two stools while doing so.

Baggage=Dispute over Kashmir.

Two stools=Means nothing. I just threw this in for literary affect. :-)

PS: On the two stools, I could have made up some BS about traditional Indian vs. Mideast culture, but I wont since that is not the issue - the issue is how do we adapt to the emerging Global Culture that is replacing traditional cultures anyway. And that completely turns the tables on the metaphor of the table. I better get off the table now.

OmarAkram #54 On feelings between Hindus and Muslims - you are assuming that the hatred for Hindu that you possess is shared by other Pakistanis. You are wrong. I for example am a Pakistani muslim, and my experience has been that the average Hindu is no better and no worse than the average Pakistani. Your hatred reflects merely your own limitations as a human being.

``I must say that as a muslim I do know the questions I will be asked by Allah and I do believe in Qayamat as a muslim should do... ``

You do not. If you knew what is expected of a muslim, you would not have written such a monstrous letter. People like you are a disgrace to Pakistan and should be whipped every day until you see the light.

re omarakram 54

``I must say that as a muslim I do know the questions I will be asked by Allah ...``

Don`t be so cocky. For as the Qur`an itself (supported by several hadeeths) says:

`Verily the knowledge Of the Hour is with Allah alone` (Sura Luqman, v. 34).

``Many of you and your fore fathers wanted to get rid of us, Muslims, ...``

I certainly hope that is not addressed to me at all since it will make you sound utterly more ridiculous. The reason being that my `forefathers`(three of four grandparents) are descendants from the line of HAzrat Ali (RA).

``...these ideas of Islam and the Day of Qayamah are not for your intellectual calibre… its far far above yours.``

Okay. Do you have Mullah Omar`s number so I can ask him for his intellectual take on the Qayamah? Seriously, I don`t think that Mullah Omar or you were there when Allah was revealing the mysteries of Qayamah. To think otherwise, ie to claim to decipher the mind of God, is blasphemy to say the least.

``Its about time that the those who have inherited Islam rather than accepting it and adopting it to think about their life are you acting like Muslims?``

Sura Baqarah puts it succintly when such I-am-better-than thou-questions come up:

`Unto you your religion, unto me, mine`.

A Brief History of Table

Some fifty-four years ago, a table was carved out of an existing larger table. It was carved out because five of its several legs were facing Mecca were made believe that such act was necessary for protecting interests of these legs. Other legs did not dislike it too much because it provided an opportunity to get rid of potential troublemakers in future. The creator of carved out table was pleased with the nature of table but others who came after him did not like the general properties of wood and the species of tree because it still smelled the same sandal wood tree. The solution was to cover the whole table including its legs with a tablecloth so that one sees only tablecloth. In 1971, the 56 percent of the tablecloth were ripped along with a leg. In spite of discrediting the failed tablecloth hypothesis, they are still trying to stretch it over the whole table. The keepers of the larger original table next door have not done that great job either in keeping the tabletop clean and shiny. Although they refuse to cover it with tablecloth; they are reckless in wiping out the dust regularly.

There are certain common features for a kind of material called wood. Wood is mostly packed cellulose fiber and due to its chemistry it is combustible leaving ash behind. A simple common sense will dictate not to play with fire on or near the wooden table. The nature of wood due to its chemistry of cellulose is common to all kind of wood. In the case of human beings it is like biological human instincts and the efforts to keep the wood objects durable is equivalent to keeping the humanism among human beings. Just like caring for wood from different species, caring for humanity requires certain common moral, ethical and social behaviors called secular humanism.

Besides density of packed cellulose fiber, different species of wood are distinguished by different smell from wood oil and flavors due to small quantity of mixtures of terpenes and flavones present in wood cells. Of course, it is species-specific DNA that controls the production of all these ingredients. While teakwood is known for high-density packing, sandalwood is known for its fragrance. These properties are analogous to civilization and cultures of people. Having the same biological instincts and basic humanistic values, the cultures and civilizations distinguish a particular ethnicity.

The five legs of the carved out table were Bengali, Punjabi, Pathan, Sindhi and Balochi people despite facing towards Mecca. Another leg made up of immigrants from India was allowed to stand under the table without any problem. All of these legs and tabletop still identified with wood and distinct flavor or species of wood. It was in the interest of all legs to stay there because of the same nature and components of tabletop as well as the legs. Moreover, no leg wanted to risk the tabletop falling over it while trying to pull away from under the table.

Tablecloth was a foolish idea to unnecessarily hide the table underneath just to look different from the larger table next door. Waving a tablecloth as a war cry before the construction or carving out a table has quite different meaning and implications than forcing to hide the identity. Anybody with little intelligence could feel the table as well as the nature and species of the wood underneath. However, through state controlled media and textbooks, these facts were ignored and downplayed over and over until 1971 when the tablecloth ripped apart and one leg seceded without taking their portion of tablecloth. The tablecloth was thus a TNT based Islamic identity that inadvertently denied the flavor of sandalwood - the identities based on culture and civilization. It was the tablecloth all that mattered to religious, Islamists and military minds. Zia Ul Haque smoked the rolled tablecloth day in and day out and succeeded to maintain him in power at the cost of weakening the strength of the table. He was heading for Field Marshall status if not for his death.

The table next door, though dirty tabletop used right kind of high quality nails and workmanship to create a table on solid ground. They used secular constitution and democracy of one man one vote in the construction of their table which despite many legs is holding on to tabletop without serious imbalances. In the case of our table even an unhappy COAS with his dismissal or plain and simple hunger for more power starts pulling the nails out of the table and redesigning the table to meet his ambitions is absolutely stupid. Such repeated acts have weakened the table just as ignoring and hiding the legs have destabilized the table.

This is the kind of metaphor, I believe in. When a post is written about a leg – with pride or passion – it is meant to be about leg and not tabletop or tablecloth. One can not describe the boundary conditions with every post. Each post is within proper context. It may lose its meaning or even sound very different if read without caring for the context it was originally written.

Question we must ask: why are we still trying to stretch ripped piece of tablecloth over our table and whose interests it serves? The Jihad will not be a passe until we keep insisting that the most important piece is tablecloth and not the table itself. The support level from public for Islamists does not matter.

Re:harimau

sigalph235

It seems that people from India have the same feelings towards Pakistanis as Pakistanis have towards Indian Hindus. Well it is quite clear to me now that they are so scared of one institution like GIKI etc. Inshallah there will be many good institutions more and Inshallah there will be madrassas too. I must say that as a muslim I do know the questions I will be asked by Allah and I do believe in Qayamat as a muslim should do... these ideas of Islam and the Day of Qayamah are not for your intellectual calibre… its far far above yours.

Many of you and your fore fathers wanted to get rid of us, Muslims, but instead it was you who was convinced by the message of Islam (as far as I remember one of your present day musical mastro AR Rehman i think thats the name of the guy) is a convert to Islam. Its not just you who wanted the message of Islam to vanish but the west did try as well and look now what is happening Islam is the fasted growing religion of the World (yes even after 09/11) This is not a tall claim its a fact! more and more people want to know what Islam is but unfortunately for you, you feel too good in the cocoon you have built around your self that you will never recognise the facts.

Its about time that the those who have inherited Islam rather than accepting it and adopting it to think about their life are you acting like Muslims?

Romair 7:

Ignoring this site I disagree with you about Indians not being self-critical. India has a functioning democracy. They have allowed peaceful transfer of power to different groups at the federal and state levels. Your favorite Pakistani organization Pakistani army has worked tirelessly to intimidate anyone who does not agree with their views.

Bangladesh was 55% of pre-1971 Pakistan`s population. Jammu and Kashmir is less then 1.3% of India`s population. That includes substantial numbers of non-Muslims and Muslims who don`t agree with the separatists. It is comparing a mom/pop store with a Wal Mart.

As far as debate between secularism and religious state goes, the record of secular states - USA/Western Europe/Japan/Singapore stands for itself. If you imitate Saudi Arabia just pray that you are sleeping over 200 billions of oil.

INDIAN ECONOMY IN SHAMBLES

tp://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=5833





Business





Economy on tailspin as year ends



Press Trust of India

New Delhi, December 24: Marred by stock scam and WTC attack, economic reforms took a backseat in 2001 making prospects of recovery more difficult as the year closes with projections of a lowest ever growth of less than five per cent in a decade. The year started with Finance minister Yashwant Sinha unveiling a blueprint for the second phase of economic reforms in the budget but it remained only on paper as the major promises like labour, fiscal, Financial sector reforms and privatisation remained unfulfilled. Soon after the budget, the stock scam surfaced after the black Friday in the capital markets in March followed by UTI fiasco forcing the government to go on back-foot on economic issues derailing reforms meant to spur demand and investment. The government claims that the economy is on road to recovery and has done reasonably well considering the global recession aggravated by the September 11 attack but analysts armed with statistics see it otherwise. They say that the much-needed push to growth would have to wait for at least one more year. With revenue collections at less than half of the targeted Rs. 2,27,000 crore this year, exports recording negative two per cent growth, industrial growth low at 1.9 per cent and disinvestment receipts at a mere Rs. 200 odd crore against target of Rs. 12,000 crore, the fiscal deficit is bound to go beyond targeted 4.7 per cent of GDP this Financial year. But the silver-lining is that foreign exchange reserves continue to swell at over record 47 billion dollars. Inflation remains at moderate level of over 2.5 per cent and with good monsoon for the 13th consecutive year, agriculture, considered to be backbone of the economy, is showing signs of recovery. With exports recording a negative growth, the 12 per cent growth projected for this year seems a far cry. Rightly government itself scaled down the target to three per cent, one forth of the original target. The medium term export strategy, promised to be unveiled this year, has not seen the light of the day so far. On disinvestment and privatisation, government announced an ambitious plan of strategic sale in 27 leading public sector undertakings but so far only two small companies Hindustan teleprints and computer maintenance corporation have been divested for a mere Rs. 207 crore. Even formation of a separate ministry last year has not hastened the process, analysts argue.

Re: Soysauce

``...Singh`s idea to ``starve`` punjab & sindh is dangerous, goes against civilizational norms and would rightly array foreign powers against india...``

Dangerous it is. Against civilizational norms it is. You will concede, I hope, that India and Pakistan do not conduct inter state relations with civility. So, why the fuss now? This situation has not been reached overnight. It is a result of 54 years of animosity. India is unlikely to take action under the Indus Water treaty without reaching some sort of back room consensus with major world powers, and after giving the General enough time to think through his options.

I do not want war. The Government of India does not war. I would like to see Pakistan and India live like friends (like the US and Canada) with a free exchange of people, goods and ideas back and forth across the border. But, we live in a world where some individuals would like nothing better than a war between India and Pakistan. A few weeks ago, while reading a post by Romair, who very coldly put forward the assertion that `infiltrating jehadis into India is a very low-cost option for Pakistan, while bleeding India through a thousand cuts or-something-like-that`, I came to the sad conclusion that no sense of morality is going to make the military/ISI complex of Pakistan change its policies towards India. They will, quite willingly, raise the stakes for war. Perhaps, the Pakistani leadership should consider where their Afghan policies led them, before attempting the same against India. Infiltration of armed men, killing civilians, security forces, newspapers editors, judges, cable TV operators, families of security forces, people of the `wrong` religion, stoking fanatical passions, are not civilized acts either. Musharraf can act against these individuals in much the same way that he acted against the Taleban. The choice is his to make, but he appears to be stoking the fires that burn Indo-Pak relations.

This puts India in a very difficult situation. You can either keep absorbing it forever, and lose thousands of people over time just as Romair prescribes, or take some action against a state that is equipped with nuclear weapons. The Parliament attack, and the complete lack of concern by the Pakistani leadership, is the sort of thing that wakes up a sleeping giant. Notice how the usual hostilities between the Congress and the BJP have completely died down. While some will argue that Musharraf was not behind it, knew nothing of it, nobody can deny that he is aware of the agenda of the JeM and the LeT , and that they operate from Bahawalpur and Muridke.

Initiation of armed hostilities, and a sea-blockade are acts of war. Many thousands and millions will die. I do not want to see that, although I had earlier advocated a sea-blockade on the grounds that it will not lead to deaths. But, it seems that a sea-blockade will quickly lead to a hot war.

Pakistan (under Musharraf) has repudiated the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration (remember the `philana-process, dhimkana process` remark?). If Musharraf feels that these are not even worth the paper that they are written on, then why does India have to abide steadfastly by a 40-year old water sharing treaty that Pakistan does not have the means to enforce? Its observance relies completely only on India`s good faith. If tomorrow, India turns the water faucet off, it is not an act of war, it is merely a withdrawal from a bilateral agreement much like the US walkout from the ABM treaty. Of course, the consequences on Pakistan will be catastrophic over time. Musharaf will be given plenty of lead time think through the repurcussions. (This is not going to happen tomorrow.) Is it harder for him to clamp down on the LeT and the JeM (the leader of which was released from an Indian jail after the Indian Airlines hijacking last year and roams freely in Pakistan preaching the destruction of India), or is it harder to cope with a water scarcity. But, that is for the General and the architect of Kargil to mull over.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/national.htm

PAKISTAN AIR FORCE CHIEF FLEXES MUSCLE

FROM IDREES BAKHTIAR Islamabad, Dec. 23: Pakistan’s chief of the air staff, Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir has said that Pakistan’s defence forces were fully prepared to give a matching response in case of any misadventure from across the border, meaning India.

“There is nothing to be worried about. Pakistan’s armed forces are fully prepared,” he said while talking to reporters after inaugurating a seminar titled “Role of air power in the 21st century” at the Institute of Strategic Studies on Saturday.

“There is some military build-up and preparations across the eastern border and we are fully aware of the situation,” he said, adding that the commanders had been undertaking a series of brain-storming sessions to streamline strategies to effectively counter any misadventure from India.

Replying to a question whether India would carry out airstrikes on Kashmir, the air chief referred to the recent statements by Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee and his Cabinet colleagues that they had all the options to choose from. So, he said, “we are vigilant and keeping vigil on all the latest happenings”.

“We are fully prepared and can take any challenge,” the air chief said when his attention was drawn to the recent military build-up by India.

Mir said India had 800 aircraft while Pakistan had 350, but “our efficient force can overwhelm them.”

The air force chief added that Pakistan had just received 10 Chinese F7-PG aircraft and a similar number were expected next week. Another 20 aircraft were expected in a couple of months.

The first prototype of the Super-7 aircraft (a Sino-Pak joint venture being executed at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex) would roll out by June 2003, while regular production was expected to begin in 2004-05, the air chief said.

“We are well aware that India had been preparing since the Kargil war and have inducted some new hardware and are in process of inducting some more. Seeing the situation, we have been making all out efforts to keep the minimum level of deterrence in the nuclear and conventional sectors,” he said.

Referring to Pakistan-China relations, with special regard to defence, he said: “We already have a number of pacts of strategic nature with our friendly countries, which have always been standing with us through thick and thin.”

Musharraf meeting

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf is scheduled to hold a series of high level meetings with top military officials tomorrow to chalk out a defence and political strategy in the face of rising tensions with India.

Musharraf is expected to convene after his return from China tomorrow the Joint Chief of Staff Committee, a high-level military policy body that comprises the top brass of all three services, to review the situation on the border.

After the meeting, Musharraf is also expected to convene the National Security Council, which also comprises the top brass of the three services.

Later he is expected to call a meeting of the corps commanders followed by ground level commanders meeting to review the situation.

romair and his chapta friends are not going to like this one bit

{{US clears Israeli Phalcon sale to India



JERUSALEM: The US has cleared the sale of one billion dollar Israeli Phalcon early warning radar system to India, according to American administration sources.

The US administration supports the sale of the Phalcon to India and has informed the Israeli defence ministry of a green signal for the transaction, the sources said.

The Defence Ministry has updated the US on the advanced negotiations about the deal with India though the Foreign Ministry fears that the sale could anger China with which Israel cancelled a signed deal last year under US pressure.

The controversial deal with Beijing, which included the installation of a Phalcon early warning radar on a Russian-built aircraft by Israel Aircraft Industries, was scrapped last year following intense pressure from Bill Clinton administration with Beijing expressing anger over the move and demanding renewal of the sale.

English daily Ha`aretz quoted sources in the US administration as saying that Washington took a positive view of the developing relation between Israel and India ``in a range of fields.``}}

SAVING THE CROWN JEWELLS

Pakistan which nurtured and sustained taliban betryed them to save the crown jewell, the bomb. The people of pakistan never realised that a bankrupt failed state cannot keep such a weapon of mass distruction with out paying price all along the way.

Now the west have realised that providing economic support for pakistan with out neutralising the bomb is like driving toa precipice. hardly any debt forgiving has come in the way of pakistan, all that has come is rescheduling, which is simply postponing of the inevitable. Pakistan is heading towards argentina.

Any economic help with out changes in the basic jihadic structure of pakistan only implies a reinforcing of these terrorist forces. Jihadists based in a thriving econmy is more dangerous, considering the devastation cause by al-quaida. Pakistan with the bomb technology and the economy on the up is a deadly combination. Many have realised this, and there is a developing concensus on the modes of restraining jihadic countries, and their frontiers.

Have Talibans been destroyed? -- doesn`t look like --they have been rescued by the Eastern Alliance and sent back to the beome ``innocent`` Pushtoons to wait for their come back -- no accountability, no retribution for their criminal acts?

Here is an interesting article -- trying to into the murky caves of Pushtoon`s culture.

For a Feared Taliban Officer, Few Worries About Reprisals



By John Pomfret

Washington Post Staff Writer

Monday, December 24, 2001; Page A10

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- Nabibullah Rabbani`s whip is a simple affair, more like a limp paddle or a stunted belt. He hangs it on the wall of his living room under a verse from the Koran.

Rabbani, 37, was an officer in the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice -- the feared religious police of the Taliban Islamic militia. His job, he said, involved ``promoting Islamic law.``

That entailed ``teaching women lessons, and making men fear God,`` he said over a cup of tea one quiet evening recently. He did this, he acknowledged, by whipping women on their buttocks, legs and hands, and sometimes across their covered faces. He grabbed men`s whiskers or bent their fingers, he said.

Following the fall of the Taliban, Rabbani did not flee to neighboring Pakistan or hide in the mountains of Afghanistan. Instead, he simply stayed home. Like thousands of other foot soldiers who took part in the Taliban effort to turn Afghanistan into an 8th-century vision of Islamic purity, Rabbani apparently has no fear of retribution for the rough treatment he administered for the last five years.

Rabbani`s story illustrates an important element of the war in Afghanistan. While the Taliban has been defeated, it is still very much in place. Taliban officials -- from those at street level such as Rabbani to men such as Abdul Razaq, the Taliban`s former interior minister -- say they are ready, if given the opportunity, to retake power.

``I do not see this war as having ended,`` Rabbani said. ``You Americans come from very far away. We are in Afghanistan. You will leave sometime, maybe one year or two years later. And we will still be here.``

Rabbani, a graduate of a madrassa, or religious school, in Pakistan, joined the Taliban in 1995 as it was gathering steam. He joined the religious police force in 1996 as it was expanding in the southern city of Kandahar. The job was one of the best in the city because it came with a guaranteed salary. ``We were special,`` he said with an almost wistful tone.

Afghanistan`s religious police were paid by the Al Rashid Trust, a charity based in Karachi, Pakistan, whose assets were frozen after President Bush identified it as an organization that supported terrorism -- an allegation the organization has denied. The trust also was involved in one of Afghanistan`s biggest construction projects, the building of the Omar Mosque in Kandahar, which was postponed last year because of a lack of money. Millions of dollars are believed to have been embezzled in that deal.

With his salary, Rabbani was a big man in his neighborhood of mud houses and dirt-poor people. Mohammed Najib, his next-door neighbor, said he respected Rabbani for his Islamic education and his ability to recite long passages from the Koran.

Najib said that on several occasions Rabbani criticized his beard for not meeting Taliban requirements, saying it should have been longer than two fists. ``He pulled me around once,`` Najib said. But he said Rabbani also doled out sweets to Najib`s children.

Najib`s views on his neighbor illustrate another reality following the Taliban`s fall: After 23 years of war, Afghans are so numbed by conflict that the certainty of Rabbani`s brutality was for many almost more welcome than the instability inherent in the creation of a new government.

``We know who the Taliban were,`` Najib said, standing in the courtyard of his house -- a two-room dwelling that has no plumbing or electricity. ``We really don`t know the new leaders. They have a bad reputation. The Taliban were very mean and tough. But generally we didn`t see so much corruption.``

From around a corner, Najib`s wife interrupted.

``I am glad they are gone,`` she said, declining to show herself. ``People like Rabbani are bad people. Go to his house and see if he practices what he preaches.``

Najib was visibly embarrassed. ``Women don`t understand politics,`` he said.

``What?`` came the reply from the other side of the wall. ``This man over there whipped me once because I wore white shoes. The day it happened you were enraged and now you have forgotten.`` The religious police banned people from wearing white shoes because white was the symbolic color of the Taliban.

Inside Rabbani`s house, signs of modernity -- something the Taliban rejected -- were indeed present. The family owns a television, despite Taliban pronouncements against it. They have radios and, in a drawer that Rabbani somewhat guiltily opened, there are family photographs taken before the Taliban takeover.

``I don`t believe in these,`` he said, ``but my wife would be hurt without them.``

Despite the contradictions in his personal life, Rabbani said he was confident the Taliban would return to power. ``None of us has been arrested and you see the people are not turning on us,`` he said.

Indeed, there have been few, if any, retribution killings of Taliban officials, and anti-Taliban forces have not been vigilant about rounding up Taliban leaders. Several top commanders, wanted for massacres of civilians, have been released from the custody of the Northern Alliance and other forces.

``People understand we are the righteous ones and they know we could come back to power soon,`` Rabbani said. ``So they will be soft with us. Because they know if we are angry with them, we will be hard with them when we are running Afghanistan again.``

Weird place -- Afghanistan.