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Archive for the ‘Pakistan’ Category

With She-Toilets, Chennai shows way in sanitation

An eye opening (for all the political parties in Pakistan)Times of india Report dated 16 June, 2014.

WHY FRUITS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYETEM ONLY IN INDIA.

WHY PEOPLE OF PAKISTAN WILL NEVER SEE A TRUE LOCAL GOVERNMENT PEOPLES SELF RULE?

MAY BE THIS IS THE REASON WHEN POLITICAL SYSTEM IS PACKED UP IN PAKISTAN PEOPLE DISTRIBUTE SWEETS BECAUSE PAKISTANI PUBLIC KNOWS THAT THESE POLITICAL LEADERS ARE NOT SINCERE WITH THE PUBLIC.

IS DEPRIVING PUBLIC FOR DECADES FROM THE LOCAL BODIES ELECTIONS NOT A VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION OF PAKISTAN?

CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation is aiming for a clean sweep to tackle problems of female hygiene and access to sanitation — special ‘She Toilets’ have been planned for women in 348 locations across the city and will be opened by the end of the year. They will also be the first e-toilets (electronic, fully automated toilets) in the city. The toilets will have sanitary napkin vending machines and incinerators.

“This is also the first time Chennai Corporation has done a detailed survey and mapping of where public toilets are required and where the public oppose it,” said a senior corporation official. “Earlier the corporation would only ask the zonal engineer where to put up a toilet.” These 348 locations include bus stands, markets and open spaces.

The toilets will come as a relief to women who work outdoors all day such as vendors, construction workers and police officers. “We have to stand on the road for at least five hours while on bandobast duty,” said Leela Sri, a woman constable. “There are very few public toilets that we can use and most of them are filthy.” Leela, who has been on the job for 11 years, said she and her female colleagues are prone to urinary tract infections and fibroids. “If more of these toilets for women come up, the next generation of policewomen need not face such health problems,” she says. Kerala State Women’s Development Corporation recently introduced these toilets.

The most attractive feature of the e-toilet is that it flushes automatically even if a person fails to flush. “It is fully automated and after five uses, the unit automatically cleans up the entire toilet. The fans and lights turn on and off a person enters and leaves,” said Suneetan Nair, marketing officer, Eram Scientific, a Trivandrum-based firm that developed the product for Kerala, and one of the bidders for the project in Chennai.

To prevent vandalism and encroachment of public toilets, the She-Toilets will have GPRS devices. “All units have will have a GPRS device to alert the officials concerned in case of theft or vandalism,” Nair said. “It also has a voice complaint system where a person can simply press a button and record a complaint about the toilet,” he said.

Chennai currently has a little over 900 public toilets, inadequate for its 65 lakh population. “We tried public- private partnerships to help maintain toilets but it failed. Now we will form a public toilet monitoring wing in the corporation for existing toilets,” the official said. With the help of a non-governmental organisation, the corporation will conduct a 20-day survey to study the problems of existing toilets. “We know that the city is short of 2,000 toilets,” the official said. “We will ensure this is corrected by March 2015.”

An earnest request to the federal government of Pakistan.

1. As reported by media, there was no government representative present at the Namaz-e-Janaza (offered in Lahore today) of Shaheed ASF Inspector, Mr. Muhammad Sarwar.
If this news is true then government must investigate the reasons for this callousness of all the concerned.
Government must realise and recognise that such small gestures in our culture and society, are much appreciated by the officers and men of the services, than offering of monetary rewards, to the families of the Shaheeds.

2. Now, the entire nation has realised that the monumental supreme sacrifices offered by the 11 ASF men (during the terrorists attack at the Karachi airport) has saved the country from an unimaginable loss of men and material. Moreover, their SHAHADAT has also saved Pakistan from a huge loss of image and reputation, as well. As such, these ASF men, deserve to be awarded highest bravery award, to acknowledge their immortal services to the nation.

3. No Pakistani should and must not forget that today we and our children are alive and happy, because of the blood shed by our Martyrs for our better Tomorrow.

Latest update after attack at Karachi air port and killings of dozens of pilgrims at two hotels in Taftan near Iranian border.

Now, a time has come that Pakistan can not and must not allow this war, to be just a kind of a routine exercise, to wait for the terrorists to attack as per their will and evil designs; and after that we ask our law enforcing agencies, to go after them and kill them.

This sort of mind set will ruin us completely, sooner than later. Offence is the best defence. Pakistan must inform the United Nations, Afghanistan and India that come what may, Pakistan will launch severe punitive strikes inside Afghanistan, on its terrorists training bases and on the Indian Consulates, as well.

We must remember that when it comes to a do or die situation, specially for a nuclear power, then there is no going back. Precisely, this was the reason USA was absolutely ready for a nuclear war, when Russia planned to install missiles, in its back yard in Cuba.

Actually, the current strategy of our known enemies, to wage a out sourced third party war, to disintegrate and degenerate a nuclear Pakistan, suits them as the best option, without any cost to our enemies.

As such, it is high time our strategy is revamped and rehashed, to let our enemies and the whole world know very clearly that red lines of Pakistan’s conventional and nuclear threshold have been crossed; and we reserve the right to use any and all weapons, to safeguard our national interests.

This means clearly the use of nuclear and all weapons at our disposal, because we can’t sit idle and witness our own demise, without any punishment to the mischief mongers.

In this regard, if the UNO or the world powers wants to take steps to ensure peace on our western borders, we should have no objection, provided all the Indian consulates established, after the NATO invasion of Afghanistan, are permanently shut down, just as Russia accepted American demands, during the Cuban crisis.

So, for a nuclear Pakistan, enough is enough.

We must not forget that any all out nuclear war between India and Pakistan, will not only be a complete annihilation of both the countries, but it will spell dooms day, for the entire planet, as well.

Posted at www.snayyar.com by Syed Nayyar Uddin on January 9, 2014 in Counter Terrorism, India Peace and Pakistan, My Views, Pakistan, Terrorism |
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How to win Pakistan’s world war..?

Pakistan is not in an ordinary war rather, for us it is our world war, which is being fought for the life and death of Pakistan. This type of war has not been witnessed by any other nation, in the history of the world.

Moreover, it seems that this fight may not end very soon, in the near future. As such, our civil, military and all non military people, will have to stand united in front of the terrorists, who are hell bent to fight this war, not in our back yard, but right in the middle of our house.

In view of the seriousness of the situation and to keep the motivation of the general public alive, it is imperative to immediately announce the following initiatives:

1. Shaheed Chaudhry Aslam SSP and Shaheed Aitzaz Hussain (the 9th class student of Hangu, who grabbed the suicide bomber) may be awarded the highest national bravery award, for offering ultimate sacrifice, in beyond the call, performance of their duties.

2. As a safety and precautionary step, government must announce that with immediate effect, no vehicle of any type, including cycles and motor cycles etc., be allowed to enter or be parked in any bazaar, throughout the country. This is a harsh and very inconvenient step, but it may save many lives.

3 (i). In any crime investigations, the first logical step is to find the beneficiary of that criminal act. Here, in Pakistan we have observed a pattern, which reveals that either, the terrorists have been targeting the GHQ, Naval and Air Force bases or indulging in specific targeted attacks on Sri Lankan cricketers, Chinese, foreigners and Pakistani minorities.

3 (ii). All these operations are carried out (at specifically chosen vital timings) not only to inflict maximum men and material losses, but also to undermine Pakistan’s military power; and create isolation in foreign policy, economy, sports and tourism etc.

3 (iii). We should not be so naive to indefinitely close our eyes and ignore the role of huge number of Indian consulates, specially based near the Pakistan’s western borders with Afghanistan.

3 (iv). In fact, the terrorism in Karachi and the insurgencies of Swat and Balouchistan are a clear testimony of the Indian evil designs, being perpetrated through these consulates in Afghanistan.

3 (v). However, Pakistan must rest assured that this Indian game plan, specifically designed to keep Pakistan burning for an indefinite period, will never cease, till such time we repay the Indians in the same coins, by devising a strategy, to fight fire with fire.

3 (vi). As such, it is high time that Pakistan officially warn India to immediately pack up all its consulates in Afghanistan, failing which Pakistan should also immediately take steps to establish its own consulates, in the border areas of all those countries, which share a common border with India e.g., China, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and SriLanka etc.

4 (i). The sudden increase of acts of terrorism, highlights the importance of preventive measures to curb the menace of terrorism, which is causing severe losses to men, material and reputation of the country.

4 (ii). In the cases of terrorist attacks on the GHQ, PIDC house & Pakistan Navy air base, it was reported that the gang of attackers was residing in a rented house for quite some time, in an area not very far away from their targets. It was also reported that the neighbours of these houses were although, suspicious of these tenants yet; they kept quiet and did not tip area police, about their apprehensions.

4 (iii). Under the circumstances, there is a dire need for motivating general public, which must remain extra -vigilant, in playing their role of defending the motherland, by involvement of entire population of the country, to look out for the stay and suspicious activities of the terrorist, in their near vicinity.

4 (iv). As such, In order to make the stay of terrorists at any place almost impossible, it is proposed to actively involve the entire population to look out & hunt them. This objective can be easily achieved, by the announcement of the Government, that a reward of Rs. 50 millions shall be paid to any person, who informs the Police, about the terrorist staying in a house, hostel, hotel, rest house or any such place.

4 (v). If the war against terror is to be won quickly, the entire population of the country have to be geared up and involved in the task of watch and vigilance.

Why can’t we build a tax free Textile city at Gawadar???

In 2002, Pakistan and Bangladesh had identical export earnings from garments at $2.5 billion each.

Bangladesh earned $21 billion of revenues last year by exporting garments to the West. We earned $2.6 billion.

Another black day in the sporting history of Pakistan..!

Dear Mr. Prime Minister

AoA.

I will not at all be surprised, if your very important national and international commitments, must have kept you unaware, from the extremely sad and tragic news that today for the first time ever, in the country’s 60-year history of the game of Hockey, Pakistani team is not playing the World Cup; because our team failed to qualify for the tournament, which has commenced today on Saturday, 31 May 2014 at Hague and from Asia, India, South Korea and Malaysia are participating.

Hope you remember, the Hockey World Cup was introduced by Pakistan, which also won this title 4 times in the past.

MashaAllah, next week you will be completing first year of the government.However, if we just talk about sports, it looks that the people at the helm of affairs for sports in the government, absolutely failed to stem the rot and provide any vision or guidance in the improvement of the pathetic state of affairs of the sports, particularly in games of Hockey, Cricket, Squash and Snooker, which were once dominated by Pakistan, around the world.

The improvement in the sports sector is neither difficult, nor has a requirement of rocket science. What is needed is commitment and dedication with honesty, integrity and meritocracy, without any politics, favouritism and nepotism.

Hope you are also aware about the state of the ugly affairs in the other major game of the country namely cricket, where our team came last among all the participants of the Champions trophy played in the UK, but were rewarded with an Eid bonus by Mr. Najam Sethi, as if PCB was his father’s company. Then our team went to Zimbabwe and got defeats from them (Zim a lowest status team) in a Test as well as, the ODI match. And recently Pakistani team created another record of shame, when in the T20 World Cup tournament held in Bangladesh, for the first time in the history, we failed to qualify for even the semi finals spot.

If I were the PM, all the sports administrators including the minister in charge, would have been sacked with the orders to refund entire pay and perks waisted on them for abysmally failing, during the last one year of the government, to deliver even 1% positive results.

Again, if I were the PM, for the sake of the name and image of Pakistan, for which our soldiers are almost daily embracing martyrdom, I would have gone across the party lines, to select an advisor for sports, who could turn around all the major sports played in the country, in not more than a years time.

In this regard, the following three names come to my mind, for selecting amongst them, a national sports advisor to the P.M.

1. AVM Farooq Umar Ex. CEO & M.D. PIA. He was also elected “President Pakistan Hockey Federation.” (PHF) It was during his tenure that he Resurrected Pakistan Hockey and made it Win the “World Champions Trophy” and the “World Cup Sydney 94” after a long lapse of 14 years . His success depended on upfront leadership and the ability to motivate the players right in the play field.

2. Lt. Gen (R) Tauqir Zia. As the chairman Pakistan Cricket Board for 4 years, he not only introduced the “Vision 2005″, paragon for the promotion and development of Cricket in Pakistan but also managed to implement almost 75% of that Project in every part of the country particularly in the far flung areas of Balochistan, Sind and Frontier.

3. Khalid Mahmood. His keen interest in sports particularly cricket, provided Mr. Khalid Mahmood opportunities to serve Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in various capacities: Honorary Secretary (1975-1976), Member PCB Council (1988-94), Manager of Pakistan Cricket Team touring England, South Africa and the West Indies (1992-1993) and as Chairman PCB (1998-1999).

Before concluding, I would like to bring to your kind notice that please don’t consider sports as something which should be left as your last priority, on the national agenda. And if any proof was required to substantiate my request, here is the statement for your kind perusal, about the power of the sports, by one of the greatest statesman of the world, late Mr. Nelson Mandela.

“Sport has the power to change the world…it has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers.”

Now, taking a cue from the above mentioned statement of late Mr. Nelson Mandela, it is suggested that Pakistani government should slightly re-phrase it and declare the following as its mission statement: “Sports has the power to change Pakistan…it has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite Pakistani people in a way that little else does. It speaks to the Pakistani youth in a language they understand. Sports can create hope for the entire Pakistani nation where once there was only despair, lawlessness, hunger, poverty, drugs, suicide bombings and alarming increase of suicides, due to the economic hardships. It is more powerful than government in breaking down the menace of terrorism which has blown Pakistan to the smithereens.”

With best wishes and kind regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Another black day in the sporting history of Pakistan..!

Dear Mr. Prime Minister

AoA.

I will not at all be surprised, if your very important national and international commitments, must have kept you unaware, from the extremely sad and tragic news that today for the first time ever, in the country’s 60-year history of the game of Hockey, Pakistani team is not playing the World Cup; because our team failed to qualify for the tournament, which has commenced today on Saturday, 31 May 2014 at Hague and from Asia, India, South Korea and Malaysia are participating.

Hope you remember the Hockey World Cup was introduced by Pakistan, which also won this title 4 times in the past.

MashaAllah, next week you will be completing first year of the government.However, if we just talk about sports, it looks that the people at the helm of affairs for sports in the government, absolutely failed to stem the rot and provide any vision or guidance in the improvement of the pathetic state of affairs of the sports, particularly in games of Hockey, Cricket, Squash and Snooker, which were once dominated by Pakistan, around the world.

The improvement in the sports sector is neither difficult, nor has a requirement of rocket science. What is needed is commitment and dedication with honesty, integrity and meritocracy, without any politics, favouritism and nepotism.

Hope you are also aware about the state of the ugly affairs in the other major game of the country namely cricket, where our team came last among all the participants of the Champions trophy played in the UK, but were rewarded with an Eid bonus by Mr. Najam Sethi, as if PCB was his father’s company. Then our team went to Zimbabwe and got defeats from them (Zim a lowest status team) in a Test as well as, the ODI match. And recently Pakistani team created another record of shame, when in the T20 World Cup tournament held in Bangladesh, for the first time in the history, we failed to qualify for even the semi finals spot.

If I were the PM, all the sports administrators including the minister in charge, would have been sacked with the orders to refund entire pay and perks waisted on them for abysmally failing, during the last one year of the government, to deliver even 1% positive results.

Again, if I were the PM, for the sake of the name and image of Pakistan, for which our soldiers are almost daily embracing martyrdom, I would have gone across the party lines, to select an advisor for sports, who could turn around all the major sports played in the country, in not more than a years time.

In this regard, the following three names come to my mind, for selecting amongst them, a national sports advisor to the P.M.

1. AVM Farooq Umar Ex. CEO & M.D. PIA. He was also elected “President Pakistan Hockey Federation.” (PHF) It was during his tenure that he Resurrected Pakistan Hockey and made it Win the “World Champions Trophy” and the “World Cup Sydney 94” after a long lapse of 14 years . His success depended on upfront leadership and the ability to motivate the players right in the play field.

2. Lt. Gen (R) Tauqir Zia. As the chairman Pakistan Cricket Board for 4 years, he not only introduced the “Vision 2005”, paragon for the promotion and development of Cricket in Pakistan but also managed to implement almost 75% of that Project in every part of the country particularly in the far flung areas of Balochistan, Sind and Frontier.

3. Khalid Mahmood. His keen interest in sports particularly cricket, provided Mr. Khalid Mahmood opportunities to serve Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in various capacities: Honorary Secretary (1975-1976), Member PCB Council (1988-94), Manager of Pakistan Cricket Team touring England, South Africa and the West Indies (1992-1993) and as Chairman PCB (1998-1999).

Before concluding, I would like to bring to your kind notice that please don’t consider sports as something which should be left as your last priority, on the national agenda. And if any proof was required to substantiate my request, here is the statement for your kind perusal, about the power of the sports, by one of the greatest statesman of the world, late Mr. Nelson Mandela.

“Sport has the power to change the world…it has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers.”

Now, taking a cue from the above mentioned statement of late Mr. Nelson Mandela, it is suggested that Pakistani government should slightly re-phrase it and declare the following as its mission statement: “Sports has the power to change Pakistan…it has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite Pakistani people in a way that little else does. It speaks to the Pakistani youth in a language they understand. Sports can create hope for the entire Pakistani nation where once there was only despair, lawlessness, hunger, poverty, drugs, suicide bombings and alarming increase of suicides, due to the economic hardships. It is more powerful than government in breaking down the menace of terrorism which has blown Pakistan to the smithereens.”

With best wishes and kind regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

AoA.

Today, we all Pakistanis thank and bow our head before Allah, for His Blessings, in making this country a nuclear power, which came into being in the name of Allah.

The entire nation is also grateful to Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and all those who (then) advised him wisely, for nuclear detonations on 28 May, 1998, which was also an announcement to the world that Pakistan was a declared nuclear power.

Sir, leaving aside the fact that Pakistan is a nuclear power and that this fact did help in restraining our main adversary India, from its planned aggression against Pakistan, on many occasions in the past, the realty remains that the balance of power is gradually tilting towards India, due its unbridled spendings on defence, which currently has almost crossed the $40 billion. And very soon it may touch $60 billion, which amount is half of Chinese spendings on defence. Although, Indian economy is no match to the Chinese economy, which has exports of over $200 billion per month against the Indian exports of around $200 billion per annum.

The main thrust of Indian defence in future, looks like to be in gaining complete ascendancy over Pakistan, in the fields of anti-missile shield and nuclear submarines, notwithstanding, the fact that even if Pakistan can’t fire a single nuclear weapon towards India; and if they are able to make a first nuclear strike against Pakistan, the proximity of the two countries, will render India badly vulnerable, to the deadly nuclear radiation over its own population and land. At least between India and Pakistan, a nuclear war is a mutually assured destruction (MAD).

However, to stop any nuclear showdown, India along with the whole world, must know absolutely clearly, our threshold and red line, beyond which MAD will be the only naked reality and fate of this world.

Whether, its war or peace, Pakistan can’t remain oblivious of its responsibilities, in moving forward with the time, in the fields of nuclear science and technology. However, Pakistan must not make this fatal mistake of thinking that just being a nuclear power of some sort, this situation is going to be a deterrent of war and guarantee for peace in future.

Past was past and now its a changed world, 16 years after 28 May, 2014. As such, Pakistan must, repeat must, move towards developing thermonuclear (Hydrogen bombs) and Neutron bombs (which don’t destroy the structure of buildings but its radiation kills all the life). It is said that India already possesses the Hydrogen bomb, which is on an average 100 times more lethal than an atom bomb.

So to say that India and Pakistan have parity of nuclear weapons, is a very dangerous false sense of security, for the Pakistani strategic planners.

Pakistan must also have strategic planning for acquiring and developing the missile shield and the nuclear submarines, along with raising at least 2 more strike corps. In fact, we should also start conceptual planning and R&D, on Star Wars possibilities in the future.

Sir, the secret of the success is to remain a step ahead of our competitors. Moreover, the statecraft, preparation for war and readiness is ordained to Muslims by Allah in the Holy Quran, where Muslims are required that they must keep their horses READY and FIGHTING FIT, and to the enemies of Muslims, their 20 horses will look 200.

Mr. Prime Minister, during your recent sojourn to India, you must be knowing very well the reasons for the importance and focus given to you over the other SAARC leaders, As they say, weakness invites contempt and aggression. Whereas, strength and power, breeds respect and peace.

As such, please don’t take my above suggestions as war mongering. Pakistan needs peace not war, for its development and growth. But alas..! a Pakistan weaker than the strongest of its neighbour, will never be in peace, which is the biggest ground reality.

Sir, I also take this opportunity to bring to your kind notice that within 24 hours of the BJP government taking over the reigns of the government in Delhi, one of its minister has spoken about abolition of the article 370 from the constitution, which stipulates a special status for Kashmir. Moreover, the extremist Hindus have also started a campaign to stop Muslims from the FAJR AAZAN.

Last but not the least, a great statesman is not the person who wages the war and wins it. The greatest statesman is he, who achieves his objectives, without waging a war. But then there is always a limit to the extent a weak party can go. Here, I will again quote the famous words of the Shaheed Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto, when he told Henry Kissinger that “If you spit and ask me to clean it I will clean it. However, if you spit and and ask me to lick it, I will never do that”.

With Best Wishes and Highest Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Few simple questions to Mr. Narendra Modi, Mian Nawaz Sharif, political leadership, intelligentsia, civil and military bureaucracy of India and Pakistan:

When famous players of both the countries namely Aisam ul Haq and Rohan Bopanna can team up for the cause of sports, why can’t the two nations team up to win the wars against diseases, illiteracy and poverty?

Why India and Pakistan have to be the prisoners of the past?

Why the two nations are living like the divided Korea?

Why can’t India and Pakistan live like the United Europe?

Why the leadership of both the countries is so weak that they can’t even think of taking bold decision for peace?

Is there a dearth of true statesmen in both the countries?

Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon,

Greetings.

Pakistan is extremely grateful for your visit, particularly for being the chief guest at our Independence Day celebrations, on 14th August 2013.

As it may be already very well in your knowledge that UN has described the 8,00,000 Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, as one of the most persecuted minorities in the world, being tortured, displaced, faced travel and trade limitations, murders, now Rohingya Muslims face child-limitation policies as well.

Similarly, over 10 million Kashmiri Muslim population living since 1947 under Indian occupation forces, are the most persecuted MAJORITY in the world. The list of humanly unimaginable atrocities perpetrated for the last almost seven decades, is so long that its compilation will be more voluminous, than the final print edition of 2010 of 32-volume set of Encyclopaedia Britannica.

However, just to refresh the serious human rights violations committed by the Indian military, para military and other forces on the Kashmiri Muslim unarmed children, ladies and men, a very concise but an eye opening report compiled from the wikipedia is submitted as below:

“This article is about Human rights abuses in Indian-administered portion of Kashmir.

Human rights abuses

Human rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir, a disputed territory administered by India, are an ongoing issue. The abuses range from mass killings, forced disappearances, torture, rape and sexual abuse to political repression and suppression offreedom of speech. The Indian central reserve police force, border security personnel and various militant groups have been accused and held accountable for committing severe human rights abuses against Kashmiri civilians. A WikiLeaks issue accused India of systemic human rights abuses, it stated that US diplomats possessed evidence of the apparent wide spread use of torture by Indian police and security forces.

A US state government finding reports that the Indian army in Jammu and Kashmir, has carried out extrajudicial killings of innocent civilians.

In 2010, statistics presented to the Indian government’s Cabinet Committee on Security showed that for the first time since the 1980s, the number of civilian deaths attributed to the Indian forces was higher than those attributed to terrorist actions.

Thousands of Kashmiris have reported to be killed by Indian security forces in custody, extradjudicial executions and enforced disappearances and these human right violations are said to be carried out by Indian security forces under total impunity. Civilians including women and children have been killed in “reprisal” attacks by Indian security forces and as a “collective punishment” villages and neighbourhoods have been burn down and women raped.

International NGO’s as well as the US State Department have documented human rights abuses including disappearances, torture and arbitrary executions carried out during India’s counter terrorism operations. United Nations has expressed serious concerns over large number of killings by Indian security forces.

Human Rights groups have also accused the Indian security forces of using child soldiers, although the Indian government denies this allegation. Torture, widely used by Indian security, the severity described as beyond comprehension by amnesty international has been responsible for the huge number of deaths in custody.

The Telegraph, citing a WikiLeaks report quotes the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) that Indian security forces were physically abusing detainees by beatings, electrocutions and sexual interference. These detainees weren’t Islamic insurgents or Pakistani-backed insurgents but civilians, in contrast to India’s continual allegations of Pakistani involvement. The detainees were “connected to or believed to have information about the insurgents”. According to ICRC, 681 of the 1296 detainees whom it interviewed claimed torture.

US officials have been quoted reporting “terrorism investigations and court cases tend to rely upon confessions, many of which are obtained under duress if not beatings, threats, or in some cases torture.

Amnesty International accused security forces of exploiting the Armed Forces Special Powers Act that enables them to “hold prisoners without trial”. The group argues that the law, which allows security to detain individuals for as many as two years “without presenting charges, violating prisoners’ human rights”.

Indian Army

The soldiers of the 4th Rajputana Rifles of the Indian Army on 23 February 1991 launched a search operation in a village Kunan Poshpora, in the Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir and allegedly gang raped 53 women of all ages. Human Rights organizations including Human Rights Watch have reported that the number of raped women could be as high as 100. The Indian Army is also accused of many massacres such as Bomai Killing, 2009, Gawakadal massacre,2006 Kulgam massacre, Zakoora And Tengpora Massacre, 1990, Sopore massacre. They also didn‘t spared the health care system of the valley. The major hospitals witnessed the crackdowns and army men even entered the operation theatres in search of terrorist patients.

Border Security Force

On 22 October 1993, the 13th Battalion of the Border Security Forces was accused of arbitrarily firing on a crowd and killing 37 civilians in Bijbehara. The number of reported dead and wounded vary by source. Amnesty International reported that at least 51 people died and 200 were wounded on that day.

The Indian government conducted two official enquiries and the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC) conducted a third. In March 1994 the government indicted the Border Security Force (BSF) for firing into the crowd “without provocation” and charged 13 BSF officers with murder. In another incident which took place at Handwara on 25 January 1990, 9 protesters where killed by the same unit.

Central Reserve Police Force

During the Amarnath land transfer controversy more than 40 unarmed protesters were killed by the personnels of Central Reserve Police Force. At least 300 were detained under Public Safety Act, including teenagers. The same practice was again repeated by the personnels of the Central Reserve Police Force, during the 2010 Kashmir Unrest, which resulted in 112 deaths, including many teenager protesters at various incidents.

Special Operations Group

The Special Operations Group was raised in 1994 for counter terrorism. A volunteer force, mainly came for promotions and cash rewards, comprising police officers and policemen from the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The group is accused of torture and custodial killings. A Senior Superintendent of this group and his deputy are among the 11 personnels, who were convicted for a fake encounter, which killed a local carpenter, and was labelled as a millitant to get the promotions and rewards.

Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958

Main article: Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958

In July 1990 Indian Armed Forces were given special powers under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) that gives protection to Indian Armed Forces personnel from being prosecuted. The law provides them a shield, when committing human rights violations and has been criticised by Human Rights Watch as being wrongly used by the forces. This law is widely condemned by human rights groups. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay has urged India to repeal AFSPA and to investigate the disappearances in Kashmir.

“All three special laws in force in the state assist the government in shielding the perpetrators of human rights violations from prosecution, and encourage them to act with impunity. Provisions of the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act clearly contravene international human rights standards laid down in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as members of the UN Human Rights Committee have pointed out. One Committee member felt that provisions of the act – including imunity from prosecution – were highly dangerous and encouraged violations of the right to life“.

—A clipping from a report published by the Amnesty International, 1995.

According to the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), in an area that is proclaimed as “disturbed”, an officer of the armed forces has powers to:

Fire upon or use other kinds of force even if it causes death, against the person who is acting against law or order in the disturbed area for the maintenance of public order, after giving such due warning.

Destroy any arms dump, prepared or fortified position or shelter or training camp from which armed attacks are made by the armed volunteers or armed gangs or absconders wanted for any offence.

To arrest without a warrant anyone who has committed cognizable offences or is reasonably suspected of having done so and may use force if needed for the arrest.

To enter and search any premise in order to make such arrests, or to recover any person wrongfully restrained or any arms, ammunition or explosive substances and seize it.
Stop and search any vehicle or vessel reasonably suspected to be carrying such person or weapons.

Any person arrested and taken into custody under this Act shall be made over to the officer in charge of the nearest police station with the least possible delay, together with a report of the circumstances occasioning the arrest.

Army officers have legal immunity for their actions. There can be no prosecution, suit or any other legal proceeding against anyone acting under that law. Nor is the government’s judgment on why an area is found to be disturbed subject to judicial review.
Protection of persons acting in good faith under this Act from prosecution, suit or other legal proceedings, except with the sanction of the Central Government, in exercise of the powers conferred by this Act.

Fake encounters

According to the Srinagar-based Association of Parents of Displaced Persons (APDP), a minimum of 8,000 people have disappeared since the insurgency began. In February 2003, the government of India-administered Kashmir, led by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, told the state legislative assembly that 3,744 people were missing.

Hundreds of civilian’s including women and children have been reported to be extrajudicially executed by Indian security forces and killings concealed as fake encounters. Despite government denial, Indian security officials have reportedly confessed to human right watch of widespread occurrence of fake encounters and its encouragement for awards and promotions. According to a BBC interview with an anonymous security person, ‘fake encounter’ killings are those in which security personnel kill someone in cold blood while claiming that the casualty occurred in a gun battle. It also asserts that the security personnel are Kashmiris and “even surrendered militants”.

In 2010 three men were reported missing proceeding these missing reports 3 men claimed to be militants were killed in a staged gun battle the army also claimed they had found Pakistani currency among the dead. The major was subsequently suspended and a senior soldier transferred from his post. In 2011, a Special Police Officer and an Indian Army Jawan were charged by the Kashmir police for murder of a civilian whom the duo had killed in an encounter claiming that he was a top Lashkar-e-Taiba militant.

Disappearances

Indian security forces have been implicated in many reports for enforced disappearances of thousands of Kashmiris where the security forces deny having their information and/or custody. This is often in association with torture or extrajudicial killing. The number of men disappeared have been so many to have a new term “half-widows” for their wives who end up impoverished. Human right activists estimate the number of disappeared over eight thousand, last seen in government detention.These are believed to be dumped in thousands of mass graves across Kashmir.

Mass graves

Mass graves have been identified all over Kashmir by human right activists believed to contain bodies of thousands of Kashmiris of enforced disappearances. A state human rights commission inquiry confirmed there are thousands of bullet-ridden bodies buried in unmarked graves in Jammu and Kashmir. Of the 2730 bodies uncovered in 4 of the 14 districts, 574 bodies were identified as missing locals in contrast to the Indian governments insistence that all the graves belong to foreign militants. According to a new deposition submitted by Parvez Imroz and his field workers asserted that the total number of unmarked graves were about 6,000. The British parliament commented on the recent discovery and expressed its sadness and regret of over 6,000 unmarked graves. Christof Heyns, a special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, has warned India that “all of these draconian laws had no place in a functioning democracy and should be scrapped.”

Extrajudicial killings by security personnel

In a 1994 report, Human Rights Watch described summary executions of detainees as a “hallmark” of counter-insurgency operations by Indian security forces in Kashmir. The report further stated that such extrajudicial killings were often administered within hours of arrest, and were carried out not as aberrations but as a “matter of policy”. In a 1995 report, Amnesty International stated that hundred of civilians had been victims of such killings, which were often claimed by officers as occurring during “encounters” or “cross-fire”. A 2010 US state department report cited extrajudicial killings by security forces in areas of conflict such as Kashmir as a major human rights problem in India.

Suicide

According to a report, 17,000 people mostly women have committed suicide during the last 20 years in the Valley. According to a study by the Medecins Sans Frontieres,
“Women in Kashmir have suffered enormously since the separatist struggle became violent in 1989–90. Like the women in other conflict zones, they have been raped, tortured, maimed and killed. A few of them were even jailed for years together. Kashmiri women are among the worst sufferers of sexual violence in the world. ‘Sexual violence has been routinely perpetrated on Kashmiri women, with 11.6% of respondents saying they were victims of sexual abuse’,”

At the beginning of the insurgency there were 1200 patients in the valley‘s sole mental hospital. The hospital is now overcrowded with more than 100,000 patients.”

Mr. Secretary General, in view of the above extracts compiled by the International organisations, governments and the UNO, there is no doubt that the entire freedom loving world is witnessing a perpetual worst ever human rights violations (never witnessed by the humanity on this planet on a majority population of an specific area) by the Indian forces facilitated by the Indian government with the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), about which the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay has urged India to repeal AFSPA and to investigate the disappearances in Kashmir.
In view of the foregoing your Excellency is urgently requested to advise Indian government to immediately implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 47, adopted on April 21, 1948 and instructed the UN Commission to go to the subcontinent and help the governments of India and Pakistan restore peace and order to the region and prepare for a plebiscite to decide the fate of Kashmir.

As a first step India must withdraw over 7,00,000 forces personnel from occupied Kashmir. Remember, nowhere in the world repeat nowhere in the world so much troops are posted for just about 12.5 million population.

However, if the Indian government declines your request, the UN must come to the rescue of the most persecuted majority population of an specific area on this planet Earth; and initiate war crimes proceedings, on the pattern of Nuremberg war crimes tribunal, against all the Indian civil, military and other forces personnel, about whom all the crimes of GENOCIDE on Kashmiri people are very well documented in the archives of International Human Rights Organisations, world governments and the United Nations.

YOUR EXCELLENCY, LET NOT THE POSTERITY DOCUMENT THAT YOU SIDED WITH THE HOLOCAUST OFFENDERS OF INDIA AND FAILED TO USE YOUR INFLUENCE TO STOP GENOCIDE OF INNOCENT KIDS, WOMEN AND MEN DEMANDING THEIR LEGAL AND MORAL RIGHT OF SELF DETERMINATION.

REMEMBER KASHMIRI PEOPLE ARE NOT ASKING FOR THE MOON.

Best regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Once again there is a debate going on in the Pakistani cricketing circles, that should Misbah ul Haq be retained as captain of the Test and ODI teams or not? In this regard, PCB seems to be a divided house.

Firstly, it should be made clear to every player that if anyone is removed from the captaincy, it does not mean the end of his playing career. In the past, we have seen that when legendary Sir. Ian Botham was removed from the captaincy of the England’s team, not only there was a big spur in the performance of Ian Botham, but in the entire English team, was transformed for the good.

Generally, people appreciate the batting prowess of Misbah ul Haq. However, he is also being criticised for startlingly wrong team selections, unimaginative batting order decisions, defensive field placings, wrong bowling schemes and his own very slow start of the innings, even in the ODI matches. On an over all basis, now he is being labeled as a defensive captain.

However, the biggest draw back of Misbah ul Haq has been the element of favouritism which he displays for his colleagues playing with him in his domestic team. This aspect of favouritism in his personality, makes him absolutely unfit to be a leader of the national out fit.

In particular, MUH’s moves in South African tour dented his reputation very badly, when he unnecessarily called players from Pakistan, even before the start of the first Test match.

Moreover, his media statements even before the start of the series, also confirmed that he had surrendered the series before the first ball was was bowled. One should never be over awed by the paper strength of the opposition.

Going by the analogy of MUH, the Zimbabwe should have also surrendered before the start of the series against Pakistan. And now MUH has the guts to say that he was not a defensive captain. Yes, he is in fact, not worth even a defensive captain, which was a label affixed previously on the great legendary Mr. Zaheer Abbas, as well.

Captains are sheer brain and cricket is played in the mind, just like a chess game. But in MUH’s case, we are at a loss to know that he is totally devoid of the common sense, which he amply exhibited in South African series, when everybody knew that Hafeez was bothering their batsmen with new ball, MUH made sure, he was not given the new ball, at many such moments.

The whole of Pakistan knew how much Irfan bothered the SA batsmen on their pitches, but he was not selected to play the first Test match. We can easily write the details consuming reams of papers, about the common sense decisions not taken by MUH, in selection of players and during the currency of the games, specially during the South African series, champions trophy in England, West Indian and Zimbabwe tours.

How can Misbah ul Haq be retained as captain till the ODI World Cup 2015, when he led the team in the champions trophy, where Pakistan was LASTranked team among all the participants?

Handing over the task of leading the team again to Misbah ul Haq for the World Cup 2015, will be an act of hara-kiri (suicide or any suicidal action; a self-destructive act). What else could be the act of madness or insanity which was aptly defined by Albert Einstein that “doing an act, without change, over and over again and expecting a different result?”

Now, the question is what is expected from a captain? Firstly, it should be remembered that in all the team games, the role of a captain in the game of cricket, is of the prime importance. A cricket captain is invested as is an American president, with a fanciful suite of powers and responsibilities, more than any one man can bear.

A good captain can make a poor team good and a good team great. Here, we remember late AH Kardar, who had to lead a pack of Pakistani players, out of which 8-9 players were the worst fielders. But then, he always used his players in such a manner, that their weaknesses were least exposed to the opponents.

Captains in cricket have to have a brain to create victories, because victories are never offered by the opponents in a plate, rather it is carved out, on the chess board of the cricket field. Further, the captain must be a PRO ACTIVE AND MUST NOT BE A REACTIVE PERSONALITY.

It is the foremost job of the captain to always keep his team players so charged up, focused and motivated that victories are snatched from the jaws of the defeat; and not that defeats are snatched from the jaws of the victory; as happened with our team, twice during the last tour of Zimbabwe, where we lost an ODI as well as, a Test match.

In view of the foregoing and keeping under consideration of the long term interests of the Pakistani cricket, which has to plan for up to June-July 2017 Test matches, championships and 2015 ODI World Cup, there is no doubt that at the best, we have a 50:50 chance that Misbah ul Haq will be able to continue till the above named two important events.

Therefore, under the circumstances, we have two options. Firstly, to play safe, we may appoint Younis khan as captain for the ODI and the Test teams (with certain factors of fitness, age, experience, class and abilities in his favour more than any other cricketer in Pakistan), with Ahmad Shahzad as his deputy, who may take over as the captain for all the three formats of the game, after the ODI World Cup 2015. Simultaneously, to imbibe confidence and to gain the experience, Ahmad Shahzad may be appointed as captain for the T20 team, as well.

Secondly, in the midst of the experienced set of team management personnel, we can straight away, close the chapter of team players politics, for a minimum of about 5-7 years, by right away appointing Ahmad Shahzad as captain, for all the three formats of the game, of a new look futuristic Pakistan team. Yes, experienced players like Younis Khan, Misbah ul Haq and Shahid Afridi must be retained to play as seasoned members in the team, as long as, they are able to deliver.