Loud Thinking

Posts Tagged ‘India’

India’s thermonuclear bomb https://tribune.com.pk/story/2070720/6-indias-thermonuclear-bomb/

India is setting the groundwork for a more ambitious hydrogen bomb project at the Rare Materials Plant, 160 miles to the south of Rattehalli, close to the city of Mysore.

It pains me to say that despite writing (dozens of times since the advent of PTI government) directly to the PM Mr. Imran Khan and his (many) Federal Ministers, about the Pakistan’s WORTH and STRATEGIC VALUE of the Rare Earth Metals, there was ZERO Progress.
Attached below are the latest news in the world’s arena, on the subject, which highlights that besides, money, how much a country like Pakistan, can be at the center of the importance of the developed world, if our mineral resources are speedily exploited (specially all 17 REM’s) of above $51 trillion, which can be judged by the fact that the 2018 GDP of the top ten economies of the world was $58 trillion.
Sorry to say that there looks no difference in the attitude of previous and the current government’s in such matters of huge national importance.

1. From Discover on Google https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-can-draw-up-to-s33b-in-rare-earths-investment-over-next-10-years-minister
2. From Discover on Google https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-rareearths-pentagon-exclusive/exclusive-pentagon-races-to-track-us-rare-earths-output-amid-china-trade-dispute-idUSKCN1U727N

29 May 2019
Subject:- Strategic importance of Rate Earth Metals wealth of Pakistan

Respected Mr. Imran Khan Sahab.

AoA.

Sir,

Your kind attention is invited towards the following two international news publications of 29 May 2019, about Rare Earth Metals strategic importance (link provided below), as already narrated in some detail vide email dated 23 May 2019 attached below:

1. China gears up to weaponise Rare Earths as trade war..https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2019-05-29/china-gears-up-to-weaponize-rare-earths-dominance-in-trade-war
2. US risks devastating blow from China’s Rare Earth monopoly..https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-29/u-s-risks-devastating-blow-from-china-s-rare-earths-monopoly

In view of the very high strategic importance of the matter, kindly order top most priority for immediate start of work on recovery of mineral wealth of Pakistan, with particular reference to Rare Earth Metals wealth of Pakistan, which deserves much more importance than any other project of the country.

Best Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad
03219402157
Lahore.

23 May 2019

Subject:- Mr. PM your urgent attention is requested – Pakistan have reserves of REM with much better recovery rate than China – Dr. Imran Khan – China’s rare earth supplies could be vital bargaining chip in U.S. trade war.

Dear Mr. Imran Khan Sahab,

AoA.

Sir,

According to Dr. Imran Khan, (as already informed repeatedly earlier), Pakistan’s worth of mineral wealth, minus oil and gas reserves is over $51 trillion which includes Rare Earth Metals ($53 trillion is the total worth of GDP of the top ten richest nations of the world).

In this regard, we can become top most wealthy nation of the world, if your government starts this project on a fast track basis, under the highly technical and professional guidance of Dr. Imran Khan, who is the only expert having done Geological Survey in Pakistan, India, China and the USA.

In this connection, in order to highlight the economic and strategic importance of the the REM’s; attached below is an article for your kind perusal, published today.

As such, kindly order top most priority for start of work on recovery of mineral wealth of Pakistan, which deserves much more importance than any other project in Pakistan.

China’s rare earth supplies could be vital bargaining chip in U.S. trade war

 Last Updated On 23 May,2019 02:20 pm

Samples of rare earth minerals, Cerium oxide, Bastnasite, Neodymium oxide and Lanthanum carbonate.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Rare earth elements are used in a wide range of consumer products, from iPhones to electric car motors, as well as military jet engines, satellites and lasers.

Rising tensions between the United States and China have sparked concerns that Beijing could use its dominant position as a supplier of rare earths for leverage in the trade war between the two global economic powers.

WHAT ARE RARE EARTHS USED IN?

Rare earths are used in rechargeable batteries for electric and hybrid cars, advanced ceramics, computers, DVD players, wind turbines, catalysts in cars and oil refineries, monitors, televisions, lighting, lasers, fiber optics, superconductors and glass polishing.

Several rare earth elements, such as neodymium and dysprosium, are critical to the motors used in electric vehicles.

RARE EARTHS IN MILITARY EQUIPMENT

Some rare earth minerals are essential in military equipment such as jet engines, missile guidance systems, antimissile defense systems, satellites, as well as in lasers.

Lanthanum, for example, is needed to manufacture night vision devices.

The U.S. Defense Department accounts for about 1% of U.S. demand, which in turn accounts for about 9% of global demand for rare earths, according to a 2016 report from the congressional U.S. Government Accountability Office.

A front-end loader is used to move material inside the open pit at Molycorp’s Mountain Pass Rare Earth facility in Mountain Pass

WHICH COMPANIES ARE MOST DEPENDENT ON CHINESE SUPPLIES?

Companies such as Raytheon Co, Lockheed Martin Corp and BAE Systems Plc all make sophisticated missiles that use rare earths metals in their guidance systems, and sensors. Lockheed and BAE declined to comment. Raytheon did not respond to a request for comment.

Apple Inc uses rare earth elements in speakers, cameras and the so-called “haptic” engines that make its phones vibrate.

The company says the elements are not available from traditional recyclers because they are used in such small amounts they cannot be recovered.

Since 2010, the government and private industry have built up stockpiles of rare earths and components that use them, according to Eugene Gholz, a former senior Pentagon supply chain expert, who teaches at the University of Notre Dame.

Some suppliers have scaled back their use of such elements, he said.

                  A bastnaesite mineral containing rare earth 

WHAT ARE RARE EARTHS AND WHERE DO THEY OCCUR?

Rare earth metals are a group of 17 elements – lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, scandium, yttrium – that appear in low concentrations in the ground.

Although they are more abundant than their name implies, they are difficult and costly to mine and process cleanly. China hosts most of the world’s processing capacity and supplied 80% of the rare earths imported by the United States from 2014 to 2017. In 2017, China accounted for 81% of the world’s rare earth production, data from the U.S. Geological Survey showed.

Importers made limited efforts to reduce rare earth consumption and dependence on China after a diplomatic dispute between China and Japan in 2010. Japan accused China of halting rare earth supplies for political reasons, sparking recognition worldwide of the risks of dependence on one supplier. China denied it had halted supplies.

Few alternative suppliers were able to compete with China, which is home to 37% of global rare earths reserves.

California’s Mountain Pass mine is the only operating U.S. rare earths facility. But MP Materials, owner of Mountain Pass, ships the roughly 50,000 tonnes of rare earth concentrate it extracts each year from California to China for processing.

China has imposed a tariff of 25% on those imports during the trade war.

Australia’s Lynas Corporation Ltd this week said it signed a memorandum of understanding with Texas-based Blue Line Corp to build a rare earth processing facility in the United States.

Rare earths are also mined in India, South Africa, Canada, Australia, Estonia, Malaysia and Brazil.

HOW ARE RARE EARTHS AFFECTED BY U.S. TARIFFS?

So far, the U.S. government has exempted rare earths from tariffs on Chinese goods.

OPTIONS TO REDUCE RELIANCE ON CHINESE IMPORTS

U.S. senators introduced legislation in May to encourage development of domestic supplies.

Recycling has also emerged as a potential source for rare earth minerals.

Nebraska-based Rare Earth Salts is taking old fluorescent light tubes and recycling them for their rare earth elements, which comprise about 20 percent of the bulb, according to the Association of Lamp and Mercury Recyclers.

Best Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad
03219402157
Lahore.

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.

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, sports and tourism etc.

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. 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.

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 an strategy to fight fire with fire.

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.

PAKISTAN PAINDABAD.

Honourable Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Sahab,

Salaam.

While your government is increasing the size of the begging bowl, look what India is doing…!

A TOI eye opening news..!

Govt launches austerity drive, bans meetings in 5-star hotels
PTI | Sep 18, 2013, 08.37 PM IST

Chidambaram earlier met financial advisors of various ministries to impress upon them the need for austerity.

NEW DELHI: Government departments have been banned from holding meetings in 5-star hotels and officials barred from executive class air travel as part of a slew of austerity measures announced on Wednesday to cut non-plan expenditure by 10 per cent.

Aiming to restrict the fiscal deficit to 4.8 per cent of GDP in 2013-14, the Finance Ministry has ordered all ministries and departments not to buy new vehicles, create new jobs or fill posts lying vacant for over one year.

It has also directed that the size of delegations going abroad should be kept at the “absolute minimum.”

The government has been introducing austerity measures since 2008-09, most recently in November 2012.

“Such measures are intended at promoting fiscal discipline, without restricting the operational efficiency of the government. In the context of the current fiscal situation, there is a need to continue to rationalise expenditure and optimise available resources,” the finance ministry said.

Finance minister P Chidambaram earlier said he had drawn a red line and would not allow the fiscal deficit to breach the target of 4.8 per cent of GDP in 2013-14.

The various austerity measures helped the government to contain the fiscal deficit at 4.9 per cent of GDP in the previous financial year, against the budgeted target of 5.1 per cent.

The circular came a day after Chidambaram met financial advisors of various ministries to impress upon them the need for austerity. ———————————————————–

Mr. Prime Minister, one thing must be made clear to all your advisors that only foreign loans will not and never cure the ills of the Pakistan’s economy, for which we will also have to reduce our expenditures in a big way and not just in a cosmetic manner.

Wishing you all the best in your untiring efforts to put Pakistan back on the rails of recovery.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Lahore.

Sent from my iPad3 4G LTE

Mr. Nawaz Sharif Prime Minister of Pakistan, perhaps you know very well that your today’s gesture of goodwill of releasing 365 Indian prisoners, which was almost ignored by the thankless Indians and their media, has been reciprocated by the Indians by martyring our soldier on the LOC. Yesterday, the Indians martyred a captain of the Pak Army.

Now the question is are we supposed to live under the aggressive designs and hegemony of the Indians under your rule, as a disgraced nuclear power?

Kindly, immediately snap diplomatic ties with India and stop any Indian planes overflying Pakistan.

If India do not want to live in peace with Pakistan, we should tell them that Pakistan also gives them a hoot.

A must read letter published in the daily DAWN titled “Paris of East”: a US guidebook.

WE may gripe about things in Karachi and consider it a very crowded crime-plagued city. But that was not always the case. I recently chanced upon an information booklet about Karachi published for the benefit of American soldiers stationed here during World War II.

Entitled ‘A locally produced information booklet for US soldiers for Karachi’, published in 1942, it speaks of Karachi as the “Paris of the East” because it says it is “the cleanest city in the whole of India”.

After giving information about the city’s political status – capital of the Sindh government with a population of 400,000 – the guidebook says Karachi is called the ‘Gateway to India’ because as a port it serves not only Balochistan, Punjab and UP but also Afghanistan.

Very few of us know that Karachi used to produce grapes. While talking of the Gandhi Gardens, the guidebook says “grapes grown in the gardens are famous not only in Karachi but outside also”. Malir, now part of Karachi, is referred to in the booklet as being “12 miles from Karachi” and is “well-known for its fruits gardens”.

The Clifton beach “is considered by some as the best in the whole of India. It has a parade made of cement concrete and red stone. The beach extends about seven miles and is a very fine place for sea bathing and excursions in the moonlight”. It also dwells on Sands Pits and refers to Hawks Bay “as the best spot in Karachi”.

The museum the book refers to is still there where it was in 1942, but very few Karachiites know or it bother to visit it – at Burns Road. Called then Victoria Museum, it contained Moenjo Daro relics, a variety of fighting arms and tribal dresses for men and women.

Transport finds repeated mention in the guidebook and gives details of bus and tram routes and the fares. The newspapers then published were Sindh Observer and Daily Gazette, besides two evening papers — Karachi Daily and Sindh Observer’s evening edition.

Fascinating to read are advertisements. Some of the shops mentioned are still there, but many have disappeared. As for eating houses, old Karachiites will miss restaurants which have disappeared — Café Grand, Café Oxford and two Chinese restaurants — Chunking and Victory.

All that has happened to Karachi is not all negative. Karachi has flourished into a major industrial centre, it is a dynamic city, its educational institutions continue to increase, and it has an enviable philanthropic establishment. Let us work to restore Karachi to its glory and make it a crime-free city.

S. MOHAMMAD SIBTAIN Karachi

This news is an eye opener for those people who say why Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah carved Pakistan out of India.

Muslims have lowest living standard in India: Govt survey

A TOI Report

NEW DELHI: Among various religious groups, Muslims have the lowest living standard with the average per capita expenditure of just Rs 32.66 in a day, says a government survey.

At the other end of the spectrum, Sikh community enjoys a much better lifestyle as the average per capita spending among them is Rs 55.30 per day, while the same for Hindus is Rs 37.50. For Christians it is Rs 51.43.

“At all-India level, the average monthly per capita expenditure (MPCE) of a Sikh household was Rs 1,659 while that for a Muslim household was Rs 980 in 2009-10,” said an NSSO study titled ‘Employment and Unemployment Situation Among Major Religious Groups in India’.

The average household MPCE is a proxy for income and reflects that living standards of a family.

According to the study, the average MPCE for Hindus and Christians were Rs 1,125 and Rs 1,543, respectively.

The survey said that average monthly per capita consumption at all-India level was Rs 901 in villages and Rs 1,773 in cities. Overall, the average MPCE was Rs 1,128.

Muslims were at the bottom in rural areas, with an average MPCE of Rs 833, followed by Hindus at Rs 888, Christians at Rs 1,296 and Sikhs 1,498.

In urban areas, Muslims’ average MPCE was also the lowest at Rs 1,272 followed by Hindus at Rs 1,797, Christians Rs 2,053 and Sikhs at Rs 2,180.

Mr. PM kindly order inquiry that why PCB is paying Eid bonus to the most undeserving cricket players under most difficult and weak PCB financial situation.

This Eidi decision of PCB Chairman to dish out millions of Rupees to our most undeserving team members, may be a contempt of the IHC decision, wherein, chairman PCB is only allowed to function the day to day affairs of the PCB.

No justification after the debacle of champions trophy and ignominy of South African tour, where our team even got out for 49 runs in a Test match innings.

Beating West Indies was not such an achievement which was the second last team of the CT in UK and last team in WI, in the triangular tournament with India and Srilanka.

Even Indian team did not get any such cash award or bonus on winning CT in England and Triangular tournament in West indies.

Moreover, did we impose any penalty on our players when they abjectly surrendered in South Africa and in the Champion’s Trophy played in England, without even putting up a decent fight? Remember in the CT our team performed worst ever in the history of the CT tournament and was ranked at the last (8th) position.

PCB and the players must know that board is in a very difficult financial condition, wherein, it has been reported that PCB cash reserves have fallen down from Rs.8 billion to just Rs.2 billion.

PCB and players also must know that many international cricket boards are paying much less to their players, than what our board is paying to the Pakistani cricketers. Even in Pakistan no sports organisation is paying so lavishly to their players, compared to what PCB pays to its employees, officials and players.

In Zimbabwe, their cricket board refuses to pay for the players hotel breakfast and meals, but still their players are just playing for the sake of the nation.

As such, the PCB management is requested to immediately withdraw the Eidi cash gift notification to the players, which is absolutely a undeserving and wasteful expenditure and without any justification.

PCB has no right to play wastefully with the public money.

Moreover, as per the IHC decision, the chairman PCB can decide only the day to day affairs. Hence, this Eidi gift apparently looks a violation of the court orders and also may be construed as a contempt of the IHC court orders.

An appeal to the PM Pakistan, to make conditional, the grant of the MFN status and the normalisation of relations with India, with the withdrawal of Indian military and para military forces, from the occupied Kashmir and the Siachin.

India kills unarmed protestors (a must read letter published on 21 July, 2013 by the daily “Pakistan Observer”

Professor Kabil Khan

Sunday, July 21, 2013 – This is with reference to the news of six unarmed protestors that were killed when the Indian security forces opened fire upon them. The mindset of the Indian army is evident from its brutal handling of the innocent and unarmed people of Kashmir and the grotesque manner in which they are maimed and killed. It is also reflective of the collective Indian psyche that has legitimized the use of brute force in order to attain and maintain a dominant status in the region.

After acting as a brute force, with full blessings from its government, the Indian army has surelyforgotten how to act as a civilized one. To raid a seminary in the holy month of Ramadan where Muslims are more emotional and sensitized towards religious activity, is nothing but sheer mischief making on the part of the Indian soldiers.

First the Imam of a mosque was harassed and the holy Quar’an desecrated upon which the local people were fired upon indiscriminately when they protested this act of brutal violence. This, manner in which the Indian forces operate is surely nothing new as they are regular customers of HR violations. And all this is being done with the relentless support of the institutional culture of moral, political and juridical impunity. Indian writer and human rights activist Arundhaty Roy states that India will suffer because of what it has done in Kashmir. That the “troops involved in various heinous crimes including custodial killings, disappearances, rapes and declared accused through FIRs and other reports have evaded action which has resulted in making them habitualoffenders. These habitual offenders when deployed in other states will commit the same offences against innocent people.”

—Peshawar

Pakistan must emulate india in providing food security to the poor.

Indian Cabinet clears ordinance to implement Food Security Bill
A Times of India report.

PTI | Jul 3, 2013, 07.00 PM IST

Cabinet clears ordinance for Food Security Bill

NEW DELHI: The government on Wednesday decided to come out with an ordinance to give nation’s two-third population the right to 5kg of foodgrain every month at highly subsidized rates of Rs 1-3 per kg.

The Cabinet, which had last month deferred a decision on the issue, approved promulgation of an ordinance to implement the Food Security Bill, sources said.

With this, India will join select league of countries in the world that guarantee majority of its population foodgrain. At Rs 125,000 crore of government support, the food security programme will be the largest in the world.

The ordinance is being promulgated just weeks before the scheduled monsoon session of Parliament. Even after the ordinance, the bill will have to be approved by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

The ordinance, which will guarantee 5kg of rice, wheat and coarse cereals per month per person at a fixed price of Rs 3, 2, 1, respectively, will come into effect after President Pranab Mukherjee signs it.

However, about 2.43 crore poorest of the poor families covered under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) scheme under PDS (public distribution system) would get legal entitlement to 35kg of foodgrains per family per month.

Officials said the ordinance will be presented to the President on Thursday. Once the President signs it, rules will be framed. The programme will be rolled-out from August after state governments prepare the beneficiary list.

The scheme will take at least six moths to cover the entire country, they said.

Abu Dhabi pledges $50bn investment in India.

I exactly referred to the above mentioned opportunity, as option No.2, in my article titled

Mr PM! There are three options to avoid IMF loan
published by the daily “The News” on page 4 dated 27 June, 2013 (link:- http://images.thenews.com.pk/27-06-2013/ethenews/t-23752.htm )

quoted as below.

Quote. “2. Recently Abu Dhabi helped Dubai in its financial crisis by providing 10 billion dollars. We can also approach our friends to help us on the same terms.” Unquote.

Somehow, our government and the bureaucracy is very fond of IMF and the World Bank for the reasons not secret anymore.

Hope Pakistani rulers are not sleeping over the opportunity of our friend’s investment in Pakistan before they exhaust all their funds elsewhere.

We must inform the world that Pakistan is the ONLY country in the world where foreign investors can take back 100 % profit and capital whenever they wish so. Pakistan is also the only country in the world where there is Zero income tax on Independent Power Plants (IPP’s).

One very important thing to be noted is that the strategic interest of our friends will also align with India after their financial stakes are deposited in Indian lockers.

As a law, political, diplomatic and military support follows the financial interest. As such, government must act immediately before its too late for Pakistan.

Wake up Pakistan before its too late.

A news reported on 4 July, 2013 by the daily “The News”.

NEW DELHI: Abu Dhabi has promised to invest $50 billion in India’s cash-hungry infrastructure at a time when growth in Asia’s third-largest economy has sharply slowed, a newspaper reported Wednesday.
The pledge by Abu Dhabi was the key factor in pushing New Delhi to approve a bilateral deal to increase flights between the two countries, an Indian official told the Indian Express.
“A commitment to invest $50 billion in the infrastructure sector of the country by Abu Dhabi was a key reason for us to agree to the increase,” a senior government official, who declined to be named, said.
News of the investment comes just months after the International Monetary Fund criticised India for not improving its creaky infrastructure during the period it experienced growth rates close to double figures.
The IMF said in February that India would likely see slower growth than expected in 2012/13 at 5.4 percent and pay the price for failing to ensure investment in infrastructure kept pace with economic growth in the previous decade.
The plan to increase flights between the UAE and India is linked to a controversial proposal by the Abu Dhabi-based Etihad airline to purchase a 24 percent stake in India’s Jet Airways for 20.5 billion rupees ($342 million).
That deal, the largest foreign investment proposal in India’s aviation sector, faces regulatory hurdles, with many ministries raising objections over the bilateral increase in flights as well as over control of Jet after the sale.