Monday, March 18, 2019

New Zealand Mosques’ Attacks, Who are Dividing the World on Religious Lines By Sajjad Shaukat (JR14SS34)












New Zealand Mosques’ Attacks, Who are Dividing the World on Religious Lines By Sajjad Shaukat (JR14SS34)

At least 49 people have been killed and more than 40 others wounded in the terror attacks at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand on Friday (March 15, 2019) after a gunman opened indiscriminate fire at Muslim worshippers.

A 28-year-old Australian man, namely Brenton Tarrant was arrested by the police, who was charged with mass murder, using an automatic weapon and began firing. On Saturday (March 16, 2019), he appeared in court. Police also arrested two other men and one woman in connection with the attack—two of whom remain in custody. 

Police said that two IEDs (improvised explosive devices) were found in a car and neutralised by the military.

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said: “The assault on the mosques appeared to be a well-planned terrorist attack…This is, and will be, one of New Zealand’s darkest days”.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison also confirmed that the suspect charged with murder was an Australian citizen and described him as “an extremist, right-wing, violent terrorist”.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Saturday (March 16, 2019) that attempts had been made repeatedly to tighten New Zealand’s gun laws, but all had failed. She elaborated that the suspect had “travelled around the world with sporadic periods of time spent in New Zealand—New Zealand intelligence services had been stepping up investigations into far-right extremists—The individual charged with murder had not come to the attention of the intelligence community nor the police for extremism.”

According to reports of the Western media, “Attack apparently broadcast live on social media while, New Zealand’s authorities declined to discuss the potential motives behind the attack, but, the social media accounts in the name of Brenton Tarrant were used to post a lengthy racist document in which the author identified the mosques which were later attacked—an account linked to the gunman posted a link to an 87-page racist manifesto which was filled with anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim ideas and explanations for an attack. The text is called “The Great Replacement”, a phrase that originated in France and has become a rallying cry for European anti-immigration extremists. The suspect said he had begun planning an attack after visiting Europe in 2017 and being angered by events there.”

In this regard, Al Jazeera pointed out:  In the manifesto, the shooter praised the US President Donald Trump and Anders Brevik -the Norwegian white supremacist who murdered 77 people in Norway in 2011. The 74-page dossier, hailed Trump as a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose…also claimed that he had brief contact with Breivik and had received a blessing for his actions from the mass murderer’s acquaintances…Trump, whose rhetoric is sometimes aligned with the far-right in the US, condemned the horrible massacre in a post on Twitter…A spokesperson for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) told Al Jazeera the sources of politically motivated violence in Australia are diverse-encompassing anyone who believes that violence is a justified means to further their political interests, which can include extreme right-wing ideologies”.

However, the shootings at two mosques in Christchurch cannot be seen in isolation. These terror attacks are part of a deliberate conspiracy to divide the world on religious lines. So, it needs in-depth analysis to know the real motives of the entities which are in collusion to complete their hidden agenda at the cost of the international community.

It is notable that since September 2015, when Russian-led coalition of Iran, Iraq, the Syrian army-the National Defense Forces (NDF) and Lebanon-based Hezbollah in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been achieving successes in Syria and Iraq by retaking several regions from the occupation of the CIA-Mossad led rebel groups and ISIS militants after their failure to topple the Assad government—proving links of Al-Qaeda’s Al-Nusra Front and ISIS with America and Israel, Israeli Mossad with the cooperation of some CIA agents started terrorism-related attacks in the US and Europe.

There is also an interrelationship of the terror attacks in the US, Europe, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Philippines, Iran etc., and elsewhere in the world, which were false flag terror attacks, conducted by Mossad in connivance with the agents of Indian secret agency RAW and those of the vulnerable CIA operatives.

Through all these false flag terror operations, the US, Israel and India wanted to obtain their covert aims against Russia, China, Pakistan and the Muslims. Mossad had also provided the US President Donald Trump with an opportunity to manipulate various terror assaults of Europe and America to win the US presidential election and to reunite America and Europe, as a rift was created between America and its Western allies, especially Europe on a number of issues, including NATO and trade. The fanatic President Trump had left no stone unturned in implementing anti-Muslim policies, while speaking openly against the Muslims and Syrian immigrants. 

In this connection, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s successful diplomacy surprised the Israel-led America and some European countries who wanted to oust the Assad regime to obtain the greater interests of Israel.

In response, taking note of various developments and some other ones such as reluctance of NATO countries to support America’s fake global war on terror,  acceptance of Syrian refuges by the European countries, especially Germany, criticism of the controversial Turkish-EU refugee deal by a number of human rights groups, the EU rule to boycott goods produced in Israeli settlements on the West Bank, Britain’s decision to leave the European Union (EU), after the referendum (Brexit) on June 24, 2016, prospects of Scotland and some other countries for separation from the EU, and the divide between the elite class which run multinational companies with the direct or indirect control of the Jews and the general masses who are suffering from multiple problems in wake of differences on the refugee crisis, Syrian war, Greece’s weak economy, violent protests against the labour laws in France etc.—the chances of European Union’s disintegration and a rift among the NATO countries, as noted in the recent past by the “Stop NATO protests in Europe were quite opposite to the Israeli secret interests.
Hence, Israeli Mossad which was in collaboration with the vulnerable CIA operatives organized terror assaults in the US and Europe. As part of the double game, these terror attacks were conducted by these secret agencies, particularly Mossad with the assistance of the ISIS terrorists who used the home-grown terrorists of these countries.

Owing to the irresponsible approach of the Western leaders and their media, far right-wing parties and “Stop Islam” movement in the West, especially in Europe has been becoming popular by largely attracting their people. Right-wing parties in a growing number of European countries have made electoral gains. The right-wing parties range across a wide policy spectrum, from populist and nationalist to far-right neofascist.

Other aims of Tel Aviv ware to muster the support of America’s Western allies against Russia in relation to the Syrian war, as US-led countries like France, UK also started airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, under the cover of targeting ISIL.

To what extent President Trump wants to obtain Israeli illegitimate goals at the cost of Muslims and the patriot Americans could be judged from the terrorism-related assaults which occurred in the Spanish city of Barcelona on August 17, 2017 and in her town of Cambrils on August 18, 2017. After condemning the terror attacks and offering US assistance to Spain, the US President Trump suggested “fighting terrorism by executing Muslims with bullets dipped in pigs blood.”

When American President Trump’s extremist policies were strongly criticized inside America and around the world, including America’s Western allies, his advisers, neoconservatives and Israeli-backed officials directed him to implement dual strategy of the former President George W. Bush and Barrack Obama, with the aim to keep the US and Western allies, particularly Europe united against Syria, Russia, China, Pakistan etc., while covertly continuing anti-Muslim rhetoric so as to safeguard the interests of Tel Aviv.

Nevertheless, Israel succeeded in its sinister designs. Notably, backing out from his earlier statements, American President Trump has changed his policy regarding trade war in connection with China and Europe

Here, it is mentionable that Machiavelli advises the rulers to have a lion-like image outwardly, and act upon the traits of goat inwardly. He also suggests them foreign adventures and the use of terror to obtain their goals. In his sense, a good ruler should be a good opportunist and hypocrite. While echoing Machiavelli, Morgenthau points out that sometimes, rulers act upon immoral activities like deceit, fraud, falsehood and even murder to fulfill their selfish aims.

President Trump has begun acting upon the discarded theory of the past in the modern era. It could be judged from his trip of Trump to the Middle East. Backing out from his earlier statements—banning the Muslims from entering the United States, vetting of the Muslims—blocking visas being issued to anyone from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen—strict conditions for the citizens from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Lebanon, in Saudi Arabia, in his address at a regional summit in Riyadh, on May 22, 2017, President Donald Trump called for “Muslim unity in the fight against terrorism…a battle between good and evil…U.S. wants a coalition of nations who share the aim of stamping out extremism…This is a battle between barbaric criminals who seek to obliterate human life, and decent people of all religions who seek to protect it,” as he explained.

Like Bush and Obama, Trump described Islam as “a religion of peace” and did not use the contentious phrase “radical Islamic terrorism,” as he frequently had in his speeches. Instead, he called on the Muslim leaders to honestly confront “the crisis of Islamist extremism and the Islamist terror groups.”

Setting aside the Israeli-led US state terrorism and CIA-backed terror attacks in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Yemen and other vulnerable Islamic countries, Trump singled out Iran, accusing Tehran of contributing to instability in the region. He supposedly said, “From Lebanon to Iraq to Yemen, Iran funds, arms and trains terrorists, militias and other extremist groups that spread destruction and chaos across the region.” Keeping Israeli covert agenda in his mind, Trump also stated that all the Muslim nations should boycott Iran, and also pledged to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for peace of the region.

Trump’s address was a mixture of calls for Israeli-Arab peace and a defense of Israel from threats in the region, including from the groups allied with the Palestinian cause.

President Trump also encouraged NATO-like alliance of Saudi Arabia, which includes the Sunni countries against Shia states, especially Iran and Yemen. It was formed on the instructions of Washington. As after the US-led invasion of the Afghanistan, Iraq, airstrikes on Libya and promotion of war in Syria had been clearly exposed, therefore, America revived the old phony global war on terror to secure the illegitimate interests of Tel Aviv, whose major aim was to deceive the Muslims.

Otherwise, it well-known that without bothering about criticism of the US-led Western countries and the Islamic World, including some law-makers and politicians at home, Trump Administration announced the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem on May 14, last year. President Trump implemented his decision of December 6, 2018 by officially recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and reversed nearly seven decades of American foreign policy and set in motion a plan to move the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv to the fiercely contested Holy City.

It is of particular attention that it is owing to the encouragement of the President Trump that the Israeli regime officially declared their status as “the Jewish State” where only Jewish people have rights to self-determination.

Despite the revival of the fake global war on terror, some developments disappointed the Israelis. In this regard, Russia-Turkey alliance to fight the ISIS, victory of the Russian-led alliance over the CIA-Mossad-led rebel groups and ISIS terrorists, including Trump’s announcement to withdraw forces from Syria, Senate’s resolution against Trump regarding withdrawal from Saudi war in Yemen, Qatar-based direct talks between America and the Afghan Taliban with a view to withdrawing the US-led NATO forces from Afghanistan which has, rapidly, increased the cost of war, bringing about multiple internal crises, affecting the ordinary Americans and Western citizens, particularly those of Europe might be cited as example.
Meanwhile, US intelligence agencies, especially FBI has continued the so-called investigation that Russia and President Putin authorized the hacking of the November 8, 2016 US presidential election aimed to help Donald Trump to win it. Both Putin and Trump have denied the charges. In this respect, differences between CIA and FBI also frustrated Tel Aviv.

Besides, Tel Aviv wants to intensify the new Cold War between the US-led West and Russia so as to avoid the two-state solution of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, as some European countries have also been emphasizing on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop the expansion of West Bank settlements and restart a negotiation process for the two-state solution of the Israeli-Palestinian issue in wake of the debate between the Zionists and non-Zionist Jews in relation to the two-state solution of the issue.

Earlier, on January 15, 2016, France who is staunch supporter of the two-state solution of the Israeli-Palestinian issue conducted a summit in Paris which was attended by 70 nations. In a statement, delegates at the summit also restated their commitment to the two-state solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and emphasized on them to restart negotiations. Palestinians welcomed the conference, but Israel called it “rigged”.

It is also of particular attention that by pursuing the double standards of America in its worst form, President Trump also intends to favour India, while opposing the nuclear weapons of Pakistan. However, like Obama, Trump has brushed aside the ground realities that Indian extremist Prime Minister Narendra Modi led by the ruling fundamentalist party BJP has been implementing anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan agenda, while encouraging Hindutva (Hindu nationalism). Encouraged by the BJP, assaults on Muslims, Christians and other minorities by the Hindu extremist parties might be cited as instance. India which has strategic partnership with Israel has perennially been manipulating the double game of the US-led West regarding world phenomena of terrorism in connection with Pakistan and Afghanistan.

As part of the double game, based in Afghanistan, operatives of CIA, RAW and  Mossad which have well-established their collective secret network there and are well-penetrated in the terrorist outfits like ISIS, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and their affiliated Taliban groups are using their terrorists to destabilize Tibetan regions of China, Iranian Sistan-Baluchistan and Pakistan by arranging the subversive activities. In this context, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is their special target. Recent acts of terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan’s Balochistan province are part of the same plan.

It is noteworthy that, taking cognizance of the growing threat of global terrorism which has been dividing the Western and Islamic nations on cultural and religious lines since 9/11, American and European governments had already started inter-faith dialogue especially between the Christian and Muslim nations. The main aim of such a dialogue was to create interfaith harmony among various religious communities. In the recent years, many conferences were held in various countries in which scholars from Islamic states also participated with a view to creating cultural understanding and interfaith cooperation among major religious communities. But, all these measures proved fruitless due to a deliberate anti-Muslim campaign, launched by the Indo-Israeli lobbies, resulting in obstacles in global interfaith harmony. America and its allies continued to kill many innocent civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kashmir and Palestine through heavy aerial bombardment and ground shelling in the name of war on terror. The occupying forces have been using every possible technique of state terrorism in these territories which have become the breeding grounds of a prolonged interaction between freedom fighters and state terrorists, thwarting global interfaith harmony.

It is because of these developments that a greater resentment is being found among the Muslims who think that America in connivance with the Indo-Israeli lobbies is sponsoring state terrorism, directly or indirectly from Kashmir to Palestine.

In this context, on October 19, 2007, the special issue of South Asia Multidisciplinary Academic Journal, under the caption-‘Working for India or against Islam? Islamophobia in Indian American Lobbies’ had written, “In the past few years, Indian American community has gained an unprecedented visibility in the international arena and now constitutes influential ethnic lobbies in Washington. Among other factors, Hindu aligned with Jewish pressure groups in relation to the war against terrorism and to further the India-Israel-US strategic partnership play a major role in exaggerating Islamophobic overtones in the Indian American lobbies”.

Another regrettable point is that irresponsible attitude of Indian, Israeli and some Western  politicians has introduced dangerous socio-religious dimension in their societies by equating the “war on terror” with “war on Islam” and acts of Al Qaeda with all the Muslims. Their media have also been contributing to heighten the currents of world politics on cultural and religious lines with the negative projection of Islam.

In order to obtain their sinister designs, Mossad, RAW and CIA operatives have also been assisting ISIS, Al Qaeda and similar terror outfits which have accepted responsibility in relation to various terrorism-related attacks on Christians in Egypt and some African countries, including some Western countries.

While, like other European countries, especially France, Mossad wanted to accelerate persecution of Muslims, hate-crime against them and also to compel the Britain to make discriminatory laws against them. So, besides other similar terror attacks which targeted places of worship of the Muslims in various countries, the terror assaults at two mosques of Christchurch are part of the same policy of Israel, which has been implemented by Mossad.  

As regard the recent war-like situation between India and Pakistan, which started in the aftermath of the false flag Pulwama terror attack in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK), tension which involves the risk of nuclear war still exists, as the extremist government of the BJP led by the Indian fundamentalist Prime Minister Modi has refused the mediatory role of any country, while continuing war hysteria against Pakistan in wake of acceleration of shelling across the Line of Control (LoC), which has resulted into many casualties in the Pakistani side of Kashmir. On the other side, Pakistan’s armed forces are on high alert to give a matching response to any Indian prospective aggression or war. Earlier, Indian Air Force conducted pre-emptive air strike near the town of Balakot, close to the border with Pakistan’s sector of Kashmir on February 27, 2018, claiming that Indian fighter jets targeted the camp of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and killed 350 militants—the group whom New Delhi blamed for the Pulwama attack. Next day, in response, Pakistan Air Force launched aerial strikes at six targets in the IOK and shot down two Indian fighter jets and captured Indian pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman who was released as a gesture of peace and handed over to the Indian authorities. It resulted into diplomatic victory of Islamabad over India. Prime Minister Modi who has directed the Indian security forces to accelerate atrocities in the IOK, wants to obtain various nefarious designs, especially to suppress the Kashmiris’ war of liberation and to win the general elections 2019 at the cost of Pakistan. On the other side, Western media and their high officials are insisting upon the settlement of the Kashmir issue. 

Nonetheless, like the fanatic President Trump, Israeli extremist Prime Minister Netanyahu who also intends to win the forthcoming elections at the cost of Palestinians, continues state terrorism on the occupied territories of the Palestinians. Both Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Netanyahu have been confused due to the above mentioned developments which do not favour Tel Aviv and New Delhi like the past, while, still some CIA agents, Indian RAW and particularly Mossad want to divide the world on religious lines. Like Israel, India also wants to keep its control on the Occupied Kashmir through state terrorism and to avoid its solution.

Although overtly President Trump has softened his external policy regarding Muslims and Islamic countries, yet covertly, he is acting upon the conspiracy of Mossad and RAW, which is also, intentionally or intentionally, being followed by America’s Western partners against the Muslims. If not checked in time by the peace-loving Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Jews and Buddhists, these policies of the President Donald Trump who is particularly completing the extremist agenda of Israel are likely to result into more recruitment in the militant outfits, especially in the ISIS group. Israel, who will never accept the two-state solution of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, will prefer to seek the final revenge by bringing about a major war between the Muslim and the Christian worlds or to cause a major war between Russia and the US-led some Western countries, which will convert the entire world into holocaust.

We may conclude that although agents of CIA, RAW and Mossad are in collaboration which managed various terrorism-related assaults in the US and Europe and elsewhere in the world, yet Mossad is, particularly, behind the terror attacks at the two mosques of Christchurch. In these terms, they have been radicalizing the Western nationals and the people of the Islamic World by dividing them on religious lines. When at present fanatic leaders are ruling over the US, Israeli and India, their connivance may culminate into ‘clash of civilizations’, especially between the Western Christians and the Muslim World.   

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic­@yahoo.com

Thursday, March 14, 2019

External Powers behind The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement By Sajjad Shaukat (JR147 SS33)









External Powers behind The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement By Sajjad Shaukat (JR147 SS33)

External powers which have been supporting the Baloch Sub-Nationalists (BSNs) are also behind the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) as part of their unfinished agenda against Pakistan.  They leave no stone unturned in misguiding the people of the Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) by creating one after another issue. But, it is regrettable that some internal entities of Pakistan, which are also assisting some foreign powers, are manipulating various issues so as to fulfill the external agenda of the enemies of Pakistan.

In this regard, emergence of the PTM at a crucial time, which is being paid by anti-Pakistan hostile elements and countries, aims at accentuating the ethnic cleavages of the country, influence Pashtun population in pursuance of strategic objectives of the external powers. So, it stands exposed that the PTM is heavily dependent on foreign support and financing.

PTM is also reaching out to the people through the forums of social media and foreign sponsored network of Mashaal, Deeva, VOA, Indian media and Afghan radio and television services. Blogs and web pages like “Tribal News” and “Khabaryal” are heavily financed by Indian Intelligence agency RAW through Nangarhar (Afghanistan) based Hawala/Hundi business.

Strangely, PTM leaders are pursuing the agenda through a web having signatures of Foreign HIAS. Case of the US Army veteran Colonel, Lawrence Sellin can be quoted as a new example. Colonel Sellin has started tweeting on anti-Pakistan themes about China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan, Balochistan, Sub-nationalism (Pashtun, Sindhi, Mohajir, Baloch). He has been following the narratives mostly of Afghanistan’s intelligence agency National Directorate of Security (NDS) and RAW. He also writes anti-Pakistan Blogs and articles. Baloch, PTM and sub-nationalists and Hussain Haqqani are his followers on twitter.

It is notable that a PTM social media activist Arman Luni died in Lorali, Baloschistan due to an apparent cardiac arrest. PTM alleged that Luni was killed by police on behest of the state. Luni is presented as Pashtun national hero by likes of the PTM and their Afghan backers.

Pakistan being the front state in war on terror has rendered sacrifices in general, while the sufferings of Pashtun segment are undoubtedly colossal. They have faced tortures at the hands of terrorists such as displacements, life and economic losses, causing psychological pains. Ironically, when they needed “POST TRAUMA STRESS DISORDER treatment” in the wake of Pakistan’s successful military operations in flushing out terrorists, the hostile foreign elements have attempted to prolong their pain by launching the PTM.

As Pakistan Armed Forces have flushed out terrorists from Tribal/border areas and are currently engaged in consolidating the international Pak-Afghan border through fencing to completely neutralized the infiltrations from Afghanistan, an orchestrated campaign through sponsored media and activation of the PTM to incite the Pashtoon population, has been launched. However, the PTM seems to have failed in instigating the public and creating a commotion leading to “yellow revolution” like sit-in protest and demonstrations.
As regards the internal elements, the PTM and other anti-Pakistan slogans are being supported by the “leftist leaders” and social media activists like Afrasiab Khattak, Bushra Gohar, Gulalai Ismail, Hussain Haqqani etc. All the PTM activities are getting extraordinary coverage from the media—VOA, Deeva Radio, Mashaal Radio and BBC. Understandingly, these activities are more pronounced in the Pashto language transmissions of these broadcasting stations.

Although the PTM elements are using the old slogan of “Pashtunistan” (Bar and Lar Afghan) to instigate the innocent and insensitive populace, yet with negligible effects, the handlers of the PTM are now acknowledged the failure of their campaign in creating a stir in Pashtun politics. But, to give a flip to their diminishing politics, recent incident of death of a local Aman Loni in Baluchistan is being exploited to resurrect the party activities to some extent.   

In this respect, question arises that if the PTM is sincere to the Pushtun people, as to why it has not raised the human rights issues, being faced by Pashtun population in Afghanistan.

It is time to take the debate of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) to Afghanistan as Bar Afghan debate. Afghan Pashtuns are also real Pashtuns as the Pashtuns elsewhere in the world. While, one is stunned to see that there is no voice for the Afghan Pashtuns on social media, whereas the so-called cause of the Pakistani Pashtuns is actively propagated by the external powers.

Real cause of worry for backers of the PTM is the victory of real Afghan Pashtuns against the backers of the PTM. Their frustration is high because the PTM is left with very little time before the real Pashtuns, as the Taliban will be in power in Afghanistan and the assistance for the PTM from NDS and RAW backed the regime-National Unity Government (NUG) will die.

The way the Afghan Pashtuns have been treated and plundered in Afghanistan, is not hidden from anyone. Afghan Pashtuns have been made to sacrifice their generations, migrate from their lands, losing their livelihood. Why the VOA, Radio Mashaal, Radio Deewa and social media propagandists like Afrasiab Khattak and Bushra Gohar never speak for their plight. Why not to speak for Pashtuns on that side in Afghanistan?

PTM is actually a veritable political entity of the Afghanistan-based Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). It wants to accomplish its nefarious designs through so-called nonviolent means as to what TTP could not achieve through violence.

As the number of the PTM followers is negligibly-few thousands, there is a need of strict legal and administrative measures to be taken against the group.

It is mentionable that as a token of commitment to rebuild Afghanistan, on March 25, 2018 Pakistan handed over state of the art medical equipment for Nishter Kidney Centre Jalalabad to Governor of Jalalabad, Afghanistan.

In this context, Islamabad provided complete medical equipment, worth US $ 5 million to the hospital. In addition, around 75 doctors and technicians were trained in PIMS Hospital Islamabad, last year and it will be a great help for Afghanistan in running some hospitals.
Pakistan also extended assistance to provide specialized training to another 42 Afghan doctors and technicians at the Institute of Kidney Diseases in Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar.

Nonetheless, one wonders as to what the PTM is aiming at? Actually, the PTM is acting against the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) to undermine the successes, achieved by Pakistan during the war on terror. By raising malicious slogans, PTM and their backers fail to understand that Pakistani nation is well aware of their new tactics of using soft power. Their anti-state and state institutions’ agenda is already exposed and real Pashtuns do not trust them anymore.


Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Pakistan Playing Key Role in the US-Taliban Talks by Sajjad Shaukat(JR 146 SS 32)










Pakistan Playing Key Role in the US-Taliban Talks by Sajjad Shaukat(JR 146 SS 32)

Despite hurdles, the fifth round of peace talks which started between the US negotiators and the Taliban in the Doha-the capital of Qatar on February 25, this year, is making progress gradually.

Hinting that US forces could leave Afghanistan within five years under a Pentagon plan offered as part of a potential deal with the Taliban to end the nearly 18-year war, The New York Times reported on March 7, 2019, “Nearly 11 days after peace negotiations between the United States and the Taliban began with high hopes…it has become clear that any resolution to the 18-year war could be frustratingly slow. One of the most prominent issues thwarting progress is a disagreement over a fundamental question: What is terrorism, and who is a terrorist? The answer is so important because the two sides had already agreed in principle on a framework for two crucial issues: the withdrawal of American troops, and a commitment that Afghan soil would not again be used to launch terrorist attacks against the United States and its allies…American negotiators have insisted on specifying that Afghanistan not be used by “terrorist” groups, but the Taliban have resisted, saying there was no universal definition of terrorism”.

However, the meetings between the interlocutors restarted over in Doha after a temporary halt to allow for internal consideration. Conflicting reports are coming about the progress of the dialogue, as these delicate talks are being conducted by both the sides with much care.

In this regard, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on March 4, 2019: “The current round of talks in Doha is advancing on a step-by-step basis. As the issue at hand is immensely crucial and delicate, it’s progression is taking place with much care and vigilance…the negotiations continue to focus primarily on a potential US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and a pact to prevent Afghanistan from being used as a safe haven for terrorists…no understanding has so far been reached about any agreement or document.”

The latest meetings follow marathon negotiations in January, this year, which saw the US and the Taliban walk away with a draft framework on the two issues. America has insisted for a ceasefire and the opening of a dialogue between the Taliban and the Afghan government whom the former considered puppet regime of the US-led Western countries. However, the Taliban repeatedly rejected the demands, while the continuation of the talks followed a major attack on a joint US-Afghan base in southwestern Afghanistan’s Helmand province on March 1, this year with at least 23 Afghan security forces killed.

Meanwhile, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on February 10, 2019 offered the Taliban for opening of an office in Afghanistan, but, the Taliban swiftly rejected the proposal.

In September 2018, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo named veteran diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad as a newly-named State Department special envoy to Afghanistan. Khalilzad, Pompeo said, would be “full time focused on developing the opportunities to get the Afghans and the Taliban to come to reconciliation.”

Since Khalilzad started his efforts to convince the Taliban to have direct talks with the US, Pakistan has been playing a key role in the US-Taliban talks, as Islamabad succeeded in bringing the Taliban to the negotiating Table. Zalmay Khalilzad who repeatedly visited Pakistan and met the civil and military leadership, including country’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Quershi admired Pakistan’s role in the US-Taliban peace dialogue.

Although the US has not clearly released a statement regarding the status of the talks, yet it has admitted Pakistan’s central role in the negotiations between America and the Taliban leaders.

In this connection, while giving briefing to the US Senate Armed Services Committee on March 8, this year, the head of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) General Joseph Votel has lauded Pakistan’s role for maintaining peace and stability in the region. The General elaborated, “We have had some success with Pakistan, they’ve been more helpful in terms of bringing the Taliban to the [Peace negotiating] table…positive steps [Of Pakistan] to assist Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad in support of Afghanistan reconciliation by facilitating talks with the Taliban. As we have requested [from] them, we have seen instances where they have taken action against the safe haven areas of the militants”.

In a discourse in CBS programme-“Face the Nation” on February 3, 2019, US President Donald Trump has made it clear that he is determined to get out of “endless wars” in Afghanistan and Syria. President Trump stated: “I have been hitting very hard in Afghanistan and now we are negotiating with the Taliban…If you look at Afghanistan we are going in very soon we will be going into our 19th year spending $50 billion a year”.

American President Trump’s determination and gesturing has already manifested in the diplomatic manuvours of Khalilzad, resulting in silver-lining for Afghan peace process in Doha.

It is notable that the war in Afghanistan is America’s longest military intervention which has cost Washington nearly US $.1.7 trillion. Hence, positive shift in America’s policy towards Islamabad, seeking cooperation and re-establishing the association, have raised hopes regarding the probability of peace in the war-torn Afghanistan.

It is mentionable that in the aftermath of Pulwama terror attack in the Indian Occupied Kashmir and escalation of tension between Pakistan and India, on February 28, this year, US President Trump hoped that Pakistan-India tension will de-escalate soon—the United States has been mediating between the two sides and trying to have them stop. Trump also acknowledged that Washington has improved her relations with Islamabad shortly.

Particularly, Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State stated that he has spoken with the leaders of India and Pakistan and has urged them to avoid “any action that would escalate and greatly increase risk”.

American State Department deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino said on March 5, 2019 that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo played an essential role in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.
Nevertheless, President Donald Trump’s positive approach towards Islamabad endorsed the fact that America needs Pakistan’s help to reach an agreement with the Taliban as soon as possible.

It is of particular attention that in his first interview to the NBC News on October 31, 2018, indicating NATO defeat in Afghanistan, the US General Austin Miller-NATO’s head of Resolute Support in Afghanistan had admitted by saying: “This is not going to be won militarily…This is going to a political solution…My assessment is…if you realize you can’t win militarily at some point…So you do not necessarily wait us out, but I think now is the time to start working through the political piece of this conflict.”

Besides, in order to resolve the Afghan imbroglio, Russia is also facilitating approach towards the Taliban. In this context, a two days conference ended in Moscow on February 6, 2019. Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai who was among the most high profile attendees in Moscow, pointed out Kabul’s role in negotiations was something for it to resolve with the Taliban. He stated: “We understand that the government in Kabul needs to be part of these negotiations, we wish that they would have been here today”. During the meeting with Afghan politicians outside of government, senior Taliban leaders said that the US had agreed to draw down half of its 14,000 force in Afghanistan by April, a claim later denied by officials in Washington.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani criticised the gathering in Moscow, saying they amounted to “nothing more than a fantasy.”

The moot in Moscow also played some positive role and probably compelled Washington to intensify efforts to reach an agreement with the Taliban in connection with Afghanistan. Besides, the role of China to create stability and peace in Afghanistan has also been very positive.

It is analyzed that continued suicides by the US war veterans (Reportedly, 20 per day) also exerted pressure on President Trump to make urgent overtures vis-à-vis Pakistan and Taliban to implement the withdrawal strategy from Afghanistan and to improve relations with Islamabad.

It is noteworthy that these related developments seem to have increased the agony of Indian deep state. Reportedly, an orchestrated Indian campaign to portray the talks with negative colours has already been launched, focusing on human rights issues and plight of Afghan Women.

With the covert assistance of Kabul, India has also activated her proxies, including “Pashtoon Tahfuz Movement (PTM) with new offensives to create disturbance and law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan and that of Baluchistan. Apart from other similar incidents, recent terror attack on the DIG Police Loralai office in Balochistan, which killed nine people, including eight policemen on January 29, this year is an indicator.

It worth-mentioning that security situation in Afghanistan is well beyond the control of Afghan security forces and the National Unity Government of that country. For all its failure, New Delhi and Kabul has been blaming Pakistan in accordance with their collective agenda which also includes Israel.
In fact, since the occupation of Afghanistan by the US-led NATO forces, the country has become center of American CIA, Indian RAW and Israeli Mossad which are in connivance to obtain the covert designs of the their countries and some Western countries against Russia, China, Pakistan and Iran. Under the cover of fighting terrorism, these foreign agencies which are also in collaboration with the Afghanistan’s intelligence agency National Directorate of Security (NDS) support the militants of ISIS and Afghanistan-based Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), including their linked outfits which have been conducting terror-assaults in Afghanistan and Pakistan as part of the secret strategy of the US-led countries—double game of America. These terrorist groups have also been destabilising Tibetan regions of China and Iranian Sistan-Baluchistan through subversive activities.

Especially, India and Afghan government which want to prolong the stay of NATO forces in Afghanistan are also playing double game against America. New Delhi knows that after the withdrawal of the NATO forces, Taliban will eliminate the secret network of RAW, the NDS and Mossad in that lawless country. Therefore, these intelligence agencies are particularly using the terrorists of TTP and ISIS in wakening Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Regarding Indian activities in Afghanistan the then NATO commander, Gen. McChrystal had pointed out: “Indian political and economic influence is increasing in Afghanistan…is likely to exacerbate regional tensions.”

Similarly, while taking note of Indian role in Afghanistan, US Republican Senator John McCain had reminded the Obama administration that encouraging India to take a more active role in Afghanistan, while simultaneously criticising Pakistan could be a recipe for disaster.

It is also of particular attention that armed forces of Pakistan have successfully broken the backbone of the foreign-backed terrorists by the successful military operations Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad which have also been extended to other parts of the country, including Balochistan province. And Pakistan’s primarily intelligence agency, ISI has broken the network of these terrorist groups by capturing several militants, while thwarting a number of terror attempts. But, in the recent past and during the election-campaign of 2019, blasts in Balochistan and other regions of the country and failed attempt at the Chinese Consulate in Karachi showed that the US-led India, Afghanistan and Israel have again started acts of sabotage especially to weaken Pakistan and to damage the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is part of China’s One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative or BRI. Washington and New Delhi have already opposed this project.

Now, in backdrop of Afghan Taliban’s successes in maximizing the physical occupation of the country and recent political/diplomatic gains and the US-led prolonged war forced America to have a deal with the Taliban. As RAW and Mossad are in collaboration, therefore, it can be predicted that Afghanistan in particular and Pakistan in general will witness a surge in the activities of out-laws, terrorists and the Indian proxies.

Some analysts opine that Afghan elite class, comprising of businessmen, civil-military bureaucracy and other rich people might opt to migrate from the country to adjacent areas in case of the Taliban-USA agreement. However, till that time, usual anti-Pak rhetoric will remain the common norm for most of the Afghan government officials, as evident from recent accusative outbursts from Afghan President Ashraf Ghani during a meeting with the US peace negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad.

In any case, Pakistan needs to make arrangements for another exodus of Afghan migrants (Afghan elites) in the wake of success of Taliban-US peace talks. Resultant effect will be more economic burden on Pakistan and socio-economic effects on the local trade and commerce and influx of more Afghan refugees.

It is imperative for Pakistan to keep following the evolving meetings in Afghanistan to counter the drastic aftermath on the region. Intense diplomatic activity, engaging Iran and other regional countries such as China, Russia and the Middle East will help in containing the negative spillover effects of the prospective US-Taliban deal and expected withdrawal of American troops.

Nonetheless, now; President Trump has become lenient towards Pakistan. Instead of blaming Islamabad for cross-border terrorism in Afghanistan and emphasizing to ‘do more’ against terrorism, he is asking for its assistance to ‘help more’ to pull out the US-led NATO forces from that war-torn country. Although Pakistan is playing a key role in the US-Taliban talks, yet after obtaining its selfish aims after the withdrawal from Afghanistan, America can again leave both Pakistan and Afghanistan to face the fallouts of the ongoing war, as it did after fulfilling its interests against the former Soviet Union.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com