Thursday, May 16, 2019

Walking, the safest form of exercise (JR 171)





















Walking, the safest form of exercise (JR171)
Introduction
Walking is one of the main gaits of locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults over the stiff limb or limbs with each step. This applies regardless of the unusable number of limbs—even arthropods, with six, eight, or more limbs, walk.
Walking is simple, free, and one of the easiest ways to get more active, lose weight and become healthier. Sometimes overlooked as a form of exercise, walking briskly can help you build stamina, burn excess calories and make your heart healthier. You don't have to walk for hours. A brisk 10-minute daily walk has lots of health benefits and counts towards your recommended 150 minutes of weekly exercise. Walking is a great form of exercise because it requires no special venue or fancy equipment. It can be done at any time and any place. A walking program can help you break the barrier into regular exercise and lead you to other ways to stay fit.  
What’s not to like about walking? It’s free. It’s easy to do, and it’s easy on the joints. And there’s no question that walking is good for you. Walking is an aerobic exercise; a University of Tennessee study found that women who walked had less body fat than those who didn’t walk. It also lowers the risk of blood clots, since the calf acts as a venous pump, contracting and pumping blood from the feet and legs back to the heart, reducing the load on the heart. Walking is good for you in other ways as well.
Studies show that each minute spent walking extends your life by up to two minutes. Increased walking time mixed with healthy eating habits can lead to weight loss. You can also lower blood sugar, avoid mental decline, decrease your risk of heart disease, and sleep better at night, all by just getting up and walking!
Leave the car at home and get your steps in while doing some errands around town. Take a quick walk during lunch, or an after-dinner stroll before bed. Walk alone or with a partner. With this simple, fundamental exercise, the possibilities are endless.

If you don't exercise regularly, taking an extra 4,000 steps per day may help, even if you walk at a leisurely pace, a new study finds. Most people typically get around 3,000 to 4,000 steps per day doing any things such as doing household chores, checking your mailbox, or going grocery shopping. But if you regularly walk another 4,000 steps a day to reach a total of about 8,000 steps per day, there's a dramatic difference in whether you live or die over the next decade.

 Benefits of walking
Physical activity doesn't need to be complicated. Something as simple as a daily brisk walk can help you live a healthier life. For example, regular brisk walking can help you:
·         Maintain a healthy weight
·         Prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes
·         Strengthen your bones and muscles
·         Improve your mood
·         Improve your balance and coordination
The faster, farther and more frequently you walk, the greater the benefits.
 Technique
Turning your normal walk into a fitness stride requires good posture and purposeful movements. Ideally, here's how you'll look when you're walking:
·         Your head is up. You're looking forward, not at the ground.
·         Your neck, shoulders and back are relaxed, not stiffly upright.
·         You're swinging your arms freely with a slight bend in your elbows. A little pumping with your arms is OK.
·         Your stomach muscles are slightly tightened and your back is straight, not arched forward or backward.
·         You're walking smoothly, rolling your foot from heel to toe.
Recommended manner and routine
Any shoes or trainers that are comfortable provide adequate support and don't cause blisters will do. If you're walking to work, you could wear your usual work clothes with a comfy pair of shoes and change shoes when you get into work. For long walks, you may want to take some water, healthy snacks, a spare top, sunscreen and a sunhat in a small backpack. If you start going for longer walks regularly, you may want to invest in a waterproof jacket and some specialist walking shoes for more challenging routes.

As you start your walking routine, remember to:
·         Get the right gear. Choose shoes, preferably branded shoes, with proper arch support, a firm heel and thick flexible soles to cushion your feet and absorb shock. Using sub standard shoes will cause skeletal and muscular injury. Wear comfortable clothes and gear appropriate for various types of weather. If you walk outdoors when it's dark, wear bright colors or reflective tape for visibility.
·         Choose your course carefully. If you'll be walking outdoors, avoid paths with cracked sidewalks, potholes, low-hanging limbs or uneven turf. If the weather isn't appropriate for walking, consider walking in a shopping mall that offers open times for walkers.
·         Warm up. Walk slowly for five to 10 minutes to warm up your muscles and prepare your body for exercise.
·         Cool down. At the end of your walk, walk slowly for five to 10 minutes to help your muscles cool down.
·         Stretch. After you cool down, gently stretch your muscles. If you'd rather stretch before you walk, remember to warm up first.
·         Intensity. A brisk walk is about 3 miles an hour, which is faster than a stroll. One way to tell if you're walking briskly is if you can still talk but can't sing the words to a song.
·          
Set realistic goals                                                            
For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous aerobic activity. The guidelines suggest that you spread out this exercise during the course of a week. Also aim to do strength training exercises of all major muscle groups at least two times a week.
As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day. If you can't set aside that much time, try several short sessions of activity throughout the day. Any amount of activity is better than none at all. Even small amounts of physical activity are helpful, and accumulated activity throughout the day adds up to provide health benefit.
Remember it's OK to start slowly — especially if you haven't been exercising regularly. You might start with five minutes a day the first week, and then increase your time by five minutes each week until you reach at least 30 minutes. For even more health benefits, aim for at least 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week.
Track your progress
Keeping a record of how many steps you take, the distance you walk and how long it takes can help you see where you started from and serve as a source of inspiration. Just think how good you'll feel when you see how many miles you've walked each week, month or year. Record these numbers in a walking journal or log them in a spreadsheet or a physical activity app. Another option is to use an electronic device such as a pedometer or fitness tracker to calculate steps and distance. There are now devices available that count the number of steps, monitor heart rate, record number of minutes exercised etc.
Stay motivated
Starting a walking program takes initiative. Sticking with it takes commitment. To stay motivated:
·         Set yourself up for success. Start with a simple goal, such as, "I'll take a 5- or 10-minute walk during my lunch break." When your 5- or 10-minute walk becomes a habit, set a new goal, such as, "I'll walk for 20 minutes after work." Find specific times for walks. Soon you could be reaching for goals that once seemed impossible.
·         Make walking enjoyable. If you don't like walking alone, ask a friend or neighbor to join you. If you're energized by groups, join a health club or walking group. You might like listening to music while you walk.
·         Vary your routine. If you walk outdoors, plan several different routes for variety. If you're walking alone, tell someone which route you're taking. Walk in safe, well-lit locations.
·         Take missed days in stride. If you find yourself skipping your daily walks, don't give up. Remind yourself how good you feel when you include physical activity in your daily routine, and then get back on track. In any case it is recommended that you walk three days and then take a day off, this becomes important as you age as the rest day ensures that the body heals itself and gets rid of aches and pains .
Once you take that first step, you're on the way to an important destination — better health.

.Heart Benefits

Walking is helpful in improvement in heart health. Scientists have reported that walking is the best exercise for sedentary individuals, especially adults, to reduce the risk of heart and cardiovascular diseases .In another study published in the Journal of American Geriatrics Society, scientists confirmed that men and women of 65 years of age or older, who walked for at least 4 hours every week, were at less risk of cardiovascular disease. So, make sure to walk for 4 hours or more a week to keep heart disease, cardiovascular disease, and stroke at bay.

Aids Weight Loss

Walking is a great exercise and helps you lose weight. Therefore, it might be a good idea to start walking to and from your nearby destinations, instead of driving your car.  It counteracts the effects of weight-promoting genes. Harvard researchers looked at 32 obesity-promoting genes in over 12,000 people to determine how much these genes actually contribute to body weight. They then discovered that, among the study participants who walked briskly for about an hour a day, the effects of those genes were cut in half.

 Regulates Blood Pressure

Walking can also help lower blood pressure. Even if you are unable to complete 10,000 steps per day, you should walk for at least 60 minutes every day to keep your blood pressure levels in check.

Fights Cancer

 Sedentary lifestyle is one of the causes of cancer, and this is where walking every day can help you. Scientists have found that walking can help in weight loss, thereby reducing the risk of cancer. Walking has been found to be helpful for that undergoing cancer treatment by reducing the side effects of chemotherapy. It can also lower the risk of breast cancer. It reduces the risk of developing breast cancer. Researchers already know that any kind of physical activity blunts the risk of breast cancer. But an American Cancer Society study that zeroed in on walking found that women who walked seven or more hours a week had a 14% lower risk of breast cancer than those who walked three hours or fewer per week. And walking provided this protection even for the women with breast cancer risk factors, such as being overweight or using supplemental hormones.

 Improves Circulation

Walking can actually increase your intelligence. Walking helps to supply the brain with the required amounts of oxygen and glucose, which helps it function better. It also decreases the levels of LDL cholesterol, which clogs arteries, and hence reduces the risk of stroke. So, walking can help improve blood circulation, which helps the brain and cellular functions.  It also wards off heart disease, brings up the heart rate, lowers blood pressure and strengthens the heart. Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Tennessee found that post-menopausal women who walked just one to two miles a day lowered blood pressure by nearly 11 points in 24 weeks. Women who walked 30 minutes a day reduced their risk of stroke by 20 percent – by 40 percent when they stepped up the pace, according to researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.

Reduces Risk of Diabetes

A sedentary lifestyle has led to an exponential growth of one of the most common diseases – diabetes. Scientists recommend no less than 5,000 steps a day with more than 3,000 of those steps being a brisk walk – to help manage type 2 diabetes. Walking every day can help control the blood sugar levels, which, in turn, can help you prevent type 2 diabetes. A pair of studies from the University of Exeter found that a 15-minute walk can curb cravings for chocolate and even reduce the amount of chocolate you eat in stressful situations. And the latest research confirms that walking can reduce cravings and intake of a variety of sugary snacks.

Strengthens Bones

Your bones tend to become weaker as you age. But the good news is you can strengthen your bones by walking regularly. This low-impact exercise prevents loss of bone density, thereby reducing the risk of osteoporosis, fracture, and injury. Since bones determine our framework, stronger and healthier bones help to improve posture, stamina, and balance. Walking can also prevent arthritis and reduce the accompanying pain.
It eases joint pain. Several studies have found that walking reduces arthritis-related pain, and that walking five to six miles a week can even prevent arthritis from forming in the first place. Walking protects the joints — especially the knees and hips, which are most susceptible to osteoarthritis — by lubricating them and strengthening the muscles that support them.  It can stop the loss of bone mass for those with osteoporosis, according to Michael A. Schwartz, MD, of Plancher Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in New York. In fact, a Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, study of post-menopausal women found that 30 minutes of walking each day reduced their risk of hip fractures by 40 percent.

Strengthens Muscles

Like bones, you can also experience loss of muscles as you age. Here too, walking can help you by strengthening and toning your muscles and preventing muscle loss. Regular walking can strengthen your leg and back muscles. It tones your leg and abdominal muscles – and even arm muscles if you pump them as you walk. This increases your range of motion, shifting the pressure and weight from your joints and muscles – which are meant to handle weight – helping to lessen arthritis pain

 Improves Digestion

Improper digestion can lead to gastrointestinal discomfort, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and even colon cancer. Therefore, it is very important that you keep your digestive system healthy. Apart from maintaining good food habits and drinking water, you should also walk to improve digestion. Walking after meals is great. It helps you reduce weight and also supports your digestive system  

 Boosts Immune Function

Your body’s immune system should function properly at all times to prevent infections, diseases, and death. Walking is a great way to boost your immunity. Walking at least 30 minutes a day can help bolster the activities of the immune cells, namely, the B-cells, T-cells, and the natural killer cells. It helps release the WBCs at a faster rate, thereby allowing your body to heal quickly. Walking can help protect you during cold and flu season. A study of over 1,000 men and women found that those who walked at least 20 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, had 43% fewer sick days than those who exercised once a week or less. And if they did get sick, it was for a shorter duration, and their symptoms were milder.

Prevents Dementia

Dementia is a neurological condition characterized by gradual loss of memory and cognitive functions. It can eventually make you unable to perform day-to-day functions and totally dependent on others. Walking regularly at a moderate pace can help prevent dementia, improve memory, and build confidence in older individuals. A study of 6,000 women, ages 65 and older, performed by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, found that age-related memory decline was lower in those who walked more. The women walking 2.5 miles per day had a 17-percent decline in memory, as opposed to a 25-percent decline in women who walked less than a half-mile per week.

 Increases Lung Capacity
Walking can also increase your lung capacity. When you walk, you breathe in more oxygen as compared to when you are stationary. This exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide at a larger volume can help increase your lung capacity, thereby increasing your stamina and exercise performance  A medium-paced 60-minute walk (with breaks ) can do the trick.

Delays Aging

A study conducted with 17,000 Harvard graduates showed that students who walked for at least 30 minutes every day lived longer than those who were sedentary. Walking may or may not activate the telomerase enzyme, which is responsible for maintaining DNA integrity, an important factor in aging, but it helps prevent many age-related problems. People who walk regularly not only look younger than their age , but they may also be younger on a cellular level, according to research published in PLOS One. The scientists found that cardiovascular exercise, like walking, can preserve or even lengthen your telomeres, the parts of our DNA that shorten as we age.  

Increases Age

 Research has shown that you can add up to seven years to your life by exercising daily, regardless of what you weigh. Even better, those extra years will be good ones as folks who walk are happier. A separate study found that people who exercise report feeling happier, more excited, and more enthusiastic about their future than their couch-potato brothers. Research out of the University of Michigan Medical School and the Veterans Administration Ann Arbor Healthcare System says those who exercise regularly in their fifties and sixties are 35 percent less likely to die over the next eight years than their non-walking counterparts. That number shoots up to 45 percent less likely for those who have underlying health conditions.

Helps sleep

 Researchers found that regular walkers had longer and better quality sleep. And for those unlucky few who still had insomnia? Walking helped reduce the number of sleepless nights they experienced

Helps Produce Vitamin D

Walking in the morning is a great opportunity for your body to produce vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for bone strength and it prevents cancer, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes type 1. So, it is very important that you get at least 10-15 minutes of morning sun exposure, and walking is a great way to do so.

Reduces Stress

Walking can help reduce the stress levels by improving circulation, which, in turn, provides nutrients and oxygen to the cells. It also stimulates the nervous system receptors and decreases the production of the stress hormones. Breathing in and out while walking can also help to breathe out the tension.

Uplifts Mood

Several scientific studies have proven that physical activity can help prevent depression. Walking is highly recommended by physicians and psychiatrists to help uplift mood. So, if you are feeling depressed or sad, you should just take a walk and get some fresh air to feel better. Whether you’re just having a down day or a down life, taking a walk can instantly lift your mood—especially when you go outdoors. Not only can walking make you less depressed, but according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, depression sufferers who took a daily walk showed just as much improvement in their symptoms as people on medication. In fact, 60 to 70 percent of the subjects could no longer even be classified as depressed. And a follow-up study found that the mood boost from the walk lasted longer than that of the medication.

Improves Memory

Japanese scientists have found that walking can help improve the memory of older patients . Physical exercise helps to increase the size of hippocampus while a sedentary lifestyle shrinks the hippocampus, leading to memory loss. So, walk every day to give your memory power a serious boost.

Increases Productivity

Walking regularly can also make you more active and energetic. This, in turn, can increase your productivity. Your memory, agility, and your reaction to different stimuli will significantly change for the better. Walking is as good for your brain as it is for your body. A comprehensive study of the effects of exercise on the brain found that it benefits all aspects of your mind, including memory, cognition, learning, reading and it even increases the size of your brain to boot. Even better, walking protects your brain by lessening your risk of getting cognitive illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia

Increases Your Creativity

Walking also helps to increase your creativity. It helps calm your nerves and relaxes your brain. When you walk, you don’t have the pressure of a deadline or meeting a certain expectation. This helps your brain to think strategically and in a more sorted way. So, if you are stuck with a problem, take a walk!
Stumped for an idea? Take a quick stroll around the block. Whether you need a solution to a problem at work or you’re looking for inspiration for your novel, walking gets your creative juices flowing in all areas. A recent study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience found that walking improved both convergent and divergent thinking, the two types associated with enhanced creativity.

Eradicate allergies
Sidelined by sneezing, sniffling and itchy, watery eyes, thanks to all the pollen in the air? Your instinct may be to close all the windows and hide until winter, but your instinct might be wrong. According to a Thai study, researchers found that walking or running—even for just 15 minutes—can reduce sneezing, itching, congestion and runny nose by up to 70 percent.
Metabolic syndrome
The evil trifecta of increased blood pressure/cholesterol, high blood sugar, and fat around your waist—is one of the worst side effects of our sedentary lifestyle. It signals diabetes, heart disease, and even early death. But we have an old-fashioned cure to this modern-day disease: exercise. Any cardio exercise, including walking, can stop metabolic syndrome and even reverse the damage, according to a study published in Circulation. But intensity is the key to revving up your metabolism. Rather than just taking a leisurely stroll, try alternating walking fast and slow.

Builds Social Support

Walking can help you build social support and make new friends who will encourage you to walk every day. You will look forward to meeting them. Also, you can walk to support a social cause. At the end of the day, you will be filled with positive energy and peace.

What Do You Need To Start Walking?

You need few basic things to walk.  
·         Walking shoes
·         Comfortable clothes
·         A bottle of water and an energy bar for long walks
·         If you walk to your office, wear your office clothes and a pair of comfortable shoes. You can change your footwear later at the office.
·         Waterproof jacket
·         Motivation – Absolutely necessary for at least the first 5 days.  

How To Stay Motivated For Walking?

·         Ask a friend to join you in your new exercise routine.
·         Go for a stroll with your friends or family in the evening or after dinner.
·         Walk to your nearest grocery store or a nearby place.
·         Think about the money you can save by walking.
·         Use a walking planner to find out the best walking route, measure heart rate, calories burned, count steps, etc.
·         Explore different paths every day.
·         Join a walking group.
·         Go on hiking trips.
·         Walk for a social cause.

Essential Tips

If you are new to walking, you cannot walk for long distances immediately. So, break up your walking routine. Start by walking 10 minutes every day. Gradually increase this duration to 30 minutes a day. Then, you can walk 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening. You should also gradually increase the pace of your walking. When you are comfortable enough, you can try to walk 10,000 steps a day. Take necessary breaks in between. And, of course, keep yourself hydrated.
People often consider walking more of a recreation than a sport, believing it less beneficial to your health compared to "real exercise." What these people seem to forget is that exercise is not measured solely in sweat. If included as part of a routine fitness plan, walking can get your heart pumping, muscles working, and fat burning—all of the things that a real workout is meant to achieve.

Cardiovascular Benefits

Walking at a brisk pace raises your heart rate to a moderate intensity level beneficial to your cardiovascular health. As a reference point, a brisk pace is one to where you are able to talk but won't have the lung capacity to sing. If you take your pulse in the moderate intensity zone, it should be between 50 percent and 70 percent of your maximum heart rate (MHR). Your MHR can be roughly estimated by subtracting your age from 220. In order to achieve tangible benefits, aim for a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per day, five days a week. You don't have to do it all at once; you can break it into sessions of no less than 10 minutes each.
1.      Start at an easy pace for one to three minutes to warm up.
2.      Increase to 50 to 70 percent of your MHR for 20 minutes.
3.      To cool down, slow to an easy pace for one to three minutes.

Weight Control

One of the benefits of routine walking is that it can help you control your weight or even shed a few pounds when combined a reduced-calorie diet. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week to help lose weight. To maintain your weight, aim for 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week. While 45 minutes of brisk walking can encourage your body to burn stored fat, it can only do so if you don't replace those fats in your diet. To the end, it is important to speak with your doctor or nutritionist to ensure you are burning more calories than you consume and that you do so safely.
1.      Start at an easy to moderate pace for 10 minutes.
2.      Increase to 60 to 70 percent of your MHR for 30 to 60 minutes.
3.      Cool down with five to 10 minutes at an easy pace.

Muscles and Joints

Walking is beneficial even if you are unable to do so at a brisk pace. Walking at an easy pace works your muscles and joints, improving your flexibility and strength even when you are not being aerobically challenged. Walking regularly is especially helpful if you are overweight or living with arthritis. By walking at a slower pace, you minimize the stress on your knees, ankles, hips, and lower back. While it doesn't have the cardiovascular benefits of brisk walking, low-intensity walking can slow joint deterioration and improve your mood and energy levels if done consistently. There is also evidence it can improve your metabolic health. just two minutes of low-intensity walking done every 20 minutes improved blood sugar control in obese people compared to those who simply sat or stood still. The same benefits can be extended to office workers who spend much of their day behind a desk. Getting up and walking for a few minutes can translate the better health irrespective of your age or health status.

 Quality of workout

If you are addicted to your fitness tracker and make an effort to reach 10,000 steps per day, you are certainly on the right track to achieving good health. But don't mistake the number of steps for the quality of a workout. Clearly, 10,000 steps done a low-intensity are unlikely to deliver the same health benefits as 5,000 done at a strenuous pace. When starting a walking program, be clear about your goals and what you need to do to achieve them. Higher quality trackers, like Fitbit, are able to analyze your steps and tell you how many have been done at an aerobic pace. If you want to ensure you are getting "real exercise," focus on that latter figure and not just the step count.


Five benefits of walking
1. It counteracts the effects of weight-promoting genes. Harvard researchers looked at 32 obesity-promoting genes in over 12,000 people to determine how much these genes actually contribute to body weight. They then discovered that, among the study participants who walked briskly for about an hour a day, the effects of those genes were cut in half.
2. It helps tame a sweet tooth. A pair of studies from the University of Exeter found that a 15-minute walk can curb cravings for chocolate and even reduce the amount of chocolate you eat in stressful situations. And the latest research confirms that walking can reduce cravings and intake of a variety of sugary snacks.
3. It reduces the risk of developing breast cancer. Researchers already know that any kind of physical activity blunts the risk of breast cancer. But an American Cancer Society study that zeroed in on walking found that women who walked seven or more hours a week had a 14% lower risk of breast cancer than those who walked three hours or fewer per week. And walking provided this protection even for the women with breast cancer risk factors, such as being overweight or using supplemental hormones.
4. It eases joint pain. Several studies have found that walking reduces arthritis-related pain, and that walking five to six miles a week can even prevent arthritis from forming in the first place. Walking protects the joints — especially the knees and hips, which are most susceptible to osteoarthritis — by lubricating them and strengthening the muscles that support them.
5. It boosts immune function. Walking can help protect you during cold and flu season. A study of over 1,000 men and women found that those who walked at least 20 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, had 43% fewer sick days than those who exercised once a week or less. And if they did get sick, it was for a shorter duration, and their symptoms were milder.


Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Why India and the US Oppose CPEC? By Sajjad Shaukat (JR170SS47)










Why India and the US Oppose CPEC? By Sajjad Shaukat (JR170SS47)

India was openly opposing the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is part of China’s One Belt, One Road (OBOR) or China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the US also joined New Delhi. In this context, on October 3, 2017, the then US Defence Secretary James Mattis told the Lawmakers, “The United States has reiterated its support for India’s opposition to China’s One Belt, One Road initiative…the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a part of which traverses Pakistan-Kashmir.”


Pakistan strongly rejected the statement from the American defence chief that the multibillion-dollar road and rail network CPEC will pass through a disputed territory of Kashmir, urging the international community to focus on blatant human rights violations and ‘heinous crimes’ committed by Indian occupation forces in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK), and reminded America that Washington had also participated in an OBOR summit.

Earlier, a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry also dismissed Mattis’ statement, saying that the OBOR plan was backed by the United Nations and that CPEC was an economic cooperation initiative.

In this regard, again, the Indian envoy to China Vikram Mistri told Chinese state media in March, last year that a part of the CPEC shall pass through Pakistani side of Kashmir and the OBOR or BRI does not respect India’s “concerns” of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Addressing Indian concerns, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said on April 15, this year, “As for the Indian comments on not participating in the BRI [Conference] for various reasons, I’d like to say that the BRI is an open and inclusive economic cooperation initiative. It does not involve territorial and maritime disputes…Whether the Indian side will participate in the Belt and Road Forum, I think you need to ask the Indian side for a more specific answer. But here I’d like to re-emphasise that the BRI is proposed by China but it is already an international public good….The belt and road cooperation since it was first proposed…has been an open and inclusive initiative for all countries…interested in this…if the relevant side would like to wait and see, we do not oppose that. And as for more international organisations in the second BRI [Conference] meaning that some countries will lose opportunities, you may need to ask the countries themselves which do not participate in the BRI.”

It is notable that India which has consistently kept away from BRI did not participate in its second conference which was held in Beijing from April 25 to 27, 2019 and leaders of countries including heads of state and government from nearly 40 countries attended the meeting.

Pakistan’ s Prime Minister Imran Khan, in his speech at the opening ceremony  called for greater attention to tackling poverty as Pakistan and China enter the next phase of the CPEC. He appreciated the significance of China’s BRI, elaborating, it “marks a new and distinct phase in the onward march of nations in the world along the path of globalization”.

However, India and the US continue opposing the CPEC. In this respect, Indian lobbies which are well-penetrated in the US administration and Europe, research centers, think tanks and so-called human rights groups utilize the media tools in defaming Pakistan internationally. Especially, Indian RAW is availing the opportunity of the US-led organized propaganda campaign against Pakistan. Now, CPEC is special target of these hostile entities.

In this connection, much coverage was given by the external media to a report, released on April 13, 2017 by Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) which is in partnership with Mahatma Gandhi International AISBL. The subject report portrayed complete Indian negative propaganda themes about the Pakistan’s provinces of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Balochistan and Sindh. Based on falsehood, the report also said that the CPEC is breach of international law and is being implemented without consultation or compensation to the people of the area.

Undoubtedly, GB is the gateway of CPEC into Pakistan, whereby GB’s strategic and socio-economic importance has increased manifold. Like Balochistan, the region has huge potential in trade with China, tourism, minerals, gems, precious stones, agriculture-farming and hydro power production. Therefore, GB’s people who are strengthening their association with Pakistan, pays no attention to the false propaganda.

While, these US-led Western entities, particularly India who also give undue coverage to the meetings and protests against the integrity of Pakistan, are especially exaggerating the statements of those Baloch separatist leaders who have taken shelter in Europe and America, and are fulfilling the agenda of their foreign masters against the CPEC.

The reality is that the establishment of CPEC between deep Gwadar seaport of Balochistan and the historic Silk Road city in western regions-Xinjiang of China will connect Gilgit-Baltistan through Khunjerab Pass. Beijing would also build an international airport at Gwadar, while the roads infrastructure in Gwadar would link the communication network of rest of the country to facilitate transportation of goods.

When Gwadar seaport becomes fully operational, it would connect the landlocked Central Asian states with rest of the world. Being the commercial hub, the port is likely to increase volume of trade, bringing multiple economic and financial benefits to Pakistan. It will enable high-volume cargo vessels to move in the major oceans. Gwadar project which is backbone of the CPEC will uplift the impoverished people of Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan, including developments in other provinces by providing thousands of employment opportunities, particularly to the less developed areas by redressing their grievances. The resulting prosperity in Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan would damp the separatist sentiments of the people, which the hostile elements, supported by the US, India and Israeli do not want. Therefore, these entities and their media describe the CPEC in negative terms.

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 intelligence agencies which are also in collaboration with the Afghan 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. Besides, these terrorist outfits are weakening Tibetan regions of China and Iranian Sistan-Baluchistan through subversive activities.

It is mentionable that Pakistan’s Armed Forces have successfully broken the backbone of the foreign-backed terrorists by the military operations Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad. Army and top intelligence agency ISI have broken the network of these terrorist groups by capturing several militants, while thwarting a number of terror attempts. Peace has been restored in various regions of Pakistan, including Karachi and Balochistan province.

But, in the recent past, blasts in Balochistan and other regions of the country showed that the US-led India, Afghanistan and Israel have again started acts of sabotage especially to weaken Pakistan and to damage the Pak-China project of CPEC. Foiled terror attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi on November 23, 2018 was part of the same scheme. Nevertheless, CIA, RAW and Mossad are assisting the separatist elements of the Balochistan to thwart the CPEC project.

It is of particular attention that that during P.M. Imran Khan’s second trip to China, on April 28, this year, Islamabad and Beijing embarked on the new phase of the CPEC by signing memorandum of understanding-agreements on the first Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and socio-economic development and a new agreement on free trade. The new phase of the CPEC would be characterised by industrialization—20 factories is being set up in Rashakai, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.  In view of trade being an important element of the CPEC, the two sides concluded the second stage of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) aimed at strengthening trade ties between the two countries. Under the new FTA, China would open up 90 per cent of its market for Pakistani goods whereas Pakistan would share 65pc of its market with Chinese exports. This would also help in redressing, to a certain extent, the yawning trade imbalance between the two countries, which stood at $9.7 billion last year.

The two sides also signed an agreement on a technical package for upgradation of Pakistan’s main railway line-Mail Line-One (ML-1) under which a double track from Peshawar to Karachi will be built with China’s help. China who will spend $1bn on 27 projects, help Pakistan Railways in improving its capacity.

Nonetheless, China has clarified Indian concerns on the CPEC or OBOR. But, apart from the US, India is particularly opposing the CPEC as part of the anti-Pakistan and anti-China approach.  

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


Friday, May 10, 2019

Truth about Pulwama Attack & India’s Surgical Strikes Unmasked By Sajjad Shaukat -JR 169 SS 46













Truth about Pulwama Attack & India’s Surgical Strikes Unmasked By Sajjad Shaukat -JR169SS46

Indian Prime Minister Nerendar Modi’s extremist party-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had got a land sliding triumph in the Indian elections 2014 on the basis of anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan slogans. Therefore, since the Prime Minister Modi came to power, he has been implementing anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan agenda with the support of fanatic coalition outfits.

By acting upon the same strategy, Modi-led entities planned the terror attack in the Pulwama district of the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK) on February 14, this year, where at least 44 Indian soldiers were killed when a suicide bomber rammed a car into a convoy of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

Next day, India’s Prime Minister Modi blamed Pakistan for the Pulwama terror attack and warned of a strong response.

The banned Islamist militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) claimed responsibility soon after the assault.

Without any investigation and evidence Indian high officials and media started accusing Islamabad, saying that the attackers had come from Pakistan to stage the assault.

Very tension escalated rapidly between India and Pakistan when on February 27, this year, in response to the Indian so-called pre-emptive air strike near the town of Balakot, close to the border with Pakistan’s sector of Kashmir, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) shot down two Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets and launched aerial strikes at six targets in the IoK.

Addressing a press conference on the same day, Director General of Pakistan Army’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Maj-Gen. Asif Ghafoor said that Pakistan Air Force have conducted aerial strikes across the Line of Control (LoC) from Pakistani airspace and shot down two Indian aircraft. One of the two Indian air force pilots was taken into custody.


Regarding Indian surgical strike, Maj-Gen. Asif Ghafoor explained: “There are only mud-brick homes. There is no madrassas. There isn’t even a concrete house…Two of the dried mud structures were damaged in the explosions…No one has been killed, no one has been seriously hurt…Indian planes crossed into the Muzafarabad sector of Pakistani-side of Kashmir…Pakistan scrambled its warplanes and the Indian jets released their payload in haste near Balakot.”

Afterwards, journalists visited the targeted site of Balakot and Islamabad also released a video which exposed the false statements of New Delhi that IAF fighters targeted the camp of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and killed 350 militants.

In the aftermath of the false flag terror attack at Pulwama, truth about India’s surgical strikes unmasked, when India top civil and military leaders failed in providing any evidence in this respect.
Besides foreign media, Indian opposition parties and leaders of the Indian Held Kashmir (IHK), including retired military officers criticized Prime Minister Modi in failing to supply any proof that of 350 militants JeM) were killed.

Speaking to the Indian media regarding Pulwama assault, former Chief Minister of the IHK, Farooq Abdullah said: “I was saddened to hear about the deaths of the soldiers…Don’t blame Pakistan because local people are joining Kashmiri fight” [War of liberation].

Meanwhile, Islamabad released the Indian captured Indian pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman as a gesture of peace. It resulted into diplomatic victory of Pakistan over New Delhi. But, Prime Minister Modi has directed the Indian security forces to accelerate atrocities in the IOK and shelling across the LoC to target Pakistan’s security forces. Many innocent persons have so far been martyred inside Pakistani side of Kashmir, while Pakistan Army is giving a matching response. The main purpose of the Modi-led ruling party BJP is 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. Notably, the elections which will be held in 7 phases have started in India on April 11 this year and will continue till May.

In this context, without bothering for nuclear war, in the aftermath of the terror attack in Pulwama, by creating jingoism in India, Indian extremist government of the BJP has been deliberately increasing war hysteria against Pakistan by continuing threatening diplomacy against Islamabad as part of the election- stunt.


However, the myth of Indian surgical strike was further exposed, when DG of ISPR General Asif Ghaffor, while referring to the statement of Indian India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj who admitted on April 18, this year that no Pakistani soldier or citizen died in the air strike carried out by IAF across the border in Balakot, stated on April 19, 2019: “After India finally admitted that their so-called air strike carried on February 26 in Balakot caused no deaths and casualties…Hopefully, so will be about other false Indian claims [such as] surgical strike of 2016, denial of shooting down of two Indian Air Force [IAF] jets by Pakistan Air Force and claims about F16…Better late than never.”

It is notable that continuing false flag operations, on Setember18, 2016, India staged the drama of the terror attack in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) at a military base in Uri, close to the LoC with Pakistan.

After the Uri episode, without any investigation, India’s top civil and military officials, including their media started propaganda against Pakistan by accusing that the militants who targeted the Uri base came from Pakistan’s side of Azad Kashmir and the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba controlled by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) were involved in it. Under the mask of the Uri base attack, India created war-hysteria against Pakistan and started mobilization of troops near the LoC, while claiming surgical strikes on the Azad Kashmir.

But, the myth of Indian surgical strikes of 2016 was exposed, when in a statement, the then DG of ISPR Lt. Gen, Asim Saleem Bajwa said, “The notion of surgical strike linked to alleged terrorists bases is an illusion being deliberately generated by India to create false effects. This quest by Indian establishment to create media hype by rebranding cross border fire as surgical strike is a fabrication of truth.” He repeatedly stated that Pakistani troops have been giving equal response to Indian unprovoked firing across the LoC.

Differences also arose between the Indian civil and military leadership—as to how cover the falsehood. In this connection, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and country’s Army Chief Gen. Dalbir Singh had decided to prepare a ‘fake video’ of surgical strikes so as to pacify the Indian public, media and the opposition parties. However, New Delhi could not prove any proof in that regard.

It is mentionable that Former Mizoram Governor Aziz Qureshi also pointed out on April 14, this year that Pulwama attack was planned by Modi to win elections. H elaborated:Over 40 soldiers were killed in the deadly suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama that came barely two months before the elections…You planned the attack to get another chance. But people understand this. If Modi Ji wanted to put crown on his head by killing 42 soldiers, people of the country won’t allow that. Following the attack, India conducted an air strike on Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camps inside Pakistani territory. The strike, that came days ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, became a political issue with the prime minister asking first time voters to dedicate their vote to the martyrs of Pulwama attack and soldiers who carried out the attackPakistan failed to divide India on the religious lines in the last 70 years. But it is being made possible in the last five years because of Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah duo who have filled poison in the minds of the people.

Nevertheless, taking cognizance of Indian war-mongering diplomacy, Pakistan’s armed forces are still on high alert especially along the LoC and are prepared to deal with any Indian aggression.

Nonetheless, despite the fact that truth about Pulwama attack and India’s surgical strikes has been unmasked, but, to divert the attention of the international community from the Indian security forces’ state terrorism which has been accelerated on the innocent Kashmiris and to avoid the settlement of Kashmir issue with Pakistan, during the ongoing elections, the fanatic P.M. Modi can take the risk of conventional war with Pakistan, which could be culminated into nuclear war.

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