Baluchistan & Punjab in Pakistan also saw unprecedented rise in abductions, rapes, forced conversions, fake marriages & violence against minorities. Political, religious leadership & military are party to such vandalism.
RahulPAWA | @imrahulpawa Recently, skies over India have become a battleground for an insidious new threat – terror drones. The severity of this menace was laid bare once again yesterday when Indian security forces detected a drone that had violated Indian airspace and was flying in from Pakistan near the international border in Gurdaspur district of the north Indian state of Punjab. In a swift retaliatory response, the Indian security forces fired upon the drone, causing it to retreat towards Pakistan. This incident follows a similar pattern from the previous month, where Indian security forces discovered a high-end Chinese-made DJI Matrice 300 RTK quadcopter in Gurdaspur that had infiltrated from Pakistan. The discovery of this sophisticated drone, valued at a staggering USD $13,700, is a sobering reminder of the growing use of advanced aerial technology by malevolent actors across borders. Moreover, not only Punjab has seen Pakistan-operated terror drones in violation of Indian airspace. Earlier this year, a drone was shot down in Rajasthan’s Sriganganagar sector. Indian security forces recovered five packages of narcotics from the wreckage of that drone. In another incident of illegal cross-border drone droppings from November last year in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) Samba district. The police recovered two unassembled improvised explosive devices with detonators, two Chinese-made pistols, four magazines loaded with 60 rounds, and half a million Indian rupees that were dropped by a terror drone controlled from Pakistan. With this recent uptick in Pakistan’s unmanned aerial vehicle activity, it is becoming incessantly clear that the incidents involving their terror drones in India are not isolated occurrences; rather, they represent a calculated and deliberate escalation of modern-day asymmetrical warfare aimed at undermining India’s security. The usage of such drones by Pakistan for activities like hostile reconnaissance, drug and weapon trafficking, and transporting explosives and ammunition into India has increased four times in Punjab alone since the beginning of this year. As a countermeasure, Indian security forces stationed along the international border states have ramped up their vigilance and intercepted more than a dozen terror drones from Pakistan in the past few weeks alone. It is no secret that Pakistan is deeply involved in the insidious practice of narco-terrorism. This is not mere hearsay but a widely acknowledged fact, confirmed by international organisations such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (EUROPOL), and prominent forums such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP+). The FATF’s demand last year for Pakistan to demonstrate concrete action against terrorism was a reminder of its precarious position on the FATF grey list. Recent scrutiny of Pakistan’s government-sponsored terrorism has also been directed towards its bid to revive a 2019 bailout agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). There were serious concerns over using bailout funds, given Pakistan’s history of fostering secessionism and terrorism in India. Pakistan’s tumultuous past has been characterised by widespread criticism of its army’s rampant corruption, the government’s lack of developmental policies, and a blatant disregard for its citizen’s welfare. The country has been notorious for its efforts to cultivate jihadist extremism and sponsor terrorism against India, which has ultimately resulted in its downfall. Subsequently, a classic case study for the world to see as an example of how states that harbour and endorse extremism, sponsor terrorism, and lack coherent plans for their people’s growth and development are bound to fail. Concerningly, the increasing and escalating use of terror drones launched from Pakistan against India epitomises the mindset of the country’s deep state and army. Alarmingly, Pakistan seems to have decided to persist in diverting its valuable resources towards supporting terror, thereby continuing to nurture the monster of terrorism that it created, even though it has already bankrupted the country. By resorting to narco-terrorism, small arms smuggling and financing of terrorism by the use of terror drones with an aspiration to destabilise India, especially its youth. Pakistan is exposing itself to further repercussions at the hands of an able Indian national security apparatus and extreme scrutiny from its financial backers, organisations, unions and nations that greatly benefit it. Pakistan has active loans from international lending agencies such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), among others. It is also a partner in the Paris Pact Initiative, which seeks to combat opiate trafficking, consumption and related issues along the Afghan trafficking routes. Pakistan benefits from Europe’s preferential tariff programmes, including the GSP+. However, Pakistan’s blatant support for organised crime, extremism and terrorism has seriously undermined its credibility. As a result, these agencies and entities have imposed new stringent rectification requirements on Pakistan’s support for terrorism and extremism to maintain their support. The country’s unwavering commitment to pursuing this treacherous path endangers regional stability and poses a significant threat to global peace and security. At this crucial juncture, the international community must recognise the gravity and implications of Pakistan’s “terror drones” deployment against India. Moreover, global leaders must take note of the nations that endorse and enable Pakistan’s actions. Pakistan’s long-standing ally, the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) led China, which boasts an unbreakable friendship with Pakistan, has become a source of concern. Recent findings of Pakistan-operated terror drones and weaponry recovered in Indian territory offer tangible evidence of Chinese technology, equipment, and weaponry being used for narco-terror and related terrorist activities in India. A considerable proportion of the drones used by Pakistan in cross-border operations in India are supplied by the Chinese firm SZ DJI Technology Co. Ltd. In December 2020, the US government listed DJI on a trade-restricted list due to concerns about its connections to the CPC government. Notably, some of the batteries that power these drones are manufactured by a company based in Karachi, Pakistan. Despite the CPC’s repeated claims of a firm commitment to combat international terrorism, doubts have arisen due to its continued support for Pakistan’s backed
Virtual isolation of Pakistan makes its economic revival difficult while growing support may quickly get Sri Lanka on path to normalcy K.A.Badarinath It’s the tale of two South Asian economies that continue to provide jitters to analysts and policymakers alike. Pakistan and Sri Lankan economies facing tumult are pictures in contrast. The two Indian neighbours are on the verge of collapse on economic front. The two have also been struggling and desperate to get back on revival mode with very little headway thus far. The course taken by both these countries seems diametrically opposite to deliver what they set out to achieve as uniquely placed Indian Ocean small countries. Sri Lanka with an economic size of $ 84.52 billion has piled up a debt of $ 40 billion from bilateral and multi-lateral sources over last one decade that’s unsustainable. In contrast, Pakistan with a medium sized economy of $ 376.49 billion that had previously grown in double digits is in doldrums with virtually no savior in sight. It’s heading for virtual bankruptcy given that the Islamist country that believes in terrorism as a state instrument has piled up $ 274 billion debt that’s roughly over three fourths of its gross domestic product in January this year. Both the South Asian economies have landed in a big mess and it is their own making. While Sri Lanka’s misdirected reforms pushed the island’s fragile economy into chaos, its political churn and protests over last one year have added to the people’s woes. On the other hand, Pakistan’s unsustainable energy import bill, unserviceable expensive foreign debt stock, lack of investments and revenues coupled with huge spending on its untenable security establishment are clear culprits. Unwritten word is that huge unaccounted spending in exporting terror in particular to Bharat is a big expenditure head with no or rather negative returns. Highest common denomination factor in both cases is China where it pushed both countries into a huge debt trap by design especially the funding of infrastructure projects, belt and roads initiative. As per publicly available data, more than two dozen countries including Sri Lanka and Pakistan have been pushed into unsustainable debt contracts via the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative), a pet initiative of President Xi Jingping and Chinese Communist Party. Apart from economic and strategic expansionism of China run by its oligarchy, global headwinds are not in favour of Pakistan and Sri Lanka given the looming recession in Europe and United States in aftermath of protracted conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Metamorphosis of this conflict into a big war cannot be ruled out given that the US and Germany apart from other NATO allies were sending in tanks and major military equipment to support the battered Ukraine. Over 60 per cent consumer price inflation in Sri Lanka has rendered millions of people jobless, without food and shelter. Moving away from traditional agricultural practices to purported organic farming without safety latches or back up plan has boomeranged on this beautiful island nation. The political uncertainty has also destroyed its famed tourism and hospitality industry that’s known globally for being very ‘inviting’. On the other hand, Pakistan that reported over 40 per cent retail inflation in January 2023 has made basic food items like wheat flour, oil, sugar, out of the reach for a large section of its population. Owing to massive corruption in both Pakistani army establishment and political leadership, most food items are either unavailable or retail prices unreasonably doubled or tripled. Hoarders and business cartels have had a field day in both Sri Lanka and Pakistan cashing in on weak political structures and greasing corrupt hands all the way. In this adverse situation loans or cash advances have been hard to come by for both countries. Both countries have burnt the midnight oil to keep their heads afloat. Sri Lanka has some advantage over Pakistan that has no friends in the region barring China. India has taken the lead to provide financing assurances to Sri Lanka if one were to go by external affairs minister Subramanyam Jaishankar to the island nation. In effect, outstanding debt can be paid by Sri Lanka on deferred basis. Also, Colombo can access fresh lines of credit in sync with debt restructuring proposal made by International Monetary Fund in which Bharat is actively involved as representative of South Asia. As an ally, Japan is also bound to follow suit. If these developments go as anticipated, Sri Lanka will be able to access $ 2.9 billion relief package from IMF. But, this will happen only when China as the largest contributor to most expensive debt Sri Lanka has availed agrees. As of now, indications are that China may extract its pound of flesh in terms of lucrative contracts and Colombo agreeing to approve its expansionist tantrums. While Sri Lanka has enlisted support of trusted allies like Bharat, Pakistan has not made any headway so far. Barring Saudi Arabia’s agreement to defer payments on oil imports, Pakistan has not made much progress thus far. Deferred payments proposal for Russian oil has not fructified till now. As per State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the country’s reserves have plummeted to $ 5.576 billion as of January 1, 2023. This means there’s every possibility of Pakistan defaulting on its repayments if immediate support is not enlisted. Even after businessman turned Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif buckled and agreed to tough conditions proposed by IMF for $ 6.6 billion bailout package, the multi-lateral lender is yet unconvinced on Pakistan economy’s unsustainability. As on date, IMF has not sent its team for negotiation though Pakistan requested for early conclusion of negotiations. Most significant is that it’s all weather friend and military equipment supplier China has not acceded to Pakistan’s request for deferment of its $ 6.3 billion loans. Only Saudi Arabia has hinted at deferring $ 3 billion repayments for Pakistan that matured in December 2022. Possible collapse of Sri Lankan and Pakistan economies collapse will have larger impact in South and
Qamar Bajwa turned billionaire in six years On November 29, 2016, General Qamar Bajwa took charge as Pakistan’s sixteenth chief of Army staff (COAS), succeeding General Raheel Sharif. Within six years of being Army chief, Bajwa’s family became a billionaire, with assets and businesses within Pakistan and outside accumulated of Pakistani rupees 12.7 billion translates to $56.5 million. Prior to his appointment as a COAS, his wife, Ayesha Amjad, was not even a taxpayer but owned three properties worth Pakistani rupees 70 lakhs. Currently, Ayesha Amjad is a multi-billionaire with large farmhouses in Gulberg Greens Islamabad and Karachi, multiple residential plots in Lahore, commercial plots and plazas under Defence Housing Authority schemes, with over half a million dollars in US accounts. his daughter-in-law Mahnoor Sabir was declared zero assets in October 2018, and just a week before her marriage on November 02, 2018, the assets touches one billion Pakistani rupees. Similarly, Bajwa’s close friend and other family members’ assets jumped to billions, but this is not shocking as Bajwa is Pakistan’s COAS, and Pakistan Army holds the country’s political, economic, social and criminal wealth.
Neha Dahiya / New Delhi, India Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s 153-rd birth anniversary is celebrated on October 2 as international non-violence day in consonance with United Nation’s resolution of 2007. On this day, CIHS team has compiled ten major instances where Mahatma Gandhi’s statues have been defaced, mutilated or pulled down by terror groups owing allegiance to Khalistan, Pakistan or Islamic State. In most incidents, desecration of Mahatma Gandhi statue, Khalistan separatists were involved. They have spray-painted words like Khalistan, Racist, Rapist, never forget 84, and other divisive phrases. In one incident, separatists draped the Khalistan flag over the statue. 1. Richmond Hill, Canada| July 13, 2022 A five-meter-tall statue of Mahatma Gandhi was defaced at Vishnu Mandir in the area of Yonge Street and Garden Avenue. Statue was vandalized at around 12:30 pm and graphic words such as Rapist and Khalistan Zindabad were spray painted on the Plinth. The chairman of the temple shared that the statue has been here for the past 30 years but poignant acts like this have never happened before. The High Commission of India in Ottawa condemned the incident on a tweet that reads, “We are deeply anguished by this hate crime that seeks to terrorize the Indian community. It has led to increased concern and insecurity in the Indian community here. We have approached the Canadian government to investigate and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice swiftly”. Constable Amy Boudreau, the spokesperson for York Regional Police said that the crime will be investigated as a hate bias-motivated incident. Prior to this incident, many a time Mahatma Gandhi statue was defaced, ripped or vandalised by motivated elements involved in Khalistan movement. [1] 2. New York, United States of America | February 04, 2022 An eight-feet-high bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi was defaced by miscreants in Manhattan’s Union Square. The statue was donated by the Gandhi Memorial International foundation on October 02, 1986, to mark the 117th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Consulate General condemned the act as despicable, the matter has been taken up by the local authorities.[2] Utsav Chakrabarti, executive director of the HinduPACT said that this is not the first time that a statue of Gandhi has been vandalised in the US. “In the past few years, statues of Mahatma Gandhi have been vandalised by groups aligned with radical Islamists and their sympathisers in South Asian communities.[3] Statue of Mahatma was removed from the University campus in Accra amid students and staff protest, they claimed that Mahatma Gandhi insulted Black Africans and was a Racist. Plinth stating Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), The Mahatma (Great soul) was also removed.[4] The statue was gifted to the University of Ghana by Indian Embassy on June 13, 2016, unveiled by former president Pranab Mukherjee during his visit to Ghana and its national university. After the Installation of Statue, online protests with #GandhiMustFall and #GandhiForComeDown sparked in many universities demanding removal of statue. A six feet tall, 294 kg (650-pound) statue of Mahatma Gandhi was vandalized and ripped from the base by miscreants in central park of City of Davis in northern California. The statue was found by park employee with sawed off ankles and half face mutilated and missing. The statue was donated by the Indian government to the city of Davis in 2017 and was installed amidst protest from Anti-India organisations. These protests were led by the Organization for Minorities in India (OFMI) and other Khalistani separatists, which opposed the statue’s installation. However, the installation had already been approved by the City of Davis. Since that time, OFMI has been campaigning to take down Mahatma Gandhi statue. Guarang Desai of Friends of India Society International said, “An atmosphere of hatred was created by these Anti-India organisations for years and not only they have run hate campaigns against Indian icons but were also at forefront to push Hinduphobia and erase India from California school sixth and seventh-grade textbooks”[5]. California Sikh Youth Alliance shared images of the torn statue on Twitter, another user with username KHALISTAN1984 writes “TODAY IS A GOOD DAY” On the same day the statue was ripped in Davis, Khalistani separatists in India stormed to Red Fort violently breaking down barricades and injuring over 300 Indian police officers. The statue of Mahatma Gandhi was vandalised by members of Khalistani separatists at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza in front of Indian Embassy at Washington DC. Separatist Protestors draped Khalistani Yellow Flag on the statue and flashed banners and placards. They also pasted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi effigy on the statue. Hundreds of Separatists carried out a Car rally in Greater Washington DC area, Maryland, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio and North Carolina in support of Khalistanis in India protesting against Indian agriculture laws. The Khalistani protestors in Washington DC brandished Kirpans and raised Anti-India slogans in front of the Indian embassy. They said they are representing the Republic of Khalistan. The Indian Embassy condemned the reckless act by hooligans masked as demonstrators.[6] The statue was unveiled by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on September 16, 2000, in the presence of former US president Bill Clinton. A-life sized bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi was vandalised by un-known people in Melbourne. The Victorian police said that a power drill tool is used to decapitate the statue. The statue was vandalised hours after it was unveiled by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison alongwith Consultant General of India Raj Kumar at the Australian Indian Community Centre in the Melbourne suburb of Rowville. The statue was donated by the government of India as a part of celebration of 75 years of India’s Independence. Scott Morrison said that the vandalism of the statue was very disgraceful and disappointing. During the Black Lives Matter protest, people spray painted ‘Racist’ on the Mahatma Gandhi statue plinth in Parliament Square, London. Demonstrators taped placards with anti-racism messages on the statue. Statue of former UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill was also spray-painted ‘Racist’. The statue was installed in 2015 and is one
Persecution of minority Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists & Jains in Pakistan led to CAA in India Pankaj Singh / New Delhi Indian and Pakistan governments entered into pact on security and rights of minorities on April 8, 1950. The famed Nehru-Liaquat agreement was signed in the backdrop of unprecedented and large-scale migration of persons belonging to minority communities between the two countries after East Pakistan and Noakhali riots. Nehru-Liaquat agreement encompasses inter alia, complete equality of citizenship, irrespective of religion, a full sense of security in respect of life, culture, property and personal honour, freedom of movement within each country, occupation, speech and worship subject to law and morality. India and Pakistan agreed that minorities will have equal opportunity vis-à-vis majority community to participate in public life and hold political office. Both the governments declared that these rights were fundamental. Both sides agreed to such rights for migrants from East Bengal, West Bengal, Assam and Tripura where communal violence occurred. They committed to freedom of movement and protection during transit, rights of ownership in or occupancy of the immovable property of migrants shall not be disturbed. If such property was disturbed during his absence, it shall be returned to him or her in case they return by December 31, 1950. In cases where restoration of such immovable property to migrants who return within stipulated time was not possible, the two governments were to take appropriate steps to rehabilitate them. Scope of these terms was general based on exigency and prevailing situation at that time in India and Pakistan. In a nutshell, the idea behind signing of the pact was to provide a framework and obligations for treatment of minorities in both the countries post-Independence. India kept its word and protected its minorities. But, successive governments in Pakistan failed to protect the minorities. These rights were guaranteed to all minorities as per specific provisions in the Indian Constitution. Similar provisions do exist in the Objectives Resolution adopted by the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan. There was always an element of doubt on Pakistan sticking to its commitment to equitably treat the minority Hindus in its territory. This lingering apprehension got intense after Pakistan declared itself as an Islamic State in 1973. Violence that followed after partition is still sore for the two countries till date. Discrimination hitherto limited to political leadership and military establishment seems to have seeped into the Pakistan society with Islamist extremists holding sway. Otherwise, how does one explain two Sikh businessmen being shot dead on May 15, 2022 by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province? While the state turned mute spectator, minority Hindus continued to get targeted elsewhere. Anti-Hindu protests staged outside temples in cities and towns of southern Pakistan where most Pakistani Hindus live bear testimony to state of minorities in the South Asian country. One Hindu man was killed and four temples were damaged by Muslim demonstrators. Muslims attacked temples across Pakistan. What stands out is the government of this overwhelmingly muslim majority nation that closed offices and schools for one day to protest the destruction of the Babri mosque in India. Marchers shouted slogans such as “Crush India” and “Death to Hinduism”. In Lahore, Punjab’s capital, muslims used a bulldozer, hammers and bare hands to demolish the Jain temple near Punjab University. As per National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) of Pakistan, Hindu population may be around eight million today. Hindu population of Pakistan is geographically concentrated in rural areas of Sindh province where more than 90 per cent of them live. Small groups of Hindus can be found in Balochistan and Punjab as well. Hindus of Pakistan residing in the interior of Sindh or Balochistan belong principally to the untouchable class, scheduled caste Hindus. Many of them are landless bonded labourers working on lands of big Sindhi landlords (known as Jagirdars). Those who live in towns and cities also have a menial standing and are generally employed as sweepers or Jamadars.” In March 2019, protestors in Sindh attacked and burned Hindu shops as well as their temples following two incidents: in the first, one muslim maulvi accused a Hindu veterinarian of wrapping medicine with paper that had verses from the holy Quran. In the second, a student leveled blasphemy charges against principal of the school that happens to be a Hindu. In July 2020, Pakistan government backtracked on its decision to allow construction of a Hindu temple in Islamabad, largely under duress from Islamic terrorists, religious groups and parties. The tackling of religious extremism continued to be on low priority for Pakistan though communal violence, religious and sectarian hatred have become a regular feature. In one of these incidents, the shrine of a Hindu saint was vandalised and torched in Karak. International Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) establishes obligations of state parties to respect, ensure racial equality and the right to be free from discrimination. Several other human rights treaties contain prohibitions on racial and other forms of discrimination, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Human Rights Council, the central human rights institution of the United Nations has affirmed that “racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance condoned by governmental policies violate human rights, as established in the relevant international and regional human rights instruments, and are incompatible with democracy, the rule of law and transparent and accountable governance.” The Human Rights Council has also urged “governments to summon the necessary political will to take decisive steps to combat racism in all its forms and manifestations.” As a state party, India has committed to upholding its human rights obligations under ICERD, ICCPR, and other international human rights law treaties “in good faith,” and may not invoke “provisions of its internal law as justification for its failure to perform a treaty.” In December 2019, Indian Parliament adopted the much debated Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). It was a courageous step that provides fast track to Indian citizenship for minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
