While celebrating the 70th Independence Day, Pakistani leaders affirmed solidarity towards pro-Pakistani secessionist elements in Kashmir. Abdul Basit, Pakistan&#39;s High Commissioner in New Delhi, who is known for his anti-India rhetoric went ahead and stated that this year&#39;s independence day has&nbsp;been dedicated to Kashmir. Pakistani leaders also made hostile remarks against India and alleged that the Indian security forces are violating human rights in Kashmir.&nbsp;

In the past when Pakistani leaders made false accusations about Indian atrocities in Jammu &amp; Kashmir, the Indian ministry of external affairs and Indian political leaders usually went defensive. However, this time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a tough stance and mentioned in his Independence Day speech from Red Fort about the freedom struggle of people of Balochistan, Gilgit, Baltistan and the residents of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK).&nbsp;

The Indian prime minister showed his concern about the cruelty perpetrated by the Pakistani army and security forces on the residents of POK and Balochistan. Narendra Modi, without mentioning names, also pointed out to the stark differences between India and Pakistan; India conveyed pain and grief when terrorists massacred school children in Peshawar, while they eulogized terrorists.&nbsp;

Modi&rsquo;s mention of Balochistan and the POK region, including Gilgit and Baltistan, is an intrepid shift in India&rsquo;s foreign policy. So far, India has never spoken a word against the mayhem perpetrated by Pakistan in the above-mentioned region. In the joint statement by Manmohan Singh and Yousaf Raza Gilani in 2009 at Sharm-el-Sheikh, both countries agreed to talk about Balochistan as Pakistan assured that its government possessed&nbsp;some credible information about terrorist activities in the province. In the long run, however, the statement did not actualise, and it has come to be seen as a diplomatic defeat for India. &nbsp; 
 
Whenever India produced conclusive evidence on the involvement of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in terrorist activities within India, particularly, in Jammu &amp; Kashmir, the Pakistani government always responded by falsely alleging that India is giving assistance to the Baloch insurgents.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Pakistan also tried to curb the rising Indian influence in Afghanistan by asserting that Indian consulates are supporting the Baloch rebellion. A few months back, the Pakistani security forces caught an innocent Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav and alleged that he was an agent of Research &amp; Analysis Wing (R&amp;AW). Jadhav was accused of fomenting trouble in Balochistan. However, Pakistani security agencies neither gave consular access nor could provide any proof against Jadhav.&nbsp;

The mineral rich Balochistan is the largest and poorest province, which was forcibly merged with Pakistan. Khan of Kalat wanted to stay independent but Pakistani army attacked Balochistan in 1948, and after some time it was incorporated into Pakistan against the wishes of the people of Balochistan. Hence, the insurgency in Balochistan is continuing since 1948.&nbsp;

In 1973 six divisions of Pakistani army were deployed to crush a rebellion of more than 10000 Balochis of different revolutionary organizations. In the process, more than 5000 Balochis and 3000 Pakistani soldiers were killed.&nbsp;

Pakistani army used heavy weapons and bombs to curb the uprising. Balochis were revolting against the economic exploitation by the Punjabi-dominated Pakistan government. Balochis were also resisting the sinister move of the Pakistani government to settle Punjabis in the Balochistan province with the intention of changing the demography of the state.&nbsp;

Pakistan&#39;s government is using Balochistan as a colony and exploiting its mineral wealth. In 2006, the Pakistani army had to launch a massive operation to curb Baloch insurgency, in which the chief of powerful Bugti tribe Nawab Akbar Bugti was killed. It is ridiculous that now Pakistani leaders condemn Indian security forces for the use of pellet guns in Kashmir while Pakistani army used fighter jets and heavy artillery in Balochistan.

There are several Baloch separatist organizations, including the Balochistan Liberation Army, the Balochistan Liberation Front, the Baloch Republican Army, and the United Baloch Army. All these organisations have been working for an independent Balochistan. Other than these outfits, the public of Balochistan is totally against Punjabi domination and wants to secede. India, therefore, needs to give them moral and diplomatic support. India should provide them recognition in the international arena and give them a forum so that they can expose the atrocities, exploitation and human right violations of Pakistani security forces in Balochistan.&nbsp;

It will be a hard-hitting lesson for Pakistan. So far it was internationalizing Kashmir issue and India was only rebutting its allegations. Now India will also be speaking out against Pakistani mayhem in Balochistan and the POK region.&nbsp;

Kashmiri resistance cannot survive without external assistance. Balochis are, however, so fed up with the exploitation of the Pakistani government that they do not require any material assistance from India.

India should also keep Iran&#39;s reaction within consideration as the latter is against an independent Balochistan. &nbsp;

The people of Balochistan are against USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as it will neither benefit Balochistan nor its people. China is also reluctant to finance such a huge amount if the Pakistani government fail to control the insurgents in Balochistan. &nbsp;Modi&rsquo;s reference to Balochistan and POK is also a message to China as CPEC has to pass through both the regions.&nbsp;

India must understand that there cannot be friendly relations with Pakistan. Firstly, it was created on the theory of hate. Secondly, the Pakistani army enjoys several advantages trumpeting the danger of Pakistan from India. Hence, it will never allow the civilian government to initiate cordial relations with its eastern neighbor. &nbsp;General Raheel Sharif, Pakistan&#39;s army chief, who lost his elder brother Major Shabbir Sharif in 1971 war with India is personally against any amiable relation with India. &nbsp;

Pakistan has waged a low-intensity war against India; dispersal of terrorism has become the main organ of its foreign policy. The despicable ISI is running several terrorist camps in various parts of the country, particularly, in POK, Waziristan, and several other areas.&nbsp;

Indian security forces killed and nabbed several Pakistanis when they were carrying out terrorist activities in India. But Pakistan instead of impeding the nefarious activities of rogue ISI always pretended that these terrorists are non-state actors; they are involved in terrorist activities because of Islamic fervor, and the government has no control over them.&nbsp;

Pakistani masses are delighted when an ISI-trained terrorist carry out terrorist activities in India. They consider it as the victory of Pakistan.

India must chalk out a long-term plan so that Pakistan gets a lesson similar to the war of 1971. In this connection, the powerful speech of Ajit Doval, India&#39;s national security advisor, at SASTRA University in 2014 is important. He warned Pakistan, &quot;You can do one Mumbai, you may lose Balochistan&quot;.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

"You can do one Mumbai, you may lose Balochistan" is the new motto of India's intrepid foreign policy towards Pakistan

While celebrating the 70th Independence Day, Pakistani leaders affirmed solidarity towards pro-Pakistani secessionist elements in Kashmir. Abdul Basit, Pakistan's High Commissioner in New Delhi, who is known for his anti-India rhetoric went ahead and stated that this year's independence day has been dedicated to Kashmir. Pakistani leaders also made hostile remarks against India and alleged that the Indian security forces are violating human rights in Kashmir. In the past when Pakistani leaders made false accusations about Indian atrocities in Jammu & Kashmir, the Indian ministry of external affairs and Indian political leaders usually went defensive. However, this time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a tough stance and mentioned in his Independence Day speech from Red Fort about the freedom struggle of people of Balochistan, Gilgit, Baltistan and the residents of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK). The Indian prime minister showed his concern about the cruelty perpetrated by the Pakistani army and security forces on the residents of POK and Balochistan. Narendra Modi, without mentioning names, also pointed out to the stark differences between India and Pakistan; India conveyed pain and grief when terrorists massacred school children in Peshawar, while they eulogized terrorists. Modi’s mention of Balochistan and the POK region, including Gilgit and Baltistan, is an intrepid shift in India’s foreign policy. So far, India has never spoken a word against the mayhem perpetrated by Pakistan in the above-mentioned region. In the joint statement by Manmohan Singh and Yousaf Raza Gilani in 2009 at Sharm-el-Sheikh, both countries agreed to talk about Balochistan as Pakistan assured that its government possessed some credible information about terrorist activities in the province. In the long run, however, the statement did not actualise, and it has come to be seen as a diplomatic defeat for India. Whenever India produced conclusive evidence on the involvement of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in terrorist activities within India, particularly, in Jammu & Kashmir, the Pakistani government always responded by falsely alleging that India is giving assistance to the Baloch insurgents. Pakistan also tried to curb the rising Indian influence in Afghanistan by asserting that Indian consulates are supporting the Baloch rebellion. A few months back, the Pakistani security forces caught an innocent Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav and alleged that he was an agent of Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW). Jadhav was accused of fomenting trouble in Balochistan. However, Pakistani security agencies neither gave consular access nor could provide any proof against Jadhav. The mineral rich Balochistan is the largest and poorest province, which was forcibly merged with Pakistan. Khan of Kalat wanted to stay independent but Pakistani army attacked Balochistan in 1948, and after some time it was incorporated into Pakistan against the wishes of the people of Balochistan. Hence, the insurgency in Balochistan is continuing since 1948. In 1973 six divisions of Pakistani army were deployed to crush a rebellion of more than 10000 Balochis of different revolutionary organizations. In the process, more than 5000 Balochis and 3000 Pakistani soldiers were killed. Pakistani army used heavy weapons and bombs to curb the uprising. Balochis were revolting against the economic exploitation by the Punjabi-dominated Pakistan government. Balochis were also resisting the sinister move of the Pakistani government to settle Punjabis in the Balochistan province with the intention of changing the demography of the state. Pakistan's government is using Balochistan as a colony and exploiting its mineral wealth. In 2006, the Pakistani army had to launch a massive operation to curb Baloch insurgency, in which the chief of powerful Bugti tribe Nawab Akbar Bugti was killed. It is ridiculous that now Pakistani leaders condemn Indian security forces for the use of pellet guns in Kashmir while Pakistani army used fighter jets and heavy artillery in Balochistan. There are several Baloch separatist organizations, including the Balochistan Liberation Army, the Balochistan Liberation Front, the Baloch Republican Army, and the United Baloch Army. All these organisations have been working for an independent Balochistan. Other than these outfits, the public of Balochistan is totally against Punjabi domination and wants to secede. India, therefore, needs to give them moral and diplomatic support. India should provide them recognition in the international arena and give them a forum so that they can expose the atrocities, exploitation and human right violations of Pakistani security forces in Balochistan. It will be a hard-hitting lesson for Pakistan. So far it was internationalizing Kashmir issue and India was only rebutting its allegations. Now India will also be speaking out against Pakistani mayhem in Balochistan and the POK region. Kashmiri resistance cannot survive without external assistance. Balochis are, however, so fed up with the exploitation of the Pakistani government that they do not require any material assistance from India. India should also keep Iran's reaction within consideration as the latter is against an independent Balochistan. The people of Balochistan are against USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as it will neither benefit Balochistan nor its people. China is also reluctant to finance such a huge amount if the Pakistani government fail to control the insurgents in Balochistan. Modi’s reference to Balochistan and POK is also a message to China as CPEC has to pass through both the regions. India must understand that there cannot be friendly relations with Pakistan. Firstly, it was created on the theory of hate. Secondly, the Pakistani army enjoys several advantages trumpeting the danger of Pakistan from India. Hence, it will never allow the civilian government to initiate cordial relations with its eastern neighbor. General Raheel Sharif, Pakistan's army chief, who lost his elder brother Major Shabbir Sharif in 1971 war with India is personally against any amiable relation with India. Pakistan has waged a low-intensity war against India; dispersal of terrorism has become the main organ of its foreign policy. The despicable ISI is running several terrorist camps in various parts of the country, particularly, in POK, Waziristan, and several other areas. Indian security forces killed and nabbed several Pakistanis when they were carrying out terrorist activities in India. But Pakistan instead of impeding the nefarious activities of rogue ISI always pretended that these terrorists are non-state actors; they are involved in terrorist activities because of Islamic fervor, and the government has no control over them. Pakistani masses are delighted when an ISI-trained terrorist carry out terrorist activities in India. They consider it as the victory of Pakistan. India must chalk out a long-term plan so that Pakistan gets a lesson similar to the war of 1971. In this connection, the powerful speech of Ajit Doval, India's national security advisor, at SASTRA University in 2014 is important. He warned Pakistan, "You can do one Mumbai, you may lose Balochistan".

India should answer Pakistan?s intervention in Kashmir with involvement in Balochistan

The quick deterioration in Indo-Pak relations amid unprecedented turbulence in Kashmir in India has pushed the security establishment on the edge to counter the coming onslaught from a mix of battle hardy foreign terrorists and local militants both along the LoC and within the Valley. 
 
About 60-70 battle-hardened terrorists from the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) are ready to infiltrate into India from eight launch pads in Pak-cantrolled Kashmir (PoK). A sizeable number of them are foreign militants. 
 
Intelligence agencies in India say Pakistan&#39;s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had held a meeting with the United Jihad Council (UJC) and top LeT, JeM and HuM commanders in Muzzafarabad on August 14 and they have been assigned specific areas to be attacked. 
 
The intelligence inputs suggest that the ISI is pushing in more terrorists through sustained infiltration and funneling money through various channels. The fresh lot of terrorists carry far more sophisticated arms and technological equipment than seen earlier. 
 
Security forces are expecting intensified attacks both along the LoC and on Indian Army bunker camps that check infiltration bids inside the Valley. 
 
On Tuesday, Indian home minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir with national security adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval, Indian home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and chiefs of intelligence agencies and other top civil and security officials. But news from Kashmir was bad: four civilian casualties were reported from the rather peaceful central region. 
 
Singh cautioned security forces to keep casualties, both civilian and security personnel, to the bare minimum. 
 
Unverified inputs suggest that the ISI has already succeeded in infiltrating hardened Afghani terrorists, who specialise in lethal attacks on the army, into Kashmir, and is trying to push even more to increase the heat in the valley. 
 
Agencies are increasingly becoming wary of a situation, where a deadly cocktail of battle-hardened foreign terrorists and local Hizbul militants can play havoc in the valley. 
 
What is troubling the agencies even more is that intelligence-based counter-insurgency operations within the valley have almost come to a standstill since the last one month. The cloak-and-dagger network of informants has turned cold to a great extent due to the massive uprising, in which demarcation between &quot;with us or against us&quot; has become far too clear. 
 
Worse still, the massive turbulence has upset the counterinsurgency (CI) grid so much, that security forces have, for the first time in 26 years, suspended all operations in the Kashmir plains. 
 
The CRPF operation in Nowhatta, in downtown Srinagar on August 15, in which commandant Pramod Kumar was martyred, stands out as the lone CI operation in the past one and a half months. 
 
While the Indian Army intercepted the infiltrating militants and neutralised some of them in Nowgam and Machhil sectors on the LoC, suffering collateral damage, not a single raid or counterinsurgency operation was conducted in the plains in the last one month. 
 
Facing paucity of resources in the face of massive unrest, all field units have been directed to maintain only vigil over the activities and movement of militants and avoid raids or counterinsurgency operations in populated areas &quot;during the period of turbulence&quot;. 
 
&quot;No reason has been specified, though it is clear enough that operations have been suspended for fear of mob attacks and civilian casualties,&quot; said a senior official. 
 
The official pointed out that, on over a dozen occasions in 2015-16, people of neighbouring villages gathered around the site of Indian Army and Special Operation Group (SOG) operations and disrupted or attempted to disrupt them, particularly in south Kashmir. 
 
On one occasion, people of Padgampora and neighbouring villages in Pulwama district, helped a group of six heavily armed militants to escape from a cordoned area. Reports that a huge assembly of people was planning to storm the EDI complex forced the Indian Army to end the operation quickly on February 22 this year, despite the death of two of its captains. 
 
On certain occasions, sources said, militants covering themselves in civilian demonstrations opened fire on police or security forces who observed restraint, fearing civilian casualties. 
 
&quot;Even on August 9, we spotted three armed militants in a protest demonstration at Lalpora in Lolab area of Kupwara district. We did not strike them as there was every apprehension of civilian casualties,&quot; said an officer of security forces. 
 
(This story first appeared on DNA)&nbsp;

Intelligence inputs suggest that the ISI is pushing in more terrorists through sustained infiltration

The quick deterioration in Indo-Pak relations amid unprecedented turbulence in Kashmir in India has pushed the security establishment on the edge to counter the coming onslaught from a mix of battle hardy foreign terrorists and local militants both along the LoC and within the Valley. About 60-70 battle-hardened terrorists from the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) are ready to infiltrate into India from eight launch pads in Pak-cantrolled Kashmir (PoK). A sizeable number of them are foreign militants. Intelligence agencies in India say Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had held a meeting with the United Jihad Council (UJC) and top LeT, JeM and HuM commanders in Muzzafarabad on August 14 and they have been assigned specific areas to be attacked. The intelligence inputs suggest that the ISI is pushing in more terrorists through sustained infiltration and funneling money through various channels. The fresh lot of terrorists carry far more sophisticated arms and technological equipment than seen earlier. Security forces are expecting intensified attacks both along the LoC and on Indian Army bunker camps that check infiltration bids inside the Valley. On Tuesday, Indian home minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir with national security adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval, Indian home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and chiefs of intelligence agencies and other top civil and security officials. But news from Kashmir was bad: four civilian casualties were reported from the rather peaceful central region. Singh cautioned security forces to keep casualties, both civilian and security personnel, to the bare minimum. Unverified inputs suggest that the ISI has already succeeded in infiltrating hardened Afghani terrorists, who specialise in lethal attacks on the army, into Kashmir, and is trying to push even more to increase the heat in the valley. Agencies are increasingly becoming wary of a situation, where a deadly cocktail of battle-hardened foreign terrorists and local Hizbul militants can play havoc in the valley. What is troubling the agencies even more is that intelligence-based counter-insurgency operations within the valley have almost come to a standstill since the last one month. The cloak-and-dagger network of informants has turned cold to a great extent due to the massive uprising, in which demarcation between "with us or against us" has become far too clear. Worse still, the massive turbulence has upset the counterinsurgency (CI) grid so much, that security forces have, for the first time in 26 years, suspended all operations in the Kashmir plains. The CRPF operation in Nowhatta, in downtown Srinagar on August 15, in which commandant Pramod Kumar was martyred, stands out as the lone CI operation in the past one and a half months. While the Indian Army intercepted the infiltrating militants and neutralised some of them in Nowgam and Machhil sectors on the LoC, suffering collateral damage, not a single raid or counterinsurgency operation was conducted in the plains in the last one month. Facing paucity of resources in the face of massive unrest, all field units have been directed to maintain only vigil over the activities and movement of militants and avoid raids or counterinsurgency operations in populated areas "during the period of turbulence". "No reason has been specified, though it is clear enough that operations have been suspended for fear of mob attacks and civilian casualties," said a senior official. The official pointed out that, on over a dozen occasions in 2015-16, people of neighbouring villages gathered around the site of Indian Army and Special Operation Group (SOG) operations and disrupted or attempted to disrupt them, particularly in south Kashmir. On one occasion, people of Padgampora and neighbouring villages in Pulwama district, helped a group of six heavily armed militants to escape from a cordoned area. Reports that a huge assembly of people was planning to storm the EDI complex forced the Indian Army to end the operation quickly on February 22 this year, despite the death of two of its captains. On certain occasions, sources said, militants covering themselves in civilian demonstrations opened fire on police or security forces who observed restraint, fearing civilian casualties. "Even on August 9, we spotted three armed militants in a protest demonstration at Lalpora in Lolab area of Kupwara district. We did not strike them as there was every apprehension of civilian casualties," said an officer of security forces. (This story first appeared on DNA)

Pak's intelligence agency, terrorists meet to keep Jammu & Kashmir on boil: Indian intelligence

Pakistan&#39;s &quot;obsession&quot; to match India in military strength and efforts to equalise the field with &quot;crazies&quot; like Hafiz Saeed, would only create hatred which will bite it back, former Pakistan ambassador to US Husain Haqqani has said. 
 
&quot;My argument as a Pakistani is why do we even want to be equal (with India in terms of military prowess). Why do not we want to be happier and prosperous and successful,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;What is this obsession about being equal and trying to equalise the field with crazies like Hafiz Saeed because he will only create hatred, which will only bite us back,&quot; Haqqani said in Bengaluru last night during an interaction on his book &#39;India vs Pakistan - Why Can&#39;t We Just Be Friends&#39;. 
 
&quot;Pakistan always had this presumption that India has a tremendous conventional military advantage and Indian army will be much more bigger than Pakistan&#39;s. So Pakistan needs irregular methods to be able to be equal,&quot; he alleged. 
 
Haqqani recalled a private conversation of former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf with Pakistani newspaper editors, wherein he said Lashkar-e-Taiba was his reserve core for fighting India and thus establishes the strong nexus between ISI, terrorists and Pakistani establishment. 
 
&quot;He (Musharraf), in a private meeting with Pakistani newspaper editors, had said &#39;Well all of you keep telling me or some of you keep telling me that I should shut down Lashkar e -Taiba, but it is actually my reserve core in fighting India,&#39; a fact that establishes a strong nexus between ISI, terrorists and Pakistani establishment,&quot; Haqqani said. 
 
The former Pakistani envoy said it was disturbing to know that a head of a country had thought so as these terrorists &quot;would not do good to Pakistan&quot; as the world had seen them attacking Shias, Ahmediyas and Christians in Pakistan, apart from India. 
 
Haqqani said unfortunately Pakistani strategic thinkers in uniform do not realise this &quot;disturbing line of thinking of patronising terrorists and outfits like Jaish-E-Mohammad and Lashkar-E-Taiba.&quot; 
 
Throwing light on the &#39;Jihadi movement&#39; in Pakistan, the former diplomat said Zia-Ul-Haq was not the first man to spread &#39;jihadi awareness&#39; as is presumed, but it was much before him. 
 
&quot;There is a presumption that Zia-Ul-Haq was the first man to start jihadi awareness, but I argue that no it was even further back and there was always a desire for irregular warfare,&quot; he said. 
 
Asked how to shut down the large armed militias, Haqqani said it was not easy because they are well trained in warfare. 
 
But the establishment can put them out of business if they are denied the resources for their mobility and movement, he said. 
 
&quot;If we make this decision now it will take some 15 years to put their business out,&quot; Haqqani added.&nbsp; 
 
(PTI) 
&nbsp;

Haqqani recalled Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf's words that Lashkar-e-Taiba was his reserve core for fighting India

Pakistan's "obsession" to match India in military strength and efforts to equalise the field with "crazies" like Hafiz Saeed, would only create hatred which will bite it back, former Pakistan ambassador to US Husain Haqqani has said. "My argument as a Pakistani is why do we even want to be equal (with India in terms of military prowess). Why do not we want to be happier and prosperous and successful," he said. "What is this obsession about being equal and trying to equalise the field with crazies like Hafiz Saeed because he will only create hatred, which will only bite us back," Haqqani said in Bengaluru last night during an interaction on his book 'India vs Pakistan - Why Can't We Just Be Friends'. "Pakistan always had this presumption that India has a tremendous conventional military advantage and Indian army will be much more bigger than Pakistan's. So Pakistan needs irregular methods to be able to be equal," he alleged. Haqqani recalled a private conversation of former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf with Pakistani newspaper editors, wherein he said Lashkar-e-Taiba was his reserve core for fighting India and thus establishes the strong nexus between ISI, terrorists and Pakistani establishment. "He (Musharraf), in a private meeting with Pakistani newspaper editors, had said 'Well all of you keep telling me or some of you keep telling me that I should shut down Lashkar e -Taiba, but it is actually my reserve core in fighting India,' a fact that establishes a strong nexus between ISI, terrorists and Pakistani establishment," Haqqani said. The former Pakistani envoy said it was disturbing to know that a head of a country had thought so as these terrorists "would not do good to Pakistan" as the world had seen them attacking Shias, Ahmediyas and Christians in Pakistan, apart from India. Haqqani said unfortunately Pakistani strategic thinkers in uniform do not realise this "disturbing line of thinking of patronising terrorists and outfits like Jaish-E-Mohammad and Lashkar-E-Taiba." Throwing light on the 'Jihadi movement' in Pakistan, the former diplomat said Zia-Ul-Haq was not the first man to spread 'jihadi awareness' as is presumed, but it was much before him. "There is a presumption that Zia-Ul-Haq was the first man to start jihadi awareness, but I argue that no it was even further back and there was always a desire for irregular warfare," he said. Asked how to shut down the large armed militias, Haqqani said it was not easy because they are well trained in warfare. But the establishment can put them out of business if they are denied the resources for their mobility and movement, he said. "If we make this decision now it will take some 15 years to put their business out," Haqqani added. (PTI)

Former Pakistan diplomat points to nexus between ISI and terrorists, says hobnobbing with 'crazies' like Hafiz Saeed will backfire

Protesters in Dhaka formed a 10-kilometre human chain in a demonstration on Sunday protesting against secret killings and attacks on members of minority religions around Bangladesh. 
 
The protesters, including members of the 14-party alliance led by the ruling Awami League Party, held banners and chanted slogans following the attacks which were claimed by Islamic State or al Qaeda groups, despite the government denying that either has a presence in Bangladesh, a majority Muslim country of 160 million. 
 
Christian shopkeeper Sunil Gomez from Natore, Hindu priest Ananda Gopal Ganguly from Jhenaidah district, and Nitya Ranjan Pandey, a Hindu monastery worker from Pabna, were killed in attacks claimed by Islamic State in just one week earlier in June. 
 
Mahmuda Khanam Mitu, the wife of a prominent anti-terror police officer, was also stabbed and shot to death in an apparently targeted killing in the coastal Bangladeshi city of Chittagong. Her husband, police superintendent Babul Akter, had led high-profile operations against the banned Islamist group Jama&#39;atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). 
 
&quot;Recently there are secret killings by the militants all over the country. They are killing the religious minority, they are attacking priests of the different religions. At this moment we, all the supporters of the 14 party alliances and pro-liberation front, those who fight for liberation of Bangladesh today, form a human chain protesting against the secret killing and militants all over the country,&quot; said Member of Parliament Shirin Akhtar at the protest. 
 
The demonstration came a day after a suspected Islamist militant was killed on Saturday in a shootout in Bangladesh after he critically wounded a Hindu college teacher in the latest attack on minority groups. 
 
Ghulam Faijullaha Fahim, 19, who was in police custody, was shot when officers took him with them to help capture his associates, police said. Mathematics teacher Ripon Chakraborty was attacked by Fahim and two other knife-wielding assailants when he answered the doorbell at his home in Madaripur on June 15. 
 
At least 11 suspected militants have been killed in shootouts since November, including five earlier this month, as the authorities step up a hunt for Islamists to stop a wave of deadly attacks. 
 
Militants have killed more than 30 people since early last year, ranging from atheist bloggers and liberal academics to gay rights campaigners, foreign aid workers, members of minority Muslim sects and other religious groups. 
 
Hindus and Christians make up about 10 per cent of Bangladesh&#39;s 160 million population. 
(Reuters)

Militants have killed over 30 people since early last year, ranging from atheist bloggers to liberal academics and gay rights campaigners

Protesters in Dhaka formed a 10-kilometre human chain in a demonstration on Sunday protesting against secret killings and attacks on members of minority religions around Bangladesh. The protesters, including members of the 14-party alliance led by the ruling Awami League Party, held banners and chanted slogans following the attacks which were claimed by Islamic State or al Qaeda groups, despite the government denying that either has a presence in Bangladesh, a majority Muslim country of 160 million. Christian shopkeeper Sunil Gomez from Natore, Hindu priest Ananda Gopal Ganguly from Jhenaidah district, and Nitya Ranjan Pandey, a Hindu monastery worker from Pabna, were killed in attacks claimed by Islamic State in just one week earlier in June. Mahmuda Khanam Mitu, the wife of a prominent anti-terror police officer, was also stabbed and shot to death in an apparently targeted killing in the coastal Bangladeshi city of Chittagong. Her husband, police superintendent Babul Akter, had led high-profile operations against the banned Islamist group Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). "Recently there are secret killings by the militants all over the country. They are killing the religious minority, they are attacking priests of the different religions. At this moment we, all the supporters of the 14 party alliances and pro-liberation front, those who fight for liberation of Bangladesh today, form a human chain protesting against the secret killing and militants all over the country," said Member of Parliament Shirin Akhtar at the protest. The demonstration came a day after a suspected Islamist militant was killed on Saturday in a shootout in Bangladesh after he critically wounded a Hindu college teacher in the latest attack on minority groups. Ghulam Faijullaha Fahim, 19, who was in police custody, was shot when officers took him with them to help capture his associates, police said. Mathematics teacher Ripon Chakraborty was attacked by Fahim and two other knife-wielding assailants when he answered the doorbell at his home in Madaripur on June 15. At least 11 suspected militants have been killed in shootouts since November, including five earlier this month, as the authorities step up a hunt for Islamists to stop a wave of deadly attacks. Militants have killed more than 30 people since early last year, ranging from atheist bloggers and liberal academics to gay rights campaigners, foreign aid workers, members of minority Muslim sects and other religious groups. Hindus and Christians make up about 10 per cent of Bangladesh's 160 million population. (Reuters)

Bangladesh: 10-kilometre human chain protesting against attacks on minorities

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