Today’s Cartoons!!!

Pakistan through to semis after beating India

CENTURION: Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Yousuf shared a record fourth-wicket stand to help Pakistan beat India by 54 runs on Saturday to reach the Champions Trophy semi-finals.

Pakistan compiled 302 for nine after winning the toss and batting before restricting their arch rivals to 248 all out.

The victory led Pakistan to the top of Group A with four points from two matches ahead of Australia on two. India and West Indies have no points.

Shoaib (128) and Yousuf (87) put on 206 in 193 balls, the biggest stand for any wicket in the Champions Trophy and a fourth-wicket record for Pakistan.

The previous record in the competition was 192 for the first wicket, shared by Indians Virender Sehwag and Saurav Ganguly against England in Colombo in 2002 and Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds for West Indies against Bangladesh in Southampton in 2004.

Pakistan’s previous best for the fourth wicket was an unbroken stand of 198 between Kamran Akmal and Misbah ul-Haq against Australia in Abu Dhabi earlier this year.

Shoaib cracked 128 in 126 deliveries, with 16 fours, to record his seventh ODI century. The 27-year-old really hit form in the latter stages of his innings, needing just 27 deliveries for his second 50.

Yousuf’s 87 featured seven fours in a classy display of wristy stroke making.

Left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra struck twice with the new ball for India and finished with four for 55.

However he had little support, with only Ishant Sharma pegging back the Pakistan batsmen with two for 39.

Rahul Dravid top-scored for India with 76 before being runout in the 42nd over, Umar Gul’s fine throw from the cover boundary beating him after Harbhajan Singh had called for a third run.

India were given a powerful start by Gautam Gambhir, who lashed 57 off 46 balls, while Suresh Raina added 46 in 41deliveries.

Pakistan, though, eventually cruised to victory after claiming the last five wickets for 43 runs.

Naved ul-Hasan, Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal all picked up two wickets.

Seventeen-year-old fast bowler Mohammad Aamer also grabbed two for 46 including Sachin Tendulkar for eight.

US fate similar to vanquished empires

USA comprise of fifty states. It has 9.16 million sq km land, 19924 km coast line 307 million population production worth $14 trillion. It is the biggest economic power and strongest military power in human history. Its new world order formulated in early 1990s envisages ruling the world for next 100 years by maintaining economic domination and preserving military hegemony. While its immediate neighbors Canada and Mexico pose no threat to USA, its eastern and western flanks are protected by Atlantic and Pacific oceans respectively. Its most powerful navy having 11 nuclear powered aircraft carriers, 9 expeditionary strike groups and 33 combat brigade teams together with air defense system protects its coast lines and controls all major sea lanes. America has a nuclear arsenal containing 2400 nuclear war heads and array of ballistic and cruise missiles. NASA dominates the space. This massive force is capable of reaching any troubled spot in the world and deal with the situation effectively. It spends over $500 billion on defense but all its military ventures have so far failed. USA is biggest charity giver in the world but is also largest debt ridden country. Its population is 6% of world population but it eats up 50% of world resources.

Despite USA being termed as the most secured country in the world, it is still vulnerable to nuclear attack and terrorists attack from within. Russia, China and North Korea being hostile to USA and having the long range nuclear tipped ballistic missiles are capable of hitting its main land. This fear impelled Bush Administration to install highly expensive missile defense shield to destroy any hostile designs in flight. Incident of 9/11 and that too in the most secured cities of USA jolted the Americans and added a new dimension to the threat perception. To prevent any future terrorist attacks on its homeland new laws to tighten internal security were formulated. Policy of preemption to nip the evil in the bud was implemented. To overcome their fear psychosis, Afghanistan was militarily occupied after causing massive destruction. The world rallied behind Afghan venture but when USA wanted to invade Iraq unjustly on fake charges, the whole world advised Washington not to do so. Despite massive protests, the neo-cons lured by selfish economic interests devastated Iraq. Riding on a high horse, Bush truculently defied international laws and dubbed certain defiant states as evil states.

The new millennium saw worst bloodshed of the Muslims. The horrific acts of USA resulted in massacre of more than 1.5 million Muslims in Afghanistan and Iraq; rapes and hair-raising tortures to thousands in infamous Baghram Base, Abu Gharib and Guantanamo ghoulish prisons for years; destruction of property, infrastructure, houses, farms, orchards and agriculture; millions of women getting widowed, children orphaned, millions made homeless; serious injuries to millions with many maimed for life. The so-called civilised world took active part in this massive genocide and mayhem of the people of two victim countries based on fabricated charges. George W. Bush and his team as well as Tony Blair blatantly lied to the world to justify invasion of Iraq.

The eight years Iran-Iraq war stoked by USA cost massive casualties and had been described as the region’s bloodiest since Mongol invasion of Iraq in 1258 AD. US invasion of Iraq in 2003 surpassed that figure of fatalities to 1.4 million. The US wants to retain its global ascendancy through use of brute force; diplomatic, political and economic coercion; and rewards in return for a price. USA had declared victory soon after occupying Afghanistan and Iraq but its claims proved elusive. Eight years have lapsed and it finds itself in dire straits. The US moral, political and diplomatic strength has eroded since 9/11. It failed to shape a more prosperous and more just world. Its arbitrary military adventures haven’t enhanced global security environments. By pulling out of Koyoto Treaty, US displayed total disregard to world environment and exposed its selfishness. It evoked frostiness in Europe against USA. Installation of Missile Defence Shield in Eastern Europe and interventionist policies in ex Soviet Republics has fanned tension with Russia and has paved the way for recommencement of cold war. The US failed to intimidate North Korea and Iran to rollback nuclear programs. It also failed to bring a regime change in Iran through covert means. Iraq and Afghanistan are in ruins and Al-Qaeda led terrorism has become an international phenomenon. US military has taken a backseat in Iraq but US troops are still suffering casualties and security situation is appalling. In Afghanistan, performance of US-Nato forces has been dismal on socio-politico-economic and military fronts despite spending huge amounts. It is costing USA $100 million per day. Taliban command influence over 70% of the Afghan territory.

Troop surge instead of limiting militancy has resulted in higher rate of casualties of foreign troops. July and August were worst months. In July, 45 and in August 51 American soldiers died. In first 8 months of 2009, there were 182 US fatalities compared with 155 in 2008. 21000 additional US soldiers are being shifted from Iraq which will raise the total to 68000 and all told strength of ISAF to 100,000, but Gen McChrystal is pleading for 20,000 more troops. He has issued a dire assessment of military situation in Afghanistan and his report been endorsed by Gen Petraeus and Adm Mike Mullen. British Army CGS Gen David Richards is also in favor of reinforcement of 30,000. Pentagon is left with no troops to spare while NATO countries are not prepared to send more troops for a failed venture. National security adviser Gen James Jones has opposed troop increase and told Gen Chrystal not to ask for more troops. 24% Americans back troop surge while 45% favor troop reduction. On 25 August, four analysts at Brookings Institute, Bruce Riedel, Michael O’Hanlon, Tony Cordesman and Kim Kagan portrayed a bleak and terrifying vision of state of affairs in Afghanistan in the wake of presidential elections. Turnout in elections was 30-40% and results mired in allegations of massive rigging. They opined that significant escalation of war is necessary to avoid utter defeat. They said that even if tens of thousands troops were added, it would not be possible to say with surety what will be the outcome. They blamed Bush administration for failing to formulate coherent strategy, for keeping troop level very low, for poor intelligence and for not building up Afghan Army. Riedel says that Obama inherited disaster from Bush Administration and to turn it around overnight will be an illusion. None of these learned analysts talked of political solution, about negotiations or diplomacy. They didn’t say that Obama instead of correcting the faulty course by de-escalating is reinforcing failure by escalating the escalation.

Opposition against futile Afghan war in USA is growing with every passing day. As against 46% in last April, opposition in America has shot up to 57% in the Mark Silva poll taken on August 28-31. Support to war has fallen from 53 to 42%. 62% say the US is not winning war in Afghanistan and that war isn’t worth fighting. However, Obama Administration still maintains that it is winnable. Support for war is fast waning among the Democrats especially on the left. Obama’s approval rating has dropped from 69 to 50% while his health care program has come under censure. After eight years of occupation, both Pentagon and US State Department have belatedly realized that military victory in Afghanistan in unachievable.

Unless USA lets go its recklessness and arrogance, gets rid of influence of Jews and neo-cons and quits Afghanistan, its fate as a sole super power will be similar to the vanquished empires that had remained under the misconception that they would remain supreme for all-time.Asif Haroon Raja

Is India secular?

There is always a big gap between theory and practice; same is the case with Indian Constitution and governance. Indian Constitution is secular in spirit and if implemented truly, India would be an ideal country to live in especially for minorities both religious as well as linguistic. However, in reality this ideal situation is lacking in India and all the successive governments of India hardly paid any attention to minority rights and issues.

This situation has led to the suppression of minorities in almost all walks of life in addition to majority violence against them. In India, everyone accord priority to their caste, communal and religious identity over the national one. National rhetoric seemed to have disappeared. Hindutva forces talk more of Hindu religion than of nationalism and this trend is weakening the fiber of secularism and creating irritants among Indian people of different religious and linguistic identities.

Being in majority the Hindus are pursuing convergence of India into a Hindu state by submerging minority identities as their moral and social obligation. For this they are employing different techniques such as converting minority identities into Hindu mainstream, killing minorities and damaging their properties and trying to throw all minorities out of India.

The communal violence in India traces back its history to the riots in Ahmadabad in 1969 in which more than 1000 people were killed and Bhivandi in 1970 in which 400 people lost their lives. Somehow, the Indian government managed to control communal violence up till 1977. In 1977 major riots broke in several places in Jamshedpur, Aligarh and Varanasi between Hindus and Muslims. The year 1984 marked the operation blue star and killing of thousands of Sikhs. Apart from Muslims this was a major blow to another minority community. In 1992 Muslims once again became the victim of majority violence. After the demolition of Babri mosque riots erupted not only in Ayodhya but also in Mumbai killing thousands of Muslims. The tragedy of Gujarat pogrom 2002 has no precedent in Indian history. In these riots Hindus killed and looted Muslims with complete impunity and support from police and government.

Recently, communal riots rocked the Maharashtra state of India. The riots started in Miraj, Sangli district on 2 September 2009 when the Hindu extremist organizations such as ShivSena put up a structure depicting Maratha warrior Shivaji slaying Mughal General Afzal Khan. This hurt the emotions of the Muslim population of the area and they protested against this. As a result, Hindus started riots against Muslims. A Hindu Mob forced entry into a Muslim house and assaulted people, terrorizing the entire area. Hindu mobs also indulged in stone pelting and arson in Tasgaon, Ashta and took out a protest rally in Kadgaon area. The Hindus also threw a dead pig in a mosque area in Gawli.

The whole situation was created by the Hindu extremist organizations to create division between the communities ahead of the forthcoming legislative polls in the state. Muslims were protesting for the past one month against the structure erected for the Ganesh festival. This is not the first time that such an activity is done by extremist Hindus before elections. This technique of them is quite old. They firstly demolished Babri mosque and when Muslims protested against this they started full fledged riots in Ayodhya. Similar is the case in Gujarat, Hindu extremist parties killed their own people in order to get an excuse to start a backlash against Muslims.

They used the same technique in Miraj, a Muslim majority town of Sangli district of Maharashtra. They hurt the sentiments of Muslims by erecting an objectionable structure and when Muslims protested they started riots. In order to pacify the Muslim population the government removed the controversial structure in Miraj. At this BJP and Shiv Sena activists protested and demanded the reinstatement of the structure for the Ganesh festival threatening that festival will not resume until its reinstatement. Police arrested 200 Shiv Sena and BJP activists on the pretext on fueling the already fragile situation.

The BJP’s politics is driven by the principle of “majority is authority.” Power is to be derived through majority and can be used to redefine and legitimize anything and everything. Hence, India witnessed more communal riots during BJP rule. BJP provided full support to other Hindu extremist organizations such as Shiv Sena, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Praishad authorizing all these organizations to unleash their own terror on minority communities.

The Christians who hardly face any violence against them witnessed severe riots during BJP rule. The Anti-Christian violence in India has increased in recent years and is often perpetrated by Hindu extremists. There have been multiple incidents of such violence since the BJP began its rule at the center in March 1998. From 1964 to 1996, 38 incidents of violence against Christians were reported.

In 1997, 24 such incidents were reported. Since 1998, Christians in India have faced a wave of violence. In 1998 alone, 90 incidents were reported. In June 2000, four churches around India were bombed. In Andhra Pradesh, church graves were desecrated. A church in Maharashtra was ransacked. In September 2008, two churches were partly damaged in Kerala. The Times of London called September 2008 violence as the worst anti-Christian violence in India since independence (in 1947). Under Articles 14, 15 and 16 of the Indian Constitution, discrimination on the grounds of religion is prohibited. Article 25 guarantees the right to freely practice and propagate religion while Articles 26, 28 and 30 ensure the freedom to manage religious affairs, to attend religious instruction or religious worship. Despite the presence of such detailed and comprehensive legislation the government has allowed organisations like the Bajrang Dal to conduct training camps, and issue harassing statements without the fear of retribution.

The need of the hour is to have an absolute and appropriate response from the government side. India preaches democracy and rule of law but does not practice it. The image of India abroad is of a tolerant country but the reality is otherwise as democracy notion include protection of minorities. The Hindu fundamentalists must be forced to end the persecution of the poor and hapless minorities in India. India’s political system based on democratic pluralism theoretically provides space for all ethnic groups and sub-nationalities.

But, in actuality, there have been severe deficiencies in the way it functions. Suffice it to say, political empowerment of the people is still far from complete, even after six decades of independence. Despite an overarching commitment to respecting citizens’ freedom to express their views, peacefully protest, and form their own organizations, the Indian government lacks the will and capacity to implement many laws and policies designed to ensure the protection of rights. There is a pattern of denial of justice and impunity, whether it is in cases of human rights violations by security forces, or the failure to protect women, children, and marginalized groups such Dalits, tribal groups, and religious minorities. The failure to properly investigate and prosecute those responsible leads to continuing abuses. The government has failed to protect vulnerable communities including Dalits, tribal groups, and religious minorities such as Sikhs, Muslims and Christians.Mamoona Ali Kazmi

Russian TV reports Blackwater death sqauds in Islamabad

There are persistent reports in the Pakistani, US and world media about the Blackwater/Xe death squads roaming the streets of Peshawar and Islamabad. There are reports by “The Nation” in the US media. The Bill Maher show had several guests and the author of the book on Blackwater/Xe who discussed Blackwater/Xe activities in various countries of the world. This excerpt from Russian TV also exposes the Blackwater/Xe death squads in Islamabad which are seeking targeting assassinations in the country. It is to be mentioned that this was the expertise of General McChrystal. In fact Admiral Mullen brought him to Afghanistan because of his special talents. Various defense analysts in Pakistan are also naming Xe/Blackwater as a death squad which is looking for Abdul Qadeer Khan.

FO still in denial about Blackwater

ISLAMABAD – While not denying the news, official spokesman of the Foreign Office Thursday declined to comment on reports about Ambassador to USA Hussain Haqqani’s letter written to Foreign Secretary as well as the Director General of ISI saying, “It is purely an official matter”.

During the weekly Foreign Office briefing, spokesman Abdul Basit was asked whether or not the Ambassador had deliberately leaked the official classified communication as was reported in a section of media. Thus by staying mum over the issue it could be implied that the spokesperson did not deny the leak as was reported.

It transpired from the briefing that US AfPak policy for Afghanistan and Pakistan would be amongst the most contentious issues to figure in the scheduled meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari and his US counterpart Barack Hussain Obama in New York on September 24.

President Zardari had already publicly denounced the US AfPak policy ahead of proceeding on his US visit. Thus it has given credence to the impression that the nearly six-month-old US AfPak policy has already has many question marks.

Answering a question, the spokesman said that Pakistan has already rejected the terminology of AfPak and conveyed its point of view to Washington.

“Since Pakistan and Afghanistan are two different countries with different cultures and situations, therefore Pakistan has rejected this terminology”, Basit said.

He said on the Western border there are various problems including terrorism and added that Pakistan has been taking steps to tackle these issues very seriously.

The spokesman said Pakistan would not allow any foreign troops including the US to launch any military operation inside Pakistan.

He said Pakistani forces are capable to fight the terrorists and militants and they had proved it in the recent operation against such elements in Swat and other areas.

He rejected the allegation on Pakistan for causing instability in Afghanistan and said in fact Pakistan itself is suffering from the spill over effect of terrorism from Afghanistan. The Nation.

Teeth Meastro hs submitted an invitation to Pakistanis. We reproduce that here. With all the wheeling and dealing by our country’s leaders compromising on all national issue only to ensure that their own stay in power is secured it does seem that our very own leaders elected / bureaucratic and military have unleashed yet another wrath unto the people of Pakistan by allowing the menacing extra-military force called Blackwater to establish a strong foothold in Pakistan.

Blackwater or recently known as Xe is a rogue military force comprised of ex-military personnel that has had a very bad reputation of being instrumental in a number of assassinations and armed bullying in Iraq and Afghanistan and it appears that they are now being welcomed into Pakistan.

This is OUR country, and there is no justification to import a team of non-Pakistani militia to come into Pakistan and establish themselves for any reason what so ever. The excuse that is being thrown around is that they are entrusted with the elite task of protecting the interests of the American Embassy in Islamabad, which I believe is hogwash.

As responsible and patriotic citizens of Pakistan I believe we as a team can out-fox our corrupt leaders in exposing this menace, this same organization played havoc with the lives of Iraqi nationals, let them not trample over us. We can wield power in numbers, literally found at every corner of the street in Pakistan, we as patriotic citizens of Pakistan can be an invisible force that chooses not be be trampled by an external force trying to run our lives.

What can you do?

1. Help document all their locations across Pakistan on a Map hence making it public knowledge, at Map.Pakvoices.net, this I believe is a noble thing to do since they’re definitely a security risk for us Pakistanis and the least patriotic thing that we can do is point out these rouge militia [NOTE: All submissions will need to be verified before going live]
2. Help take pictures / videos of any encounters you may have with this militia, spot them on the street, snap a picture and post them on either on Youtube / flickr [without unnecessarily exposing yourself] you can also submit them as an incident at Pakvoices or email to iReport@Pakvoices.net
3. You can also symbolically join the Facebook group EXPEL Blackwaters & US marines from Pakistan
4. More importantly do join the effort to spread the word making more and more Pakistanis become aware of this increasing menace in Pakistan, a few good suggestions have been suggested by Talkhaaba

Please NOTE: All submissions made to the PakVoices.net website will go through some degree of verficiation to ensure correctness before going public. Dr. Alivi of TeathMeastro

by: Moin Ansari