Posts

Showing posts from May, 2021

From history books–Karachi bound Flight from Gawadar hijacked–not today, 23 years before

Image
Karachi bound Flight from Gawadar hijacked–not today, 23 years before  PIA hijacking: When Pakistan's Hyderabad became India's bhoj to deceive hijackers Shahid Aslam Journalist, Lahore May 24, 2021 23 years ago, on May 24, 1998, a young police officer completed his training and was posted as the first posting Sub-Divisional Police Officer (ASP) at Pahli, Hyderabad. He was in his office on Sunday when a wireless message rang in the evening that all SDPOs and SHOs should arrive at Hyderabad airport immediately. This is the period when India had carried out several nuclear explosions between May 11 and 13, 1998 and the relations between Pakistan and India had become very tense. It was also rumored that India could attack Pakistan to prevent a retaliatory nuclear blast. So the first thought this young officer had was that maybe there was a situation where all of a sudden all the officers were called to the airport. ASP Pahli Dr. Usman Anwar (who is now the DIG and is currently the

Governor Balochistan: Here is the unorthodox eligibility criteria

Image
Governor Balochistan: Here is the unorthodox eligibility criteria An ordinary local politician with mere constituency skills and a local bureaucrat or a judge can not rise up to the challenge. Let us raise the bar EDITORIAL While the current office of the Governor Balochistan is paralyzed–the present Governor Justice ® Amnanullah Yasinzai has not resigned on technical ground despite losing the trust of Prime Minister Imran Khan— cut throat lobbying is still afoot to secure the coveted slot of the province. So far several names are rumored to be hot favorites but the decision has not yet been made and the PTI also seems to have failed to reach a consensus candidate.  Transitionally, the Governor has to be  from ethnic Pashtun community of Balochistan whearse the Chief Minister always  belongs to the Baloch community. Unfortunately, Balochistan governor's  post more or less is  ceremonial in nature as stipulated in the constitution and is like in any other province and no government

The COAS's Doctrine: "3D Balochistan Strategy" evolving?

Image
  Gen Sarfaraz Ali, Commander Southern Command  What is the  COAS's "3D Balochistan Strategy" for and how its is evolving?  The Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa's "Balochistan 3Ds Doctrine '' is like this: Detternace, Development and Dialogue which has informed the strategy on Balochistan till recently. Jan Achakzai  The Commander Southern Command, Let Gen Sarfaraz Ali, has for the first time started to amend the kinetic to non- kinetic approach towards law and order in Balochistan. He being an experienced hand on Balochistan–served as IG FC South and MI Chief,  besides at Command Staff College Quetta and now as Commander, Southern Command–knows when to change the gear.  He has started to work on the non-kinetic aspect of counter insurgency, ie, development and provision of jobs in violence infested districts in Balochistan in order to stem the tide of recruitment for extremists.  Gen Sarfarz Ali is also seeking to reconnect with people to win hearts and mind

To comply with FATF, crackdown at Pak-Iran border against smuggling

Image
To comply with FATF, crackdown crackdown at Pak-Iran border against smuggling  The FC local leadership believe that not only smuggling of oil but also weapons being sent across Balochistan has undermined the security of the province Jan Achakzai  Many stories in the media have been circulating about smuggling at the Pakistan-Iran border region. Smuggling is a a thriving  market sustained for years but now the government with the help of federal law enforcing agencies and FC has cracked down on this illicit trade.  This scribe reveals that in order to come off FATF  greylist by meeting its remaining three conditions including money laundering and terrorism financing and currency smuggling, the crackdown is Pakistan's commitment to comply with the FATF requirement. The the money thus obtained via smuggling may end up  fuelling terrorism.  The government has  clamped down hard on fuel smuggling on Iranian border and now   Baloch sub -nationalists parties like BNP have asked the federa

What Baloch sub Nationalists want?

Image
What Baloch sub Nationalists want?   The narrative of ethnic Baloch nationalism  Jan Achakzai   The intellectual and ideologue of Baloch ethnic nationalism was the late Habib Jalib. He was not only a nationalist politician dedicated to the Baloch cause, but also was the brain behind the ideology of Baloch nationalism. He was a leftist intellectual.  Baloch nationalist leadership could be classified into two categories: one that believed in centre-left nationalism and the second type was not only adherent of centre-left nationalism but also the follower of Marxism and Leninism as ideology underpinning their struggle against Islamabad. Habib Jalib was contemporary to other Baloch Marxist-cum-nationalist leaders like young student leader Dr Khoer Baloch, Late Raziq Bugti and Late Sher Mohammad Marri who were also staunch believers of the all encompassing leftist ideology of Marxism and Leninism. Like them, Habib Jalib had a direct exposure to the Soviet system and ideology as he spe

Balochistan: Iran's "sphere" of influence?

Image
  Balochistan: Iran's "sphere" of influence?  Policy makers in Islamabad oblivious to adverse impacts of  the Iranian dynamic on Balochistan/Pakistan.  Jan Achakzai  That Iran enjoys at multiple level influence and this influence is definitely a nuisance for Pakistan can be cataloged in the following ways:   1.Impact on economy:  Smuggling is a big challenge from Iran harming national economy from oil to soap industry;  one estimate is up to 300/400 million dollar is its worth; though significant local population also depends on it as Govt fails to provide livelihood and complete curb  will make more youth available for militancy–a balancing act is needed to check smuggling.  2. Impact on CPEC: Tehran's strategic planners have always looked upon Gawadar as a rival port undercutting Chabahar and an alternative hub giving access to warm water and ME for China and Russia. Iran thinks it is a natural conduit for such nations to link up with ME and beyond. Not allowing it

بلو چستان میں امن چین کی نظر سے

Image
بلوچستان میں امن چین کی نظر سے  جان اچکزئی  ب لوچستان میں متعدد چین پاکستان اقتصادی راہداری (سی پی ای سی) تعمیراتی منصوبوں پر کام ہو رہا ہے اور  ، گوادر بندرگاہ ایک مشہور شہر ہے۔  اس خطے میں چینی کاروباریوں اور اہلکاروں کو نشانہ بنانے کے لئے پچھلے حملے ہوئے ہیں۔  مغربی میڈیا ایک بیانیہ پیدا کرنے کا خواہاں ہے کہ مقامی لوگ چین کی تجویز کردہ بیلٹ اینڈ روڈ انیشی ایٹو (بی آر آئی) کے مخالف ہیں۔  لیکن حقیقت یہ نہیں ہے۔  پاکستان میں ایسی کوئی سیاسی قوتیں موجود نہیں ہیں جو خود کو چین مخالف اور اینٹی بی آر آئی کے طور پر واضح طور پر پہچانیں۔  چین کے بارے میں پاکستانی معاشرے کا مجموعی رویہ دوستانہ ہے۔  عام طور پر بی آر آئی کا اور زیادہ خیرمقدم کیا جاتا ہے کیونکہ اس نے معاشی ترقی کو بڑھاوا دیا ہے ، جس سے راستے میں مزید ملازمتیں پیدا ہوتی ہیں۔  فوائد کی تقسیم کے ارد گرد کچھ مخصوص جھگڑے ہیں۔  لیکن وہ کم شدت کے ہیں۔  پاکستان میں دہشت گرد حملے بنیادی طور پر ملکی گھریلو تضادات کا نتیجہ ہیں۔  ان حملوں میں بیشتر چینی متاثرین کو کبھی کبھار صرف ان سانحات میں لایا گیا ہے۔  اور کبھی کبھی ، پاکستان میں چینیوں

ISIS is opening a new front in Pakistan?

Image
  ISIS is opening a new front in Pakistan? By Rifatullah Orakzai In recent months, the extremist organization ISIS Khorasan has claimed responsibility for some incidents in Pakistan under the name of 'Wilayah Pakistan', which is raising new questions. ISIS has never used the name Wilayah Pakistan before, but has often used the name ISIS Khorasan for attacks here. But now, using the name Wilayah Pakistan suggests that the extremist organization has set up a separate organization for Pakistan, but has not yet been formally announced by ISIS Khurasan.   The new group has claimed responsibility for a total of 38 attacks in Pakistan from May 2019 to the end of 2020. This includes the murder of 11 Shia Hazara workers in Balochistan in January this year after they were abducted.   Intense clashes between the Islamic State of Khurasan (ISIS) and the Afghan Taliban, a militant group active in Afghanistan, have continued for years, with hundreds of fighters killed on both sides. Bu

داعش پاکستان میں محاذ کھول رہی ہے؟

Image
  داعش پاکستان میں محاذ کھول رہی ہے؟ رفعت اللّٰہ اورکزئی حالیہ کچھ عرصے میں شدت پسند تنظیم داعش خراسان نے پاکستان میں بعض واقعات کی ذمہ داری ’ولایہ الباکستان‘ کے نام سے قبول کی ہے جس سے نئے سوالات پیدا ہورہے ہیں۔ اس سے پہلے کبھی داعش نے ولایہ پاکستان کا نام استعمال نہیں کیا بلکہ وہ اکثر اوقات یہاں ہونے والے حملوں کےلئے داعش خراسان کا نام ہی استعمال کرتی رہی ہے۔لیکن اب ولایہ پاکستان کا نام استعمال کرنے سے لگتا ہے کہ شدت پسند تنظیم کی طرف سے پاکستان کےلئے الگ تنظیم کا قیام عمل میں لایا گیا ہے تاہم ابھی داعش خراسان کی طرف سے رسمی طورپر اس کا اعلان سامنے نہیں آیا۔اس نئے گروپ نے مئی 2019 سے 2020 کے اختتام تک پاکستان میں کل 38 حملوں کی ذمہ داری قبول کی ہے جس میں رواں سال جنوری میں بلوچستان میں شیعہ ہزارہ برادری کے گیارہ مزدوروں کے اغوا کے بعد قتل کا واقعہ بھی شامل ہے۔ افغانستان میں سرگرم شدت پسند تنظیم دولت اسلامیہ خراساں (داعش) اور افغان طالبان کے درمیان شدید جھڑپوں کا سلسلہ ویسے تو گزشتہ کئی برسوں سے جاری ہے جن میں دونوں جانب سے اب تک سینکڑوں جنگجو مارے جاچکے ہیں۔ لیکن حالیہ دنوں میں پاکس

Non Kinetic Solution & Baloch Sub-Nationalist insurgency–A son of soil's viewpoint

Image
  Balochistan and conflict resolution: Non-kinetic strategy, modus operandi & Baloch Sub-nationalist insurgency–A viewpoint of a son of soil. Jan Achakzai  ABSTRACT This article assesses Balochistan's security situation particularly the state of insurgency focusing on five major sub nationalist groups with their leaders spearheading the Baloch ethnic militancy. The article suggests that insurgency has been substantially defeated and is on the last throws so the state has the  upper hand. It proposes why it is time to change gear from kinetic  to dialogue and reconciliation. The article  examines the groups heads and their bare minimum potential demands from the state and also puts forth a working mechanism with a time frame for potential settlement. Also redlines have been defined.  Here is the  Conflict resolution in Balochistan  for full article 

Hybrid war in Balochistan hampers Russian forays in Middle East

Image
Hybrid war in Balochistan hampers Russian forays in Middle East Jan Achakzai   As part of its grand strategic goal to integrate with markets in the Middle East and project influence, Russia is  looking forward to benefit  Pakistan's new maritime capability, re,  Gawadar Port, But it   has serious  concerns over the on going  hybrid  warefare  including disinformation Ops deployed on behest of India– which has sought to focus on Bochistan. Signaling India, tthe successor state  of the former USSR, Russia has underlined its increasing sensitivity attached to the stability of Pakistan.  Against the backdrop of traditional alliance between Russia and India, two major trends agitating against the very underpinnings of this bond: first since India is going indeginous in terms of defence requirements, in the next decade, Moscow is well aware of the  potential decline in Indian imports  of its military hardware hence the  downward trajectory; second, India is new role agiinst China in the