ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Monday announced establishment of the Office of Women’s Ombudsman, 10% quota for females in CSS and conversion of Youth Development Centres into Working Women Hostels.
Addressing a function on the occasion of International Women’s Day here at the Convention Centre, Prime Minister Gilani said the government had initiated [...]
CHINESE Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi’s remark, during a press conference at Beijing the other day, that his country has neither changed its policy on the Kashmir dispute nor would it abandon Pakistan in difficult times, is only an expression of the reality on the ground. The Chinese have gone out of their way to help Pakistan, even losing the lives of their citizens in the process.
The construction of several crucial infrastructural projects, in economic as well as defence fields, gave a wholesome push to our industrial and commercial activity and lent muscle to our military machine. And Mr Yang’s reference to the possibility of making additional sale of arms and aircraft to Pakistan in the context of continuing to “expand practical means of cooperation” is the latest manifestation of the deep understanding existing between the two countries.
The Chinese support to Pakistan through thick and thin has never been in doubt, for one thing because the causes that the two countries pursue are of unquestionable legal and ethical validity. Islamabad benefited a great deal from the help it received from Beijing, which, unlike the rest of the aid-giving world, has invariably been without any strings. However, there has always been a strong feeling in patriotic political circles that Pakistan has, most unwisely, missed or at least balked at making full use of the opportunities that came its way to further cement the bilateral relations. Its successive ruling classes have invariably had, it is a great pity, misplaced fascination for the so-called friendly Western nations, which refused to give their help to Pakistan when it was most needed. Nevertheless, close bonds between Beijing and Islamabad have continued to exist, thanks more to the former than anything else because it looks at our failings with an understanding eye. Another reason for their close bonds is pure pragmatic considerations, which oblige neighbouring countries to have a harmonious and helpful existence.
It is in pursuit of the Chinese vision of a peaceful region, concern for “all-weather” friend Pakistan and regard for justice that Mr Yang stressed the need for an early solution of the Kashmir issue. He expressed Beijing’s readiness to assist in tackling it.
To set at rest any doubt about the existence of a strong relationship with Islamabad, Mr Yang counselled that no one should believe that the Pak-China friendship was in search for any material advantage. One would like to imagine that this reaffirmation would jolt our leadership out of their sweet dreams of gainful association with the US and other Western nations, and make them realise that, with hostile forces ganging up on us, further strengthening our relations with China was also the strategic need of the time.
Filed under: Current Affairs, Pak CA Tagged: China, Kashmir 
A few weeks ago we mentioned Reko Diq in front of Pakistani friends. Since they did not know about it they made fun of us. Many believe in gora sources only. Here is another story published by Business Week/Bloomberg about the colossal Gold and Copper mines of Pakistan. The mines are so huge that the gold has been estimated at around $100 billion.
This is a national treasure.
The filthy hands of corrupt politicians should be kept out of the tilly. These mines should pay off the debt and build an additional 60,000 schools, and hire 60,000 teachers (needed for 100% literacy), and 5000 hospitals (universal healthcare requires about 1000 additional basic health facilities). Dr. Farrukh Saleem has calculated the cost of schools and hospitals at only $10 billion.
The citizens should take this cause–put this in a national trust with Edhi or/and KPMG/Price Waterhouse as the accountants. The National Press should monitor this on a daily basis.
March 9 (Bloomberg) — Antofagasta Plc, the copper producer controlled by Chile’s Luksic family, will seek a mining license for a site in Pakistan that may rival its largest project after “very good” talks with the head of the provincial government.
“We are hopeful because in the last two months there’s been a very positive approach,” Chief Executive Officer Marcelo Awad said in London today. “We have met with the chief minister in Baluchistan, which was very difficult before, and he was very open and very straightforward. It was a very good meeting.”
Antofagasta will seek the license in mid-2010, he said.
The comments mark a shift from a year ago when Awad said Antofagasta, which shares three-quarters of the Reko Diq site with partner Barrick Gold Corp., needed clearer mining laws before it could invest in the development. Reuters in January reported the government, which holds the remaining quarter, planned to cancel the $3 billion project’s exploration license.
“Now they know us for the last three years,” Awad said in an interview. “They have visited Chile and seen our facilities and Barrick’s facilities. They have confidence in us.” The region had poor experiences with prior mining licenses, he said.
Antofagasta planned output of more than 350,000 tons of copper and 900,000 ounces of gold at Reko Diq, in excess of Los Pelambres, its largest mine, Awad said in April. He said at the time that talks had advanced “very slowly.”
The main concern was that foreign companies may report lower metal content than they produce, he said in the interview. “That may have been possible in the past but now with the current equipment it’s impossible. We gave them assurances.”
Final Stages
Resources at Reko Diq are estimated at 4.1 billion tons with a copper grade of 0.5 percent and a gold grade of 0.291 gram a ton, according to Antofagasta. The company plans to boost Los Pelambres output to 407,000 tons in 2010, from 311,600 tons.
“To apply for the mining license you have to present a feasibility study and impact environmental assessment,” Awad said. “They are in the very final stages now.”
The London-based company may be interested in buying companies in Peru, Australia and the U.S. as it seeks to diversify beyond its projects in Chile, Awad said.
“We’ll be looking all the time, but not aggressive,” he said. “We’re a conservative company. We’re looking for companies in a place where we can dig around and expand.”
Antofagasta is interested in businesses with a minimum annual output capacity of 70,000 tons of copper, he said. Excluding acquisitions, the company plans annual production of the metal of 1 million tons within five years, Awad said.–Editors: Tony Barrett, John Deane, To contact the reporter on this story: Firat Kayakiran in London at fkayakiran@bloomberg.net. To contact the editor responsible for this story: Simon Casey at scasey4@bloomberg.net.Antofagasta to Seek Pakistan Mining License After ‘Good’ Talks, March 09, 2010, 9:34 AM EST
Filed under: Current Affairs, Pak CA Tagged: Reki Diq, Reko Diq 
For the past 39 years politicians and the “Blame Pakistan first” crowd have blamed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto for saying “Humm iddhar tum uddhar” (a quote which has since been refuted as bogus), and blamed the Pakistan Army for the attack on the Mukti Bahni militants on March 23rd as the reason for the creation of Bangladesh.
Ms. Hasina Mujib the daughter of Sheikh Mujib Ur Rehman has now confessed that Sheikh Mujib had planned to secede from Pakistan in 1969–two years before the March 23rd “Military Action” against Bharati (aka Indian) saboteurs and their misguided supporters in Dhaka. General Mankeshaw wrote a book in which has claimed that he recruited 80,000 Hindus to create the Mukti Bahni. These terrorists were dressed up in Pakistan Army uniform and raped and pillaged Bengalis. They also were dressed up as civilians carrying out acts of sabotage against the civil and military government of Pakistan.
Sheikh Hasina Mujib’s confession shed new light on the events of March 23rd, 1971 because it proves that the Agartala Conspiracy was a real conspiracy sponsored by Bharat against Pakistan. President Ayub Khan had indicted Sheikh Mujib Ur Rehman as a traitor.
Seeking Bangladeshi identity: Bangladesh was created in the name of Bengali nationalism. However the Hindu Bengalis who had opposed the parition of Bengal in 1906 opposed and did not join Muslim Bangladesh as Bengalis. Mujib regime killed, according to many, more than 30 thousand patriots, who opposed plunder by India and by the BAL, and through the regime's misrule and plunder, along with Indian plunder and conspiracy, they caused the man-made famine of 1974, in which 3 to 5 hundred thousand people perished, according to reports. Mujib suppressed all democratic rights and unleashed a reign of terror. In the above circumstances, according to some, Bangladesh faced extinction as an independent nation and was about to become a vassal state of the Indian hegemonists. The coup of 15 August 1975 saved the situation to a large extent and it was widely supported by the people. On August 14th, 1975 Bangladeshi nationalists buried the secularism deep into the Bay of Bengal. Today Bangladesh faces new threats from India again. . After failing to take over Bangladesh on Dec 6th 1971, India is forcing a transit policy on defenseless Bangladesh that is fighting for her existence. The Transit facilites that Bharat is asking would clog existing Bangladeshi roads and pose a security threat to Bangladesh. It would also exacerbate the situation in Northeast "India" where the sevean Assamese states want freedom from Delhi. The Transit agreement poses a mortal threat to Bangladesh
Bangladesh’s founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had made detailed plans for the liberation from Pakistan during a stay in London in 1969, his daughter and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said.
Sheikh Mujib discussed his plans at a meeting held a few months after his release from prison following a prolonged trial in the Agartala conspiracy case in which then Pakistan government had brought sedition charges against him and 34 others, Hasina told a meeting Sunday.
They were charged with conspiring to separate from then East Pakistan with help from neighbour India. Agartala is the capital of Tripura state in northeastern India.
‘He went to London on Oct 22, 1969 following his release in the Agartala case on April 22 that year. I reached London the next day from Italy, where I was living with my husband,’ bdnews24.com newspaper web site quoted her as saying.
‘It was there that Bangabandhu (a title Mujib received in 1969 from political supporters) at a meeting made plans for liberation, including when the war would start, where our freedom fighters would be trained and where refugees would take shelter.
‘All preparations were taken there (London). I was serving tea and entered the room several times where the meeting was being held. I heard their discussions,’ the prime minister recalled.
Hasina was addressing a discussion here to mark her father’s historic March 7, 1971 speech, when he had called upon the people at a massive rally to prepare for independence struggle from Pakistan.
Hasina did not indicate who were present at the London meeting.
Political analysts here said her disclosure, reinforced by the claim of her own presence at the meeting, could be a scoring point in the ongoing debate on who actually declared the country’s independence.
Mujib’s role is disputed by opposition leader Khaleda Zia. Zia’s supporters claim that it was her husband and then Pakistan Army major Ziaur Rahman who had first broadcast a freedom speech.
Referring to this debate, Hasina urged all to go through the reports of intelligence agencies and foreign ministries of different countries.
Mujib, who became Bangladesh’s president, was assassinated in August 1975.
Ziaur Rahman, who became the army chief and later the president, was assassinated in 1981. Siffy News. Mujib planned separation from Pakistan in 1969: Hasina 2010-03-08 10:40:00
Sheikh Mujib met an ignominious end on 14th August 1975, when Bharati conspiracies to absorb Bangladesh into Bharat were buried deep into the Bay of Bengal. On that day Bengali patriots killed the traitor who had declared himself “dactator for life” and banned all Bangladeshi political parties.
Bangladesh 14th August 1975: Bengali patriots killed Shaikh Mujib who was seen as an Indian agent and a sell out to Delhi. Bangaldeshis revolted against the Indian imposed "Rakhi Bahni" (run by a sitting Indian General) and rose against the so called "Treaty of Friendhsip" whose aim was to absorb Bengal into India. Shaikh Mujib's body lay in the streets of days. It was Awami League of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman that mortgaged the national independence and state sovereignty signing the 25 years long-term unequal treaty with India. By creating Rakkhi Bahini, Lal Bahini, Sheccha Shebok Bahini and other private Bahinis AWAMI-BKSALISTS unleashed an unbearable reign of terror killing 40000 nationalists and patriotic people with out any trial. Ishaan Tharoor in an article in Time magazine published on Nov. 20, 2009 "To outsiders, this celebration of a justice [death penalty for mutiny against Mujib) long deferred may seem a bit too rapturous. But it cuts at the heart of the political traumas that have plagued Bangladesh since its bloody independence from Pakistan in 1971. Mujib had been President of the new country for just four years before a coup hatched by disgruntled military officers, some of whom harbored Islamist or pro-Pakistani sentiments, led to his assassination and the installation of a military government. Since then, Bangladesh has endured a succession of army-run regimes, as well as a period of dysfunctional democratic rule marred by corruption and partisan bickering. "What you're dealing with is a very fractured, highly politicized society," says Ali Riaz, chair of the Department of Politics and Government at Illinois State University. " Please see article in Time Magazine wrtten by Tharoor which corrborates waht Stanley Wolpert wrote in "Zulfi"–the Bangladeshi officers harbored pro-Pakistani sentiments–in fact Khnodakar Mushtaque Ahmed made a short lived announcement and declared a confederation with Pakistan. That announcement was short lived and many believe that theere were actually two coups, one on the night of August 14th, 1975 and the other on the afternoon of August 15th which removed the original copu makers and Khoondkar Mushtaque was releived of any new role in the new BD government.
Filed under: Current Affairs, India CA, Pak CA Tagged: Sheikh Mujibur Ra 
There is a new dynamic developing in South Asia. The old “build-Bharat-up-as-acounterweight-to China” has been dumped in favor of a building dialogue, discussion and cooperation with China. Gen. Petraeus accepts Pakistan’s strategic depth in Afghanistan. The biggest strategic Indo-US project is the 123 Nuclear deal. However the nuclear cooperation is in cold storage and President Obama has not operationalized it. This new Islamabad-Washington cooperation has manifested itself in Delhi being disinvited from the regional conference in Turkey, and Delhi being given what the Times of India calls a 2nd row seat in the London conference on Afghanistan. Shocked by the snub from the US, Russia, China, and the UK in London–Delhi was even more chagrined when the US announced the “gift” of half a dozen frigates, choppers, laser bombs and other arms to Pakistan. India jittery about US arms for Pakistan. To put salt on the wounds, the US has announced a larger aid package to Pakistan in 2010. This on top of the EU proposal to pay Pakistan war reparations to the tune of $45 billion. War Reparations: Pakistan asks for $45 billion from EU
The US is being coaxed to expedite the ROZ, a FTA, and free access to US markets. Washington is also assisting Pakistan in electrical and energy projects.
These events and the huge failure of Delhi’s foreign policy in Afghanistan brought Delhi back to the peace talks. However the peace talks are just a ruse to let the world know that Bharat wants to talk. The so called peace talks are “talks for the sake of talks”–a way to delay and dilly dally. Delhi thinks that by procrastinating the problems will go away. Neither Kashmir, nor Hyderabad, nor Junagarh, and Manvadar have gone away. They fester as a wound. Desperate for an angle into Afghanistan, Mr. Manmohan Singh went to Riyadh–and came back empty handed. What did India get in Riyadh? It is obvious that Delhi’s Mumbai card has run out of steam. After the fiasco of Mumbai– Mumbai 2 (Pune) was not even tried.
This is what Kanwal Sibal says in the Hindustan Times.
Western overtures to the Taliban constitute a significant diplomatic success for Pakistan. Its grit in resisting US pressure to act against the Afghan Taliban has been rewarded. With US Central Command Chief, General David Petraeus, now averse to Pakistan stirring up any more ‘hornets nests’ in the border areas, a self-confident Pakistani Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani is offering to mediate between the US-Nato and the Taliban. His only condition being that Pakistan’s need for a soft strategic depth in Afghanistan is recognised as an insurance against the Indian threat and limits are put on India’s presence in Afghanistan. Kayani’s stature in Pakistan has risen and Pakistan’s attitude towards India has hardened, as was evident during the recent foreign secretary-level talks in New Delhi last week.
India would need to rethink its options in Afghanistan. We cannot count on President Karzai as before. Our local popularity is a fragile base for retaining our long-term influence, unless we can affect power equations within the country. Anti-Taliban forces in Afghanistan need stronger backing by Russia, the Central Asian countries, Iran and India. The US is disregarding India’s long-term strategic interests in the region; it is yielding to Pakistan’s disruptive ambitions in Afghanistan.
This is what Zaafir says in the News
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States have agreed to hold their most important strategic dialogue of the recent years with the elevated echelon in the last week of this month in Washington.
Diplomatic sources told The News here on Sunday that the talks were taking place for the first time after the initiation of the new policy of the Obama administration for the region. The failure of India in its quest for a role in the region has turned the interaction into a conspicuously important event.
Both the countries will avail the opportunity to discuss the recent developments taken place in the South Asian region, including so-called war on terror and clueless talks between foreign secretaries of Pakistan and India, surge in military operation in Afghanistan.
The successes the Pakistan Army have achieved in recent months against terrorists would also figure in the dialogue, while the causes prevailing in persisting instability inside Pakistan would be highlighted during the two-day talks.
The diplomatic sources said the Foreign office and other relevant ministries are engaged for submitting their input for the dialogue. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will lead Pakistan’s delegation for the fourth round of the talks that could not take place last year while the US team would be led by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She will be assisted by James B Steinberg, the deputy secretary of state.
Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and Additional Secretary Attiya Mahmood will assist their foreign minister in the course of dialogue. The last round of the talks took place in September 2008 where Pakistan was represented by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and former deputy secretary John Negroponte led the US delegation. The two countries reaffirmed their commitments to a wide-ranging, substantive, and long-term strategic partnership in the previous dialogue, which is based on shared values and a common effort to promote enduring peace, security, stability, freedom, and prosperity of Pakistan and of the region as per given by the two sides.
The sources also stressed the need for fast-tracking the dialogue on the energy sector to overcome the power shortage in Pakistan, adding the projects identified in the US strategy for regional stabilisation should be implemented on a priority basis. The ‘Operation Mushtarik’ the US-led forces have already unleashed in Afghanistan would also be discussed in th, meeting of the two foreign ministers. Dr Aafia Siddique case and Drone attacks will also come up for discussion in the meeting. It is ‘believed’ that visiting foreign minister would convey his country’s ‘concern’ on two issues. Pakistan, US to hold vital strategic talks by March-end Monday, March 08, 2010 By Muhammad Saleh Zaafir
Muhammad Saleh Zaafir has written a prodigious article in the News and Kanwal Sibal has mirrored those same thoughts from an Indian perspective. Both articles portray a sense of dismay and disappointment in Delhi–and a sense of appointment and energy in Islamabad
The US has been expressing its determination to continue efforts to promote Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZ) legislation, currently pending in the Congress. The United States has also reaffirmed its commitment to address Pakistan’s growing energy needs by expanding technical assistance and promoting investment in Pakistan’s energy sector. Cooperation in education and science and technology will also be reviewed, and both will hold Energy and Education Dialogues.
The delegations will also discuss agricultural cooperation that would help Pakistan strengthen its agricultural sector and enhance its food security in the light of earlier commitment on the highest level.
The sources said the two sides committed to work together to realise their long-term vision of the Pakistan-US Strategic Partnership. The sources have indicated that the scheduled dialogue would lay foundation of new partnership between Pakistan and the US in various fields. The dialogue would be having an added significance sine they are taking place just two week ahead of an important meeting between Prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s maiden meeting in Washington in the second week of the next month. Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will also be having meeting with his counterpart from Pakistan on same occasion, the sources added. Pakistan, US to hold vital strategic talks by March-end Monday, March 08, 2010 By Muhammad Saleh Zaafir
Pakistan: Defying America, dealing with Taliban
Filed under: Current Affairs, Pak CA, Politics, US CA, US Int Rel., US Poli 
New Delhi stabbed Iran in the back at the IAEA. Tehran retaliated by cancelling the $6.5 deal with Bharat (aka India). Energy thirsty Bharat desperately wants gas and gasoline. The nearest gas is in Iran. Delhi has signed agreements with Tehran, but Iran won’t sell Bharat the Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and Ahmedinjad won’t allow Bharat’s ONGC (Oil and Gand Company) to explore gas in Iranian gas fields.
NEW DELHI: Reminding Tehran to fulfill its past commitments, India on Monday said it was willing to invest $6.5 billion in developing Iran’s gasfields in return for promise of more shipments of natural gas (LNG), government sources said.In the first high-level contact in two years, India told the visiting Iranian deputy oil minister and National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) managing director, Seifollah Jashnsaz, that it was keen to buy 5 million tonnes of LNG a year besides the quantities tied up in 2005. At the same time, India also asked Iran to honour the 2005 LNG import deal and ensure secured supplies of gas through the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline.India also asked Iran to give OVL-led group rights to develop the gas field it discovered in the offshore Farsi block. It sought 20-25% stake for the overseas investment arm of ONGC in Phase-12 of the South Pars gasfield
There is more history behind Indo-Iranian relations.
INDIA-IRAN ROAD LINK TO CENTRAL ASIA VIA KABUL
VS.
PAKISTAN-CHINA ROAD/RAIL/CYBER/PIPE LINKS to CHINA & CENTRAL ASIA
by Moin Ansari
NEW YORK:Feb. 8th, 2008-Rupee News: The sailors of yesteryear, and the nations they represented, Amerigo Vespucci, Christopher Columbus and Vasco De Gama stepped over each other seeking a the shortest route to the South Asian Subcontinent. Today many of the same nations plus the ancient powers who are now independent, are seeking the shortest route to Central Asia. Stopping the supply chain that rains terror on PakistanTwo visions for Central Asia are emerging. One vision was to link Gwador to China and Central Asia. The counter-move is the Indian threat first build a new port in Iran and then to connect this new Iranian port city of Chahbahar to the Kabul and beyond. India has built parts of a highway from Chabahar (in Iran) through Afghanistan to Tajikistan (Chabahar-Kabul-Kunduz-Badakhshan) which will enable India to have a transport corridor to the otherwise inaccessible Central Asian region.
The suitability of Iranian Chabahar port for acting as a trade conduit for Central Asia is doubtful at best. In the best case scenario, from Iranian point of view, both Gwadar and Chabahar can equally benefit from Central Asian business. The Chabahar port is well-suited for linking to the southern parts of Afghanistan and a few Central Asian states. Given the current protracted instability in Afghanistan, Chabahar is not really a serious contender for Central Asian trade – at least, not for the foreseeable future – because the proposed trade route passes through the whole of Afghanistan from bottom to all the way up to its north. The trade route from Gwadar, on the other hand, to Central Asia and possibly to Russia will pass through only a narrow strip, i.e. Wakhan, in north-eastern Afghanistan. But the real value of Gwadar port lies in its use for Chinese trade with Gulf States, Middle Eastern and European countries. The bulk of the cargo handled by Gwadar port is expected to either originate from or destined to China. And the route for that trade is already nearing to be fully functional.
For the trade route to Central Asian states and Russia, the only segment to be built anew is Wakhan part. The construction of that segment, ensuring the safety of trucks in that area, and negotiating the terms and conditions with Afghanistan are more of a need and responsibility of Central Asian states and Russia – and not a headache of Pakistan. Indian participation in the construction of Chabahar and a road linking it to Afghanistan is more of a gimmick than a real strategic investment. The only feasible and shortest trade route for Indian trade with Central Asian countries is the land route that passes through Pakistan. The Indian participation in the construction of Chabahar should bring more of consolation and satisfaction to Pakistanis than any real benefit for Indians. Chabahar route is really infeasible for Indian trade due to its length, increased taxation and duties, and see/land switch-overs. Due to its high transportation cost and increased time to market, this route will act more as a continuous liability for the Indian traders. The net effect will be the less competitive Indian goods. Indian goods are already infamous for the poor quality. With high transportation costs, double custom duties, and greater delays will not let the Indian trade with Central Asia to really take off. And that is a good news for Gwadar lovers. Rupee News contributor Pakbird
The road that was supposed to have heralded a new area of influence in Afghanistan is a sad state of disrepair and is unusable. The insurgent forces have targeted the roads and the supply chains. This is how they won the war against the USSR. They are using the same tactics against the NATO-ISAF occupation. The road a symbol of US-Bharati and Bharati-Afghan cooperation is already a skeleton of what was planned. Neither ISAF nor NATO dare use the road. Iran is least interested in any venture with Bharat afer Delhi stabbed it in the back by throwing it to the wolves of the IAEA and then firing an Iran specific satellite for Isreal. Delhi Tehran relations are on ice and have been in cold storage for a few years.
Noticias de Rupia | Nouvelles de Roupie | Rupiennachrichten | ??????? ????? | ???? | Roepienieuws | Rupi Nyheter | ??????? | Notizie di Rupia | PAKISTAN LEDGER | ???????? ????? | Moin Ansari | ???? ??????? | 
Defensebriefs
Intellibriefs
Translate to: 
RSS feed: 
| RUPEE NEWS | February 8th, 2008 | Moin Ansari | ???? ??????? | ????? ????? |
The Bharati plan to link Chahbahar to Kabul has failed due to a few reasons.1) The “Taliban” (and 38 other anti-occupation forces) now control about 70% of Afghanistan.2) ISAF and NATO does not control the famous Ring Road around Afghanistan3) The Bharati built Zergham-Dilaram road has fallen into huge pothole of Afghan politics. It cannot be used and many of the bridges have already been blown up4) Delhian dTeheran have fallen apart and there is no incentive in Iran to give Bharat access to Kabul r beyond.5) Instead Iran is working with Islamabad on building the Iran-Pakistan pipeline.Was Samuel Huntington right?ANCIENT TRADE ROUTES CREATING TENSIONS TODAY
The 5000 year old ancient trade routes between Pakistan and China are being revived with modern freeways that were constructed 20 years ago. 5000 years ago the Harrappan Pakistanis were trading with the Chinese.
Pakistan is linked to Afghanistan via the Khyber pass. This is Afghanistan’s only access to the ocean. New roads are being constructed to build alternate routes to Kabul via Iran. Because the US does not work with Iran directly, India has been chosen as a proxy to build the road and connect it to the new Iranian port of Chahbahar.
PAKISTAN, CHINA ROAD AND RAIL LINKS:-The supply routes through Pakistan are a matter of much discussion in Pakistan. Allowing the US access through the Khyber is very unpopular and increasingly dangerous. The Khyber Pass is very hard to go through. It is a long winding valley with no exits. A few strategically placed enemy gunmen can choke the pass. Pakistan to US: No pay-No play: Tough lessons on geography!
The Karokaram highway from Pakistan to China
This is an all weather road that connect the Northern Areas of Pakistan to the Chinese UghuristanA Loan Agreement for Karakoram Highway Upgradation Project between the government of Pakistan and Export/Import Bank of China was signed here Friday. The qualitative upgrade of the Pakistan-China Road Linkage will further facilitate tourism and trade between the two friendly countries. Under the agreement the People’s Republic of China will provide credit of US$327 million. The KKH upgradation project is being executed jointly by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and the Pakistan’s National Highway Authority (NHA). The Agreement was signed by the Ambassador of Pakistan to China H.E. Salman Bashir and Xin Bin, Deputy General Manager Commercial Loan Project. (PPI) Gwador to Karokaram, Tue, Jan. 22, 08CHINESE STRING OF PEARLS PORTS STRATEGY: The Gwader link to China is part of the Chinese “String of Pearl” strategy that encircles India with many naval bases from Pakistan to Thailand.The Chinese have surrounded “India” with a string of pearls strategy with bases in all of India’s neighbors–in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Mayanmar (several ports), and the Malacca straits. India is powerless to do anything about being surrounded except for sounding off, turning on an occasional alarm bell and trying to impress Washington by raising a red flag about the grave threat from Mao’s People Liberation Army. India paranoid cries of wolf elicit a yawn and ridiclue among the think tanks. The port in Gwader is already functional and is being linked via high speed train, road and fiberoptics to beijing. The Sri Lankan port of Hambantota is raising hackles in New Delhi and with the defeat of the Tamils on the horizon, Lanka will remain a hostile state for India.
Chinese string of pearls ports strategy map
India’s ocean is Chinese lake: “String of pearls” threaten India. CHENNAI: The Gwadar port being built by Pakistan with Chinese assistance in its Baluchistan coast has “serious strategic implications for India“, Naval Chief, Admiral Sureesh Mehta has said. “Being only 180 nautical miles from the exit of the Straits of Hormuz, Gwadar, being bulit in Baluchistan coast, would enable Pakistan take control over the world energy jugular and interdiction of Indian tankers,” he said delivering T S Narayanaswamy Memorial lecture in Chennai on Monday night. The challenge for India was to balance relations with China in such a manner that competition for strategic significance of space in the Indian Ocean leads to cooperation rather than conflict, he said
“The pressure for countries to cooperate in the maritime military domain to ensure smooth flow of energy and commerce on the high seas will grow even further,” he said speaking on “Oceanic Influence on India’s Development in the next Decade.” Talking about “Chinese designs on the Indian Ocean,” Mehta said China had a strategy called `String of Pearls,’ as per which it seeks to set up bases and outposts across the globe, strategically located along its energy lines, to monitor and safeguard energy flows.Mothership” Somalis hijack Indian ship: Where is INS Tabor?
“Each pearl in the string is a link in a chain of the Chinese maritime presence,” he said. “Among other locations, the string moves Northwards up to Gwadar deep sea port on Pakistan’s Makran coast. A highway is under construction joining Gwadar with Karachi and there are plans to connect the port with the Karakoram Highway, thus providing China a gateway to Arabian Sea,” he said adding that this could pose a problem for India.Indians think that Gwader is of no value to Pakistan becasue Pakistan already has two commercial ports of Karachi and Port Qasim. The Indian Naval Chief thinks that the Gwadar port is part of a Chiense strategy.
“Other “pearls” that China has been developing are naval facilities in Bangladesh, where it is developing a container-port facility at Chittagong; in Myanmar, where it is building radar, refit and refuel facilities at bases in Sittwe, Coco, Hianggyi, Khaukphyu, Mergui and Zadetkyi Kyun; and in Thailand and Cambodia.”Pak’s new port has strategic implications for India: Navy chief, 22 Jan 08
The pearls in the Chinese strategy.
Chittagong Bangaldesh
Sittwe Burma
Coco, Burma Hianggyi
Khaukphyu, Burma
Mergui Burma
Zadetkyi Burma
Kyun; and in Thailand and Cambodia
INDIA’S CHABAHAR PORT IN IRAN AND THE RAIL AND ROAD LINKS TO AFGHANISTAN ARE NOW ON ICE
More than 70% of the US supplies go through Pakistan. US bluff: Other arduous US Supply Chain routes to Afghanistan not feasibleSome in America do believe that alternative supply routes can be found. The recent agreement reached by Germany with Russia to use its railway and road system to transport military as well as non-lethal equipment for its forces in Afghanistan is the first step towards a similar agreement being reached with other NATO countries, including the United States. Such alternative routes will not, however, address the problem faced in South and East Afghanistan, for which Pakistan is the only possible route until US-Iran relations improve to the point that Iran agrees to facilitate such transit.Some also believe that direct military action against sanctuaries and Taliban supply points in Pakistan is a viable option a la the bombing of the Ho Chi Minh trail in Cambodia and Laos to stem the flow of supplies and recruits from North to South Vietnam. Many, however, recognise that such actions would add to the growth of extremism in Pakistan, fuel anti-American sentiment and create an untenable situation. Daily Times. Obama’s Afghanistan strategy -Najmuddin A Shaikh
Indian counter moves to Gawador include the base in Tajikistan and port in Chahbahar Iran. Conventional wisdom has it that alternate route of supplies to Afghanistan are not feasible. However the situation is so critical that the US has been forced to look to the long and arduous route to provide essential water, food, arms and supplies to Kabul and beyond. US supplies to Afghanistan in jeopardy
Fighting terror without Pakistan by Lisa Curtis: “The U.S. doesn’t really have the option of abandoning Pakistan. We rely on Pakistani air, land and sea space to.”
Maps showing the location of Chabahar
Map showing the Iranian road links to AfghanistanIndia built the Zarang Delaram Road which hooks up Iran to the Ring Road. India had hoped that his road would allow India to find an alternate route to Kabuil via the port it is building at Chahbahar. Now the bridges on this link and Afghanistan’s main artery lies in ruins without any traffic. The risk on traveling on this road is very high.Death stalks the highway to hell by Salih Muhammad Salih, Abubakar Siddique Following its reconstruction in 2003, the Kabul to Kandahar highway was seen as a logistical lifeline that would bring hope and promise for Afghanistan’s future. But today the nearly 500-kilometer route, known as Highway One, might arguably symbolize the dangers ahead as the country continues its efforts to defeat the Taliban and other “enemies of Afghanistan”, to borrow the government’s phrase for insurgents and other brigands undermining central authority. Afghans who use the road warn that it has become exceedingly treacherous, with Taliban and other armed gangs frequently kidnapping and killing travelers between the capital and the southern city of Kandahar. Death stalks the highway to hell By Salih Muhammad Salih, Abubakar Siddique (Asia Times)
Zarang Delaram Road links the Afghan "
Maps showing the relationship of the Indian base in Tajikistan and the trail of terror to Kabul that ends up in Pakistan
“Chabahar FTZ: Strategically linked to Sarakhs and located in southwestern Iran off of the Oman Sea, Chabahar is the closest Iranian port to the Indian Ocean, and provides direct access to Turkmenistan and other Central Asian nations, via the Bafq - Bandar Abbas – Mashad - Sarakhs - Tajan rail lines thus effectively linking the Oman Sea to Sarakhs. The FTZ has two jetties with a capacity 2,000,000 tons per year, and has some 150,000 tons of storage facilities. The cornerstone of Chabahar’s industrial development is a large scale oil refinery with a capacity of some 225,000 barrels per day. major attractions of Chabahar has been the incentive package that it offers to investors including: http://www.irtp.com/howto/partner/partner/chap3/chap3ii.htm1.Many incentives have been further buoyed by facilities such as social and cultural centers such as theaters, technical and vocational centers and the like, highlighted by the forthcoming establishment of an international university in the zone. In light of the above, over the past four years the Iranian private sector has invested over 500 billion Rials into the FTZ and over 1,600 investment permits have been registered , 65% of which pertained to the manufacturing sector.
“To counter the Gwadar port that is also called the Chinese Gibraltar by Washington, India has built Chabahar port in Sistan-Balochistan province of Iran – just adjacent to Gwadar. India is also helping Iran in building a 200km road that will connect Chabahar with Afghanistan. It will provide access via land to the port for their imports and exports to and from Central Asia. Presently, India is in urgent need of a shorter transit route to quickly ship its trade goods to Afghanistan and Central Asia.”“China moved into India’s backyard when it signed an agreement with Sri Lanka in March 2007 to develop Hambantota Development Zone, which includes a container port, a bunkering system, an oil refinery, an airport and other facilities. It is expected to cost about US$1 billion and the Chinese are said to be financing more than 85% of the project. The entire project is scheduled to be completed in the next 15 years. Counter Current Abus Sattat Ghazalli.
Zarang Delaram Road links the Afghan "
The suitability of Iranian Chabahar port for acting as a trade conduit for Central Asia is doubtful at best. In the best case scenario, from Iranian point of view, both Gwadar and Chabahar can equally benefit from Central Asian business. Chabahar port is well-suited for linking to the southern parts of Afghanistan and a few Central Asian states. Given the current protracted instability in Afghanistan, Chabahar is not really a serious contender for Central Asian trade – at least, not for the foreseeable future – because the proposed trade route passes through the whole of Afghanistan from bottom to all the way up to its north. The trade route from Gwadar, on the other hand, to Central Asia and possibly to Russia will pass through only a narrow strip, i.e. Wakhan, in north-eastern Afghanistan. But the real value of Gwadar port lies in its use for Chinese trade with Gulf States, Middle Eastern and European countries. The bulk of the cargo handled by Gwadar port is expected to either originate from or destined to China. And the route for that trade is already nearing to be fully functional. For the trade route to Central Asian states and Russia, the only segment to be built anew is Wakhan part. The construction of that segment, ensuring the safety of trucks in that area, and negotiating the terms and conditions with Afghanistan are more of a need and responsibility of Central Asian states and Russia – and not a headache of Pakistan. Indian participation in the construction of Chabahar and a road linking it to Afghanistan is more of a gimmick than a real strategic investment. The only feasible and shortest trade route for Indian trade with Central Asian countries is the land route that passes through Pakistan. The Indian participation in the construction of Chabahar should bring more of consolation and satisfaction to Pakistanis than any real benefit for Indians. Chabahar route is really infeasible for Indian trade due to its length, increased taxation and duties, and see/land switch-overs. Due to its high transportation cost and increased time to market, this route will act more as a continuous liability for the Indian traders. The net effect will be the less competitive Indian goods. Indian goods are already infamous for the poor quality. With high transportation costs, double custom duties, and greater delays will not let the Indian trade with Central Asia to really take off. And that is a good news for Gwadar lovers. Rupee News contributor PakbirdCURRENT SITUATION: Alternate routes to KabulUK Reality check on the war in Afghanistan. We first brought up this issue several years ago. According to the military and defense experts we talked to, the transportation of arms and food through Georgia is not feasible and is part of the US Army’s psy ops strategy. This sort of press release is an attempt to put pressure on Pakistan. The facts on the ground dictate that the US supply routes have to go through Pakistan. US attacks on Pakistan since 2004 fueled Afghan insurgencySeveral new factors have emerged.
1) A lot of water has flown down the Indus since President Khatami went to India amid great fanfare and inked the plans to allow Indian access to Afghanistan via Iran.
2) The budding romance between India and the USA has impacted traditional Indo-Russian and Indo-Iranian relations.
3) India voted to move the Iranian case to the UNO. Indian has been a half-hearted partner in the Iranian pipeline to Pakistan.
4) The eviction notice to India from Tajikistan puts a great dent in the Indian plans to take over Central Asia. The Indian departure from Dushambe reflects growing tensions with Russia.
5) Attempts to destabilize Pakistan are underway and may have been thwarted.
6) A resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan are a huge impediment to any links that India may develop to gain access to Central Asia
7) Iran is angry with Bharat over her launching an Israeli spay satellite into space which could monitor Iranian nuclear activity.
The Ring Road is now in total disarray, with almost all bridges blown up and travel on it more riskier than one would imagine.
Noticias de Rupia | Nouvelles de Roupie | Rupiennachrichten | ??????? ????? | ???? | Roepienieuws | Rupi Nyheter | ??????? | Notizie di Rupia | PAKISTAN LEDGER | ???????? ????? | Moin Ansari | ???? ??????? | DefensebriefsIntellibriefs Translate to: RSS feed: | RUPEE NEWS | February 8th, 2008 | Moin Ansari | ???? ??????? | ????? ????? |
http://pakistanmaps.fortunecity.com/
Filed under: Current Affairs, India CA Tagged: Irna, NIOC, ONGC, Tehran 
