Media under siege in Pakistan
With `liberated` Bangladeshis shutting out Tata and feasting Pakistan`s Dawood Group instead, and New Delhi too busy fighting a losing battle in Kashmir, India looks like a country in desperate need of real victories...

India`s Naxalites: A spectre haunting India

GANESH UEIKE, secretary of the West Bastar Divisional Committee of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), seems a gentle, rather academic, man, who does not suit his green combat fatigues or clenched-fist “red salute”. He shuffles dog-eared bits of paper from a shabby file in his knapsack and writes down the questions he is asked. He answers them in slogans that he gives every appearance of believing. He wants to “liberate India from the clutches of feudalism and imperialism”.

...His party, he said, was facing renewed suppression, because “the resources of finance capitalism are facing sluggishness in their development, and are looking for new routes,” such as the mineral riches of this forest.

Mr Ueike did not mention that, just a few hours beforehand, at the edge of the forest, in a place called Errabore, his comrades had fought back. Several hundred had mounted a co-ordinated attack on a police station, a paramilitary base and a relief camp for displaced people. They killed more than 30 of the camp`s residents, mostly by hacking them to death with axes. The scholarly Mr Ueike did boast that his army relied on “low-tech weapons”.

This was the latest battle in a year-long civil war in Dantewada district, in which more than 350 people have been killed, and nearly 50,000 moved into camps such as the one at Errabore...

On August 15th, in his National Day speech in Delhi, India`s prime minister, Manmohan Singh, linked Naxalism with terrorism as the two big threats to India`s internal security...

P.V. Ramana, of the Observer Research Foundation in Delhi, estimates the Naxalites now have 9,000-10,000 armed fighters, with access to about 6,500 firearms. There are perhaps a further 40,000 full-time cadres.

In nearly 1,600 violent incidents involving Naxalites last year, 669 people died. There have been spectacular attacks across a big area: a train hold-up last month involving 250 armed fighters, a jailbreak freeing 350 prisoners, a near-miss assassination attempt in 2004 against a leading politician. “Naxalism” now affects some 170 of India`s 602 districts—a “red corridor” down a swathe of central India from the border with Nepal in the north to Karnataka in the south and covering more than a quarter of India`s land mass.

This statistic overstates Naxalite power, since in most places they are an underground, hit-and-run force. But in the Bastar forest they are well-entrenched, controlling a large chunk of territory and staging operations across state borders into Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. In the tiny, dirt-poor villages scattered through the forest, the Indian state is almost invisible.

Naxalite attacks are not random...Their leaders are thinking far into the future, taking a 20- to 25-year view of their struggle. “Liberated” areas, such as their part of Dantewada, would be expanded until they pose a threat even to India`s cities.

Nepal`s Maoists, with whom the Indian party has “fraternal” links, are a model of how such a strategy can work. Having managed to exclude the state from virtually all the countryside, and waged war for a decade, the Maoists in Nepal are now negotiating, from a position of some strength, their share in government—a decision their Indian comrades quietly deplore, despite a pretence of solidarity.

...The tribal peoples among whom they find most of their new recruits are among India`s poorest: “the most exploited, the bottom rung”, according to Ajit Jogi, a tribal leader and former chief minister of Chhattisgarh. Typically, they live in forests and have no rights to their land. A law to remedy this is under consideration, but resisted by conservationists. According to the 2001 census, about three-quarters of Dantewada`s 1,220 villages are almost wholly tribal; 1,161 have no medical facilities; 214 have no primary school; the literacy rate is 29% for men and 14% for women.

Brigadier Ponwar, who joined the Indian army as it went to war in Bangladesh in 1971, says he spent the rest of his career fighting terrorists at home. After fighting low-intensity wars on its periphery for a generation, India risks having to endure another, in its very core, for the next.

Media under siege in Pakistan
Hi-tech terrorists baffle Indian Army

Terrorists sneaking into India from across the border are increasingly using global positioning system devices in their ventures, posing problems to the army, which has no equipment to track them.

According to the soldiers manning the Line of Control in north Kashmir`s Kupwara sector, terrorists now depend on the satellite-based GPS instead of human guides to infiltrate into the Valley.

``Terrorists have gone hi-tech as they are using sophisticated devices to find their way into our side of the Valley,`` said a top army official, adding, ``The incidents, where militants rely on GPS to sneak into the Valley, have increased in the recent past.``

A GPS device can be as small as a mobile phone and is available as little as Rs 3,000-5,000. It can be used by anyone with a little technical knowledge.

Earlier infiltrators relied mostly on `not always trustworthy` human guides who used to take hefty sums in crossing the border but now the hi-tech equipment has taken over as it can easily remain untraced.

``Earlier we used to track mobile conversations between infiltrators and their guides but now we do not have any resources to track GPS signals,`` said another official.

``A person sitting kilometers away can easily guide the infiltrators and we cannot trace the signals,`` he added.

Sources in the army told PTI that training in GPS equipment have been made mandatory for terrorists operating on the other side of the LoC.

``We have apprehended some militants with these devices and subsequent interrogation revealed that it was mandatory for them to train in the use of these equipments. Every group that prepares to cross the LoC has an expert to handle these devices,`` they said.

Media under siege in Pakistan #79

why, has the hindu army returned from kashmir?... next stop jharkand anyway... 18 years and still bleeding... now thats a real haemorrage unless you`re an hindian in which case ``india is rising``.

Media under siege in Pakistan re: #83

There are plenty of Sindhis and Mohajirs settled in Lahore, thanks to the ethnic violence sparked by MQM in the late 80s. You stand alone and exposed. Spare your ethnic hate speech for your fellow MQM supporters. Rest of Pakistan stands united on this and will not provide mohajirs of your variety with an excuse to divide and rule Pakistan.

Media under siege in Pakistan re: #68 by arjun2

{{If you listen carefully, you`ll hear echoes of bangladesh in 71...unless you are a paki in which case that shit never happened....}}

Arjun, what you are hearing inside your head are actually echoes of Kashmiri gunfire, Mumbai blasts and Naxalite grenades...

Media under siege in Pakistan re: #68

Tell us all about it after the Gandhis come out of the family room.

Media under siege in Pakistan
Echoes of Bombay and Gujrat 2002...

Karachi police told to go unarmed

Karachi police were told to patrol unarmed on Saturday despite widespread predictions that rival demonstrations would degenerate into violence.

Mr Chaudhry was planning to address a rally of supporters in central Karachi on Saturday.

Then the MQM, the ruling party in Sindh province, said it would hold a pro-government rally on the same day. Subsequently, senior government figures and analysts expressed fears that there could be serious violence in Karachi.

The city authorities said that they had taken all possible measures to prevent any trouble.

However, according to documents obtained by the BBC, these measures included the instruction that ``no police personnel should carry any kind of weapon during the law and order duty with the rally``.

The directives were part of a security plan issued by the office of the police chief of Karachi, Azhar Faruqi.

The documents warn of the possibility of ``suicide attacks`` as well as ``clashes between rival political parties``.

Almost all the people killed were shot dead during armed clashes between groups of MQM and Pakistan People`s Party (PPP) supporters.

Of all the police officials were deployed for security duties in Karachi, only 21 were armed

On Saturday police chief Azhar Faruqi was summoned by High Court and ordered to take action to stop the mayhem. He answered that ``he was helpless to do anything``.

Media under siege in Pakistan
MQM accomplished in 3 days what India couldn`t accomplish in 6 decades...

Karachi violence cost Rs 20 billion, further repercussions foreseen

Karachi, May 15 : The economists have forecast that Pakistan`s economy would face further direct and indirect financial losses, besides an estimated-rupees 20 billion lost in the three-day long weekend violence that left 48 persons dead and over 150 injured.

According to Shahid Hasan Siddique, an economist, the losses will be in the form of dim prospects of foreign investment due to political turmoil and increasing security concerns.

It is also expected that now foreign investors will also avoid visiting Pakistan especially Karachi due to new travel advice issued by different countries, Siddique said.

According to an industrialist, out of the 14,000 industries, production stopped in all the five major industrial areas of Karachi, including SITE, Korangi, F B area, North Karachi and Landhi industrial areas, due to the non-availability of labour since Friday evening

According to former chairman SITE Association of industry, Zubair Motiwala, the national exchequer has suffered loses of Rs three billion due to the suspension of industries and trading activities in the metropolitan.

The export process and shipments remained without dispatch since Friday. The port activities also came to a halt.

Small traders suffered losses over Rs 5 billion in terms of sales. More than 500 trading market and around 25,000 shops remained closed and over 10 small-shops were torched during the violence.

The daily wagers were also badly affected during the period.

At least 25 busses were set ablaze by the mob on Saturday and Sunday.

Media under siege in Pakistan This is what MQM has brought to Pakistan and Karachi...

Pakistan on brink of disaster as Karachi burns

By Isambard Wilkinson and Massoud Ansari in Karachi, Sunday Telegraph

(excerpts)

With plumes of black smoke billowing over the city of 12 million people, there were extraordinary scenes as gunmen on motorbikes pumped bullets into crowds demonstrating against Pakistan`s President Pervez Musharraf, while police stood by and watched.

Yesterday`s violence erupted as Iftikhar Chaudhry, the suspended chief justice, flew in to Karachi Jinah International Airport to address a rally.

Many of the 15,000 police and security forces deployed in the city stood idly by as armed activists from Karachi`s ruling party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), a coalition ally of Gen Musharraf, blocked Mr Chaudhry`s exit from the airport and took control of the city`s central district.

The movement`s leader, Altaf Hussain - who lives in self-imposed exile in London - co-ordinated opposition to Mr Chaudhry`s arrival and addressed crowds gathered on the streets of Karachi in a mobile phone call relayed by loudspeakers.

Gunmen tore off on motorbikes after brazenly firing AK-47 rifles at opposition supporters. One report described MQM gunmen exchanging gunfire for an hour with activists from the exiled former premier Benazir Bhutto`s Pakistan People`s Party.

Inside Mr Chaudhry`s intended destination, Sind`s high court, hundreds of lawyers, some of them bloodied after being beaten up by MQM supporters, milled about chanting slogans and receiving news on their mobile phones about the trouble engulfing them. Outside, MQM activists with pistols tucked into their jeans, blocked the entrance.

Media under siege in Pakistan During the last two months, we have witnessed a national movement in which lawyers from all the 4 provinces participated. We may have our little disagreements over the timing and necessity for such a movement. But we cannot deny the fact that this movement was aimed at the glorification of an institution, instead of an individual.

There have been rallies taken out in support of the CJP all over Pakistan. Without incident. Without violence.

Except ofcourse Karachi. Why is Karachi different? What distinguishes Karachi from rest of Pakistan is that it is the only city where a fascist party like the MQM is in power. This is the only city where ethnic hatred, violence and terrorist are glorified and orchestrated. This is the only city where divisive politics enjoys govt patronage, and national causes are sabotaged with official connivance.

The battle for Pakistan must begin with Karachi. The interests of Karachites and especially Mohajirs can be better served by a party that believes in tolerance, ethnic pluralism, rule of law and nonviolence. The MQM is not that party.

Media under siege in Pakistan At least some MQM members have a conscience, even if the leadership is character less...

MQM officials resign

VEHARI, May 14: Three office-bearers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) have resigned from their offices in protest against the Karachi violence.

Pakpattan MQM in charge Shahid Ali Sakhera resigned from the party membership and held the Sindh government and the MQM responsible for the violence. He called the struggle of the opposition parties and lawyers in support of the chief justice of Pakistan a golden chapter in the history of Pakistan.

MULTAN: Mian Muhammad Saddiq, Bahawal Nagar MQM Committee, and Mian Lal Khan, MQM Chishtian Committee, have resigned from their posts against the behaviour of the MQM with the chief justice, his lawyers and journalists.

The Chishtian Bar Association has hoisted a black flag atop the bar office and the bar would observe a full day strike today (Tuesday).

Media under siege in Pakistan MQM only governs Karachi. It doesn not own Karachi. What makes Altaf think we need his permission for entering Karachi or holding political rallies in this city? The same goes for any part of the country. Freedom of movement is every Pakistan`s right. WE WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY ``NO GO`` AREAS IN PAKISTAN. PERIOD. THIS IS A PRINCIPLE THAT WE ARE WILLING TO UNDERSCORE EVEN WITH BULLETS IF NECESSARY!!!

MQM is a political party only in name. In practice, it is a militia owned by an outlaw who lacks the moral courage to face the courts. Political pluralism, freedom of movement and dissent are alien concepts to this fascist party.

Interests of Mohajirs can be served better by parties that practice a culture of pluralism and peaceful coexistence. Two decades of experience and especially ``May 12`` have proven that MQM is not that party. It can only turn fellow Mohajirs into killers, not prosperous proud Pakistanis. This party must be banned forever.

Shaken and Stirred re: #3 Naqshbandi

After what we saw on May 12, the Islamists look like angels in comparison with fascist Muhajirs. MMA has greater ideological differences with PPP than MQM has with PPP. Yet it has never attempted to settle its differences with the gun during the last 5 years.

I am no fan of MMA, but it has proved to be more responsible than MQM in power.

Shaken and Stirred re: rf786

{{Bombs explode in Peshawar, Charsadda, Dir but there is no cry for change of leadership. Why?}}

Because these attacks were orchestrated by Wana militants, not by the govt. These were terrorist attacks against govt functionaries as well as civilians, in response to the military operation in Waziristan.

The Karachi attacks on the other hand, were orchestrated by the ruling party against its political opponents. There was no justifiable reason for these attacks because taking out political rallies is not a crime.

That`s a big difference.

Media under siege in Pakistan May 12 marks the beginning of Musharraf`s downfall. The carnage in Karachi by MQM activists has exposed Musharraf as an insecure leader who is more concerned with self-preservation than national integration.

From this day onward, Musharraf stands alone with Altaf and the Chaudhries. Lawyers have already thrown their weight behind the CJ. It`s only a matter of time before the GHQ and bureaucracy pull the rug from under Musharraf`s feet.

If Mushy is smart, he will reshuffle the bureaucracy and corps commanders quickly. And he will start a judicial probe into Karachi killings and distance himself from Altaf.

Shaken and Stirred During the last two months, we have witnessed a national movement in which lawyers from all the 4 provinces participated. We may have our little disagreements over the timing and necessity for such a movement. But we cannot deny the fact that this movement was aimed at the glorification of an institution, instead of an individual.

There have been rallies taken out in support of the CJP all over Pakistan. Without incident. Without violence.

Except ofcourse Karachi. Why is Karachi different? What distinguishes Karachi from rest of Pakistan is that it is the only city where a fascist party like the MQM is in power. This is the only city where ethnic hatred, violence and terrorist are glorified and orchestrated. This is the only city where divisive politics enjoys govt patronage, and national causes are sabotaged with official connivance.

The battle for Pakistan must begin with Karachi. The interests of Karachites and especially Mohajirs can be better served by a party that believes in tolerance, ethnic pluralism, rule of law and nonviolence. The MQM is not that party.

It is time that MQM be taught a great lesson in pluralism, right of dissent, democracy and rule of law.

How should this lesson be taught? By words if possible. By bullets if necessary.