Pakistan, China Sign Defense Agreement To Enhance Military Cooperation

The first defense agreement between Pakistan and China was signed in the 1950s and the cooperation between the two countries has risen sharply ever since. A new bilateral defense agreement to enhance cooperation has been signed between Pakistan and China recently, which has taken the cooperation between the two countries to new heights.

Chinese President Hu Jintao had rightly said that Pakistan-China friendship is loftier than Himalaya and deeper than seas. Pakistan's former President Muhammad Rafiq Tarar further added, 'and sweater than honey'. In the current tough situation, when the cowboy US government is using a new tactic to put pressure on Pakistan to 'do more,' the visit by an 11-member delegation from China led by Defense Minister General Liang Guangile and signing of the bilateral defense cooperation agreement comes as a relief to Pakistan amid the US growing pressure on Pakistan after Faisal Shehzad's failed attempt to blow up the Times Square.

Under this agreement, the three armed forces of Pakistan and China will hold joint military exercises. Not only will China provide four trainer aircrafts and 60 Million Yuan to Pakistan but it has also agreed to support Pakistan's stance on all the international forums. In addition, China has assured to continue to provide military and economic aid to Pakistan. The Chinese delegation said that not only are Pakistan and China good friends and neighbors but also dependable allies; the relations between the two countries are based on trust. China hailed Pakistan's role, sacrifices and practical efforts in the war against terror.

It must be remembered that a delegation from China had also visited Pakistan at the time when General Deepak Kapoor, Indian chief of Army staff, had threatened that the Indian military is capable of confronting both China and Pakistan at the same time. India tried to curb the significance of this statement, but since he has been made the head of a strategic planning division, it can be said that this statement was issued on the behest of the Indian officials. The purpose of this visit was to convey this message that Pakistan is not alone in the region; China and Pakistan are two hearts, one beat. After this, India and its masters calmed down. US Foreign Minister Hilary Clinton sat down with Shah Mehmud Qureshi for talks.

Cooperation on Military Projects
At present, Pakistan and China are cooperating with each other on various military projects. They are jointly working on a project to manufacture F-17 planes, which are said to be much better than F-16s. However, France has stopped providing some vital components of late. France has always stabbed us in the back and it didn't let go this opportunity as well. Australia also didn't stay behind, but the Australian military delegation is now on a visit to Pakistan. In addition to manufacturing F-17s, Pakistan and China are also working on a F-22-P frigate project and the first frigate, which is called PNS Shamsheer, has been included in the Pakistan Navy. The inclusion has further strengthened Pakistan's naval strength.

Prior to the Chinese delegation's visit, China had announced to provide two atomic plants to Pakistan, which will be installed in Chashma Barrage's second and third section. America didn't like the idea, however, it remained quiet considering its state in Afghanistan. Hilary Clinton didn't raise this issue during her visit to China; however, she wanted China to agree to sanctions against Iran in exchange.

Pakistan's Atomic Program
Atomic experts have objections over the decision to provide atomic plants to Pakistan, calling it a violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation (NPT). However, they also say that America too violated the NPT by signing civil atomic agreement with India. This is the reason why China provided atomic plants to Pakistan to make it clear that if the United States can do something, why cannot China?

The history of atomic cooperation between Pakistan and China is very old. According to reports, when the United States had imposed sanctions against Pakistan's atomic program, China provided Pakistan with 50 kilograms of weapon grade uranium and several tonnes of uranium hexafluoried, which is used in centrifuge. It is also claimed that Pakistan conducted its first nuclear test on the Chinese soil and that it was China that provided atomic design to Pakistan. However, in my opinion it is mere propaganda as the design is purely Pakistani and there is a huge difference between the two designs, i.e., Pakistani and Chinese designs.

US Presence and Growing Pressure
The military cooperation between Pakistan and China is expanding and hence America's attempts to contain China are intensifying. America has established five military bases in India, including one is the Ladakh Region of Occupied Kashmir (Indian-administered Kashmir). Likewise, there are seven US bases in the Wakhan corridor in Afghanistan from where all kinds of activities are carried out against China, ranging from spying to terrorism. In addition, the United States is using Japan, Australia, South Korea and Taiwan against China.

Now the only area where the United States doesn't have a base to surround China is Pakistan's Khanjrab Area. The US desires to establish a military base here. However, Pakistan will not allow the United States to do so. Over a year ago, a conference was held in China with regard to this matter. Ahsan-ul-Haque, former head of the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence), foreign secretary and former joint chief of the Army staff, was also preset on the occasion and the Chinese had openly asked him how sovereign is Pakistan under the US presence and growing pressure in the light of the present apprehensive circumstances.

Pakistan had assured the Chinese officials that Pakistan is sovereign to the extent that it won't become a part of any conspiracy against China. The Chinese accepted this assurance and the relations continued to strengthen. The Chinese Interior Ministry's recent visit to Pakistan confirms this fact.

Whither Resolution to Kashmir Issue?

The Kashmir issue has been hanging fire for the past six decades. It is the misfortune of Kashmir, recognized as a paradise on the earth, that it could not have peace ever since India's partition. Kashmir at present is divided into two parts. One part is with India while the other is under Pakistan's occupation. It is owing to this division that the two countries are striving to capture each other's territory.

Confrontation Between India and Pakistan
Kashmiris are stranded between the confrontations of the two countries. Both nations are employing military means and ways in order to retain their occupation. It is because of the military interference that a violent movement is created in the region. The Indian armed forces have been deployed throughout Jammu and Kashmir.

There is massive protest by the people in Kashmir against military deployment in the region. Kashmiris do not desire any kind of interference in the region. Identical conditions prevail in the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). There the Pakistani Government is not paying attention to the economic development there. Military activities are at their peak in this territory. The common people find themselves entrapped in the quagmire of poverty. That is why Kashmiris on both sides are irked by the two countries.

Allegation of Spreading Terrorism
It is distressing to note that the governments of the two countries are prolonging the Kashmir issue. India and Pakistan are leveling the allegation of spreading terrorism in this region against each other. Former Indian Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor maintains that no decline has taken place in the support being extended by the Pakistani Government to armed formations active within Pakistan and despite the international pressure in the wake of the Mumbai attacks senior jihadi (crusader) leaders, including Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, are roaming free in its territory. Identical statements are forthcoming from the Pakistani Government and military.

The Pakistani Government maintains that is not interfering in Jammu and Kashmir. According to it the Jihad [crusade] in Jammu and Kashmir has been unleashed due to the highhandedness and excesses of the Indian Government and Kashmiris desire freedom from India and its government.

Sight for Resolution
The violent confrontation has intensified over the past two-and-half decades. Endeavors have been made at the international level several times to resolve the issue but to no avail. Nothing has come out of such attempts. One of the reasons is that both nations do not desire to solve the impasse. No interest is being evinced in the global-level politics. In such circumstances, no solution is in sight for the resolution of the Kashmir problem. It is the duty of the two countries to join heads with a view to explore an early solution to the issue hanging fire since the partition.

The international community should mete out justice to Kashmiris by coming forward without any further loss of time and help make the region a territory free of all disputes. India and Pakistan have already suffered a lot because of the Kashmir issue. They can ill afford to further linger on this problem. It would be better to solve it through bilateral talks peacefully.

US Role in International Terrorism

Saudi, Qatari and nationals of other Arab countries were held responsible for the 9/11 incident. The attack was planned in Afghanistan, and according to Americans, the money used for carrying out this attack was transferred to the US from Pakistani banks. To take the revenge, the US attacked Afghanistan. Taliban were thrown out of the government, their officials were incarcerated, and Pakistan was terrified to take side with the US, and the process of punishing Taliban was completed, through Pakistan. Afghanistan has been tormented by the US, but its economy has crashed too. Pakistan too, has been painted with blood and such a system has been devised, which will cause bloodshed incessantly.
The United States has compelled Pakistan to wage a war against its tribal people, and as a result, the vindictive tribals have invaded Pakistani cities with suicide bombers and innocent citizens are dying. Furthermore, US has installed such an incompetent government, which is neither running the official affairs properly, nor will it be able to improve the law and order situation in country. Corruption is devouring the country like termite. In addition, India is being strengthened against Pakistan. India has been accepted as a nuclear power; it is being given a bigger role in the region and has been made a strategic partner.
Indian Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor, who is about to retire, has been made to convey the American motives, by saying that Indian Army is ready to embattle Pakistan and China simultaneously. The United States is planning India's role in Afghanistan, and it is being said that, India will be asked to play a major role in Afghanistan and in this way, the United States has taken the revenge of the 9/11 attacks from Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Wages War in Vietnam
The United States has killed, or got killed, millions of people in Afghanistan and Pakistan, in response to death of a little over 3000 people, thus proving a Dutch lady scholar wrong, that, as no war has taken place on the US soil for centuries, so it is unaware of the carnage and damage done by a war, that's why, sometimes, it annihilates hundreds of thousands of people in seconds, by dropping the atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, wages a war in Vietnam and creates turmoil around the world to show it's power and existence.
According to her, if there is a war in the United States, then in that case, the United States will come to know about the realities of life. Perhaps, 9/11 incident cannot be termed as a full scale war; moreover, there are suspicions about the 9/11 incident that whether it was orchestrated by the United States itself, or was done by its opposing forces or Al-Qa'ida. It is quite possible, that in order to achieve it's global motives, it instigated Al-Qa'ida, or provided them the opportunity, to take the US people along in diligently carrying out its adventure of conquering whole world.
A scholar of Rand Corporation had proposed to destroy the oil wells of Saudi Arabia, after capturing the Iraqi oil wells, but the proposal was rejected afterward. Henry Kissinger, apparently, opposed the proposal, because of the vested interests of his companies, but then Pakistan's Chief Executive Pervez Musharraf, who was then a close friend of the US President, was approached and he resolved the issue amicably.
Afterward, a US military scholar, Colonel Peter Ralph wrote an article named 'Blood Frontiers' which was published in defense journal of the Pentagon, later he wrote a book, containing a plan to change the borders of whole of the Middle East, including Pakistan, according to which, Iran, Pakistan and Syria were to be divided into smaller countries and borders of Saudi Arabia were to be modified. Now, they have created another scenario, according to which, a Shiite warrior tribe of Yemen invades Saudi Arabia and gets hold of its land.

Tackling Hothi Tribe
The Yemeni Government seeks help from the United States to overcome Al-Qa'ida, which according to them, is present there. They term tackling of Hothi tribe as there internal matter and allow Saudi air raids in their Yemeni areas, but they want the United States help to combat the people from Al-Qa'ida. This is just what the doctor ordered for the United States, and is a ripe opportunity for it to reach Yemen. Now, according to International Red Cross Society, they have not yet seen such a bad situation world over, which the Yemeni civilians are facing right now. The United States accuses Iran of abetting this Shiite tribe. It may be possible.
Hothi tribe is active and rebellious since 2004. The United States appears to be involved in arming the Hothi tribe, to create this situation. Although the US intellectuals are writing that Yemen should not be undergone through the carnage like Pakistan, which depicts, that the turmoil and bloodshed in Pakistan, the operation and its reaction, is being done at the US behest.

Iran's Nuclear Program
On one hand, distances are being created between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Iran's nuclear program is being used to create awe, and while on the other hand, Iran is being accused of helping the Hothi tribe. Iran has accused that one of their nuclear scientist was kidnapped during Umra, and other was killed in Teheran by a bicycle bomb. In short, devil is working and Muslims are the practice board. A crusade is going on, and Muslims are being ruthlessly killed, but Muslim countries never meet together and think together.
Arabs are proud of their wealth. They give their money to the United States, rather, they consider their money safe in the US banks, but they do not spend a penny for development in the field of science. They are not ready to take a combined position with Pakistan. We consider it a joint war and it must be fought intelligently in such a way that the wild elephant, after seeing a united wall of Muslims should change its course.

Corruption in Indian Army

It is said that the more security and freedom a system gets, the more apprehension there is of it being corrupt. Our Army is also no exception to it. Reports of its corruption are normally not made public, and even if they are, there are efforts to hide it or cover it up so that its "sanctity" is not harmed. Because of the Army and judiciary being considered as pure as a holy cow, we have not been able to find any effective remedy to the diseases that are taking root in them.
Had there been serious efforts made so far, there would not have been a land scam like Sukna. This scam has dealt a big blow to the Army's image. It should be noted that Military Secretary Lieutenant General Avdhesh Prakash, who is the main accused in the scam has been sent on leave just 10 days before retirement. Sending him on leave in this manner has deepened the doubt that perhaps an attempt is being made to protect him. This has also put Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor in the dock. Lieutenant General Prakash is considered to be very close to General Deepak Kapoor.

Presence of Private Agency
It has been proved in the probe that Lieutenant General Prakash used his influence to grant permission to a private contractor to build an education complex on the land adjoining the headquarters of 33rd corps in Sukna at Darjeeling. This corps is entrusted with the responsibility of keeping vigil on the Northeastern border with China. Thereby, the presence of a private agency has been called a threat from the viewpoint of security and secrecy. Three other Generals are also accused with him in the scam. In the beginning, Lieutenant General Prakash tried to hide facts and mislead the probe. Still, the Army chief recommended only strict administrative action against him, and not disciplinary action. In the same matter, it has been decided to take court martial action against one general.
Allegations were made against Lieutenant General Prakash earlier also. As military secretary, he had carried the responsibility of posting and promotion of an officer above the rank of colonel. Now that Lieutenant General Prakash is in the dock, it is but natural to raise doubt over all decisions he has made earlier. Has any compromise been made in the matter of posting on sensitive locations? This is not the only case. Other types of cases of corruption involving Army officers keep coming to the fore, from time to time. Is the dirty game of greed and partiality being played in the Army behind the glitter and glamour of discipline and regulations?
After revelation of such matters and talks about starting probe against Army officers, it is immediately said that it would have adverse impact on the morale of the Army, and anti-national forces could take advantage of it. But the corruption prevailing in the Army cannot be tolerated silently for this reason. We would have to develop some effective mechanism of dealing with it.

Possible Steps
Though Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor has clarified that all possible steps would be taken to safeguard the image of armed forces, it is difficult to understand why there is delay in taking action against the officers responsible for the Sukna land scam?
Please remember this is the question that has remained unanswered for a long time. Giving Army land to a private builder cannot be called an ordinary scam. Immediate action should be taken in such matters, or the reasons for delay should be made clear.

Army Establishment
The Army establishment is also responsible for several doubts, and questions that are being raised because of delay in punishing the guilty. Such doubts and questions cannot be in the interest of the Army's image. The need is not only to take adequate action against officers found guilty in the Sukna land scam, but also to develop a mechanism so that the Army gets rid of such scams.
Undoubtedly, Army personnel are from society, but the manner in which small and big scams are surfacing every now and then for the past some time it seems that some fundamental flaw has entered the Army establishment. The reasons for why this is happening should be found out and remedial action should be taken, as soon as possible.
The Army leadership as well as the Defense Ministry should be concerned that cases of corruption in the Army are coming to the fore one after the other, with the involvement of senior officers also. It is not an ordinary incident that action is underway at the Army Headquarters against three retired generals with regard to cases of corruption.
There is no doubt that high standards of morality have been set in the Army, but it cannot be ignored that scams and corruption in areas from purchase of arms and weapons to ration, liquor, shoes, and other items have come to light in recent years. These cases of corruption indicate that there is some flaw in the process related to purchase of essential goods for the Army.

Demand of Situation
It is ironical that the Army chief had to face questions with regard to the Army's image on the eve of Army Day. It also became clear from the talks of the Army chief, who is almost at the end of his term, that he is going to hand over the task of resolving several problems on which discussion has been going on for long to his successor.
It is disappointing that for the past few years, successive Army chiefs have been promising to resolve these problems, but ultimately it is seen that these have remained unsolved. It would not be proper to hold only Army officers responsible for the problems the Army is facing, because the Defense Ministry is also responsible for it, at one level or the other.

India Fails To Spell Out National Action Against Terror Plans

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement at the Chief Ministers' Conference that "Pakistani terrorist groups are on the look out for yet another attack on India and we should remain wary of it" has stunned even his supporters who welcomed the joint statement between him and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani at Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt. It is tantamount to a virtual "U-turn" from his (Singh)statement at Sharm el-Sheikh. He agreed to de-link the terrorism issue from the India-Pakistan dialogue process during his two-hour talk with Gilani. Then, Singh gave the clarification that Pakistan had assured India that it would not allow the use of its soil for any "anti-India" terrorist activity.

Opposition to PM's Statement
The Congress party leadership opposed Singh's statement. The party leadership was angry over it. Finally, the Prime Minister had to say in the Lok Sabha [Lower house of Parliament] that no shift has taken place in the firm Indian stand on the India-Pakistan talks.

Unless and until Pakistan punishes the perpetrators of the 26 November Mumbai attacks and dismantles the terror infrastructure within its country, talks cannot be held with it.

Lapless At Indo-Pak Talks
It would have been better if the Prime Minister simply observed the formality of mere handshaking and put off the talks at Sharm el-Sheikh just like Atal Behari Vajpayee had done with Musharraf in Kathmandu." The prime minister's talks with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari tended to soften the Indian stand.

The other lapse that took place was that during the talks with Gilani at Sharm el-Sheikh, Singh relented to such a large extent that he failed to keep in view the diplomacy that Pakistan, under great Indian pressure, was anxious to prove itself innocent. After believing the assurances given by Gilani, Singh returned to the country. But Pakistan persisted with its mischief.

Indian Army Chief's Views
Indian Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor also stated recently that prior to the start of the winter season infiltration attempts by militants have surged. The Pakistani military in these attempts cannot be ruled out. Pakistan does not favor that peace should prevail in Jammu and Kashmir for a long time and hence a spurt has taken place in the infiltration from across the border. Defense Minister A.K. Antony also said that a large number of terrorist training camps were being run in the Pakistani territory. Moreover, incidents of infiltration and pushing arms into Jammu and Kashmir registered a substantial rise during the past four days. This is amply evident from the incidents given below.

August 15: The Border Security Force [BSF] arrested four Pakistanis making a bid to infiltrate near the Tapu checkpoint of Khemkaran and recovered from them four pistols, arms and ammunition, night vision devices, and two kg heroin.

August 16: The security forces foiled the attempts made by militants to cross the Line of Control by cutting the barbed fencing in the "Chakhan da Bagh" area of the Ranigarh section of Poonch.

August 16: In an encounter between the police and the Lashkar-e Taiyiba in the Pulwama sector, one terrorist, John Muhammad, was killed.

August 17: In the Rajouri sector, security forces killed self-styled Hizbul Mujahidin commander Altaf Husayn. It also recovered 20 kg RDX in the Gambhir Mughal forests.

August 17: In the Sir Creek sector of Katch, the BSF arrested nine Pakistani infiltrators near the Akri Moti power plant.

August 18: In the Poonch sector, security forces seized 10 grenades, one carbine, and four pistols.

There are also news reports that the Lashkar-e-Taiyiba is once again trying to start a November 26 type attack from Jafarabad. The Pakistani Government is not taking any action against the main conspirator of the Mumbai attacks, Hafiz Sayeed yet.

Congress Dissatisfaction
The truth is the Congress party was not satisfied with the joint statement at Sharm el-Sheikh. Non-incorporation of Kashmir in the joint statement was being put up as India's achievement. But, harping on the Kashmir issue, Pakistan has started saying that Kashmir is such an issue without which resolution mutual differences of the two nations cannot be sorted out. In such a state of affairs the prime minister, in order to satisfy his partymen, had to mention at the chief minister's meet the possibility of a fresh Pakistani terrorist attack on India.

We reiterate that though the prime minister has made the point of a fresh Pakistani terrorist attack, he has not stated what action India will take in reply. There is also the need to think that fake currency notes, drugs, arms, etc. are often seized in train and bus services between the countries. It should be seen whether due to these services the country is being caused more damage than gain.