At Least 170 Dead in 6.4 Earthquake in Pakistan

Thousands of people homeless by the predawn temblor in the rural area, where many residents live in mud-brick homes that collapsed with the force of the magnitude 6.4 quake. Authorities said the death toll could rise as rescuers make their way to remote villages that had been cut off by landslides.

Even in good conditions, roads in the area are primitive. Pakistani army helicopters and cargo planes were ferrying in emergency aid, including food, tents and blankets. Medical teams were converging on the scene near the border with Afghanistan, but help arrived too late for some.

President Asif Ali Zardari ordered the national and provincial governments as well as the army to swiftly provide all necessary aid. The tremor was yet another challenge for his young government, which is struggling with a flagging economy, repeated clashes with insurgents in the border region, and conflicts with its American allies over U.S. military strikes into Pakistani territory.

The quake, which struck as most people were asleep, was centered about 50 miles northeast of the city of Quetta, the capital of Pakistan's impoverished Baluchistan province. With the chill of winter setting in, many of the survivors lost everything, including warm clothing, in the rubble of their homes.

The area was rocked by a magnitude 6.2 aftershock Wednesday evening, terrifying thousands of people who were preparing to spend a freezing night in the open.

In some of the hardest-hit villages in Zirat and Pishin districts, entire families were buried in the ruins of mud-brick compounds, and survivors were digging mass graves, using whatever implements they could find.

Aerial footage showing the epicentre of the earthquake:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7698260.stm

Getting It Right On China

Why should China come to rescue a defaulting Pakistani elite that has placed all its eggs in the American basket? We just can’t seem to run our affairs like big nations do. Our problem is that we have a great country with great capabilities but a political elite with the worldview of a rat.

Where would you put your money: On an America burdened by a $10 trillion debt or a China flush with almost $2 trillion cash reserves, the largest in the world?

You would think Pakistan is the luckiest country in the world for being China’s close ally as the world faces economic decline.

Wrong.

The truth is, we have a ruling class that has been betting on the wrong horse. President Zardari should know. But by no means is this his mistake alone. This is more about a shortsighted political elite that sits on one of the world’s hottest pieces of real estate – Pakistan – and simply doesn’t know what to do with it. Even MacDonald’s does a better job with its properties.

Why should China come to rescue a defaulting Pakistani elite that has placed all its eggs in the American basket? The bitter truth is that both Saudi Arabia and China want to help Pakistan. Both maintain strong military ties with Pakistan. But currently they are reluctant to contribute to the survival of a government in Islamabad that appears a little too pro-American than the acceptable limits for a sovereign nation. Let the Americans handle their own mess in Pakistan. This is the new attitude. That’s why the Saudi oil concession and the Chinese billions are not coming.

Riyadh and Beijing have good relations with America. But unlike Pakistan, both jealously guard their own interest first. The harsh truth is that we in Pakistan have a government that could have as well been made in Washington, peppered with strong U.S. and British apologists in key posts. Right or wrong, this perception is especially felt in Beijing. Eight Chinese oil workers have been kidnapped in Sudan as Africa emerges as a new battleground for clashing American and Chinese interests. But Pakistan was and continues to be the first battleground. The Chinese have been under attack in Pakistan for the past four years, something unheard of in our half-century of close ties. The Americans have made unusual political inroads in Islamabad. Now they are following this up with military incursions and full fledged psychological warfare to ensure total Pakistani compliance.

We have played both Washington and Beijing in the past. But there comes a time when you need to take a stand on national interest. Pakistan’s time has come and gone. It came again this summer, when someone in Washington decided to expand the disastrous Iraq-Afghan war into Pakistan. And we caved. Again.

By politely declining Zardari government’s request for a massive cash infusion, Beijing’s message is clear: China’s influence and interests in Pakistan must be protected. You can’t spend seven months in American laps, go to them for help as a first choice, and then dash to China as an option of last resort and expect Beijing to go weak in the knees because of a hollow statement such as ‘I’ll visit China once every three months.’

Even China’s pro-Pakistan quarters are confused. Sixty years and we still don’t have Pakistani translators who speak Chinese. Beijing went as far as spending its own money to build a modern Chinese language center in the heart of the Pakistani capital three years ago. Still no Pakistani translators to accompany our leaders visiting China. The Chinese cite the example of Indian television plays. The Indian embassy in Beijing is supplying local Chinese TV stations with copies of Indian plays dubbed in Chinese. These are playing all over the place. Pakistan’s PTV has a two-decade old treaty with China’s CCTV to do just that. But our people are yet to send anything similar. In 2005, we signed with China a ‘Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Good-neighborly Relations’. It was supposed to be the beginning of expanding the Sino-Pak relationship beyond the military. But the treaty hasn’t inched forward in three years. Chinese officials had to politely remind their Pakistani counterparts during President Zardari’s visit that the treaty “is of great historic and immediate significance” to the future of our relationship, according to the joint statement.

China’s biggest project in Pakistan, the Gwadar port, has been under attack along with its engineers and workers and we have done nothing to stop it. Our President went to Beijing to ask for a major favor while two Chinese engineers continue to be kidnapped inside our own territory. One has escaped to freedom but these kidnappings keep recurring. Can you blame a young Chinese policy analyst sitting in some think tank in China for assuming that there might be elements in Islamabad that concur with the outside powers that would like to see China forced out of Pakistan?

We just can’t seem to run our affairs like big nations do. Our problem is that we have a great country with great capabilities but a political elite with the worldview of a rat.

America is and must continue to be our friend. But this is the time to break free of voluntary submission to U.S. diktat. The world financial crisis is an opportunity to reduce our political and economic reliance on U.S. What are we afraid of? Economic hardship? America is already using donor organizations to squeeze Pakistan. Pakistanis will accept hardship if they are honestly told that the upshot will be setting our policies and priorities right.

By AHMED QURAISHI

Wednesday, 22 October 2008.

WWW.AHMEDQURAISHI.COM

Bush’s Blind Followers In Pakistan

In Pakistan, a weak government and a blind parliament are leading a nuclear-armed nation behind George W. Bush’s policy of self-destruction.

BACKGROUND

1. The U.S. wants Pakistan to lessen its focus on Kashmir, ignore how India is using Afghan soil to export terrorism to Pakistan, ignore the Indian water blockade of Pakistan, and focus instead on firmly toeing the U.S. policy in Afghanistan. Basically Washington wants us to protect their back while they refuse to commit to protecting the back of their Pakistani ally. [SEE PRESIDENT ZARDARI’S RECENT INTERACTIONS WITH U.S. OFFICIALS AND PM GILANI’S MEETINGS IN WASHINGTON IN EARLY AUG. 2008, and the U.S. media reports and leaks surrounding these two visits].

2. In order to sell Pakistanis Bush administration’s new policy line that Pakistan should ‘own’ America’s war on terror, the government of President Asif Zardari called a joint session of Parliament in Islamabad that lasted for almost a week in the hope that the politicians from all parties will endorse Washington’s desire to expand the war into Pakistan. The briefing took place in the week ending Oct. 17, 2008.

3. To rope in the Pakistani military, Mr. Zardari’s government invited the army to open the briefing. The military did send a senior officer to give a presentation that was limited to operational issues. But the briefing was not that of a military given to politicians. It was a briefing by a PPP-led government, reflecting PPP policies, which are very close to the U.S. position. Evidence:

3.1 Maulana Fazlur Rehman, leader of the religious JUI-F party, a coalition partner of the PPP government, issued a statement 0n Oct. 15 saying that his party sees the briefing as PPP’s own and that it does not reflect the view of all the coalition parties.

3.2 President Zardari’s statement to a Wall Street Journal columnist Bret Stephens saying India is not a threat to Pakistan and that Kashmiri freedom fighters are terrorists. He also failed to raise the question of India blocking Chenab water. [Times of India published a commentary titled Why Zardari said what America wanted to hear, Oct. 12, where the author says, “Is there any rational explanation for what Zardari definitely told the Wall Street Journal--that those who had picked up the gun and bomb in Kashmir were terrorists, and that India has never been a threat to Pakistan?

3.3 The sudden emergence of expensive newspaper and TV advertisement on Pakistani channels and newspapers with the message that America’s war in Afghanistan is ‘Pakistan’s own’. It is not clear who is paying for these ads and who they represent.


3.4 Another evidence that this was a partisan, one-sided briefing is how Indian-occupied Kashmir was shown as part of India in a map during Information Minister Sherry Rehman’s briefing on Oct. 14, 2008. The same day, the Pakistani military distanced itself from the briefing and DG ISPR told The News in a report that the military’s briefing was restricted to the first round and had nothing to do with the Minister’s briefing. The spokesman also said that the military followed the government policy.

4. There is no question that the military cannot take the lead in making public some harsh truths if the PPP government is not prepared to own the consequences, especially regarding the role of some of our allies in fostering secessionism and terrorism inside Pakistan.

QUESTIONS

5. In his briefing, DG ISI/ex-DGMO alluded to weapons and support to militants inside Pakistan coming from Afghanistan. This implicates a country whose President was invited as a guest of honor when President Zardari was sworn in. How is the PPP government dealing with this challenge? Has it taken up this matter with Kabul and Washington?

6. On 5 Aug., 2008, Geo journalist Kamran Khan reported the following both on his TV show and on the front page of The News: “Impeccable official sources have said that strong evidence and circumstantial evidence of American acquiescence to terrorism inside Pakistan was outlined by President Pervez Musharraf, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and Director General Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt. Gen. Nadeem Taj in their separate meetings with US Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen and CIA Deputy Director Stephen R Kappes on July 12 in Rawalpindi.” QUESTION: Did President Zardari or Prime Minister Gilani or the Defense Minister or the Foreign Minister raise this urgent question of our national security when all of them visited Washington in the period between August and September 2008?

7. How come the government’s briefing failed to address what Interior Advisor Rehman Malik told a private TV channel in an interview on July 24, 2008, reported by Pak Tribune news site and I quote: “The Prime Minister’s advisor to Interior Rehman Malik has said that India was supporting the terrorist elements like Bramdagh Bugti in Pakistan, and evidences in this connection will be soon presented.”?

8. How does Rehman Malik’s statement of July 24, 2008 match with President Zardari’s statement of Oct. 4 in the Wall Street Journal where he said “India is not and has never been a threat” to Pakistan?

9. U.S. military’s Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen said in a TV interview on Oct. 11, 2008, that U.S. is considering changing its Afghanistan strategy to include India, possibly allowing Indian soldiers to jointly patrol the Pak-Afghan border. This is a serious issue. Why is it that the PPP government kept quiet on it and the Foreign Minister and Defense Minister have not responded to the U.S. official? What is the government policy on Adm. Mullen’s statement?

10. The PPP government wants Pakistanis to make America’s war on terror our own. QUESTION: Is eliminating the Afghan resistance part of our responsibility? Or is our responsibility limited to eliminating the militants who are fighting us on our own territory? What if the coalition fails in political reconciliation inside Afghanistan, leading Afghans to take up arms? Would fighting the entire Afghan population inside Afghanistan be our responsibility too?

11. Why did the PPP government not give the Parliament and the nation the bigger picture: How Washington is drastically changing the strategic outlook in the region in a way that is detrimental to Pakistani interest? There was no discussion about American plans to formalize an expanded Indian intelligence and military presence in Afghanistan, the effort to cut Pakistan’s ability to influence the future of Kashmir, the near-total Indian control over our waters, or the efforts to reduce Pakistan’s ability to protest Indian involvement in future joint patrols of Pak-Afghan border, which is also on the cards.

Eight years to 9/11, Pakistan’s parliament was expected to retake the initiative, declare that Pakistan will not help United States crush the Afghan resistance, which flourishes due to the blunders of U.S. military and the inept regime of Hamid Karzai, declare Baitullah Mehsud and others of his ilk ‘most wanted terrorists’, expose their links to foreign spy agencies so that all Pakistanis recognize their enemy. Instead, we have a government whose leader, President Asif Zardari, declares in Washington that President Bush has made the world a safer place, and then returns to Pakistan to tell Pakistanis that America’s lost war in Afghanistan ‘is our own.’

Full text of joint statement between China and Pakistan

BEIJING, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Following is the full text of the Joint Statement between China and Pakistan issued here Thursday.

Joint Statement between the People's Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

(16 October 2008, Beijing)

On the invitation of President Hu Jintao, President Asif Ali Zardari paid a state visit to China on 14-17 October 2008.

President Hu Jintao held talks with President Zardari. Mr. Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Mr. Wen Jiabao, Premier of the State Council, and Mr. Jia Qinglin, Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, met President Zardari respectively. Talks between the two presidents and President Asif Ali Zardari's meetings with other Chinese state leaders were characterized by traditional warmth, friendship and mutual understanding. The two leaders reached broad agreement on strengthening China-Pakistan strategic partnership of cooperation and on international and regional issues of mutual interest under the new circumstances. The President of Pakistan also held wide ranging discussions with the leaders of Chinese corporations and financial institutions.

The leaders of the two countries reviewed with satisfaction the growth of China-Pakistan relations over the past 57 years since the two countries established diplomatic ties. They agreed that the friendship between China and Pakistan has withstood the test of time and practice, notwithstanding changes in the international, regional and domestic environments. The all-weather friendship and all-round cooperation have become the distinctive feature of China-Pakistan relations.

Both sides agreed that, it is essential that the two sides make continuous efforts to strengthen good-neighborly relations and friendship, develop mutually beneficial cooperation and deepen strategic partnership of cooperation between China and Pakistan which serves the fundamental interests of the two peoples and contributes to peace and development in the region.

Both sides agreed that the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Good-neighborly Relations between the People's Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Treaty) signed in April 2005 is of great historic and immediate significance, laying a solid legal foundation for the long-term, stable and healthy growth of China-Pakistan relations. Both sides decided to abide by the policies and principles enshrined in the Treaty, earnestly implement the bilateral legal documents signed since the two countries established diplomatic ties and further intensify cooperation in the areas of economy, defense, science and technology, people-to-people contact, thus constantly advancing the China-Pakistan strategic partnership of cooperation.

China stressed that Pakistan is China's good neighbor, close friend, dear brother and trusted partner. China will continue to view China-Pakistan relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, and make joint efforts with Pakistan to lift China-Pakistan strategic partnership of cooperation to a new high.

Pakistan stressed that Pakistan-China relationship is the cornerstone of its foreign policy, and friendship with China represents the common desire of all Pakistani people. Pakistan appreciated the strong support and assistance provided by the government and people of China to Pakistan in its economic development. Pakistan remained committed to continuing its policy of friendship towards China and making unremitting efforts to promote the healthy and steady growth of relations between the two countries.

Pakistan unequivocally upholds the one-China policy and considers Taiwan as an inseparable part of the People's Republic of China and supports all efforts made by the Chinese government to realize national reunification.

China appreciated Pakistan's long-term and staunch support to China on issues concerning China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, reaffirmed its support for Pakistan's effort to uphold its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and appreciated Pakistan's important role in promoting regional peace, stability and security and strengthening international counter-terrorism efforts.

Both sides opposed to all forms of terrorism, extremism and separatism, resolved to cooperate with each other to fight the above-mentioned three forces. China conveyed its complete support to Pakistan's commitment and efforts to fight terrorism and appreciated the sacrifices made by the government and people of Pakistan in this regard.

The two sides agreed that economic cooperation is an important part in the strategic partnership between the two countries. The two countries enjoy great economic complementarity and should fully tap the potential and comprehensively deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in the economic field.

Both sides agreed to fast track the implementation of the Five Year Development Programme on Economic Cooperation and make full use of the Free Trade Agreement in Goods and Investment and Pakistan-China Joint Investment Company. In this regard, they agree to convene a meeting of Pakistan-China Economic Cooperation group under the Five Year Development Programme on Economic Cooperation at an early date. They also agreed to hold the next meeting of the Joint Economic Commission at the convenience of both countries.

Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation to further develop and boost Pakistan's mineral and energy sectors as well as broaden financial and banking sector cooperation. They also agreed to further enhance 'connectivity' by developing new communication links including fiber optic links. They agreed to explore the concept of Integrated Border Management, overland trade and development of trans-border economic zones.

Both sides agreed to maintain communication and coordination on major international and regional issue to safeguard their common interests. Both sides agreed to continue to cooperate closely on issues such as the reform of the United Nations, climate change and energy and food security to promote world peace and development.

President Asif Ali Zardari offered congratulations to the Chinese government and people on the successful hosting of the Beijing Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games and the successful completion of Shenzhou VII's mission. President Hu Jintao congratulated President Asif Ali Zadari on his election as the President of Pakistan and thanked Pakistan for its valuable assistance in the wake of the devastating earthquake in Wenchuan, China. He also appreciated Pakistan's support to ensure the success of the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games. Pakistan applauded the outstanding achievements China has made in the 30 years of reform and opening-up and believes that China's development will contribute to world peace and prosperity.

President Zardari invited President Hu Jintao to visit Pakistan once again at his convenience. President Hu Jintao thanked President Zardari for his kind invitation.

Both sides signed the following agreement/MoUs during the visit:

1. Agreement on economic and technical cooperation between government of the People's Republic of China and government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

2. Amending protocol to free trade agreement between government of the People's Republic of China and government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

3. Exchanges of notes between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Interior of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan regarding the exchange of properties of the Chinese embassy in Pakistan.

4. Framework agreement on cooperation in the field of minerals between the national development and reforms committee of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Resources of Pakistan.

5.Memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the Ministry of Land Resources of the People's Republic of China and Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Resources of Pakistan.

6. Agreement on environmental protection cooperation between the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Environment of Pakistan.

7. Framework agreement for cooperation in the field of radio, film& television between the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, government of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

8. Aksat-1R satellite procurement contract by & between China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) and Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO).

9. Memorandum of understanding on scientific collaboration in agricultural research and technical cooperation between Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Agricultural Research Council of Pakistan.

10. Cooperation agreement between Beijing Museum of Natural History of the People's Republic of China and the Museum of Natural History of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

11. Memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the Cricket Association of the People's Republic of China and the Cricket Board of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

12. Memorandum of understanding regarding the project of X-ray container/vehicle inspection system between Nuctech Company Limited, Tsinghua University, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China and Ministry of Interior of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Government asked to expedite efforts for Aafia’s release

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday directed the government to expedite efforts for the early release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui from US custody. The court adjourned proceedings for three weeks. The IHC issued the directions while hearing a petition filed by Barrister Javed Iqbal Jafferi against the alleged illegal detention of Siddiqui.

Reply filed: After appearing in chamber on notice, Foreign Affairs Ministry US Desk Director Mansoor Ahmad Khan told reporters the ministry had filed a reply on the developments in the case. Deputy Attorney General Shahid Iqbal Qureshi told the court that the chief justice had also directed the government to recover Siddiqui’s two missing children as early as possible. He said the Pakistan embassy in Washington was making efforts to ensure Siddiqui got a fair trial in US, besides seeking urgent medical treatment for her, adding that the embassy was working with the US Justice Department and other US authorities to ensure that her rights were protected. Qureshi rejected allegations levelled by the petitioner that the government was not serious in bringing Siddiqui back to Pakistan.

“Since Dr Aafia was not arrested from Pakistani soil, Pakistani laws are not applicable to her,” he said. Later, Jafferi told reporters Siddiqui could be brought back to Pakistan under the Pakistan-US Friendship Treaty signed in 1959.

Pakistan’s foreign policy in a spin

It is quite clear that Pakistan’s foreign policy is undergoing a sea change as it is being drastically reoriented by the nascent PPP government. Are we distancing from China is the moot question doing rounds in Pakistan? The former President Musharraf would exercise some semblance of caution and discretion while making a decision that would be acceptable or repugnant to the people at large. But under the present dispensation when the co- chairperson and President of Pakistan Asif Zardari is exclusively calling the shots that thin and deceptive veneer of euphemism put up by previous regime has been rubbed off. Now momentous decisions of far-reaching import are being made on the spur of the moment and perhaps in complete disregard of the national sentiments and showing deaf ears to the public outrage.

For instance to dub the Kashmiri militants fighting for the national liberation as terrorists is a kind of label that under no circumstances would be hurled even by the most unscrupulous of governments so daringly and so non-chalantly. If the Wall Street Journal attributes those utterances to our dare-devil President then it must be beyond doubt or contradiction although foggy rebuttals have also been dished out by the Government’s spokespersons. After all there must be some ground for such kind of remarks published by a prestigious paper. This paper cannot have a grudge against the newly elected President of Pakistan nor should it have any stakes in disparaging a new comer in the political area of Pakistan and occupying the country’s top slot. President Zardari’s unguarded remarks about the critical national issues are not confined only to Kashmiri militants. These are varied and encompass other crucial affairs and unfortunately, generally, run counter to the national interests of Pakistan. It is not a reflection of a seasoned thinker but a kind of bravado and personal penchant to say things which no one dared to say so far. To say earlier that Pakistan’s geographical integrity would be safeguarded at all costs and then go for a faux pas later by making a confession that the unmanned aircraft showering fire and bombs on the civilian population in the tribal areas were carrying out these lethal operations with Pakistan’s consent, permission and consultation is simply tragic and traumatic.

Furthermore, to stage a somersault about the traditional and age old adversarial relations between India and Pakistan by claiming that Pakistan does not face or fear any threat from India is a blatant negation of the continuous tension and war ridden history between the two countries. There might be a new initiative by the President for peace with neighborly India but to white-wash the hostility of that country by portraying it as a friend is naive simplicity, or mere cowardice and complete ignorance of confrontational past including three wars between the two countries since they achieved independence. Do the Prime Minister and President of Pakistan know that Kashmir issue was at the core of the entire animus that existed between the two neighbours and that India never missed an opportunity to harm Pakistan? One glaring example is the truncation of Pakistan in 1971 made possible by the Indian armed forces joining the separatists in the formerly East Pakistan. One can forget the bitterness and happenings of the past but to scuttle and belittle the resurging indigenous Kashmiris’ movement for independence from Indian hegemony by calling them terrorists is patently to be more Indian than a Pakistani. Still if Pakistan wants to wash its hands off the Kashmiris’ struggle for independence of Indian occupied Kashmir then you have to take your parliamentarians in confidence as that is the essence of democracy. If you would like to supercede Musharraf in making wild announcements then how you would like to be distinguished from your predecessor or a leader if you too ignore the supreme national interests. Parliament’s in-camera session is ostensibly aimed at paving way for a hurdle free and ultimate permission to the American and NATO military forces to extend their operations to the Pakistani territories more specifically to the tribal borders regions between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Let there be no doubt that the onus and focus of both Republican hawks and democrats is shifting to Afghanistan, FATA and Pakistan, primarily for a face saving subterfuge to cover up an historic and disgraceful roll back from Iraq. Secondly, Pakistan is being whisked away from the close bonds of friendship with China to be banded with the apron string of India. This carries twin purpose of crafting a bloc against China consisting of Afghanistan, India and Pakistan that was the cherished goal of Americans all these years.

Now is the right climate and more conductive circumstances for them to realize that coveted goal. The pro-India statements apart, giving a free hand to American and NATO forces to stalk Pakistan’s territories against terrorist’s bands might as well be aimed at achieving some other hidden goals. May be encirclement of China is the perceived goal. It is in this spirit that the American and NATO generals as well as Hamid Karazai the puppet President of Afghanistan are talking to win the Taliban via negotiations. Doesn’t it mean that Taliban pose no threat to American security any more and that they can be tamed to be used against China as they and other Islamic jihadists were used against the Red army in Afghanistan? Why this sudden and inexplicable change of hearts has come about? The reason is simple. There is a pliant government in Pakistan. The Indian government is a declared front line state against China. Taliban in the changing circumstances could also act as a bulwark against Iran.

That is why while America would remain relentless against Al-Qaeda, it would like to carry favour with Taliban to use them along with Pakistan and its territories for the encirclement of China. If the strife within Pakistan and in the tribal areas is being masterminded by Americans as is being projected at various forums then at a certain point Pakistan’s nuclear assets could also be possessed by America and NATO under the pretext that these were not safe and could be attacked and robbed by the anti-American groups.

Pakistan seeking $3 billion from China

Pakistan is seeking $3 billion from China in emergency aid, according to the Washington Post.
The visiting State Bank of Pakistan Governor Shamshad Akhtar told the Post that Pakistan is also seeing assistance from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The Bush administration and Congress have been shaping a long-term economic and military assistance package for Pakistan, but there is no indication the US is able to step in with a short-term financial lifeline, the report says.
It says there are fears that Pakistan may not be able to secure the funds to avoid a debt default early next year, and its investor potential insolvency could grow into a panic in coming weeks.
Investors are more concerned about Pakistan now because Saudi Arabia has not yet responded to a Pakistan request for an oil facility, it said.