Conflict in Afghanistan: Myths & realities
Shamsa Ishfaq

THE Afghan war is not an unreported war in the media but it is largely unreported war in terms of correct, useful and unclassified reporting by Afghan government, US and NATO/ISAF sources. Unlike the Iraq war, there is no Department Defence Quarterly report on the progress of the war and efforts to create effective Afghan security, governance and development. There is no equivalent to the state department weekly status report. The reporting that is available also decouples the fighting in Afghanistan from that in Pakistan. Whereas, the growing incidents of terrorism in Pakistan are not home grown rather an extension of intensified militancy in recent years in Afghanistan. Accordingly, public official reporting on the growing intensity of the war since 2006 ignores one of the most critical aspects of the conflict that US and NATO/ISAF’ axiomatically unrealistic solutions to Afghan problem along with a refusal to look at the consequences of current and earlier actions has actually aggravated regional peace and security.
The US’ impatience has resulted in a generic view of conflict in Afghanistan which is totally different from the reality. Due to its narrow view no progress has been made in the effort to stabilize and unify Afghanistan while at the same time the conduct of the war in Afghanistan has created an enormous potential for instability in Pakistan. Not realizing that stirring problem in Afghanistan actually caused problems to flow into Pakistan, the US and Western media reporting portrayed the problems faced by ISAF as coming from Pakistan. However the reality is the reverse of this.
In reality, Indian intelligence agency RAW is busy in destabilising Pakistan from its new base in Afghanistan in concert with RAM, Mossad and CIA. Afghan refugees who have returned, Uzbeks and Baloch dissidents are being trained by RAW in Afghanistan and launched into selected areas with full connivance of CIA. BLA leadership based in Helmand is patronised by RAW and CIA. Recently, RAW has been found funding suicide bomb attacks in Pakistan and that Indian agency has funneled Rs 680 million through its links with Afghan Secret Agency. Baitullah Mehsud and its Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is supported and financed by Indian agency to carry out subversive activities in Pakistan revealed media sources. On 13 August, three persons of militant gang TTP had been arrested red-handed while they were on prowl for a target. The accused carrying the suicide kits including two jackets and 70kg of explosives and detonators, confessed that their trainer known as ‘Ustad’ is an expert of making bombs. Being Indian Ustad works with vengeance against Pakistan and also leads suicide bombers to the marked site of the blast. They also disclosed that TTP manages funds for the splinter groups from RAW which works in collusion with RAM. The suicide attacks on FIA building, Naval War College, Model Town Lahore, High Court and PAF bus in Sargodha, blasts at Aabpara market and Marriott Hotel Islamabad were all orchestrated by RAW in collaboration with RAM.
After revelation of RAW-RAM involvement in terrorist acts it is poignantly deplorable to learn that USA and ISAF officials are also involved in supporting Pakistani dissidents in Baluchistan. According to reports, ISAF not only supports Brahamdagh Bugtis in Baluchistan and provides weapons and ammunition to them to take part in violent acts of terrorism but also aiding Taliban in Afghanistan with food, ammunition and weapons. Reportedly on 16 July 2008, one military helicopter of ISAF landed at Deh Chopan district Zabul and handed over logistics supplies and weapons to Taliban through their representative Maulvi Ilam Gul. Similarly, on 02 March 2008 in district Deh Chopan, Zabul, a helicopter made an emergency landing and provided weapons and logistic supplies to Taliban. Although the ISAF spokesman maintained the landings were by mistake but it is evident that their covert involvement is also a part of international conspiracy against Pakistan.
As a matter of fact the US-led military adventure in Afghanistan is about expanding influence over the oil-rich and strategically important regions of the middle east and central Asia, not promoting democracy and development, nor combating terrorism and drug trafficking. According to Anatol Lieven, a professor of war at King’s College London, ‘Afghanistan is becoming a sort of surreal hunting estate, in which the U.S. and NATO breed the very terrorists they then track down. According to the Reto Stocken of the Red Cross, large areas of south, the southeast, the east and also growing parts of the west are in an emergency situation, which means continual insecurity and an absence of basic services. And once a population turns against an occupation there are few places in the world where an occupier is going to come out on the winning side. Afghanistan, with its enormous size and daunting geography, is certainly not one of them.
Amid such a milieu, it is comforting for the US, ISAF, Afghan offciicls and even Indian analysts and journalists to have a scapegoat for the frustrations of the Afghan conflict and conditions conducive for the double game foreign forces are playing in Afghanistan to achieve their own objectives. In order to pursue their own agenda the US, NATO/ISAF and Afghan government have never provided reliable breakouts of Afghan causalities, no reliable central chronology, no detailed description of NATO/ISAF or Afghan army and police activity and out comes. No meaningful maps are provided of either the pattern of conflict or the shifts in Taliban influence. In last few years, the vigorously done job by the coalition partners and the Indian media is the publication of reports alleging Pakistan and its intelligence agencies’ links with the militants. These misleading and factually incorrect reports are based on propaganda to create doubts and suspicion in the minds of world community about Pakistan’s role in supporting the coalition forces in Afghanistan. In this context, Indians are instrumental in convincing and colouring US perceptions about ISI and are keen to make it impotent. While Coalition forces are active in hiding their own strategic mistakes and fake faces in pursuance of their own vested interests in Afghanistan.
As the situation continues to deteriorate, the US administrations persistent policy to expand the war in Pakistan would not only be disastrous but lead directly to the genocide in the region. By any measure military victory in Afghanistan is simply not possible. The only viable alternative is to begin direct negotiations with the Taliban instead of alleging and pushing Pakistan too far. If USA administration really want to curb terrorism first they would have to decide whether they really wish to win the conflict they are fighting in Afghanistan, or merely wish to find someone to blame for their failure. Instead of throwing everything on Pakistan, a check on activities of Indian missions in Afghanistan, Afghan intelligence agency and coalition forces is imperative. It is high time that the US and NATO led-ISAF review their strategic objectives vis-à-vis Afghanistan and redefine success so that peace and stability prevail in the region.

Obama, India & War On Terror
Waqar Ahmed

BY electing Barrack Obama with landslide majority, American electorate wanted a significant change in foreign policy. It may be characterized as a move from Bush’s unilateralism to multilateralism and from confrontation to diplomacy, rejecting the ill-conceived wars and the chaotic financial scenario which has distorted the image of the US as a sole superpower. Now it goes to the elected president Obama to clear the mess as he has said that two wars, a planet in peril and the worst financial crisis in history pose “the greatest challenges of our lifetime”. As regards the global war on terror, there is no doubt Barrack Obama wants to win this different war through ‘the battle of ideas’ by “following an American foreign policy based on country’s traditional values and by partnering with moderates within the Islamic world. Unlike the hot pursuit strategy of the President Bush, Obama wants to resolve the nuclear issue of Iran through talks without imposing conditions. Same policy he intends to pursue in case of North Korea. He is also cool minded in relation to Russia and China, and he wants to settle the thorny issue of Palestine through diplomacy. On the contrary, when it comes to Pakistan, the case is quite different as Obama is determined to follow an aggressive policy. In one of the most heated debates, Mr. Obama argued that he would take the war to Osama bin Laden’s cave door, whether Pakistan cooperated or not. It was Mr. McCain, the Republican nominee, who replied that without Pakistan’s cooperation, any such operation would fail. It is of particular attention that on August 1, 2008, Barack Obama called for a tough stand against Al Qaeda militants hiding in tribal areas of Pakistan, even at the risk of sidelining the US frontline ally of war on terror.
The US elected president had remarked on September 25, “Pakistan’s biggest threat is not India but militants within its own area”. By this, probably he wanted to show his inclination towards India in comparison to Pakistan. Democrats have a history of favoring India as compared to Pakistan despite the fact that India has never played a role for US may it be war against former USSR or war on terror in Afghanistan. Question arises as to why Obama does not pay attention to the fact that India has always been creating lawlessness in Pakistan. New Delhi has established more than 200 foreign offices and training camps in Afghanistan where RAW’s intelligence officials with the help of Khad and tactical support of CIA are doing their utmost to weaken Pakistan by sending weapons to the separatist elements in Balochistan and particularly to the insurgents of FATA regions. In Wakhan, a religious Madrassa of the Indian Muslim clerics is functioning under the patronage of RAW and Mossad. Thus more than 20,000 ideologically motivated terrorists are intermittently being infiltrated into troubled spots of Pakistan. Posing as volunteers, they join the Taliban militants to fight against Pakistan’s Security Forces. These miscreants also conducted a number of suicide attacks and bomb blasts in Pakistan, killing a number of innocent people. In Kurram Agency, RAW’s Afghan agents are also actively involved in creating the sectarian divide. Their main plot is to create chaos in our country. Newly elected president should focus his attention on these sinister designs of his new strategic partner. Everyone knows that Washington intends to make India a major power to counterbalance China. Hence, in the recent past, US has signed the agreement of civil nuclear technology with New Delhi, which is likely to change balance of power between India and Pakistan. Ignoring the sacrifices of Pakistan during war on terror—huge casualties of military and civilian personnel, destruction of government installations through suicide bombs, arrest of key commanders of Al Qaeda by Pakistani Security Forces, multi-faceted crises inside our country, Washington still emphasizes on Pakistan to ‘do more’ against the Taliban in FATA.
Needless to say that traditionally the Democrat governments in the United States have been more inclined towards India than Pakistan. The main cause for this might have been the strong Indian lobby associated with Democrat senators and congressmen of US or India’s so called democratic behaviour and falsely projected secularism. But there is no reason that this perception can not change. Why can’t Democrats review their policy of maintaining good relations with India only? Republicans also maintain equal relations with India and Pakistan. The recently concluded Indo – US Nuclear Deal was put into operation by Bush Administration, the neo-conservative Republican regime and the same administration has declared India as the “natural partner and strategic ally of the United States” in the midst of its eight years long rule where Pakistan has played the role of a front line state in the global war on terror. We have rather faced more US sanctions while being in the Democrats camp. Indeed our geo-strategic and geo-political location was always misused for the eventual benefit of United States, irrespective of Republican or Democrat’s governments.
 

Innovative thoughts for Islamic education
Amar Raza

QURAN and Art Research Centre has embarked upon a unique and exceptional work on Quran, bringing out its beautiful colours and in the process, real and willing understanding of divine messages to a common man .The basic idea behind all this is to present Quran in its true colourful manifestation as each word which is work of Allah written in Quran, attract the reader and touches his heart. It is interesting and surprising to discover a gifted calligrapher in a pilot of the civil aviation wing of army ‘Amir Raza flies a cobra helicopter and also find time to write verses of the Holy Quran in various styles and forms. He said that he realized that whatever work “he has done is calligraphy only based on the verses of the Holy Quran
The calligraphy of Quran is not only an outcome of skill but an understanding of the Holy book and its message. When we talk through colours then we come to know, how much important they are in our life. Through these same colours, beautiful work has been done on Quran, which has gained special attraction by people and this work through this beautiful combination of colours concept of Quran learning through art become bright. Like Surah-e-Fatiha’s meanings are so brightly presented through different colours. Like when it is said by God “O God show us the right path of those to whom you have become merciful”. So white path is made in its background. White colour is showing the holiness of right path the word coming out of Allah. Black colour is used in the background of the word ‘Walaz-zoa leen’ it gives meaning about those people, moving on wrong path and God is angry with them. Black colour is representing the eagerness of God. When the word comes “Malik-e-yomid Deen” there is a circle showing the earth and the Day of Judgment in it. When we read the Surah with colours its meanings becomes easy. Same as Surah Al-Humza, in this Surah the evil of society is given, in which the biggest to save money or making of property and look after it indeed. So these people will be thrown in ‘Hutma” (The great fire made by Allah). In this Surah, when the word comes ‘Nar Ullah” here we found fire in its background and yellow colour is use in the background of fire. Same like that when we go through other Surahs their meanings becomes so clear and reader will found.
We should change our old thinking and become practical to spread Islam so that we become in line with the developed countries and to spread message of Quran. This way of learning made it easy to understand Quran. Children not only feel it easy to read Quran but also learn by heart and to convey message of Quran to other societies and nations. Wherever we arranged exhibitions, viewers say that they can understand meanings of verses. This work got huge popularity although we did not follow the rules of calligraphy and graphic designing, even we did not ponder to any “school of thought” because is a self-defined work.
I would like to say that Government should promote such art moreover “Centre of Excellence” should be created in which thinkers and scholars could work together through different angles and arrange their educational system in such way that up coming generation should get advantage of Quran. It is not duty of just Government but an ordinary person should also sponsor such art to complete the mission. Such kind of Islamic festival should be arranged to make a platform in preaching parties, school, universities and ordinary person should present their work in shape of stalls. New and bright thoughts with a moderate way of living, is the real purpose of life.