Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria. ANI

Islamabad, July 6

Pakistan on Thursday expressed concern over the reported sale of advanced weapons to India by some countries, saying it would undermine the strategic balance in the region.“Pakistan will continue to raise its voice at the international fora which should objectively assess its actions and policies towards South Asian region,” Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said at his weekly media briefing.His comments came amid reports that the US has cleared the sale of predator Guardian drones to India.Zakaria said Pakistan was alive toward the issue of its national security which would be safeguarded at every cost.He also rejected allegations about presence of the Haqqani network in Pakistan and said that it was just “rhetoric” and effort to shift blame on his country.“The killing of a number of commanders of Haqqani network in Afghanistan clearly indicate that the group is based in Afghanistan and not operating from Pakistan,” he said.He also claimed that in Pakistan there was no organised presence of any terror outfit like the Taliban, Jamaat-ul Ahrar, IS and al-Qaeda.Zakaria said that during the visit of the US delegation headed by Senator John McCain, matters pertaining to Afghanistan were discussed.He repeated Pakistan’s support for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process. He alleged that New Delhi was against peace in the war-torn country.The spokesperson also said that there are reports of Indian forces using ammunition containing chemical agents and precursors in Kahsmir.“We call upon the international community, particularly, relevant International organisations to initiate investigations into these reports,” he added. — PTI Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria. ANI Islamabad, July 6 Pakistan on Thursday expressed concern over the reported sale of advanced weapons to India by some countries, saying it would undermine the strategic balance in the region. “Pakistan will continue to raise its voice at the international fora which should objectively assess its actions and policies towards South Asian region,” Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said at his weekly media briefing. His comments came amid reports that the US has cleared the sale of predator Guardian drones to India. Zakaria said Pakistan was alive toward the issue of its national security which would be safeguarded at every cost. He also rejected allegations about presence of the Haqqani network in Pakistan and said that it was just “rhetoric” and effort to shift blame on his country. “The killing of a number of commanders of Haqqani network in Afghanistan clearly indicate that the group is based in Afghanistan and not operating from Pakistan,” he said. He also claimed that in Pakistan there was no organised presence of any terror outfit like the Taliban, Jamaat-ul Ahrar, IS and al-Qaeda. Zakaria said that during the visit of the US delegation headed by Senator John McCain, matters pertaining to Afghanistan were discussed. He repeated Pakistan’s support for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process. He alleged that New Delhi was against peace in the war-torn country. The spokesperson also said that there are reports of Indian forces using ammunition containing chemical agents and precursors in Kahsmir. “We call upon the international community, particularly, relevant International organisations to initiate investigations into these reports,” he added. — PTI

Mere assurances won’t do, the Captain must deliver on many fronts

CAPT Amarinder Singh comparatively is an honest politician who would like to have no gap between what he has promised and what he is doing. But there are interest groups operating, each vying to have its own pound of flesh and, sometimes, they get the better of him. He knows this dilemma like Shakespeare’s Hamlet, who wishes to disentangle himself from the temptation to do what he must do for the sake of justice, for the welfare of the State. There is also another distinction as Amarinder Singh is an elected leader in a democracy and should be aware of the transitory nature of his office.  The Congress that has come to power after 10 years has its task cut out and set in its election manifesto. It also knows too well that if unimplemented, the manifesto might come to haunt it. If there are good omens, there are bad signs too. At one stage, the new government was able to conduct hassle-free procurement of wheat soon after it came to power — some 11.5 million tonnes against last year’s 10.6 mt at a whopping cost of Rs 21,000 crore. The Akalis had fumbled during the last two seasons. The fight against the drug menace that has nearly ruined a generation of Punjabi youth is making some notable successes. Some big fish have been caught, supply routes are being disrupted and there is an effort to break the politician-police-smuggler nexus. But it would require a stronger political will at the level of Amarinder Singh and his party leadership to break this nexus. He is fortunate to have a seasoned former leader of the Opposition, Sunil Jakhar, as state president. He is proving his mettle in keeping the party united and defusing the crisis. It was Jakhar who prevailed upon the CM to disband truck unions that had turned into a mafia and were extorting crores of rupees every year from traders and truck operators. But efforts to streamline the sand mining business and break the powerful politician-bureaucrat nexus has run into rough water with one of his ministers allegedly found with his hands in the till. Amarinder Singh knows that it has adversely impacted  the image of his government and has weakened his resolve to fight corruption. The Congress, despite its best effort to have a smooth ride during the first budget session, faced a united Opposition and rough conditions. There should have been not even a semblance of unity between the two arch rivals, the Akali Dal and the AAP.  Another area which is causing troubles is the government’s lack of promised serious efforts to end the monopoly of the cable operator control system. For this reason, many a television channel was either killed or stopped in the tracks from coming to Punjab. It has given near-monopoly to a channel allegedly owned by none other than former Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal. While the CM has clearly stated not to hold any probe by the vigilance department, his local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu has declared a war on Punjab’s ‘cable mafia’ and asserted that Fastway Cable Network ‘bullied Reliance Communications, which was laying cables for 4G mobile services, to lay its cable too, for free’. If what he said is true, there is a serious case of punishing the guilty and bringing back the Rs 680 crore of evaded taxes and create a level-playing field for all cable operators and television channels like Day and Night and ABP. Some have been waiting desperately to start operations. The government failed to bring in legislation to end Fastway’s hold on the cable network, though the irrepressible Sidhu — replying to Congress MLA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa during question hour — had said, ‘It is a miracle that a company that started with Rs 25 lakh as capital showed profit of Rs 30 crore during its first year. Like a big fish, it ate away the small fish. It created a monopoly by intimidating cable operators. It rendered over one lakh youth jobless.’  The CM, as it is clear from the latest Cabinet meetings, would be risking much if he ignored the demand for a probe and a new law to regulate cable networks. Also, the wayward transport department that had become a fiefdom of the Badals for the benefit of the family-owned luxury passenger transport has to be rid of the syndicates, where even some Congress bigwigs have developed a stake.  The CM loses nothing if he acts tough as there is a strong support among Congress MLAs. Is it not the party’s major commitment made to the people? Another area where he spent long hours designing a strategy is the agriculture crisis. With adverse market conditions and daily disturbing news of more and more farmer suicides, he announced a slew of measures. He claims in an article in a leading daily that there should be no doubt about his intention to fulfill the promise of loan waiver. He writes, ‘Can anyone deny that the small and marginal farmers were the ones most acutely affected by the debt burden, and by waiving their loans up to Rs 2 lakh we have brought lakhs of them back from the brink of economic devastation?’ The government is not paying much heed to the crisis of landless agricultural labourers who are the worst hit. Recent studies suggest that the number of suicides by them was higher than farmers. But how does one explain the continued suicides by famers?  The agrarian crisis is, no doubt, a national problem. The NDA government has been tackling it for the past three years. PM Narendra Modi, who promised the farmers the moon by increasing their profit by 50 per cent, went back on his promise, declaring it was not possible. Instead, there were new promises: doubling farmers’  income by 2022 and a second Green Revolution. The government has not disclosed from what level of income it would double. From insurance, made compulsory in many states, farmers have paid their premium but during the kharif season last year, only 23 per cent claims were settled. The less said the better about the soil cards.  In these times of grave crisis, more farmers are falling in the debt trap. A bumper harvest during the last two years has meant a bumper crisis. What is the solution before Punjab?   Enterprising farmers like Avtar Singh offer good hope. The 60-year-old owns — along with his two brothers — just three and a half acres of land at Tira village, 10 km from Chandigarh. He grows turmeric, his farming being totally organic. He cleans stems, grinds turmeric and packs it neatly to sell to consumers. Quality sells and he makes a neat Rs 4 lakh. In another half acre, he prepares vermin-cultured compost and earns another Rs 7 lakh. Punjab grows organic food in over 12,000 acres and this is on the rise.  Let Amarinder Singh sit with hardy peasants like Avtar Singh and learn how to tide over the crisis. He would discover that experts living in comfortable rooms, drawing huge salaries, are of little use. The writer is a Chandigarh-based journalist

Amir Karim Tantray
Tribune News Service
Jammu, July 4
The 166 Military Hospital of Jammu completed 47 years on July 1, after being raised on July 1, 1970, as a military hospital in place of a section hospital of 148 Base Hospital. It was renamed 166 Military Hospital in 1978.
The hospital is strategically located with all specialised and diagnostic services available under one roof and is the centre of medical activity during active operations and hostilities.
In the last one year, 73 snake bite cases have been treated and 2,150 cataract surgeries of veterans have been carried out here. More than 2,500 out-patients are seen daily and on an average, there are more than seven to eight caesarean cases and challenging cases in orthopaedics, surgery and medicine department. At any given time, the bed occupancy is 95 per cent and above. Keeping up the pace with rapid technological advances, this hospital has adopted the guidelines of the National Accreditation Board of Hospital (NABH) and in the next six months, the hospital is likely to get accreditation. The Military Hospital in Jammu has left no stone unturned in providing latest specialised medical services.
Brigadier Tathagata Chatterjee, a haematopathologist, assumed command of this hospital in November 2015. In the last two years, using his administrative acumen and vision, he has made efforts to improve the working of this hospital.
The hospital is now equipped with the state-of-the-art 1.5 Tesla MRI, the only functional one in the whole Command Zone as of today.
A new AC plant for operation theatre and the ICU has been installed. The piped oxygen, air and vacuum supply to the wards and departments of this hospital has been started. A new centrifuge machine has been installed in the blood bank of the hospital.
The auditorium is equipped with a movie projector for clinical lectures and the screening of movies for patients.
The hospital is connected via campus wide area network, the outpatient services, departments. Medical stores of the hospital, too, have been automated in terms of generation and maintenance of patients’ records.
One of the busiest hospitals in North India
The 166 Military Hospital of Jammu is one of the busiest zonal hospitals in North India
This 600-bed hospital acts as a referral hospital for patients of Poonch, Rajouri, Akhnoor and Samba
It provides cover as a garrison hospital for the troops and families of the Army, Air Force and GREF located in and around Jammu and Nagrota
In addition, casualties of the BSF and the ITBP are also treated at this hospital

Our Correspondent

Doda, June 30

The Army today organised a disaster preparedness programme for all government departments with an aim to spread awareness regarding management of such situations in an efficient and organised manner.The programme was organised by 10 Rashtriya Rifles at Police Lines, Doda, where the Army carried out a joint exercise on disaster management in collaboration with the departments of civil administration, police, CRPF, SDRF, fire brigade, PWD, IRP and medical.The objective of the programme was to train and keep the entire department under single umbrella in such a situation and for better coordination in future.A real-time fire-fighting practice was also carried out jointly by the fire brigade and Army personnel followed by a rescue operation by an NGO, Chenab Rescuers.

The message to China is the same as to the rest of the world and that is to follow international norms in lieu of increasing Chinese submarines pushing way in to Indian Ocean.

The F/A-18 super hornet fighter jets line up along the 4.5-acre flight deck of the 98,000-tonne displacement US navy aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the Bay of Bengal.

The ship is sailing about a hundred nautical miles off the coast of Chennai. One after the other, a dozen aircraft are catapulted into the sky in under two minutes each. The aim is to dominate the skies as the P-8 A and P 8 I Poseidon aircraft of the US and Indian navies carry out long-range maritime reconnaissance and antisubmarine warfare operations to dominate the seas. 21 ships, including two submarines and over 100 aircraft and helicopters of the US, Japan and Indian navies are currently carrying out the most complex naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal in an aim to hunt down enemy submarines.

“This is the most complex exercise undertaken by the three navies together. INS Vikramaditya, India’s aircraft carrier with its MiG-29 K aircraft and P 8 I reconnaissance aircraft are participating in this exercise for the first time. The Japanese maritime defence force has also sent its most potent weapon platform JS Izumo with nine anti-submarine warfare helicopters for the first time.

EXERCISE A MESSAGE TO BELLIGERENT CHINA

“The US Navy has this aircraft carrier, LA class submarine, destroyers and cruisers, fighter aircraft, helicopters and P 8 A for joint submarine hunting and sea domination exercise,” says a top officer participating as an observer.

Though on record officers of the three countries insist the operations are all about interoperability and jointmanship to work together from humanitarian aid disaster relief to anti-piracy, scratch beneath the surface they admit the exercise is an attempt to send out a signal to an increasingly belligerent China.

The aim is to checkmate China. “The exercise is designed to advance military to military coordination and capacity to plan and execute tactical operations in multinational environment. There is a live firing gunnery exercises, helicopter cross deck operations and anti submarine warfare,” says Rear Admiral William Byrne, Commander of the US Carrier Strike Group.

CHINESE SUBMARINES LURKING IN INDIAN OCEAN

The message, to China, he insists is the same as to the rest of the world and that is to follow international norms. The Indian Navy is in the market hunting for anti-submarine warfare helicopters and on display are the capabilities of the MH 60 R ASW helicopters.

The Chinese navy submarines are increasingly lurking in the Indian ocean region. “We need better technology and more platforms to keep up with the Dragon’s every increasing footprint. This exercise is a step in the right direction,” he adds. As the navies refine their interoperability, the message is not lost. Today the three powerful maritime forces are operating in the Indian ocean region. Tomorrow, if required the three navies along with their allies can also operate across the high seas – from north Arabian Sea to the South China sea.

Chinese media sees India-United States-Japan Malabar exercise as security threat

The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a measured reaction to the drills saying that it has no objection to the bilateral relations and hopes it is conducive to regional peace.

While China’s government last week played down its concerns over the India-United States-Japan Malabar naval exercise that kicks off today, State media in Beijing have hit out at the largest-ever drills as a threat to China’s “security concerns” and economic interests in the Indian ocean region.

On Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a measured reaction to the drills, saying it has ‘no objection to normal bilateral relations and cooperation among relevant countries’ but ‘hope[s] this kind of relations and cooperation is not directed at any third party and conducive to regional peace and stability.’

An editorial today in the official China Daily, the English-language mouthpiece of the government that is under the State Council, or Chinese cabinet, struck a different note, saying that even while India expressed security concerns over China’s road-building in the India-China-Bhutan trijunction, it was China that had reason to be concerned about its security.

The editorial said, “India, the United States and Japan have begun their 10-day Malabar naval exercises in the Bay of Bengal, which are the biggest of their kind so far, and the US approved a $365-million sale of military transport aircraft to India last week and a $2-billion deal for surveillance drones is in the works, it is China that should feel ‘security concerns’, given the importance of the Indian Ocean for its trade and oil imports.”

CHINA WARY OF INDIA-US TIES

In the same paper, strategic expert Lin Minwang of the Institute of International Studies, at Fudan University in Shanghai, said the exercises underlined the growing closeness in India-US ties and showed India was becoming an American “ally”.

“While visiting the United States two weeks ago, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modimanaged to sell the idea that New Delhi is a key defence partner of Washington and it can serve as a counterweight to China’s rise,” he said. “A joint statement issued during his US visit said the US-India partnership is central to regional stability. In return, US President Donald Trump approved the sale of 22 Predator Guardian drones to India, a ‘luxury’ available only to the US NATO allies.”

“It is becoming clear that India is ready to serve as an ally of the US rather than a swing power that honours independent, non-aligned diplomacy,” added Lin, saying that “Beijing should remain vigilant against New Delhi’s moves while urging it to withdraw its troops from Chinese territory,” referring to the on-going Doklam stand-off.

ABOUT MALABAR EXERCISES

This year’s Malabar exercises are the widest in scope till date, involving the US aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, India’s carrier INS Vikramaditya and Japan’s helicopter carrier Izumo. One area of focus of the exercises is anti-submarine warfare, at a time when the PLA Navy’s submarines are an increasingly frequent presence in the Indian Ocean Region.

Japan’s inclusion in the exercise since 2014 has been a source of concern for some Chinese strategists, although Beijing on Friday played down concerns. The 8-day exercises, set to start on Monday, will involve more than 20 warships from the three countries.

China has in the past pressured India on multilateral exercises, seeing them as being aimed at Beijing. The Chinese government, for instance, bristled at past inclusions of Australia and Singapore in the bilateral India-US naval exercise.

China last month welcomed India’s decision to not include Australia in the drills, with the Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying saying, “I think India is also clear about the consideration behind [Australia’s] behaviours. I think we are happy to see normal dialogue and communications on security issues, but we also hope when conducting such operations, the parties can fully consider the security concerns of different parties and also play a positive and constructive role in promoting regional peace and stability.”

THE VIEW FROM WORLD WAR II viewers to believe, soldiers from the Indian subcontinent played a significant part in helping the Allies win WWII. A new book on veterans includes stunning portraits of these forgotten heroes

Says her husband was shown to be on leave when he died due to which many benefits denied

The family members of the soldier who died in a road accident in Bathinda on Thursday. Photo: Vijay Kumar

Gagandeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 27

The widow and three daughters of a soldier of the Indian Army, who died in a road accident in 2015 in Mukerian (Hoshiarpur), have demanded justice and benefits from Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and the Army chief.They alleged that the Commanding Officer of his unit had shown the soldier on leave on the day of the accident due to which the family could not get any benefit.Addressing mediapersons, Rajidner Kaur, widow of soldier Satnam Singh, along with her three daughters, said her husband was posted at Pathankot as driver (DMT).She said on February 5, 2015, her husband was coming back with his Commanding Officer Sandeep Kumar and his family from Delhi to Pathankot on the personal car (CH-04-H-8395) of his officer, who belonged to Delhi.On the same day as they reached near Mukerian, they met with an accident, she said.All others escaped with minor injuries but her husband NK Satnam Singh succumbed to injuries, she added.Rajinder Kaur alleged that after some time it came into her notice that her husband was shown “on leave” on the date of the accident and this was done to cover up the misuse of authority by the Commanding Officer who was not entitled to take Satnam Singh for on his personal car for a private visit.She said it surfaced a few days ago when she received all documents of her husband’s death.She alleged that Col Sandeep Kumar had done it merely to save himself from any disciplinary action and minor penalties.She questioned that if her husband was on leave on that day then why he was driving the personal car of his Commanding Officer.She said she had to bring up her three daughters — Jasmanpreet Kaur in Class VII, Khushmanpreet Kaur in Class V and Gunseerat Kaur in LKG.She owns only half an acre. The financial compensation received after the death was curtailed, she said.Rajinder Kaur said neither she and nor her family members were entitled for a government job.She said her husband was virtually on duty and he was obeying the orders of his Commanding Officer.Rajinder Kaur demanded fresh probe into the death of her husband from the Defence Minister and Army chief.She also demanded free study of her three daughters in Army schools till Class XII, a government job for herself and a quarter in Bathinda.She said she tried to contact the Commanding Officer over the phone but couldn’t get through.When she reached Pathankot at his husband’s unit, she came to know that Sandeep Kumar was transferred a few days ago.The family has written a letter to the Defence Minister, Army chief and four other officials of Satnam Singh’s unit.

Subedar Shashi Sharma

Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, July 19

An Army Subedar Shashi Sharma from Galol village of Nadaun was killed in ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces on the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir today. It was learnt that the martyr was seriously injured in the cross-border firing in Poonch and was admitted to base hospital at Udhampur who succumbed to the injuries. The Subedar (45)  was deployed in the Nowshera sector. His father Prithi Chand said the brave and sincere Shashi was survived by his wife, two daughters and a son. He said his Shashi was to retire in September this year and the family was planning to celebrate his homecoming.  The body of the martyr was expected to arrive in the village. It will be cremated with full military honour.