Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif. File photo

Washington, October 5

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif today warned India against carrying out surgical strike or targeting its nuclear installations, saying if that happens nobody should expect restraint from his country.Referring to the statement of India’s Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa that the Indian armed forces are ready for a full spectrum operation, Asif said Pakistan wants to live in peace and harmony with its neighbours.But if India carries out any surgical strike in Pakistan or strikes at its nuclear installations “nobody should expect restraint from us”, he warned.Speaking at the US Institute of Peace, a Washington-based think-tank, Asif said the “relationship with India is at a lowest ebb at the moment”.Responding to a question on India, he said, “sadly India did not respond” to Pakistani efforts to improve relationship.”What is going on in Kashmir is the biggest roadblock to normalisation to talks,” Asif said.The Pakistani Foreign Minister asked the US not to treat his country as a “whipping boy” and said Washington has already lost the war in Afghanistan and is only trying to salvage the situation in the war-torn nation.Asif, who is here as part of efforts to rebuild bilateral ties frayed after President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of sheltering terror groups, said his meetings with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and National Security Advisor H R McMaster were good. “Was not bad,” Asif quipped, giving a sense of his talks with top leadership of the Trump administration, which has been seeking accountability from Islamabad in the war against terrorism including continued presence of terror safe havens in Pakistan.Asif in a way acknowledged that the madrasas were training ground for terrorists.”These madrasas were nurseries for American jihad in Afghanistan. People who took those decisions will burn to hell. We are actually living in hell because of that decision,” he said, adding that Pakistan is paying the price of such a decision.”The meeting went well with Tillerson and McMaster (meeting) was good. (It) was not bad,” Asif said, noting that the two countries need to pursue contacts with each other.He favoured adopting an approach of talks and exchange of views more vigorously.The US, he said, is focusing solely on safe haven allegations or blaming Pakistan for what they have not achieved in Afghanistan.”There are many more dimension of what is going on in Afghanistan,” he said.”A corrupt government in Kabul, increasing narcotics trade, the Afghan Army selling arms to the Taliban, losing terrorist and bringing Daesh (ISIS) to Afghanistan,” he said.”Let’s see this conflict in its entirety, in totality. Do not treat Pakistan like a whipping boy. That’s not acceptable.We want to cooperate with the US. We are the direct beneficiary of peace and stability in Afghanistan,” he said.Standing by his remarks on some of the terrorist groups and terrorist leaders at the Asia Society in New York last week, Asif said they are a liability.”We will find ways and means to wrapping up this business. This is a liability. (but) this cannot be wrapped up overnight,” he said.Responding to a question, Asif said there are problems in US-Pakistan ties.”We do have problems with the US. We have deficit of trust. We are trying to mend those deficits,” he said.Pakistan, he said, sees more role for Russia and China in the region.Relationship with Russia has improved in recent years.”We need and have proposed any peace solution in Afghanistan should be backed by regional powers which includes the Russian federation,” he said in response to a question.”Madrassas, whether we accept or agree with them or not, are the biggest NGO in Pakistan…There are over 20,000 madrasas. Out of these huge number, a very low number of them are infected. Possibly they number around 300-400. The government is managing these madrasas,” he said. — PTI

The Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing post midnight. PTI file

Poonch, October 5

Pakistan on Thursday resorted to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Digwar sector of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir.The Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing post midnight.Digwar district was a witness to another ceasefire violation from Pakistan on Wednesday.

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Earlier on Monday, two minors were reportedly killed and five other civilians got injured as Pakistani troops resorted to mortar shelling, besides small and automatic weapons fire at various places along the LoC in Poonch district.Pakistan has violated ceasefire a number of times in the past few months.Last week, Pakistani troops had opened fire in the Poonch and Bhimbher Gali sectors.On Tuesday, a Border Security Force (BSF) Camp near Srinagar Airport was attacked by three terrorists.The terrorists were gunned down during an encounter with the 182nd Battalion of the BSF, located near the Airport and Air Force Station, Gogoland. ANI

Fiile photo of a Guardian drone. AFP

Washington, October 22

The Trump Administration is “considering” India’s request for armed drones for its air force, weeks after approving the sale of high-tech unarmed Guardian drones to India.“Yes, yes,” a senior administration official told PTI when asked about India’s pending request about the purchase of armed drones as part of its armed forces’ modernisation drive.

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The armed drones, the Indian Air Force (IAF) believes, would help it strengthen its defence capabilities.Early this year, the IAF had requested the US Government for General Atomics Predator C Avenger aircraft. It is understood that the IAF would need 80 to 100 units making it approximately a whopping USD 8 billion deal.The Trump Administration’s consideration in this regard comes months after a successful meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump at the White House on June 26, during which the US announced to sell 22 unarmed Guardian drones to India, which would add to the Indian Navy’s surveillance capabilities in the strategic Indian Ocean region.“We are at ways to, in terms of foreign military sales, but really also in defence cooperation broadly how to strengthen our relationship and cooperation,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.The official was responding to questions on defence relationship and India’s quest for high-tech defence equipments and technologies from the US as part of its long overdue armed forces’ modernisation drive running into several hundred billions of dollars over the next decade.Previous Obama Administration had designated India as major defence partner and the Trump Administration has accelerated the process of considering Indian requests.“The US Navy and the Indian Navy have been cooperating for many years on counter-piracy efforts, on ensuring freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf,” the official said.“I think that (defence) cooperation is only going to increase based on the need for it to increase and the kind of trust that we are building through personal relationships and through a fundamental understanding that our interests aligned so clearly,” the official said.Last week, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had said that in keeping with India’s status as a major defence partner and their mutual interest in expanding maritime cooperation, the Trump administration has offered a menu of defence options for India’s consideration, including the Guardian UAV.“We value the role India can play in global security and stability and are prepared to ensure they have even greater capabilities,” Tillerson had said ahead of his visit to India.He did not mention about armed drones. He, however, said “the proposals the US has put forward, including for Guardian UAVs, aircraft carrier technologies, the Future Vertical Lift program, and F-18 and F-16 fighter aircraft, are all potential game changers for our commercial and defence cooperation.” PTI

Lucknow: The Lucknow-Agra Expressway will be closed for commuters from 10 am on Monday till 2 pm on Tuesday as the Indian Air Force plans to conduct a major touchdown exercise involving 20 planes on the highway. This is for the first time that transport aircraft AN-32 will “land and then take off” from this highway. PTI

Lucknow-Agra Expressway to be closed for IAF touchdown

File photo of the Sukhoi-30 MKI jet.

Lucknow, October 22

The Lucknow-Agra Expressway will be closed for commuters from 10 am on Monday till 2 pm on Tuesday as the Indian Air Force plans to conduct a major touchdown exercise involving 20 planes, including the AN-32, Mirage 2000 and Sukhoi-30 MKI, on the highway.

This is for the “first time” that transport aircraft (AN-32) will “land and then take off” from this highway, an official said.

According to PRO, Defence (Central Command), Gargi Malik Sinha, the IAF will conduct the aircraft touchdown exercise on the Agra Expressway near Bangarmau in Unnao district.

“It is for the first time that any transport aircraft will land and then take off (on the highway). The AN-32 are meant for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The aircraft can bring a large amount of relief material and can also help in evacuating people,” Sinha said.

In all, 20 aircraft including AN-32 transport and fighter planes like Mirage 2000, Jaguar, Sukhoi 30 MKI will take part in the exercise, she said.

“Two AN-32 planes will participate in the October 24 Expressway touchdown,” the PRO said.

To ensure a smooth conduct of the touchdown by IAF aircraft, traffic restrictions will be placed on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway for general public from October 23 to October 24.

In a letter sent to district magistrate Unnao, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) Awanish Awasthi said that Indian Air Force was planning to conduct highways flying operations on October 24 on the airstrip of Agra- Lucknow Expressway in Unnao district.

The letter further said, “It is to bring to your notice that due to Diwali vacation, a lot of traffic is moving on the expressway. Hence, keeping in view the convenience of the expressway users, it is proposed to stop the use of expressway for general public from 10 am on October 23 to 2 pm on October 24”.

The CEO asked the Unnao district magistrate to ensure that sufficient police force is deployed to control the public and movement of authorised vehicles on expressway and also take measures to ensure safe flying operations on the scheduled day from 8 am till 1 pm. PTI

File photo of a Bofors gun. AFP

New Delhi, October 18

The CBI on Wednesday said it would look into the “facts and circumstances” of the Bofors scam mentioned by private detective Michael Hershmam, who alleged that the Rajiv Gandhi-led Congress government had sabotaged his investigation.

Hershman, who is the president of the US-based private detective firm Fairfax, claimed in television interviews recently that Rajiv Gandhi was “furious” when he had found a Swiss bank account “Mont Blanc”.

Hershman, who was here last week to address a conference of private detectives, also alleged that the bribe money of the Bofors gun scandal had been parked in the Swiss account.

“The agency has learnt of the matter pertaining to the Bofors aired on certain TV channels containing interview of Michael Hershman,” CBI informationa officer and spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said in a statement.

“Facts and circumstances as mentioned in the interview will be looked into as per due process by the CBI,” he said.

Hershman was quoted as telling television channels that Rajiv Gandhi got very upset when “our work was uncovered”. He then established a Supreme Court commission to look into the circumstances surrounding then finance minister V P Singh’s hiring of Fairfax.

In his interviews, Hershman has expressed his willingness to testify and help Indian agencies on the Rs 64 crore Bofors gun pay-off scandal but the effort has to be a credible one. PTI

THE absence of a dialogue can hurt, especially if the only Indian strategy to rein in Pakistan is an endless supply of verbal fusillade. Pakistan seized its moment as soon as US President Donald Trump telegraphed his appreciation for its army rescuing five Western hostages from the clutches of the Haqqani network. A day later, the Punjab government (Pakistan) told the Supreme Court that it will not press ahead with militant leader Hafiz Saeed’s incarceration for the fifth time under the anti-terrorism legislation. The Pakistan administration did not feel the need to continue with the façade of pretending to rein in one of its strategic assets once it successfully pulled off the caper of “rescuing” Western hostages from a militant organisation mentored by the spy agency, ISI. Sections of the media will make much of this let off but the fact is that Saeed and his cohorts will remain under house arrest under another law.Pakistan is currently divided over the usefulness of its resident militant leaders. The ISI wants to de-radicalise militant-linked organisations by bringing them into political processes. Saeed duly formed a political party and contested the byelections featuring former PM Nawaz Sharif’s wife. But a section of the Pakistani establishment was not pleased with this rather blatant attempt to whitewash a militant organisation. Its election commission has refused to register his political party because it has links with militants and accused by the US and India of involvement in the Mumbai attacks. This is Pakistan at its quintessential enigmatic best: If a door is shut, a window remains open.However, India under PM Modi has gone through one of the longest estrangements with Pakistan in recent times. The various dialogue formats in the past always helped resurrect the relationship after a period of bitterness. The US seemed to be siding with the Indian approach soon after Trump became President. It may not bother with India’s woes if the Pakistani army appears to be playing ball in Afghanistan. India needs to find its mojo to deal with Pakistan. Raining down verbal fire is neither helpful nor sustainable.

”Lack of response” from Chinese railways has been stated has the reason behind the delay. — Representative photo

New Delhi, October 15

An ambitious high-speed train project in south India has been delayed after Chinese railways, that completed a feasibility study a year ago, did not respond, railway officials have said, suggesting that the “lack of response” may be due to the Dokalam standoff.An internal brief of the Mobility Directorate on the status of nine high-speed projects of the railways, accessed by PTI, shows that the Chennai-Bangalore-Mysore corridor, a 492-km stretch, lies in limbo because the Chinese railways has failed to respond to the ministry’s communiqués.”The Chinese company submitted the final report in November 2016 and after that the Chinese team has suggested for a face to face interaction. No date has been fixed from their side,” said the note prepared by the Mobility Directorate.On the reason for the delay, the brief states — “lack of response” from Chinese railways.The brief also states that the feasibility study by the China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co Ltd (CREEC) was submitted to the Railway Board in November 2016 and after that the Chinese company had sought meetings with officials of the Board.However, officials say the Board has been unable to get in touch with officials of CREEC despite repeated communications sent to them via mails in the last six months.”We have even tried to get in touch with them through their Embassy here, but we are yet to hear from them,” said an official.The ministry officials said it was the standoff between the two countries in Bhutan’s Dokalam area between June 16 and August 28 this year that seems to have derailed the project.”The study began in 2014 and they submitted the report in 2016. The entire cost was borne by them. In fact they have shown so much interest in collaborating with us for other projects as well, so we think that it was the standoff that must have raised doubts,” said a senior rail official.An email to the Chinese Embassy by the PTI on the issue did not elicit any response.Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Dokalam since June 16 after the Indian side stopped the building of a road in the disputed area by the Chinese Army. Bhutan and China have a dispute over Dokalam.The brief, prepared by the department in charge of all the high speed corridors, also states that except the Chinese roadblock, work on the eight other projects was on track.China had in fact not only pitched for the Mumbai- Ahemdabad high speed network, which was finally bagged by Japan, but also for the bullet project in the Mumbai-Delhi sector, which is yet to be finalised.China is also training railway engineers in heavy hauling and it is with Chinese collaboration that India is setting up its first railway university.The Chennai-Bangalore-Mysore corridor is one of nine such high speed corridors being developed by the ministry. The aim was to increase the speed from the present 80 kmph to 160 kmph.While the Delhi-Agra route was made operational in 2016 with the country’s fastest train Gatimaan Express running between the two cities, the work on rest seven of eight of 8 is going at a fast pace, the brief indicated. — PTI