Current Events :
Islamabad, February 7
Pakistan Army plans to raise a new security division as well as additional 28 battalions and has sought extra funds from the government for it, amid increasing terror attacks on the educational institutions in the country.Top army officials yesterday met Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and demanded “financing and the release of funds”, Dawn reported, citing a statement issued by the Finance Ministry.The “government attaches the highest importance to security matters” and assured the “provision of funds for the new security division and additional battalions,” Dar was quoted as saying in the statement.The army launched a massive military operation in 2014 against Taliban militants who are blamed for brazen attacks on government and military installations.Since then, the military has claimed to kill thousands of militants in air raids in the north and through intelligence-based operations in various parts of the country.Despite the military crackdown, the Taliban militants continued their attacks, targeting public places and educational institutions.The militants attacked a university in Charsadda last month, killing 21 persons, including 19 students, in an attack that bore resemblance to the brazen December 2014 assault on an army-run school in Peshawar that killed 144, mostly students. PTI
Dave Mirra (right)
Nevada: The US Air Force will deploy four Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets to a different US air base this month as it assesses whether the new warplane can be declared combat-ready by August as planned. The deployment would include pilots, mechanics, spare parts, equipment and the plane’s computerised logistics system. The US Marine Corps declared an initial squadron of 10 of its F-35B model jets ready for combat last July. The F-35B can take off from shorter runways and land like a helicopter. reuters
Jammu, February 1
Officials and staff of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) have condoled the demise of General (retd) KV Krishna Rao, former Governor of the state. He was also the former chairman of the shrine board.A condolence meeting was held at the Spiritual Growth Centre in Katra today. Officials and staff participated in the meeting.Ajeet Kumar Sahu, Chief Executive Officer of the shrine board, paid homage to General Rao and recalled his contribution, particularly as the chairman of the shrine board for the facilitation of the pilgrims.A two-minute silence was observed to pay homage to the departed soul. — TNS
The India-Pakistan seesaw on terror and dialogue continues. Euphoria over another round of bilateral dialogue comes crashing down following a Pakistan-sponsored terror attack. The attack on a major airbase at Pathankot, close to the international border in the midst of military strike formations, exceeds even the Mumbai attacks in strategic value. After three cross-border attacks the Punjab international border (IB) is now as threatened as the Line of Control in J&K.
Analysts say it is high time that the deep state in Pakistan realised that there was no long-term value in terror attacks to disrupt the possibility of the two countries sitting across a table. Actually, the value of these attacks has multiplied. It certainly achieves its purpose, considering that India shuns dialogue each time. It tests India’s readiness, capability and political will to retaliate — something that we mouth after each attack. Nothing could have pleased the sponsors more than the complete disarray in command, strategy and control in Pathankot while neutralising the perpetrators.
The Pathankot attack created an ideal situation for India to take immediate retaliatory action. Being an exclusively military target, India was well within its rights to act. It would have demonstrated the will of the government to act, and strengthened Narendra Modi domestically, and in dealing with Pakistan. It could have strengthened Nawaz Sharif in exposing the disastrous nature of Pakistan’s civilian-military divide.
Under these circumstances, would it be any surprise should Pakistan escalate matters further and launch a punishing foray across the international border, much as the Chinese did in Tawang in 1962? The ease with which the JeM terrorists entered the Pathankot airbase using the drug-smuggling cross-border networks demonstrates that terrorist groups have built up sufficient equities in India. We can expect them to use them with impunity all along the IB. India’s weak underbelly in Punjab, where many youth are captive to drugs and there’s rampant penetration by the BSF, is a recipe for disaster.
With sleeper cells of the Indian Mujahideen, and arrests of Islamic State adherents in cities and towns the hypothetical situation of the Pakistan Army crossing the IB to teach India a lesson has become real. In such an eventuality how can Indian forces stop such an advance?
In 1962 the Chinese taught us a lesson we cannot ignore. The Pakistan Army’s seizing of 108 bunkers at Kargil was not heeded as a wake-up call. Pathankot forces us to review our crisis management procedures with well-thought out scenario-building to delineate responsibilities for command, control and coordination between our forces covering the international border apart from the LoC.
Rajendra Abhyankar, a former diplomat, teaches at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington The views expressed are personal
JAMMU: Union minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday said construction of bunkers for those living along the International Border (IB) with Pakistan in J&K’s Kathua district has already begun. “A major demand of residents of border areas was construction of bunkers near the IB… work on it has already begun,” Singh said. The Union minister of state in the PMO visited a few border hamlets and took stock of the “border area toilets” project, the work on which started two weeks ago in collaboration with Sulabh International.
Shimla, Manali witness rain; Met predicts inclement weather on Jan 30, 31, clear sky after Feb 1
Tribune News Service,Shimla, January 29
The higher reaches of the state, including the tourist towns of Kufri, Narkanda, Solang Nullah and the Rohtang Pass received snow, while most other parts were lashed by rain.Tourists made a beeline to Kufri as it received about three cm of snow. Kalpa in the tribal district of Kinnaur received 10 cm of snow while Rohtang received a heavy snowfall. Most other parts of the state, including Shimla (13mm), Manali (10 mm), Bhuntar (8 mm), Dharamsala and Una ( 3mm each) and Kasauli (4 mm), were lashed by rain.The local Meteorological Office has predicted rain and snow at isolated places in the middle and higher hills during the next two days and rain and thundershower in the low hills. The weather will remain clear after February 1.
Tourists make merry
The entire Kullu valley was in a grip of cold wave following rain in the lower region and snow on the higher reaches today. Tourists had a gala time at Gulaba enjoying snow while Solang Nullah experienced around 3 inches of snow.The 13,050-foot Rohtang Pass reportedly had more than 2 feet of snowfall while mountain tops around Kullu experienced moderate snow. The peaks of Mattikochhar, Mount Nag, Phungni Devi and Bijli Mahadev experienced intermittent snowfall. Heavy rain lashed the lower regions bringing chill in the valley.The traffic on many link roads had also been disrupted due to snow and rainfall, though the national highway between Kullu and Manali was not affected. Residents preferred to remain indoors while a few revellers braved the cold to enjoy the snowfall. The sole Air-India flight operating from Delhi to Kullu was also cancelled due to bad weather. The snow came as a major relief to apple orchardists as it is considered as white manure for the apple trees. Nakul Khullar, a horticulturist,stated that the snow would help in providing the minimum chilling period required for different varieties of apple plants ranging from 800 hours to 1,600 hours.Relief for farmers in HamirpurShowers have cheered farmers of the region. Albail Singh Thakur, Deputy Director, Agriculture, said farmers were fearing damage to their wheat crop due to prolonged dry spell. He said the rain was favourable for the crop, adding that the farmers would also be able to produce fodder for their cattle.
Tribune News Service,New Delhi, January 27
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said a balloon-shaped object that was shot down by a Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft yesterday in Barmer, nearly 500 km from Rajasthan capital Jaipur, had come flying from across the border.“The Ministry of Defence has written a letter to the Ministry of External Affairs to take up the matter with Pakistan. Though it had no payload, it could have been sent to test our security and gauge our response time. In 15 minutes, Sukhoi (from Jodhpur) shot down the balloon after the radar noticed it coming from across the border,” Parrikar said.IAF officials on Tuesday said the object was flying in from the western sector (implying Pakistan side) and was shot down. The balloon was flying at an altitude of 8 km, which is unusual, and was around 3 metre is diameter. The balloon was made by a US company.“Between 1030 and 1100 hours today (Tuesday), an unidentified balloon-shaped object was picked up by the IAF radar. An IAF fighter was launched that intercepted the object and brought it down. Further investigation is underway,” an IAF spokesman said.No one was hurt nor was any damage caused to the property in the area, the spokesman said in Jaipur. Reports said it was a private balloon and the possibility of it carrying any spying object was initially ruled out.
Lalit Mohan
Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, January 25
“I am proud of my father”. These were the only words his son Rajat could utter before he broke into tears on the phone when he got the news today that Jagdish Chand was awarded Kirti Chakra, the country’s second highest peace time gallantry award.The wife of Jagdish Chand was inconsolable and refused to come on the phone.Jagdish Chand was off-duty and was working in the mess when terrorists attacked the Pathankot airbase. Jagdish, who was unarmed, attacked a terrorist and snatched his rifle and killed him. However, the other terrorists attacked him and Jagdish Chand attained martyrdom. He was cremated on January 4 in his native Basa village in Chamba district.There is no road to the village of Jagdish Chand and one has to walk about two kilometres to reach his home.Jagdish Chand had retired from the Army in 2009 after serving the 7 Dogra regiment for about 26 years. A year later, he had joined the Defence Security Corps (DSC).He was serving in Leh and was transferred to Pathankot only on November 23. He had come home on December 31. He had assured the villagers that he would come home again for voting in panchayat elections on January 10.Jagdish Chand had built a pucca house in his village and was planning to shift there. Jagdish was not lucky enough to spend some time in his new house.Residents of Basa village, most of whom serve in the Army, were proud of the bravery of Jagdish Chand. They said Jagdish Chand is the third martyr from Basa village that has a population of about 250 people.The other two martyrs were Suja Ram of the 15 Dogra regiment, who attained martyrdom while serving with the IPKF in Sri Lanka, and Khemraj, who was killed in the Kargil war.Jagdish Chand is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son. His paternal uncle Saliram was also dependent on him.Serving the Army was the tradition in the family of Jagdish Chand as his deceased father was also an ex-serviceman. Two out of three brothers of Jagdish Chand are also in the Army.The villagers demanded that since Jagdish Chand was the sole bread earner in his house, the Himachal Government should provide government job to one of his children.The government has already given a grant of Rs 20 lakh to the family of Jagdish Chand. The family is overwhelmed by the respect given to the martyr by the government and the people.
Our Correspondent
Palampur, January 25
On the 67th Republic Day, Thanpir Brigade of the Indian Army under the aegis of Dah Division displayed their military might at Subhash Chowk this afternoon. Hundreds of Army personnel participated in the event. The function included a Military Pipe Band display, Martial Khukri dance by the Gurkhas and gatka. Senior Army and civil officers, hundreds of women and children saw the colourful show.
At least 25 people were killed and 50 others injured today after heavily armed militants stormed the Bacha Khan University in Pakistan.The gunmen entered the university in Charsadda, some 50 kilometers from the city of Peshawar, and opened indiscriminate fire on students and teachers.
According to reports, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack. However, their spokesperson Muhammad Khorasani later denied their involvement.
Rajdeep Sardesai on his show News Today spoke to Pakistani human rights activist and professor Farzana Bari and raised a few poignant questions on the rising threats the country faces from home grown terrorism.
Why exactly are schools and universities becoming such soft targets in Pakistan?
Do you see North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) as the region where these attacks will be carried out?
Commenting on the ideology of the terrorists and their motive behind carrying out such attacks, Farzana Bari said, “You can imagine the people behind the attack and their ideology, particularly, the attack on the Bacha Khan University. Bacha Khan represents a very secular approach, he was a peace lover and this unfortunate attack was on the day of Bacha Khan’sbarsi (death anniversary). That shows what kind of message these people want to convey.”
“This is kind of an ideological battle between secularism, the more democratic, forward looking kind of an approach and mindset as opposed to these fundamentalists, extremists and religious kind of a mindset. This attack certainly represents that kind of a conflict between secularism and religious fundamentalism,” she added.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack and said that those killing innocent students and citizens have no faith and religion.
“We are determined and resolved in our commitment to wipe out the menace of terrorism from our homeland. The countless sacrifices made by our countrymen will not go in vain,” he said.
