Pakistan seems to have realized it has been isolated, even the Muslim countries are ignoring them. On the international front, Pakistan is trying hard to come out from political isolation. It relies on all-weather friend China. But China has never dared to help them against India. China too seems to regret having trusted Pakistan and invested in CEPEC.......
What does Pakistan want? They themselves are confused.
Pakistan is in a real fix, with price rise, shortages, terrorist attacks and
economy sinking it’s becoming difficult to run the country. And FATF is making
it harder for them, falling into the pitfalls that are sabotaging their return
to normalcy. The blunder lies in attempting to forge a different path every
time there’s some hope, thereby snubbing the potential of some semblance of
recovery. It’s not merely about having a backup plan, but also about broadening
their horizons and expanding their opportunity. They are averse to constructive
criticism. Hence, it’s all too easy to get weighed down by challenges. Day by
day it’s getting difficult for Pakistan.
Pakistan was divided into two entities
after the Bangladesh liberation war in 1971. And it was their own doing to
subdue the Bengalis, and India was forced to intervene due to the genocide by
the Pak army and influx of a million Bengali refugees to the Indian states
bordering former East Pakistan. Bengali people, intellectuals and civilians
were killed, even women and children were not spared, mass rape of women was a
planned policy to subdue and insult them. India mounted pressure and the final
assault by the Indian army with the support of Mukti Bahini, the Pak army was
forced to surrender to the Indian forces. Pakistan is continuously and
desperately trying to take revenge of 1971 war by spreading terrorism in
Kashmir and other parts of India.
Pakistan knows very well that it cannot
win against India in a conventional war, therefore it has adopted proxy war
with the help of state sponsored terrorism. It sends trained Jihadists through
the border to attack the Indian army. It also provokes Kashmiri people against the
Indian army with the help of pro-Pakistani elements and Hurriyat Conference
leaders. It encourages separatists to burn schools and throw stones at Indian
army. It also tries to obstruct Indian army while they are in the process of
cordoning and killing terrorists from Pakistan. All these methods are failing
and they are disappointed that their plans are not working any more.
In 1984, in a proactive action by the
Indian army, Pakistan army was defeated in Siachen and was unable to get hold
of the glacier heights. It was major strategic victory for India. And since
then, the Indian forces are in control of entire Siachen area though they tried
a few times to attack the Indian army but the Indian forces responded strongly.
More than the enemy, it’s the hostile climate that takes a toll of the forces
who have to be replaced regularly. The cost is high but it’s a must has a
strategic advantage for India.
In 1989 it tried to change the demography
of Kashmir valley by expelling Kashmiri Pandits, the only Hindus in the valley
through the terrorist organisations. It threatened Kashmiri Pandits to leave the
valley and killed many of them in broad daylight. Thus, in the Kashmir valley
the original inhabitants, the Kashmiri Pandits had to flee leaving behind their
homes, business, orchards and property in 1989 and live in congested refugee
camps. They were driven away from their own homes. Now the government is trying
to resettle them.
In 1999 it tried to occupy Kargil and
wanted to cut off Leh and Ladakh from rest of India by cutting off the supply
line from national highway number 1A. Pakistan’s propaganda that it captured
Kargil from India sounds hollow when one of their own spokes-person stated,
Pakistan won as long as they did not come face to face with the Indian army!
Once the Indian army came on the scene, the Pakistanis had to flee with many of
their soldiers being killed. The Pakistanis even refused to take the bodies of
their dead soldiers and the Indian army buried them with dignity.
Pakistan is hosting the well- known
terrorists like Hafiz Saed, Mulla Omar, Salahuddin etc. Different terror
organisations like LeT, LeJ, Jem, Hijbul mujahidin, Hakkani network etc.,
thrive in Pakistan under the state patronage and the army. They plan and
organise separatist activities in Jammu and Kashmir. They send jihadis to kill.
Some locals fall prey to their preaching but now the young and educated
Kashmiris are realizing their motive and would like to be a part of the
progress and development in Kashmir. This is hurting the Pakistan plans.
Pakistan seems to have realized it has
been isolated, even the Muslim countries are ignoring them. On the international
front, Pakistan is trying hard to come out from political isolation. It relies
on all-weather friend China. But China has never dared to help them against
India. China too seems to regret having trusted Pakistan and invested in CEPEC.
The world is now aware of the nefarious activities of Pakistan and the
state-sponsored terrorist activities.
In desperation they are using all kinds of
provocation to separate Kashmir from India. But majority of Kashmiri people are
happy with Indian government and the development. A small number of the
population in the valley area are influenced by Pakistan. Thus all efforts of
Pakistan government are proving futile. With the abrogation of article 370, the
progress in the area and G20 meeting scheduled in Kashmir, Pakistan already
feels they have lost Kashmir. Now they are worried about holding on to POK
where protests are common and the locals are keen to join their brethren in
Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistan received billions of aid from
America to facilitate war in Afghanistan and to fight terrorism. Instead of
using this money against terrorism it has used it to promote terrorism against
India. After the conspiracy of Osama Bin Laden hiding in Abbottabad was
exposed, America stopped trusting Pakistan and has stopped financial aid.
Pakistan since its inception, survived on aid which the army and the
establishment utilized for its own benefit.
It is desperate to internationalize the
Kashmir issue by all kinds of false statements and photographs in UN and other
forums. But India is able to expose their propaganda in front of the
international community.Some months
ago, a photo of a woman with pellet injuries on her face was shown in UNGA by
Pakistan’s ambassador to UN Maleeha Lodhi proved to be a fake photo. It was a
photo of a Palestinian woman from Gaza city and not from Kashmir. The picture
used by Pakistan's Ambassador to the UN was reported by a number of media
outlets as that of a 17-year-old girl injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza
city in 2014. As a result, all efforts by Pakistan to internationalize the Kashmir
issue has received a setback with most countries not taking them seriously.
Kashmiri people are genuinely fed up with the
continuous disturbance and violence in the region. They are now getting
recruited in police and civil services in large numbers. Pakistani terrorists
and separatists are now targeting Kashmir police personnel to create fear. This
is their frustration at the extreme. Pakistan in no way is capable of
separating Kashmir from India. The leaders too have realized Kashmir is lost
and no country is willing to listen. They are worried about holding on to POK.
Hurriyat leaders like Gilani and Yasin Malik
are under house arrest and those involved in terror funding are being
investigated and questioned by NIA. Therefore, anti-India shows and
stone-pelting has totally stopped as Indian army has been ordered to weed out
the terrorist and separatist elements. The terrorists from Pakistan who enter
Kashmir are cordoned and killed in retaliatory actions by Indian army. The
result being there’s normalcy in Kashmir except for a few isolated incidents
provoked by infiltrators and their local sympathizers.
Modi government has changed the foreign
policy towards Pakistan. No more talks till Pakistan stops state-sponsored
terror. It has adopted a tit- for- tat policy and the army has been given full
power to decide the extent of retaliation. Surgical strike in POK in September
2016 was pointer to this. After the recent incident in Poonch where five
personnel of Rashtriya Rifles died due to grenade throwing and random firing on
a convoy of trucks by terrorists, Pakistan is expecting a strong retaliation
from India. And it may soon happen. Such attacks can only happen with a nod
from the government and the army. Foreign Minister Bhutto is likely to visit
India for the SCO summit. Nothing much is expected from this visit. Foreign
Minister Jaishankar has made it clear no talks with countries promoting terror.
Some Pakistanis talk of independent
Kashmir. The most important question is whether Pakistan will allow an
independent Kashmir to survive in the neighborhood? And if it annexes Kashmir,
whether it will be able to provide the basic necessities to Kashmiri people.
Pakistani citizens are not provided with the basic facilities in Pakistan. People
have to stand in queue to get their basic needs. The prices of essential
commodities have gone beyond reach of the common man. With shortages of essential
items, there is anger among the people. The leaders travel to all the Muslim
and friendly countries to borrow and get financial aid to run Pakistan which is
already sinking. FATF has made things very clear to Pakistan government. They
are required to fulfil certain strict conditions which would be difficult for
the Pakistan government. With the nation in economic doldrums, they talk of
standing on their own feet. Some are even talking about the breakup of
Pakistan.
Govt to set up helipads, drone landing facilities on highways
NHAI is developing world-class Wayside Amenities at
more than 600 locations along the National Highways, said the Minister for Road
Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari.
According to an official release, the Minister for
Road Transport and Highways said that NHAI is developing world-class Wayside
Amenities (WSA) at more than 600 locations along the National Highways which
will include setting up helipads and drone landing facilities. These facilities
would help in dealing with medical emergencies, such as road accidents and
organ transplantation.
Apart from basic facilities like good toilets, parking
and restaurants; the WSAs will also have dormitories for truck drivers,
electric vehicles charging, trauma centres among others.
There will also be retail outlets for promoting
handicrafts and locally-manufactured products, the minister said, adding some
of the WSAs will also have helipads and drone landing facilities to deal with
medical emergencies like road accidents and organ transplantation. Gadkari
further said, “PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (NMP) is a very big
initiative and it will help us reduce logistics costs".
He added that logistics cost in India is higher at
13-14 per cent of GDP compared to 8-9 per cent in other developed economies,
such as the US.
“Higher logistics cost reduces the competitiveness of
'Made in India' products in global markets. Reducing logistics costs to 9 per
cent of GDP is at the top of the government's agenda," the minister emphasized.
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Special Operations are an essential part the
forces. The Indian forces conducted a number of operations after independence
in 1947. The first being in 1948 and some are still on. Some of these were
daring missions, some providing humanitarian aid and some were rescue missions.
Every Special Operation mission has a story of courage, bravery and a lot of
planning goes into it, including strategy, logistics, timing, etc.
1. Operation Polo in1948 at Hyderabad:
Hyderabad was the only princely state that refused to join the
Indian union. Indian armed forces ended the rule of the Nizam of Hyderabad and
led to the incorporation of the princely state of Hyderabad in Southern India,
into the Indian Union
2. Golden Temple Raid in 1955 in Punjab:
To curb the Punjabi Suba Morcha. The purpose was achieved and
normalcy returned.
3. Operation Vijay in 1961 in Goa, Daman & Diu:
Portuguese refused to part with Goa. The then government led by Jawaharlal
Nehru tried to negotiate but when this didn’t work, the government decided to
take military action. The operation by the Indian army led to the incorporation
of Portuguese India (Goa, Daman, and Diu) into India.
4. Operation Steeplechase in 1971 at Red Corridor:
Combined operation against Naxalites. The Naxalite movement was
creating trouble, the government decided to act. Action was taken against the
Naxalites.
5. Amalgamation of Sikkim:
Sikkim was of strategic importance to India. China was trying to
influence and use the kingdom against India. But Indira Gandhi and the
intelligence agencies took a quick and bold decision. Indian Army disarmed and
disbanded the Royal Guard of the Sikkimese King, after which Sikkim joined
India as a State of India. China was caught napping.
6. Operation Blue Star1984 in Punjab:
Operation carried out to remove terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale
and his associates from the buildings of the Harmandir Sahib complex in the
Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab. This led to the assignation of the then PM
Indira Gandhi.
7. Operation Woodrose1984 in Punjab
8. Operation Red Rose1984 in
Punjab
9. Operation Shivalik in1985 in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh (mainly Terai Regions)
to capture Sikh militant leaders outside the confines of the Punjab state. 1
Sikh militant captured and detained, 38 sympathizers detained.
10. Operation Black Thunder I in1986 in Punjab:
Capture of the Golden Temple over suspected militants. No casualties
on militant side, 2 civilians killed and 1 soldier killed.
11. Operation Pacification in1986 in Punjab
12. Operation Mand in 1986 in Punjab:
To capture or kill Avatar Singh Bramha, a Sikh militant. 1
helicopter was lost, no militant detained.
13. Operation Bluebird in1987 in Manipur:
Indian retaliation operation to the 1987 attacks on the Assam
Rifles' outpost.
14. Golden Temple Raid II in 1987 in Punjab:
Rumor that militant Gurjit Singh was in the Golden Temple complex,
but not found.
15. Operation Pawan in1987 in Sri Lanka:
Operations by the IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force) to take control
of Jaffna from the LTTE in late 1987 to enforce the disarmament of the LTTE as
a part of the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord. Operation Viraat, which occurred in 1988,
after Operation Pawan, was an anti-insurgency operation launched by the IPKF
against the LTTE in April 1988 in Northern Sri Lanka.
16. Operation Black Thunder II in
1988 in Punjab:
Capture of Golden Temple, 90+ militants surrendered, 2 soldiers
killed, many militants escaped.
17. Operation Night Dominance1990-1994
in Punjab:
To control the landscape of Punjab at night.
18. Operation Rakshak I in 1990
in Punjab:
To curb Sikh militancy prevalent in some pockets.
19. Operation Vadhi Pahar in 1991in Punjab:
Indian Police and Army operation to kill militant member Seetal
Singh Mattewal.
20. Operation Election in 1992 in Punjab:
To bring a secure election, did not succeed as militants boycotted
election, data suggests only 21% of Punjab voted.
21. Golden Temple Raid III in 1992 in Punjab:
To stop commemoration of the assassins of General Shidhar Vaidya.
22. Operation Sarp Vinash in 2003in Jammu and Kashmir:
An assault on the largest system of hideouts used by insurgents in
Jammu and Kashmir in which over 60 militants were killed.
23. Operation Black Tornado in 2008 in Mumbai, Maharashtra:
Against the 2008 Mumbai Terror Attacks.
24. Operation All Out in1990 for flushing out militants specially from
Kashmir region of Jammu and Kashmir state of India.
25. Indian counter-insurgency operation in 2015 in Myanmar:
Indian Army allegedly conducted hot pursuit of Naga terror outfit
NSCN-Khaplang along the India-Myanmar border.
26. Operation Calm Down in 2016 in Jammu and Kashmir.
27. Operation Randori Behak in 2020 in Jammu and Kashmir.
28. Operation Devi Shakti in 2021in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi,
Afghanistan:
To help fleeing Hindus and Sikhs from the Islamic Republic of
Afghanistan.
29. Operation Ganga in 2022 in Ukraine:
To evacuate the Indian citizens amidst the 2022 Russian invasion of
Ukraine, who had crossed over to neighboring countries.
1. Operation Rakshak II in 1991
in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab:
To curb Sikh and Kashmiri Muslim Insurgencies.
2. Operation Goodwill in 1998 in Jammu and Kashmir conducting humanitarian
tasks in Jammu & Kashmir
3. Operation Good Samaritan in Manipur / Nagaland conducting humanitarian tasks in Manipur/Nagaland
4. Operation All Out Kashmir in 2017 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Navy operations:
* Operation Vijay in 1961 – during the Liberation of Goa. Portuguese
ship Albuquerque was sunk.
* Operation Trident in 1971 - an offensive operation launched on
Pakistan's port city of Karachi during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The port
was hit and there was massive damage. Karachi was on fire.
*Operation Python in 1971 - Follow-up to Operation Trident on
Karachi, Pakistan's port city in 1971.
*Operation Cactus in1988 – Action by Indian forces against the coup
to overthrow the Government of Maldives. During PM Rajeev Gandhi, quick decision
and swift action by the Indian forces defeated the rebels.
*Operation Restore Hope in 1992–2003 –
*Operation Talwar in1999 - Blockage of Karachi Port
*Operation Sukoon in 2006 - a relief operation to evacuate Indian,
Sri Lankan and Nepalese nationals, as well as Lebanese nationals with Indian
spouses, from the conflict zone during the 2006 Lebanon War.
*Operation Searchlight in 2014 -The Search Operation Undertaken by
Indian Navy to find the missing Boeing 777 MH 17 Malaysian Flight.
*Operation Raahat in 2015 - Operation by the Indian Armed Forces to
evacuate Indian citizens and other foreign nationals from Yemen during the 2015
military intervention by Saudi Arabia and its allies in that country during the
Yemeni Crisis.
*Operation Nistar in 2018 - Operation by the Indian Navy using INS
Sunayna to evacuate Indian citizens from Yemen Island of Socotra who were
stranded by Cyclone Mekenu.
*Operation Madad in 2018 - Indian Navy had launched Operation Madad,
major rescue, and relief operation in flood-hit Kerala. The operation was
launched to assist state administration and undertake disaster relief
operations due to flooding in many parts of Kerala.
*Operation Samudra Setu in 2020 - This operation was launched to
bring back Indian citizens struck at overseas during Covid-19 pandemic.
Air Operations:
During World War II (1939–1945)
During First Kashmir War (1947)
During Congo Crisis (1961)
During Sino-Indian War (1962)
During Second Kashmir War in 1965
During Bangladesh Liberation War (Operation Meghna Heli Bridge)
(1971)
Meghna Heli Bridge (1971)
Tangail Airdrop (1971)
Operation Meghdoot (1984)
Operation Poomalai (1987)
Operation Cactus (1988)
Operation Safed Sagar (1999)
Atlantique incident (1999)
Operation Rahat (2013) in Uttarakhand floods
Operation Maitri (2015) Indian Military's rescue and relief mission
in quake-hit Nepal
Operation Sankat Mochan (India) (2016) An operation of the Indian
Air Force in view of 2016 Juba Clashes to evacuate Indian Citizens and other
foreign nationals from South Sudan during the South Sudanese Civil War.
Operation Insaniyat (2017) a humanitarian assistance aimed to supply
relief packages to Bangladesh for migrant Rohingya Muslims.
Operation Bandar (2019) Operation launched by IAF to bomb the
biggest Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Balakot to avenge the Pulwama terror
attack. In this operation almost 170-200 terrorists were killed and 45
terrorists were severely injured.
Operation Ganga (2022) An operation by Government of India to
evacuate the Indian citizens (mainly students) from Ukraine amidst the 2022
Russian invasion of Ukraine with the help of Indian Air Force and few private
airlines.
Operation Dost in 2023 – Help and rescue mission in Turkey and Syria
earthquake.
How Tim Cook went about his business with fun on
his India trip
Apple store in Mumbai, India was a big event watched
by many with great interest. He turned focus on non-iPhone Apple products in
his engagements with celebrities, sportspersons, artists, designers. He mixed
business with pleasure seamlessly. If Apple chief Tim Cook’s Twitter on his
India visit is anything to go by, then one can safely say he believes in mixing
business with pleasure. Or even that, for Cook, leisure too is all about
business. And the response reflected it.
When not welcoming excited crowds to the Apple stores
in Mumbai and Delhi or attending high-profile meetings, Cook was found engaging
with celebrities, creators, educationists, and sportspersons. After each of
these engagements, he tweeted about the experience, carefully positioning the
Apple products in his tweets. A smart business strategy.
The products he focused on did not include the iPhone,
which has already caught the imagination of Indians. Instead, what he put out
there on his Twitter handle, which has 14 million followers, was the Apple
Watch, the MacBook Pro, and the iPad products the company will need Indians to
engage with more than they currently do. This move will surely help from
shifting focus only on phones to other products.
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