Concern is mounting over the health of John Solecki, an American working for the UNHCR, who was kidnapped from the Pakistani city of Quetta 45 days ago.
The UN said it was worried about an apparent deterioration in his health after a little known Baluch group, which says it is holding him, called a local news agency saying he was seriously ill with a heart condition.
Three deadlines set by a group calling itself the Baluchistan Liberation United Front have passed and a new one was meant to end on Thursday. The group wants the release of 1,000 Baluch prisoners, including women, said to be held in Pakistan government cells.
With little sign of any resolution Pakistani media are questioning the seriousness of the effort to secure Solecki’s release. Neither the Baluch government nor the government in Islamabad had taken the task seriously, the liberal Daily Times said. “No matter who kidnapped Solecki, observers say the government cannot absolve itself of the primary responsibility of protecting all those in Pakistan’s territory,” it said.
And the News wrote of the “casual cruelty” involved in picking up an unarmed aid worker on his way to work. It said there were credible reports that extremist groups had a a sort of “rate card” of potential victims. grading them by their public profile and relative value. And since the number of foreigners on Pakistani soil is dwindling fast, the value of those who remain such as Solecki is high.
“Cheap targets are no longer of interest. As fewer and fewer foreigners choose to work here their market value is increased by their scarcity and they have become a high-value commodity to be traded for the best price,” it said. So the group holding him has been making demands that would be difficult for any government to accept, including a resolution of the issue of Baluch independence.
The stretched-out abduction drama is being played against the backdrop of increasing U.S. attention on Baluchistan, which is where it believes the founder of the Afghan Taliban Mullah Muhammad Omar is based, directing the insurgency in southern Afghanistan.
As highlighted in a previous post, the New York Times reported the Obama administration was considering expanding its covert war in Pakistan to strike at Quetta, the provincial capital of Baluchistan where it believes Mullah Omar runs his shura. Up until now, the United States has focused its unmanned Predator drone campaign on Pakistan’s tribal areas in the northwest, carrying out missile strikes on suspected al Qaeda and Taliban figures and their hideouts.
One U.S. official played down the idea of widening the strikes to Baluchistan, saying it was not being “put forward seriously”, according to this Reuters story. ”You can’t use the same tactics in a settled, populous area … where the government has a great deal of penetration and control as you would in a sparsely populated area where the government has limited presence,” this official said.
Pakistan which is already chafing at U.S. missile strikes in the northwest has rejected claims that Baluchistan was a safe haven for the Taliban. The Islamists did not have political and tribal support in the province, an inspector general of the Frontier Corps said.
[Photo of a protest in Quetta against the killing of a Shi'ite leader]
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@Rajeev
There was no insurgency in Kashmir before 1989, yet the Indian Army has been there since 1948, when it invaded Kashmir. As long as the Indian Army remains in Kashmir, there will be a freedom struggle.
Similarly the Indians wrongly blamed Pakistan for 2001 parliament attack and deployed a million soldiers,which they withdrew after Pakistan missile attacks scared Indians.
So it is correct to call India a cowardly country which is obsessed with a small nation like Pakistan.
- Posted by Aamir Ali@What do you call a country that posts a million soldiers, then issues threats, then withdraws those soldiers ?
You call it a cowardly India.
- Posted by Aamir Ali
Aamir:
Since when protecting one’s own country with Army is not called BRAVE, but coward.
The reason for the army is Pakistan. You absolute shut that stop-release valve of terrorists, Army will be most happy to deal with its other businesses. Same thing happened in Punjab–Army was out and then was withdrawn.
You are plainly pathetic since you are an aggressor (send terrrorists in India) and beg India to withdraw Army.
Surrender of Pakistani Army to Taliban, Killing millions by Pakistani in E.Pakistan, killing thousand armless Khudai Khitmadgars Pashtuns by Pakistani army, torturing nob-violent Frontier Gandhi much worse than British in prions, are just few examples of how a coward would behave.
These Baloch separatist groups are based in Afghanistan and US does nothing against them. Now they are unhappy that an American has been kidnapped by these groups. US should crackdown on these groups in Afghanistan.
- Posted by rajeev–Baluchistan is full of natural resources and Baluchis living as 3rd class citizens in their own country. Haven’t you done enough atrocities on Baluchis already that you need extra hand now. US should rather crackdown on ISI who stages these acts.
@By all means, Rajeev I was replying to Mauryan.
-Typo. This one was posted by Umair.
- Posted by rajeev@By all means, Rajeev I was replying to Mauryan.
-Posted by Mauryan
Umair: It hardly matters to me whom you are talking to when it comes down to this and this is blog–not any personal messaging. Any way, you can go ahead and play this game with anyone you like.
Back to some useful discussion you raised a point and replied, but did not hear. Here you go again:
You said:
(Indian) Navy vessels were busy attacking Somali pirates, while terrorists sneaked into Mumbai through internationl waters.
-posted by Umair
I replied:
- Posted by rajeevAgreed. Poor security on Indian part–but that it is due to Indian Navy busy somewhere else is childish. Offense and defense teams are separate in a game-same here–coast guard did dismal job–although they got close but did not pay attention.
But, did you ever think that this also tells about Pakistan security since 10 terrorists escaped from Karachi port into Pakistan waters crossing further towards India. Alternatively, Pakistan security was collaborating with the terrirists. which one would you pick?
Umair,
Its not Pakistan Zindabad, but Pakistan Zinda Bhaag!!
Pakistan seems to do a lot more surviving than living.
- Posted by bulletfishIndia makes world’s cheapest car and Pakistan makes world’s cheapest terrorist
- Posted by anju2008Rajeev wrote:
“Umair, with all due respect, fu$k you for this statement. Remember if you spit filth against India, I am not going to sit back and watch this crap. ”
By all means, Rajeev I was replying to Mauryan. What am I suppose to do as a Pakistani when Mauryan(Indian) is spitting filth against Pakistan? Do I sit back and relax? no, I should talkback just like you did.
- Posted by UmairAnd I will not call f$ck you because two wrongs dosnt make a right. However if Mauryan keeps barking about Pakistan I will f$ck him till he screams Pakistan Zindabad!
Aamir Ali,
We put 1 million soldiers at the border out of spontaneous rage at the Pakistani terrorists and their mentors, who attacked the Parliament.
But soon we realized, there is no point entering the swamp-lane. We don’t like to live in a swampville. There is no way out of a swampville. The job can be better done by drones and others.
We don’t like kicking a dead horse.
I am glad there are some sane half-smart leaders in India.
- Posted by Your NeighborPakistani’s have a very funny and flawed logic. If India wants to respond to Mumbai, India is seen as the aggresor, if India chooses to have a mature response and not attack, the Paki’s call India ‘weak’.
It appears Paki’s want to have always keep the option of fueling proxy wars and the option of carrying out provoking acts against India and not have to pay any consequence for its treachery and still have the option of playing victim, if India decides to choose to defend herself.
Why are Paki’s so mentally sick and feeled entitled to act like Animals?
When will the U.S. and the world realize that Pakistan is playing the world, even the Arab News Papers are saying that Pakistan has outwitted the U.S., the World and India. That same outwitting is what the WEST calls playing games and dirty tactics, it is not outwitting anybody. It will bring about the destruction and disintegration of Pakistan.
When will the Americans wake up and realize that it is not just the Taliban who need to be droned, but it is also the very control and command structure of Pakistan, which itself has created the terrorism and nurtures them as “strategic assets”, in the words of PK. Gen. Asfaq Kayani himself?
The U.S., UN, NATO and Security Council need to seriously consider an active program to dismantle Pakistan as it has now become a rogue terrorist state, with Nuclear Weapons. Serious action must be taken by the U.S. to denuclearize Pakistan, do a regime change, or dismantle, or all of the above. Pakistan is becoming unsafe and a threat to the world.
- Posted by Global WatcherAmir ali,
What do you call a country whose 90000+ soldiers surrender without a fight?
What do you call a country whose soldiers repeatedly surrender without a fight to taliban?
What do you call a country whose law enforcement officers refuse to serve in SWAT because of fear of rag tag taliban?
What do you call a country whose cops work hand in glove to attack thier honoured guestes (sri lankans)?
- Posted by indian1127@Rajeev
What do you call a country that posts a million soldiers, then issues threats, then withdraws those soldiers ?
You call it a cowardly India.
Now back to topic:
These Baloch separatist groups are based in Afghanistan and US does nothing against them. Now they are unhappy that an American has been kidnapped by these groups. US should crackdown on these groups in Afghanistan.
- Posted by Aamir AliUmair Wrote:
“Hey Mauryan, India can never compete with China! Can India conduct olympic games successfully like Beijing 2008? no, never in the coming 25 years. Only IPL is being postponed due to upcoming elections.”
Hey Umair, IPL is postponed due to elections right, but why can’t you guys conduct any game ? and for how many years ?
You did blackmail or beg srilanka for cricket, but what did they get in end, bullets in chest ? You cowards, good for nothing terrorists, you call people to come and play in your country and then you spray bullets on them. Go fcuk yourself in your stinky $hit hole and keep living this misrable life.
TSP* and its people are going to watch other teams play standing in front of a TV showroom for a long long time. What a pity.
BTW world is still waiting for any news of Progress in Lahore attack.
*TSP = Terrorist state of Pakistan.
- Posted by punjabiyaar@Umair,
You Pakistani’s can keep your nukes, planes and tanks, we really don’t care what you do, so long as you do not keep making threats and pointing them at us. What the world wants is those cloak and dagger terrorist planners, terrorism jihadi proxy asset creators and their cavorts in Uniforms, I know you know who they are, etc in Rawalpindi and Islamabad to be removed for good from their ability to create terrorism in whatever form they have been doing it. The corruption in the Pakistani command structure must be removed, no exceptions.
- Posted by Global Watcher@Sanjeev Migliani,
Sanjeev, I am grateful and humbly thank you and respect your topics.
BBC has a fellow named Steven Sackur, how does a segment called “HARDTALK”. It is a more forward and directed venue to get to the root of problems and extract answers. In such the same way, I am proposing the following topics and ask you, if you would be so bold to do try the following topics:
“Pakistan’s citizens unwilling to protest against terrorism”
“Pakistan, unwilling to dismantle terrorist training camps”
“Pakistan’s state agencies and terrorism and jihadi proxy armies”
“Is Pakistan holding the world hostage with its Nukes?”
“Pakistani Army and its Business of Terrorism”.
“Is Pakistani cricket more important than fighting terrorism?”
“Are Pakistani’s living in denial”?
“Is the U.S. being deceived by Pakistan on the War on Terror?”
These are just some of the core issues and topics being released from bloggers here the variuos think tanks like Carnegie around the world and the same issues that Pakistan is avoiding discussing. It is time for more frankness and openness.
If we never discuss these issues, they will always fester in the background and be continually causing deviation in topics you put forward.
You may not respond here, but please consider them.
- Posted by Global Watcher@Navy vessels were busy attacking Somali pirates, while terrorists sneaked into Mumbai through internationl waters.
-posted by Umair
Umair:
Agreed. Poor security on Indian part–but that it is due to Indian Navy busy somewhere else is childish. Offense and defense teams are separate in a game. sam here–coast guard did dismal job–although they got close but did not pay attention.
But, did you ever think that this also tells about Pakistan security since 10 terrorists escaped from Karachi port into Pakistan waters crossing further towards India. Alternatively, Pakistan security was collaborating with the terrirists. which one would you pick?
1.
- Posted by rajeevUmair,
Your behaviour & language is typical, once a paki always a paki.
From your statements its clear that you are acknowleding that the 1002 parliament and 2008 mumbai attak were pakistan’s glorious acts. I am glad atleast you are not in denial and relish your country proud legacy.
To my knowledge pakistan is the only country whose people are proud of being labelled as terrorist sanctury.
p.s: please dont use words like pakistan and democracy in the same sentence.
- Posted by indian1127@Pakistan is not a coward nation like India.
-posted by Umair
Umair, with all due respect, fu$k you for this statement. Remember if you spit filth against India, I am not going to sit back and watch this crap. We know all languages–your choice to pick one. Remember that blogger “Ali”–He is long gone into some Pakistani “hell hole” (borrowing your language) after getting some of his own medicine.
Sing this “we are brave enemy is coward” song to someone else, India knows you inside out. You continue to have amnesia about Pakistan bravery despite knowing that Pak has attacked India to show its so-called bravery but had to bite the dust each time. Your words will not change the historical truths about the plain cowardice and incompetence of your army. Its is better for you to quietly swallow the bitter pill rather than make a scene. Also, it is not India, by now the deeds of Nuclear Pakistan are known to the world and each Tom Dick and Harry knows that Nuclear Pakistan Army has run away from Taliban in Swat without spilling even the first drop of blood? Right now, people want their money back or results. Just the name “Pak” does not make Pakistan any pure. All terrorist organizations have such Godly names. Frankly speaking, Pakistan is an immoral and deceitful state that no one trusts. The worst that can happen to anyone is loss of trust. It will take many years, many Long Marches to build it provided you behave responsibly.
Just to refresh your memory, Pakistan’s 9/11 has already happened in 1948-the day revered Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah exhaled his last breath (September 11, 1948). Since then Pakistan has not seen its way back and right now it is looking at the sky while falling from a fathomless pit. Long March etc is just one of the distractions on your fast slide down-unfortunately. You can play this circus of democracy as much as you want, but the fact remains that stick is ruling you all the time.
No hard feelings, but watch while you talk and know your boundaries.
- Posted by rajeevUmair vomits again: “why do Dalit low caste hindus live in misery? why are there so many slums in Mumbai? ”
Poor people are everywhere, even in the developed countries. India has the second largest population in the world. And it was a third world country for a long time. So percentage wise the people in slum are higher in number. Even countries like Brazil have similar slums.
“emerging super powers are not plagued with communal violence like what happens in India day in and day out.”
This is what your jihadi propaganda machinery is telling you. Communal riots are not a daily occurrence in India. They do happen once in a while and they are not based on religion alone. There is a huge middle class now and our women are getting more jobs and independence. And that is slowly breaking the caste system apart. Things take time. Slavery too 400 years to be eradicated in the US. We are on the right path. It is only a matter of time. Compared to what it was, things have improved a lot and they will continue to improve. This is something your jihadi mindset will not understand. You want quick results and quick verdict. So you like the Taliban. Your military has no patience to allow governments to evolve. We are not like that. We are patient and we allow things to develop. For a country like India, it will take easily a 100 to 150 years to get to a better stage. This is something I do not expect someone like you to understand anyway. So what you are pointing at are snap shots of the current situation.
“The Muslim massacres in Gujrat, where Mosques are burned down, the killing of christians, India is still myred in old problems. The corrupt politicians dont make things any better. Who the hell are you trying to fool Mauryan?”
Muslim massacre happened in Gujerat a few years ago. It is not happening everyday. Most of us do not support such actions. We have goons too and some times they do these things for political gains. But as time goes on, we will become stronger. Corrupt politicians are everywhere. Not just in India. And we have made it this far despite their presence.
I don’t have to fool you. You already are one.
- Posted by MauryanUmair vomits: “Pakistan is always feared because of its nukes, Pakistan is not a coward nation like India. India despite being a nuclear power is attacked by terrorists every five years.”
Look into any normal nation. They have police, federal agents, intelligence units, commandos and so on. Still they fear gun toting criminals. This does not make them cowards. India is a nuclear power. But it knows its responsibility. It is not banking on its nukes for everything. Pakistan (your own words are adequate for this) resembles a drunken convict on parole who is clicking the trigger of his AK 47 after going high on drugs. One has to stay away from lunatics and drunk criminals. That is what India is doing. And India is keeping restrained because Pakistan has the support of US and its allies for their own agenda. And Pakistan is a tool for China to keep India backward. We are not afraid of your nukes. We have them too. But if we are forced to use them, we know we will suffer losses. But we will eliminate the threat once in for all if the need arises. So do not feel secure. Your nukes will not save you. India has enough population to come out of it.
“In 2001 Indian parliament was attaked, in 2008 Mumbai was attacked. Each time India tries to attack and Punish Pakistan, but Pakistan threatens to counter attack and retaliate. Matters escalate and super powers intervene and tell India to restrain itself because a war with Pkaistan will not be survivable for India. Ultimately India comes back to its senses and lives with the reality.”
So you indirectly agree that Pakistan has been behind every attack inside India. We all know this and being made of criminal minds, it is not surprising that your country does these things. We know that you are doing this so that we will retaliate and then you can use that to solve your internal problem. Your leaders, from the days of Jinnah have been doing this. Set up some commotion and wait for the retaliation to come. Jinnah got Pakistan this way. Now Pakistan will fall apart for the same mind set. Only people with little brains will make such short sighted plans. We are holding our horses because we do not want to walk into your trap. We all know that the word “India” will unite your countrymen, from lunatic to the fanatic. We don’t want to do that. And we are pressured from going after you guys is because the US and UK do not want their objectives jeopardized. Until they are done with their tasks, they do not want a war in the region.
India is holding off its nukes or war escalation because they are sensing that your dear country is on its own suicide mission. So it is better to let your country jump off the cliff by itself rather than go to fight it. So enjoy your time now. Because Pakistan will disintegrate in a short while. Hopefully it will not be a violent one.
- Posted by MauryanKetchup writes: “but the US definately has an agenda. it feels like america wants to push india and pakistan to war sometime in the future, the ensuing destruction would be the ruin of the entire region and halt the rising economic clout of asia (including china.) one hopes this never happens.”
I agree that the US makes short sighted foreign policies and it causes a lot of heart ache to everyone, Americans included. Their Iraq mess is an example. There was no need to go there at all. Now they are stuck. Now the US troops are stationed in three places in the middle east (Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Afghanistan) and they are not leaving the place any time soon. But looks like it costs close to 2000 dollars per day per soldier. American economy is staring at the bottom of the well right now. So they will be forced to cut down somewhere. But if the soldiers return home, they will join the long queue of the unemployed. So war has to go on somewhere to keep the lamp burning. Extrapolating based on the recent events, I foresee a large scale conflict involving the US, its allies on one side and China and the Islamic world on the other. And I guess it will originate in Pakistan. War seems to follow whenever economic crises build up.
Like I had mentioned, the US also has a small nation like UK as its ally and UK is a developed country after going broke during WW II. So being an ally is not the condition that will lead to being left in shambles. In the case of Pakistan, its own internal development, independence in a variety of aspects etc are absent. In fact being an ally of the West has helped Pakistan survive on drips this far. If that drip is cut off, Pakistan will have face dire situation for money.
India was a terribly poor socialistic country once. Not anymore. It can survive on its own for a while since it has enough infrastructure built in for survival. And developed nations need India’s business at the same time. Being an ally of the US will not be fatal for India. It was not for China. The same hold true here. India is not dependent on the US for money as Pakistan is. Therein lies the difference. Being a smaller nation, Pakistan’s needs are much smaller. But your leaders could not even set up things for it all these years. And it cannot happen overnight either. It is going to be frustrating for Pakistanis to watch their leaders dancing to American tunes.
- Posted by Mauryan