Separatist Baloch lobbyist and ex-US military officer call on CIA to facilitate Baloc

[malik khan]

A number of separatist Baloch lobbyists in self-exile coupled with Indian Americans held a rally in front of the White House in Washington D.C. The rally was an attempt to attract President Barack Obama's attention towards the security crisis in Balochistan province of Pakistan.

The rally was organized by Dr. Wahid Baloch, President of the Baloch Society of North America and a long-time asset for the Indian intelligence agency RAW. Other notable attendees included Arshad Umrani of the Balochistan Strategic Forum from Chicago.

It is also worth mentioning here that Andrew Eiva was also present with his delegation at the so-called protest rally. He is a former captain of the US Army Special Operations Forces who was among the senior strategists and weapons provider for CIA-trained mujahedeen during the Afghan War. He is affiliated with 'Freedom4Sudan' in the US, an organization that had been consistently lobbying for the breakup of Sudan into a North and South division, with the south being under the control of the US and Israel. A sizable number of South Sudanese supporters also accompanied him in which the participants chanted slogans against the Pakistani security agencies.

The separatist Baloch assets working for Indian intelligence as lobbyists and who organized this rally, alleged that the Pakistan Army and ISI are involved in a "genocide" of Baloch citizens.

They shouted slogans in defiance of China and urged the Obama administration to take note of Pakistan's growing strategic ties with China. Dr. Wahid Baloch claimed that China was "killing Baloch people with Pakistan's help" and that its real intent is to "loot Baloch resources".

He said: "We strongly condemn, oppose and reject this unilateral decision of handing over our port to china and We warn Chinese Government to not be a partner of Baloch 'kill and dump' and disappearances with Pakistan and exploitations of Baloch Natural resources against Baloch wishes".

Rally-holders made repeated demands to the Obama administration to create space for an international intervention into Balochistan.

Andrew Eiva, notorious lobbyist with close ties to Israel's Mossad and who is not quite appreciated within the US military community, condemned in his speech what he called "an ongoing genocide of Baloch and Sudanese people". He claimed that people of Balochistan and Sudan (under Omar Bashir) "share the same situation".

In point 11 of the resolution that was passed during the rally, it was mentioned:

"This protest demand from the President Obama to direct the State Department and CIA to reach out to Baloch freedom and help them in their fight for freedom and Justice against the illegal occupation of their land and exploitations of their resources by Pakistan, Iran and China".

[Toramana]

Plucky Pakistan puts India to shame
The contrast couldn’t be sharper between India and Pakistan. India is a mature, functioning democracy and an ‘emerging power’ with an independent foreign policy, whereas Pakistan is a moth-eaten country tottering on the abyss of failure as a dysfunctional state lacking in self-respect. At least, this is how Indian propaganda presents things.

Yet, hardly 72 hours passed since the Indian establishment began sensitizing the domestic opinion that it is ending all oil imports from Iran and Pakistan takes a tumultuous step toward the realization of the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project.
The formal inauguration of the $7.5 billion 1500-kilometre project took place at a ceremony earlier today, which was attended by the presidents of the two countries. Clearly, whereas Indians chickened out in the face of sustained American pressure, Pakistan is thumbing the nose at Washington.
The Indian leadership decided to end the Iranian ’sweet’ crude imports despite long-term agreements because the Americans do not like the transaction. But the ‘weak’ Pakistani leadership knows what is in the country’s core interests and is determined to pursue the objective no matter what it takes.
What is all our tall claims to being a regional power worth if our leaders lack spine? The spluttering Indian economy can certainly do with the assured supplies of Iranian crude. This is particularly important because our fertilizer industry is highly subsidized and our government has pledged to do away with subsidies incrementally in its passion to cut the budget deficit.
No doubt, Pakistan too faced enormous pressure and blackmail from the US not to proceed with the Iran gas pipeline project, but the country faces acute energy shortage and decided that it makes eminent sense to import gas from next-door neighbor. Period.
Now, what can we expect in the downstream?. Let me anticipate. Only last week the US state department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said, “If this deal is finalized for a proposed Iran-Pakistan pipeline, it would raise serious concerns under our Iran Sanctions Act. We’ve made that absolutely clear to our Pakistani counterparts.”
Obviously, the US threats didn’t work. The US regulations stipulate that transactions involving gasoline or other fuels can trigger American sanctions. But to my mind, the US dares not impose any sanctions against Pakistan.
How can you sanction a country and then drop down on your knees and beg for its cooperation so that you can evacuate thousands of your troops and their equipment through Karachi Port? No, Sir, you simply can’t. One thing at a time, Sir.
And the Americans are pragmatic in such situations. So, they will come up with a face-saving formula by saying that the sanctions will be imposed in due course when Pakistan opens the tap and actually draws the gas supplied through the pipeline — and not at this stage.
Second, to be sure, Iran will now take matters one step further and redeem its pledge to build an oil refinery in Gwadar as well, which will mesh with the Chinese plans to build an ‘oil city’ in the Pakistani port (which now China manages).
Clearly, today’s ceremony commencing the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project is an event of momentous significance for the geopolitics of the region. From this point, China is just a step away from sourcing Iranian energy through pipelines via Pakistan.
By the way, today’s ceremony was held in Chah Bahar — yes, Chah Bahar, which our mandarins cite as India’s gateway to Central Asia and Afghanistan, ‘bypassing’ Pakistan. Sure thing, these Iranians and Pakistanis have a quaint sense of humor.
In the bargain, they have exposed our officials who keep bragging that India is about to get ‘connectivity’ with Central Asia (via Iran ‘bypassing’ Pakistan); and, with Russia and Eurasia through a North-South Corridor (again, via Iran ‘bypassing’ Pakistan); and is planning to make a multi-billion investment in Afghanistan to extract iron ores which will be transported to our country (yet again, via Iran ‘bypassing’ Pakistan).
Our relations with Iran being in tatters, India might as well stay put in South Asia, It has no big role in Central Asia or Afghanistan. That is the honest truth, whereas, the latest yarn being spun for the consumption of our gullible public is that India is going to get connected with Kazakhstan, of all places, and with Russia eventually via an oil pipeline.
Make no mistake about it, all that the Indian leadership is really interested in are the LNG imports from America (once Uncle Sam agrees, of course). Washington has sought a quid pro quo — if our leadership ends the crude oil imports from Iran, the US will lift the ban on LNG exports to India. But then, you might ask why it is so terribly important to import LNG from the US. Good question. It’s the shale gas, Stupid! Own a shale gas company in the US today, and you’re going to hit the jackpot. Got it?
However, sometimes I wonder whether it really could be the pressure tactic by Washington and/or our corporate lobby or whether it is also the wink from the Sunni oligarchies of the Persian Gulf, which is coaxing our government to roll back the ties with Iran. It seems a combination of all three. Don’t overlook that the Saudis have their conduit to the Indian political elites, especially in regions like Uttar Pradesh or Kerala.
But then, Pakistan is also a major Sunni Muslim country and it also has a terrific relationship with Saudi Arabia. In fact, the two countries have shared interests over many strategic issues. They have been the mentors of the Taliban.
How come Pakistani diplomacy is able to manage Islamabad’s relations with Riyadh and Teheran simultaneously? The contrast is so striking.
Posted in Diplomacy, Politics.

Plucky Pakistan puts India to shame - Indian Punchline

[malik khan]

To highlight the plight of the Baloch and Hazara Shias in Balochistan, a day conference entitled "Global and Regional Security Challenges in South Asia: What Future for Balochistan" was organized by Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) at The Royal Society, London. The conference was attended by US Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, Congressman Brain Higgins, Baloch nationalists, Khan of Qalat Mir Suleman Daud, Nawab Mehran Mari, Baloch representative in the UN, Noor-ud-din Mengal, and columnist Tarek Fatah.

The first panel of the conference was chaired by Baloch activist Noor-ud-din Mengal, who discussed Balochistan's role in the world power game. Athar Hussain, director of the Asia Research Centre at London School of Economics, addressed "Pakistan's inability as a state to protect its citizen and the brutality with which it has addressed tensions with Balochistan". Burzine Waghmar from the Centre for the Study of Pakistan at SOAS, journalist Anna Reitman, and several Baloch speakers spoke about the "Talibanization of Balochistan, the rise of Islamic radicalism in South Asia, security in Iranian Balochistan, the key role energy and mining resources play in Balochistan, and the influence of Iran, Pakistan, India and China in the region".

The third panel discussed Balochistan's future. It included US Congressman Dana Rohrabacher and Khan of Qalat Mir Suleman Daud, who called for a "united Baloch front in the struggle against the horrors imposed on the Baloch people by Islamabad".

Addressing the conference, Dana Rohrabacher, known for his support for independent Balochistan, called for a referendum in the province, that he said would challenge Islamabad's claims the Baloch wanted to be part of Pakistan. "Pakistan is not a friend of the United States and of those who believe in peace, prosperity and freedom for the people of the world," he said.

"This is unacceptable and nonsense," Pakistani High Commissioner in the UK Wajid Shamsul Hassan said in response. "Whether it is the US, Canada or nationals from any other country who demand the right of self-determination for Balochistan, I would only urge them not to interfere in Pakistan's internal affairs." He said the world should respect Pakistan's sovereignty and not support efforts to destabilize the country.

Pakistani authorities have long been criticized for enforced disappearances and what is called the "kill and dump policy" against Baloch nationalists.

"Today, it was a comparatively low profile conference in London demanding independence for Balochistan. If the situation goes unnoticed, things may get out of control," said analyst Jan Achakzai.

Pakistani High Commissioner in the UK Wajid Shamsul Hassan admitted that the situation in Balochistan was deteriorating, but said it was because of "foreign involvement".

"Some internal forces, with the backing of their foreign allies, wish to destabilize the state and I have no doubt that these are the forces that are involved in the gross human rights violations, including the killings of hundreds of innocent people," he said.

But Baloch nationalist leaders disagree. "Participants of the UNPO conference on Balochistan have urged the Pakistani authorities to give the people of Balochistan the right of self-determination," said the exiled son of Nawab Khair Bakhsh Mari, Nawab Mehran Mari, who represents Baloch nationalists at the United Nations and other international forums. "We want an independent and sovereign Balochistan. No more, no less."

The participants of the UNPO conference condemned the Quetta bombings in which more than 200 Hazara Shias were killed. Mehran Mari blamed the security establishment for the attacks, and said it backed Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

Wajid Shamsul Hassan looks at the problem in a different context. "The main issue is the Gawadar Port, which has been handed over to China against the will of certain countries. The internal enemies of Pakistan have full support and backing of those foreign forces (who want the control of Gwadar Port)," he said.

A majority of human rights violations in Balochistan, including the killing of Shias, was being carried out by these forces "who are not happy to see China in Gwadar", he said.

After the Pakistan People's Party government came to power, President Asif Ali Zardari had apologized to the people of Balochistan for their sufferings. In an effort to heal their wounds, the PPP government increased Balochistan's share in the National Finance Award as well as in the employment quota. But Baloch nationalists are not convinced things will change.

"They say the general elections are round the corner and they expect us to take part, but I want to make it very clear that as per our elders' decision, we do not intend to participate in any elections held by Pakistan," said Mehran Mari. "Taking part in elections would be an endorsement of killings and enforced disappearances of thousands of Baloch people," he said.

[Adam]

Malik Khan are you Baloch?