My Reflections

The recently unveiled US desire of opening their consulate in Quetta warrants some attention. The apparent US intent is to facilitate Pakistanis in acquiring US visa and lessen the burden on US consulate in Karachi. This US intent needs scrutiny in backdrop of two factors. First is the necessity of having a US consulate in Quetta since percentage of people applying for US visa from Balochistan is at best minimal. Second is resonance of old US mantra that so called ‘Quetta Shura’ under Mullah Omer (purportedly under Pakistan’s tutelage) has been orchestrating resistance against NATO and US forces in Afghanistan. The US desire to open its consulate in Quetta appears more relevant in backdrop of the later fact viz generation of covert response against ‘Quetta Shura’, if at all it exists. It can be asserted with fair amount of confidence that the US consulate in Quetta would likely provide a diplomatic cover under which the US will be able to coordinate its covert activities in the provin...

The report is authored by Mr Shemrez Nauman Afzal from Spearhead Research, which is a Lahore-based private, non-partisan and apolitical centre for research, analysis and consultancy. Terming North Waziristan a “Death Trap” the author has primarily build up a case for non-launching of any major operation in the agency and proffered alternative methodology of cutting out peace deal to handle the situation in North Waziristan until certain conditions are met viz stabilisation of situation in FATA with civilian administration on ground, effective sealing of Durand Line from both sides and availability of sufficient resources to undertake operation of this magnitude. Such methodology warrants active support from US/ NATO Forces. In his view, while Pakistan is confronted with precarious regional and internal security situation, recourse to military option in the obtaining environment will further exacerbate the already fragile security situation in Pakistan and complicate its security dile...

       What a mockery have we made of ourselves in the last few months as a nation! Pakistan already finds itself mired in a plethora of problems, some of which are threatening the very core of country’s existence. Oblivious of its implications, we have chosen to further destabilize our own country by raising slogans for creation of new provinces along ethnic lines. It is shameful and appalling to see approach of few of the political parties who in a race to score political mileage have decided to put the future of federation at stake. There have been a lot of insane voices from nook and corner of the country demanding renaming or creation of a new province on ethnic grounds. I need to ask a fundamental question from proponents of such demands. What difference will creation/ renaming of a province make in life of a common Pakistani? Have we ever pondered on implications of such haywire and misplaced demand? The financial cost associated with creation of new...

SHOULD WE TRUST OUR TOP POLITICAL LEADERSHIP WITH RESPECT TO THEIR SINCERITY WITH PAKISTAN ? IT IS HIGH TIME THAT THEY ENSURE TRANSPARENCY IN DEALING WITH THE PUBLIC......INFORMATION SHOULD NOT BE WITH HELD........SHARE STRATEGIC COMPULSIONS WITH PEOPLE.....GIVE THEM WORKABLE REALISTIC STRATEGIES.....HIGHLIGHT IMPLICATIONS.....DEVELOP CONSENSUS.......AND THEN EXECUTE........IN PAKISTAN CHANGE CANNOT COME FROM THE TOP IT WILL HAVE TO BE BOTTOM UP. TIME IS RUNNING OUT.....NON-SHARING OF TRUTH WITH THE NATION PEOPLE GIVE WAY TO MISPERCEPTIONS....MISPERCEPTIONS AT TIMES LEAD TO INDIFFERENT ATTITUDES......UNITY OF A NATION GOES FOR A SIX....WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR ? I DO NOT KNOW....... Tahir Terry · Monday, May 23, 2011

DEAR PAKISTANIS ! 'SAY NO' TO ANTI-PAKISTAN ARMY, AIRFORCE, NAVY AND ISI RELATED SMSs. Such SMS are being generated by anti-Pakistan elements and if we spread these we are in fact demoralizing our nation and working on behalf of anti-Pakistan forces. In civilized nations such fiascos are dealt with prudence and not with emotions and sarcacism. DON'T FORGET: - CIA FAILED to learn about PERAL HARBOUR ATTACK - CIA FAILED to save Americans from 9/11 ATTACK - CIA OFFERED false information of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq - RAW FAILED in warning against BOMBAY ATTACK - MI 6 FAILED in warning against 7/7 ATTACK in UK BUT: - Those nations did not malign their Armed Forces in such manner by spreading hate and sarcastic SMSs. - Don't forget the BLOOD of so many of valiant sons of this soil. They gave away their lives and embraced martyrdom for PAKISTAN AND for all of us PAKISTANIS. - DON'T BE A PART OF ANY SUCH MALICIOUS CAMPAIGN AN...

PREMISE The failed terrorist attempt at Times Square raised many eyebrows (refer to readers’ comments on related stories in NEW YORK TIMES and other Pakistani newspapers) not only in Pakistan but in the US as well. The suspicions owe their origin to somewhat visibly amateurish planning/ conduct behind the act, as well as alleged involvement of a US national of Pakistani origin. The discussion in public circles in Pakistan imbued with usual nationalistic and anti-US fervour unfortunately in few cases has centred on emotionalism rather than on rationale and logic. With a view to impart a tinge of objectivity and rationale outlook to such discussions, I have carried out an analysis of the incident and provided here a set of raw implications that I could deduce within my limited understanding. In arriving at the implications, I might totally be out of mark or even be close to reality, the decision of which I leave to readers and to subsequent events. However, the underlying ...