Tag Archives: Pak occupied Kashmir

Global Terror and Cheap Chinese Cracker

October 3, 2016 Newsroom24x7 Network 1 Comment

Lalit Shastri

This Diwali, before using the option of lighting up your houses with Chinese decoration lights or bursting cheap and smuggled Chinese crackers, at least remember that by doing this you would be helping a country that has once more blocked India’s move to declare Masood Azhar as an international terrorist. Azhar is the founder of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). This terror outfit, held responsible for the 2001 terrorist attack on Indian Parliament, wants to separate Kashmir from India and is behind so many terror attacks in Kashmir. China also warned that it will curtail the flow of Brahmaputra when India started talking of reviewing the Indus Waters Treaty signed between India and Pakistan in 1960 at the initiative of World Bank after last month’s terrorist attack on the Army base camp at Uri in Kashmir. China should be taught a lesson on these counts and also because it is going full steam ahead with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor passing through Pak occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Balance of bilateral trade heavily tilts in favour of China

India’s total export to China has dipped from US $ 305,963.92 million in 2011-12 to US $ 262,290.13 million in 2015-16. The balance of trade between the two countries has tilted heavily in favour of China as India’s total import from that country has soared from US $ 55,313.58 million in 2011-12 to US $ 61,706.83 in 2015-16.

For a complete picture let us look at the data pertaining to balance of bilateral trade, which tilts heavily in favour of China. In 2011-12 it was US $ -183,355.57 million. This rose to US $ -190,336.07 million in 2012-13, US $ -135,794.49 million in 2013-14, US $ -137,694.93 million in 2014-15 and US $ -118,716.50 million in 2015-16.

If the Indian Government succumbs to global pressure or has no choice but to maintain the status quo in terms of tariffs on goods imported from China due to bilateral commitments or the WTO’s new Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), which India ratified earlier this year to meet the lofty goal of increasing merchandise exports or further boosting the country’s economic growth by “reducing trade costs and supporting its integration into the global economy” as summed up by WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo, the people of India can come forward and play a pro-active role by resorting to en masse boycott of Chinese goods. In this way the people of India will be sending a strong message to China that it should not be blinded by its narrow economic and strategic interests. For the sake of global peace and its own internal security, China would be best advised to wake up and address the issue of global terror in the right perspective. The message should be loud and clear that the people of India, if they wrest the initiative, they have the power to swing the balance the other way.

The China apologists in India may argue that China is among the largest trading partners of India. They will certainly point out that boycott of all Chinese stuff sold off shelves and online besides decoration lights and crackers that get smuggled into India in massive quantities from China , is no solution rather it will hurt the Indian economy and cause a spiralling adverse impact if China decides to squeeze the export of cotton, gems, precious metals, ores, organic chemicals, salt, sulphur, stone, cement, machines, engines, pumps, plastics, raw hides and so on. The pro-China lobby should know that China would be hit harder if India resorts to go into the overdrive mode to revolutionise the domestic production sector, especially Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME s), coupled with a blanket ban on import of goods from China. Even if the Indian Government drags it’s feet in this matter, the vast majority of Indians should refuse to pick Chinese goods. They should act immediately and turn their back to every Chinese product that would be flooding the Indian market during the current festive season. If that happens, the message would be loud and clear and even the Indian Government will be compelled act and shut its doors to the Chinese finished goods like electronic equipment, machines, engines, pumps, organic chemicals, fertilizers, iron and steel, ships, boats, plastics, medical and technical equipment. This will send shock waves that the Chinese economy will not be able to absorb.

World

Surgical strikes by India: US tells India and Pakistan to increase communication to deal with terrorist groups and avoid steps that escalate tensions

September 30, 2016 Newsroom24x7 Network Leave a comment

Newsroom24x7 Staff

We all know that terrorism, in many ways, knows no border. We continue to urge actions to combat and delegitimize terrorist groups like LeT and the Haqqani Network, Jaish-e-Mohammad. So this is something that we’re obviously keenly focused on.

uri-attack — Army base at Uri that was attacked by terrorists on September 18

Washington DC: On the post-Uri surgical strikes by the Indian Army leading to the demolition of launch pads for terrorists inside the Pak occupied Kashmir area in the early hours of Thursday (29 September), the message from the USA to both sides -India and Pakistan – is that they should increase communication to deal with this threat (terrorism) and to avoid steps that escalate the tensions.

This was stated by John Kirby, the US State Department Spokesperson in response to a query at the daily press briefing here.

Kirby said that instead of characterizing “each and every step along the way (to combating terrorism), the US wants to see increased cooperation against what is a very shared common threat for both countries, and to see steps being taken to deal with it by all sides.

On the terror attack at the Indian Army base camp at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir, Kirby said: ‘Obviously an attack like that escalates tensions. But what I don’t want to do is try to get into some sort of broad characterization, one way or the other. But obviously an attack like this is horrific.”

Kirby said that the US is following the situation closely. Stating that the Indian and Pakistani militaries have been in communication, he emphahsised that the US believes that continued communication is obviously important to reduce tensions.

We’ve repeatedly expressed our concerns regarding the danger that terrorism poses to the region, Kirby said adding “we all know that terrorism, in many ways, knows no border. We continue to urge actions to combat and delegitimize terrorist groups like LeT and the Haqqani Network, Jaish-e-Mohammad. So this is something that we’re obviously keenly focused on.”

Kirby informed media-persons that the US Secretary of State John Kerry spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Swaraj on 27 September and reiterated his strong condemnation of the September 18 Uri attack. He condemned terrorism in all its forms and also cautioned against any escalation in tensions.

Answering a pointed query on specific steps taken to strengthen cooperation on fighting terrorism between India and Pakistan, Kirby said: “We’re always trying to get better at combatting terrorism in the region. And there are many ways you can do that – through information-sharing regimens and increasing communication between all parties involved.”

Kirby observed: “I don’t talk about the specifics of military”, When a journalist pointed out that this was a counter-terrorism operation (the surgical strikes by the Indian Army) and asked, as there is strong coordination between India and the U.S. on counter-terrorism issues, was there any coordination on this strike by the Indian forces?

India, World

Surgical strike on terror camps in PoK: Any aggression will not go unanswered says Pakistan

September 29, 2016 Newsroom24x7 Network Leave a comment

Newsroom24x7 Staff

New Delhi/Islamabad: After last night’s surgical strike on launch pads in Pak Occupied Kashmir by Indian Army to neutralize terrorists, Pakistan today afternoon in a message to India said that “any such aggression will not go unanswered or unpunished”.

Pakistan is ready to defend its people and territory from “any Indian aggression or Indian State sponsored terrorism” on Pakistani soil, Pakistan has said. This after an all-party meeting at North Block in New Delhi was briefed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Director General of Military Operation about the successful military operation inside Pak Occupied Kashmir last night. In this first post-Uri response by the Indian Army, seven terror camps were destroyed and 38 terrorists along with two Pak soldiers were killed.

Pakistan has reacted to the surgical strike by India by stating it “strongly condemns unprovoked ceasefire violations at LoC by Indian forces.

Meanwhile Indian satellites have started monitoring Pak airspace. Indian Air Force, fighter jets have begun intensive combat patrol in the western sector and the border villages have been evacuated. The entire western border stretching from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir has been put on high alert and additional troops have been rushed to this area. Vigil by BSF has also been stepped up.

India

Violence has no place in India: Narendra Modi

August 15, 2016 Newsroom24x7 Network Leave a comment

Newsroom24x7 Staff

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said from the ramparts of Red Fort in the capital that violence has no place in our country. This country will not tolerate terrorism and Maoism.

Addressing the people on Independence Day, Modi said I tell those who believe in human values, to weigh in the scale of humanity, when innocent children were massacred in a school in Peshawar. In India, every school was weeping, there were tears in the eyes of every parliamentarian. That was a reflection of our human value, but look at the other side which glorifies terrorists

The Prime Minister said he keeps telling the neighbouring countries, “let’s fight poverty, by fighting our own people we will destroy ourselves, only by fighting poverty together will we prosper.

Thanking the people from Balochistan, Gilgit and Pak occupied Kashmir, Modi said in the last few days, the way the people of Balochistan, Gilgit, from Pak occupied Kashmir have thanked him, it is the honour of 1.25 billion people of India.

CLICH HERE for PM’s full Address