HAPPY NEW YEAR....2009 Embark on a fresh start this New Year.May it brings sunshine to Balochs life and embrace every Balochs with happiness,Love and Warmth.Best wishes for a happy New Year. BALOCH UNITY CONFERENCE...BUC

RSF condemns fatwa, violence against journalists in Tribal Areas * International media watchdog says press disappearing in Bajaur * Journalists say they are receiving threats from all sides Staff Report PESHAWAR: International press freedom organisation Reporters Without Borders has expressed concern over threats and physical attacks against journalists in Bajaur Agency, where fighting between the Taliban and security forces continues. A fatwa has been issued against two journalists and a rocket-propelled grenade was fired at a press club in Bajaur recently, Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) said in a media alert issued late on Monday evening in Paris and received here via email on Tuesday. "The Tribal Areas are being steadily emptied of their journalists because of the threats and violence against them," RSF said. "The Taliban groups and security forces are entirely to blame for this exodus as they display a disgraceful disregard for media freedom and safety." Disappearance: The press freedom organisation added: "The Tribal Areas, especially Bajaur, are at the centre of a major international conflict but the press is in the process of disappearing there. We appeal to all parties to stop targeting journalists, who are neither the West's agents nor Taliban supporters but just media professionals and nothing else." With a total of seven journalists killed in connection with their work, Pakistan was second only to Iraq in media fatalities in 2008, according to the annual RSF press freedom roundup. A fatwa sentencing Bajaur-based journalists Anwarullah Khan and Irfanullah Jan to death was issued earlier this month by the Taliban and was broadcast by one of the clandestine radio stations operated by a fundamentalist group. "They deserve to be killed," one of the station's presenters said. Khan and Jan also received threatening letters accusing them of being ‘agents of the West’. Since then, they have not left their homes in Khar, the capital of Bajaur. "I cannot leave my home for fear of being abducted or killed. I am cut off from the world," one of them told RSF. The Khar Press Club building, which had been unoccupied since August when an army operation was initiated, was damaged by a rocket on December 13. The attack was condemned by the Tribal Union of Journalists (TUJ). Threats: "We do our work in an extremely difficult environment and we receive threats from all sides," a Khar-based journalist said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Only a handful of journalists are still active in Bajaur, compared with more than 20 in August. "All the others stopped working as journalists or relocated elsewhere," the source said. "The difficulties of working as a journalist are unimaginable." Two journalists from Bajaur, Noor Hakim and Muhammad Ibrahim, have been killed since June 2007. Gunmen raided the Khar Press Club last summer and roughed up the journalists who were there, accusing them of hostile reporting. The Taliban often accuse journalists of being ‘agents of America’ or the Pakistani government. Journalists based in the Tribal Areas told RSF they were forced to censor themselves because of growing threats from the Taliban or their local allies. "I report less than half of what happens in my area," a tribal journalist said. "We have to censor ourselves if we want to stay alive." A Bajaur journalist said it had become very difficult to independently confirm the number of civilian victims. "If we say civilians were killed by the army or the Taliban, we put our lives in danger," he said. TUJ President Nasir Mohmand condemned not only the violence but also the lack of financial security that the union's members had to endure. "Some Pakistani media do not pay us for our work," he said. "This makes the situation of journalists in the Tribal Areas even more precarious."

Hamas defiant, Israel rejects Gaza truce * Bush puts onus on Hamas to stop rocket firing * Hamas says it is ready to consider ceasefire proposals GAZA: Israel on Wednesday rejected calls for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and stepped up preparations for a possible ground offensive after Hamas’s long-range rockets hit another major population centre. Israeli aircraft carried out more than 10 airstrikes in sharply reduced operations in rainy weather that allowed many Gaza residents to venture out to shop for food for the first time since the start of Israel’s five-day-old offensive. The poor weather – “a truce imposed by God” as one Palestinian put it – could delay any push by Israeli tanks into the territory. Forecasters predicted several days of clear skies starting late on Thursday. US President George W Bush spoke by phone to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert but did not discuss a timetable for halting Israeli strikes, the White House said. Bush put the onus on Hamas to stop firing rockets as a first step to a truce. “We didn’t start this operation just to end it with rocket fire continuing as it did before it began,” Olmert said, according to an aide. “Imagine if we declare a unilateral ceasefire and a few days later rockets fall on (the town of) Ashkelon. What will that do to Israel’s deterrence?” Hamas, for its part, said it was prepared to study proposals for a ceasefire so long as it “will bring an immediate cessation to the aggression and lift the siege entirely,” senior official Ayman Taha said, referring to Israel’s blockade of the Hamas-ruled coastal territory. Inside Gaza, many residents ventured outside their homes to stock up on supplies, taking advantage of a lull in Israeli air strikes that have turned Hamas government buildings into piles of rubble. Israeli cabinet ministers approved the mobilisation of 2,500 army reservists, expanding on an earlier call-up of 6,500 soldiers for the garrison on the Gaza border, and officials said a ground offensive was an option. Israel said it was doing its part to let humanitarian supplies into Gaza despite the rocket fire. Ninety-three truckloads of food, medicine and blood for hospitals entered on Wednesday, defence official Peter Lerner said. Food supplies in Gaza were running low and power cuts were affecting much of the territory. Hospitals were struggling to cope with the high number of casualties from the offensive. Medical officials revised the number of wounded to 1,650 after figures arrived from medical centres that had not reported their casualty statistics earlier. Three Israeli civilians and a soldier have been killed by rockets. reuters

Indian services chiefs told to stay in country, troops on alert NEW DELHI: Amid tensions between India and Pakistan following last month’s terrorist attacks in Mumbai, New Delhi has started augmenting the country’s defences with a view to reducing to the minimum the time required “to move into full operational readiness”. The Indian government has also asked the chiefs of India’s three defence services to stay in the country and remain on immediate call. Navy chief Admiral Suresh Mehta was to visit Qatar in mid-December, but his visit was called off after the orders to remain in India, PTI reported. The PTI’s sources said the services chiefs had also been advised to pass on similar instructions to their key operational commanders so as to be able to affect ‘complete readiness’ to face any eventuality. Troops that were involved in routine exercises or were on operational alert in the Punjab and Rajasthan states have been asked to stay on well after the duration of these exercises ended this month. No fixed time limit has been given to withdraw with one-third strike elements also being moved in to ensure extra vigil. The defence forces have also been asked to indicate any equipment or ammunition they would need through fast procurement means. While no proposal has so far been received, sources said each service was still to complete evaluating its immediate requirements. PTI sources said the effort is to maintain a more alert posture - without causing undue alarm in Western capitals - so that the time taken for full operational readiness is reduced to the minimum. The PTI quoted its sources as saying New Delhi had no offensive intent but was preparing for any possible situation. online

BSO Demand unconditionally release Baloch Leaders

How a mouse in Pakistan became its Man of the Year: The Times of India New Delhi, Dec 28: In the absence of any serious contender from India, the Man of the Year is surely Muntathar al-Zaidi of Iraq. He made George Bush, already honoured with an enviable place in the history of laughter, immortal with a pair of Turkish shoes. Al-Zaidi wins the nomination because he is the first great Gandhian of the 21st century. He may not be a Gandhian by Indian ideals, but he is certainly one by Iraqi standards. Intersecting cultural traditions through the arc of anger, we find that a well-aimed shoe just about makes it into the non-violent category. In a recent film with a forgettable name, Akshay Kumar threw a Punjabi jutti at a competitor for the heroine's hand without missing a beat in his song. The well-flung shoe therefore has its place in India's history as a weapon of class-destruction. If it's Gandhian, it must have a moral. There is one. A single alphabet separates 'shoe' and 'shot'. If al-Zaidi had aimed a bullet, he would have been vilified and his country could have been burdened with another decade of war and misery. A thousand cartoons celebrated the miracle of a shoe ripping up Bush's reputation with a thoroughness no arsenal could have achieved. A hundred American stand-up comics could not have asked for a better Christmas gift. Sixty years after Gandhi's martyrdom, perhaps without anyone noticing it, non-violence has become the politically acceptable instrument of protest. Irrational, inhuman violence, alas, still has its advocates and clients, as the trauma of Mumbai proves. Curiously, America, which placed terrorism beyond the pale, is in the process of tacitly endorsing terrorism in an attempt to exonerate its ally in the Afghan war, the Pakistan Army. Pakistan has developed a narrative of denial and justification to explain Mumbai. It runs, broadly, on these lines: we do not know who these ten men are, but if we did then their mayhem had a "root cause", Kashmir. The Pentagon, shuffling uneasily from the defeated convictions of a fading Bush towards an as yet unrefined alternative, perhaps influenced by an inexperienced incomer's enthusiasm for solutions, seems to have bought into the "root causes" argument. Adm Mike Mullen, chairman, US Joint Chiefs of Staff, met Generals Ashfaq Kayani and Ahmad Shuja Pasha, head of the ISI, three days before Christmas. Reaffirming Pakistan's role as an indispensable partner in the war against terror, he offered, in exchange, a virtual free pass to Pak involvement in Mumbai. He offered a simplistic "root-cause" formula: Kashmir, the principal source of regional instability, has to be resolved to establish Indo-Pak-US cooperation in Afghanistan. Expect a special US envoy high on good intentions flitting between Delhi and Islamabad soon. The question that no one seems keen to answer in Delhi is: Whatever happened to the strategic relationship with the US, the cornerstone of the government's foreign policy? Did Delhi forget to include Kashmir in India's strategic map? State-to-state relations have always survived war. India-Pakistan relations have survived nuclear brinkmanship and military catastrophe. But can they survive terrorism? India is in the grip of a frozen anger against Pakistan. Injudicious provocation could convert the thaw into lava. It is always useful to apply the Agatha Christie principle in any mystery: who gains from murder? Who gained from terrorism in Mumbai? There is only one winner: the Pakistan Army. The disgrace into which it had been dragged by Pervez Musharraf has been erased; it is wrapped once again in the blanket of confrontation with India. Zardari's amateur attempts at a peace deal with India are dead, a prelude perhaps to his own decline. He will no longer attempt to encroach into ISI space. Pakistan's generals are proving to be excellent tacticians. They have manoeuvered impressively through the terror-crisis to emerge with the local Taliban on one arm, and the Pentagon on the other. Pervez Musharraf used to talk too much. General Ashfaq Kayani has been accused of talking too little. For philosophy he clearly turns to Clausewitz rather than Gandhi. But Pakistan's Mouse of the Year in January 2008 has emerged as its Man of the Year by December.

Pakistan forces beat up Baluch journalist By:Ahmar Mustikhan VA journalist was attacked by Pakistani forces while carrying out his professional duties in the Baluchistan port city of Gwadur, residents told this journalist on phone. Behram Baluch, bureau chief of the Urdu language Daily Intekhab, was beaten up by the mostly Punjabi and Mohajir Anti Terror Force in the main roundabout of the town early Wednesday morning. "There was no rhyme or reason for attacking the journalist," said Hameed Haji, president of the National Party in Gwadur District. "The ATF was just flexing its muscles," he said. People of Gwadur including provincial government minister Mir Hamal Kalmati protested the uncalled for attack against the journalist and staged a sit-down at the Gwadur Airport. A new $250 million deep sea port became operational in Gwadur on Sunday, but most of the laborers were brought from outside Baluchistan inviting protest by the Baluch chief executive of the province, Nawab Aslam Raisani. The Gwadur Port Authority is under Islamabad's control, with Punjabi and mohajir military and civilian officers on its board, and Raisani has demanded the port be handed over to Baluchistan state. Pakistan's minister for ports and shipping, Nabil Gabol, has promised the port will be handed over to the control of Baluchistan, Pakistani press reports have said. Pakistani forces and intelligence services routinely mistreat journalists in the restive Baluchistan province and even foreign correspondents are not spared. On August 26 a journalist Irshad Akhtar of daily Asaap newspaper suffered gunshot wounds and a civilian Altaf Buledi was killed when they came under the unprovoked attack of the Frontier Corp at a public rally. The rally was organized to mark the second death anniversary of former governor and chief minister of Baluchistan, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti. Bugti was assassinated extra judicially by the Pakistan army for resisting Pakistan's loot of naural gas produced in his native Sui. The Sui area produces as much as $7 million of natural gas each day and only ten days worth of the money is given to Baluchistan state while the rest is pocketed by the majority Punjabi and mohajir population, the two dominant ethnic groups in Pakistan. Pakistan used U.S.-supplied F-16s to attack Bugti, whose remains were not handed over to his family. Crackdown on journalists is routine in Baluchistan. Carlotta Gall, a correspondent of The New York Times, was beaten up in Baluchistan town of Quetta while on a tour of duty some time ago. Pakistan annexed Texas-sized Baluchistan illegally against the wishes of Baluch people in March 1948 and a low-level insurgency is continuing to this day. The Baluch have risen up in arms against the forced annexation five times during the last six decades.

Bomb kills two girls in Balochistan: Friday, 26 Dec, 2008 | 11:50 AM PST QUETTA: Two girls were killed Friday when a bomb exploded in their home in a remote village in Balochistan province, police said. Unknown attackers, apparently targeting the girls’ male relatives, planted the bomb in the mud-brick home in the village of Teenda in Naseerabad district, local police official Muhammad Ali Khoso told AFP. ‘Two girls, aged six and eight years, were killed in the bomb blast,’ Khoso said, adding that one wall of the house was destroyed. The apparent targets of the attacks escaped injury as they had already left for work on nearby farms, he said. ‘The incident is being investigated, but the attacks appear to be linked to the ongoing unrest,’ the official said. Hundreds of people have died in violence in Baluchistan since an insurgency flared in late 2004, with rebels demanding political autonomy and a greater share of profits from the region’s vast natural resources.

The case against Pakistan: Indian Express New Delhi, Dec 25: Not satisfied with Islamabad’s “token action” on the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), India has prepared a “detailed dossier” of Pakistan’s “violations” of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. The violations, on at least eight counts, range from non-extradition of the terror outfit’s leaders to non-prosecution of the group and its members. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said outside Parliament on Tuesday, “We would like an objective effort from Pakistan to dismantle the terror machine. The Government of Pakistan knows what it implies. We expect them, as a member of the United Nations, to comply with the resolutions passed over the years, not just ‘1267’. We want the international community to use its power of persuasion to persuade Pakistan to comply with these resolutions.” The dossier, which 'The Indian Express' has accessed, lists clause-by-clause obligations to be fulfilled by Pakistan. New Delhi plans to share this dossier with friendly nations to build international pressure on Islamabad. # Para 8 of UNSCR 1540 (2004) adopted under chapter VII defined non-state actors thus: “such as those identified in the UN list established and maintained by the committee established under the Security Council resolution 1267 and those to whom resolution 1373 applies”. New Delhi says the Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, Jaish-e-Mohammad are all on the UNSC resolution 1267 list, which is essentially a list of the UN’s banned terror outfits and individuals. # Now that JuD has been banned, the operative Para 8 of UNSCR 1267 (1999) becomes applicable, which “calls upon States to bring proceedings against persons and entities within their jurisdiction that violate the measures imposed and to impose appropriate penalties”. New Delhi says it is not enough to put leaders of JuD, including Hafiz Sayeed, under “house arrest”, and they must be “prosecuted.” This has been incumbent on all states “to deny safe haven to those who plan, finance or commit terrorist acts by ensuring their apprehension and prosecution or extradition”. # Para 2 of UNSCR 1566 (2004) calls upon states to “cooperate fully in the fight against terrorism, especially with those states where or against whose citizens terror acts are committed, in accordance with their obligations under international law in order to find, deny safe haven and bring to justice on the basis of the principle to extradite or prosecute, any person who supports, facilitates, participates or attempts to participate in the financing, planning, preparation or commission of terror acts or provide safe havens”. New Delhi says India is a victim country and this clause makes it possible to extradite or prosecute the JuD or LeT chief Hafiz Sayeed, JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar and Dawood Ibrahim, along with others in these terror outfits. # Para 3 of UNSCR 1566 (2004) says that “criminal acts, including against civilians, committed with the intent to cause death on serious bodily injury or taking of hostages, with the purpose to provoke a state of terror in the general public, constitute offences within the scope of the international conventions and protocols relating to terrorism. It calls upon all states to prevent such acts and, if not prevented, to ensure that such acts are punished by penalties consistent with their grave nature’’. New Delhi says that the Mumbai terror attacks as well as the IC-814 hijack fit the bill here and Pakistan has a duty to prevent terrorists (non-state actors) using its territory to commit acts of terror in India. But now, having failed there, it must now help punish those responsible. # Para 1 (b) of UNSCR 1373 (2001) says States are to criminalise the “wilful provision or collection, by any means, of funds by their nationals or in their territory with the intention that the funds should be used or in the knowledge that they are to be used in order to carry out terror acts”. New Delhi says that in the last seven years, since UNSC resolution 1373 was adopted, JuD continued to raise funds freely in Pakistan for commission of acts of terrorism in India. Pakistan must now act to stop this in the future and prosecute those who have committed this crime in the past. # Para 2 (a) of UNSCR 1373 (2001) makes it a duty for all states to refrain from providing any form of support — active or passive — to entities or persons involved in terror acts, including recruitment of members in terror groups. New Delhi says, once again, terror groups banned by UN have continued to recruit freely in Pakistan for the commission of acts of terror in India. # Para 2 (g) asks the States to “prevent the movement of terror groups by effective border controls” by land, sea and air. New Delhi says Pakistan has permitted terror groups in its territory to cross into India — via sea — and commit terror acts. It must act to stop any recurrence. # Para 24 of UNSCR 1822 (2008) asks all member states to give updates on operating status of listed entities or groups. New Delhi says Pakistan never gave any such information in the past, and has violated its obligation.

Three Turkish soldiers killed in Kurdish militant attack DIYARBAKIR, Turkey: Kurdish militants launched a deadly attack in southeastern Turkey hours after the Turkish and Iraqi prime ministers vowed a fresh clampdown on the separatists, officials said Thursday. Three soldiers were killed and another nine wounded, four of them seriously, when militants from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) armed with automatic weapons attacked an army vehicle, the local officials said. The attack late Wednesday in the village of Cizre, near the borders of both Iraq and Syria, came hours after Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan held talks in Ankara with Iraqi counterpart Nuri al-Maliki. The prime ministers vowed to step up their cooperation against Turkish Kurdish militants whose presence in neighbouring northern Iraq has cast a shadow over relations. The thorny issue of PKK militants taking shelter in Iraqi mountains along the border was at the centre of their talks. 'We should not allow terrorist organisations, in particular the PKK, to weaken our relations,' Maliki said. Erdogan said the fight against 'terrorism' was a common issue for the neighbouring nations. 'Our joint fight will continue,' he said. Maliki later told reporters that a mechanism of three-way talks between Iraq, Turkey and the United States, set up last month, was tasked with doing 'what is necessary... against any activities by the PKK.' 'We have a common understanding that it is a terrorist organisation,' he said. Hundreds of militants from the PKK are holed up the mountains of northern Iraq, which they use as a launching pad for cross-border attacks on Turkish targets. Turkish warplanes have since last year bombed rebel hideouts in the region. Ankara has often accused the Iraqi Kurds, who run an autonomous administration in northern Iraq, of tolerating and even aiding the militants. But in a policy shift earlier this year, it said it would seek to resolve the issue through diplomacy and intensified contacts with the Iraqi Kurds, whom it had long snubbed. Iraqi Kurds are now included in the three-way talks. A senior Turkish official said Wednesday Ankara 'sees signs' that the Iraqi Kurds are willing to cooperate against the PKK. On the eve of Maliki's visit, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, gave fresh assurances that both Baghdad and the Kurdish administration of northern Iraq were determined to purge the region of the PKK. 'We, the Iraqi Kurds, will no longer allow armed people from any Kurdish group to use our territory to carry out attacks on Turkey or Iran,' Talabani said in an interview with Turkey's Aksam daily. He said Kurdish parties in northern Iraq would soon convene a meeting to issue a joint appeal to the PKK to abandon its armed struggle. The PKK, listed as a terrorist group by Ankara and much of the international community, took up arms for self-rule in Turkey's Kurdish-majority southeast in 1984, sparking a conflict that has claimed about 44,000 lives.

Terror plot foiled in J&K; 3 including Pak soldier held Zeenews Bureau Srinagar, Dec 23: A major terror conspiracy was foiled in J&K with the arrest of three on Tuesday. The state Director General of Police Kuldeep Khuda told the press that the serving Pakistani Armyman is Ghulam Farid alias Gulshan Kumar, a sepoy in 10 Azad Kashmir regiment. The top cop also apprised media that Farid had joined the Pakistan Army in 2001 and was detailed for terrorist activities in 2005. The others have been identified as Mohammad Abdullah belonging to Harpur in North West Frontier Province and Mohammed Imran, from Dera Nawab in Bawalpur. Khuda added that preliminary interrogations have revealed that they had received specialised training in suicide attacks and driving exlposive-laden vehicles. He also informed that four &K militants may already have reached Kashmir as per the interrogation of these three. The plan was to execute an attack similar to the Marriot hotel blasts in Pakistan with the intention of creating poll disturbance in the state. An explosives-laden vehicle was to be taken for blasts at crowded places. The consignment of ammunition was to be handed over to them locally by a guide whom they were waiting for in a Jammu hotel. Fortunately the guide was unable to reach there due to road blockage caused by weather conditions. Interrogation so far has revealed that the suicide bombers had received training from IC-814 hijacker Masood Azhar’s brother in Karachi. Apparently, two ISI officers had provided them with passports to reach Bangladesh capital Dhaka after they underwent training in explosives in Khulna city of the country. Subsequently they crossed the Malda border and entered Indian territory on the 17th of this month.

Iran closes human rights centre Iranian police have raided and closed the office of a human rights group led by the Nobel laureate, Shirin Ebadi. Judiciary officials said the centre was acting as an illegal political party, and had contacts with local and foreign organisations, local media reported. The raid came shortly before the centre was to host a celebration for the 60th anniversary of Human Rights Day. Ms Ebadi, who has repeatedly criticised Iran's human rights record, said it would not stop her supporters' work. "We will meet again somewhere else and will continue to support the rights of activists and political prisoners," she told the Associated Press. In a statement, the judiciary said it had ordered the closure of the Human Rights Defenders Centre in Tehran because it did not have the required legal permits, the Mehr news agency reported. It had also been "promoting illegal activities such as issuing statements on different occasions, sending letters to domestic and foreign organisations, holding press conferences, meetings and conferences" which created an atmosphere "of media publicity against the establishment in recent years", the statement added. Ms Ebadi became the first Muslim woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 for work that included promoting the rights of women and children in Iran and worldwide. http://news. bbc.co.uk/ 2/hi/middle_ east/7794788. stm

India steps up vigil along Rajasthan border JAISALMER/RAWALPINDI: The quick reaction teams (QRTs) of Indian Army and air force have been deployed along the border in the western Rajasthan sector, Times of India reported on Monday. The QRTs are also keeping a close watch on air space with the help of additional defence equipment, the report said, adding air commandoes had also been deployed at borders in Jaisalmer, Uttarlai (Barmer) and Bhuj (Gujarat). The report said additional hangars and runways had been prepared and all the radars had been put on high alert. Meanwhile, Pakistan military spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas said no report had been received regarding any unusual activity by Indian forces in the Rajasthan sector, a private television channel reported on Monday. daily times monitor

By:S.M.Marri..Our Reponsbilty

India can hit terrorists using Pak soil: Sonia * Congress chairwoman says Islamabad did not reciprocate Delhi’s efforts for better ties Daily Times Monitor LAHORE: Indian National Congress Chairwoman Sonia Gandhi has said her country was capable of giving a “befitting reply” to those using Pakistani soil for abetting and promoting terrorism against it, a private news channel said on Sunday. “Our wish for peace and friendship should not be taken as a sign of weakness,” Gandhi told an election rally in Dablehr area near the international border on Sunday. “While we have tried to build friendly relations with the neighbouring country, I want to make it clear that we are capable of giving a befitting reply to those who are using their soil for promotion and abetment of terrorism against our country,” Times of India newspaper quoted her as saying. According to the channel, she expressed disappointment over what she called Pakistan’s failure to reciprocate India’s efforts for better ties. India wanted peaceful and friendly relations with Pakistan in the same way it wanted peace and tranquillity within its territory, she said. “We have tried to build friendly relations but it is a matter of regret that they have not understood our feelings,” said Gandhi, who arrived in a helicopter to address the rally. Tensions between India and Pakistan have risen after last month’s terrorist attacks in Mumbai that India blames on elements in Pakistan. Ten gunmen attacked two luxury hotels, a rail station and a Jewish cultural centre on November 26, leaving around 180 dead, including nine of the gunmen. One of the attackers was caught and is in the custody of Indian police.

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Pictures of Baloch freedom fightrs sold in Balochistan BBCurdu.com نواب اکبر خان ، بالاچ مری اور برامداغ تصاویر مقبول

Death threats to Mr. Ahmer Mastikhan Baloch Activist in US.Your Comments: Mr. Malik: Issuing threats to Mr. Ahmer Jan is like a frustrated Cat, bites the pole.This is the failure of Pakistani politics, Panjabi lies and Ordu immigrant`s double policy. Instead to repair their own faults, Pakistani military is fighting against their own country and against her own people. We understand that to meet her both ends, Pakistan is obliged to spread terrorism in Pakistan and in abroad to earn money, material which is a clear signs of the failure of State.What a State whose President openly lies on theorder of ISI that Mumbai terrorists were not Panjabis !!! The so-called Malik, hands off from Mr. Ahmer and instead save your Maliks in Pakhtunkhawa. ( Friends of Balochs ) Afghan-zone. From: Abdul Hayee Subject: Re: [balochunity] Death threats Date: Thursday, December 18, 2008, 9:12 PM Dear Ahmar.Death threat from enemy is a blessing and it shows the commitment of a person with his cause. So dont bothers with such threats. The person who is away and not tangible is not a thinkable issue. Your cause is great. Great than life. Great than religions. If the world is beautiful human body than balochistan is the heart of whole world. Eyes of whole world. The body and soul perished in the way of such a country is a blessing. A.H.Baloch. From: Ahmar Khan Subject: [balochunity] Death threats Date: Thursday, December 18, 2008, 5:10 PM Dear Friends: Pakistanis have begun issuing me death threats. Please see email below. If friends here know how to work the ISP protocols and be be able to tell me where this email originated from, I will take care of the rest. Best regards,Ahmar --- umair malik wrote: > Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 02:44:31 -0800 (PST) > From: umair malik > Subject: Re: > To: Ahmar Mustikhan > > > > --- i know who u are Nd where u live we are closing > on to u soon u be eliminated u traitor of >

Successful strike in all over Balochitan against Pakistani Army Operation.More details visit :WWW.bbcurdu.com or following links.

Today 19th of December 2008 shutter-down strike all over the Balochistan against Army Operation in Balochistan the call of Baloch Republican Party and Others Organization. Baloch Unity Conference Supported this strike and urge to all baloch nation to successful this stirke and show Baloch unity against Pakistani Security operation.

International Community ignoring Baloch problems The writer is an activist of the Balochistan Human Rights Council of Canada. Is the International Community ignoring Baloch problems? When a Western reporter Declan Walsh from “Guardian News Services” asked a native Baloch at Dera Bugti Foj Ali about the Pakistani rulers. His answer was clear, “it is a great injustice. They (Pakistani rulers) are making billions of rupees pumping gas from our land to the rest of the country, and we are still using fire wood.” Indeed there are today thousands Foj Ali from all over Balochistan asking the same questions to the international community. Such historic root causes of Balochistan must not be ignored and should certainly be considered prior to signing the gas pipelines or any other mega project within the occupiers of Balochistan. The anger is increasingly mounting among Baloch leaders and the people of Balochistan. By the same token they should not ignore the reports of International crisis of Europe, alarming statistics from the United States Think Tank about the bloody conflicts within both states of Pakistan and Iran, and the well documented reports of atrocities, and human rights violations in Balochistan presented by the world Human Rights Organizations. An 89 years old, Baloch spiritual leader Nawab Khair Baksh Marri made it crystal clear to Pakistan, Iran and the international community by saying “we (Baloch) are the masters of our land” Ultimately, excluding the owners of the land from in all major issues concerning their own destiny poses for a difficult process and similarly does not make much sense. Since Canada is well known for its strong reputation of good human rights and support of seculars and democratic forces around the world. Today, most secular and democratic people of Balochistan are concerned about Canadian companies interacting with the Pakistani government through trade. Baloch leaders believe the western world should not overlook the injustices and decades of oppression in Balochistan. Similarly, IPT projects which have 2,600 KM of gas pipelines are going to be finalized by India, Pakistan, Iran and possibly China. The gas pipelines go directly through the heart of Balochistan, unfortunately all parties are ignoring the indigenous people of Balochistan which is a grave concerns for the Baloch leaders. At this point the Baloch people have screamed out their last cry with their last breath and are begging the international community to not turn their back on the injustices and atrocities in which they have been suffering for the past several decades. Leaders cannot and must not exclude a legitimate party from negotiations when the discussions, decisions, and results will have significant affect on the particular absent representative, it is against international law. Balochistan’s provincial assembly seems to be running on the remote of Islamabad, any bills or resolutions that are passed by the provincial assembly in Balochistan, are all subject to veto’s by the central government which is heavily dominated by Punjab. Many claims of advancements or assistance for the Baloch are no more then hollow disillusions that do no more then depict a false picture of Balochistan. For instance, Presidents Musharrraf has been claiming that he will build a technical institution since 2005 in regions where mega projects are, but he has yet to fulfill any promises. Natives still do not get skill training and lacks fair opportunities for jobs in such so called mega projects. Musharraf’s anti-Baloch intentions became clear, when the media first exposed him, a ship with wheat arrived from Canada at Gwader Deep-Sea-port in Balochstan where he sent 400 un-skilled laborers from Punjab and Karachi (Muhajirs) to unload the wheat. He charted four buses and three trucks, for the laborers. Yet they could not find un-skilled native from their own city of Gwader, Balochistan. During his rule Islamabad has further planed to invest Rs 9 billion on constructions of cantonments in Balochistan, the main reason is to control the free movements of Baloch people in their own land. This is serious concern for the people of Balochistan. Pakistani media is projecting around the world about the mega projects of Balochistan and claim they will bring economic revolutions for the regions, such as future gas pipelines. But behind such projects, states of Pakistan and are Iran both having their hidden agendas using Balochistan. Strategically located regions such 900 costal built gates of Asia, are to protect the central governments interest, strengthen its defense through Balochistan gwader-Deep-Sea Port, where China is investing a billion dollars in the Gwader –Deep-Sea port. Balochistan through out the history from 19th century due to its geo-political and strategically located regions has been used as a bargaining chip by British empires and now by its occupiers’ Pakistan and Iran. As South Asian expert Selig Harrison writes “A glance at a map of Southwest Asia quickly explains why strategically located Balochistan..Becomes a focal point of superpowers conflict. Stretching across a vast desert expense of western Pakistan and Eastern Iran baggers than France. The Baloch homeland commands more than 900 miles of Arabians Sea of Coastlines, including the northern shores of the Straits of Hormuz.” The world should look it the May 28, 1998 nuclear test example, which was conducted by Pakistani scientist in Chahgi Balochistan, which is the only sign of development Islamabad, has left behind up to this point. Due to that test the whole region has been destroyed and it caused thousands of native displacements and the states left them out of in the cold without any compensation. The social and economic reality of Balochistan is that it is the most backward province in Pakistan. It has been at the bottom of the list in terms of social conditions compared to the rest of the country, as Selig Harrison writes “this condescending posture us reflected in the almost complete exclusion of the Baloch from the political, bureaucratic, and military power structure of Pakistan.” Such historic injustices can not be denied neither can be it hidden as according to Balochistan’s dossiers “85% of population is without drinking water, 80% without electricity, 60% are living below the poverty line and Balochistan has the highest rates of infants mortality and it is the lowest literacy rate in the regions where 70% children are deprived from the modern school.” Ahmar Mustikhan, a Baloch generalist and founder of “American Friends of Baluchistan” from the United States has written an open letter to L.K Advani, N.A.T.O leaders in Brussels and to the Indian Ambassador United States, Ronen Sen’ He is appealing to all head of states and institutions by concluding his letter with this appeal “I again urge you not to let the secular people of Baluchistan plunge into blood. Please do the right thing and stop the project (gas Pipelines) until such time Baluch case at the I.C.J is decided and the people of occupied Baluchistan Pakistan and Iran gets their right of self-determinations.” Baloch people never benefited from any mega projects and economic polices of both regimes in Pakistan and Iran, their imposed projects and economic plans through out history benefited the central government. Mostly because their first priority have been strengthening their central government and military powers. They have ruled upon the Baloch with an iron fist till today. International community should look at all the historical aspects of Balochistan, both regimes are intentionally excluding Baloch representative whom are overwhelmingly supported by their people through out Balochistan. Such mega projects and gas pipe lines are seriously jeopardizing the interest of the native of the Baloch people. The International community base of international law and the United Nations charter of rights should not overlooked the ground reality and crisis that is Balochistan.

ISI elements support groups backing Taliban’ ISLAMABAD: Elements in the ISI are engaging with the groups that support the Taliban and are killing American, NATO and Afghan troops, according to a US think tank report. The report by the bipartisan Pakistan Policy Working Group also cites the Afghan government’s allegations that the ISI-supported elements had orchestrated an assassination attempt on Hamid Karzai, and that the ISI had a role in the July 7 car bombing of Indian embassy in Kabul. “All of this suggests that the ISI is no longer certain the coalition forces will prevail in Afghanistan and that it is using militants groups in an attempt to expand its own influence,” the report says. sajjad malik

we hope our future is bright in Independent Balochsitan

Pakistan is world centre of terrorism: Salman Rushdie: Hindustan Times New York, Dec 18: All the roads of world terrorism lead to Pakistan that has got velvet glove treatment with zero results, says India born British novelist Salman Rushdie. "The headquarters of the Al Qaeda, the headquarters of the Taliban, the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba, the headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammad is in the world centre of terrorism - Pakistan," Rushdie told a packed auditorium of the Asia Society while participating in a discussion, 'Understanding the Mumbai Attacks', in mid-town Manhattan on Wednesday evening. "All the roads of world terrorism lead to Pakistan," he said. Noted authors Mira Kamdar and Suketu Mehta were other two panelists at the discussion organised jointly by the Asia Society, the South Asian Journalist Association and the Indo-American Arts Council. All three draw their links to Mumbai. While Rushdie was born there, Mehta grew up in the city. Kamdar lost her cousin and cousin's husband in the November 26-29 terror attack in which more than 170 people were killed. The three acclaimed authors lashed out at Pakistan and its leadership for not taking any action against terrorists and denying that those responsible for the Mumbai strike were Pakistani despite credible proof. "British Prime Minister Gordon Brown two days ago said that British intelligence, following up leads of various terrorists' activities, informed him that 75 per cent of what they studied led back to Pakistan," Rushdie said. He also took on the US government for handing over billions of dollars in aid without ensuring that Islamabad was really fighting terrorism. "We have treated Pakistan with velvet gloves and what we have got in result is zero." He said that only two months ago the Zardari government authorised the purchase of an armoured vehicle for a Lashkar-e-Taiba leader. "So he is driving around Pakistan in an armoured vehicle purchased by the army of Pakistan." Visibly agitated at Pakistan's involvement in the terrorist attack, Mehta said Pakistan's spy agency ISI should be declared a terrorist outfit. "ISI should be declared a terrorist outfit. They are behind the attack on Indian Embassy in Kabul. They are behind the attacks in Bombay (as Mumbai was called earlier). They should be banned first and foremost for the sake of Pakistan itself," Mehta said. "Pakistan needs to understand and I think there should be a concerted effort on the part of the world community to help Pakistan understand that these groups are a liability now, they are not an asset but a liability for Pakistan," Kamdar said, adding she does not even consider Pakistan a country.

Balochistan Rain

WORLD: The 2008 AHRC Human Rights Report for eleven countries now available on the internet (Hong Kong, December 17, 2007) The Asian Human Rights Commission annual publication of the Human Rights Report for 2008 on Eleven Asian countries is now available on the internet. The report (314 pages) covers the human rights situation for 2008 in the following countries: Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand. In all the countries mentioned above there were serious human rights abuses and serious threats to the human security of inhabitants. In all the countries mentioned above except for the Republic of Korea, torture, illegal arrest, illegal detention and denial of fair trial was a common feature. All these factors arise from the defects of the systems of the administration of justice, which have been impaired due to heavy politicisation and the absence of political will on the part of the governments concerned to invest adequate funding to maintain the systems of administration of justice in order to safeguard the human rights of the citizens. The most dangerous trend is the predominant position achieved by the police who often remain outside the rule of law and are also extremely corrupt. The use of the police for political purposes has generated into a situation in which command responsibility is hardly maintained in many of these countries. Corruption has spread to the extent of being a serious obstacle to the rule of law and the sustainability of public institutions. Human rights abuses are seriously linked also to various forms of the illegal use of public property for private gain by small groups of politicians, public officers and others. In some countries forced disappearances, abductions and other forms of summary executions remain serious problems. Among these countries Sri Lanka, Pakistan, several parts of India, particularly the north and the east and the Philippines were prominent. Disappearances are a result of emergency and anti terrorism laws which suspends the operation of normal safeguards available to citizens. Thus, disappearances are the direct result of the impunity guaranteed to the armed forces and the police by the government. Serious violations of freedom of expression were also a marked feature in all eleven countries. Killing of journalists was also a common feature in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Philippines and Pakistan. However, serious harassment of journalists and censorship of various forms was experienced in all the countries. Militarization was also a marked feature in several countries, particularly in Sri Lanka and north east India. Prolonged internal conflicts have made the armed forces as the arbiter in national affairs. Criticism of the military has been severely censored and the military budgets, particularly military budgets and purchases are considered serious national security issues preventing any public discussion. While various terrorist groups have also engaged in gross abuses of human rights by attacks on civilians and the recruitment of children and the like, such abuse has been used by the governments as an excuse to attack the rights of all citizens in all parts of these countries. One of the saddest aspects of these conflicts is the neglect of the displaced persons who are counted in hundreds of thousands. Only lip service is paid to their welfare and security. The consequences of this neglect will bear heavily on the families of these persons for a long time to come. Many forms of discrimination remain without any progress towards improvements. The discrimination of Dalits in India and Nepal continues without any serious effort on the part of the governments to deal with the issue. Discrimination of women by various modes of extrajudicial killings and punishments, preventing personal choices by women by such means as honour killings and brutal punishments such as live burial continues. The discrimination of the girl child also remains a major issue. The severe restrictions on human rights are related to the maintenance of extremely high poverty levels and economic hardships on the larger sections of the population. Starvation and malnourishment also remain serious problems. The commercialization of health and education has resulted in the deprivation of basic rights to education and healthcare on a large scale. Attacks on human rights defenders have become a common feature and propaganda against human rights work has also been intensified. Lawyers engaged in work relating to human rights and anti corruption also became targets of attacks by the governments and other interested parties. The failure to provide protection for the victims of human rights abuses and human rights defenders remains a common feature. "Taken all together, the human rights situation in these countries is dismal and the governments show little demonstrable will to change the situation. Improvements in the coming years will depend on the efforts of civil society organisations and the free media,” said Mr. Basil Fernando, the Executive Director of the Asian Human Rights Commission. The full report may be found at: http://material.ahrchk.net/hrreport/2008/AHRC2008HRReport-preprint.pdf

Plight of the helpless family of Ali Asghar Bangulzai, after his disappearance on 18 October, 2000 details report visit www.bbc.co.uk/urdu

Asghar Ali Bangalzai Sons with Human Rights Activist during World Social Forum Karachi

Musharraf asked me to abandon Baloch TV project’ KARACHI: Pakistani businessman Munir Mengal was arrested for planning to launch a Balochi satellite television channel and held for 22 months by intelligence agencies. Mengal told Paris-based international organisation of journalists Reporters Without Borders that while held incommunicado, he was taken to see then president Pervez Musharraf, who asked him to abandon his TV station project in return for his release. ‘On the evening of October 26, 2006, when I had been held incommunicado for six months, I was taken to the Saddar barracks near Karachi,’ Mengal said. ‘Pervez Musharraf was waiting for me in a room with Gen. Azeem and Maj. Gen. Bajwa. After apologising for the way I had been treated, the Musharraf asked me, in English, to give up my TV station project. He promised to release me if I pulled out of the media domain. He also offered me a copy of his book so that I could appreciate his commitment to Pakistan. After refusing his deal, I was taken back to my cell and tortured again.’ Mengal, who was interviewed in the European country where he has found refuge, also claimed that Musharraf aide Tariq Aziz offered him a political appointment and money in return for abandoning the planned ‘Baloch Voice’ TV station. ‘Munir Mengal’s shocking and damning account should prompt Pakistan’s civilian authorities to open an immediate investigation into the case,’ Reporters Without Borders said. ‘It is inconceivable that those responsible for this political abduction be allowed to go unpunished.’ The press freedom organisation added, ‘Mengal was arrested, physically and psychologically tortured, humiliated and robbed by members of the security forces. If Pakistan wants to put an end to such illegal and barbaric practices, justice must be done in this case, which has been the subject of a great deal of comment by the media and by leading figures in Pakistan and abroad.’ Mengal was arrested after landing at Karachi international airport on April 4, 2006. A military officer in civilian dress confiscated his passport and took him to a military detention centre. ‘I was physically and psychologically tortured in the Malir barracks,’ he said. ‘After not letting me sleep for 72 hours, they stepped up their questioning: ‘Why do you want to create this TV station?’ and ‘Who gave you the idea?’ and ‘Who is supporting you?’ Then they threw me in a small underground cell. I spent several months blindfolded and handcuffed. The first three days of torture were terrible. I still have back pain from the kicks I received. At the same time, the long interrogation sessions during the first five months were exhausting mental torture.’ The intelligence services released him on August 4, 2007, after he had been held incommunicado for more than 16 months. As a result of a public campaign and court decisions in his favour, the military were forced to smuggle him out of Sindh province, where they had been holding him. His ordeal should have ended on September 10, 2007, after the high court of Balochistan ruled that he had committed no crime and ordered his immediate release. But he was arrested two days later and was placed in Khudzar prison in Balochistan. Qalat police chief Abdul Aziz Jhakrani said he was being held under the Maintenance of Public Order Act. But as his lawyer asked at the time: ‘How could he be disturbing public order if he was already being held by the security forces?’ Balochi policemen finally helped him leave Khudzar prison on February 23, as the military were trying to arrest him. ‘As I was still rejecting their blackmail, an officer came to the prison threatening to kill me,’ said Mengal, who was finally able to rejoin his family. He went into hiding for several weeks and then managed to leave the country via Turbat airport

JI warns of blocking NATO supply route* JI provincial president says govt should first ensure citizens’ security before boasting of security for NATO convoys By Daud Khattak PESHAWAR: The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Tuesday warned it will not allow NATO supplies to reach Afghanistan from Peshawar after December 18. The JI’s warning came just a day after the NWFP cabinet vowed full protection to NATO supply convoys passing through the province to Afghanistan. The JI had already announced a protest march in Peshawar on December 18 to block the logistics for NATO forces in Afghanistan via Pakistan. JI NWFP President Sirajul Haq said strategy for blocking the supplies to foreign troops stationed in Afghanistan would be announced at the conclusion of the protest march scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday).

Law and order in Balochistan not satisfactory, says Magsi QUETTA: The law and order situation in Balochistan is poor but the ongoing reconciliation process will bring peace to the province, Balochistan Governor Nawab Zulfiqar Magsi said on Tuesday. The governor was talking to reporters after chairing the fourth convocation of the Balochistan University of Information Technology and Management Science. Magsi denied any military operation was underway in Dera Bugti.

Militants kill rival, bring fear to Swat Tuesday, 16 Dec, 2008 | 04:41 PM PST | MINGORA: Pakistani Taliban have killed one of their chief opponents in Swat – once a tourism centre – where they are trying to impose a reign of terror, residents and officials said on Tuesday. But residents of the scenic mountain valley and a senior government politician said increasingly brazen militant attacks were raising fear the military was losing control. The militants killed one of their biggest rivals in the valley on Sunday. Samiullah Khan was a ‘pir’ (spiritual leader), who had raised a militia to fight the Taliban. ‘They were chasing him for some time and found him at home. An exchange of fire took place in which the militants killed Pir and seven of his followers,’ said Gul Noor, police chief in the valley’s Matta town. The militants also captured 24 of Khan’s men. In a grim show of defiance, the militants dug up Khan’s body on Monday and strung it up in Matta’s main square, residents said. A spokesman for the Taliban in the valley, Muslim Khan, said a Taliban council would decide the fate of Khan’s 24 supporters. In the latest violence in Swat, militants attacked the home of Afzal Khan Lala, a leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) late on Monday night, police said. Khan was not at home and even his servants had fled in fear of the militants, Noor said. Valley residents and another ANP politician complained the army wasn’t doing enough. ‘We called the army for help but they did not come and left us to the mercy of Allah,’ said resident Khaista Gul, referring to the Sunday attack on Khan. Haji Muhammad Adeel, an ANP vice president, said the police were all but powerless to tackle the well-armed militants. ‘We don’t know who’s controlling the region but at least we’re not. The militants are operating openly,’ Adeel said. ‘Police don’t have the capacity to fight an insurgency and all this is happening in the presence of a well-trained army. What’s going on?’ A senior military official in Swat acknowledged the insurgency being waged from remote mountains had intensified, but he said the army had a strategy. ‘We’re fighting a guerrilla war. They operate in small groups. They’re not in towns but do use population as a shield,’ said the officer, who declined to be identified. ‘They are trying to create a reign of terror among the local population and we have to tackle it and we’re on it.’

US investigators say Ajmal is Pak national Islamabad, Dec 16: American investigators who questioned Ajmal Amir Iman, the lone terrorist captured during the Mumbai attack, are convinced he is a Pakistani national and that the terrorist strike was planned and executed by the Lashkar-e-Toiba, diplomatic sources said on Tuesday. Pakistan admits non-state actors are its responsibilityInvestigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation were given access to Ajmal for nine hours and after questioning him, they came to the conclusion that he was a Pakistani national as contended by Indian authorities, the sources told a news agency. The sources, familiar with the probe being conducted by the FBI team dispatched to Mumbai, said American investigators were also convinced that the Mumbai attacks were intricately planned and directed by the LeT leaders based in Pakistan. "The investigators believe the attacks were planned, coordinated and directed from Pakistan by LeT leaders," a source said. These findings fit in with comments by top American leaders like Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Admiral Mike Mullen, the senior-most US military official, who have asked Pakistan to take quick action against "non-state actors" based on Pakistani soil who were linked to the Mumbai attacks. Though Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has ruled out allowing the British police to quiz the suspects Pakistan had detained in connection with the Mumbai attacks, the diplomatic sources said it would be hard pressed to take such a stance if the FBI made a similar request as India had already given American investigators access to Ajmal.

Army operation in Sui:

B R P Karachi

U.S.: India's air force 'on alert' after Mumbai attacks WASHINGTON (CNN) -- India's air force geared up for possible missions against suspected terrorist camps in Pakistan in the immediate aftermath of November's Mumbai attacks, U.S. military officials told CNN Monday. Pakistan said it would defend itself if attacked. "We don't want to go to war," Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Gilani announced during a speech at the National Assembly on Monday. "But if the war is thrust on us, we will stand united like a respectful nation." While the officials characterized the Indian actions as preliminary preparations to position the air force if strikes were ordered, the comments indicate that the two nuclear powers were perhaps closer to conflict than previously acknowledged. Three Pentagon officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, have individually confirmed to CNN that the United States has information indicating that India began to prepare air force personnel for a possible mission. The officials offered few details, but one said India's air force "went on alert." A second official said the United States concluded these preliminary preparations would put India in a position to move swiftly against suspected terrorist camps and targets inside Pakistan, before adding that a number of senior U.S. officials urged India to exercise restraint during this time. An Indian air force official had no comment. CNN sister network CNN-IBN reported last week that the air force had been put on its highest level of readiness and that the aircraft had been armed. "We are certainly against terrorism, but that doesn't mean that we go at war with any country," Indian Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major told CNN-IBN Thursday, adding that any decision on military action would be "up to the government because the air force and the army are there only to carry out the will of the government." Air Commodore Homayoon Ziqar, a spokesman for the Pakistani air force, told CNN that Pakistan is not on heightened alert at the moment. "Everything is normal," he said. Another source in Pakistan's military also said the air force is not on heightened alert, but added, "We are always ready, on weekends, on holidays, no matter what the circumstances." Since the Mumbai attacks, Pakistani security forces raided a camp near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, according to military sources. It was the first sign of government action against Lashkar-e-Tayyiba since the Mumbai attacks. India says the Pakistan-based Islamic militant group was behind the killings of more than 160 people in Mumbai. Watch Miss Pakistan talk about the Mumbai attacks » Also, Pakistani authorities have banned a charity linked to last month's attacks and placed its leader under house arrest. The move came after the U.N. Security Council designated the charity, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, a terror organization because of its links to Lashkar-e-Tayyiba. Gilani's promise that Pakistan would defend itself came amid mounting international pressure for him to crack down on Lashkar-e-Tayyiba. U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen said he was "encouraged" that Pakistan arrested two of the group's top leaders last week, saying it amounted to the first steps toward determining who plotted the Mumbai siege. Indian police say the only surviving suspect from the Mumbai attacks, identified by Indian authorities as 21-year-old Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, is from Pakistan's Punjab province and the other nine attackers also were from Pakistan. Pakistani officials have denied that assertion, blaming instead "stateless actors." Until now, the Bush Administration has publicly said it saw no signs of military movement by India and no indication that the Indian government was preparing any type of retaliation. The Pentagon officials broadly described the activity as checking the status of crews, fighter jets and weapons that were available. The extent of the reported preparation was not immediately known. Also, one of the Pentagon officials confirmed that the United States has intelligence indicating a single Indian aircraft violated Pakistani airspace twice on Saturday. The United States believes the incursion was inadvertent, the official said, adding that there is no information to indicate it was planned. Meanwhile, suspected U.S. missile strikes continued to hammer Pakistan's tribal region, killing three people in a North Waziristan village Monday evening, according to a Pakistani military official. Monday's strike is the 29th suspected U.S. missile strike in Pakistan this year. CNN's Reza Sayah and Zein Basravi contributed to this report.

95 journalists killed in 2008 Updated at: 2155 PST, Monday, December 15, 2008 GENEVA: Nearly 100 journalists were killed doing their job during 2008, a slight fall from the previous year due to security improvements in Iraq, a press rights group said Monday. The Geneva-based Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) said in its annual report that 95 journalists were killed in 32 different countries in the past twelve months, down from a record 110 in 2007. Iraq was still the most dangerous country in the world for reporters with 15 deaths, down from 50 in 2007. "Unfortunately, the situation deteriorated in other countries, which is a very worrying development," said PEC Secretary General Blaise Lempen. Mexico rose to second place in the ranking of unsafe countries. The country has seen a wave of drug-related violence and nine journalists lost their lives there this year, up from three in 2007. Pakistan saw a marked deterioration in the unruly tribal zones near the border with Afghanistan. Eight journalists were killed there in 2008, up from five in 2007. The PEC also expressed concern at the growing numbers of journalists kidnapped while doing their work, especially in Afghanistan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Gaza and Mexico.

Railway track blown up near Noshki : Unidentified assailants blew up a railway track near Machi Randi, some 20 kilometres from Noshki on Monday, police said. Police said a portion of the Quetta-Taftan railway track was damaged when a device planted there earlier exploded. Local administration and Pakistan Railways officials reached the site soon after the incident and have started efforts to repair the damage.

Dr.Allah Nazar yesterday today and tomorrow

'Strong evidence about Mumbai attackers coming from Pak' New Delhi (PTI): Contending that there was "strong evidence" of Mumbai attackers coming from Pakistan, influential US Senator John Kerry on Monday favoured linking of American military aid to Islamabad's behaviour in dealing with terror groups like Laskhar-e-Taiba. Kerry, a Democratic leader considered close to President-elect Barack Obama, said Pakistan must close down the terror camps and "properly prosecute" whoever is involved in the Mumbai strikes, which is a "test" for Islamabad. "We all know it was planned. It was planned over a period of time. We all know they (Mumbai attackers) came from Pakistan and we understand the training that took place in that regard. So, there is strong evidence," he told reporters here after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee. "I believe it is imperative for those camps to be shut down. I think it is imperative for Lashkar-e-Taiba to be taken on, the top leaders and anybody who is implicated in this attack needs to be properly prosecuted. It seems to me that is the real measure and the test here," said Kerry who is visiting Islamabad after his stay here. He refused to elaborate on the evidence, saying it will be inappropriate now as India as also Pakistan are in the process of gathering that information. "I am very, very, confident that at the right time that evidence is properly presented and I believe prosecutions are going to be forthcoming... I believe it will happen," Kerry said.

Human Rights Violations in Dear Bugti Daily Tawar,Editorial

Baloch Politcs: By Sameer Khurd