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Beyond the claptrap of Ayatollah

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By K.N. Pandita

Sections of Indian print media last week reported excerpts from a rather inflammatory statement by Iran’s supreme religious leader Ali Khamenei. In his Hajj message, the Ayatollah had called upon the Islamic ummah to engage in struggle and resistance against aggressions in some parts of Muslim world including Kashmir.

This is not the first time when Iran, despite a history of good friendly relations with India in post-revolution period, has given us cause for displeasure. Since July this year, Iran has on three occasions remarked supporting the “struggle” in Kashmir and bracketed the situation in the state with that in Gaza and Afghanistan. Continue Reading…

On the threshold of UNSC

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By K.N. Pandita,

India’s bid for a permanent seat at the UN Security Council has found reverberations in political circles at home and abroad. President Obama had referred to it in his address to the Indian parliament.

Pakistan was quick to give vent to its panic. In a press conference, her foreign minister denounced the US’ move, and claimed his country would ensure that India’s bid was a non-starter.

Ever since the word of reform began to make rounds at the UN, four countries, namely Japan and India from Asian group, Brazil from Latin American and Germany from European group staked claim to a seat at the SC. They have been engaged in a joint effort to achieve the goal.  Continue Reading…

Obama’s visit and Pakistan’s grumble

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By K.N. Pandita

As US’ traditional ally, more so in a critical situation of war on terrorism, Pakistani foreign office has been giving vent to its discomfiture on exclusion of Pakistan from President Obama’s 10-day official visit to South and South East Asia.

He has made deviation from US’s traditional policy of maintaining parity between India and Pakistan, two nuclear countries of South Asia.  Pakistan foreign minister’s repeated persuasions with the White House to include Pakistan in the Presidents itinerary was turned down by the President desiring him to wait till next year.

Clinton in 2000 and Bush in 2006 did include Pakistan in their South Asian visits albeit for not more than a few hours.  Continue Reading…