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Repatriating stashed money

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By K.N. Pandita

We are fortunate in having an upright judiciary in our country that protects the rights of people and ensures the sovereignty of the state. In times when civil society drifts into aberrations that are obnoxious to the health of the state, the judicial structure, when approached, does the rescue exercise and ensures that the country keeps on right track. This is one of the great boons of democratic dispensation.

There are many memorable and historic pronouncements made by the Supreme Court from time to time that have reset the direction of the course of events. History will record these corrective initiatives in laudable terms.

Recently, the Supreme Court made one such pronouncement that will have far reaching impact on the economic and moral health of the country. In fact the matter of recurring corruptions was under discussion at the apex court when it said that there should be no reason for the government not to disclose the identity of persons and organizations that have stashed big monies in foreign banks.  Continue Reading…

The sham of war on terror

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By K.N. Pandita

Long time camaraderie with state supported terrorism has landed Pakistan in yet another wobbly situation in the open gaze of international community. The prime accused of 26/11, Hafiz Saeed has sought Pakistani government’s legal support to fight the court case against him in New York.

A Jewish couple of US citizenship was killed by the Pakistani terrorists in the course of their attack on Mumbai in 2008. The relatives of the deceased couple filed a suit in a court of law in New York demanding that the real culprits who masterminded the attack, and in consequence killed their relatives, be brought to book. As the hearing of the lawsuit proceeded, the court found it necessary to summon the prime accused namely Hafiz Saeed, the chief of Jamat al Dawa of which LeT is the muscle, for questioning. The court has asked for his physical appearance. It is in this connection that the accused has asked his government to provide him legal assistance.  Continue Reading…

On the crossroad of disaster

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By K.N. Pandita,

Assassination of Punjab Governor, Salman Taseer* by the trusted guard reminds one of the assassinations of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her bodyguard gunman. Political figures of eminence have always lived a life of constant threat from their adversaries and assailants.

But there is a marked difference between the two cases of assassination cited above. Indira Gandhi was assassinated because she ordered military action in the holy shrine at Amritsar against armed insurgents holed up in the shrine and armed to the hilt as if in war preparedness. As head of the government, Indira Gandhi had to ensure and enforce national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country as these were threatened by a anti-national elements supported and abetted by an inimical county in the neighbourhood. Continue Reading…

Central and South Asian Convergence

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By K.N. Pandita

The new game on the chessboard of international relations is the ‘Great Oil Game’ manifest in emerging multi-faceted Central and South Asian concord. The two regions are poised for a new relationship based not on despised military alliance but on brisk and vibrant economic cooperation.

Two oil strategies in the region are running parallel to each other. In addition to local actors, big powers, the US, Russia and China, too, have vital stakes in theses strategies.

Central Eurasian hydrocarbon deposits may become the arbiter of unresolved disputes bedeviling bilateral or multilateral relationship among the states in the regions. Mutual acrimony may fade away making known a prospect of economic boom.  Continue Reading…