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Out from ‘out of bound area’

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By K.N. Pandta

Indian Army remained faithfully glued to ‘out of bound” regulatory imposed on it by the civilian government of the Republic of India. It meant an arbitrary attempt of isolating Indian armed forces from social and psychological proximity to a defiant nation that was down but not out. This doctrine originated in the administrative manual of the British Indian rulers in post-1857-Mutiny era. Successors to colonial rule ensured that the regulatory did not lose its teeth after the transfer of power. They would not trust top brass of Indian armed forces believing that abandonment of Sandhurst culture was loathsome to it. Contemporary historians will do well to recall the outrageous purge in the Indian Army in early 1950s.   Continue Reading…

The mess of arms procurement

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By K.N. Pandita

The big mess following army chief’s recent pronouncements is essentially the mess about procurement of arms by the defence ministry. This is an issue that surfaced with the purchase of Bofors guns from Sweden during the times of Rajiv Gandhi India is a big buyer of arms. The arms procurement budget runs into billions of dollars. In these big deals, foreign suppliers do not hesitate to press the middlemen into service as it facilitates making of the deals. Obviously, stakeholders in these enormous transactions eye enormous amounts by way of commission which the middlemen usually get out of these deals. A large number of stakeholders beginning with the highest echelons down the line to smaller functionaries are partners of involved agencies in the deals, shady or transparent whatever.    Continue Reading…

Asian gas pipeline diplomacy

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By K.N. Pandita

Iran’s defiance of nuclear non-proliferation as desired by the US and her European allies has exacerbated uncertainty and tension in the region. Hawks in Washington talked of war. But the Pentagon wouldn’t want a third front to be opened in West Asia. Instead, it went with the policy planners to take out Iran financially.

Iranian oil exports to the European countries are already under embargo. Of course, it will have its disturbing impact. Apart from that, the US is determined to screw up the mega IP gas pipeline and subject Iranian economy to stress.   Continue Reading…

Assessing implications of UP election

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By K.N. Pandita

UP poll results that returned Samajwadi Party with thumping victory carry more significance than what meets the eye. This state has always been crucial to the political history of independent India essentially because of its population. Despite slicing a chunk of its territory and creating the new State of Uttarakhand, the importance of UP continues. It sends maximum number of elected members to the Parliament which decides the fate of political parities contesting power at the centre.

That the recent elections would bring about a big change in power structure in UP was a foregone conclusion. Downslide of Mayawati’s BSP was rather probable owing to growing lawlessness during her period and the urge of the leader for personality cult.   Continue Reading…

Who is Pakistan’s enemy?

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By K.N. Pandita

Former ISI Chief Asad Durrani has made it clear who is Pakistan’s enemy. An agency that subverts democratic process in Pakistan by brandishing money power is the real culprit. This is what an ordinary Pakistani and the sympathizers of Pakistan should know. Four hundred million rupees out of a total fund of 1.5 billion rupees were distributed by ISI sleuths among the politicians, political parties and the media persons to sabotage democracy in 1990-91 parliamentary elections.. The IJI was created on the behest of the Army Chief Aslam Baig and the then President Ghulam Ishaq Khan. Among the recipients were Mian Nawaz Shariaf, his brother Shahbaz Sharief and others who became components of IJI. This was done to keep away PPP from coming to power. Army-PPP acrimony is an old story.    Continue Reading…

Interpol to track down the General

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By K.N. Pandita,

Something very unusual for the Government in Islamabad and the top brass at the GHQ has happened in recent days. The government has dispatched a red-corner letter to the Interpol to track down General Pervez Musharraf —- the former Army Chief and President of Pakistan — and hand him over to home authorities.  After he was forced to demit office, the General had left his country to take up residence in UK. He knew the dangers of living in Pakistan when shorn of power. Involved in court cases, he was summoned by the Supreme Court of Pakistan for questioning but he has been circumventing court notices since some time. Privately, he often boasts that he is brave enough to return and face the charges.     Continue Reading…