Article: Encircle the Tiger

To begin with - The title of this post is a spin-off from the article of Joshua Meah - 'Encircle the Dragon', which by chance was also my last blog post.

Interestingly, the last few days, I have seen a flood of articles on the internet regarding India - China relations, few of them being insanely funny yet scary, where the authors have taken few assumptions to make us beleive that China shall sooner than later attack India. Today, one more such article, originally written in Chinese, and translated into English by a lot of bloggers online in the last few days, finally found space on The Times of India (online version atleast).

Without commenting much on the assumptions of these various authors and their terrifying conclusions in the articles, I would rather throw some light on a harsh realitywhich is also depicted and exploited well by the author who belongs to our northern neighbor. A lot of people have already discussed this reality at various forums, shall continue to do so, and while I finish writing my post, few others might have done already on the same topic as well.

Now, to put things in perspective, I would divide this post into two idea's:

• The Idea of India ; and
• The Idea of being Indian

The Idea of India - As the Preamble to the Constitution of India states that India is a 'Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic' governed by the principles of 'Justice, Liberty, Equality & Fraternity', truly the country was born with the correct idea's and principles needed for growth, freedom & prosperity. While there is no confusion regarding the idea of India to us & to the entire world, but many of us Indians have a deep subliminal confusion when it comes to the Idea of being Indian.

The Idea of being Indian - If you understood the idea of India well, describing & defining the principles and idea's by which an Indian is governed should not be a tough call. Atleast would not be a tough call literally. But alas, we need to be practical here. The moment you get practical and come closer to reality, you would know the principles which we Indians in general follow our nowhere close to 'Justice,Liberty,Equality & Fraternity'.

Right from the super rich & politicians to the beggar on the street & the non empowered comman man of India, all of us some way or the other, end up always defining ourselves as either Punjabi's, Marwari's, Gujarati's, Marathi's, etc or to the even worse definition according to the caste system. According to me, all of us are equally responsible for this as much as our system of reservations etc, is in creating this drift between all.

The system, which might have been useful in the 1940's & 1950's to empower the socially backward classes does not necessarily mean shall be useful in today's scenario. The education level, health level, awareness level, everything has gone up, and by still continuing this reservation system, we our only splitting ourselves.

Individually as well, rather than consolidating our Indian identity, we choose to be known more as a Hindu/Muslim/Christian... or a Punjabi/Bengali/Marwari/Tamil... and so on....

Before you start scratching your head thinking the relevance of what I have written above with India-China relations, let me now tell you what the Chinese have been talking about. It is exactly this weakness of our's which is now being exploited by China, where strategic experts are writing articles to urge the Chinese Government & its friendly countries like Pakistan, to attack India and split it into various parts, where the Bengali's shall live separate than the Punjabi's and the Tamil's shall stay separate than the Keralite's, etc.... It might sound funny and unimportant to few, but this is exactly the biggest weakness of our nation. I think, it is not at all difficult, with the Chinese & Pakistani's supporting various separatist groups all over India & poisoning the very idea of India.

Sadly, our Indianness & our identity as Indians only shows up when we our abroad or while playing cricket. Most of the times, we fall prey to the dirty politics and the so called rituals of our past, and forget the principles of equality & fraternity.

Before anything else, it is time to encircle ourselves in the idea of being truly Indian.

Comments Welcome.

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Sidharth Mehta

Dubai, UAE

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Key Tags: Sidharth Mehta, Encircle The Tiger, The Idea of India, Being Indian, Identity of India, India China Relations, Indo Sino Relations, China attacks India, India Hits Back on China, Articles on India & China Relationship, India China Nuclear Nations, Cheap Chinese Products & Strategies, India China War, War Strategies

Top Article: Encircle The Dragon

For all lovers of Strategic Warfare, Military Intellingence & International Affairs.

One of the best articles which I have read in the recent times about the strategies and focus of military mights of the world in creating a balance of power in South Asia, mainly to encircle the dragon. The author gives great insights into the permutations and combinations which the US is trying to have with Asian powers like - India & Japan, and how very shrewedly using Pakistan against China - Pakistan's only best friend.

The author is Joshua Meah, who is with the Centre for International Relations, Observer Research Foundation.

Sidharth Mehta

Dubai, UAE

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US engagement in South Asia since 9/11 is often understood through US security interests: defeating al-Qaeda, eliminating support for Islamic militancy in Pakistan and securing Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. But 9/11 was in 2001, almost eight years ago, and US security interests have changed drastically. The Iraq war cost the US upwards of $3 trillion in blood and treasure and enhanced Washington's perceived adversary Iran as the regional power. The financial crisis crippled the 'Washington consensus' endorsement for democracy and free markets while sending the US into a recession and assaulting the dollar's status as the global reserve currency.

The victor of US strategic failures is China, the 1.3 billion-strong nation with a near 40 per cent savings rate, $2 trillion in currency reserves, an unimpeded model of government-led development and a history of visible non-intervention in the internal affairs of nations that is welcomed by repressive, resource-rich regimes in Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Central Asia and elsewhere.

At the dawn of the 'Asian century', the surge in US military activity in Afghanistan and the forthcoming $15 billion aid package to Pakistan may be an attempt to checkmate China as much as an effort to meet post-9/11 security objectives. By attaining military superiority in Central, South and East Asia, and ostensibly buying out Islamabad, the US would control China's most critical regional ally and energy-resource transport lanes and could potentially open China up to a bolstered secessionist movement in its Islamic and massive Xinjiang province.

With little in common culturally, Pakistan and China share an inimical view of India, Islamabad's eternal obsession and sole threat to Beijing's influence in South Asia. This is at the heart of their alliance. Pakistan's proximity to the Strait of Hormuz in Iran, through which 20 per cent of the world's oil passes, and ability to control radical Islamism make an alliance for China ideal as it seeks to secure energy resources and silence the Islamic Uighur outcry for secession in Xinjiang. To Pakistan, China means access to perhaps the world's foremost economic power with growing diplomatic strength in the UN Security Council and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Nuclear deals, joint military exercises and a free trade agreement signed in 2006 support the valued relationship.

Yet, with 98,000 troops split between South Korea and Afghanistan and joint US-India-Japanese naval operations being taken up, US military influence in China's immediate territory may offset China's aggressive military posturing along Arunachal Pradesh and decrease the value of Beijing's security blanket to Islamabad. Also, with Pakistani army activity, President Asif Ali Zardari's views and poll data on civilian opinion coinciding with US national security objectives, the US's $15 billion aid package to Pakistan may signal a rapprochement between Islamabad and Washington. As Beijing's influence on Islamabad dissipates, so may the ISI's watchful eye on Pakistani-based factions of China's Uighur secessionist movement, which is increasing in international profile with the violent Chinese crackdown on peaceful protests and each innocent Uighur released publicly from Guantanamo Bay.

US emphasis on the growth of Pakistan's civilian institutions threatens to wrestle away the military's control of relations with India, creating potential for healthier economic and political relations between the two countries and freeing up India's attention and resources to balance against Chinese regional influence. In the very long term, a prosperous Pakistan would reaffirm the Washington consensus that democracy and free markets are the way of the wealthy world, even in Islamic countries, placing pressure on the Chinese Communist Party to democratise.

In full congruence with the Af-Pak strategy, Barack Obama is attempting strategic rapprochement with Iran, the consequence of which would leave three of the most important energy powers (Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq) mostly within the US's purview and secure the US's closest allies in Asia (India and Japan) unfettered access to energy resources. The thawing of the Washington-Moscow relationship through a tentative agreement to reduce the size of nuclear arsenals and the actual consideration that Russia might join NATO only add to China's concerns about the threat of American-led encirclement.

Of course, the above may fail to actualise. US operations in Afghanistan could fail as have all previous efforts to control the Afghan people. Pakistan may continue a policy of selective counter-insurgency, leaving some groups affiliated to al-Qaeda and Kashmiri militancy untouched while focusing on those threatening the army's control of Pakistan, the result of which would be a net zero gain in positive Pakistani-Indian relations or US security. Given China's unique support for the Ayatollah's regime in Iran during the recent elections, Obama's hope for a special relationship with Iran may have already eluded him. The Russia 'reset' may be implausible as US missile defence policy in Poland remains a thorn in US-Russia relations. Nonetheless, these potential tactical failures do not deny an incredibly important strategic advance: through Af-Pak, the first checkmate of the Asian dragon has been attempted by the US.

The author is Joshua Meah, who is with the Centre for International Relations, Observer Research Foundation.

Recipe for Disaster: India's Suicidal Diplomacy

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind"

- Mahatma Gandhi

Lately, the Indian Goverment has gone blind when it comes to diplomacy towards Pakistan, but without an eye for the eye!

In the aftermath of the Mumbai Attacks, somewhere around mid- december 2008, when the Indian Armed Forces were on red alert, waiting for the political orders of a go ahead for pre-emptive strikes at different locations within Pakistan, one thought that this time atleast the usually sleeping elephant would awake and take some hard revenge. This revenge would not have been just for the victims of the Mumbai attacks, but for every Indian, who felt helpless and shelterless in their own house all those 3 dreadful days and many more before that. The mood was worse than 'enough is enough!'.

Fast forward 8 months, and still we have the culprit not been punished yet in our own country forget about the masterminds across the border. Things look just as pathetically bad as they were before, with no steps taken at all by Pakistan to bring the terrorists to justice and worse enough, India simply not doing anything to punish the terrorists. Rather, India has gone shamefully ahead in starting diplomatic talks with Pakistan, a day after the master mind of the Mumbai Attacks, Hafiz Saeed, is released by the Pakistani Authorities with much fan fare, and the usual reason being given as lack of evidence.

The much respected Dr. Manmohan Singh, PM of India, went ahead and made statements along with his Pakistani counterpart, such as "Dialogue is the only way forward and that Action on terrorism should not be linked to the dialogue process. Dr. Singh also stated that India was ready to discuss all outstanding issues with Pakistan." The reason for changing the decision of not having dialogue with Pakistan which was made post Mumbai in a span of just 8 months even when no steps had been taken by Pakistan to nail down the culprits comes as a surprise to many.

If analysed further, you would know the reason for this change in decision abruptly, comes from the behind the closed door pressure being put by the US on India. Everything between the political leadership of both countries just looks fine since the recent visit of the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton to India, concluded. Even worse for India, was the signing of the joint statement in Egypt between the two Prime Ministers, which was very aptly named by the opposition as the "Sharm of Sharm-El -Sheikh". The Indian Authorities had recently also upgraded Pakistan by calling them a victim of terrorism just as India, though after the 'Sharm of Sharm-El-Sheikh' India has blindly downgraded themselves to Pakistan's level by allowing them to call India, sponsors of terrorism.

Analysing a little more and you would realise all the pressure generated by the Government just after the Mumbai Attacks was more so because the elections were around the corner, while now, the government when in power with almost a majority, has fallen to all the pressure of the US, and seem to have no zeal or the will to get Pakistan nail the terrorists.

The greatest return gift which could have been given by Pakistan to India after the recent joint statement, well, it has been the release of the main accused, the mastermind of Mumbai - Hafiz Saeed by the authorities in Pakistan due to lack of evidence. Nothing less than a slap on the face of the Indian government & its diplomacy.

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Sidharth Mehta

Dubai, UAE

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Key Tags: Sidharth Mehta, India Diplomacy, India Pakistan Relations, India Pakistan War, Mumbai Attacks Aftermath, India's Suicidal Diplomacy, Foreign Affairs India Pakistan,Nuclear Weapons India, Nuclear Power Pakistan, Political Crap, Sharm El Sheikh, Pakistan Terrorism, Disaster Sharm El Sheikh, Disaster Diplomacy India,

Hafiz Saeed

TATA NANO - TOUGH ENOUGH !

The world's cheapest car, the Tata Nano, has proved itself to be as innovative as its makers intended it to be. One more milestone in the Nano's brief but eventful journey so far has confirmed that this no frills, small car paradigm-shifter is not just the cleanest automobile in the country from a tail-pipe emissions perspective but it has also been proven that low cost doesn't come at the cost of in-built safety.

Proof of this came in the course of a crash test conducted, not at the firm's renowned Engineering Research Centre (ERC) in Pune (which has the country's first and probably the best crash test facility), but the crash certification facilities at the Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA) in the UK. Tata Motors in the course of its extensive development programme in India had already subjected the Nano's structure to both computer analysis and crash simulations along with actual crash testing of various prototypes before signing off the car for final production. The Nano already confirms to Indian crash worthiness regulations having been subjected to the 48km/h full frontal impact test, the static door crush test and also the roof crush test.

The test at the MIRA was done to validate Tata Motors' efforts to be in line with current European legislation what with the firm's avowed intent to market the Nano Europa on the continent within the next two to three years. The crash test results for the Nano proved that it has met the current European 56km/h full frontal and side-impact crash tests including an offset-collision test, norms which would also be applicable in India by 2012. What is impressive nonetheless is that the basis of the structure being safe and sound has been validated in an emphatic manner and as we have come to understand most of the additional modifications done to the BIW (body-in-white) for this test would also manifest themselves on the production Nanos rolling out both from Pantnagar now and shortly from Sanand.

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As taken from:

ZigWheels.com

Video Courtesy:

YouTube

Analysis: Myanmar's Nuclear Games - Impact on India

In what could be devastating for the entire south asian region, sources from secret intelligence services have stated that Myanmar (Burma) is close to testing a nuclear bomb in the next few years with the help of North Korea.

Analysis of how this impacts India:

India, which shares its border in the north east with Myanmar, just cant afford this to happen, as if it does happen, India would be surrounded by 3 Nuclear powered states, China in the north, Pakistan in the west, and Myanmar to the east.

To add more, India has always had turbulent relationships with Myanmar since the slaughter of democracy in Myanmar by the 'military junta' which came in power 1962. India has also provided great support and succour to the pro-democratic activists in Myanmar, including to the noble prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, who is under military arrest in Myanmar now. All this has only made the military rulers of Myanmar vary of India.

And the worst is, China, Pakistan & Myanmar have been close allies, especially China & Myanmar, which share not only cultural relations, but also robust trade and defense relations. After most of the western nations banned sales of arms to Myanmar in late 1980's, China strategically grew its influence in the country increasing the threat to India and the entire south east asian region. India, though could not afford to spoil its relations any further with Myanmar, as it had the risk of increasing insurgency from Myanmar to the already volatile North Eastern states and also to curb the drug trafficking in that area. In the recent past though, India has gone against its ethos and supported the military government by supplying high tech helicopters and support for naval and airforce upgradation. But still, relations of India & Myanmar are not on a strong foot holding as they are between China & Myanmar.

Finally, to add some more fuel to fire, reports have been saying that two Pakistani scientists, from the AQ Khan stable, had been dispatched to Myanmar where they had settled down, to help Myanmar's nuclear project. China and Pakistan being the closest of friends, surely have kept no reason left for India to stand up and take notice of Myanmar's dangerous games.

No wonder, India was in such hurry to have a nuclear triad capability. For all those wondering what a Nuclear Triad means, let me quote wikipedia for a simple understanding.

" A nuclear triad refers to a nuclear arsenal which consists of three components. The purpose of having a trifurcated nuclear capability is to significantly reduce the possibility that an enemy could destroy all of a country's nuclear forces in a first strike attack; this, in turn, ensures a credible threat of a second strike, and thus increases a nation's nuclear deterrence. "

To put it in a much simpler way, a country having the capability to strike nuclear bombs from land, air, and water, hence creating the triad.

After the recent launch of the top secret nuclear powered submarine by India, it has come closer to the Nuclear Triad capability, which is only with the USA & Russia at present. After the induction of this submarine in the Navy, India would be amongst the TOP 3 most powerful nations of the world nuclear capability & deterrence wise. The exact or approximate number of nuclear bombs in India's arsenal has been a mystery and a well kept secret.

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Sidharth Mehta

Dubai, UAE

Movie Review - Love Aaj Kal

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Movie: Love Aaj Kal (Hindi, 2009)

Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, Rahul Khanna, Giselle Monteiro (not verified)

Director: Imtiaz Ali

Rating: **1/2 (Likeable)

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Are you someone who does not believe in love? or someone facing a problem falling in love? or have a girlfriend/boyfriend but not in love with her/him? Well now, to find your answers or to make it a bit easier for you to find these answers, you can go for the refresher course in love, and that is how I describe the movie 'Love Aaj Kal'. Yes, the movie is like a refresher course or a crash course in love.

An ultra modern couple living in London, who start going around after a lot of flirting, and even part ways by throwing a break up party, are very much believable in todays time. Though, few might differ with my point of view. Saif (Jai) & Deepika (Meera) do not want to get into a long distance, and therefore part ways. The loveable Rishi Kapoor (Old Veer Singh), who is the owner of a cafe where Saif & Deepika hangout a lot, though, disagrees that long distance relationships are not possible, and so, narrates his own love story to saif, and takes the audience into the 1960's era directed incredibly well by Imtiaz.

Rather, the old eastman color love between Saif, who also plays the role of the young Rishi Kapoor, and Giselle Monteiro (Harleen Kaur) is what makes you feel as if craving to be in the shoes of Veer Singh. The debutant Giselle (name cant be verified, as the producers have still kept her under wraps as a mystery) is a breath of fresh air and looks elegant and gorgeous, and makes a mark with just her expressions.

The songs are excellent, specially the one sung by Mohit Chauhan, and also Chor Bazaari which is the most popular out of the entire soundtrack. Though, Imtiaz has failed to position these songs in the movie successfully. You would find many songs out of place. One of the biggest flaws in the movie on part of the director.

Saif has done an excellent job as both the super cool flirt, and also as the sardarji in the 1960's era. Towards the end of the movie, as his character becomes more serious, you would notice how he has matured as one of the finest actors in the industry. The transition is very smooth, and both the director and the actor deserve applause.

Deepika, unlike the roles of the female actors in Imtiaz's previous movies, 'socha na tha' & 'jab we met' , does not have a very important role or scope to play in the movie. One reason is the two time periods the movie is based on, and having a different actor for the 60's era. Also, Deepika, is nowhere close to the flawless acting of Kareena Kapoor and Ayesha Takia respectively in JWM and SNT.

Rishi Kapoor, is at his usual best.

Rahul Khanna has not much to do in the movie, and to be honest, anyone would have done justice to his role.

The real winner of the movie are its dialogues, so much real, and so much in place with the present. Watch out for some real good one liners.

Imtiaz Ali, could have made this movie into a master piece, but somewhere lost his way, specially towards the end. 'Socha Na Tha' and 'Jab We Met' were alltogether of a different class when compared to Love Aaj Kal. Though, Imitiaz does create some magic moments in the movie for which it needs to be seen.

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Sidharth Mehta

Dubai, UAE

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Key Tags: Love Aaj Kal, Movie Review Love Aaj Kal, Love Aaj kal in Dubai, Love Aaj Kal UAE, Saif Love Aaj Kal, Deepika Love Aaj Kal, Cast love aaj Kal,

Overheard in Dubai - Innocence

Location- Coffee Shop;

Scene - A young Indian couple in conversation with a small school going girl.

Young Indian Couple: Beta, Do you like going to school?

Small Girl: No..... then changes her answer to Yes....

Young Indian Couple: Acha, so beta what do you like in school?

Small Girl: Coming back to home....!!

:)

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Sidharth Mehta

Dubai, UAE

Star Bestsellers

Circa 1999-2000 ..... I was around 14 then, and not many things on TV really made me interested other than NGC, Discovery or the News.... and then one day, while browsing channels I saw this short film on Star Plus 'Bhoron Ne Khilaya Phool' under the tele-series, Star Bestsellers.

For the first time ever, I was hooked on to TV! and mind you, these 1 hour episodes, each time a different story, were not just any other TV serial. They are, by far the best, tele-films shown on Indian Television till date.

Star Bestsellers, for many new, struggling actors and directors, proved to be the turning point in their careers and life. To name a few:

• Tigmanshu Dhulia -

The director of the popular TV show 'Just Mohabbat' (1996) , after directing 6 different 45 min stories for Star Bestsellers, went ahead to direct his first movie - Haasil in 2003, which got rave reviews.

• Imtiaz Ali -

The king of romantic comedy's.... Went on to direct Socha Na Tha (2005), Jab We Met (2007), and the soon to be released Love Aaj Kal, starring Saif and Deepika Padukone.

• Anurag Kashyap -

The genius himself..... went on to direct the controversial Black Friday, Paanch, and recently the super successful Dev D..... For Star Bestsellers he directed the terrific story 'Last Train to Mahakali', which is also the only story whose video is available online out of the entire series!!! I am posting the videos on this post... Take 45 mins out for this wonderfully directed story.

• Kay Kay Menon -

Needs no introduction. Watch out for him in Last Train to Mahakali....

• Irfan Khan -

The extremely talented actor was seen in 2-3 episodes of the Star Bestseller series.. He got "The Warrior' after Star Bestsellers and made him a face to reckon with all around the world.

The above are only few of the extremely talented actors and directors which made Star Bestsellers what it was.... I sooo wish to get hold of the other episodes...

Trust me, after watching this, you would die for more!

Enjoy!

Sidharth Mehta

Dubai, UAE

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Key Tags: Watch Star bestsellers Online, Star Bestsellers, Anurag Kashyap, Last Train To Mahakali, K K Menon, Watch Last Train to Mahakali, Star Bestsellers Wiki, Download Star Bestsellers, Indian Television Star Bestsellers, Star Plus Bestsellers,

Post Edited on 09 May 2010 - Now also watch Kya Yahi Pyaar Hai from Star Bestsellers.

Next Part - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZUjUNlwCL4&feature=related

Mumbai 26/11 Attacks: Chilling Confession of Kasab

Finally, the man confessed to what the entire world (atleast all Indians) already knew. Before I pen down my thoughts and comments on the Mumbai Attacks, which is nothing less than a brain tumor, and which shall remain in the mind forever, I thought one should give a reading to the confession made by Kasab in court on 20th July 2009.

It is a chilling tale, which needs to be told to every citizen of this country (and of this world), just to reinstate the fact that we Indians, are such an easy target for these brainwashed men, who get all the sophisticated training and incentives for having an agenda to kill innocent people. Read it, and you shall know, that the local policemen who protect us in our country, do not get such a sophisticated and planned training what these 'juvenile kids and 20 somethings' are getting across the border.

And our authorities, as usual, are sitting ducks.

Sidharth Mehta

Dubai, UAE

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THE KILLINGS
Mujhe gunah kabool hai (I admit my crime). We fired on the public at CST — Abu Ismail and I. Ismail lobbed grenades and I fired with the gun. We went a little ahead and entered a hall where we had a skirmish with the police. After another exchange of fire, all was quiet. The photographs shown of us at CST are genuine. We went back towards the platform, crossed an iron footbridge and descended into an alley. I checked vehicles parked there so that we could drive off in one. The CCTV footage shown of us around those cars is correct. However, none of the cars could be opened and we proceeded on foot. Ismail and I loaded our AK-47s. On walking a little ahead, we saw a man running. I fired at him and Ismail fired inside a house.

When we reached the gate of Cama Hospital, we saw that the wall was not too high and jumped over it. Ismail told me to wait while he checked the premises. I heard the sound of gunfire. Ismail returned and asked me to follow him. A man dressed in white was lying dead. I did not see his face. Another man was lying on a stretcher in a pool of blood. We went up a flight of stairs to the fifth floor. We stopped three persons in the ward, including a witness in the present case, and asked him to lie down so that we could frisk him. We then locked up five others, one of whom was lying in a pool of blood, in a bathroom, warning them not to make any noise. We went up to the terrace. As soon as we entered, we saw a man. I asked him to show us the way out. He indicated that policemen were around — when we went down the staircase, we saw them for ourselves. I ran back and told Ismail.

He asked me where they were, but by then we could hear a commotion that the police had arrived. Ismail was near the door. He asked me to keep a watch on the terrace and asked for a grenade. I removed all the weapons from my bag and put them in Ismail’s bag. Firing started. I kept a watch on the terrace. Then we started running downstairs and someone fired upon us. I returned fire and came down. Ismail went out first. We could see policemen near the gate, but they didn’t notice us. Ismail said we should hide. There was a door near the wall, and a person was sitting outside the hall of the hospital. I warned him to keep mum, and we managed to get out of the hospital.

On the road, we saw a big blue vehicle coming towards us. We hid behind a small stall. The blue vehicle came nearer and Ismail lobbed a grenade at it. We then walked up to a bank and hid in some bushes. We saw the headlights of a vehicle, and as it came nearer to us there was firing from it. Ismail started firing back. I was injured on my right forearm, left wrist and right elbow. (Shows his injuries in court). My gun fell out of my hand and I also fell down. The firing continued, and Ismail walked towards the vehicle. He went to check it and kept firing on it. By then I got up and took my gun in my hand. I opened the doors of the police vehicle and found its occupants dead. We removed their bodies. Ismail started the jeep and I sat next to him. In the meantime there was firing on the vehicle but none of the bullets hit us. Ismail started driving with his left hand and firing with the other one. We took a right turn. Maine kaha main chal nahin sakta (I said I wouldn’t be able to walk). Ismail said ‘ Tu hausla mat haar. Mujhe bhi goli lagi hai ’ (Don’t lose courage. I have also been shot). He said he had been shot in the knee. I could tell from the noise of the wheel that it had been punctured. We did not know the roads. We saw policemen in a motor vehicle, and on seeing weapons in our hands they started firing at us. We fired in retaliation and the cops left the spot to hide. We decided to stop a vehicle. A Skoda car, with two men and a woman in it, was passing, and we stopped it and made the occupants get out. I told Ismail that we should conceal our weapons somewhere so that nobody would be able to recognise us. We continued to drive on the same road and reached the same spot where we had hijacked the car. We saw the owner telling the police that it was his car. We started following a white car. A little ahead we could see barriers on the road. The white car went past them but policemen directed us to stop. I asked Ismail to slow down. A policeman came in front of the car. Ismail tried taking a U-turn. We could not understand anything and suddenly the wipers also started. Policemen came to the car, and one of them caught me by the collar. He pulled me out of the car. I was surrounded by policemen and one of them snatched my AK-47, which was in my hand. They started hitting me in my stomach and also with the butt of my gun. I did not fire. When I regained consciousness I was in hospital. I had not fired because I could not hold my gun.

HUM DUS THE (WE WERE TEN)

We travelled from Karachi in a small boat. Four persons came to see us off — Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi, Abu Hamza, Abu Kafa and Abu Jundala. I did not know the others personally but I can tell their names. Abu Ismail (he was our boss), Abu Akasha, Abu Umer, Abu Shoaib, Abu Ali, Abdul Rehman Chhota, Abdul Rehman Bada, Hafiz Arshad and Abu Fadaullah, who had a finger missing. A small boat from Karachi transported us to a big boat, which we used to get on to the high seas. There were three people on the small boat. I only remember the name of Hakib. On the big boat called ‘Al Huseini’ we slept and said our namaaz. When it sailed there were seven people on it — Murshad, Aqib, Usman... I don’t remember the other names. Murshad was the boss.

We were looking for another boat and spotted one. At 4 pm, it was brought to ‘Al Huseini’ and we started loading it with oil, blankets, rations and other things. The remaining articles were thrown into the sea. Murshad asked the five crew members of the other boat who their ‘naqva’ (navigator) was, and Amarjit Singh Solanki said it was him. The other four were taken to ‘Al Huseini’ and Singh remained on board. Murshad told us to take blankets and go to sleep. He told Ismail to take Solanki’s help in case of difficulty. A big GPS set was also given to Ismail, which we threw into the sea when we reached India.

THE TRAINING

Last year, when I was working as a decorator in Jhelum city, my colleague, Muzaffar, suggested that we turn to dacoity for better money. I left the job, went to Rawalpindi with him and took a room on rent. We decided to commit dacoity at a certain bungalow. I was roaming alone at Rawalpindi’s Raza market when I saw some Mujahideens buying animal skins. From my childhood, I had been hearing of these Mujahideens. They are known by their long hair and beards. A few days later, Muzaffar returned and we both visited the same market and were discussing our plans to rob the bungalow. I repeatedly asked him where we would get the weapons and how would we pull it off. I told him then that I had seen Mujahideens at the market, and that we could get weapons training from them, to which he agreed. We found out where their office was, and went there. A man asked me what I had come for. I told him we had come for Jihad, so he let us in. One person asked me my name, address and asked me to return next morning with extra clothes.
We returned with our baggage and we were given a chit on which was written the address of a training camp in Muridke. Three weeks later, I was sent from there to another camp. In the evening we went to Buttal jungle, where I met Muzaffar. We were given 21 days of training. After his training was over, Muzaffar’s brother took him back home but I was told that I was going for bigger training.

Here, I was taught exercises, operating weapons like AK-47, guns and pistols. Three months went by like this. My trainer Abu Abdul Rehman asked me to bring my identity card from my native Okara district. I visited an office in Model Town there and was asked to go to Muzaffarabad in Azad Kashmir. Once in Muzaffarabad, I was asked to look for Saeed Bhai’s office. I told them that I had come for Daura-E-Khaas (special training), and filled up a form. The next morning, we reached a training camp, where Abu Maaviya was our trainer and trained me for three months in operating rocket launchers, grenades, AK-47s and other sophisticated weapons. Then I was sent to my Faridkot home. I was told to return to Saeed Bhai’s office after a week, which I did.

Ten days later, Saeed bhai, Abu Kafa and Abu Hamza came there and selected 15 of us. We were taken to Muzaffarabad and then to Muridke. Kafa was with me and we were trained to swim. A month later, we were taken to Karachi’s seashore from where we were taken in small boats to big ones. The idea was to check if we could adjust to the sea’s rough weather or not, and to see if we suffered from sea-sickness. We were then brought back to the same place and then two days later, we were again taken to Muzaffarabad where we met Hamza.

Of the 15 of us, two had run away, while six were sent to Kashmir. So seven of us were left, to which three other boys were added, making us ten in all. Hamza had a separate room, to which he would call us in pairs. On two occasions, he showed Ismail and me movies and pictures of CST station on his laptop. We were then taken to forests, trained further in firing, and were brought back. Two days later, we were given trousers and T-shirts, and our photographs were taken and our fake ID-cards made. Kafa took us to Karachi and gave us small bomb kits. We were asked to note down the time when the bomb kit’s battery would turn on.

We stayed there for more than 90 days. We were trained to use an inflatable boat. It is the same boat produced in court. In Karachi we stayed in the same house that was shown on Geo TV. Two or three days before November 22, 2008, Hamza again came and played the same CST video to us. We were given arms and ammunition. Those bags were transported to Al-Huseini.

Kafa took us to the Karachi shore where Al-Huseini was anchored. Lakhwi, Hamza and Abu Jundal joined Kafa on the shore, while we were to leave for Mumbai. Jundal Hindustani hai, unhonein hi humein Hindi sikhaaein . My wish is that you should end this trial and punish me.

I wanted to confess much earlier but could not do so as Pakistan had disowned me. Now Pakistan is saying that I am a Pakistani.

They are also going to prosecute the offenders. Don’t ask me how I know all this. I just do. You
should accept my confession and punish me.

-----

Courtesy - The Times of India.

Shanghai Dreams Come Crashing - Mumbai Rains

I have stayed in total about 4 years in Bombay out of the 23 years since I have been in this world. The rest has been in Nigeria, New Delhi, and now Dubai, with the maximum in the capital city of India. But somehow, I relate the most to Bombay as a person, to its people, to its challenges, and to its way of life.

The love affair between the Rains and Bombay residents would never end, and why should it!.

All the pictures below, are quite ironical... The sparkling life and excitement which the rains bring with it, and on the other hand, how the life simply comes to a standstill, in the Financial Capital of India.

The authorities boast about a Disaster Management Committee and Plan which works throughout, after the 2005 floods which paralysed this city otherwise always on the move. 5 years gone, but the plan is still not out of the planning stage. This is not just for the rains, but also Terrorism, case in point the 2006 Bombay Blasts, and the more recent 26/11 attack. The city was simply left stranded by the authorities.

I would prefer watching Bombay Dreams, than even think of the Shanghai dream being shown to all of us. [pretending....]

Sidharth Mehta,

Dubai, UAE

Please Note: You shall see the pictures only once you open the blog post, and not on your email screen. Click on each picture to get a bigger and clear view.

All pictures above are courtesy of Hindustan Times.