Did the FO just announce Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism?

[Inqhilab]

Criticising US policy is a routine part of a Foreign Office Spokesperson’s job. Even when US and Pakistan are in agreement, as withdrones, it is important to keep up a facade of standing up to the unpopular global hegemon. Today, however, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam either misspoke in a blunder of epic proportions, or announced to the world that Pakistan is a state sponsor of terrorism.

Earlier this week, the United States government announcedeconomic sanctions targeting funders of two jihadi militant groups: Lashkar-e-Taiba and Harkatul Mujahideen. Today, the Foreign Office responded by essentially announcing thatPakistan will not enforce the sanctions.

There is a procedure at the United Nations to declare any person or organisation
a terrorist; however, the US’ decision to declare three Pakistani-based organisations
[as terror groups] does not apply to Pakistan,”Foreign Office spokesperson
Tasneem Aslam told reporters at the weekly media briefing in Islamabad.​

This is a frighteningly bizarre statement for a number of reasons. To begin with,Lashkar-e-Taiba was termed a terrorist group by the UN in 2010.Harkatul Mujahideen was termed a terrorist group by the UNin 2011. Does the Foreign Office not know this? Why are they talking about this procedure when it has already been applied?

Most disturbingly, though, is the message that such a statement communicates both to terrorist groups and to the rest of the civilised world. In effect, the Foreign Office has just announced that Pakistan reserves the right to provide terrorist groups with economic sanctuary and to protect their funding.

This can only result in two possible outcomes, both of them devastatingly bad for Pakistan. One, terrorist groups will flock to Pakistan. Two, Pakistan will become increasingly isolated not only from the US but from critical countries like China and Russia that are already suffering from jihadi terrorist attacks and will see the government as siding with their enemies.

We may think that we can succeed while thumbing our nose at the US, but the Foreign Office’s statement today goes far beyond the usual pandering to anti-American elements. Whether intended or not, it will be heard as the government choosing to side with terrorists. And that is not something we can live with.


Did the FO just announce Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism? | New Pakistan

 

[GreenFoe]

CLEAR signal from Pk "we will not end our barbaric jihadi tactics,do what ya like" .

 

[waz]

Bizarre, but with the current administration, stupidity and statements go hand in hand.

Crazy, considering HUM are at war with the Pakistani army.

 

[janon]

Bizarre, but with the current administration, stupidity and statements go hand in hand.

Crazy, considering HUM are at war with the Pakistani army.

LeT has also been officially "banned" in Pak as a terrorist group, by Musharaff.

HuM is not at war with PA. Pakistan has not declared them a terrorist organization, although the rest of the world has. They are the same Harkat-ul-Ansar of the 90s that changed its name when US sanctioned it, and started operating as HuM.

Their current objective is causing terror in Indian Kashmir and jihading India. Hence the PA considers them "strategic assets", and does not fight them. India accuses ISI and PA of being hand in gloves with them, and even training them; now whether you choose to believe that or not, the incontrovertible fact is that the PA has never fought them.

 

[waz]

LeT has also been officially "banned" in Pak as a terrorist group, by Musharaff.

HuM is not at war with PA. Pakistan has not declared them a terrorist organization, although the rest of the world has. They are the same Harkat-ul-Ansar of the 90s that changed its name when US sanctioned it, and started operating as HuM.

Nope, not at all.They broke into two groups, Jaish and HUD. After musharaf's decision on joining the war in terror, they turned against the army and government, accusing them of abandonment. Many were arrested and tortured, which led the bulk to join the ranks of the TTP. Hence they are fighting the government.

 

[halupridol]

good talib

 

[janon]

Nope, not at all.They broke into two groups, Jaish and HUD. After musharaf's decision on joining the war in terror, they turned against the army and government, accusing them of abandonment. Many were arrested and tortured, which led the bulk to join the ranks of the TTP. Hence they are fighting the government.

Whom are you referring to as HUD? What's the full name?

From what I remember, after an Indian airlines flight was hijacked and Mazhood Azhar was released by India, he split from HuM and formed Jaish-e-Muhammad. It was JeM and LeT that were declared terrorist groups by Musharaff after the Indian parliament attacks and the subsequent military posturing. The HuM remained as HuM, and has not been in conflict with PA or GoP.

It was the Harkat ul Jihadi Islami (HuJI) that turned against Pak, tried an assassination attempt on Musharaf, and had several members including Ilyas Kashmiri arrested and tortured.

HuM is still a "strategic asset" for Pakistan, and all its top leaders are living openly in Islamabad:
Terror leader lives freely near Pakistani capital - Home - DAWN.COM

That fellow has done many terror attacks in Indian Kashmir, including the beheading of an Indian tourist. The group also acts in concert with LeT and PA to perform cross border attacks in Indian Kashmir.

 

[Kompromat]

@janon

We will try HS when you try the terrorists who carried out Samjhota blasts in 07.

 

[janon]

@janon

We will try HS when you try the terrorists who carried out Samjhota blasts in 07.

I did not say anything about HS. What's the relevance on this thread?

If you thought the link in my previous post was about HS, you are mistaken. HS is not the only terrorist roaming freely in Pakistan and worshipped by adultaing crowds.

My link was about the founder and top leader of Harkat ul Mujahideen, Fazle-ur-Rehman Khalil.

HuM are currently the "good terrorists" or "strategic assets" for PA. That will remain true until they realize that they have no chance against India, and turn their guns against Pak, as has happened with many of their predecessor groups. @waz thought, as anybody with common sense would assume, that HuM is banned by GoP and fought by PA. Unfortunately, he is mistaken. That hasn't started yet. As of now, HuM is one of the "good terrorists" for them. As you know, PA has outsourced warfighting to groups like these.

And then you and some other Pakistanis have the nerve to criticize India for maintaining a large number of security forces in Kashmir, when our neighbour patronizes people like this fellow, who has done multiple terror attacks in Indian Kashmir.

 

[Kompromat]

@janon

As long as they offer us utility of waging unconventional war against Indian sponsered terror from Afghanistan, they get to remain relevent.

 

[janon]

@janon

As long as they offer us utility of waging unconventional war against Indian sponsered terror from Afghanistan, they get to remain relevent.

Yes, that's precisely what I thought, and wrote in my respnse above. (I added some more sentences, in case you did not see.) (And not Afghanistan, these fellows wage war or try to wage unconventional war in Indian Kashmir.)

Pakistan armed forces has outsourced fighting to terrorist groups like this, who do not wear uniforms or follow the laws of legitimate war, while PA itself is busy running petrol pumps and other businesses.

We know that only too well. However, now that we have a world class counter insurgency grid in place in Kashmir, and our armed forces and police forces are well trained and experieced to fight subconventional and irregular war as well in addition to conventional war, even these dastardly terror groups are no longer a big concern for us. Anybody who comes to Kashmir with a kalashnikov, uniformed or non uniformed, will die. It's that simple

There was a time in the 90s when large scale infiltration by these foreign jihadis make Kashmir a hell. Those days are gone. Now neither your armed forces, nor your "strategic assets", will take an inch of our Kashmir from us.

We keep them out, and wait for them to get frustrated and turn their guns against Pakistan. I don't need to tell you how many former "strategic assets" are now waging perennial war against your state, and how much that endless war is costing your scoiety. You fell into the trap you laid for us.

 

[Kompromat]

@janon

Thats a self serving argument. None of the Kashmiri organizations have fought against Pakistan. Our 'mess' has everything to do with Afghanistan wars than with Indian held Kashmir.

Histroy has proven that military occupations don't bring stability and peace. Until,Kashmir sees peace India would remain unstable, cynical and at a knife's edge. We can use pettey criminals to crash your stock markets and to hold world's second largest Army looking at each other's faces.

Our support for Kashmir cause shall continue till it sees its logical end.

 

[waz]

Whom are you referring to as HUD? What's the full name?

From what I remember, after an Indian airlines flight was hijacked and Mazhood Azhar was released by India, he split from HuM and formed Jaish-e-Muhammad. It was JeM and LeT that were declared terrorist groups by Musharaff after the Indian parliament attacks and the subsequent military posturing. The HuM remained as HuM, and has not been in conflict with PA or GoP.

It was the Harkat ul Jihadi Islami (HuJI) that turned against Pak, tried an assassination attempt on Musharaf, and had several members including Ilyas Kashmiri arrested and tortured.

HuM is still a "strategic asset" for Pakistan, and all its top leaders are living openly in Islamabad:
Terror leader lives freely near Pakistani capital - Home - DAWN.COM

That fellow has done many terror attacks in Indian Kashmir, including the beheading of an Indian tourist. The group also acts in concert with LeT and PA to perform cross border attacks in Indian Kashmir.

Harkat Al Jihad.

It's members have mostly all left, having found Jaish and HUD, as HUM was seen as weak and Khalil a "sellout" for not backing attacks against state forces. The organisation literally has no fight in it. Many of its members now form the rank and file of the TTP.

Your article is three and half years old and like I said the organisation has no clout whatsoever.

LET is a different case and is active.

 

[janon]

Thats a self serving argument. None of the Kashmiri organizations have fought against Pakistan.

They have. Remember Ilyas Kashmiri? He was once commended by Musharaf for bringing the severed head of an Indian soldier from Kashmir. He later turned against the state, tried to assassinate Mushy, and ended up as drone food.

Histroy has proven that military occupations don't bring stability and peace.

True. Today Indian Kashmir is more stable and peaceful than any part of Pakistan. What does that tell you?

Until,Kashmir sees peace India would remain unstable, cynical and at a knife's edge.

Indian Kashmir is already seeing peace, despite Pak's best attempt to make it non peaceful. BTW you just admitted Pakistan's role and vested interest in making Kashmir violent and troubled. So much for your concern for Kashmiris. They mean nothing to you, your geopolitical ambition to steal Kashmir from India is all that matters, and for that you would try your best to keep Kashmir violent and unstable. Anyway the heroic Indian armed forces have learnt to frustrate your knavish designs, and brought peace to Kashmir, by forming a world class CI force and a world class border management to keep foreign jihadis out.

We can use pettey criminals to crash your stock markets and to hold world's second largest Army looking at each other's faces.

More threats. You may try. Don't forget that there are "petty criminals" in Pak as well. You might end up once again falling in the trap you laid for us. Anyway, let me know after you crash the stock market - as of now, it is moving only in one direction. Do, don't threaten.

Our support for Kashmir cause shall continue till it sees its logical end.

Your "support for Kashmir cause" is nothing but a fig leaf for your real ambition - to keep Kashmir destabilized and violent, to make Kashmiris scared and miserable, so that you can blame Indian rule. Well it hasn't worked. The best possible conclusion has already happened - we stabilized Kashmir, 12 million people are living peacefully there in a manner that most Pakistanis can only dream of, they are getting more and more integrated with the giant Indian economy every day, they are living with as many rights and freedoms as any other Indian, and then some more.

Sorry, but you are not capable of taking Kashmir from us by force, either conventionally, or unconventionally. Neither your uniformed army, nor your ununiformed ones can make it happen. To you it may have seemed like a brilliant plan to send terrorists without uniforms or laws, because your uniformed army did not dare to wage open war. But that brilliance was illusory - in a decade, India managed to put an end to sub conventional war as well. With the RR and LoC in place, Kashmir rahega hindustan.

If you have any concrete idea and plan about how you can take it from us, do share - and not just dropping fanciful one liners about crashing our stock market.

@SarthakGanguly @XiNiX

 

[root]

Indians can eat a dick.