INDIA INCREASINGLY WARY OF RISING RUSSIA-PAKISTAN TIES

[WaLeEdK2]

so be it compare your selves with Iraq, we are not concerned.

When did I compare it with Iraq LOL? I'm saying we're nothing like them therefore can't be compared. You're obsession is spilling.

 

[Hareeb]

My dear the Video is important. Have a GOOD look at video.

Instead of mentioning who posted it, it is immaterial.

Have a nice day.

He is a political leader and you are better than me what politicians say and do to attract public, but there is always a contradiction b/w their sayings and actions; like what Mr. Modi did say against Pakistan before election and where he stands now. Its sad as an indian you dont truely know about Indo-Pak political leaders.
As far as Mr.Fateh is concerned, he is always biased and anti-Pakistan, and as a so-called analyst, he totally ignored the point that the speaker is a politician and audience is general public. Have a good day.

 

[Riz]

Nothing much solid here except few helicopters, Pakistan is more wary of USA supplying India gear.

You did not tasted Amricans GEAR yet, unky GEARS ka maza kuch arsy bad ay ga tum logon ko jub F.16 k hidden buttons be hongay..tum apni marzi sa koi cheez chala na sako gay..lol

 

[Dean Winchester]

if you enjoying this news then u must look at this too

Zamir Kabulov, the Russian President’s Special Envoy on Afghanistan, reminded India that Moscow hasn’t made any complaints about New Delhi’s growing cooperation with Washington on matters of defense.

GROW UP INDIA

Actually Indian gov't has also made no complaints.

 

[Raul_AD]

When did I compare it with Iraq LOL? I'm saying we're nothing like them therefore can't be compared. You're obsession is spilling.

I cannot beat pakistani logic. hence you are correct.

 

[Riz]

Well, Pakistan's support to Taliban, Chechens and anti-Assad jihadi forces in Syria is very well known.



The Secret Battles Between US Forces and Chechen Terrorists

• By James Gordon Meek
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Feb. 19, 2014

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U.S. Department of Defense
A U.S. Special Forces soldier searches a tree line for insurgent activity in Afghanistan on Oct. 30, 2010.

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For the last 12 years, U.S. Special Operations forces have repeatedly engaged in fierce combat in Afghanistan against ruthless Taliban allies from Chechnya, who have the same pedigree as their terrorist brethren threatening to disrupt the Winter Olympics in Russia, current and former commandos tell ABC News.

"I'd say Chechens were a fair percentage of the overall enemy population early in Operation Enduring Freedom," recalled an active-duty senior Special Operations officer, referring to the Pentagon's name for the Afghan war, in which he was among the first ground operatives.

Since the U.S. war in Afghanistan began after September 11, elite U.S. troops' border battles with Chechen jihadis based in Pakistan's tribal safe havens have mostly stayed hidden in the shadows of a clandestine conflict. Special Operations missions are classified secret by default and rarely publicized.

Chechens joining the Taliban and al Qaeda-aligned militias stood out for their ferocity and refusal to surrender, operators with considerable experience in eastern Afghanistan revealed in recent interviews.

"Chechens are a different breed," a Special Forces soldier who has fought them told ABC News.

"They fight till they die. They have more passion, more discipline and less regard for lives," said the soldier, who did ten tours hunting high-value targets in Afghanistan. "A few of them could have just given up but decided they needed to die."

As recently as two years ago, NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan reported that scores of foreign fighters including Arabs and Chechens were killed in one major battle with U.S. forces along the border with Pakistan.

Even some of Chechnya's infamous "black widows" -- with an ideological kinship to those Russian forces recently searched for in Sochi -- may have gathered in Pakistan in late 2006 for planned suicide bombings in Kabul, according to an ISAF combat report obtained and released by Wikileaks. No evidence exists that any such attacks were ever carried out, however.

Many Chechens, including veterans of the Afghan fight, are waging war now in Syria against Bashar al Assad's troops, according to experts and jihadi statements.

Numerous U.S. intelligence reports released by Wikileaks said Chechens were serving as trainers and combatants crossing from Pakistan into Afghanistan to fight and die, an assessment sometimes based on intercepts from Taliban radio and cell phone chatter.

Islamist militants from groups in the North Caucasus region -- such as the "Caucasus Emirate," whose leader Doku Umarov last July threatened to attack the Sochi Olympics -- have primarily fought Russian forces in Chechnya and Dagestan and targeted civilians in Russia in brutal terrorist attacks since the early 1990s. Al Qaeda-core in Pakistan has endorsed these attacks but hasn't provided much operational support, experts said.

Another highly decorated special operator whose nine deployments to Afghanistan began in late 2001, compared Chechen jihadis his units sometimes encountered to the Viet Cong guerrillas who U.S. Special Forces fought in the Vietnam War.

"What I always appreciated was their lack of tether. They will transplant anywhere. I don't think they ate or were even clear as to why they fight, wherever it is, but they're fighting most of the time. It's just a fire in their bellies. It's what they do," said the veteran special operator.


When Chechen fighters were known to be dug into a valley along the mountainous border with Pakistan at the outset of a U.S. "clear and hold" mission, "I was ready to get hammered on. I've never seen a foreign fighter walk so alone and not give a damn," the soldier added.

That reputation, however, may have led many in the U.S. military and intelligence to inflate the Chechens' true numbers on a battlefield that is often as foggy as the actual border itself is undefined.

University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth scholar Brian Glyn Williams, who has searched for evidence of Chechen foreign fighters on the ground in Afghanistan while under contract with the U.S. military and CIA, said it wouldn't be surprising if some had joined the Taliban but he insists such tales are mostly a "Chechen jihadi myth."

"I think the lack of evidence is telling. There is a total absence of any names or anything tangible," Williams told ABC News this week.

Christopher Swift, a Georgetown University scholar and ABC News consultant who has done research in Afghanistan and interviewed scores of militants in the North Caucasus, agreed there is little hard proof that as many Chechens fought in Afghanistan as has been implied by military reports and noted that none were ever held at the U.S. terrorist prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

But, Swift added, "That's consistent with fighting to the death. These fighters are not going to get captured."

Some Chechens were reputed to have fought with al Qaeda Arabs against U.S. troops during Operation Anaconda in 2002 -- but it may have been the birthplace of the myth.

"It was a pervasive rumor at the time. But I never saw a Chechen. In fact, I'm not sure anyone did," Brandon Friedman, a 101st Airborne platoon commander in Anaconda, told ABC News. Friedman later wrote "The War I Always Wanted" about his experiences.

Williams and Swift said al Qaeda militants who spoke Russian -- often a unifying language for foreign fighters from the former Soviet Union -- and whose corpses appeared Caucasian were presumed to be Chechens, even if they were actually Uzbeks, Tajiks or from other ethnic groups.

"I didn't run into any Uzbeks but I distinctly recall several Chechens with the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan," said the active-duty senior Special Operations officer, recalling combat operations in 2001-2002.

An experienced former operator from America's "tier one" black Special Operations group, "Delta Force," confirmed that misidentifications were common over the course of the war but said some foreign fighters were indeed Chechens. They entered combat as extremely disciplined and well-equipped teams with good weapons discipline and expensive personal gear made by The North Face.

"There were fighters that came to train, came to fight to support the jihad, and those that came to fight and learn U.S. tactics to take back to Chechnya to fight the current Russian government," said the veteran operator, whose affiliation with "The Unit" remains classified.

Any Chechens who survived their confrontations with Navy SEAL, Army Green Beret or Delta operators working for CIA or the Joint Special Operations Command, will not likely forget -- or forgive -- their American adversaries.

"It's safe to say that anyone from the Caucasus who's left the region and 'gone global' would likely see the United States -- and U.S. civilians -- as legitimate targets," said Georgetown's Swift. "This would be particularly true for those who may have fought against U.S. Forces anywhere, including Afghanistan."

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/secret-battles-us-forces-chechen-terrorists/story?id=22580688

How much they recovered NBC weapons in Iraq ? Don't think we r stupids , we know how to deal with Americans and there dramas

 

[Sinnerman108]

He is no entity here but the video attached does. Lot of love for Russia in that video.

However much that is, remember it is 10000 more love for Hindu-stan.

Goons like the one in the video are being taken care of, and slowly but surely will be brought under
the belt.

 

[NOWorNEVER]

So why your govt and officials need sleeping pills now after our relationship with Russia. Look your media 24/7 days only RANDI rona for Pakistan. Trust me you Indians are so cheap an pathetic. Even your old friend Russia had to give statement this that why is this cheap jealousy all about?

 

[dadeechi]

He is a political leader and you are better than me what politicians say and do to attract public, but there is always a contradiction b/w their sayings and actions; like what Mr. Modi did say against Pakistan before election and where he stands now. Its sad as an indian you dont know truely know about Indo-Pak political leaders.
As far as Mr.Fateh is concerned, he is always biased and anti-Pakistan, and as a so-called analyst, he totally ignored the point that the speaker is a politician and audience is general public. Have a good day.

Asia
Is Pakistan aiding Syrian rebels?
Pakistan denies claims it is arming Syrian rebels at Saudi Arabia's behest. Experts, however, say Islamabad is not only providing military equipment to anti-Assad groups, it's also helping jihadists to go fight in Syria.




Pakistani and international media have reported about Pakistan-based Wahhabi militant groups, including al Qaeda and the Taliban, sending their members to Syria to fight against President Bashar Assad's forces. Some observers claim these fighters are also getting some kind of state support.

Despite the Pakistani government's categorical denial of any involvement in the Syrian conflict, the Islamic Republic's opposition parties, including the main opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP) led by former President Asif Ali Zardari, have challenged Islamabad's claims. A number of political experts in Pakistan also disagree with the government's stance that it did not get itself involved in the violent Syrian conflict on Saudi Arabia's request.

"We strongly reject the media speculation that Pakistan has changed its position on Syria or is supplying arms to Syrian rebels directly or indirectly. These impressions are totally baseless and misleading," Sartaj Aziz, an advisor to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on national security and foreign affairs, recently told the country's parliament.

The discussion about whether or not the Pakistani government armed the Syrian rebels commenced after the Saudi Crown Prince, Salman bin Abdulaziz, travelled to Pakistan last month.


Pakistan denies involvement

"I would like to clarify that during the Saudi Crown Prince's visit, the two sides only mentioned the need to enhance bilateral cooperation in the field of defense with an aim to have a mutually beneficial defense and security cooperation," said Aziz.

According to news agency AFP, which quoted a source close to Saudi decision-makers, Riyadh was interested in getting Pakistan-made shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles, known as Anza, and anti-tank rockets, to aid the rebels.

"The United States could allow their to allies provide the rebels with anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons following the failure of Geneva talks and the renewed tension with Russia," AFP quoted the head of the Gulf Research Centre, Abdel Aziz al-Sager.

Ghaffar Husain, a London-based researcher and counter-terrorism expert, told DW that Saudi-Pakistani alliance is decades-long, and that it is highly likely that Riyadh could have asked for Islamabad's assistance in turning the tide in Syria.

Claims 'not exaggerated'

Ali K. Chishti, a security expert in Karachi, told DW that Pakistan's assistance to Syrian rebels was of covert nature, and that it was obvious why Pakistan did not officially admit it. "I don't think that the claims that Pakistan is helping Syrian opposition are incorrect or exaggerated. Islamabad believes that since Iran is openly supporting the Assad regime, which is responsible for killing hundreds of thousands of people in his own country, it is justified to aid the rebels," said Chishti.

DW recommends

Pakistan's fragile ceasefire with the Taliban
Violence continues in Pakistan despite the Taliban's announcement of a month-long truce last week. Meanwhile, the demand for an all-out military offensive against the militants is growing in the Islamic country. (03.03.2014)

Pakistanis say 'no' to the Taliban
Hundreds of thousands of people in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi have participated in the country's biggest anti-Taliban rally, demanding the government take serious action against the Islamists. (24.02.2014)

The 'Wahabi Republic' of Pakistan
There are many people in Pakistan who oppose the Taliban and their militant activities; however, ironically, not all of them question the Saudi-Wahabi ideology that provides impetus to militant Islamists. (24.08.2012)

Pakistani Shiites are 'victims of regional politics'
Pakistani development experts and activists say the massacre of Shiite Muslims in Gilgit-Baltistan and other northern parts of Pakistan is linked to ongoing development programs in the area and regional politics. (23.08.2012)

Pakistani educationist and former BBC journalist, Nauman Naqvi, says there is no doubt whatsoever that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are on same page over the Syrian conflict.

"The Pakistani government can deny it, but everyone knows what is going on. Pakistan's respectable journalists have written about the matter," Naqvi told DW, adding that Pakistan had put its relations with Iran at stake in order to please Saudi Arabia. "Pakistan has been serving the Saudi interests in the Middle East and South Asia for a long time. Our relations with Tehran were different in the 1970s. They have been severely damaged since the last phase of the Cold War. The expert gave the example of Pakistan-based terrorist organization Jundullah, which Iran claimed to be a proxy group used by its enemies, to highlight the worsening Iranian-Pakistani ties.

Sharif's personal involvement

Some experts argue that the alleged Saudi-Pakistani deal on Syria was a result of Sharif's personal connections with the Saudi rulers. Earlier this month, Pakistan received a 1.5 billion USD loan from Riyadh, which Pakistani opposition parties claimed was a "gift' from Saudis to Sharif for his "services" to the kingdom.

Husain says Pakistan has "the expertise, weapons and fighters for the Syrian war, and Saudi Arabia has the cash that Pakistan desperately needs right now."

Naqvi, however, says that any other head of the government in Islamabad would have complied with the Saudi demands. "We must not forget that Sharif has no say in defense related matters. It is the Pakistani army which calls the shots. Former President Zardari would not have acted differently in this scenario."


Saudi Arabia wants to minimize Iranian influence in Syria, say experts

For Chishti, accepting the Saudi demands was a sensible decision: "Iran is openly supporting Assad whereas Saudi Arabia is aiding the rebels - both for their sectarian interests. Why would then the Pakistani state, which follows the Saudi Wahhabi Islamic ideology, side with the Shiite Tehran on this?"

Pakistani militants migrating to Syria

"A large number of foreign fighters are based in Pakistan's northern Waziristan area, which shares border with Afghanistan. Some of them are now migrating to Syria. The Pakistani Taliban have actually established a cell to monitor the Syrian situation. Al Qaeda's head, Aymen al-Zawahiri sent out a message to Pakistani militants to move to Syria," told Chishti, adding that Muslim al Shishani, a Chechen commander from North Waziristan, was one such Islamist who migrated to Syria on March 27.


Most Pakistani militant groups are pro-Saudi Arabia and anti-Iran

The expert, however, is not sure whether it's a good thing for the Pakistani state. "We need to see how certain non-state actors are being used in this conflict. It can be a double edged sword," he said.

For his part, Naqvi says there is "structural linkage" between the Pakistani military apparatus and the jihadists. "These militants have been doing what the army thinks is in Pakistan's geo-strategic interests," said Naqvi. The expert is of the view that Pakistan finds itself in a quagmire for not keeping itself non-aligned in regional and international conflicts and will ultimately have to pay a big price for its actions.

http://www.dw.com/en/is-pakistan-aiding-syrian-rebels/a-17528187



Sunni Side Up: Saudi Arabia Seeking To Acquire Arms From Pakistan To Supply Syrian Rebels
BY PALASH GHOSH @GOOCH700 ON 02/24/14 AT 1:56 PM

Saudi Arabia has entered into talks with Pakistan to purchase weapons that would be transferred to opposition forces in Syria to aid in their three-year battle to topple president Bashar al-Assad. Citing a Saudi source, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported that Riyadh is seeking to buy anti-aircraft and anti-tank rockets in an effort to help Syrian rebels equalize the firepower of Assad’s military. Pakistan manufactures shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles, called Anza, which are based on a Chinese model.

The unnamed Saudi source cited that Pakistan’s army chief of staff, General Raheel Sharif, met with Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz in Riyadh earlier this month. Last week, Salman himself led a large Saudi delegation to Pakistan, just after the kingdom’s top diplomat Prince Saud al-Faisal visited the South Asian state. The Saudi source also stated that Jordan has agreed to store the Pakistani weapons before they are transferred to neighboring Syria. Syrian rebels have long desired anti-aircraft rockets to protect themselves from Assad’s warplanes, which regularly bomb rebel-controlled territories.

The Saudis are likely taking the circuitous route with Pakistan since the U.S. adamantly opposes supplying such weapons to Syrian rebels over fears they would fall into the hands of Islamic extremists who are believed to be helping the anti-Assad forces. But AFP noted that Syrian opposition leaders suggest that the U.S. has recently softened its position on this topic in the wake of the failed Geneva peace talks. "The United States could allow their allies to provide the rebels with anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons following the failure of Geneva talks and the renewed tension with Russia,” said Abdel Aziz al-Sager of the Gulf Research Centre, a Persian Gulf-focused non-partisan think tank.

Saudi Prince Salman Photo: Reuters
AFP noted that Saudi Arabia, which helps coordinate with Jordan to offer assistance to Syrian rebels in the southern part of the county (while Turkey and Qatar do the same in the north), has become the biggest foreign supporter of the anti-Assad factions. Indeed, Ahmad Jarba, the leader of the Syrian opposition, has strong links to the Saudis.

Dr. Dilshod Achilov, assistant professor of Political Science at East Tennessee State University and an expert on Middle Eastern affairs, explained that the Saudis are seeking wider support for the Syrian rebels from the Sunni Muslim world (Assad and his Iranian allies are Shia Muslims). “Pakistan is a large Sunni country with a sizable military industry,” he said. “Saudi Arabia views the Syrian war as a key conflict against the archenemy of Sunni Islam -- the Shia Islam spearheaded by Iran. Saudi Arabia may [also] be looking for broader Sunni support against the threat of rising Shia influence in the region. And Pakistan would be one of the natural allies to bring in.”

Dr. Hasan Askari Rizvi, an independent Pakistani political and defense analyst, wrote in an op-ed piece for the Express Tribune newspaper that Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appears to be favoring Saudi Arabia (and other conservative Arab states like Bahrain and Kuwait) with respect to Middle Eastern policy. In fact, Pakistan has relinquished its earlier neutrality on the Syrian civil war by supporting Saudi demands for the removal of Assad from power. Rizvi suggests that Pakistan’s principal motivation for endorsing the Saudis lies more with financial needs than religion or politics. “Pakistan expects to get financial support in the form of loans, aid, investment, more jobs for Pakistanis, and supply of oil and gas on favorable terms from conservative but rich [Arab] kingdoms,” he wrote. “Furthermore, Nawaz Sharif and his family have special reverence for the House of Saud because it saved them from the clutches of [former Pakistani president Pervez] Musharraf’s military government in December 2000.”

Noting that Pakistan faces a “difficult economic situation” in 2014 and it is looking towards Saudi Arabia and other conservative Arab states for “economic support,” Islamabad should not become entangled in Mideast intrigues. “Pakistan must not be seen as partisan in intra-Arab conflicts,” he warned. “It should stay away from dynastic and regional rivalries in the Middle East.”

Achilov also commented that it’s not clear how involved Pakistani even wants to be in the Syrian quagmire. “In case Pakistan decides to extend military assistance [to the Saudis], it will be primarily driven by strategic calculations to counter Iran’s growing influence in the region, secure Saudi financial support , appease the Sunni majority inside [Pakistan], and influence the course of the conflict since Iran-dominated Syria would be unacceptable to Pakistan as well,” he said. “It is more likely that Pakistan may choose to support the Syrian armed rebels covertly in the first stage. It's unlikely that Pakistan will rush its arms openly, at least not immediately."

http://www.ibtimes.com/sunni-side-s...re-arms-pakistan-supply-syrian-rebels-1557572

 

[Vapnope]

Pakistan has always adopted the policy of plausible deniability with regards to non-state actors emanating from Pakistan.

We are well aware of Iran recruiting Shias from Pakistan to fight their war in Syria and we are aware of KSA using Deobandi/Salafis from Pakistan to fight their proxy wars against Assad regime.
So far state has no role in supporting a side in Syrian mayhem.

 

[I S I]

dont worry about my intellect. But can you deny that pakistan is not the greatest martial nation on earth???

Martial or not. We have enough to F... bharat 10 times over in a row.

 

[Hakikat ve Hikmet]

What have the Indian folks been thinking for the last seventy years? Will it always remain a one way street? What if the Indian energy routes themselves are at stake now? The Indian folks need to come out with "out of the box" strategies with a positive mindset. India is still the home of 200m Muslims and Kashmir is still there to be solved. If the Indian leadership were prudent and wise enough they would have leveraged them to keep all the trade, energy and water corridors for the utmost benefit of themselves and Paks leaving China and Russia out...

 

[I S I]

Asia
Is Pakistan aiding Syrian rebels?
Pakistan denies claims it is arming Syrian rebels at Saudi Arabia's behest. Experts, however, say Islamabad is not only providing military equipment to anti-Assad groups, it's also helping jihadists to go fight in Syria.




Pakistani and international media have reported about Pakistan-based Wahhabi militant groups, including al Qaeda and the Taliban, sending their members to Syria to fight against President Bashar Assad's forces. Some observers claim these fighters are also getting some kind of state support.

Despite the Pakistani government's categorical denial of any involvement in the Syrian conflict, the Islamic Republic's opposition parties, including the main opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP) led by former President Asif Ali Zardari, have challenged Islamabad's claims. A number of political experts in Pakistan also disagree with the government's stance that it did not get itself involved in the violent Syrian conflict on Saudi Arabia's request.

"We strongly reject the media speculation that Pakistan has changed its position on Syria or is supplying arms to Syrian rebels directly or indirectly. These impressions are totally baseless and misleading," Sartaj Aziz, an advisor to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on national security and foreign affairs, recently told the country's parliament.

The discussion about whether or not the Pakistani government armed the Syrian rebels commenced after the Saudi Crown Prince, Salman bin Abdulaziz, travelled to Pakistan last month.


Pakistan denies involvement

"I would like to clarify that during the Saudi Crown Prince's visit, the two sides only mentioned the need to enhance bilateral cooperation in the field of defense with an aim to have a mutually beneficial defense and security cooperation," said Aziz.

According to news agency AFP, which quoted a source close to Saudi decision-makers, Riyadh was interested in getting Pakistan-made shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles, known as Anza, and anti-tank rockets, to aid the rebels.

"The United States could allow their to allies provide the rebels with anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons following the failure of Geneva talks and the renewed tension with Russia," AFP quoted the head of the Gulf Research Centre, Abdel Aziz al-Sager.

Ghaffar Husain, a London-based researcher and counter-terrorism expert, told DW that Saudi-Pakistani alliance is decades-long, and that it is highly likely that Riyadh could have asked for Islamabad's assistance in turning the tide in Syria.

Claims 'not exaggerated'

Ali K. Chishti, a security expert in Karachi, told DW that Pakistan's assistance to Syrian rebels was of covert nature, and that it was obvious why Pakistan did not officially admit it. "I don't think that the claims that Pakistan is helping Syrian opposition are incorrect or exaggerated. Islamabad believes that since Iran is openly supporting the Assad regime, which is responsible for killing hundreds of thousands of people in his own country, it is justified to aid the rebels," said Chishti.

DW recommends

Pakistan's fragile ceasefire with the Taliban
Violence continues in Pakistan despite the Taliban's announcement of a month-long truce last week. Meanwhile, the demand for an all-out military offensive against the militants is growing in the Islamic country. (03.03.2014)

Pakistanis say 'no' to the Taliban
Hundreds of thousands of people in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi have participated in the country's biggest anti-Taliban rally, demanding the government take serious action against the Islamists. (24.02.2014)

The 'Wahabi Republic' of Pakistan
There are many people in Pakistan who oppose the Taliban and their militant activities; however, ironically, not all of them question the Saudi-Wahabi ideology that provides impetus to militant Islamists. (24.08.2012)

Pakistani Shiites are 'victims of regional politics'
Pakistani development experts and activists say the massacre of Shiite Muslims in Gilgit-Baltistan and other northern parts of Pakistan is linked to ongoing development programs in the area and regional politics. (23.08.2012)

Pakistani educationist and former BBC journalist, Nauman Naqvi, says there is no doubt whatsoever that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are on same page over the Syrian conflict.

"The Pakistani government can deny it, but everyone knows what is going on. Pakistan's respectable journalists have written about the matter," Naqvi told DW, adding that Pakistan had put its relations with Iran at stake in order to please Saudi Arabia. "Pakistan has been serving the Saudi interests in the Middle East and South Asia for a long time. Our relations with Tehran were different in the 1970s. They have been severely damaged since the last phase of the Cold War. The expert gave the example of Pakistan-based terrorist organization Jundullah, which Iran claimed to be a proxy group used by its enemies, to highlight the worsening Iranian-Pakistani ties.

Sharif's personal involvement

Some experts argue that the alleged Saudi-Pakistani deal on Syria was a result of Sharif's personal connections with the Saudi rulers. Earlier this month, Pakistan received a 1.5 billion USD loan from Riyadh, which Pakistani opposition parties claimed was a "gift' from Saudis to Sharif for his "services" to the kingdom.

Husain says Pakistan has "the expertise, weapons and fighters for the Syrian war, and Saudi Arabia has the cash that Pakistan desperately needs right now."

Naqvi, however, says that any other head of the government in Islamabad would have complied with the Saudi demands. "We must not forget that Sharif has no say in defense related matters. It is the Pakistani army which calls the shots. Former President Zardari would not have acted differently in this scenario."


Saudi Arabia wants to minimize Iranian influence in Syria, say experts

For Chishti, accepting the Saudi demands was a sensible decision: "Iran is openly supporting Assad whereas Saudi Arabia is aiding the rebels - both for their sectarian interests. Why would then the Pakistani state, which follows the Saudi Wahhabi Islamic ideology, side with the Shiite Tehran on this?"

Pakistani militants migrating to Syria

"A large number of foreign fighters are based in Pakistan's northern Waziristan area, which shares border with Afghanistan. Some of them are now migrating to Syria. The Pakistani Taliban have actually established a cell to monitor the Syrian situation. Al Qaeda's head, Aymen al-Zawahiri sent out a message to Pakistani militants to move to Syria," told Chishti, adding that Muslim al Shishani, a Chechen commander from North Waziristan, was one such Islamist who migrated to Syria on March 27.


Most Pakistani militant groups are pro-Saudi Arabia and anti-Iran

The expert, however, is not sure whether it's a good thing for the Pakistani state. "We need to see how certain non-state actors are being used in this conflict. It can be a double edged sword," he said.

For his part, Naqvi says there is "structural linkage" between the Pakistani military apparatus and the jihadists. "These militants have been doing what the army thinks is in Pakistan's geo-strategic interests," said Naqvi. The expert is of the view that Pakistan finds itself in a quagmire for not keeping itself non-aligned in regional and international conflicts and will ultimately have to pay a big price for its actions.

http://www.dw.com/en/is-pakistan-aiding-syrian-rebels/a-17528187



Sunni Side Up: Saudi Arabia Seeking To Acquire Arms From Pakistan To Supply Syrian Rebels
BY PALASH GHOSH @GOOCH700 ON 02/24/14 AT 1:56 PM

Saudi Arabia has entered into talks with Pakistan to purchase weapons that would be transferred to opposition forces in Syria to aid in their three-year battle to topple president Bashar al-Assad. Citing a Saudi source, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported that Riyadh is seeking to buy anti-aircraft and anti-tank rockets in an effort to help Syrian rebels equalize the firepower of Assad’s military. Pakistan manufactures shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles, called Anza, which are based on a Chinese model.

The unnamed Saudi source cited that Pakistan’s army chief of staff, General Raheel Sharif, met with Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz in Riyadh earlier this month. Last week, Salman himself led a large Saudi delegation to Pakistan, just after the kingdom’s top diplomat Prince Saud al-Faisal visited the South Asian state. The Saudi source also stated that Jordan has agreed to store the Pakistani weapons before they are transferred to neighboring Syria. Syrian rebels have long desired anti-aircraft rockets to protect themselves from Assad’s warplanes, which regularly bomb rebel-controlled territories.

The Saudis are likely taking the circuitous route with Pakistan since the U.S. adamantly opposes supplying such weapons to Syrian rebels over fears they would fall into the hands of Islamic extremists who are believed to be helping the anti-Assad forces. But AFP noted that Syrian opposition leaders suggest that the U.S. has recently softened its position on this topic in the wake of the failed Geneva peace talks. "The United States could allow their allies to provide the rebels with anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons following the failure of Geneva talks and the renewed tension with Russia,” said Abdel Aziz al-Sager of the Gulf Research Centre, a Persian Gulf-focused non-partisan think tank.

Saudi Prince Salman Photo: Reuters
AFP noted that Saudi Arabia, which helps coordinate with Jordan to offer assistance to Syrian rebels in the southern part of the county (while Turkey and Qatar do the same in the north), has become the biggest foreign supporter of the anti-Assad factions. Indeed, Ahmad Jarba, the leader of the Syrian opposition, has strong links to the Saudis.

Dr. Dilshod Achilov, assistant professor of Political Science at East Tennessee State University and an expert on Middle Eastern affairs, explained that the Saudis are seeking wider support for the Syrian rebels from the Sunni Muslim world (Assad and his Iranian allies are Shia Muslims). “Pakistan is a large Sunni country with a sizable military industry,” he said. “Saudi Arabia views the Syrian war as a key conflict against the archenemy of Sunni Islam -- the Shia Islam spearheaded by Iran. Saudi Arabia may [also] be looking for broader Sunni support against the threat of rising Shia influence in the region. And Pakistan would be one of the natural allies to bring in.”

Dr. Hasan Askari Rizvi, an independent Pakistani political and defense analyst, wrote in an op-ed piece for the Express Tribune newspaper that Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appears to be favoring Saudi Arabia (and other conservative Arab states like Bahrain and Kuwait) with respect to Middle Eastern policy. In fact, Pakistan has relinquished its earlier neutrality on the Syrian civil war by supporting Saudi demands for the removal of Assad from power. Rizvi suggests that Pakistan’s principal motivation for endorsing the Saudis lies more with financial needs than religion or politics. “Pakistan expects to get financial support in the form of loans, aid, investment, more jobs for Pakistanis, and supply of oil and gas on favorable terms from conservative but rich [Arab] kingdoms,” he wrote. “Furthermore, Nawaz Sharif and his family have special reverence for the House of Saud because it saved them from the clutches of [former Pakistani president Pervez] Musharraf’s military government in December 2000.”

Noting that Pakistan faces a “difficult economic situation” in 2014 and it is looking towards Saudi Arabia and other conservative Arab states for “economic support,” Islamabad should not become entangled in Mideast intrigues. “Pakistan must not be seen as partisan in intra-Arab conflicts,” he warned. “It should stay away from dynastic and regional rivalries in the Middle East.”

Achilov also commented that it’s not clear how involved Pakistani even wants to be in the Syrian quagmire. “In case Pakistan decides to extend military assistance [to the Saudis], it will be primarily driven by strategic calculations to counter Iran’s growing influence in the region, secure Saudi financial support , appease the Sunni majority inside [Pakistan], and influence the course of the conflict since Iran-dominated Syria would be unacceptable to Pakistan as well,” he said. “It is more likely that Pakistan may choose to support the Syrian armed rebels covertly in the first stage. It's unlikely that Pakistan will rush its arms openly, at least not immediately."

http://www.ibtimes.com/sunni-side-s...re-arms-pakistan-supply-syrian-rebels-1557572

Yawn.

 

[Vapnope]

On topic:
I think India should be happy by Russia-Pakistan relations. I have always maintained that China and Russia will be the one who might help India and Pakistan solve their extraordinary issues, it would never be someone from West.

 

[PAKISTANFOREVER]

Pakistan is all set to take delivery of four Mi-35M Hind-E combat helicopters from Russia
by Nilova Roy Chaudhury

New Delhi feels there is cause for concern in the increasingly growing friendship between Moscow and Islamabad, a concern compounded after Pakistan and Russia held their first ever foreign office consultations in Islamabad on December 14. The Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that a wide range of regional issues and key areas of mutual interest including economic cooperation and connectivity were discussed.

"The two sides exchanged views on important global and regional developments,” the statement said. “It was also decided that the next round of consultations will be convened in Moscow in 2017,” it added.

Ahmad Hussain Dayo, Director General (West Asia), led the Pakistani delegation at the talks while Alexander V Sternik, third CIS department head at the Russian ministry of foreign affairs, led the delegation from Moscow.

Coming soon after the first ever joint military exercises between Russia and Pakistan and what New Delhi saw as attempts to block Indian efforts to “isolate” Islamabad politically, levels of concern are rising in the government and among India’s strategic community.

After Moscow officially denied that it had shown any interest in the 46 billion dollars China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Alexey Dedov, the Russian Ambassador to Pakistan, was cited by the Times of India as not only declaring strong support for the China-funded project but also announcing Russia's intention to link the Eurasian Economic Union project with the CPEC.

The CPEC, which will connect Gwadar in Pakistan's Balochistan province to Xinjiang in China, is a major irritant for India because it passes through the disputed Gilgit-Baltistan region in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.

Pakistani media reports late last month quoted senior Pakistan naval officers as saying (November 25, 2016) that the Gwadar Port had become operational and that Chinese naval ships would be deployed there to ensure maritime security. They added that Russia had agreed “in secret discussions” to join the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which starts in Gwadar. This was officially rebutted strongly by Russia.

Asked to comment on the issue, Vikas Swarup, spokesman for India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, “I would not like to comment on the Russia-Pakistan relationship. This is a third country relationship. Our own relationship with Russia remains very strong and has been further strengthened by the visit of President Putin,” to Goa in October.

However, senior Indian government officials told RIR that they were “uncomfortable” with some of Russia’s recent postures and overtures to Islamabad.

Zamir Kabulov, the Russian President’s Special Envoy on Afghanistan, said the Indian concern was “strange.”

Asked about India being concerned about rising Russian cooperation with Pakistan, Kabulov said, “The size of cooperation between Russia and India can’t be compared with the cooperation with Pakistan. It’s many hundred times more.”

Kabulov went on to say, “We cannot understand this jealousy because India has very close cooperation with America in the field that we used to be the almost only trusted partner (defense). Have you heard any complaints from Moscow about that?” he said in response to a question.

“So let’s look at the world as it is. We are living in a multipolar world. There is no threat to India-Russia relations. India is and will remain a major partner of the Russian Federation, along with China and other states,” Kabulov said.

A senior Indian official, however, disagreed with Kabulov’s assessment.

“The USA is miles away and not a neighborhood threat,” the official said. “Our cooperation with the US does not threaten Russia. Russia’s defense cooperation and sales to Pakistan directly threatens us.”

Bhaskar Roy, a Strategic Analyst with the South Asia Analysis Group, was bitter in his assessment.
Ties with Pakistan not against India

“The sixth “Heart of Asia” conference, recently held in Amritsar, had Pakistan on the mat on terrorism. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani was bitter and non-sparing of Pakistan. He rejected Pakistan’s offer of $500 million for reconstruction of Afghanistan and advised them to use the money to counter terrorist activities emanating from Pakistan. Ghani also referred to a statement by Taliban leader Mullah Rahmatullah Kakazada saying that if the Taliban did not get safe havens in Pakistan, they would not last even a month.”

Roy went on to say, “Russia is beginning to prove somewhat undependable regarding Pakistan. According to some news, the rise of Islamophiles in the Russian government, like Zamir Kabulov have dented the ranks of the Indophiles. Kabulov is a former Russian ambassador to Afghanistan. Currently, he is Presidential Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, and head of the foreign ministry’s Asia and Middle East Department.”

“The Islamophiles in Russia are arguing that joining the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will give Russia an opening, a path to the warm waters of the Arabian Sea, the Gulf and the Indian Ocean-an objective that Russia has been seeking for most parts of the last century. Of immediate importance is the threat of the Daesh emanating now from Khorasan and moving into Central Asia and Russia. A trilateral meeting between Russia-China-Pakistan is scheduled to be held soon. The Russian Islamophiles may influence President Putin to do a Faustian bargain,” he said.

Responding to a question about the Russian decision to speak with the Taliban, the MEA spokesman said, “In so far as the Taliban is concerned, they have to respect the internationally agreed red lines. They have to give up terrorism and violence, sever all ties with Al Qaeda, agree to follow democratic norms and not do anything which will erode the gains of the last 15 years in Afghanistan. But ultimately, it is for the Government of Afghanistan to decide whom to talk to and how.”

As India tries hard to isolate Pakistan for its role in actively fomenting terrorism in the region and beyond, New Delhi feels that Russia is moving toward greater acceptance of that country’s role, much like China has done.

http://in.rbth.com/world/2016/12/21/india-increasingly-wary-of-rising-russia-pakistan-ties_664348

TBH As a Pakistani, I couldn't care less about our ties with Russia. As long as we are not enemies and have cordial relations with one another that's okay. Russia is the superpower of yesteryear. The future of global dominance is with the world's 1st ever global hyper power, China. That's who (along with Turkey) our relationship really matters. All else is insignificant.