On Sun, Dec 14, 2008 at 9:00 PM, Badri Natarajan <[email protected]> wrote: > Shiv, > > What's the change shown in that GIF in 2008? Pakistan appears to lose some > territory in the north west? > > Can anyone read enough Urdu to give us a rough idea of what the article > Udhay posted says? It sounds interesting.
The following piece in this morning's Hindu is interesting for offering a glimpse into, what I presume are widespread fears of, conspiracy theories about nefarious RAW-sponsored efforts to break their nation apart. http://www.hindu.com/2008/12/17/stories/2008121752391700.htm Pakistan's opposition fears another division Nirupama Subramanian Parallels in crisis in ties with India ISLAMABAD: On the anniversary of what Pakistanis call "the fall of Dhaka", Opposition members in the National Assembly drew parallels on Tuesday between the 1971 division of the country and the present crisis in relations with India, alleging a conspiracy was afoot to split the country again. It was exactly 37 years ago that East Pakistan became Bangladesh after Pakistani troops surrendered to the Indian Army in Dhaka. In Pakistan, the anniversary of the day usually revives sadness and anger at the failure of the political-military rulers to prevent what is to this day seen as the biggest catastrophe to have befallen the country. Founder-leader of the Pakistan People's Party, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, had refused to accept the 1970 electoral victory of the East Pakistan-based Awami League, one of the reasons for the eventual break-up of the country. Bhutto blamed General Yahya Khan, who was then the military ruler, for failing to prevent the division. For many Pakistanis, the anniversary is also a reminder of the catalysing role played by India in splitting their country into two. This year, with the belief widespread — despite several assertions to the contrary by the leadership of both countries — that India is about to attack Pakistan and that the Indian Air Force is on the ready to strike, the troubling memory of the Pakistan Army's surrender to India has taken on an added twist. The subject was a matter of short but heated debate in the Lower House of Parliament where opposition members asked the government to "learn from history", and said the "fall of Dhaka" was the result of a conspiracy hatched by the Bangla liberation force Mukti Bahini and RAW. Hanif Abbasi, a member of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), said the whole world knew about the "negative" role played by India in the division of Pakistan through its military intervention Mr. Abbasi, a former Jamat-i-Islami leader who joined the PML(N) days before the February elections this year, said the government had to take a firm stand over "threats" from Delhi. He said the government should have taken up the issue of the violation of Pakistani airspace by Indian Army aircraft, during the recent visit of Prime Minister Gordon Brown. "But, the opportunity was lost once our rulers themselves termed the violation as 'technical fault'," he said, and warned that the "weakness" could only invite more threats from India. Marvi Memon, a member of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q), alleged that "even today India wants to destablise Pakistan, as it did in 1971". But, she said, this time the nation was united and would fight against the "conspiracies" hatched by India. Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Farooq Sattar wanted the anniversary to be declared the "day of accountability", while another member of Nawaz Sharif's party wanted a full discussion on the reasons for the break-up more than three decades ago, including on "what the country has gained and what it has lost in the years since". "RAW's role" Amir Muqam, a PML(Q) leader from the NWFP, asked the government to highlight what he described as the "involvement of Indian agents" in terrorism, especially in FATA and Balochistan. "We have strong evidence of the involvement of RAW and other Indian agents in most of terror acts inside Pakistan. Why does our government not provide these proof to the international community?" he asked. He said Pakistan had lost thousands of innocent lives due to the rising acts of terrorism and alleged that RAW had a role in this. Mr. Muqam said while India had "lost its temper" on just one act of terrorism, the Pakistani people were "bravely facing the menace of terrorism without any hue and cry". -- "Silly Indians. Our God made their God" -- Homer J. Simpson
