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Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
One-third of kids never sees a school, but we have nukes: Ex-Pak envoy's viral clip stirs fresh outrage
'The real threat is from within' — DeltaRR2000 (@DeltaRR2000) Live Events 'We are not going to live as an insecure nation' After Pahalgam: A nation at the brink again Indus treaty suspended, water becomes a weapon 'Why does Pakistan need Lashkar, Jaish, Sipah?' (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel As Pakistan faces a deepening crisis at home, a decade-old warning from former ambassador Hussain Haqqani is hitting harder than ever. A 2013 interview featuring the ex-diplomat has resurfaced online, exposing painful truths about Pakistan's priorities. 'One-third of (Pakistan's) young population… never see the inside of any school — forget about madrasas, religious schools, any school,' Haqqani said. 'Another one-third lives below the poverty line, and yet the country has nuclear weapons.'This statement—now viral—echoes across a nation grappling with economic instability, a broken education system, and worsening India-Pakistan relations. Despite being from 2013, the interview's relevance feels sharply present in critique went deeper than statistics. He questioned the national mindset that glorifies military might at the expense of societal progress. 'The real threat to Pakistan essentially is from a failure to come to terms with its geography, with its history, and with having a direction for it as a nation,' he said during the remarks form a blistering takedown of Pakistan's state doctrine—where weapons take precedence over welfare. 'We are now like the guy who keeps buying guns to try and protect himself and then says, 'Oh gosh, I can't sleep because I'm afraid somebody will steal my guns,'' he observed, describing the country's fixation on defence at the cost of its citizens' sense of also invoked the vision of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. She imagined a future where Pakistan retained its nuclear deterrence but redefined its global role. 'We will keep the nukes, but we will eventually sign up with some kind of international agreement… We are not going to live as an insecure nation,' he said, referencing Bhutto's forward-looking was not a call to disarm but to recalibrate—to pair defence strength with internal development and diplomatic resurfacing of this interview comes on the heels of a major terror attack. On 22 April, a deadly strike in Kashmir's Pahalgam claimed the lives of 26 Indian tourists. The attack, attributed to Pakistan-based terror groups, has plunged the region into crisis. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor, a military campaign targeting nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). These camps were linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul followed was a series of retaliatory attempts by Pakistan to strike Indian military bases between 8 and 10 May. India responded by targeting eight Pakistani airbases on 10 May using long-range missiles and India has moved swiftly too. Following the Pahalgam attack, India placed the Indus Waters Treaty under suspension—a significant shift in a treaty that has governed water sharing between the two nations since 1960. With six rivers under its control, India now holds leverage that could strain Pakistan's already fragile agrarian has been outspoken on Pakistan's internal threats long before the recent escalation. In a post on X, he questioned the legitimacy of allowing extremist outfits to flourish while maintaining a formal army. 'A terrorist attack in Pahalgam led India and Pakistan to the brink of total war. To avoid that in future, it is important to shut down Jihadi groups,' he wrote. 'With well-equipped armed forces, why does the country need Lashkar, Sipah, Jaish, and their Difa-e-Watan Council?'These comments were not made in isolation. They coincide with global concerns over Pakistan's nuclear safety. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently said Pakistan's nuclear weapons should be brought under international monitoring, specifically the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).Even Haqqani conceded that Pakistan's nuclear programme is technically sound and well-guarded. But the central question remains—what use is strategic deterrence if it coexists with illiteracy, poverty, and social fragmentation?Pakistan's leadership, according to Haqqani, needs to look inward. Until the country resolves its core contradictions—missiles in the skies and millions of children out of school—the promise of security will ring 2013, his message was seen as provocative. In 2025, it feels prophetic.
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
One-third of kids never see the inside of school, but we have nukes: Ex-Pak envoy's viral clip stirs fresh outrage
Synopsis A 2013 interview with former Pakistani ambassador Hussain Haqqani is making waves again in 2025, as Pakistan reels from economic collapse, education gaps, and renewed conflict with India. In the clip, Haqqani challenges Pakistan's obsession with nuclear might while millions of children remain unschooled and citizens live in poverty. His critique has resurfaced following a deadly terrorist attack in Kashmir and India's response through Operation Sindoor. The interview underscores enduring questions about Pakistan's direction, security priorities, and human development. As Pakistan faces a deepening crisis at home, a decade-old warning from former ambassador Hussain Haqqani is hitting harder than ever. A 2013 interview featuring the ex-diplomat has resurfaced online, exposing painful truths about Pakistan's priorities. 'One-third of (Pakistan's) young population… never see the inside of any school — forget about madrasas, religious schools, any school,' Haqqani said. 'Another one-third lives below the poverty line, and yet the country has nuclear weapons.' ADVERTISEMENT This statement—now viral—echoes across a nation grappling with economic instability, a broken education system, and worsening India-Pakistan relations. Despite being from 2013, the interview's relevance feels sharply present in critique went deeper than statistics. He questioned the national mindset that glorifies military might at the expense of societal progress. 'The real threat to Pakistan essentially is from a failure to come to terms with its geography, with its history, and with having a direction for it as a nation,' he said during the panel. His remarks form a blistering takedown of Pakistan's state doctrine—where weapons take precedence over welfare. 'We are now like the guy who keeps buying guns to try and protect himself and then says, 'Oh gosh, I can't sleep because I'm afraid somebody will steal my guns,'' he observed, describing the country's fixation on defence at the cost of its citizens' sense of security. Haqqani also invoked the vision of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. She imagined a future where Pakistan retained its nuclear deterrence but redefined its global role. 'We will keep the nukes, but we will eventually sign up with some kind of international agreement… We are not going to live as an insecure nation,' he said, referencing Bhutto's forward-looking ideals. ADVERTISEMENT It was not a call to disarm but to recalibrate—to pair defence strength with internal development and diplomatic resurfacing of this interview comes on the heels of a major terror attack. On 22 April, a deadly strike in Kashmir's Pahalgam claimed the lives of 26 Indian tourists. The attack, attributed to Pakistan-based terror groups, has plunged the region into crisis. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor, a military campaign targeting nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). These camps were linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen. ADVERTISEMENT What followed was a series of retaliatory attempts by Pakistan to strike Indian military bases between 8 and 10 May. India responded by targeting eight Pakistani airbases on 10 May using long-range missiles and India has moved swiftly too. Following the Pahalgam attack, India placed the Indus Waters Treaty under suspension—a significant shift in a treaty that has governed water sharing between the two nations since 1960. With six rivers under its control, India now holds leverage that could strain Pakistan's already fragile agrarian economy. ADVERTISEMENT Haqqani has been outspoken on Pakistan's internal threats long before the recent escalation. In a post on X, he questioned the legitimacy of allowing extremist outfits to flourish while maintaining a formal army. 'A terrorist attack in Pahalgam led India and Pakistan to the brink of total war. To avoid that in future, it is important to shut down Jihadi groups,' he wrote. 'With well-equipped armed forces, why does the country need Lashkar, Sipah, Jaish, and their Difa-e-Watan Council?'These comments were not made in isolation. They coincide with global concerns over Pakistan's nuclear safety. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently said Pakistan's nuclear weapons should be brought under international monitoring, specifically the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).Even Haqqani conceded that Pakistan's nuclear programme is technically sound and well-guarded. But the central question remains—what use is strategic deterrence if it coexists with illiteracy, poverty, and social fragmentation? ADVERTISEMENT Pakistan's leadership, according to Haqqani, needs to look inward. Until the country resolves its core contradictions—missiles in the skies and millions of children out of school—the promise of security will ring hollow. In 2013, his message was seen as provocative. In 2025, it feels prophetic. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel) Disclaimer Statement: This content is authored by a 3rd party. The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). ET does not guarantee, vouch for or endorse any of its contents nor is responsible for them in any manner whatsoever. Please take all steps necessary to ascertain that any information and content provided is correct, updated, and verified. ET hereby disclaims any and all warranties, express or implied, relating to the report and any content therein. NEXT STORY
News18
3 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Ex-Envoy Gives Reality Check On Pakistan's Nuclear Power: ‘Forget Madrasas, 1 In 3 Kids There...'
Last Updated: In the video, Hussain Haqqani pointed out his country's priorities by highlighting the disconnect between its military ambitions and the needs of its people. An old interview of Pakistan's former ambassador to the US, Hussain Haqqani, has resurfaced online. The clip, from a 2013 discussion, is drawing attention at a time when Pakistan is grappling with economic instability and internal challenges. In the video, Haqqani, a longtime critic of Pakistan's strategic doctrine, pointed out his country's priorities by highlighting the disconnect between its military ambitions and the needs of its people. 'Half the population of Pakistan is below the age of 21. One-third of (Pakistan's) young population… never see the inside of any school — forget about madrasas, religious schools, any school," he said. 'Another one-third lives below the poverty line and another one lives just above it, and yet the country has nuclear weapons," he added. Haqqani's comments come back into focus amid growing tensions between India and Pakistan. A recent terrorist attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists, has strained India-Pakistan relations once again. In response, India has reviewed some of its diplomatic commitments including placing the Indus Waters Treaty under suspension. This move has serious implications as Pakistan depends heavily on the Indus River system for its water needs. With the treaty now on hold, India technically has the power to control the flow of water from six rivers. In the interview, Haqqani didn't deny the efficiency of the country's nuclear programme. But he raised a crucial question — what good is it if citizens remain poor, uneducated and insecure? 'We are now like the guy who keeps buying guns to try and protect himself and then says, 'Oh gosh, I can't sleep because I'm afraid somebody will steal my guns,'" he mentioned. Haqqani further argued that the real threat was not external. 'The real threat to Pakistan essentially is from a failure to come to terms with its geography, with its history, and with having a direction for it as a nation," he added. The former ambassador called for a change in Pakistan's direction similar to what former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto had hoped for. 'We will keep the nukes, but we will eventually sign up with some kind of international agreement… We are not going to live as an insecure nation," he said, quoting Bhutto's vision. Hussain Haqqani, Pakistan former Ambassador to United States, very well answers why Pakistan is such a failed state."One third of Pakistan's children will never go to school. One third of Pakistan lives below the poverty line…."All due to Pak Military. #FailedStatePakistan — Rashtriya Rifles (@DeltaRR2000) May 27, 2025 India not only took strong diplomatic steps after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam but also responded with military action called Operation Sindoor. Last month, the Indian armed forces launched precision strikes last month targeting nine terrorist camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). These strikes were aimed at camps linked to three major terror groups — Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Hizbul Mujahideen. First Published:
News18
16-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
‘Why Pakistan Needs Lashkar, Jaish When…': Ex-Pak Envoy Over Soaring Tensions With India
Last Updated: A senior fellow at Hudson Institute, Haqqani questioned the rationale for the continued existence of terror organisations in Pakistan. India-Pakistan Ties: Warning against the backdrop of the near-war situation following the Pahalgam terror attack, former Pakistani ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani urged Islamabad to shut down the terrorist groups being functioning in the country. A senior fellow at Hudson Institute, Haqqani questioned the rationale for the continued existence of terror organisations such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Sipah-e-Mohammed, and the Difa-e-Watan Council, an alliance reportedly known for its extremist views, despite Pakistan possessing a capable military. 'A terrorist attack in Pahalgam led India and Pakistan to the brink of total war. To avoid that in future, it is important to shut down Jihadi groups. With well equipped armed forces, why does the country need Lashkar, Sipah, Jaish, & their Difa-e-Watan Council?" he said in a post on X. A terrorist attack in Pahalgam led India and Pakistan to the brink of total war. To avoid that in future, it is important to shut down Jihadi groups. With well equipped armed forces, why does the country need Lashkar, Sipah, Jaish, & their Difa-e-Watan Council? — Husain Haqqani (@husainhaqqani) May 14, 2025 India launched 'precision strikes" under Operation Sindoor on nine terror targets in Pakistan and PoK following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. The strikes killed at least 10 family members of JeM chief Masood Azhar and four close aides. The sites targeted were the Pakistani bases at Rafiqui (Shorkot, Jhang), Murid (Chakwal), Nur Khan (Chaklala, Rawalpindi) Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Chunian (Kasur). In the strikes, the air bases in Skardu, Bholari, Jacobabad and Sargodha suffered extensive damage. Within a tightly coordinated 24-minute window, India targeted 21 terror camps linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) across nine locations, four in Pakistan and five in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). The targets were not just aimed at avenging the Pahalgam attack, but also targeting terror sites where other such attacks were planned. The operation, however, escalated bilateral tensions as it led to strikes and counter-strikes between the two nations. The Pakistani actions were strongly responded to by the Indian Defence Forces. On May 10, India and Pakistan reached an agreement to stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea, with effect from 5pm. Pakistan, however, violated the agreement within hours of it coming into effect. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, in his first address to the nation ever since the conflict erupted, said operations against Pakistan have only been kept in abeyance and discussions with Islamabad will solely focus on terrorism and Islamabad has to shut down the terrorists' infrastructure for further normalcy in diplomatic ties. India-Pakistan Soaring Tensions In one of the biggest attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, Lashkar-linked terrorists opened fire on a group of tourists in Pahalgam on Tuesday, April 22, killing at least 26 people, including foreign tourists, and injuring many others. The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar offshoot, claimed responsibility for the attack, although it later backtracked after massive global outrage. After the attack, the diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan were downgraded with New Delhi announcing several punitive measures, including suspension of Indus Water Treaty, cutting Islamabad Mission strength, closing its airspace for Pakistani airlines and expulsion of its military attaches. In response, Pakistan undertook tit-for-tat measures and suspended the Shimla Agreement. Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: May 16, 2025, 18:43 IST
Mint
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Why Trump calmed the India-Pakistan clash
A joke circulating on social media suggests how President Trump could arrest terrorism against Indian Kashmir by jihadist groups based in Pakistan—a country that at its worst actively arms and shelters these terrorists, and at its most benign turns a blind eye. Let Mr. Trump open a large resort in Kashmir, the joke goes. Give him rent-free land on a long lease for golf courses and ski lodges—and then watch how quickly the terrorism falls off. Humor aside, Mr. Trump has helped to calm the region and scored his first major diplomatic achievement. On April 22, terrorists said by India to have come from Pakistan shot dead 26 civilians in Pahalgam, a bucolic resort in Kashmir 125 miles from the de facto border between India and Pakistan. (The ability of the terrorists to penetrate so deep into India is proof of their murderous sophistication and of the weakness of India's military intelligence.) India retaliated by launching missile attacks on terrorist redoubts in Pakistan on May 7. An armed confrontation broke out between the two nuclear-armed countries—more intense than a skirmish yet too circumscribed to be called a war—before a U.S.-brokered cease-fire brought an end to the fighting on May 10. Mr. Trump has taken credit for the halting of hostilities, and he has done so in his usual bombastic manner: 'I said, 'Come on, we're going to do a lot of trade with you guys. Let's stop it. Let's stop it. If you stop it, we'll do a trade. If you don't stop it, we're not going to do any trade.' " What should we make of these events, and of Mr. Trump's role? I asked Husain Haqqani, by some measure the world's most objective Pakistani when it comes to India. Pakistan's ambassador to the U.S. from 2008-11, he is now a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, a Washington-based think-tank. Mr. Haqqani notes that Mr. Trump initially showed no interest in the conflict. 'Another American president would have gotten into it much earlier," he says, 'and would have been working through it from the very start, on a moment-by-moment basis." He cites the example of Bill Clinton in 1999, when India responded forcibly to Pakistani intrusions into mountainous Indian territory near the northern town of Kargil. 'The Clinton administration started working the phones as soon as the Kargil intrusions were discovered," Mr. Haqqani says. 'They talked to China, and they tried to get everybody to isolate Pakistan, because they thought Pakistan had been in the wrong." In the case of the recent clash, it was only when 'it became apparent that this could actually escalate further because a Pakistani air base had been hit"—the Nur Khan base in Rawalpindi, close to Pakistan's nuclear assets—'that the Americans said, 'This is dangerous territory. This goes beyond punishing the terrorists.' " Mr. Trump intervened 'only when things were right on the edge. But then, because they were on the edge, the effectiveness of the American pushback was also greater." In fact, he says, 'by staying out of the fray early, the Trump administration improved the chances of the success of its intervention when it did finally intervene." Mr. Haqqani acknowledges what all Indians believe—that Pakistan has a longstanding policy of using terrorists to bleed India, trusting that its nuclear weapons will shield Pakistan against major Indian retaliation. This view is held by every Western government as well as Japan. Few states outside the Muslim world and China—Pakistan's all-weather friend—deny that Pakistan exports terrorism as part of its state policy. And yet, Mr. Haqqani says, 'the world didn't come to India's support the way it wanted, or expected." Why? 'India jumped the gun," he says. 'Even if it was sure that Pakistani terrorists killed people in Pahalgam, you still have to persuade the world." He points to how the Bush administration laid out the case for why it believed al Qaeda was responsible for the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001—and only then went after them. 'There was also the question of proportionality in the Indian response. People want to change Pakistan. And they're right to want to do so. People don't want to destroy Pakistan." The world's alarm was compounded by a jingoistic Indian media, which brayed for blood and called on the country's navy to bomb the Pakistani port of Karachi. India, Mr. Haqqani says, was 'trying to be Israel, but without having the clout Israel has with the U.S." That said, he adds that 'Israel gets plenty criticized by the rest of the world." Although India hasn't been criticized for its use of force, world leaders called for de-escalation almost immediately after India's first strikes. 'India made the mistake of thinking that Pakistan can be treated like Gaza. Pakistan is not Gaza." In my view, distinct from Mr. Haqqani's, where India can emulate Israel is in having a smarter response to terrorism, taking out terrorists on Pakistani soil by stealth and assassination. It has done so in the past, though not nearly as frequently—or efficiently—as the Israelis have in their region. Simply put, India's counterterrorism competence doesn't match Israel's. In the longer term, the U.S. has an obvious stake in securing peace between India and Pakistan. Mr. Trump needs India as part of his strategy to contain China. The more secure you make India against Pakistan, the freer India will be to help take on China. If India is to be useful to the U.S. as a counterforce to Beijing, it has to be relieved of its Pakistan headache. For that to happen, however, India has to act with greater wisdom against its obnoxious neighbor—and with much less bluster. India needs to use its head, not thump its chest. Mr. Varadarajan, a Journal contributor, is a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and at the Classical Liberal Institute at New York University Law School.
