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India Gazette
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
JSMM Chairman Shafi Burfat slams Pak army for using Bilawal Bhutto as anti-India propaganda tool
Munich [Germany], June 3 (ANI): Shafi Burfat, the leader of Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM), accused that the Pakistani military is manipulating Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as a pawn to disseminate anti-India rhetoric and distract the global community from state-sponsored terrorism and human rights abuses against marginalised groups such as Sindhis, Baloch, and Pashtuns within Pakistan. 'Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is being strategically utilised by the Pakistani military to redirect international focus. This shift seeks to overshadow the increasing awareness of the severe oppression faced by Pakistan's historical nations, including Sindhis, Baloch, Pashtuns, Seraikis, and the population of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB), who endure an imposed state framework upheld by the Punjabi-dominated military establishment. These communities continue to face military occupation, systemic human rights breaches, ethnic cleansing, political oppression, and economic exploitation,' Shafi Burfat remarked. Shafi Burfat pointed out that the Pakistani military and its intelligence service, ISI, have consistently kidnapped political activists through extrajudicial actions, later abandoning their disfigured bodies in isolated locations--a regime of state terror aimed at silencing dissenting voices and stifling aspirations for freedom. 'The internal struggles of these nations for justice and liberty are being violently repressed through state fascism, as Pakistan attempts to conceal this truth from the international community,' Shafi Burfat asserted. Sending Bilawal Bhutto to the United Nations serves merely as a diplomatic facade for the military's colonial strategies, aiming to manipulate the global narrative while suppressing genuine democratic and nationalist movements internally, Burfat emphasised in his statement. 'Bilawal Bhutto is a politically inexperienced individual who is currently being exploited by the Pakistani military in its propaganda effort against India. Although he hails from Sindh, a nation with a history of oppression, the Punjabi-oriented Pakistani state and its military have long perpetrated fascist atrocities and brutally repressed all historical nations within its confines,' Burfat contended. In Balochistan, the Pakistani army--especially the ISI--is involved in the systematic abduction, torture, and enforced disappearance of political activists. Inhumane torture facilities are employed against those seeking justice, and the disfigured bodies of Sindhi, Baloch, and Pashtun activists frequently emerge in deserted areas, standing as grim evidence of state terrorism, Burfat remarked. 'Pakistan has devolved into a living nightmare for the nations confined within its borders. These communities are denied the right to exist with dignity, stripped of political liberties, and silenced through violence and intimidation. Their voices are stifled, and their aspirations for self-determination are crushed. Meanwhile, their mineral and natural resources are exploited by Punjabi imperialism, leaving these communities in a state of poverty, malnutrition, and social despair,' Burfat stated. The military establishment, largely dominated by Punjabis, has seized millions of acres of land that belong to the Sindhis. They forcibly displace entire communities and villages from their ancestral homes. Recently, in Moro City, Sindh, a coordinated operation to grab land in the village of Bajrani Laghari resulted in the brutal murder of two residents, Zahid Laghari and Irfan Laghari, by operatives from the ISI disguised as civilians. This was a deliberate tactic to instil fear, suppress opposition, and facilitate a military takeover of Sindhi territory, according to Shafi Burfat. In his remarks, Shafi Burfat stated that the military establishment in Sindh is continuing to unlawfully control river waters and extensive agricultural lands. The Sindhi population is persistently protesting against this occupation and the resulting exploitation. The historic nations confined within the borders of Pakistan are actively fighting for liberation from political oppression, economic subjugation, and forced domination. 'As representatives of the Sindhi nation, we vehemently denounce and express our shock at Bilawal Bhutto's involvement in supporting the deceptive propaganda of Pakistan's oppressive Punjabi ruling class and its corrupt military. His recent attempts to mislead the international community with narratives against India are nothing more than a perilous act of self-delusion and an effort to mislead the world,' stated Shafi Burfat. We are profoundly disturbed by Bilawal Bhutto's immature and irresponsible actions, as he, despite his lack of experience, is being exploited by the Pakistani state and its military to disseminate false narratives about India on global platforms. This is particularly concerning in light of the recent terrorist attacks orchestrated by Pakistan's military within Indian territory. In retaliation, India initiated Operation Sindoor, a targeted and morally justified mission aimed solely at dismantling terrorist sanctuaries within Pakistan, Burfat remarked. 'We reject the Pakistani establishment's exploitation of Bilawal Bhutto to falsely portray solidarity among oppressed nations within Pakistan, especially the Sindhis, in its antagonistic stance towards India. The Sindhi nation distinguishes itself from such deception and continues its non-violent fight for freedom and justice. The global community must recognise the reality that the nations trapped and colonised within Pakistan are struggling for liberation from its occupation, fascism, and brutality,' claimed Burfat. (ANI)
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Achakzai announces drive for democratic revival
In a historic public Jirga held in Kabal, Swat, Chairman of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and Member of the National Assembly, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, announced a nationwide movement to be launched after Eid-ul-Azha, aimed at restoring constitutional order and democratic integrity under the Tehreek Tahafuz-e-Ayeen Pakistan. He delivered a forceful and impassioned speech addressing Pakistan's political turmoil, constitutional challenges, and the plight of the Pashtun people. Speaking before a large crowd under the banner of TTAP Achakzai, who also is its president, emphasized that Pakistan's survival depends on the supremacy of its Constitution. "There can be no compromise on constitutional rule," he declared. He underscored the Pashtun people's right to control their resources, drawing a comparison with global nationalist sentiments. "If Trump can say 'America First,' we too can say 'Pashtun First,'" he stated, clarifying that the demand is rooted in both international law and Islamic principles. Achakzai rejected any form of subjugation, asserting, "We are not asking for separation, but we will not accept slavery." He decried the portrayal of Pashtuns as extremists, pointing to the community's suffering from both global conflicts and flawed state policies. He likened their struggle to that of Palestinians and Kurds, criticizing historical and ongoing divisions imposed by colonial and state authorities. The veteran politician condemned the state's economic policies, particularly the handing over of local resources to foreign investors under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), and slammed the February 2024 elections as "blatantly rigged," alleging large-scale vote manipulation.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
US intel report reveals Chinese support for Pakistan's nuclear ambitions
The United States Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) has claimed in its worldwide threat assessment report for 2025that Pakistan is actively developing battlefield nuclear weapons and modernizing its nuclear arsenal, viewing India as its primary adversary. This revelation is significant considering Pakistan faced a humiliating military defeat in the recent conflict with India. Facing a punitive military response from India, Pakistan requested the US to intervene and called for a ceasefire. Since India called Pakistan's nuclear bluff in this conflict, analysts are worried that Islamabad will desperately push to develop short-range tactical nuclear weapons to deter India's conventional response. It is a perilous development, which may lower Pakistan's conventional threshold with India, and it may lead to the escalation to tactical nuclear options in the next military conflict. India's nuclear policy doctrine is well explained, stating that the use of any nuclear weapon by Pakistan will lead to massive retaliation. What is clear from DIA's assessment is that the humiliated Pakistan military would jeopardize the lives of millions of people by opting for the nuclear option against India. However, it would not act against the anti-India terrorist outfits freely operating on Pakistani soil, such as Lashkar-i-Tayyaba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), among others, to avoid future conflict. The DIA report mentions the Pahalgam terrorist attack, which killed 26 unarmed tourists, and subsequently led to India's military 'Operation Sindoor' on May 7, targeting 'terrorist infrastructure' in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). Washington understands that the Pakistan military establishment continues to use its proxy outfits to conduct cross-border terrorist attacks in India and jeopardize the peace and stability in the region. It is ironic that on the one hand, Pakistan's intelligence agencies are openly supporting terror activities in neighboring countries like India, Afghanistan, and Iran, while on the other hand, it is failing to handle local armed insurgencies in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The DIA report claims that Pakistan's military focuses on 'cross-border skirmishes' with regional neighbors (notably India), counterterrorism operations, and addressing rising attacks by groups like Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch nationalist militants. Despite these efforts, over 2,500 people were killed in militant attacks in Pakistan in 2024. Furthermore, the Pakistan army is conducting regular drone strikes on its citizens in the tribal areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. These strikes have resulted in several civilian casualties, mostly women and children. The violent marginalization and killings of ethnic minorities like Pashtuns and Baloch have only led to more internal instability in Pakistan. Under Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir's 'hard state' policy, incidents of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and illegal imprisonment of local activists, journalists, and non-Punjabi political representatives have increased substantially. There is not a single day when these oppressed ethnic minorities do not see violence and state forced suppression of their basic human right of peaceful existence. The DIA brings out this hypocrisy or 'double game' of the Pakistani military establishment in their recent assessment. More importantly, it also highlights China's substantialeconomic and military support to Pakistan, including foreign materials and technology for Pakistan's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs. While the report claims that regular terrorist attacks on Chinese citizens, especially those working on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), have strained relations between the two countries, Beijing's continued strategic and operational support for Islamabad remains intact. For example, the recent Indo-Pak conflict highlighted Pakistan's use of Chinese-origin combat jets (JF-17, J-10C) and PL-15 missiles. Although those weapons proved mostly inconsequential and caused significant international embarrassment for China, there are no indications that Sino-Pakistani military relations will be affected long-term. Reports indicate that Pakistan is begging for emergency procurement of Chinese weapons, including the fifth-generation J-35A stealth fighter jet and air defense systems, to avoid future military defeat against India. This, even though Pakistan's economy is in doldrums, and it nearly lost USD 11 billion in the recent conflict with India. The DIA report says that the economic fragility in Pakistan persists, with a USD 350 billion economy under strain, though a USD 7 billion IMF loan program in 2024 offers some relief. As Pakistan desperately tries to import the so-called 'state-of-the-art' defense equipment from multiple countries, how it will afford them remains a big question. It has already missed the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) projections for the year 2025 by one per cent; there are no positive indications for the country's future economic growth. Additionally, Pakistan is witnessing several internal protests against the price rise of essential food and energy items, water scarcity, inter-provincial tensions, and suppression of political rights. The country is now under complete military control after Munir's unprecedented promotion to the Field Marshal rank following embarrassing setbacks during Operation Bunyanum Marsoos. A significant portion of this year's budget will likely be allocated to defense purchases, thereby jeopardizing civilian needs and the financial rights of the provinces. Moreover, as the DIA report claims, Pakistan is actively developing battlefield nuclear weapons, which will require the urgent procurement of fissile materials, costing immensely to the country's dwindling economy. U.S. intelligence documents, including DIA assessments, have long expressed unease about Pakistan's nuclear program. A 2013 report highlighted uncertainties in tracking nuclear materials, with the DIA establishing a Pakistan WMD Analysis Cell to monitor movements. The focus was on gaps in understanding Pakistan's nuclear security and procurement of WMD-applicable goods, often from China. This aligns with the 2025 report's emphasis on Pakistan's nuclear modernization and reliance on foreign suppliers. It will further increase Islamabad's dependence on Beijing, making it more vulnerable to Chinese strategic demands in the Indo-Pacific region, thereby hurting American interests. The report shows continuity in DIA's concerns about Pakistan's dangerous nuclear ambitions, its unabated 'good' versus 'bad' terrorist strategy, and strategic alignment with China, all while viewing India as an 'existential' threat. All these issues will formulate Pakistan's military policy, which may lead to more instability and armed conflicts in the Indian subcontinent.
India Gazette
7 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Free Baloch Movement marks Nuclear Test anniversary in London, demands removal of weapons from Balochistan
London [UK] May 29 (ANI): The Free Baloch Movement (FBM) commemorated the anniversary of Pakistan's nuclear tests conducted in 1998 in Balochistan by organising a protest and awareness campaign in London, advocating for international intervention against the ongoing militarisation and nuclear presence in the area. The gathering was led by FBM Vice President Shahzavar Baloch, who delivered an impassioned speech denouncing the Pakistani government's choice to use Balochistan as a site for nuclear weapon testing. The protest took place outside major international institutions to highlight the enduring suffering experienced by the Baloch people as a result of nuclear fallout. Shahzavar Baloch characterised May 28 as a 'terrible day' in the history of Baloch people, reflecting on how the Pakistani establishment, particularly its leadership from Punjab, exploited Balochistan for nuclear tests without seeking consent from the local population. 'From the very beginning, the Baloch opposed these nuclear bomb tests. It constitutes a violation of our homeland,' he remarked, noting the region's increase in unexplained health issues, despite the absence of any independent investigation. He emphasised that nuclear weapons were not meant for external defence, but rather as a method of internal oppression. 'The Pakistani government utilised Balochistan for their military objectives, not to secure the nation, but to intimidate ethnic groups such as the Baloch and Pashtuns pursuing independence.' In his address to the international community, Shahzavar called upon global human rights organisations and anti-nuclear activists to urge Pakistan to permit an independent investigation into the health and environmental consequences of the tests. He also demanded the complete withdrawal of nuclear assets from Balochistan. 'The recent hostilities between India and Pakistan illustrate that these weapons were not designed for external conflicts. They exist to intimidate subjugated nations within Pakistan. The nuclear program is merely a misallocation of resources and a destructive force for Balochistan,' he stated. The FBM appealed to the international community, asserting that the sole path to peace and justice in the region lies in transparency, accountability, and the denuclearisation of Balochistan. At the same time, FBM activists in the Netherlands demonstrated outside the International Court of Justice, calling on the global legal institution to acknowledge the longstanding issue. Demonstrators held signs demanding justice and accountability. (ANI)
News18
24-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Pashtun Activists Slam Pakistan Army For Killing Mother, Her Kids In Waziristan Drone Strike
Last Updated: Activists from Pashtun groups said areas where Pashtuns live are being used as a weapons testing laboratory by Pakistan Army. Fazal ur Rehman Afridi, an activist from the Pashtun rights group, Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), said Pakistan Army conducted 32 drone strikes in North and South Waziristan and Tank districts over the past few years and sharply criticised them for the recent murder of four children and their mother. The children and the mother were killed in the drone strike conducted by the Pakistan Army in Hurmuz, North Waziristan. Afridi told news agency ANI that Pashtun inhabited areas are 'weapons testing laboratories" for the Pakistan Army. 'This is not the first instance where the Pakistani army has assaulted innocent Pashtun civilians, particularly women and children," Afridi said. He stated that the latest victims were children aged from five to eight. The activist has accused the Pakistan Army of targeting civilians under the pretext of counter-terror operations, calling the recent strike in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa part of a wider campaign to displace local populations and seize resource-rich land. advetisement In a stark shift, Pakistan has turned its drone arsenal inward, launching strikes in the Waziristan region—an area that once supported the state during major counterterrorism operations like Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad, intelligence sources told News18. Over the past few months, North and South Waziristan have seen a sharp escalation in drone attacks carried out by Pakistan's own military, raising alarm over civilian casualties and the absence of oversight. Rejecting the military's claim that the strike targeted militants, the activist alleged that over 55,000 Taliban leaders and their families had been relocated into Pashtun areas through a formal arrangement with the Pakistani state. 'Now they call them terrorists and use that to justify drone attacks. This is a proxy war. The Taliban are just pawns of the Pakistan Army," he said. Sources point out that the strikes are happening without any parliamentary debate or judicial review, highlighting how Pakistan's powerful military continues to operate with near-total autonomy. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif's recent dismissive remarks have further raised concerns. They added that communities once considered partners in counterterrorism are now being labelled as extremists or foreign agents. Afridi also linked the attacks to India's recent anti-terror operation. 'Immediately after India's Operation Sindoor, the Pakistan Army resumed bombing Pashtun civilians. Innocent children and the elderly were killed," the activist said. Expressing full support for India's operation targeting terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, he said many Pashtuns welcomed the move. 'We were relieved our regions were not affected. The terror hubs are in Punjab. We only wish India had continued longer to dismantle the rogue Pakistani military," he said. At least four children from the same family were killed and five others injured in the suspected drone strike in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 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! tags : Pakistan army Pashtun Tahafuz Movement First Published:
