At least 21 alleged terrorists were killed in airstrikes by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and in ground operations in the Shawal Valley of North Waziristan Agency (NWA) in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The strikes began in the night of March 7, 2016, and continued till March 8, 2016.
Reeling under Foreign-backed Terror
At least 15 people were killed and another 31 were wounded when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive vest in a pedestrian area between the Ministries of Finance and Defense in the Pul-e-Mahmood Khan area of national capital Kabul on February 27, 2016. Most of the victims were civilians (though the numbers are yet unspecified), in an attack that apparently targeted Government employees.
On February 19, 2016, at least three Policemen were killed in an attack near Miran Wala Bangla Bypass in Faisalabad District. Terrorists opened fire when they were stopped by the Policemen.
A top Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) leader, identified as Ram Chandra Mahto aka Pramod aka Chirag Da, was killed in an exchange of fire during a joint operation conducted by Bihar Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at Charkapaththar area in the Jamui District on January 29, 2016. Mahto's body was recovered along with one looted Police rifle, one .303 regular weapon, one 8mm pistol and one country made pistol. Mahto was a 'member' of the Purvi Bihar Purvottar Jharkhand Special Area Committee (PBPJSAC, Eastern Bihar North Eastern Jharkhand Special Area Committee) and wanted in 20 cases in Bihar and over three dozen cases in Jharkhand. He carried a head money of INR 2.5 million in Jharkhand and INR 500,000 in Bihar. Confirming the incident Inspector General of Police (IG), Operations, S.M. Khopde said the killing of Chirag was a big feat.
Jharkhand: Tragic Errors, Sustained Consolidation
At least seven Jharkhand State Policemen were killed and another six sustained injuries when Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres attacked a Security Forces (SFs) convoy near Kasiyar village under the Chhatarpur Police Station area of Palamu District on January 27, 2016. After conducting a combing operation in the Kalapahar area of the District, the SFs were returning to their Hussainabad base camp, when one of the vehicles (TATA-407 mini truck) carrying 13 Policemen hit a landmine while crossing a Kutcha Road (dirt track) and was about to reach the Hussainabad-Chhatarpur Main Road. Subsequently, the Maoists hiding nearby opened fire and attempted to loot Police weapons. Six Policemen aboard a Maruti Suzuki Gypsy that had safely passed the incident site a few minutes earlier heard the explosion and gun shots and returned to the incident site and fought the Maoists along with the injured Policemen. They were soon joined by a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) contingent which was also the part of the combing team. Though SF weapons were not looted, the Maoists managed to escape.
The Constitution is for self- introspection
The Constitution of India is a unique ‘Magna Carta’ of Human Rights of modern era. It has been adopted and enacted by the ‘People of India’ in the constituent Assembly on the 26th day of November 1949. It has come into force on 26 January 1950. India has been declared a ‘Republic’. The varied fragments of Indian Society --- social, economic and cultural --- have been reflected and judiciously harmonized in the constitution of India.
Arunachal Pradesh: Towards Sustainable Peace
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management On December 15, 2015, Assam Rifles (AR) personnel killed a militant of the Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K), identified as 'Lieutenant' Wangmi Wangdung aka Nyamjan Hasik, during an operation at Langka village under the Nampong Police Station in the Changlang District of Arunachal Pradesh. One AK 56 rifle, three magazines, 105 live rounds of ammunition, hand grenades, an 'extortion pad', ration book and some cash were recovered from the possession of the slain militant. According to reports, AR personnel launched the operation following information that a group of 10 to 12 NSCN-K militants were taking shelter in a hideout located in the village. While Wangdung was killed, the others managed to escape under the cover of darkness.
Funding Terror through Extortion
Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management At least five women were injured in a medium-intensity blast in the Mohalla Bajauri Khord area of Sarki Gate in Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), on December 6, 2015. An unnamed Police official disclosed that a device weighing three kilogrammes was planted near the house of one Amjad Khan, a local contractor. "The windows of nearby houses have been damaged and five neighbourhood women were injured inside their houses when they were hit by broken glass," the official added. The official disclosed that the contractor was constantly receiving threats and extortion demands.
Punjab: Creeping Shadow of Daesh
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management On November 30, 2015, after a heavy exchange of fire, the Security Forces (SFs) killed at least four al Qaeda terrorists at Wador, within the limits of Gadani Police Station in Dera Ghazi Khan District. However, an al Qaeda 'commander' Shoaib Cheema and his accomplice Hanif Muhammad managed to escape from the encounter site. According to Police sources, the terrorists had entered Punjab via Balochistan and had planned to launch major terrorist activities in the Punjab Province.
How far is India from UN Security Council?
In the recent months, Prime Minister Modi has strongly articulated the need for India’s inclusion in the elite United Nation Security Council. It is inconceivable that world’s largest democracy, representing one-sixth of the humanity, is absent, in the Security Council, he reiterated. A sizeable number of UN member countries too have voiced the express need for UNSC restructuring, as it no longer reflects the transformations in global power, since 1945. The incumbent Government may be going hammer and tong about the likely inclusion of India in the UN high table, but the pipe dream of the Modi Government is set for turbulent times ahead.
Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management On November 22, 2015, condemned war crimes convicts Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed (67) and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Standing Committee member Salauddin Quader Chowdhury (66) were hanged simultaneously at Dhaka Central Jail at 12:55 am. Earlier, on November 21, 2015, President Abdul Hamid had rejected their applications seeking Presidential clemency, which they had filed after losing all legal battles against their death sentences on charge of crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War of 1971.
Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management On November 5, 2015, amidst a spate of killings by Islamist extremists, intended to silence moderate and secular voices in Bangladesh, Bangladesh President, Abdul Hamid declared that the country has no place for bigotry and militancy, and that the people had always been non-communal and respectful of other religions. Religious intolerance in Bangladesh has, however, seen a sharp spike, manifested in the killing of secular bloggers and the murder of Faisal Arefin Dipan, publisher of Jagriti Prokashani in the current year 2015. Dipan was murdered on October 31, 2015, in Dhaka city.
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management On October 13, 2015, at least four persons, including two terrorists, were killed in separate incidents of violence in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh. In one incident, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation's (KMC) Additional Director, Arshad Hussain, was shot dead near Askari Park in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town. Two terrorists, identified as Zohaib and Mahmood, were killed in two separate Police encounters in the Kalari and Chakiwara areas of Lyari Town. Zohaib, affiliated with the Wasi Lakho Gang, was reportedly involved in killing of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA), Waja Kareem Dad, on August 17, 2011 in the Kharadar area of Saddar Town. Mahmood was associated with the Baba Ladla Gang. In another incident, Police recovered an unidentified dead body from Gulshan-e-Ghazi area of Baldia Town.
Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management On September 24, 2015, a fake lottery scam, with suspected hawala (illegal money transactions) linkages, was unearthed in West Bengal. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), based on inputs from the Intelligence Bureau (IB), exposed the racket and seized INR 200 million in raids. As many as nine locations in Kolkata and one in Siliguri of Darjeeling District were raided. According to reports available, of these, as many as 20 sacks of notes were seized from two locations in Kolkata and one in Siliguri. An unnamed senior intelligence official disclosed, "It is a lottery-hawala-money laundering racket. Money seized was being transferred by hawalaon Thursday [September 24] to Dubai. We are looking at further nodes there".
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management On September 11, 2015, two volunteers of a 'peace committee' [Government-backed 'people's' counter-insurgency forces] , identified as Nawab Khan and Fazal Khan, were killed in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack while they were travelling from Pandyali tehsil (revenue unit) of Mohmand Agency to Dwezai area of the same Agency in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).