[ssiikmuz]

Pakistan receives 2 P3C aircraft surveillance aircrafts from US

The Pakistan Navy has received two state-of-the-art surveillance aircraft made by the United States. Militants had destroyed two similar planes nine months earlier. According to a statement issued by Pakistan Navy, it is to receive six such aircraft in batches of two. The first batch was received in 2010, but the planes were destroyed during a 17-hour siege of a key naval base in Karachi last May blamed on the Taliban. The attack killed 10 personnel and deeply embarrassed the military, just three weeks after Osama bin Laden was killed in Abbottabad.

Part of the US foreign military funding (FMF) program, these P3C aircraft are modified with the latest avionics/sensors. The planes are provided to patrol the Arabian Sea, which is a crucial trade route, but heavily laden with Somali pirates. Speaking at the induction ceremony, Vice Admiral M Zakaullah welcomed the addition, saying the aircraft would help "maintain the requisite vigil in our vital area of interest in the North Arabian Sea." He added that the area, an important trade and energy corridor for the global economy, is home to intense maritime activity, legal and illegal, and thus warrants continuous guard. He noted that the planes will help increase the force’s combat capacity.

[erroxiainsona]

BEIJING, April 14 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese armed forces have sent technical devices to the Pakistani army after a request for help in searching for bodies trapped by an avalanche.


A statement released by the Chinese Defense Ministry on Saturday said the Chinese People's Liberation Army also sent specialists to Islamabad to offer technical guidance

[diutuartina]

Update Avalanche Clearance at Gayari Sector Siachen (Pakistani Army Release and Photos)

Search and rescue Operation at Gayari continues even in extremely cold conditions. A fresh slide, which had triggered at the site of old avalanche, have created difficulties for troops devoted to conducting search and rescue operation at Gayari. The situation has been compounded by the mass of snow in which troops are working under low temperature, intermittent snowfall and piercing blizzards. However, concern of their brothers at arms under avalanche is driving troops of Siachen Sector to endure hardships of the weather and terrain to accomplish their task befittingly.

The excavation work, therefore, continue at its fullest exploiting all available manual and mechanical resources. The endeavour is to dig as quickly as possible. In this regard, the search teams have commenced excavation at a new site as well with the help of plant equipment and infantry troops. The rescue teams have conducted first level explosion to dig further into hard mass of snow against the tunnel being attempted to access a suspected structure at an important excavation site. The digging team is doing a remarkable job in undertaking the tunnelling effort against all odds like heavy pileup of snow, extreme cold and cramped up work space. The excavation work at the remaining sites continues as usual. The all out support rendered by the nation by making maximum resources available have boosted the morale of the troops and given them vigour to undertake the mammoth task.

Rawalpindi - April 12, 2012:

A spokesman of ISPR said that technical teams of Germany, Switzerland and USA after having had initial consultations with Pakistani experts at Islamabad are in the process of deployment by road and by air at Gayari to assist and analyze the search and rescue effort. Teams of China and Norway with advance capability are expected to reach in Islamabad in next 24-48 hours, the spokesman concluded.

[AlexanderDrew]

General Khalid Shameem Wynne, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), while inaugurating the newly established, state of the art Training Academy of Strategic Plans Division (SPD), has said that the highest standards of safety and security in the nuclear field have always been and shall remain the hallmark of Pakistan's strategic programme.

CJCSC expressed his satisfaction on the commissioning of the SPD Training Academy and termed it a very significant milestone in Pakistan's continued efforts towards strengthening nuclear safety and security. He noted that the training facility has only recently been offered for training to the international community under IAEA auspices, by the Prime Minister of Pakistan at the Nuclear Security Summit at Seoul. CJCSC visited various facilities at the Academy and lauded the high standards in the technical, training and administrative spheres.

Earlier on arrival at the Training Academy, CJCSC was received by Lieutenant General (R) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai, DG SPD and Director General (Security) SPD Major General Muhammed Tahir. (Image : Pakistan Army)


General Khalid Shameem Wynne, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, witnessing training activity after inaugurating the Training Academy of Strategic Plans Division, today. (13-04-2012)

[nizcreare]

Image: Pakistan Army

[yurawerj]

A group of former Pakistani military generals have opposed restoration of NATO supply line and said the route should not be reopened unless US stops drone strikes in Pakistan and officially apologises for the unprovoked attack of November 26, 2011, on Pakistani check-posts, which claimed 24 lives.


The Pakistan Ex-servicemen Society (PESS) has said the stubborn American attitude will in no way help normalise tense Pakistan-America relations, the meeting observed.


It said that Pakistan should boost efforts to forge cordial relations with India as tensions are not in the interest of either side.


Neighbouring countries who have declared each other as most favoured nations cannot remain enemies, it said.


These observations were made in a meeting of PESS chaired by its President Lt. Gen. (Retd) Faiz Ali Chishti.


The participants said that Pakistan and India should withdraw all the combat troops to peacetime locations in Siachen conflict zone as cordial relations between two countries should not remain confined to politics and trade.


They said that the standoff is claiming precious lives and its impact on environment as well as economies of Pakistan and India cannot be ignored.

[stuck_in_WA]

Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila was the Chief Guest on Passing Out Parade ceremony of 125th PMA Long Course and Integrated Course-44 at PMA Kakul, on 21 April, 2012.


“It is indeed a matter of immense pleasure and great privilege for me to review your passing out parade. I congratulate you on this marvelous accomplishment and convey my heartiest felicitations to your parents, families and the faculty, who contributed to your great achievement through their sincere commitment and guidance. I extend my appreciation to those who have won distinction and have been awarded for their commendable performance. I specially congratulate the cadets from Palestine and Sudan on successfully completing their training at this premier institution”, he said, while addressing the gathering, where a large number of civil and military officials were present.

“Pakistan Military Academy, which is rightfully considered a cherished institution, brings remarkable changes in its cadets transforming them into responsible leaders. It imbibes esteemed values among its cadets. The standards set here must serve you as the yardstick in your future professional pursuits”.
He added that “Your immaculate turnout and grandiose parade marked by precise drill movements speak volumes of the high standards of your training. Your proud bearing is reflective of the uncompromising standards pursued at this great institution. I would like to commend the efforts of your faculty, instructors and all those who have made this day memorable for you. I hope and pray that this quest for excellence will become a permanent feature of your personality throughout your life.


Becoming a member of corps of officers in Pakistan Army is no doubt a matter of great pride. But at the same time, this is just the beginning of a long, eventful and challenging voyage filled with every kind of ordeals. By now you have been equipped with the basic training in professional field and a solid foundation is laid, upon which you can build your career and face the challenges of a demanding profession. Be a symbol of valour and steadfastness for your men and lead them by setting your personal example. That is why you must demonstrate strength of character, comradeship, courage and competence in concrete way”.


Furthermore he said that “Today the nature and dimensions of threat to our national security has broadened manifolds. We are not just faced with a standing foreign adversary but re also confronted with an amorphous and violent enemy, which is bent upon foisting its own ideology of hate and bigotry upon us. We are thus faced with unprecedented challenges to our national security on both domestic and foreign fronts for which the Armed Forces are expected to maintain unflinching vigil at all times and at all costs. On the other hand, the art and gadgetry of warfare are prone to swift changes and progress in technology. The concepts and doctrines of warfare do also change radically in accordance with the progress in hardware. It is thus imperative that you always keep yourselves updated on all developments occurring in the world; this will enhance your professional competence and confidence. You have to strive consistently to remain alert to these changes and absorb them in your training programmes for the assimilation of your under command. The perpetual pursuance in this regard is bound to give you confidence and self-assurance which are considered hallmarks of any effective leader. So you are required to follow warily the latest developments in technologies and trends in the military field and be able to assess their implications in both national and international perspectives. This is a tough proposition for which I would exhort upon you to strictly focus yourself on professional affairs and do not squander your energies and time on nonprofessional matters. Resist any temptation that may distract you from your main course and prepare yourself as a battle ready warrior”.
He further added that “The nation pins very high expectations on you. I do hope that you will add new dimensions to the traditional concepts of command and leadership. You have become a member of an organization whose discipline and quality of work are worth emulating. I advise you to uphold those glorious traditions through the strength of your personal character, integrity and honour. I am sure you will always place service before self and at no cost let your personnel interest interfere with public duty.


At the end of the ceremony The Sword of Honour for the overall best cadet was awarded to Battalion Senior Under Officer Hassaan Ahmed Malik, The president Gold Medal for the overall second best cadet was awarded to Academy Senior Under Officer Mohsin Mustafa, The Chief of Army Staff’s Overseas Gold Medal for best Allied Cadet was awarded to Academy Under Officer Ahmed Mohammad Nimir Babo Nimir and The Commandant’s Cane for the best integrated Course cadet was awarded to Course Under Officer Abdul Rahim.

[konanoileaski]

Rawalpindi - April 24, 2012:
Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani visited Muzaffargarh Ranges today, to witness ongoing training exercises.
The activities of the day comprised maneuvers of an armoured brigade group in conventional corps operations. PAF and Army Aviation elements provided close support to the maneuvering land forces. The modern battlefield was simulated by employment of UAVs for real time battle reconnaissance, along with state of the art data communication means. COAS appreciated the standard of training as well as various modifications indigenously carried out in field equipment, to make it more suitable to Pakistan Army’s needs.

Earlier, COAS was received at Multan by Corps Commander Multan Corps, Lieutenant General Shafqaat Ahmed.

[bp9QxekG]

Rawalpindi - April 25, 2012:


Pakistan today successfully conducted the launch of the intermediate Range Ballistic Missile Hatf IV Shaheen-1A Weapon System. The missile is an improved version of Shaheen-1 with improvements in range and technical parameters. It is capable of carrying nuclear and conventional warheads.


Today’s launch, whose impact point was at sea, was witnessed by Director General Strategic Plans Division Lieutenant General Khalid Ahmed Kidwai (R), Chairman NESCOM Mr Muhammad Irfan Burney, Commander Army Strategic Force Command Lieutenant General Tariq Nadeem Gilani and other senior military officers, scientists and engineers.


DG SPD Lieutenant General Khalid Ahmed Kidwai (R) congratulated all scientists and engineers on the successful launch, and the accuracy of the missile in reaching the target. He said that the improved version of Shaheen 1A will further consolidate and strengthen Pakistan’s deterrence abilities.

[Svatudjw]

Indian nuclear submarine programme | The Nation

Our vision has been obscured by an un-Indian wave of pacifism. Ahimsa is no doubt a great religious creed, but that is a creed which India rejected when she refused to follow Gautama Buddha. The Hindu theory at all times, especially in the periods of her historic greatness, was one of active assertion of the right, if necessary through the force of arms.” So wrote Mr K.M. Panikkar in India and the Indian Ocean just a few years before the British withdrew from South Asia. It would appear that the strategic planners of India in the post-British era took their ideological cue from Mr Panikkar’s maritime vision, which he succinctly encapsulated by stating that “To the Indian Ocean we shall have to turn, as our ancestors did, who conquered Socotra long before the Christian Era and established an Empire in the Pacific, which lasted for 1500 years.”

The hegemonic elements of this strategic vision are obvious by the nostalgic reference to an era when they exercised control over an area extending from the Red Sea in the West to Fiji in the Pacific Ocean. Given the rather modest fleet that the Indians inherited from the British in 1947 and the fact that the “historic greatness” Panikkar referred to was so far distant in time, it was indeed an act of vision and courage that the Indian planners decided to convert the strategic concept into policy. The first manifestation of the policy was acquisition of the aircraft carrier Vikrant in the fifties and the decision by Mrs Indira Gandhi in 1970 to construct a nuclear-powered submarine under the garb of an “Advanced Technology Vehicle” (ATV) and made it a permanent national endeavour.
Whilst Indian nuclear physicists and nuclear engineers were being trained in different countries of the world, civilian and naval shipyards were being developed and updated; the Indian navy was busy learning submarining at sea in the rather rudimentary Foxtrot class Soviet diesel submarines in the sixties. In 1988, the Soviet Union leased a nuclear-powered submarine to India. After more than three and a half years and several accidents Chakra was returned to Russia in 1991. Scientists, engineers, naval architects, submarine crews and all other relevant Indians extracted maximum value from the presence of this invaluable Soviet asset in their country.

The Indian firm, Larsen and Toubro, laid the hull of the first ATV in 1998. Named INS Arihant its 90MW nuclear reactor went critical in 2011. It is expected to be operational by the end of this year. Three more submarines of the same class are at various stages of construction. The second nuclear submarine, Aridhaman, is scheduled to be inducted in the Indian navy in 2015. These nuclear submarines will be armed with Sagarika Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) that has a range of 750 kilometres. This will be replaced by the underdevelopment 3,500 kilometre range K-4 SLBM.

Nuclear submarines generally are of two basic types. One type is called a Nuclear Attack Submarine (SSN). They are ideal offensive weapons that can threaten any platform at sea. They can also be used as escorts of high value ships and submarines. The other type of nuclear submarine is armed with ballistic missiles (SSBN). The SSBN is a purely offensive weapon that has exclusive strategic role of attacking land-based targets.

Under sea operations and mobility endow, the SSBN has a survival ability that is greater than ballistic missiles based on land or carried on airborne platforms. Hence, the SSBN is viewed as an essential component of a country’s nuclear arsenal. Completion of the Triad (land, air and sea based nuclear weapons) gives a nuclear capable state the ability to respond with nuclear weapons, even if it is surprised by a first nuclear strike by an adversary. INS Arihant has given India this second strike capability.

Though the Indian programme is centred on the indigenous construction of SSBNs, the SSN has not been ignored. Russia has leased two SSNs to India for 10 years. Chakra II was transferred to India in December 2011. This development has given the Indian navy a distinct advantage over all regional navies, including Pakistan, at the tactical naval warfare level. It has also provided it an underwater escort for its strategic nuclear strike force, the SSBNs.

Being a neighbour and a country whose persistent desire and effort to develop friendly relations with India have met with partial success, the introduction of this strategic element is of particular interest to Pakistan. India has acquired credible means of effectively projecting its military power in all continents, thus introducing an element of diplomatic “persuasion” that could help it obtain cooperation at various individual state or collective levels that was absent earlier. This may also enable it to negotiate with other states possessing similar capabilities at a level it could not do before it obtained this capability. The economic benefits that could follow are self-evident. Since no other regional country has nuclear submarines, India has the freedom to operate its nuclear submarine in any tactical role it may want without diminishing its strategic value and effectiveness. Australia, Republic of South Africa and all countries on the East African Coast and those Middle Eastern countries that were out of land-based and airborne missile range are now within the Indian nuclear reach.

The introduction of Arihant to India’s already reckonable naval and nuclear arsenal has introduced a fundamental strategic imbalance in the Indo-Pak context. Pakistan is now in a situation where its nuclear capability could be neutralised without it (Pakistan) being able to do the same to India. Thus, a post-Pokhran I situation has developed again, i.e. a situation that existed between 1974 and May 1998.

This was the time between India’s “peaceful nuclear explosion” in 1974 and Pakistan’s nuclear tests in 1998. Some may say that this situation is fraught with the danger of the possibility of Pakistan being exposed to Indian nuclear blackmail. The diplomatic consequences of this situation would no doubt be of interest to our Foreign Office.

Pakistan Navy is now in a situation where the country of its primary concern has acquired a weapons system that cannot be effectively neutralised by it. This is because Pakistan possesses only conventional submarines and in a submarine to submarine combat between a conventional submarine and a nuclear submarine, the conventional submarine is likely to come out second best.

The other factor that could influence deployment of nuclear submarines is the airborne antisubmarine effort at Pakistan Navy’s disposal. Though its present capability is reasonably effective against conventional submarines; the SSBNs and SSNs whittle away the effectiveness of this capability by their uninterrupted submerged operations and their high speed. So, when INS Arihant becomes operational Pakistan will be in a situation where its navy (the only force relevant in this case) will not have the capability to guard against the strategic nuclear threat posed by Arihant. This national vulnerability should be a cause for concern at all levels!

Pakistan, its people, its leaders, its scientists, its engineers, and its civil and military institutions are not unfamiliar with this kind of development. The last time such a situation arose in 1974 (Pokhran I) after the world saw the first “peaceful nuclear explosion,” Pakistan was relatively less equipped to respond in time. But that transient inability was overcome by an unflinching resolve at all levels of national activity and the leaders, the scientists, the engineers, the diplomats, the military and the entire nation acted in unison to be able to respond to Pokhran II within days.

The post-Arihant situation is serious, but fortunately Pakistan is better equipped to handle it now than it was in the aftermath of Pokhran I. Today, we are fortunate to have a developed nuclear capability; we have a missile capability (both in their widest sense); our relevant engineering capability is better than it was then and we have a submarine expertise capable of handling any enhancement of technology that a new weapons system may require. This pool of expertise of diverse disciplines at the national level is available to the decision makers of today to respond in time to the situation created by the introduction of Arihant in our region.

“Strong fences make good neighbours.” This grassroots wisdom of the United States of America’s populace is very relevant in the situation prevailing in our region. The “strong fence” that had been built between Pakistan and India in the 1990s has been breached by the imbalance caused by the introduction of Arihant. In order to enjoy the benefits of good neighbourly relations with India, Pakistan needs to repair this breach quickly and effectively. It is for the decision makers to determine the best way to do this – perhaps, by revisiting the commendable response of the nation to the post-Pokhran I situation.

The writer Tauquir H Naqvi was a vice admiral in the Pakistan Navy.

[Salliter]

Pakistan air collision kills four pilots: police | DAWN.COM
Two Pakistan Air Force light aircraft collided mid-air on Thursday, killing four pilots on a routine training mission northwest of Islamabad, police said.
It was the sixth Pakistan Air Force crash in seven months and the second in a week, raising concerns over the safety of its largely Chinese and locally made fleet.


The cause of the accident was not immediately clear.


One of the two-seater propeller Mushshak planes crashed on a house, injuring a girl and an elderly man, and the second fell in nearby fields in the Rashkai area, 160 kilometres (100 miles) northwest of the capital.


“Two Pakistan Air Force trainer aircraft collided mid-air. Fourpilots were killed, two were trainee pilots and two were instructors,” district police officer Mohammad Hussain said.


“One of the aircraft crashed over a house, injuring a girl and an elderly man, and the second plane crashed in the fields.” Another police official, Hayatullah, who uses only one name, confirmed the casualties.


Last Friday, a fighter jet crashed near the southwestern town of Sonmiani but the pilot managed to eject safely.


The Pakistan Air Force has a fleet of Chinese aircraft including F-7PGs and A-5s, plus US-built F-16s and French Mirages. It recently acquired medium-tech JF-17, or Thunder jets, manufactured jointly by China and Pakistan.

[YmolafBp]

19th May : Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila today inaugurated the newly constructed Headquarters of the Naval Strategic Force Command (NSFC). Lt Gen (Retd) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai Director General Strategic Plans Division and other senior ranking Naval and Military officers were also present on the occasion.
While welcoming the Chief Guest, Vice Admiral Tanveer Faiz, Commander Naval Strategic Force Command highlighted that HQ NSFC will perform a pivotal role in development and employment of the Naval Strategic Force. The Force, which is the custodian of the nation’s 2nd strike capability, will strengthen Pakistan’s policy of Credible Minimum Deterrence and ensure regional stability.


The Chief of the Naval Staff commended the quality of work in making the HQ NSFC a state of the art facility. He declared that the day marks the formal establishment of the Naval Strategic Force Command of Pakistan.

[Roneyslelry]

Experts Wary of Pakistan Nuke Claims | Defense News | defensenews.com

Days after Pakistan hinted that it possesses a sea-based second nuclear strike capability, Indian Defence Ministry officials remained silent on the matter, and outside observers were skeptical that the Navy had such a capability.


On May 19, the head of the Pakistan Navy, Adm. Asif Sandhila, inaugurated the Headquarters of the Naval Strategic Force Command (NSFC). A press release by the military’s Inter Services Public Relations stated the NSFC “will perform a pivotal role in development and employment of the Naval Strategic Force,” and was “the custodian of the nation’s 2nd strike capability.”


Beyond the announcement, Pakistan’s Navy has said little about the office or about the service’s capabilities.


In February, Sandhila told Defense News that the Pakistan Navy was mindful of India’s plans to complete the sea-based arm of its nuclear triad, and was “taking necessary measures to restore the strategic balance” in the Indian Ocean region.


Christian Le Mière, a research fellow for naval forces and maritime security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said Pakistan’s sea-based deterrent is “most likely” the widely speculated submarine-launched variant of the Babur/Hatf-7 (Vengeance-7) cruise missile.


“The Babur is already nuclear-capable and is expected to be used on submarines,” he said. “I have not seen verifiable evidence of any tests for a submarine-launched version, but it is perfectly feasible that a [submarine-launched cruise missile] is now available.”


Analyst Usman Shabbir, with the Pakistan Military Consortium think tank, said Pakistan has been working on its sea-based deterrent for some time.


“When the Babur was first revealed in 2005, it was claimed that it is mainly designed to be deployed from submarines. There was at least that speculation,” he said.


The Navy “has pretty good experience in using similar systems; for example, both submarine-launched Harpoon and Exocet [missiles] use a similar system, and [the Navy] has operated both for a long time.”


Shabbir speculated that the Babur/Hatf-7 missiles might be fired from torpedo tubes, similar to UGM-84 Harpoons.


But Le Mière believes there may still be some room for doubt.


“The phrase ‘sea-based second strike’ suggests a surface vessel could also be used if a submarine-launched version is not yet ready,” he said. “But obviously, while a surface vessel is mobile, it is far less survivable and far more detectable than a sub.”


As for Pakistan’s neighbor to the east, Harsh Pant, international relations lecturer at the Department of Defence Studies at King’s College in London, said India is neither alarmed nor disadvantaged by this development.


“India had factored this reality into its force posture much before this acknowledgement,” Pant said. “I do not see this changing the ground reality, insofar [as the] India-Pakistan nuclear posture is concerned. Despite what outsiders might think, nuclear deterrence in South Asia remains robust.


“The real problem remains the role of non-state actors,” he added. “In that context, Pakistan’s sea-based second strike capability is more reassuring, because the non-state actors will not have as easy access to it as the land- or air-based one.”


He said, “Indian policymakers should welcome this development, as it removes the veil of secrecy over this issue.”


New Delhi analyst Nitin Mehta also cast doubt on Pakistan’s nuclear maritime capability.


“It is unlikely that Pakistan has the capability to design and develop a sea-based nuclear missile, since even China, which is known to be helping Pakistan in its nuclear capabilities, does not possesses a credible submarine-launched missile,” he said. “Pakistan could be developing an undersea nuclear ballistic missile, but it cannot do it on its own.”


Other analysts are not certain the Pakistan Navy can afford to undertake the responsibility of the nation’s second-strike capability.


Brian Cloughley, a former Australian defense attaché to Islamabad, said the size of Pakistan’s submarine force is too small to carry out such a task.


“Pakistan’s current submarine fleet is not adequate in numbers [although well-trained] to be able to undertake detection and effective interdiction of the Indian fleet, given its size — which is increasing, even if slowly,” he said.


Pakistan has two refurbished 1970s-era Agosta-70 and three 1990s-era Agosta-90B subs. The latter are equipped with air independent propulsion (AIP) or are in the process of being retrofitted with the AIP module, and incrementally entered service beginning in 1999.


Le Mière believes Pakistan could, at a stretch, maintain a constant deterrent patrol.


“Once all the Agosta-90Bs are fitted with AIP, this should theoretically allow for one submarine deployed for most of the time, with another in refit and another in reserve,” he said. “In theory, this allows for constant patrols, but in reality, problems with boats usually lead to gaps if there is a three-boat fleet.”


Le Mière conceded, though, this would cause other problems.


“This would be the majority of the Pakistani fleet dedicated to nuclear strike, or certainly dedicating a significant portion of its arsenal to nuclear-tipped Baburs,” he said. “Hence, whether this second-strike capability will in fact be deployed in a form of near-constant at-sea deterrence is questionable until Pakistan is able to procure further submarines to fill the conventional role, as well.”


Cloughley said the interdiction of India’s fleet “must remain [the Navy’s] first priority,” and he considers “conversion of the present assets to take Babur not only costly, but a most regrettable diversion of budget allocation.


“I would go so far as to say that, in present circumstances, it would be a grave error if such a program were to go ahead,” he added.


Pakistan has a requirement for 12 to 14 subs to meet Navy expansion plans. This would allow for a constant war patrol of at least one deterrent-tasked submarine, leaving other submarines to carry out more traditional tasks.


However, Cloughley is still certain that Pakistan does not require such a capability.


“[Pakistan] has plenty of nuclear-capable SSMs and strike aircraft, and does not need a Navy-oriented second-strike capability,” he said.

[gydrorway]

Lt-Gen Imtiaz found dead at home - thenews.com.pk

Former Corps Commander Bahawalpur, Adjutant General of the Pakistan Army and Chairman Army Welfare Trust, Lt Gen (retd) Imtiaz Hussain was found killed with a bullet injury in his head in mysterious circumstances at 11:30 am Saturday in his house in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), Phase-1, police said.


His body has been shifted to Fauji Foundation Hospital for post mortem. According to preliminary medical reports, Gen (retd) Imtiaz Hussain sustained one bullet to his temple.


However, it could not be ascertained whether he committed suicide or it was a case of homicide, the people engaged in the investigation said when contacted. However, circumstantial evidence indicates it as suicide, they added.


Lt Gen (retd) Imtiaz Hussain, 60, had settled in DHA, Phase-1 after his retirement, the police, quoting his family members, said. Intelligence agencies and police have started investigation to ascertain the cause of death, the sources concluded.

[Viyzarei]

May 29, 2012: Pakistan today successfully conducted the test fire of indigenously developed Short Range Surface to Surface Multi Tube Missile Hatf IX (NASR). NASR, with a range of 60 km, can carry nuclear warheads of appropriate yield, with high accuracy, and possesses shoot & scoot attributes. This quick response system addresses the need to deter evolving threats, specially at shorter ranges.
The test was witnessed by Director General Strategic Plans Division Lieutenant General Khalid Ahmed Kidwai (R), Chairman NESCOM Mr Irfan Burney, Commander Army Strategic Forces Command, Lieutenant General Tariq Nadeem Gilani, Senior Officers from the Strategic forces and scientists and engineers of strategic organizations.


The Director General Strategic Plans Division, Lieutenant General Khalid Ahmed Kidwai (R), terming the NASR Missile as a weapon of peace, said that the test was a major development which will consolidate Pakistan’s deterrence capability at all levels of the threat spectrum, thereby ensuring peace in the region.
The successful test has also been warmly appreciated by the President, Prime Minister of Pakistan and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, who have congratulated the scientists and engineers on their outstanding success.

[Encannavalf]

Pakistan, today claimed successful Flight Test of the indigenously developed Air Launched Cruise Missile, Hatf-VIII (Ra’ad). The Ra’ad Missile, with a range of over 350 KM, enables Pakistan to achieve strategic standoff capability on land and at Sea. ‘Cruise Technology’ is extremely complex and has been developed by only a few countries in the world. The state of the art Ra’ad Cruise Missile with Stealth Capabilities is a Low Altitude, Terrain Hugging Missile with high maneuverability, and can deliver nuclear and conventional warheads with pin point accuracy.


As per ISPR, a major additional feature of today’s test was the effective employment of the National Command Authority’s fully automated Strategic Command and Control Support System (SCCSS). It has enabled robust Command and Control capability of all strategic assets with round the clock situational awareness in a digitized network centric environment to decision makers at National Command Centre (NCC). The system has the added capability of real time remote monitoring of missile flight path.

[Plulpangepler]

Rawalpindi - April 7, 2012:
Names of persons buried under snow slide / Avalanche in Gayari sector near Skardu.


Officers

1. PA-32596 Lt Col Tanvir Ul Hassan
2. PA-39548 Maj Zaka Ul Haq
3. PA-105358 Capt Haleem Ullah( AMC)

Junior Commission Officers

4. N/Sub Khurshid
5. N/Sub Didar
6. N/Sub Malik
7. N/Sub Iftikhar

Havildar

8. Hav Rehber
9. Hav Haji Shafayat
10. Hav Zakir
11. Hav Gulfraz
12. Hav Shah Nawaz
13. Hav Musadiq
14. Hav Rustam
15. Hav Shad
16. Hav Ghulam Muhammad
17. Hav Sher Nayab
18. Hav Ishaq
19. Hav Tanvir

Lance Havildar / NaiK
20. L/Hav Mustafa
21. L/Hav Ghulam Qadir
22. Nk Ashraf
23. Nk Sartaj
24. Nk Mudasar
25. Nk Jabbar

Lance Naik / Sepoy
26. Lnk Irshad
27. Lnk Sami Ullah
28. Lnk Sharafat
29. Lnk Mustafa
30. Lnk Himayat
31. Lnk Altaf
32. Lnk Mir Hussain
33. Lnk Irfan
34. Sep Ali Zar
35. Sep Saleem
36. Sep Malik Riaz
37. Sep Jamil
38. Sep Akhtar
39. Sep Nadir Wali
40. Sep Israr
41. Sep Sajid
42. Sep Naseer
43. Sep Dildar
44. Sep Zaman
45. Sep Irfan Khalil
46. Sep Waseem
47. Sep Ehsan
48. Sep Ashraf
49. Sep Riaz
50. Sep Shoaib
51. Sep Iqbal
52. Sep Mumtaz
53. Sep Haider
54. Sep Mehtab
55. Zulqarnain
56. Sep Ghulab Shah
57. Sep Rehmat Wali
58. Sep Nadeem
59. Sep Nafs Ali
60. Sep Nadeem Hashmi
61. Sep Qurban
62. Sep Muhammad Khan
63. Sep Akbar
64. Sep Ali Muhammad
65. Sep Muhammad Ali
66. Sep Amin
67. Sep Fiaz
68. Sep Shakeel
69. Sep Siraj
70. Sep Fazal Abbas
71. Sep Javed
72. Sep Javed
73. Sep Sakhi Zaman
74. Sep Sajjad Kazmi
75. Sep Fida Hussain
76. Sep Naeem
77. Sep Shamim
78. Sep Zakir
79. Sep Nisar Hussain
80. Sep Aurangzeb
81. Sep Arshad
82. Sep Sultan
83. Sep Muhammad Hussain
84. Sep Nasir
85. Sep Ilyas
86. Sep Mukhtiar
87. Sep Fida Hussain
88. Sep Zaheer
89. Sep Naseer
90. Sep Aftab
91. Sep Adil
92. Sep Muzamil
93. Sep Sarfraz
94. Sep Shameer
95. Sep Soba Khan
96. Sep Abid
97. Sep Ishaq
98. Sep Aksar Zaman
100. Sep Siraj Ud Din
101. Sep Jaffar
102. Sep Ansar
103. Sep Ishaq
104. Sep Ghulam Rasool
105. Sep Muhammad Hussain
106. Sep Jumma khan
107. Sep Muhammad Ali
108. Sep Zakir Kawardo
109. Sep Ghulam Mehdi
110. Sep Ghazi Shah
111. Sep Sana Ullah
112. Sep Imtiaz
113. Sep Hameed Ullah
114. Sep Sadiq Gultri
115. Sep Gul Daz ( FS Sec)

[adoreorerie]

Link Dear A,

“We, the willing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, with so little, for so long, we are now qualified to do anything, with nothing.”

This quotation was written diagonally on the first page of his diary as he showed me his poems. My host is a young man, whose spirits are still volatile despite the sub-zero temperature of this place. It is our first meeting. He does not know that the quotation is by mother Teresa, he does not know mother Teresa at all. He thinks it was said for him, dismissing any reason for researching its origins. The young man got engaged recently, the reason for an occasional blush whenever the subject of his future comes up. I only reached here the night before, but we are close friends now. There is something in the wind, with flakes, that urge people to speak in never-ending monologues. Discuss emotions, exchange secrets, talk about themselves – things they do not talk about ‘normally,’ not the least when they are engrossed in the workings of the ‘civilised world.’ I asked him about the quotation on the wall and he said let’s call it a day.

My room, call it my studio apartment, is a typical bunker, built on self-help basis, thanks to our meagre resources. Carved out from a hillock, it is a classical one-window room of fourteen-by-ten feet. The ten-foot high ceiling had 70 girders. Trivial information, you say? I count them every night before I can sleep. No, I have not grown insomniac, but I dare not venture out to count stars in this part of the world.

On one side, the empty cartons have been arranged, covered by gunny bags, only to be topped by the prayer mat. I have a lot of time to pray and reflect, probably since I am the closest I could get to Him. The other wall supports the bed (an arrangement of empty cartons) upon which lies air mattress, along with our sleeping bags. Tastefully, the big-flower-print bed sheet does not permit the attention to drift to the poor structure of the bed. The dark toilet is an extension of the same room. An old cough syrup bottle has been modified with kerosene oil to serve the purpose of the lamp which practically lights up nothing. The empty ghee cans are our makeshift geysers. Basic instinct is the best aide when it comes to anatomy in the dark bathroom. The room décor is an artistic arrangement of the empty containers of food, fuel and fire. Food cartons serve as tables, fuel cans as stools and empty (fired) cartridges as bedside teapoy items. The most decorated table has boxes of chicken cubes, noodles, egg biscuits, brick-game and yes, our window to the world, the radio. Other inhabitants include a Fujika (a kerosene-lit heater), petromax, the books that you have sent and the military phone – this masterpiece of technology which connects me to you, remains silent. The weather, the snow, the wind, the electric power everything conspires against our probable communication. Reminds me how Shah Latif narrates the plight of Sassi after she had been robbed of Pannu:

“The camel (which carries Punno) is my enemy, the wind (which is erasing the foot prints of caravan) is my enemy, the sand is my enemy and so are the brothers of Punnu,

And most of all the sun is my enemy, for having risen so late and not waking me up”

Our high point of the day arrives when we sit down for dinner. Fresh vegetables are a luxury. We have to live on roasted onions and tomato puree, which is canned. The weather denies us the luxury of fresh vegetables, and much more. After getting over with dinner, we gather around the radio and switch it on. This really is the world on our finger tips. There is no FM here, only the BBC and loads of incomprehensible regional channels. The alternative to BBC is Radio Pakistan, which runs the night-time transmission. About the night-time transmission, it is the radio’s revenge from the television for morning shows.

Another day has gone. The vigilant sentries change over their duties. Far from home, away from gatherings, phone calls, SMS-es, these men, I think, are doing something which can never be monetised. Purposelessly, looking against the ravishing snowstorms, their biggest foe is the weather. You can never predict its move. It sulks within and you only realise how loosely you hang between a life and death when it hits you. A minor headache turns into cerebral edema and a man full of stories, intentions, commitments and emotions becomes, what they call, a ‘causality.’

The radio is tuned up and we start receiving our dose of military bashing. A whole lot of qualified individuals start describing us as a merry-making mob, with no clue about how one can party at 20,000 ft above the mean sea level. My mind races. Huge chunks of budget for tomato puree and canned vegetables. Power hungry for morally supporting everyone that we have, people who love us and people who are the reason we live to guard this piece of land. Luxurious lives in a make-shift room with empty cartons. I think the quotation on the wall is not so over-rated.

Hope to hear from you soon…

Yours faithfully,
H

The author, who wishes to remain anonymous, served his tenure at Siachen with the men who were trapped under an avalanche on Saturday. This letter is one of the several that he wrote to his wife during his time at the glacier.

[Elitiachirl]

Link

By CHRIS BRUMMITT Associated Press
ISLAMABAD April 9, 2012 (AP)

An avalanche that has buried more than 120 soldiers in a Himalayan region close to India has put a spotlight on what critics says is one of world's most pointless military deployments: two poverty-wracked nations engaged in a costly standoff over an uninhabitable patch of mountain and ice.

Since Saturday morning when the massive wall of snow engulfed a Pakistani military complex close to the Siachen Glacier, rescue teams have been unable to dig up any survivors. There is now very little hope that even a small number of people will come out alive.

A team of U.S. military experts was expected to arrive at the site Monday to assist in the rescue efforts, according to an American official. The team flew in from Afghanistan after the Pakistani army asked for help, the official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.

The U.S. military helped Pakistan after the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and floods in 2010, ventures that Washington used to bolster efforts to strengthen its ties with Islamabad, vital in the fight against al-Qaida. The current mission is far smaller, and comes amid a near-breakdown in relations between the two countries.

The missing soldiers form part of the Pakistani military deployment to the Siachen Glacier, which forms the northern part of Kashmir region, disputed between Islamabad and India and the main source of tension between the nuclear-armed rivals who have fought three wars since 1947.

The conflict over Siachen began in 1984 when India occupied the heights of the 78-kilometer (49-mile) long glacier, fearing Pakistan wanted to claim the territory. Islamabad also deployed its troops. A 2003 cease-fire largely ended skirmishes on the the glacier, where troops have been deployed as high as 6,000 metres (20,000 ft), but both armies remained camped out there.

Neither side releases information on troop numbers in the region, but they are beleived to be in the hundreds or low thousands.

Of all the problems plaguing the two countries, Siachen is often described as one of the easiest to solve but it is hostage to general mistrust and hard-liners on both sides, who don't want to give up their claim on territory, however strategically insignificant.

"This absolutely futile, useless fiasco has been going on since 1984," said Pakistan-India peace activist Tahira Abdullah. "It is a one-hour job to agree on a solution, but it is now an ego problem between the two armies. Both armies should pull back from the heights. Soldiers are dying and my heart bleeds for them, but it's for nothing."

Temperatures as low as -60 C (-76 F), vicious winds and altitude sickness — the region is just east of the world's second-highest peak, K-2 — a have killed far more than the artillery fire. Casualty figures are not released by either military, but hundreds are beleived to have died there.

The avalanche plowed into the headquarters at Gayari sector, which is at the entrance to the glacier, and buried the complex under more than 20 meters (70 feet) of snow.

The military says at least 124 soldiers from the 6th Northern Light Infantry Battalion and 11 civilian contractors had been buried. Publicly, the army held out hope of survivors.

"Miracles have been seen and trapped people were rescued after days ... so the nation shall pray for the trapped soldiers," army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas told a local television station late Sunday.

The frontier in Siachen has never been demarcated. When the Line of Control that divides Kashmir was set by the two countries after a 1971 war, it didn't extend to the northern glacier because it was considered uninhabitable.

On Sunday, President Asif Ali Zardari met with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in India, the first time the two leaders have met in three years. The issue of Siachen was raised in the 40 minute meeting, according to Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai.

Analysts say resolving Siachen should be possible before the much more difficult dispute over Kashmir is attempted.

Because no one lives in the region and it is of no strategic value, a joint or even unilateral withdrawal from one side could break the logjam.

"Why should we be going for an agreement, we should just withdraw," said Imtiaz Alam, the head of the South Asian Free Media Association, which promotes regional peace. "If we do that, Indian domestic pressure will also result in a withdrawal there. They will say it is madness to continue."

Each country spends many millions of dollars to maintain troops in the remote region.

"We should do joint research in the area on how to stop the glacier melting," said Alam. "Make it a peace park instead of wasting money."

[Munccoughe]

A Mirage aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has crashed in the outskirts of the posrt city of Karachi. According to official sources, the aircraft, which took off from Masroor Airbase crashed near Hub in Balochistan province.


Pilot successfully ejected and remained safe. There was no damage and casualty on the ground.