By Afshain Afzal

The US Senate has passedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Defence Bill to a tune of US dollars 631 billion. The budget seems insufficient to handle security situation arising after US and allies withdrawal from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Libya as well as additional resources required to cap Iranian nuclear, military and strategic projects. A chunk of defence budget will also be spent on non-military areas including development projects under the supervision of militro-intelligence personnel. Washington has already taken initiatives through USAID and other International Organizations (IO), International Non Governmental Organizations (INGOs) and aid groups while in coming years most focus area would remain policy formulation in developing countries, especially in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Maldives. It would be interesting to note that US Senate committee was satisfied with the progress made in Afghanistan as a whole and in Pakistani provinces of Balochistan and Sindh provinces, followed by Khyber PK. In the same regard green signal has been given in collaboration with other countries for additional initiatives. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has already expressed apprehensions that the situation in Afghanistan and neighbouring Pakistan would further deteriorate, which would damage US’ and foreign interests, unless heavy investments in schools, public & private institutions, businesses and policy formulation are not made.

The US Senate Committee, in the past, approved billions of dollars in the name of development in interest countries, which is being expanded through screened foreign IGNOs. The strategists in Washington have worked out concrete plans with partner countries including India in order to invest in Dubai to establish centres there to control Afghanistan, Pakistan and other countries through a network of whisky players on the payroll of CIA.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Interestingly, Washington has assigned New Delhi monitoring role over many countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka Nepal, Maldives and China in return of allowing India to grow militarily in the region. Admiral Sameul J Locklear III, Commander of US Pacific Command has confirmed New Delhi’s role in serving US interests in the region. As a follow-up step, Washington has allowed exemptions to India and eight other countries from Iranian Sanctions Act, outlined in Section 1245 of the National Defence Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2012 in certain transactions including oil import. These countries include India, South Africa, China, Malaysia, Republic of Korea,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Turkey, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Taiwan. Washington has also allowed New Delhi to invest US money in number of countries, posing if it is Indian investments.

In a recent development, in order to pressurize Pakistan and ensure foreign presence, Islamabad is being blamed for undermining security in Afghanistan by allowing safe havens for insurgents and its failure to effectively combat the flow of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) materials. Although Islamabad has dismissed the baseless Pentagon report but Washington has achieved her objective by tarnishing Pakistan’s image. The US Department of Defence in its Biannual Report (2012) claimed that they have 68,000 US troops in Afghanistan after withdrawing 33,000ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  troops in September 2012 but theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  information shared by the contractors at the occupied basesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and foreign troops holed up in Afghanistan reflects that US has less than 9,500 troops and advisorsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in Afghanistan. The same report has also leveled baseless allegationƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  that US and allies have succeeded in preventing Taliban advances, while limiting civilian casualties but the insurgency in Afghanistan is supported by Islamabad including sanctuary, training infrastructure, operational and financial support from within Pakistan. It is an open secret that even at the village and district councils level in Afghanistan Taliban have established their authority and Washington have no option but to grade them as “Good Taliban.” On the other hand civilian casualties has risen up to 91 percent that has nullified the Biannual Report.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

In another development, Islamabad has announced a six-month extension to 1.6 million registered Afghan refugees staying in Pakistan. New Proof of Registration cards are being issued to the refugees which were to expire 31st December 2012. The Pakistani authorities claim that there is a long list of over one million unregistered Afghans were also living in the country. In the past there were several committees constituted to monitor the repatriation of Afghan refugees but international interest groups never allowed this to happen for own vested interests. Ironically, one hand Pakistan is not being allowed to send back all the foreigners living in the country but on the other serious allegations are been leveled to blackmail and pressurize Islamabad. It is pertinent to mention here that by now over 1.51 million men, women and children, majority of them orthodox Sunnis, have been killed as a result of US and allies attacks on innocent civilians and suspected hideouts. One wonders if Washington is able to control its state machinery including CIA and its run front offices in Dubai as well as elsewhere, the terrorism in Pakistan, Afghanistan and around the world would automatically come to a natural end.

What Washington and its allies desires is that in the name ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Al-Qaida, Taliban and the Haqqani Taliban Network, they should be allowed to carry out further genocide of Sunni Muslims in Pakistan, Afghanistan and elsewhere. Same is the reason that despite over ten years illegal occupation of Afghanistan and claims of return of peace in Afghanistan, the Afghan refugees are not being allowed to return from Pakistan, Iran, India and other countries and live in their own country. According to a director of a foreign INGO, who shared information on the condition of anonymity, “The suicide attacks in Khyber KP and killings of Hazaras in Balochistan are being carried out by foreign terrorists with the support of CIA and has nothing to do with any Liberation Army or religious groups.” One wonders why the state sponsored terrorism by US and its allies is not visible to the international community and breach of national sovereignty and integrity remain unchecked under the banner of world peace and human rights organizations. It is right time to put an end to genocide of Sunnis all over the world andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  carryout trial of responsible war criminals and human rights violators in International Court of Justice.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  afshainafzal@yahoo.com