By Afshain Afzal

Greatest leader of Bangladesh and Pakistan, Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rahman was born on 17 March 1920 at the village Tungipara, Gopalganj, known as his birthplace located in Bengal (presently District Faridpur, Bangladesh). He was a graduate of Islamiyah College, Calcutta in 1947. He became one of the most prominent student political leaders in the province and worked as General Secretary of the Islamiyah College Students Union. Since his child hood he was a diehard supporter of Bengal Provincial Muslim League. In 1943, he became member of the All-India Muslim League Council and worked under direct directions of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. He was a staunch supporter of the oppressed class. After the creation of Pakistan, he worked as close aid of Quaid-e-Azam. He was too much inspired from the deeds and actions of Mohammad Ali Jinnah. During pre-partition era he used to sell pro-Pakistan weekly newspaper MILLAT on the streets of Dhaka to support the cause of Pakistan. He was one of the pioneers of East Pakistan Muslim Students League.

After the tragic death of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah in 1948, the Awami Muslim League was formed under the leadership of Maulana Bhashani and Sheikh Mujib-ur- Rahman was among one of the founding Joint Secretaries. Maulana Bhashani was a great friend of Quaid-e-Azam since in 1934, rendered his services from Assam branch Muslim League and devoted his whole life for Pakistan movement. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman remained General Secretary of the Awami Muslim League from 1953 to 1966 and its President from 1966 to 1974. He also worked as an activist of the Suhrawardhy-Hashim faction of the Muslim League.

An initial advocate of democracy Mujib-ur-Rehman rose to the ranks of the Awami League and East Pakistani politics as a charismatic and forceful orator. Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rahman entered parliamentary politics first in 1954 through his election as a member of the East Bengal Legislative Assembly. He was also a member of the Pakistan Second Constituent Assembly (1955-1958). During the elections of 1965, he joined hands with Maddar-e-Millat Miss Fatima Jinnah and opposed dictatorial rule of General Ayub Khan. He and his party launched the campaign of Fatima Jinnah in East Bengal during her elections and because of him and other Bengali leaders Fatima gained more votes from East Bengal as compared to West Pakistan. He himself was elected as the Member of the National Assembly and always opposed the activities of the Pakistani establishment in the Parliament.

During the War of 1965, as loyal Pakistani he did every possible thing which could be done for Pakistani forces against India. He fully supported the cause of Pakistan which is evident from his past speeches. Many amongst the Pakistani politicians were anti Quaid-e-Azam and anti-Fatima and did not allow her to win the elections Notwithstanding, Mujib-ur-Rahman stood side by side with Fatima Jinnah as solid rock. Fatima Jinnah died in July 1967 and afterwards there was no one to protect the rights of the people of West Pakistan.

In the General elections held on 7 December 1970, the Awami League under Mujib-ur-Rehman's leadership won a massive majority in the provincial legislature, thus forming a clear majority in the 1970 national elections, despite leading his party to a major victory in the elections, Mujib-ur- Rahman was not invited to form the government. Following political deadlock, on 25 March 1971, he was arrested by the Pakistan Army in an Operation Searchlight, despite the fact that he was loyal to Pakistan. During his nine-month detention, insurgency erupted and an attempt was made by Pakistan Army to crush Bengali nationalists who were demanding their political rights. An all-out civil-war broke out between the Pakistan Army and East Pakistani nationalists in which USA played a major role in the disintegration of Pakistan by funding anti-Pakistan fifth columnist elements in refugee camps inside India and non-Muslims in East Pakistan. In the meantime, India forces also intervened and it led to the liberation of East Pakistan as an independent nation, “Bangladesh” in 1971.

He is rightly called the "Father of the Nation" in Bangladesh. He served as the first President of Bangladesh and later on as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh from 17 April 1971 until his assassination in a military coup d'état on 15 August 1975. His body was transported to his native village and orders were issued to bury him along with the wooden coffin but being a staunch Muslim his burial ceremonial was done in accordance with the Islamic rituals. Sheikh Mujib-ur Rahman's funeral was held on 16 August 1975 in Tungipara and he was laid to rest beside the graves of his father, Sheikh Lutf-ur-Rahman and mother, Sayera Khatun. Keeping aside the conspiracy theories, the tragic death of Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rahman was a great loss not only to Pakistan but whole subcontinent due to his services for the supremacy of democracy and humanity. He will always be remembered as top Pakistani and Bangladeshi leader.

Despite of a common struggle and common ideology for the creation of Pakistan, the separation of East and West by 1000 miles led by tragic incidents and the consistent conspiracies by their common hidden enemies forced the two to go their own separate ways. It is an establish fact that without any interference from India, which is considered to be the main villain and Pakistan’s number one enemy had full participation in the events which culminated to fall of Dhaka. Before this dreadful event took place, alongside with it the extremists on both sides spearheaded the political thinking which had to be fallen apart. Those in the West believed that East Pakistan was quite different from them both ethnologically and linguistically. They thought that East would get out eventually and the apprehension that without the West she would not be able to survive which practically proved wrong. Those in the East thought that it was the west that earned bulk of the foreign exchange and that it is at her cost that economy of the West had been built. This ideology lead to the belief that they can very well look after themselves and it was really a turning point for eastern and western wings of Pakistan.

16 December 1971 is the darkest day in our history which reminds us the colossal loss of the fall of Dhaka where All-India Muslim League — mother party of the Muslim freedom movement — was given birth by Bengali Muslim leaders (1906).  In March 1940, All India Muslim League leadership put up its idea for self-governance for Muslims of India through a resolution a sequence of Pakistan movement that was moved by Bengal Maulvi Fazlul Haq.

16 December is a national holiday of Bangladesh with celebration and commemoration the victory of the Bangladesh forces over the Pakistani forces in the Bangladesh Liberation War. On this day Pakistani troops laid down their arms and surrendered to India accepting the secession of East Pakistan. The lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians were lost. The creation of Bangladesh is one of the most sensitive and indeed an unforgettable chapter in the history of Pakistan. While the trauma of partition may now be behind us, the stories of that bitter past still hunt our memoirs among anyone who lived through that era. On this day 49 years ago, Pakistan lost half of its country, its forces in the East, had to publicly surrender. It was also the largest military surrender after World War II.

The war started when Pakistan launched air strikes on 11 Indian airbases. It was perhaps the first time in which India's all three forces fought in unison. India quickly responded to Pakistan Army's movements in the west and captured around 15,010 kilometers of Pakistan territory.

The war ended after the chief of the Pakistani Forces General Niazi, along with 93,000 troops, surrendered before Indian Army to avoid further bloodshed. The war lasted for just 13 days, and is one of the shortest wars in history. The military confrontation between India and Pakistan occurred from 3 December 1971 up to the fall of Dhaka.  conflict was a result of the Bangladesh Liberation war, when Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) was fighting to seek freedom from (West) Pakistan. In 1971, Pakistani Army began to commit the barbaric genocide on innocent Bengali population, particularly the minority Hindu population in East Pakistan.

As the war intensified, the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi decided to take action against Pakistan. She ordered Indian Army Chief to launch offensive against Pakistan following which India launched a full-scale war against its neighbor. Initially she was reluctant to launch a full-scale war against Pakistan as the country was already facing the burden due to the continuous flow of refugees from East Pakistan and entering a war meant inviting more burden.

She also appealed to world leaders to intervene and pressurize Pakistan to stop its brutalities but India did not have much time and had advantage of the then circumstances. On 6 December, she announced in Parliament that India had accorded recognition to the Bangladesh Government. On 2 August 1972, India and Pakistan signed the Simla Agreement under which the former agreed to release all the 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war was sequence of it.

The surrender in East Pakistan was major blow to the nation. By the act of surrender, the image of West Pakistanis and East Pakistanis as part of efficient and excellent fighting force stood shattered.  It was the climax and aftermath result of the 24 years of neglect, jealousy and treachery involving different factors and huge egos of political and military actors. What happened on the 16 December 1971 is the reminder of the past blunders of those who were running the helms of affairs at that time. However, the way it has happened is appalling and is something that could have been avoided the bloodshed and loss of valuable and precious human life on both sides.

NEW DELHI, 14 December 2020, (TON): The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing the alleged Television Rating Points (TRP) rigging case, arrested Republic TV CEO Vikas Khanchandani on Sunday, The police had already arrested over dozen people including the channel's distribution head and Assistant Vice President Ghanshyam Singh, who was recently granted bail after spending 25 days in custody.

The police had already arrested the channel's distribution head and Assistant Vice President Ghanshyam Singh, who was recently granted bail after spending 25 days in custody. Khanchandani had applied for the anticipatory bail application before the Session Court on Friday and the plea was scheduled to be heard on Monday.

On 24 November, the SIT had filed a 1,400-page charge sheet against the previously arrested 12 accused. While filing the charge sheet, the police had clarified that this was not the end of investigation and more arrests will be made as investigation progresses.

WEST BENGAL, 13 December 2020, (TON): All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen's (AIMIM) has formulated a new strategy which involves shift additional focus West Bengal as compared to Bihar, where assembly polls are expected to take place in mid-2021.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi conducted a meeting this Saturday with AIMIM West Bengal party functionaries and issued instructions with regards to upcoming polls and the emerging political situation in the state as result of future alliances.

In a statement Asaduddin Owaisi said that his meeting with functionaries was a very fruitful and AIMIM West Bengal party functionaries have asked to formulate new election strategy. “I have listened to their views with regards to upcoming election and the prevailing political situation in the state and consensus has been reached”, he said.

The AIMIM won five seats in the recently concluded Bihar polls. Total 20 candidates of AIMIM contested in the elections to the 243-seat assembly in the state.

By Afshain Afzal

Yesterday was 26 November, I was watching patiently Indian media and official statements about attack on Indian Mumbai on 26 November. If we recall, the moment Indian authorities came to know through media that Mumbai has been attacked at different locations on 26 November, New Delhi did not waste any time in leveling allegations that all attackers were Pakistanis. Later all attacker were killed leaving lone attacker Ajmal Amir Kasab, whose parents were Indian national who migrated to Pakistan decades after partition, to dance on the tune of Indian Intelligence agencies. Without giving any regard to the country’s law and court procedure, those statements of Kasab which he reportedly furnished to unidentified Intelligence officers during interrogation sessions, even before his case was admitted in the court, were regarded as evidence against groups living in other countries, thousands of miles away. Isn’t it the height of stupidly on the part of world powers and the United Nations to over react on the Mumbai attacks by banning a Muslim organization namely Jamaat-ud-Daawa without even looking at on ground evidences against this unfortunate organization? Ironically, when the case of Ajmal Kasab was pending before Mumbai court and there were possibilities that he may come out as an innocent but India executed him only to justify its own Intelligence plot. One wonders that if this is the criteria of the world governments and organizations like United Nations, there is very dark future of this world.

It is on record that Ajmal Amir Kasab denied all charges before the Mumbai court as well as his alleged links with Lashkar-e-Tayyiaba or Pakistan. One cannot say with confidence if Kasab is guilty in Mumbai attacks or otherwise but who would undo the United Nations Security Council Resolutions which banned Lashkar-e-Tayyiaba and Jamaat-ud-Dawah. If we recall, Jonathan Evans, the Director General of British MI 5 said that his organization had investigated Mumbai attackers communications and uncovered connections between the Mumbai attackers and Britain. MI 5 analysts, who claim to be experts at picking clues from phrases and communications, feel that there could be connection of the militant group which carried out Mumbai attacks with Indian Hyderabad. It reminds that a similar incident which happened five years back in India when four Muslim terrorists linked with Lashkar-e-Tayyiaba as claimed by Indian agencies, who had planned to launch a massive terrorist attack on the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun were arrested in 2005. The terrorist included Maulana Dilawar Khan of Imdad-ul-Uloom Madrassa in Delhi's Welcome area and Imam Masood Ahmed, an Imam at the Baghwali Masjid in the same area, Haroon Rashid, a former mechanical engineer at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Muhammad Iftikhar Ahsan Malik, a second year student of Biotechnology at Dehradun's Dolphin Institute of Biomedical & Natural Sciences. Police was quick enough to put recovery of a grenade and a Chinese pistol with 24 bullets on them. Ironically, all the four so called terrorists were acquitted and released in the light of Patiala House Court judgment of 8 January 2010, which set them free for want of evidence. So everyone despite Indian media’s hype would have not been surprised if the case of Ajmal Amir Kasab and his links with Laskar-e-Tayyiaba also turned out to be fake story.

If we recall, the Mumbai Police Crime Branch arrested 36 Indian nationals who were behind Mumbai attacks. In the same regard, a remand application was submitted by Joint Commissioner of Mumbai Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria before the MCOCA court on 15 December 2008 to allow investigate if the Indian Mujahideen (IM) militants had any links with those behind the Mumbai attacks. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ashok Duraphe who had drafted the remand application confirmed that they filed an application to verify if the 20 alleged members of Indian Mujahideen in their custody had links with Mumbai attacks. Mumbai Police filed a second remand application for additional suspects before the same MCOCA court on 2 January 2009 but under the pressure of Indian Intelligence agencies they filed a corrigendum next day, requesting the court to delete that point from the application. Donald Van Duyn, Chief Intelligence Officer, Directorate of Intelligence, National Security Branch of FBI disclosed that his organization is conducting an independent probe of Mumbai attacks and has sought permission from New Delhi to interrogate more suspects locked up with Indian Police. The FBI interviewed suspects in Indian custody and collected critical information on attack planning and group leadership of militants involved in Mumbai attacks. The concluded western link as well as Indian home grown terrorism.

Our memories are still sharp to recall that Kavita, wife of slain ATS (Anti Terrorist Squad) Chief Hemant Karkare and their daughter had asked the Indian government pardon Ajmal Amir Kasab on humanitarian grounds. What made Kavita and her daughter to make such an unusual request indicate that Ajmal Amir Kasab had nothing to do with killing of Hemant Karkare. Kasab himself in a statement immediately after his arrest disclosed that he did not open fire on any Police officer as he was twice hit by Police bullets on his hand before he could do anything. Probably Hemant Karkare had discussed with his wife about his extinction plans by RAW and Mossad, before leaving for operation on 26 November. It is on record that Hemant Karkare, soon after receiving the word of warning from the RAW, personally called the managers of the Taj and Oberoi-Trident Hotels, which were later attacked and asked them to scale up the security at their hotels. He specifically told the managers that he had received a warning that the militants had been planning an attack on the hotels. Indian renowned industrialists Ratan Tata told reporters after Mumbai attacks that Karkare had asked hotel management two days before the attacks to scale up security at hotels. Hemant Karkare’s wife stance of letting off Ajmal Kasab is not shared by many Hindus on the plea that it would be insulting to their martyr Hemant Karkare, if he is let off on humanitarian grounds without any punishment. Whatever the case may be, any sane person can make out that Mumabi attacks were an attempt to cover up Indian Military Intelligence (MI) terrorists, who were caught red-handed in terrorist activities like Malegaon, Nanded and Samjhaota Express blasts, Pathankot attack.

SRINGAR, 19 November, 2020, (TON): Indian troops in their fresh act of state terrorism in illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, martyred four Kashmiri youth in Jammu district, today.

According to police officials in the district said, on Thursday morning during an encounter near Nagrota in Jammu district four people travelling in a truck were killed.

Indian troops along with CRPF and army opened fire on a vehicle in which they were travelling at Ban Toll Plaza near Nagrota on Jammu-Srinagar Highway.

They were travelling from Jammu to Srinagar in a truck when they were shot to death in a fake encounter by Indian troops at Ban Toll Plaza in Jammu early today.

Without any evidence Indian Army as usual claimed that youth were members of Jaish-e-Mohammed group. The area was cordoned off and additional forces were rushed to the spot.

Indian military offensive had been continued in valley to crush the Kashmiris’ freedom struggle. Killing Kashmiri youth has become a regular feature for Indian security forces to bring about demographic change and to wipe out Muslim majority, by a slow trickle of youth.

JAKARTA, 18 November 2020, (TON): Finland’s Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä will meet Indonesia’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif today on 18 November 2020 as part of a virtual Team Finland visit. The main themes of the meeting will be energy and Indonesia’s new intelligent energy projects.

The aim of the ministerial meeting is to improve the operating conditions of Finnish companies in the Indonesian energy markets and to promote business partnerships between Finland and Indonesia. 

Indonesia’s growing economy offers a wide range of opportunities for Finnish companies in the Southeast Asia region. In particular, the expertise of Finnish companies in renewable energy, electrification of society, bioeconomy and circular economy can be utilised for Indonesia’s economic development.

The International Renewable Energy Agency IRENA estimates that the demand for energy in Indonesia could increase by one quarter and the demand for electricity could triple between 2015 and 2030. Although the country’s dependence on domestic coal and imported oil products has grown, it is also increasingly using renewable energy sources. Indonesia aims to increase the share of renewable energy to 23% of energy consumption by 2025 and to 31% by 2050.

WASHINGTON, 16 November 2020, (TON): Violence erupted on the streets of downtown Washington on Saturday night, after thousands of protesters supporting US President Donald Trump held a protest rally to back claims of massive voter fraud and electoral malpractices during the presidential elections 2020.

The “Million MAGA March”, held a week after Democrat Joe Biden was declared by media as the winner of the November 3 election. The rally was peaceful and the only objective was to show to the authorities, the judiciary and international community the fraud election that took place in the US to declare Joe Biden as winner.  

Clashes erupted between Trump’s and Biden’s supporters on late night when peaceful Trump supported were attacked and manhandled to disrupt “Million MAGA March”.

A mass brawl broke out later at night just in the vicinity only some blocks away from the White House to fail the march to compel American judiciary to take action over fraud election 2020.          

KABUL, 16 November 2020, (TON): The Afghan Ambassador to the United States, Roya Rehmani visited US Air Force Base at Moody to have firsthand experience of A-29 aircraft. Washington is delivering remaining A-29 Super Tucano light attack to Afghanistan to strengthen the Afghan Air Force.

A-29 attack aircraft will replace the fleet of Mi-35 aircrafts in Afghan Air Force. The Afghan Air Force has made major strides in its ability to plan and conduct operations, especially on its A-29 Super Tucano fleet. The US has provided 18 A-29s to the Afghan Air Force.

As per the report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) Afghan Air Force has 154 aircrafts. It has three flight wings and 18 detachments, flying A-29s, C-208s, AC-208s, C-130s, Mi-17s, and MD-530s. The A-29 light attack aircraft is the backbone of strike operations against the insurgents.

After receiving training from the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission and other allied forces, the AAF now independently conducts 70% of the operations in Afghanistan.