Death sentence to Ajmal Amir Kasab is not the solution to counter terrorism

India and Pakistan must address the conditions that drive men like Mohammed Ajmal Kasab to inhuman acts. Legally as well as physically, this is the maximum punishment that can be given to him.

Death sentence is not the answer to the solution of the problem. He is the lone survivor of the terrorists who attacked the Mumbaites with a vengeance, killing 166 people, including 23 foreigners in the process. The other nine terrorists died due to gun attack by the police.

Many unanswered questions hang over the investigation process. Can anybody answers why the bullet pierced the bullet proof jackets? Who knows about the assassinations during the shootings?

The shameless politicians and bureaucrat are still mulling over the investigations.Unless misplaced political or diplomatic considerations intervene, once the legal processes run their course, the civilised world will no longer have to bear the burden of this beast after a few months.

Why Hemant Karkare was shot? A counter-terrorism …who was investigating Hindu terrorist networks.

This is where the politics begin.. And the citizens are being fooled.

So far we were waiting for the execution of the death sentence of Afjal Guru, now one more name has been added in this list. Last year Surinder Koli, the man whose death sentence in the Nithari case was confirmed by the Allahabad High Court, went in appeal to the Supreme Court. His petition is still pending. Similarly, Kasab's appeal too would be considered.

We need to ask more fundamental questions about the moral implications of visiting violence on others whether through terror attacks, the death penalty or abuse of military force.True closure will come only when we as a people, as a civilisation, can relax in crowded, public places without fear.

Kasab was found guilty of 80 offences, including waging war against the nation, which is punishable with the death penalty.

After the Supreme Court too gives assent to the death sentence, Kasab will have the legal right to file a mercy petition before the President of India under article 72 of the Constitution. And there it will suspended for decades. As there is no time limit for the consultation given for aid of the council of ministers. The President's powers under Article 72 are always exercised with the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers.

Shouldn’t this be the priority of the Politicians who bother about the country? To out rightly challenge and make amendments? India is possibly the only nation in the world that has the death sentence on its statute but is reluctant to enforce it.

Immediately after pronouncement of the death sentence judge Tahaliyani will have to send his order for confirmation to the Bombay HC. He is bound by the Section 366 of the Criminal Procedure Code to do so. In normal cases it is the convicted man who goes in appeal to the HC but where it is the case of his life being taken away, the trial court must send the case papers to the high court.

Friend you will be surprised to know that at present mercy petitions of 32 death row convicts are pending with the President for over five years for decisions and the oldest mercy petition dates back to 1998.

We don’t have a political will for peace as the politicians and bureaucrats are happy to rule the duds like us who do not react.yatha praja, tatha raja!

India and Pakistan Government should do peace work sincerely or we will keep seeing many Kasbas and death of innocents. There is nothing official about terrorism. Inspite of evidences India couldn’t isolate Pakistan diplomatically. Infact produced a diplomat spy in the name of Mrs. Gupta. Obama said in Dec that India has a right to attack terror camps if there is "actionable evidence" and Islamabad refuses to act on it. But then again, what but think American. US does not want an Indo-Pak confrontation because it seeks Pakistani help on Pak-Afghan porous border. If Pak removes its 1 lakh army from there and shift towards India it will severely undermine the strategic interests of US in the region. Unlike US attack on terror camps in Afghanistan way be in 1998, India cannot do this...it is practically impossible since Pak is a nuke state and surely goanna retaliate. Obama may publicly lambast Pak and be titled towards India but in practice it will do a fine balancing act. Don’t you all remember what Condi did by visiting Pakistan and than landed in our country?

But both Hindu and Muslim fundamentalists have to be given a blow. We must make a determined effort to segregate religion from politics.We continue to vote in the same people election after election, and bemoan the lack of choice we have. If we don't change our stripes, there's no point in expecting those we elect to change their stripes.?? The bottom line is that carrying out Kasab's death sentence is not going to bring closure to the 26/11 case.

Both the countries have a common enemy..

And both lack confidence..

There is no inclination...

point me wrong if i am....
Invent India.
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Internal security VS Home Minister

The National Security Guard (NSG) was set up in 1984 as a Federal Contingency Deployment Force to tackle all facets of terrorism in the country. With the primary role to combat terrorism where the State Police and other Central Police Forces cannot cope up with the situation used for specific situations and in exceptional situations. Additional tasks of VIPs security, Anti hijack duties, Data collection on bomb explosions were entrusted in 1986-87.

What we see are politicians who are not a "national asset” protected by so many security Personnel. It has become fashionable and a status symbol. The more people (security men) surround these people (politicians) the more prestigious they feel.

Politicians moving around with gun-toting security guards took strong exception to what they called “selective” withdrawal of security cover to politicians, the RJD’s Mr. Lalu Prasad, SP’s Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav and JD-U’s Mr. Sharad Yadav today said the UPA government should be held responsible for any possible attacks on their lives after scaling down their security cover ..The parliament could not function properly today because UP Chief Minister Mayawati's party men were enraged....just at the thought of their leader's security being reduced. MPs of Madam Maya's disrupted both the Houses to such an extent that they had to be adjourned twice.

On the other hand National Security Guards (NSG), do not want to guard the VIPs but focus on terror entirely.

The inept governance which continues to linger that lead to tragedies, highlight challenges that India’s internal security apparatus faces. In response to the terror attacks, the government had planned to increase the headcount of the National Security Guard (NSG) and establish centers in Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai. The second item planned involves establishing a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) along the lines of the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Based on the “Combating Terrorism” report issued by the Second Administrative Reforms Committee, the FIA has to be established as an agency of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), who will be responsible for investigating federal crimes, including organized crime, terrorism, sedition, trafficking in arms and human beings, etc.

Will cutting on the guards do well to the country? NO……Cutting on the security of the politicians will bring no good to the country. We need RAW.. Get RAW. The Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), our spy agency, has been spiraling into a bottomless pit for over 10 years. The organization has become a pawn in the hands of the powerful at South Block and is being used against political rivals rather than against enemies of the State.

In fact a separate federation should be created and on the expense of the politicians for their security purpose SO THAT THEY CAN DO POLITICS IN PEACE.

The Internal Security should no longer be a part time job for the Home Minister. We need to learn from America’s lessons post-9/11. India’s 4,700 mile coastline comes within the purview of the Coast Guard, Port Trust, Civil Aviation, Customs and Immigration and Border Security, which report to six different Ministries. The lack of coordination and communication is one of the primary reasons why the Mumbai attacks were so successful. These organizations need to be streamlined and rolled into one Ministry directly reorting to the PMO office. If a lay person like me can understand this mismanagement why can’t those who are being paid for the job?

Can somebody show the money at the right place? India’s law enforcement agencies, including Central Police Force, State Police Forces, NSG, and State Anti Terror Squads (ATS), are poorly funded and headed by corrupt, inexperienced, inapt and gullible officers. Images of Maharashtra ATS Chief Hemant Karkare trying on helmets and bullet proof vests an hour before he was martyred will continue to haunt India..

We’re not an impoverished country that we were in 1962... Can’t we have decent funds between national defense and internal security? Cutting on politician’s security doesn’t do any good. It’s a wasteful exercise.

Our Anti-Terrorism Law doesn’t provide for special courts to try the accused. No matter how good intelligence gathering is, or intelligence agencies and counter terrorism forces are, if we’re working within the framework of an anemic anti-terrorism law, the whole system still fails. Imagine a kindergarten without a play area?

No matter how well controlled the country is every man, woman and child on the street needs to be security conscious. It is unrealistic to expect high security cover for every school, temple, hospital and mosque in the country. But citizens need to be made aware of what to do and what not to do in the event of an attack. If there is a security incident, they should be made aware of how and to whom to report it. It should be the internal security heads job.

Our politicians should be involved in end-to-end emergency preparedness drills. Ultimately, it is they that authorize action against perpetrators.

Lastly, the media must use their judgment in determining what to show during live coverage’s. I was horrified when one channel (I think it was Times Now) showed NSG commandos gesturing to each other as they prepared their attack routes outside the Taj.

Coming back to the point…Cutting on NSG will do no good to the country.

• The NSG has told the Union
  Ministry:
  · It cannot protect any more people as it is short of hands
  · That affects operational capabilities
  · The NSG wants most of the 3000 or so commandos on VIP guard duty to be redeployed in the four new hubs set up after the Mumbai attacks
  · This itself could fill as many as half the vacancies
  
  

The Torture Memos

The new article by --Noam Chomsky.

The torture memos released by the White House elicited shock, indignation, and surprise. The shock and indignation are understandable -- particularly the testimony in the Senate Armed Services Committee report on Cheney-Rumsfeld desperation to find links between Iraq and al-Qaeda, links that were later concocted as justification for the invasion, facts irrelevant. Former Army psychiatrist Maj. Charles Burney testified that "a large part of the time we were focused on trying to establish a link between Al Qaeda and Iraq. The more frustrated people got in not being able to establish this link ... there was more and more pressure to resort to measures that might produce more immediate results"; that is, torture. The McClatchy press reported that a former senior intelligence official familiar with the interrogation issue added that "The Bush administration applied relentless pressure on interrogators to use harsh methods on detainees in part to find evidence of cooperation between al Qaida and the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's regime ... [Cheney and Rumsfeld] demanded that the interrogators find evidence of al Qaida-Iraq collaboration... 'There was constant pressure on the intelligence agencies and the interrogators to do whatever it took to get that information out of the detainees, especially the few high-value ones we had, and when people kept coming up empty, they were told by Cheney's and Rumsfeld's people to push harder'."1
to read further check-http://www.chomsky.info/articles/20090521.htm

Polls and Stumps

Cricket is not the national sports of India but without doubt the most popular sport of the country. I love cricket.. but ….elections are more important.. we are forming a government which will run the country.. was the first reaction from me when the debate was going on in my office.

No doubts its a very very sensitive time and a ripe time for the terrorists to take advantage of the situation.. prevailing in the subcontinent..with the kind of security we have in out country.. only God can help..i don't think this will be a right time.. for the safety and security needed for 45 days in IPL.

The situation we are living in is the right time for the terrorism to spread and create chaos.. Its commonsense.. the security will be off from the politicians..that's quite a sensitive time.. any mishappening can lead to a big turmoil.
we are standing on a live mine which is just seconds away from being ignited....SECURITY MUST FOCUS ON PROTECTING THE ELECTIONS NOT THE BUSINESS OF FEW.The security woes from the home ministers office are not ignorable . Police/para-military staff will not be enough if both happens simultaneously.

At the same time a very important question i want to ask..? do u think that the government is not confident to provide security to the citizens of the country? Are we not a capable country..or is it always politics which will have a say in every decision …I'm sure the Congress will be wiped out from the face of India if anything goes wrong..lets admit it.
The biggest democracy is going to polls... but if we scrap the IPL nothing will change. Business at the cost of the country's security and peace is out of question.

So better have Elections 1st, then use IPL to help forget about the election results. We need a strong Government... watch out your vote ...its going to bring a change ...If democracy lives on.. IPL will happen again & again & again...Let all the young voters come out to vote instead of staying back in front of their TV sets...

As rightly said by one of my friend “security is not only the concern of Government.... should be ours too..we’re a part of the fabric... which we extra intelligent,deep thinking Indians do not wish to consider”

vote for a good candidate.

Cricket and terrorism.

Ignore the hyperbole or emotion…correct me if i am wrong..

It is a shocking incident.... a cowardly act....what I saw and heard today… cricket was one of the few things that still bound Pakistan to the rest of the world and now its become clear that this will also not last.. crickets has its own unique history, no doubt colonialist..playing sport for the sake of playing it.

Now that cricket itself has been attacked, one realizes the scope of anarchy that terrorists endorse.

Cricket has always taught fairness and equality.. but today without cricket Pakistan has lost another weapon against its increasing lawlessness.. cant underststand the cruel logic of the terrorists..at all … ( cricket .. White-Man’s-Burden rhetoric).. what could any jihadis have against any Sri Lankan? Or even a Sri Lankan cricketer? Sri Lankans aren’t Westerners.

This is the saddest day for all sportsmen.. It’s not an ordinary attack. Pakistan is engaged in a bloody struggle against Islamist insurgents …they have been attacking civilian before. Most of the violence in Pakistan occurs in its northwest regions bordering Afghanistan, where Taliban and al-Qaida militants have established strongholds. Lahore has not been untouchable from militant violence.. One attack in recent months was witnessed.. Which happened in the northwest next to a sports stadium.

There are so many questions on my mind… but very few answers .The sport's world governing body, the International Cricket Council, last month decided not to hold the 2009 Champions Trophy in Pakistan due to safety worries. No doubt, the Australian team made the right decision, but the Sri Lankans chose to go to Pakistan despite the obvious security concerns. What were the rasons? “money”, and also because, as Sri Lankans, they’ve had to live with terror alarms for decades… im unable to get answers..The police had received a threat on Monday that the Sri Lankan team would be attacked so a different route was used.They went to play the sport, which they did, and they paid a price they shouldn’t have.

We all know that Sri Lanka is also waging its own military campaign at home, against Tamil Tiger separatist rebels… it’s a war which is coming in open…our country is taking no stand at all…The rebels, who are fighting for an independent state for Sri Lanka’s Tamil minority, are listed as a terror group by the U.S. and EU and are routinely blamed for suicide bombings and other attacks targeting civilians.can we eever forget the assasination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi by a female suicide bomber — took place at an election rally in India in 1991.

Yesterday what we saw on our television was not shocking at all.. The links what our leaders have with the banned organizations... no party had the guts to oppose it...every party has its own interest...all they are doing is calculations for the loksabha..

All I can say is that South Asia has been the site of several, eye-popping attacks in recent years.This latest attack on a cricket team .. the attack on cricket celarly shows the scope of anarcy the terrorists endoreses… Pakistan has slipped into anarchy, Nepal is a powder keg as mebtioned by Tushar Gandhi.. Bangaldesh has started errupting.. recent revolt of the Bangla Desh Rifles was not a joke we witnessed..our ongoing South Sri Lanka conflict is to be watched out.I see a split map of South Asia ...and for us the biggest concern is not Kasmir but Pakistan. India must now act… .my random thoughts.....

Gateway to India

On one hand the GATEWAY OF INDIA witnessed children, youth, old ..asking for security, accountability, their rights, agitated, full of hatred against the terrorism,,And on the other hand after the relentless appeals by the citizens and media finally forced the stepping down of Maharashtra CM.. and an apology by the Kerala CM

The magnificent arch, built in 1911 to welcome the King-Emperor, has ever since stood as a symbol of the openness of the city and today for the solidarity shown by the citizens of the country. Amid slogans against politicians and Pakistan, the citizens, holding placards, lit candles and paid tribute to victims and martyrs who lost their lives fighting terrorists.

Have your say; join a peace rally at Gateway of India was the only message. The march showed Solidarity, compassion, and emotion. People held flowers, candles and signs that called for peace, unity, and action against terrorism.

The Gateway of India and gateway to India's soul today saw the world stands united in unreserved condemnation of this latest atrocity. This same place few days back was mute and a testimony to the latest assault on the country's pluralist democracy.

Pakistan's sputtering democracy already shaken is seeking to engulf India in its flames aswell.India is a land of great resilience that has learned, over arduous millenniums, to cope with tragedy.

we Indians have picked up from rubble and will go on as coexistence has always been our strength.

India is a gateway to all and will always be.

The Beautiful Taj Mahal waiting for its glory

we have unimaginable Carnage Inside Taj Majal Hotel now which will take months to clear .

we dont know when will the glory be back in the Taj

First Anti Terrorist Squad Madhya pradesh press meeting

Anti Terrorist Squad head should not be a halwai in Madhya Pradesh

The alerts on my computer went eccentric and so was me watching the news of 22 blasts in 18 spots in a highly communally surcharged city. It was shocking to say the least. And a day after another set of blasts in the country's IT hub. It was like watching a movie of bomb blast. The very reaction on mind was cause and effect ? It is a tough question.

No explanation came for such a smooth operation for a week. Do we think of terrorism as a prehistoric activity? The sleuths could not find the conspirators/guilty .It was more alarming when no offender was taken into custody and a week went by. Is it the direct fallouts of the communal politics unleashed by sections of our own society?

But when the SIMI activists were caught it actually thrashed the day light out as the state name appeared very boldly. Madhya Pradesh involvement yet again caused distress.

The attacks showed organizational skills of high capability, and managerial talent besides technology. The counter technology has to come up with some explanation for such a smooth operation.

It's good to read in the newspaper that an ATS will be formed in MP, High level meeting are in motion to counter the disease. Since terrorism is a dynamic threat that changes as its root causes in conflicts change and terrorists seek new targets and methods. Effective counterterrorism policy is integral to wise foreign policy, and policy makers must understand the past to anticipate the future

The first and foremost thing Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan should have a robust, unadulterated, intelligent, neutral, and astute IPS with a proven past track record to head the Anti Terrorist Cell. An experienced Officer with past proven track records can lead the state away from xenophobic sections of the society and this disease rather than a corrupt halwai.

Education about counter terrorism is the second most important in the masses as Conspirators have successfully indoctrinated a large number of youths.

Ladies & Gentlemen, the next time you vote, think for whom you are voting!

The macabre dance of death being orchestrated by the terror groups continues to put a question mark on the policies and strategy of the government in dealing with such a potent and faceless enemy.

Terrorism is not new word anymore on this planet. The difference is the extent of victory it's getting across the globe. In Europe and America impassable wall of defenses have been made. Countries like Australia and New Zealand have implemented mechanisms to pre-empt and defeat terrorism.

In our country day by day it is gaining strength. As till date no anti terror mechanism is established in the center and in the states. In a worrying estimation it has been found that India loses more people in terror attacks than any other country in the world.

Samjhauta, Mecca Masjid, Lumbini Park, Ajmer Dargah, Bombay blasts, hyderabad, Bangalore and now Ahemdabad the list goes on. It is common knowledge that terrorists are responsible for these strikes but beyond that there are no clear answers. In case of each of these attacks, what comes under the scanner is India's security apparatus to act as an effective preventative mechanism.

On the other hand terror networks are better organized and have in the past two or three years managed to penetrate even the smaller towns in India. Blasts are no longer limited to crowded markets in Metros and smaller towns, which also supply operatives and logistics.We have to accept that India is a major target. The terrorists are very committed and thus it is very difficult to penetrate their modules, difficult to build sources, it takes a long time.

Anti-terrorism laws in India have always been a butt of controversy, as also in the United States and Britain. But in India, the leaders of our democratic set-up tend to hijack the debate over anti-terror laws and use it as a political tool to fill the vote banks. TADA has become a Political fascination and POTA complete Vote banks' victim. POTA law is facing criticism from human rights groups. The questions of terror laws are still to be formulated.

The government representatives has one and only statement to make "we will deal with the anti-national forces firmly." While one does not question the bona fides of the government, but many wonder if it would actually be able to translate it into action any time soon. This is because the people of India have time and again been witness to these ghastly acts. Bangalore and Ahmedabad has given us yet another reason to ponder over our collective response to the menace of terrorism, manifested most sensationally by the serial blasts.

It is high time we Indians got into a structured debate to craft our response. The crackdown is possible? Non-politicians have to come together. Or we will keep seeing the sketches of the suspects after the attacks.

Mere knee-jerk reactions and unworkable intelligence inputs won't do either.What might work is a more cohesive, all-inclusive approach towards tacking terror.

Are our security agencies capable enough to deliver when it matters the most? The Kargil war is a bitter lesson when the entire intelligence system faltered to notice the intrusion inside the Indian border in Jammu and Kashmir.
Naxalism has been threatening internal security in the country. More than ten states are in the grip of this red extremism. Every year, hundreds fall victim to Maoists. Neglecting these incidents, the government has not yet formulated policy to counter this. And most of all, the government is not ready to identify it as a problem.

Internal security apart, India is resisting cross border terrorism.But the façade of jihad is now being broken as terrorists are not sparing any religious place. And the fact that innocent people are killed in the blasts targeted at religious and public places undermines the religious overtones of terrorism. With every blast, the notion that India has become a soft target for terror groups gains currency.A proper anti-terror strategy aimed at weeding it out from the roots by neglecting the parochial political gains is required.

Terrorism is expanding to ever-new areas, which nobody even ever dreamt of being victimized by such incidents. Our successive governments never considered that protecting common citizens is among its duties. The investigations of most of the previous blasts are still not completed. But, for us Indians, these have become a part of life.

The virtue of tolerance is indeed much in us "Indians". Why can’t we ask the government and the opposition?

This problem can be solved only by going back to the basics of democracy - you get what you voted for! If you vote for one who promises inaction, then you will have terrorism, if you vote for one who promises security, you will have security.

If everyone in politics knows that we value our lives, all of them will fight terrorism.

The countrymen have to stand up and assert that we all value and love our lives. Everybody will respect basic right.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the next time you vote, think for whom you are voting! Life is our first priority, rest comes later on.......

Fragrance of Islam

Catastrophe has struck the philosphy that could have equalized this society. The faith, which could have opened the doors and carried the potential of espousing peace in this really bad world, has come to be known as the "providence of the same".Strange are the ways of the evil that hijacks the good.

No doubt the conference organised at Deoband was an attempt to define terrorism in light of Islam. Similar efforts should be recurring to advance greater understanding and cooperation.It is more about rules than doctrine. However, until and unless the people who give the verdict listen frankly to the people and gain a truthful and perfect understanding of this conflict, extremists on all sides will continue to gain ground.

Priests and mullahs might think that a beliefs from the past are the only ways to salvation.But that is like living in ignorance. The greatest danger of this age is ignorance .All misery, war, terrorism, hunger and other social evils have their roots in ignorance. Religion is not an answer to the troubles of life. The never-ending lust for positions of power in politicians numbs them to compromise on issues of extreme communal intolerance.

Encoded qualms can be checked upon my educating the Muslim. All orations should translate into action. Declaring terrorism an anti-Islamic act no doubt is a great fatwa but ethnic refining should take place simultaneously. finger pointing at Muslims should be stopped. Challenges for the world will only grow as long as Muslims continue to feel politically dominated and disregarded. Respect in cultural diversity is as important as oxygen for life.

Islam is a religion of mercy for all humanity. Islam sternly condemns all kinds of oppression, violence and terrorism. It has regarded oppression, mischief, rioting and murder among severest sins and crimes.

Muslims are too rigid in our adherence to old, literal interpretations of the Koran. It's time for many verses — especially those having to do with relations between Islam and other religions — to be reinterpreted in favour of a more modern Islam. It is the uneducated youth who are the gullible lot and can get swayed along the wrong path of violence. Having well educated youth will go a long way in changing their destiny, and empower them to stand up to the injustice meted out to them.

A two way effort of all stakeholders from government, clergies, business, society is must. It is the uneducated youth who are the gullible lot and can get swayed along the wrong path of violence. Having well educated youth will go a long way in changing their destiny, and empower them to stand up to the injustice meted out to them. Religion, media, academia, priveleged and civil society are requisite of the hour to block the crisis, create bond and find solutions for the disillusioned. For the common man religious dispute is not an issue they can relate to where there main concern is to resolve their daily life issues for their daily bread. We don't need masters of religious lexicon for this.

Religion cannot be the root cause of any conflict or violence and similarly those who indulge in violence cannot be truly religious. Incidents such as the cartoons depicting Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in European newspapers are surely wicked. constantly bombardment of images of angry Muslim youth/kids being trained in Al Qaeda camps is dubious. It is not religious belief that has driven few Muslims to believe that the Sep 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington were justified but fears that the United States was seeking to occupy the Islamic world. No doubt this is a turbulent time and a rough period but at home the seminar can bring a ray of hope.

Do we or people who should know are aware of the recent research done on 21 countries of the world dominated by Muslims say? Who knows that the vast majority of young Muslims aren't dreaming of going to war but they are dreaming of better jobs and finding work. They are looking for respect not hatred in the world! They are looking for their rights! To show respect for the society one lives in and contribute to its well being.

Promotion of rationalism and cooperation among Muslims would lead in unity among them. Muslims should become more familiar with the Islamic viewpoints and scientific interactions.The Islamic world is in need of dialogue, unity and solidarity. Holding religious meetings among Ulema would decrease differences among Islamic sects and bring hearts of Muslims throughout the world closer to one another. Cultural figures and scholars of the Muslim should play a key role in preventing cultural invasion of enemies of Islam and prevalence of their "vicious" thoughts among young Muslims especially in universities of the Islamic states by promoting cultural, literary social dialogues and programmes.

A vibrant, tolerant and a fresh body should take on the task to confront the boggy of Islamophobia. Labeling as an extremist faith is a hindrance to the world peace. It's time to accept that God loves the faithful of all religions. It's time for Muslims to question our leaders and their strict teachings, to reach our own understanding of the prophet's words and to call for a bold renewal of our faith as a faith of goodwill, of peace and of light.

The Quran presents reminders, warnings and admonitions to its readers. In the manner that our loving parents teach us to protect us, Allah describes the best way for mankind to lead their lives, what to avoid lest we may be harmed and what to adopt. The Ummah has fallen into all sorts of destructive deeds It is time to ponder in ourselves what the solution to this crisis should be. Educating the masses? Eradicating poverty? Preaching tolerance?

The eerie quietness should be broken. We look at the current position of the world, the ongoing wars, oppression, suppression, human rights' violations, economic backwardness, illiteracy, aggressiveness, poverty, crime, ignorance and wonder… what went wrong?The answer to this question is difficult for many Muslims, partly because they are so detached from the Quran and they have little knowledge of their faith to begin with. Similar to the opinion of many Non-Muslims who are unaware of Islam's Message, these people feel Islam itself is the 'cause' of the problem. it is like blaming the gun not the shooter. We need to focus our energies where they are really needed, where we know we must strive hardest - within ourselves, on the individual and on the collective level. After all, it takes great courage and a high character, individual or national, to inspire… to lead.If we just open that Book and read the translation with an open mind, that answer is written all over! The world has yet to know the fragrance of Islam.

Benazir Bhutto

A sad day for the world.The assasination of Mrs Benazir Bhutto has been condemned across the globe. Some reactions across the world before and after her death .

Bhutto's body in Larkana for burialNDTV.com, India - The body of assassinated former premier Benazir Bhutto was flown to her ancestral village in Pakistan's Sindh province, where hundreds of her supporters ...

Bhutto's body flown home for burialThe Press Association - The body of assassinated Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has been flown from Rawalpindi for burial in the southern province of Sindh. ...

EDITORIAL: A dream snuffed outPakistan Dawn, Pakistan - BENAZIR Bhutto is dead. She died amidst her supporters who revered her, and her father before her, and from whom she derived her strength, her legitimacy as ...

Benazir Bhutto, 54, Lived Through Political StormNew York Times, United States - Benazir Bhutto in front of a poster of her father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, after she won first parliamentary elections in 1988. More Photos > By JOHN F. BURNS ...

Bhutto's body arrives at family home for burialReuters India, India - By Nadeem Soomro NAUDERO, Pakistan (Reuters) - Thousands of mourners thronged to assassinated Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto's ancestral home on ...

Pakistan's Bhutto Killed in AttackThe Associated Press - RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) — Enraged crowds rioted across Pakistan and hopes for democracy hung by a thread after Benazir Bhutto was gunned down Thursday as ...

World Bank chief says shocked by death of BhuttoXinhua, China - WASHINGTON, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick said on Thursday that he was shocked and saddened by the death of former Pakistani ...

Former Pakistan's Premier Bhutto AssassinatedKorea Times, South Korea - By Emal Pashtunyar RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN _ Pakistan's two-time prime minister and the first woman premier of a Muslim country Benazir Bhutto was assassinated ...

Bhutto dies in bomb attackFinancial Times, UK - By Farhan Bokhari in Karachi and Jo Johnson in London Benazir Bhutto, the first elected female leader of a Muslim state, was yesterday killed in a gun and ...

Leader who was willing to take risks for her peopleFinancial Times, UK - By Farhan Bokhari in Islamabad The assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the 54-year-old former Pakistani prime minister and opposition leader, in the city of ...

'Foolproof' security failed BhuttoNational Post, Canada - John Moore/Getty ImagesSupporters of Benazir Bhutto gather at a rally held at Liaquat Park in Rawalpindi. The rally would become the scene of Bhutto's ...

Bhutto Assassinated in Attack on RallyNew York Times, United States - By SALMAN MASOOD and GRAHAM BOWLEY RAWALPINDI, Pakistan — The Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated near the capital, Islamabad, ...

FACTBOX-Bhutto latest victim of renowned Pakistan dynastyReuters - (Reuters) - Benazir Bhutto, who was killed on Thursday, came from a powerful political dynasty and said after she returned home from exile in October she ...

Last day of BhuttoXinhua, China - Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto waves to her supporters at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Dec. 27, 2007. Bhutto died Thursday as Party ...

Pakistani opposition leader Bhutto among 20 dead in suicide attackMalaysia Star, Malaysia - RAWALPINDI: Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was killed yesterday in a suicide attack as she drove away from a campaign rally just minutes after ...

Benazir Bhutto and the danger in PakistanTelegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - Pakistani politics was already in a state of febrile transition between the dictatorship of President Pervez Musharraf and the restoration of democracy. ...

Bhutto's love-hate relationship with the UKTelegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - By Isambard Wilkinson Benazir Bhutto's relationship with the UK oscillated between enjoying the warmth of Establishment approval to being shunned over ...

What now for Pakistan?Independent, UK - By Peter Popham and Saeed Shah in Rawalpindi Benazir Bhutto, twice prime minister of Pakistan and the leading contender to win a third term in the coming ...

A Career of Personal, National TragedyWashington Post, United States By Molly Moore On a hazy winter day in 1994, I drove with then-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto to the dedication of Pakistan's first women's police station. ...

tragedy born of military despotism and anarchyGuardian Unlimited, UK - The assassination of Benazir Bhutto heaps despair upon Pakistan. Now her party must be democratically rebuilt Even those of us sharply critical of Benazir ...

Killed Bhutto's body flown homeCNN International - RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (CNN) -- The body of Pakistan's assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was being flown home Friday, as sporadic violence was ...

BENAZIR BHUTTO ASSASSINATEDTimes of India, India KARACHI: Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in a terror attack in Rawalpindi near Islamabad on Thursday. Bhutto, 54, was fired upon ...

The death of a daughterTimes of India, India - Benazir Bhutto could still manage a smile. She knew that they were chasing her with bombs and guns. She knew that determined assassins were lurking on the ...

Bhutto Supporters Blame MusharrafForbes, NY - Supporters of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan are blaming the government of President Pervez Musharraf for her assassination on Thursday, ...

End of a political eraDaily Times, Pakistan - By Rana Qaisar ISLAMABAD: An extra-ordinary political era spanning over two decades ended on Thursday with the death of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto ...

Reflection on a woman who wanted to restore democracyDaily Times, Pakistan - LAHORE: Former premier Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated in a suicide attack in Rawalpindi on Thursday aged 54, restored democracy to her country in 1988 ...

Together we’ll save Pakistan, Benazir said at last rallyHindu, India - MOMENTS BEFORE DEATH: The former Pakistan Premier, Benazir Bhutto, leaves the stage after her last election campaign rally in Rawalpindi on Thursday. ...

Nordic country leaders condemn Bhutto killingXinhua, China - STOCKHOLM, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- The leaders from Nordic countries strongly condemned on Thursday the terrorist attack in Pakistan that killed the country's ...

Bhutto photographer: 'She was clearly in her element'CNN International - (CNN) -- The photographer who took the last known images of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto before her assassination Thursday told CNN he was ...

Pakistan’s darkest hourHindustan Times, India - The foot soldiers of Pakistan's state-spawned Bhindranwales have snuffed out the life of Benazir Bhutto. The spectre of extremism, haunting Pakistan since ...

Bhutto's assassination may plunge Pakistan into more perilChicago Tribune, United States - By Kim Barker Tribune foreign correspondent 1:34 PM CST, December 27, 2007 KARACHI, Pakistan – The assassination Thursday of opposition leader Benazir ...

Benazir’s family leaves Dubai for KarachiHindu, India - DUBAI: The family of Ms. Bhutto left Dubai for Pakistan. Asif Zardari, husband and the children flew first to Karachi from where they will head for ...

Benazir Bhutto: Hope DeniedForbes, NY - Any chance of a peaceful transition to a semblance of democratic rule in Pakistan died Thursday with Benazir Bhutto. Bhutto possessed enormous reserves of ...

Riots break out in aftermath of Bhutto's deathCTV.ca, Canada - KARACHI, Pakistan -- The major cities in Pakistan, including the garrison city of Rawalpindi, have all broken out in chaos after the assassination of ...

Online, Emotion Palpable After Bhutto DeathCBS News, NY - As news broke that Pakistani opposition party leader Benazir Bhutto had been assassinated, supporters erupted in anger and tears, smashing the glass doors ...

Benazir Bhutto - another martyr for PakistanRadio Netherlands, Netherlands - by Perro de Jong* Benazir Bhutto has become a martyr, said a spokesperson for her Pakistan People's Party (PPP) when it was announced that the opposition ...

Bhutto Campaigned Despite Risk of AttackNPR - by Eric Weiner NPR.org, December 27, 2007 · An explosion, gunshots, a frantic rush to the hospital. At first, details of the events surrounding the ...

Britain calls for unity after Bhutto deathAFP - LONDON (AFP) — Foreign Secretary David Miliband said on Thursday he was "deeply shocked" by Benazir Bhutto's assassination and called for "restraint but ...

The Bhutto family tragedy explainedTimes Online, UK - *Benazir Bhutto's father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was dismissed as Pakistan Prime Minister in 1975 and executed by hanging for conspiracy to murder a political ...

Global outrage over assassinationAljazeera.net, Qatar - Supporters and rivals alike of Benazir Bhutto, the Pakistani opposition leader, have condemned the gun and bomb attack that claimed her life at an election ...

Profile: Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir BhuttoXinhua, China - ISLAMABAD, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto died Thursday evening after being seriously injured in a bomb attack near the ...

"A well planned assassination"ORF.at, Austria - 12 days before a general election, Pakistan's leading opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was killed this afternoon after holding a campaign ralley in the city ...

A life steeped in turbulent historyAljazeera.net, Qatar - Benazir Bhutto's life has been largely affected by her father's role in Pakistani politics. As the founder of the Pakistan People's Party and the country's ...

Reactions to Bhutto assassinationBBC News, UK - The killing of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto in a presumed suicide attack at an election rally in Rawalpindi has drawn widespread national and ...

Benazir Bhutto killing: Reaction in quotesTelegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - World leaders have rushed to condemn the assassination of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto in a gun and suicide bomb attack at a political rally ...

Benazir Bhutto killed in attackChristian Science Monitor, MA - By Sadaqat Jan and Zarar Khan AP On Dec. 9, opinion editor Josh Burek spoke with former prime minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto. ...

Making a Martyr of BhuttoTIME - Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto waves to supporters after an election rally in Rawalpindi December 27, 2007, shortly before she was killed in a ...

Site of attack a signpost to Pakistan's troublesToronto Star, Canada - The setting of Benazir Bhutto's assassination comes with its own sick symmetry: the once and future prime minister of Pakistan was slain today at the very ...

PAKISTAN: BHUTTO'S HUSBAND, "SHE IS SERIOUSLY WOUNDED"Agenzia Giornalistica Italia, Italy - (AGI) - Rawalpindi (Pakistan), 27th December - Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has been gravely wounded in an assassination attempt which came at ...

Pakistani Opposition Leader Benazir Bhutto Killed in Suicide BombingMTV.com - By Gil Kaufman Just months after returning to Pakistan with hopes of assuming the leadership of the country for a third time, opposition leader Benazir ...

Miliband condemns Bhutto killingBBC News, UK - The killing of Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was a "senseless attack", UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband has said. ...

Pakistani opposition leader Bhutto killed: reportsMarketWatch - By MarketWatch NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Pakistani opposition leader and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was killed following a suicide bombing that ...

Bhutto Assassinated by Suicide AttackerABC News - Benazir Bhutto was among at least 20 killed in a coordinated suicide attack. A party security adviser said Bhutto was shot in the neck and chest as she got ...

Benazir Bhutto Killed in AttackTheStreet.com - By TSC Staff Benazir Bhutto, the leader of Pakistan's opposition, has died from injuries she suffered in a bombing and gun attack that targeted a political ...

Bhutto Killed in Attack on Political RallyNew York Times, United States - By SALMAN MASOOD and GRAHAM BOWLEY RAWALPINDI, Islamabad — An attack on a political rally killed the Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto near the ...

Benazir Bhutto 'killed in blast'BBC News, UK - former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has been killed in a presumed suicide attack, a spokesman for the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) says. ...

Pindi set to welcome Benazir, NawazDaily Times, Pakistan By Aamir Yasin RAWALPINDI: The city is all set to host two former prime ministers - Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairwoman Benazir Bhutto and Pakistan ...

Security plan for BB’s address in Pindi finalisedDaily Times, Pakistan - RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi District Police have finalised a security plan to ensure maintenance of peace during the public rally address of Pakistan Peoples ...

Benazir Bhutto: A profileZee News, India - One of the most influential leaders in Pakistan democracy, Benazir Bhutto (June 21, 1953 - December 27, 2007) was the first woman elected to lead a ...

Mourners stream in for Bhutto funeralRadio New Zealand, New Zealand - Thousands of mourners have arrived at the ancestral home of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto for her burial later on Friday evening. ...

Scion of political dynasty led tumultous lifeAustin American-Statesman, TX - By Matthew Pennington and Jerry Schwartz AP ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Benazir Bhutto was many things: zealous guardian of her dead father's legacy, ...

Loss in Pakistan - Former prime minister Bhutto shot, killed after ...New Philadelphia Times Reporter, OH - By SADAQAT JAN and ZARAR KHAN, AP Writers RAWALPINDI, Pakistan – Moments after a euphoric crowd stretched its arms toward Benazir Bhutto, moments after the ...

Assassin fires shots at Bhutto and then blows himself upIrish Independent, Ireland - By Jeremy Page Benazir Bhutto was waving from the sunroof of her bullet-proof Land Cruiser when the assassin struck, first firing shots and then blowing ...

Pak could enter an unstable phaseDaily News & Analysis, India - With the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan enters a new phase of uncertainty and instability. It is today a country in the throes of a deep ...

Koirala stunned by Bhutto's killingGorkhapatra, Nepal - Kathmandu, Dec. 27: Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has been stunned by the tragic death of president of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and former ...

Iranian FM strongly condemns Bhutto's assassinationIslamic Republic News Agency, Iran - Iranian foreign minister vehemently condemned the assassination of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in an election rally in Rawalpindi on ...

Pakistan Remains Tense; 11 Dead In Thursday Clashes Following ...AHN - Rawalpindi, Pakistan (AHN) - All schools, businesses and banks in Pakistan are closed for three days after violence broke out following the assassination of ...

Pakistan opposition leader Bhutto assassinated (2nd Roundup)Monsters and Critics.com, UK - Islamabad - Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated Thursday as she left an election campaign rally in the city of Rawalpindi, ...

Bhutto assassinated in PakistanNew York Daily News, NY - AP (Warning: Gallery contains graphic images.) Moments before she was assassinated, Pakistan's opposition leader Benazir Bhutto waves to her supporters. ...

Pakistan: UnravelingPacific Free Press, Canada - by Mona Eltahawy At a conference on radicalization in The Hague in October, a former Pakistani foreign minister told a small group of us that he had ...

Turmoil after Bhutto assassinationIrishExaminer.com, Ireland - By Dan Collins WORLD leaders have expressed their condemnation of the killing of Benazir Bhutto as last night nuclear-armed Pakistan was facing political ...

KILLING THAT MAY START A CIVIL WARUK Express, UK - By Jo Macfarlane THE assassination of Benazir Bhutto yesterday raised fears of a surge in terror attacks around the world and the prospect of civil war in ...

With Benazir Bhutto Killed, What Next For Pakistan ?Family Security Matters, NJ - Shortly after 5 pm local time on December 27 th , Benazir Bhutto was killed in the city of Rawalpindi , northern Pakistan . She had been attending a rally ...

Benazir Bhutto assassinated in shooting, suicide bomb attackTODAYonline, Singapore - RAWALPINDI — An attack on a political rally killed the Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto near the capital, Islamabad, yesterday. ...

Bhutto - a "liberal" - assassinatedOpEdNews, PA - by Rowan Wolf Page 1 of 1 page(s) It is all over the news that Benazir Bhutto was assassinated as she was leaving a political rally in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. ...

Local Pakistani says Bhutto was the 'best leader'Bradenton Herald, United States - Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto gets ready for her last public rally in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2007. ...

At the Precipice by Joshua KurlantzickNew Republic (subscription), DC - The killing today of Benazir Bhutto was tragic for many reasons. Most obviously, it was another senseless death, adding to the spiraling extremist violence ...

Benazir Bhutto Assassination Sparks Riots in PakistanTransWorldNews (press release), GA - Pakistan ’s military has been placed on red alert following the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto Thursday afternoon. ...

After Bhutto: Pakistani Blogs Chime InRadar Online, NY - Following the assassination of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto Thursday, bloggers, defiantly active despite President Musharraf-sponsored press ...

BHUTTO KILLED IN SUSPECTED AL QAIDA ATTACKDaily Echo, UK - By Echo Reporter Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in a suspected al Qaida attack as she left an election rally today, throwing the ...

Seconds from death: The final image of Benazir Bhutto moments ...This is London, UK - These haunting images show the final moments of Benazir Bhutto seconds before she was shot dead by a suicide bomber. Wearing garlands of flowers, ...

Bhutto: Standing up for beliefsUnited Press International - WASHINGTON, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto said she recognized the danger she faced in returning to Pakistan. ...

Britain condemns murderManchester Evening News, UK - Britain joined international condemnation of the murder, which looks certain to cause the postponement of elections next month, something many hoped would ...

I can't believe she is dead, says Bhutto's husbandGulfNews, United Arab Emirates - By Ashfaq Ahmed, Staff Reporter Dubai: “I can’t believe she is dead. I will only believe it once I verify it myself,” said a shocked Asif Ali Zardari, ...

Who is responsible for the security of the country?

The issue of national security and its dimensions has been a subject of discussion at different forums. As a citizen of the country I see the issue becoming complicated since 9/11. India as an emerging power has no options but to play a significant role in the new emerging world order. But within India lack of governance has an important bearing on national security which needs serious attention.
India is faced with a proxy war waged by antagonistic forces from across the border, whose aim is to destabilize the nation. Terrorism is the main instrument employed for this purpose. Terrorism has taken many forms and shapes. The danger from covert, proxy or limited war has increased and we cannot afford to be a smug. Protecting the nation from internal threats has now become the foremost responsibility of the government.Our successive governments in the past 60 years have failed to make India an internally strong country. Corruption has resulted in ill-governance. Fundamentalism and communalism in the name of religion is another biggest deterrent in paving the way for a secure country.
Political cooperation is the first step to combat terrorism in our country. India’s political system should stand united against terrorism than only thing can go forward. National parties have been accusing each other whenever an attach takes place instead of locating where the problem lies.
The absence of coordination within the intelligence agencies, para-military forces, the armed services, and between the para-military forces and armed forces is very well known. The lack of expertise in the management of national security is also well known. Lack of steps to remedy these deficiencies highlights the casual approach of the government-the people who run the government .
Party’s manifestos as promised to implement remain unfulfilled. Continued injustices cause schisms to widen, wounds to fester. Politicizing terrorism is not the solution. Matters of national security should be executed by professionals. Politicians should not have a greater access because they are the elected representatives. Today Politicians job is just to capture power on minority appeasement and vote bank politics.
The media roars with unsubstantiated debates instead. It is always a blame game and media discussions provoke more.
Indian system delivers justice for all crimes, especially mass crimes of unspeakable brutality but the lack of action against the perpetrators is also clear evidence of the operation of a double standard of justice. India and it systems of democracy, executive, judiciary and legislature, need to reflect.

I'm convinced that a solution can be found or we are doomed.
India must introduce identity cards in the border states, develop a national security policy that should also shape the country’s foreign policy and make the defence planning more strategic than just tactical.