Apologies for the delayed moderation. I should have closed this before skipping town, but I’ll correct my mistake now.

Correction censored–>censured

Religion isn’t the illness of the subcontinent. The illness is religious intolerance. If all faiths respect each other and their respective rights to exist and coexist, then half the problems will disappear on their own.

The part about heritage is correct. If MJ Akbar can acknowledge his ancestors’ hindu past and embrace it while remaining an observant muslim, there’s no reason why pakistanis can’t.

That helps push their Pcyche towards paranoia, and the weak towards right wing views..

Religion is the illness of the Indian Sub Continent..

It is not the average Indian or Pakitani..it is the elite of both nations… Pakistan has too look at the fact that daily there are acts of violence in their Country and need to be honest to themselves about why…

“All you have to do is ask Pakistani cabbies what country of origin they claim to american passengers to find out who really has more in common with subsaharan africa. Having rebutted all your points, I think anything you say at this stage will only make you silly. Might I suggest a graceful exit, sir. Adieu.”

Really? Where’s the proof? Times of India’s article? Maybe you should read Lakshmi’s blog for some analysis of that article. Pakistanis want to be known as Indians? Sure, sure. I heard Punjabis want to be known as Punjabis and not as Indians. Ask cab passengers in Canada. There’s my proof too.

1) “1. Maldives loves India because it restored its government after a coup attempt there (see operation cactus). Why don’t you ask Afghans whom their prefer?”

Hmm, really? Take a look at this priceless article:http://www.dhivehiobserver.com/speicalreports/China-base-in-Maldives0705051.htm. It was established with the help from Pakistan. Seem like citizens of some nations tend to have a delusional idea about those who “adore” them.

2) According to an ABC/BBC poll which I was to post, India polled 71% and Pakistan 2%. India has close relations.

Most Afghans do not know about Modi and BJP.

3)” with Bangladesh under Sheikh Hasina especially due to our liberation of that country after Pakistan’s genocide of 3 million people there.” Next time back up your number. For a country that speaks about liberating Bangladesh, you are now hunting Bangladeshi Muslims within your land: http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_sena-mns-restart-anti-bangladeshi-migrant-campaign_1350167. Look how much compassion you have for Bangladeshis!!

The most trustworthy human rights record put the number killed to 26,000 and the max to 300,000:”The historian branch of the State Department held a two-day conference on June 28 and 29 on US policy in South Asia between 1961 and 1972, inviting scholars from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh to express their views on the declassified documents.During the seminar, Bangladeshi scholars acknowledged that their official figure of more than 3 million killed during and after the military action was not authentic.They said that the original figure was close to 300,000, which was wrongly translated from Bengali into English as three million.Shamsher M. Chowdhury, the Bangladesh ambassador in Washington who was commissioned in the Pakistan Army in 1969 but had joined his country’s war of liberation in 1971, acknowledged that Bangladesh alone cannot correct this mistake. Instead, he suggested that Pakistan and Bangladesh form a joint commission to investigate the 1971 disaster and prepare a report. Almost all scholars agreed that the real figure was somewhere between 26,000, as reported by the Hamoodur Rahman Commission, and not three million, the official figure put forward by Bangladesh and India.

A huge number and should never been forgiven or forgotten. But to see Indians who have killed 47,000 Kashmiris (out of 2-4 million Kashmiris) shedding crocodile tears for Bangladesh sounds very sanctimonious. (see http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/DEL356088.htm)

4) Sri Lanka and Nepal have traditional ties with India.

They surely prefer Pakistan and China: 1)http://www.lbo.lk/fullstory.php?nid=545707841, 2) http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/gopa.detail.php?article_id=32299&cat_id=29

5) So who is again :”The only country that you have left is itself a regional mafioso loathed by neighboring countries precisely for its bullying and imperial policies: see japan, vietnam, s korea, philippines, taiwan, russia, etc etc. Quite the coalition of the willing you’ve assembled.”?

6) Let’s do some analysis, shall we?

Read the first passage you wrote: “3. India has a legitimate need for nuclear weapons due to China’s nuclear posture. If Pakistan knew how to behave itself, it wouldn’t have to worry about military confrontation with India. Unfortunately, you guys are too busy lying to yourselves about how you are destined to be the ruling class of the subcontinent.”

and then read my reply and move on to your second passage: “2. India does not have that luxury due to the five wars foisted on it by China and Pakistan alike. Why don’t you ask China to give up its nukes? So please don’t lecture me on hypocrisy given your own glass house.”

Now do some analysis. Got it? Now, who’s the hypocrite here? The one who suggested India has an enemy and therefore deserved to have nukes while demanding Pakistan to behave and stopped seeing India has an enemy, no?

7)”The difference between India and Pakistan is that it is trying to improve the situation through parliamentary reservations for women, legislation to punish criminals, and NGOs and government initiatives to tackle problems. Please compare the Hudood ordinances, legally sanctioned rape (ask mukhtar mai), and the blasphemy laws of your country. And I know you don’t want to talk about honor killing.”

You have just quoted Pakistan’s supreme court and you spoke about legally sanctioned rape? Things that didn’t befit with your idea about Pakistan aren’t worth quoting?

“India: 8% annual growth, millions lifted out of poverty, 200B dollars in reserves,a world beating services sector, a nascent manufacturing and pharma/biotech industry, membership in the G20 (where is pakistan in their btw?), a soft power envied by your communist patron and beloved by your arab friends, and the world’s largest democracy”

envied? loved by Arabs?? India’s GDP per capita is not that far away from Pakistan’s and worse than Sri Lanka’s and Maldives’. Terribly worse compared to China. But if you removed all the wealth owned by India’s billionaires, India’s GDP should equal to those in subsaharan africa.

9)”Pakistan: 10th on the failed state index (just four below afghanistan and in good company with subsaharan africa), millions reduced to poverty, sponsorship of religious extremism, oppression of women and minorities, army rule with a puppet civilian government, and a moribund aid-dependent economy.”

Pot, meet kettle. A quarter of India’s territory is under Naxxal. Keep living with the idea that Pakistan is the 10th failed state. It allows you to be mirrorless for a moment.

“All you have to do is ask Pakistani cabbies what country of origin they claim to american passengers to find out who really has more in common with subsaharan africa. Having rebutted all your points, I think anything you say at this stage will only make you silly. Might I suggest a graceful exit, sir. Adieu.”

Really? Where’s the proof? Times of India’s article? Maybe you should read Lakshmi’s blog for some analysis of that article. Pakistanis want to be known as Indians? Sure, sure. I heard Punjabis want to be known as Punjabis and not as Indians. Ask cab passengers in Canada. There’s my proof too.

1) “1. Maldives loves India because it restored its government after a coup attempt there (see operation cactus). Why don’t you ask Afghans whom their prefer?”

Hmm, really? Take a look at this priceless article:http://www.dhivehiobserver.com/speicalreports/China-base-in-Maldives0705051.htm. It was established with the help from Pakistan. Seem like citizens of some nations tend to have a delusional idea about those who “adore” them.

2) According to an ABC/BBC poll which I was to post, India polled 71% and Pakistan 2%. India has close relations.

Most Afghans do not know about Modi and BJP.

3)” with Bangladesh under Sheikh Hasina especially due to our liberation of that country after Pakistan’s genocide of 3 million people there.” Next time back up your number. For a country that speaks about liberating Bangladesh, you are now hunting Bangladeshi Muslims within your land: http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_sena-mns-restart-anti-bangladeshi-migrant-campaign_1350167. Look how much compassion you have for Bangladeshis!!

The most trustworthy human rights record put the number killed to 26,000 and the max to 300,000:”The historian branch of the State Department held a two-day conference on June 28 and 29 on US policy in South Asia between 1961 and 1972, inviting scholars from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh to express their views on the declassified documents.During the seminar, Bangladeshi scholars acknowledged that their official figure of more than 3 million killed during and after the military action was not authentic.They said that the original figure was close to 300,000, which was wrongly translated from Bengali into English as three million.Shamsher M. Chowdhury, the Bangladesh ambassador in Washington who was commissioned in the Pakistan Army in 1969 but had joined his country’s war of liberation in 1971, acknowledged that Bangladesh alone cannot correct this mistake. Instead, he suggested that Pakistan and Bangladesh form a joint commission to investigate the 1971 disaster and prepare a report. Almost all scholars agreed that the real figure was somewhere between 26,000, as reported by the Hamoodur Rahman Commission, and not three million, the official figure put forward by Bangladesh and India.

A huge number and should never been forgiven or forgotten. But to see Indians who have killed 47,000 Kashmiris (out of 2-4 million Kashmiris) shedding crocodile tears for Bangladesh sounds very sanctimonious. (see http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/DEL356088.htm)

4) Sri Lanka and Nepal have traditional ties with India.

They surely prefer Pakistan and China: 1)http://www.lbo.lk/fullstory.php?nid=545707841, 2) http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/gopa.detail.php?article_id=32299&cat_id=29

5) So who is again :”The only country that you have left is itself a regional mafioso loathed by neighboring countries precisely for its bullying and imperial policies: see japan, vietnam, s korea, philippines, taiwan, russia, etc etc. Quite the coalition of the willing you’ve assembled.”?

6) Let’s do some analysis, shall we?

Read the first passage you wrote: “3. India has a legitimate need for nuclear weapons due to China’s nuclear posture. If Pakistan knew how to behave itself, it wouldn’t have to worry about military confrontation with India. Unfortunately, you guys are too busy lying to yourselves about how you are destined to be the ruling class of the subcontinent.”

and then read my reply and move on to your second passage: “2. India does not have that luxury due to the five wars foisted on it by China and Pakistan alike. Why don’t you ask China to give up its nukes? So please don’t lecture me on hypocrisy given your own glass house.”

Now do some analysis. Got it? Now, who’s the hypocrite here? The one who suggested India has an enemy and therefore deserved to have nukes while demanding Pakistan to behave and stopped seeing India has an enemy, no?

7)”The difference between India and Pakistan is that it is trying to improve the situation through parliamentary reservations for women, legislation to punish criminals, and NGOs and government initiatives to tackle problems. Please compare the Hudood ordinances, legally sanctioned rape (ask mukhtar mai), and the blasphemy laws of your country. And I know you don’t want to talk about honor killing.”

You have just quoted Pakistan’s supreme court and you spoke about legally sanctioned rape? Things that didn’t befit with your idea about Pakistan aren’t worth quoting?

“India: 8% annual growth, millions lifted out of poverty, 200B dollars in reserves,a world beating services sector, a nascent manufacturing and pharma/biotech industry, membership in the G20 (where is pakistan in their btw?), a soft power envied by your communist patron and beloved by your arab friends, and the world’s largest democracy”

envied? loved by Arabs?? India’s GDP per capita is not that far away from Pakistan’s and worse than Sri Lanka’s and Maldives’. Terribly worse compared to China. But if you removed all the wealth owned by India’s billionaires, India’s GDP should equal to those in subsaharan africa.

9)”Pakistan: 10th on the failed state index (just four below afghanistan and in good company with subsaharan africa), millions reduced to poverty, sponsorship of religious extremism, oppression of women and minorities, army rule with a puppet civilian government, and a moribund aid-dependent economy.”

Pot, meet kettle. A quarter of India’s territory is under Naxxal. Keep living with the idea that Pakistan is the 10th failed state. It allows you to be mirrorless for a moment.

1. Maldives loves India because it restored its government after a coup attempt there (see operation cactus). Why don’t you ask Afghans whom their prefer? According to an ABC/BBC poll which I was to post, India polled 71% and Pakistan 2%. India has close relations with Bangladesh under Sheikh Hasina especially due to our liberation of that country after Pakistan’s genocide of 3 million people there. Sri Lanka and Nepal have traditional ties with India. The only country that you have left is itself a regional mafioso loathed by neighboring countries precisely for its bullying and imperial policies: see japan, vietnam, s korea, philippines, taiwan, russia, etc etc. Quite the coalition of the willing you’ve assembled.

2. India does not have that luxury due to the five wars foisted on it by China and Pakistan alike. Why don’t you ask China to give up its nukes? So please don’t lecture me on hypocrisy given your own glass house.

3. Not really, your own Pakistani Supreme Court censored your government for its treatment of the Northern Areas and POK. Assuming my link isn’t filtered through by the blog owner, here is the quote from the PSC: “it was not understandable on what basis the people of Northern Areas can be denied the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution” i.e. right to equality before law, right to reside and move freely, right to vote, right to be governed by their chosen representatives, right to form political parties, right to assemble peacefully, right to freedom of speech and expression, right to habeas corpus and against illegal detention, right to acquire, hold and dispose property, and the right to have access to an appellate court of justice for the enforcement of all other rights guaranteed under the latest constitution of the country (since independence, Pakistan has devised and binned three written constitutions and the standing fourth one was drawn up in 1985). The verdict was an eye opener to the world on the brutality, abuses and exactions perpetrated upon the five million inhabitants of POK and a vindication of the long-standing efforts of human rights activists within and outside the country to alter the grossly unfair treatment meted out to what is officially called “Azad Kashmir.”

another quote from the article: “residents of “Azad Kashmir” are mostly Sunni Muslim and predominantly Punjabi-speaking, with barely 20 percent Kashmiris”

I hope vivek lets that other commment through at least for the links or even just the links. Balwaris and the shiites in POK deserve to have their treatment by the pakistani punjabi martial class examined as well.

1. Perhaps you have forgotten the half million pandits who were driven out of the Kashmir Valley by your fundamentalists friends through an orchestrated campaign of rape and murder. Or the ladakhi buddhists and jammu hindus still treated like second class citizens. Or the kashmiri shias on their thoughts re: sunni pakistan. Or the kashmiri sikhs who were massacred at chattisinghpura (the US state dept finally corrected itself). Considering Pakistan’s extirpation of its minority population from 25% at partition to less than 1% now, I think we know who has the better claim and whose grievances are legitimate. It is only a matter of time before the Baloch answer that question once and for all.

2. India, as both I (in the held post) and Varun noted, admits its problems. India is also the second largest country in the world, so don’t bother with absolutes. The difference between India and Pakistan is that it is trying to improve the situation through parliamentary reservations for women, legislation to punish criminals, and NGOs and government initiatives to tackle problems. Please compare the Hudood ordinances, legally sanctioned rape (ask mukhtar mai), and the blasphemy laws of your country. And I know you don’t want to talk about honor killing.

India: 8% annual growth, millions lifted out of poverty, 200B dollars in reserves,a world beating services sector, a nascent manufacturing and pharma/biotech industry, membership in the G20 (where is pakistan in their btw?), a soft power envied by your communist patron and beloved by your arab friends, and the world’s largest democracy

Pakistan: 10th on the failed state index (just four below afghanistan and in good company with subsaharan africa), millions reduced to poverty, sponsorship of religious extremism, oppression of women and minorities, army rule with a puppet civilian government, and a moribund aid-dependent economy.

All you have to do is ask pakistani cabbies what country of origin they claim to american passengers to find out who really has more in common with subsaharan africa. Having rebutted all your points, I think anything you say at this stage will only make you silly. Might I suggest a graceful exit, sir. Adieu.