Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to Sri Lanka

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan’s planned address to the Sri Lankan parliament, during his upcoming visit to the island country, has been cancelled.

Mr Khan is scheduled to travel to Colombo on a two-day trip from Feb 22.

Besides his meetings with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and attending an investors’ conference, he was to address the Sri Lankan parliament on Feb 24.

It is said that the speech to parliament had been included in Mr Khan’s itinerary on Pakistan government’s request. However, it was later cancelled, according to Sri Lankan media. Media reports from Sri Lanka give different reasons for the cancellation of Mr Khan’s address.

Sri Lanka’s daily Express quoted Foreign Secretary Jayanath Colombage as having said that Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena had requested for cancellation on the pretext of Covid-19.

However, the same newspaper cited unnamed sources as saying that there were elements within the Sri Lankan government, who did not want the speech to take place as they feared that doing so could further harm ties with India, which have already been strained after the cancellation of a deal over the East Container Terminal in Colombo port.

It was expected that Mr Khan would raise the Kashmir issue during his speech, which could have upset Delhi. Similarly, giving opportunity to the Pakistani prime minister, Express newspaper said, could have been implied as giving Mr Khan parity to Mr Modi.

But, another speculation doing the rounds is that the Sri Lankan government was concerned about Mr Khan speaking about the rights of Muslims in Sri Lanka, who have faced abuses at the hands of Buddhist majority, rising anti-Muslim sentiments, and biased government actions.

The Sri Lankan government had, moreover, made its compulsory cremation rule for those dying from Covid-19 applicable to Muslims in the country. The government, however, earlier this month exempted the Muslims from cremation and allowed them to bury their dead after a global outcry over the issue.

Mr Khan had welcomed the Sri Lankan government’s decision. “We welcome Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa’s assurance given in Sri Lankan parliament today, allowing Muslims to bury those who died from Covid-19,” he had tweeted.

Foreign Office Spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri could not be reached for comments.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2021

 

[MenInG]

Seems some Indian influence on this.

If so, pretty sad.

 

[gazza619]

Makes sense from SL perspective though. They wouldnt want to mess around with India.

Pakistan should only raise Kashmir issue on platforms where it doesn't harm the friends.

 

[Mp812]

Sri Lanka has cancelled a planned address to its Parliament by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan next week, apparently because of concerns that he could rake up the Kashmir issue.Officials cited Covid-19-related restrictions as the reason for the move, though people familiar with developments in Colombo said on condition of anonymity that the Sri Lankan government had done a re-think following discussions on the implications of Khan raising the Kashmir issue in his speech

 

[Giannis]

Sri Lanka has cancelled a planned address to its Parliament by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan next week, apparently because of concerns that he could rake up the Kashmir issue.Officials cited Covid-19-related restrictions as the reason for the move, though people familiar with developments in Colombo said on condition of anonymity that the Sri Lankan government had done a re-think following discussions on the implications of Khan raising the Kashmir issue in his speech

There's no point of bringing up Kashmir in Sri Lanka when they've been committing genocide against Tamils

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will be visiting Sri Lanka on February 23 for two days, the Foreign Office confirmed after weeks of speculation Friday.

He has been invited by his Sri Lanka counterpart Mahindra Rajapaksa.

This will be the premier's first visit to Sri Lanka since he has assumed office.

PM Khan will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including members of the Cabinet and senior officials.

Meetings with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa are on the agenda.

Besides bilateral matters, views will be exchanged on key regional and international issues, the FO statement read.

The premier's programme is still being finalised and despite attempts by Pakistan, PM Khan’s address to the Sri Lankan Parliament had to be scrapped, The News reported officials as saying.

During the visit, the reconstitution of the Sri Lanka-Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Association will be also announced to further promote parliamentary exchanges between the two countries.

The premier will participate in a joint ‘Trade and Investment Conference’ to promote trade and investment between the two countries. A number of MoUs to enhance bilateral cooperation will be signed during the visit.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka have maintained close, cordial and mutually supportive relations since 1948. The two countries share commonality of views on a wide range of international and regional issues. Both sides also work closely at the international and regional fora including the United Nations and SAARC.

Sri Lanka cancelled the premier's scheduled address to the country’s Parliament due to coronavirus restrictions, it was reported by Sri Lankan publication Daily Express earlier this week.

Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary Jayanath Colombage told the publication that Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena had asked the government to cancel the address as he could not ensure full attendance because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Read more: Muslim countries should stand up to Islamophobia, says PM Imran Khan

The publication also quoted Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena saying that Colombo had added PM Imran Khan’s address at the request of Islamabad.

The newspaper reported that the address could have also been cancelled due to fears of certain government officials that it might "sour" ties with India.

The cancelled address was scheduled to take place on February 24 as part of the two-day trip of the prime minister.

Had the address not been cancelled then PM Imran Khan would have become the third Pakistani leader to address the Sri Lankan legislature.

Only two Pakistani leaders — President Ayub Khan and Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto — have addressed the Sri Lankan Parliament before.

GEO

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Look forward to welcoming the Prime Minister of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pakistan?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pakistan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImranKhanPTI</a> and his delegation in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SriLanka?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SriLanka</a> next week. This visit will further reinforce our bilateral relationship and pave way for joint ventures that mutually benefit both our nations. <a href="https://t.co/2nm8IVaU9i">https://t.co/2nm8IVaU9i</a></p>— Mahinda Rajapaksa (@PresRajapaksa) <a href="https://twitter.com/PresRajapaksa/status/1362959257251893252?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Usually these speeches talk in very vague terms about cooperation and trade etc...essentially just fluff. .
It reflects pretty poorly on Imran if they think that he is going to use this speech to take digs against India and for personal attacks.

 

[Rajdeep]

People know that Imran has nothing to talk about except Kashmir. He is obsessed with Kashmir at the expense of his own country. No wonder we are a laughing stock and we are snubbed wherever we go!

Think it also depends on the aura of the leader. I mean everyone knew that Modi will talk about 1971 war in Dhaka university or about cross border terrorism in Dubai stadium but he was allowed. Not only he was allowed but given red carpet welcome. Saying No to Modi would damage relationship with an emerging market like India and no one can afford to take that risk. With Pakistan, there is nothing to loose and other countries are taking that liberty.

 

[Local.Dada]

Think it also depends on the aura of the leader. I mean everyone knew that Modi will talk about 1971 war in Dhaka university or about cross border terrorism in Dubai stadium but he was allowed. Not only he was allowed but given red carpet welcome. Saying No to Modi would damage relationship with an emerging market like India and no one can afford to take that risk. With Pakistan, there is nothing to loose and other countries are taking that liberty.

Also don’t know why Kashmir is such a burning issue when there is an economy at the verge of bankruptcy and there is a Pandemic going on.

Apart from a well equipped army don’t know what Pakistan has to offer to most countries especially even the developing ones like SL,Bang etc leave alone the big countries.

This is not a dig. If a guy like Imran who was supposed to be different from all other politicians goes through the same rhetoric as others, it is disappointing. I thought Imran will mess up because he won’t know how to play the political game and his own rules of morality and his impractical dreams. However he seems to just be a watered down alternative.

You can disagree. Now I will be bombarded with abuses about Modi etc but I am trying to be as constructive as possible in my assessment of Imran. I might be wrong because I don’t claim to be a geo political expert.

 

[moghul]

Considering expected reaction from India, I'm surprised this was even planned earlier.

Being weak nations, SL and BD cannot afford to make India unhappy.

 

[Hornbill]

Think it also depends on the aura of the leader. I mean everyone knew that Modi will talk about 1971 war in Dhaka university or about cross border terrorism in Dubai stadium but he was allowed. Not only he was allowed but given red carpet welcome. Saying No to Modi would damage relationship with an emerging market like India and no one can afford to take that risk. With Pakistan, there is nothing to loose and other countries are taking that liberty.

Lol @ aura Modiji is even scared to take the name of the country which brutally killed Indian soldiers

 

[Hornbill]

Considering expected reaction from India, I'm surprised this was even planned earlier.

Being weak nations, SL and BD cannot afford to make India unhappy.

Just like pakistan which can't make china unhappy by raising concerns about mistreatment of muslims

 

[Slog]

Think it also depends on the aura of the leader. I mean everyone knew that Modi will talk about 1971 war in Dhaka university or about cross border terrorism in Dubai stadium but he was allowed. Not only he was allowed but given red carpet welcome. Saying No to Modi would damage relationship with an emerging market like India and no one can afford to take that risk. With Pakistan, there is nothing to loose and other countries are taking that liberty.

Lol modi’s creepy jhappian has aura

 

[Slog]

Also don’t know why Kashmir is such a burning issue when there is an economy at the verge of bankruptcy and there is a Pandemic going on.

Apart from a well equipped army don’t know what Pakistan has to offer to most countries especially even the developing ones like SL,Bang etc leave alone the big countries.

This is not a dig. If a guy like Imran who was supposed to be different from all other politicians goes through the same rhetoric as others, it is disappointing. I thought Imran will mess up because he won’t know how to play the political game and his own rules of morality and his impractical dreams. However he seems to just be a watered down alternative.

You can disagree. Now I will be bombarded with abuses about Modi etc but I am trying to be as constructive as possible in my assessment of Imran. I might be wrong because I don’t claim to be a geo political expert.

You would be taken seriously if you didn’t see Modi as a supreme leader who can make no mistakes. Guy has a global headline grabbing protest against him every year and might be only world leader today who has history of being banned from entering western countries... so maybe your criticism may be taken on board seriously and considered constructive if you didn’t think Modi was best thing since sliced bread lol.

 

[Rajdeep]

You would be taken seriously if you didn’t see Modi as a supreme leader who can make no mistakes. Guy has a global headline grabbing protest against him every year and might be only world leader today who has history of being banned from entering western countries... so maybe your criticism may be taken on board seriously and considered constructive if you didn’t think Modi was best thing since sliced bread lol.

The issue is you are only reading limited bad press he gets in international media and ignoring the rock star reception he gets everywhere....let it be Dhaka, UAE, Sydney, London or NY. You will also ignore the highest civilian award in UAE, the Global globekeeping awards or the standing ouvation he recieved in US congress but will remember his visa was banned when he was not even PM. But living in denial will not change the reality that he is one of the most important global leader.

And dont worry about headline grabbing protests...they are just for that 'headline grabbing'. Every Indian is well aware of that and the reason his approval rating is constantly highest among all world leaders:
https://morningconsult.com/form/global-leader-approval/

 

[Vegitto1]

Lol it’s funny how Indians here come and talk as if their country is better than other countries in the sub-continent.

The only advantage India has is its size and large population which, in today’s capitalist world is a commercial market everyone wants access to.

Name one thing that India has achieved which other sub-continental countries have not achieved? All achievements are to do with the fact that it is a large market.

On top of that, it has received vast ambit of aid from USA as it needed a lackey in the region to compete with China. So just like Pakistan receives large amount of aid from China, India receives aid and commercial investments from USA and Europe.

Chinese are much more qualified and educated that Indians or Pakistanis but USA would rather have US companies give business to India than China. This too is a form of aid.

To conclude, the only thing India has over others is its large size and the advantages that come with it and absolutely nothing else.

 

[RajBan]

Even today US companies and others from West have far more investments in terms of manufacturing of textiles, electronics , infact tissue paper as well in China as opposed to India. And India does not take any monetary aid any more. It might look for favourable business deals but not plain simple cash aid. This has been the norm for last 2 decades regardless whether the govt is Cong or BJP.

 

[Slog]

The issue is you are only reading limited bad press he gets in international media and ignoring the rock star reception he gets everywhere....let it be Dhaka, UAE, Sydney, London or NY. You will also ignore the highest civilian award in UAE, the Global globekeeping awards or the standing ouvation he recieved in US congress but will remember his visa was banned when he was not even PM. But living in denial will not change the reality that he is one of the most important global leader.

And dont worry about headline grabbing protests...they are just for that 'headline grabbing'. Every Indian is well aware of that and the reason his approval rating is constantly highest among all world leaders:
https://morningconsult.com/form/global-leader-approval/

Lol quoting Indians’ unmatched reverence for Modi isn’t exactly the smartest reply to a post which is pointing out how Indians fall in line to Modi as if he’s the Supreme Leader... you’re just confirming what I said and is all the more reason why there isn’t any credibility on your part. But understanding the nuance of that may be behind you...

 

[MenInG]

Colombo, Feb 23 (PTI) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will hold wide-ranging talks with Sri Lankan leaders on various issues such as trade, defence and technology during his one-day visit to the island nation.

Khan, who is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka on Tuesday evening, will hold deliberations with his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa. He will meet President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday, the foreign ministry has confirmed.

The bilateral talks are expected to focus on various sectors including trade, investment, health, education, agriculture, technology, defence and tourism.

This is the first visit by a Pakistan prime minister to Sri Lanka since Nawaz Sharif visited the country in 2016.

Khan’s last visit to Sri Lanka was in 1986 when he was the captain of Pakistan cricket team during the acrimonious Test series where he accused the local umpires of bias.

Khan’s visit coincides the current controversy over the forced cremations of the island’s minority Muslim community members who die due to the COVID-19. The government continues its policy of forced cremations despite objections from rights groups.

Khan congratulated Sri Lanka earlier this month when Prime Minister Mahinda made a comment in parliament that burials would be allowed for Muslim victims of COVID-19. However, the decision is yet to be implemented.

International rights group Amnesty International in an open letter to Khan had urged him to take up the issue of forced cremations with Sri Lankan leaders during his visit.

“We urge you to raise this issue of forced cremations at the highest levels possible during your visit to Sri Lanka, in solidarity with a minority community who has been stripped of any means of recourse. We urge you to call upon the Government of Sri Lanka to stop forced cremations and to bring to an end discrimination faced by the Muslim community in Sri Lanka,” the letter said. PTI CORR RS RS

 

[Local.Dada]

Lol it’s funny how Indians here come and talk as if their country is better than other countries in the sub-continent.

The only advantage India has is its size and large population which, in today’s capitalist world is a commercial market everyone wants access to.

Name one thing that India has achieved which other sub-continental countries have not achieved? All achievements are to do with the fact that it is a large market.

On top of that, it has received vast ambit of aid from USA as it needed a lackey in the region to compete with China. So just like Pakistan receives large amount of aid from China, India receives aid and commercial investments from USA and Europe.

Chinese are much more qualified and educated that Indians or Pakistanis but USA would rather have US companies give business to India than China. This too is a form of aid.

To conclude, the only thing India has over others is its large size and the advantages that come with it and absolutely nothing else.

I don’t get this India is a large market excuse. Pakistan is no Newzealand when it comes to population. It is also right up there when it comes to population, what is Pakistan’s excuse for being way behind in all
Parameters?

 

[cricketjoshila]

I don’t get this India is a large market excuse. Pakistan is no Newzealand when it comes to population. It is also right up there when it comes to population, what is Pakistan’s excuse for being way behind in all
Parameters?

You are talking to someone who thinks investment and business is aid. Good luck with getting a proper answer to why pakistani economy is a basket case.

 

[Local.Dada]

Lol quoting Indians’ unmatched reverence for Modi isn’t exactly the smartest reply to a post which is pointing out how Indians fall in line to Modi as if he’s the Supreme Leader... you’re just confirming what I said and is all the more reason why there isn’t any credibility on your part. But understanding the nuance of that may be behind you...

I know that seeing either military dictators or selected democratic governments, it has blurred the lines for you a bit but Modi is a democratically elected leader of the worlds largest democracy. He won it fair and square. Sure, there are still people who disagree with him and if he doesn’t deliver, will be replaced next elections. Indira Gandhi was not spared and that too in 70’s fresh of the Bangladesh war, when people were way more backward and didn’t have access to information.

Sometimes it is tough to explain the complexities of Indian democracy to specially Pakistanis I guess. My full sympathies (mean it). Not everything is as simple as a coup or then changing back to democracy every 4-5 years.

 

[the Great Khan]

I know that seeing either military dictators or selected democratic governments, it has blurred the lines for you a bit but Modi is a democratically elected leader of the worlds largest democracy. He won it fair and square. Sure, there are still people who disagree with him and if he doesn’t deliver, will be replaced next elections. Indira Gandhi was not spared and that too in 70’s fresh of the Bangladesh war, when people were way more backward and didn’t have access to information.

Sometimes it is tough to explain the complexities of Indian democracy to specially Pakistanis I guess. My full sympathies (mean it). Not everything is as simple as a coup or then changing back to democracy every 4-5 years.

Imran Khan is a democratically elected leader. this nonsense about selection is simply utter nonsense and is actually racist. It implies Pakistanis are too thick to vote in a leader they like.
You cant hide behind "complexities" like the Israelis do when it comes to their occupation. There is a clear change in the political body of India towards a hardline nationalism. There is no other way to hide this fact.

 

[Local.Dada]

Imran Khan is a democratically elected leader. this nonsense about selection is simply utter nonsense and is actually racist. It implies Pakistanis are too thick to vote in a leader they like.
You cant hide behind "complexities" like the Israelis do when it comes to their occupation. There is a clear change in the political body of India towards a hardline nationalism. There is no other way to hide this fact.

There is nothing racist about it. A person with a gun on their head doing what is told is not exactly an idiot , he is just a victim of circumstance.

Anyway sure, I don’t want to speculate on how Pakistanis feel about who runs the show in Pakistan, so fair point.

Howver you seem to fall under the same problem of drinking the popular narrative kool aid too

Bihar has a regional party
All 5 South states have either local/Non BJP parties
Punjab,Rajasthan,MP have congress govt
Bengal has a regional party
BJP finally made inroads into North east but even there they work with local parties

I have just named you almost all the important states in India in terms of population and economy, It is not like Modi is a dictator running the entire show in what happens in South or Bengal or anywhere else:

Hindu feeling etc only takes you that far in India, there are languages,dialects,castes,religions etc etc at play here, Indian democracy is nothing like Pakistan. Don’t even try.

 

[the Great Khan]

I don’t get this India is a large market excuse. Pakistan is no Newzealand when it comes to population. It is also right up there when it comes to population, what is Pakistan’s excuse for being way behind in all
Parameters?

Its a very simple equation. We had years of governments who stole taxpayers money. Then to pay the bills they took massive loans from international donors. At the same time these same governments proceeded to refuse to increase the tax base. Combine that with nearly twenty years of sanctions, a 15 year war that killed 70k people, a refusal from the west to invest unless we "did more" which were sanctions but with another name, the deindustrialisation of the economy by Nawaz sharif and zardari and you have the mess that IK is trying to fix.

Now people will also say well the army did this and that and they will be right as dictatorships are never good for any country. However the civilians were given chance after chance and either stole state secrets to sell or stole wealth to deposit in foreign economies.

India didnt have this problem. By and large land reform destroyed the waderas, the civilian class were patriotic and didnt decide to sell the nation from under its people, and hence why the army kept out of things.

In the ,long term with the right environment Pakistan can be a good sized economy, with a significicant bread basket to feed people, and manufacturing. Also having a relatively decent sized service economy.

 

[the Great Khan]

There is nothing racist about it. A person with a gun on their head doing what is told is not exactly an idiot , he is just a victim of circumstance.

Anyway sure, I don’t want to speculate on how Pakistanis feel about who runs the show in Pakistan, so fair point.

Howver you seem to fall under the same problem of drinking the popular narrative kool aid too

Bihar has a regional party
All 5 South states have either local/Non BJP parties
Punjab,Rajasthan,MP have congress govt
Bengal has a regional party
BJP finally made inroads into North east but even there they work with local parties

I have just named you almost all the important states in India in terms of population and economy, It is not like Modi is a dictator running the entire show in what happens in South or Bengal or anywhere else:

Hindu feeling etc only takes you that far in India, there are languages,dialects,castes,religions etc etc at play here, Indian democracy is nothing like Pakistan. Don’t even try.

see your once again falling in to the army controls everything trope. Just as you have tried to explain india to us we are explaining Pakistan to you. Its not as simple as "the army controls everything if they werent in charge India would have peace with Pakistan"...

The military has its influence and Imran has his. Where the army gets involved is when politicians decide that the country is there to be looted and its national interests sold to the highest bidder. IK is nothing like that. The sooner Indians accept this the quicker we will get peace.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I know that seeing either military dictators or selected democratic governments, it has blurred the lines for you a bit but Modi is a democratically elected leader of the worlds largest democracy. He won it fair and square. Sure, there are still people who disagree with him and if he doesn’t deliver, will be replaced next elections. Indira Gandhi was not spared and that too in 70’s fresh of the Bangladesh war, when people were way more backward and didn’t have access to information.

Sometimes it is tough to explain the complexities of Indian democracy to specially Pakistanis I guess. My full sympathies (mean it). Not everything is as simple as a coup or then changing back to democracy every 4-5 years.

What is complex about it? Modi is a hindutva with a hardline background, and he appeals to a hindu majority population which is largely sympathetic to his hindu first message.

 

[Local.Dada]

Its a very simple equation. We had years of governments who stole taxpayers money. Then to pay the bills they took massive loans from international donors. At the same time these same governments proceeded to refuse to increase the tax base. Combine that with nearly twenty years of sanctions, a 15 year war that killed 70k people, a refusal from the west to invest unless we "did more" which were sanctions but with another name, the deindustrialisation of the economy by Nawaz sharif and zardari and you have the mess that IK is trying to fix.

Now people will also say well the army did this and that and they will be right as dictatorships are never good for any country. However the civilians were given chance after chance and either stole state secrets to sell or stole wealth to deposit in foreign economies.

India didnt have this problem. By and large land reform destroyed the waderas, the civilian class were patriotic and didnt decide to sell the nation from under its people, and hence why the army kept out of things.

In the ,long term with the right environment Pakistan can be a good sized economy, with a significicant bread basket to feed people, and manufacturing. Also having a relatively decent sized service economy.

Good luck and good for the common people if that happens. So basically you are acknowledging that India has done a lot of things right than the usual rhetoric. See this is a constructive discussion.

In India we have some of the most corrupt politicians too but our Army never interfered. Our people were smart enough to throw them out. As I said BJP has lost before and will surely lose sometime in the future again when there is a better alternative. So did Indira Gandhi and other popular leaders.

You can’t expect a guy with a gun to always be fair.

This is a deeper debate. Yes Pakistanis finally seem to have gone sick of the whole circus but is Imran that component guy, that I is not my place to judge.

 

[Local.Dada]

What is complex about it? Modi is a hindutva with a hardline background, and he appeals to a hindu majority population which is largely sympathetic to his hindu first message.

Its simple to you because you have made up your mind clearly.

 

[the Great Khan]

Good luck and good for the common people if that happens. So basically you are acknowledging that India has done a lot of things right than the usual rhetoric. See this is a constructive discussion.

In India we have some of the most corrupt politicians too but our Army never interfered. Our people were smart enough to throw them out. As I said BJP has lost before and will surely lose sometime in the future again when there is a better alternative. So did Indira Gandhi and other popular leaders.

You can’t expect a guy with a gun to always be fair.

This is a deeper debate. Yes Pakistanis finally seem to have gone sick of the whole circus but is Imran that component guy, that I is not my place to judge.

Yes India has done somethings right I dont think there is any harm in acknowledging it. For example holding elections on that scale is something Pakistan can look at and learn from. If Modi were not in charge I suspect there would be a different atmosphere with imran in charge.

Land reform and ensuring politicians werent trying to sell their nation, rule of law and the assurance of security to the army and the populace were some basics that india managed. However the dynamics are different. Modern India emerged with a very large part of the leftover of the Raj. The majority of its army, industry, institutions. We couldnt even make pencils. We had to start from scratch coupled with the mass killings people endured and the collective memory of it. It is ingrained in the psyche of many pakistanis. You have large swathes in india who are not encumbered by the horrors of partition.

I have said this before Pakistan is an "insecure" state that feels threatened and knows that its neighbour has the ability to destroy it. Hence why the military is such a core part of society. its like Israel but without the occupation.

Coming onto competence, he is way more competent than any civilian elected politician in the last thirty years. He has just finished implementing universal health care for KP province which Nehru would be proud about, and has launched this same scheme for 110 million people in Punjab. That in itself is a massive achievement in a country like Pakistan. there are other things he is doing but thats for another thread.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Its simple to you because you have made up your mind clearly.

Doesn't matter what I think, I can't make people vote for Modi or decide his party manifesto. Not sure what there is to argue about anyway, is there something to be ashamed of in his call to hindu supremacy?

 

[Local.Dada]

Doesn't matter what I think, I can't make people vote for Modi or decide his party manifesto. Not sure what there is to argue about anyway, is there something to be ashamed of in his call to hindu supremacy?

Of course it doesn’t matter what you think apart from the more obvious reasons

The only thing I was saying here is people voted for Modi for a lot more
Reasons apart from Some Hindu ummah .

As everyone in the world knows
Hindus have been around for ever.

RSS,BJP VHP etc have been around for a long time.

So May be things are not as black and white like issuing a call for Hindu supremacy or whatever. That is not even the right over-simplification of a complex matter, it’s very juvenile and dumb.

since you rightfully said it doesn’t matter what you think, which most people here acknowledge too, I was just breaking it down. I just felt I had a decent 2 way conversation with The great Khan, you are not adding anything of value to it.

you seem to be harping on the same thing over and over so If I don’t still take the clue and give up, it is definitely on me lol.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Of course it doesn’t matter what you think apart from the more obvious reasons

The only thing I was saying here is people voted for Modi for a lot more
Reasons apart from Some Hindu ummah .

As everyone in the world knows
Hindus have been around for ever.

RSS,BJP VHP etc have been around for a long time.

So May be things are not as black and white like issuing a call for Hindu supremacy or whatever. That is not even the right over-simplification of a complex matter, it’s very juvenile and dumb.

since you rightfully said it doesn’t matter what you think, which most people here acknowledge too, I was just breaking it down. I just felt I had a decent 2 way conversation with The great Khan, you are not adding anything of value to it.

you seem to be harping on the same thing over and over so If I don’t still take the clue and give up, it is definitely on me lol.

It's not really the thread for it, but if there were so many other reasons for people voting for Modi, why does he keep promoting hindu hardliners like Yogi Adityanath? What is the message they are sending?

Of course I am too simple to understand the intricacies, I read the posts of his supporters like yourself and come to these conclusions for some reason.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImranKhanPTI</a> was accorded a red carpet welcome at the Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo.<br>&#55356;&#56821;&#55356;&#56816;&#55358;&#56605;&#55356;&#57341;&#55356;&#56817;&#55356;&#56816;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PMIKinSriLanka?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PMIKinSriLanka</a> <a href="https://t.co/woLSiDrXFs">pic.twitter.com/woLSiDrXFs</a></p>— Prime Minister's Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/PakPMO/status/1364188017251020804?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Itachi]

Lol it’s funny how Indians here come and talk as if their country is better than other countries in the sub-continent.

The only advantage India has is its size and large population which, in today’s capitalist world is a commercial market everyone wants access to.

Name one thing that India has achieved which other sub-continental countries have not achieved? All achievements are to do with the fact that it is a large market.

On top of that, it has received vast ambit of aid from USA as it needed a lackey in the region to compete with China. So just like Pakistan receives large amount of aid from China, India receives aid and commercial investments from USA and Europe.

Chinese are much more qualified and educated that Indians or Pakistanis but USA would rather have US companies give business to India than China. This too is a form of aid.

To conclude, the only thing India has over others is its large size and the advantages that come with it and absolutely nothing else.

Large size, large population. The greatest asset in current world. In eyes of God, it's human resource that counts, not materialistic goods and we should follow HIS standard so that we can have a pious life.

 

[Local.Dada]

Large size, large population. The greatest asset in current world. In eyes of God, it's human resource that counts, not materialistic goods and we should follow HIS standard so that we can have a pious life.

It’s ironic. According to some
Posters, Countries invest in India because it is a large market on side but India is full of toilet problem and filled with poverty on the other side.

I wonder who is consuming all these products that these multinationals are targeting, must be only in the Ambani, Kohli,SRK, Sachin Tendulkar households.

 

[Last Monetarist]

 

[gani999]

It’s ironic. According to some
Posters, Countries invest in India because it is a large market on side but India is full of toilet problem and filled with poverty on the other side.

I wonder who is consuming all these products that these multinationals are targeting, must be only in the Ambani, Kohli,SRK, Sachin Tendulkar households.

There's poverty even in advanced countries like the USA. It doesn't reduce their consumption or the strength of their economy in any way.

It's not just the Adanis and Ambanis. India's economy rests on its middle/upper middle class population, most of whom have high incomes and lifestyles rivalling, sometimes even bettering those in Western economies. About 40% of India falls in this category, which is about 450 million people.

An economy with 450 million rich and voracious consumers is a goldmine for any investor wanting to make a buck. Hence the global interest in India.

This is not to say that poverty doesn't exist. It does, and India is home to some of the most miserable and poor people in the world. The ones outside the upper middle, middle and super rich classes have a hard life indeed, with some of them not knowing where their next meal is coming from. This too is the reality of India.

Most big countries exist at various levels, so does India. You can't have homogeneity beyond a particular scale. To say that all of India is poor is simply missing the point.

 

[Local.Dada]

There's poverty even in advanced countries like the USA. It doesn't reduce their consumption or the strength of their economy in any way.

It's not just the Adanis and Ambanis. India's economy rests on its middle/upper middle class population, most of whom have high incomes and lifestyles rivalling, sometimes even bettering those in Western economies. About 40% of India falls in this category, which is about 450 million people.

An economy with 450 million rich and voracious consumers is a goldmine for any investor wanting to make a buck. Hence the global interest in India.

This is not to say that poverty doesn't exist. It does, and India is home to some of the most miserable and poor people in the world. The ones outside the upper middle, middle and super rich classes have a hard life indeed, with some of them not knowing where their next meal is coming from. This too is the reality of India.

Most big countries exist at various levels, so does India. You can't have homogeneity beyond a particular scale. To say that all of India is poor is simply missing the point.

That comment was for some Pakistani friends. India is attractive to these foreign investments because it has one of the largest middle class in the world along with huge poverty problem and also having a lot of billionaires as well.

Rich might be corrupt and cutthroat , poor might be neglected but middle class spending habits and growth is usually the direct result of opportunities and pathways they get. This is provided by the ruling
government or by educated and smart people not stuck on religion (harsh but true) creating these
Opportunities.

So the point some Pakistanis miss out is that these investments don’t come through because of just the size of the population. They invest here because they see spending potential of the Indian consumer,internal security of the country, ease of business etc and that has increased solely because of some great steps our governments past and present have taken along with the mistakes they have made as well.

Sorry to generalize but cricket gives us a good insight here on the attitudes.

Indian cricket worked on and on till they found a competent attack. In Pakistan every squad is filled with 4-5 players who have hardly played a season of domestic cricket. It’s because it seems Pakistan fans want a messiah and instant gratification where as Indians seem to work organically and plug the holes as we go along.

They seem to gravitate towards Afridi and Akthars of the world and their showman ship than a guy who puts his head down and works hard like a Misbah.

 

[MenInG]

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said that he was looking forward to enhancing trade ties with Sri Lanka through the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Khan, in an address following his meeting with his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa, said that his maiden visit is aimed at strengthening the bilateral relationship.


It is to strengthen our trading ties. Pakistan is part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) of China, the CPEC is one of its flagship programmes," he said.

Khan said that the CPEC means connectivity right up to Central Asia.

"We also discussed other areas where we can enhance our trading ties where Sri Lanka can benefit from Pakistan's connectivity in the future, right up to central Asia. And our trading ties will also mean that the two countries will get together," he said.

The CPEC, which connects Gwadar Port in Balochistan with China's Xinjiang province, is the flagship project of Chinese President Xi Jinping's ambitious BRI.

India has been severely critical of the BRI as the USD 50 billion CPEC, which is part of the BRI, passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Khan and Mahinda held a one-on-one meeting at Temple Trees, the official residence of the Sri Lankan prime minister here, Pakistan's Prime Minister's Office said in a tweet.

The meeting was followed by delegation-level talks between Khan and Mahinda, it said.

Khan said Pakistan was pleased to help Sri Lanka in combatting terrorism, asserting that terrorism has impeded the island nation's development and growth as a country which relies on tourism.

He said Pakistan has also suffered from terrorism and in the last 10 years, tourism dried up and hardly any investment came into Pakistan due to the threat of terrorism.

Khan in his address also recalled his past cricketing links with Sri Lanka, saying he was pleased that the country has become a strong cricketing nation.

Khan, who is the first head of state to visit Sri Lanka since the COVID-19 pandemic, will hold meetings with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday.

He will also participate in a joint Trade and Investment Conference' aimed at promoting trade and investment between the two countries. A number of agreements to enhance bilateral cooperation will be signed during the visit.

This is Khan's first visit to Sri Lanka after assuming the office in 2018. His last visit to Sri Lanka was in 1986 when he was the captain of Pakistan cricket team during the acrimonious cricket test match series where he accused the local umpires of bias.

This is the first visit by a Pakistan prime minister to Sri Lanka since Nawaz Sharif visited the country in 2016.

Ahead of his visit, the Sri Lankan government last week cancelled Khan's planned speech to Parliament, citing the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is said that the speech to Parliament had been included in Khan's itinerary at the Pakistan government's request. The address was scheduled for February 24.

Dawn newspaper quoting Sri Lankan media reports said that there were elements within the Sri Lankan government, who did not want the speech to take place as they feared that doing so could further harm ties with India, which have already been strained after the cancellation of a deal over the East Container Terminal in Colombo port.

Khan's visit also coincides the current controversy over the forced cremations of the island's minority Muslim community members who die due to the COVID-19. The government continues its policy of forced cremations despite objections from rights groups.

Khan congratulated Sri Lanka earlier this month when Prime Minister Mahinda made a comment in Parliament that burials would be allowed for Muslim victims of COVID-19. However, the decision is yet to be implemented.

International rights group Amnesty International, in an open letter to Khan, had urged him to take up the issue of forced cremations with Sri Lankan leaders during his visit.

"We urge you to raise this issue of forced cremations at the highest levels possible during your visit to Sri Lanka, in solidarity with a minority community who has been stripped of any means of recourse. We urge you to call upon the Government of Sri Lanka to stop forced cremations and to bring to an end discrimination faced by the Muslim community in Sri Lanka, the letter added.

https://www.business-standard.com/a...th-sri-lanka-through-cpec-121022301434_1.html

 

[MenInG]

Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Wednesday that the only way forward for the subcontinent is to resolve existing issues through dialogue.

"Immediately when I came into power, I approached our neighbour India and explained to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the way forward for the subcontinent is to resolve our differences through dialogue.

"I didn't succeed but I am optimistic that eventually sense will prevail. The only way the subcontinent can tackle poverty is by improving trade relations. Let us live like civilised neighbours as the Europeans live."

The prime minister expressed the views while addressing the Pakistan-Sri Lanka Trade and Investment Conference in Colombo, aimed at promoting trade and investment between the two countries.


"Germany and France have fought multiple times, but today it is unthinkable for them to have a conflict because they are so interlinked due to trade. Similarly, my dream for the subcontinent is that we resolve our differences," he said, adding that the Kashmir issue was the only conflict in the region.

"All we want is for the Kashmir dispute to be resolved according to the United Nations Security Council resolutions and this can only be achieved through dialogue."

The prime minister said that a conflict between two nations only breeds more conflict. "We need to resolve our differences through dialogue and not through conflict. Imagine the potential for trade within the subcontinent," he said, adding that the only thing stopping the region from realising this potential was the inability to resolve differences through dialogue.

He expressed the hope that Pakistan could also play its part in reducing rising tensions between the United States and China. "We would much rather be a country that brings other nations and humanity together," he said.

Poverty alleviation
PM Imran began his address by stating that poverty alleviation was his motivation behind entering politics. "Twenty five years ago, I entered politics because I felt that the best way to reduce poverty in our country was to setup a welfare state," adding that he realised that the Sri Lankan leadership was also motivated by poverty alleviation.

He said that during his meeting with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the two discussed how to bring down the rising cost of food items. Earlier today, the premier called on the Sri Lankan president for a one-on-one meeting at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.

"He told me how he went to China and visited various farms where the gap between the wholesale and the retail [market] had been reduced."

In Pakistan, a huge gap exists between these two, he said, adding that he was going to take the Sri Lankan president's input on board.

"The other way we can reduce poverty is through investment and promoting profitability in business. We have completely changed our policies in Pakistan," he said, adding that in the past, government policies had impeded foreign investment.

Stating that the country's ranking on the Ease of Doing Business index had improved, PM Imran said that the whole idea was to generate wealth to uplift the underprivileged. "This is what China did."

The prime minister also touched on the relations between the two countries, saying that Pakistan could learn the most from Sri Lanka in terms of tourism.

"You have a much more advanced tourism industry compared to us. Pakistan has enormous potential for tourism but that potential has been limited to local tourism so far, not foreign tourism."

At the end of his address, PM Imran once again urged the Sri Lankan business community to participate in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project. "It gives you the opportunity of connecting from Gwadar right up to Uzbekistan and the central Asian states.

"This is the connectivity that Pakistan offers [...] we have these special economic zones which give incentives to businesses to set up industries there. So I invite Sri Lankan businesses, businessmen and investment, you can come over to Pakistan."

'Focus is economic diplomacy'
Addressing the conference, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the two countries have to look at how to improve bilateral relations.

"When Imran Khan took reins of the government, our economic indicators were pointing in the wrong direction. [But] in two-and-a-half years we have achieved, to a large extent, economic stability," he said, adding that the focus had now shifted towards growth.

Pakistan has moved up a number of places in the Ease of Doing Business ranking and the government is also facilitating investment, he said. "Our focus has shifted from geo-politics to geo-economics," he said.

He added that the aim was to make Pakistan a hub of economic activity, while focusing on development and connectivity. Addressing the participants of the conference, he said that the Foreign Office was committed to assisting and facilitating Sri Lankan businessmen.

"Our focus is economic diplomacy. You are welcome to come to Pakistan, you will see how hospitable it will be," he concluded.

Dawood appeals to business community
Commerce Adviser Abdul Razak Dawood said that the aim of the conference was to bring the business communities of the two countries together to explore new ideas and opportunities for increasing trade and investment.

"Fellow business people, under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, we have come here not to fear the future but to shape it," he said.

The adviser maintained that while there is trade between the two countries, it is not "good enough" and doesn't match the relationship between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

He said that Pakistan has made a dramatic economic turnaround and is witnessing industrial growth. "So take advantage of this," he said in an appeal to the Sri Lankan business community.

"We stand at a moment where our capacity to change the economic relationship is unmatched [...]. We must not accept the current level of economic relations and must imagine future relations," he said.

PM Imran meets Sri Lankan president
Earlier today, PM Imran called on the Sri Lankan president at the President House in Colombo. According to the Prime Minister's Office, the one-on-one meeting between the two leaders was followed by delegation-level talks.

"The premier underlined the exceptional quality of Pakistan-Sri Lanka relations marked by trust, understanding and mutual support. The prime minister emphasised the importance of building a robust economic partnership characterised by enhanced bilateral trade, investments, and commercial cooperation," the statement said.

The prime minister also laid emphasis on deeper collaboration in diverse fields — particularly agriculture, tourism, science and technology, sports, education and culture. The importance of sharing experiences in poverty alleviation was also stressed.

The prime minister underlined that Pakistan and Sri Lanka had always stood by each other. He re-affirmed Pakistan’s steadfast support to Sri Lanka in the future. The close cooperation between the two sides in the multilateral fora was re-affirmed, the statement said.

While noting the close traditional and cultural ties between the two countries, PM Imran highlighted that Pakistan has the potential of being a choice destination for religious tourism for Sri Lankan people. He particularly highlighted the rich Buddhist heritage of Pakistan.

"In the regional context, the premier shared his vision of peace, development, and connectivity. He also emphasized the importance of regional cooperation through the platform of SAARC and the opportunities for regional prosperity through CPEC, the flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative," the statement said.

PM Imran extended a cordial invitation to President Rajapaksa to visit Pakistan at the earliest convenience, the statement concluded.

 

[MenInG]

COLOMBO: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday approved the grant of Rs52 million to Sri Lanka for the development of sports in the island nation.

The announcement was made by Sri Lanka’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Namal Rajapaksa on Twitter.

“Thankful to HE Imran Khan for allocating a fund of 52 million PKR toward the development of sport and sporting infrastructure in Sri Lanka, along with a youth exchange programme to further develop social and cultural ties,” said the Sri Lankan minister.

PM Imran informed the Sri Lankan officials about the allocation during his two-day trip to the country.

During his interaction with the Lankan leadership, the Pakistani PM also mentioned his cricketing history with Sri Lanka. He recalled that he had gotten to know Sri Lanka through cricket.

Apart from the allocation of funds, Pakistan and Sri Lanka signed multiple memorandums of understanding on cooperation in the fields of tourism, investment, education, and technology.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/336647-pa...2-million-to-sri-lanka-for-sports-development

 

[saeedhk]

Seems like Imran was snubbed again as usual and barred from addressing Sri Lanka parliament.

 

[the Great Khan]

Seems like Imran was snubbed again as usual and barred from addressing Sri Lanka parliament.

Only indians are worried about such nonsense. please worry about the fact you may have a mad monk as your next PM..

 

[Itachi]

It's good for SL to prevent IK from spreading his propaganda. The diplomats of SL deserves a praise for that because on the other hand, they did get an aid from the same PM lol.

 

[saeedhk]

Only indians are worried about such nonsense. please worry about the fact you may have a mad monk as your next PM..

For your information, electing a monk as our next PM is impossible. A non-Muslim cannot be the head of state of Pakistan.

 

[KingKhanWC]

It's good for SL to prevent IK from spreading his propaganda. The diplomats of SL deserves a praise for that because on the other hand, they did get an aid from the same PM lol.

You missed it, IK has mentioned Kashmir, he is being quoted all over the world reg this visit.

I think he should have gone further to bring up how Lanka suffered via India proxy terrorists too.

I cant wait to visit Sri Lanka, looks amazing.

 

[street cricketer]

You missed it, IK has mentioned Kashmir, he is being quoted all over the world reg this visit.

I think he should have gone further to bring up how Lanka suffered via India proxy terrorists too.

I cant wait to visit Sri Lanka, looks amazing.

Ah the good old KKWC algorithm,

see insurgency struggle - check if muslim -> Freedom fighters

If non muslim -> Terrorists

 

[MenInG]

COLOMBO (Dunya News) – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Sri Lankan counterpart Dinesh Gunawardena on Wednesday underscored the need to expand Pakistan-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to realize the full potential of bilateral trade.

In a meeting held in Colombo, the two Foreign Ministers reviewed the whole gamut of bilateral relations and agreed to work closely to further strengthen ties and enhance cooperation in diverse fields.

Qureshi stressed the importance Pakistan attached to its relations with Sri Lanka in further strengthening the multifaceted cooperation.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Sri Lanka was reflective of the priority accorded to this relationship.

Underscoring the need to enhance bilateral trade and investment, Foreign Minister Qureshi expressed satisfaction at the progress made during the recently held meetings of the 12th Joint Economic Commission (JEC) and 7th Commerce Secretary Level talks.

He welcomed the convening of the “Trade and Investment Conference” jointly chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

In the context of economic connectivity, Foreign Minister Qureshi highlighted that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), could be a game changer for the entire region.

The Foreign Minister also highlighted the mutual benefit that linking of Gwadar Port in Pakistan to the Sri Lankan Ports could bring to both the countries. He invited Sri Lanka to benefit from Gwadar Port for an easy access to the Central Asian markets.

Foreign Minister Qureshi, noting the close traditional and cultural ties between the two countries, proposed on promoting religious tourism.

He welcomed the reconstitution of Sri Lanka-Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Group in Sri Lankan Parliament and underscored the importance of regular parliamentary exchanges to reinforce bilateral cooperation in diverse fields.

Foreign Minister Qureshi stated that Pakistan was a key partner of Sri Lanka in human resource development. In this regard, he highlighted the Pakistan-Sri Lanka Higher Education Cooperation Programme (PSLHECP).

He also appreciated the Sri Lankan cricket team’s visit that led to the return of international cricket to Pakistan.

Qureshi shared Pakistan’s perspective on major issues of regional and international importance.

The two Foreign Ministers re-affirmed the commitment for close cooperation at the regional and international fora, including the UN and SAARC.

https://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/589634-FM-Qureshi-Gunawardena-stress-expansion-of-Pak-Sri-Lanka-FTA

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I inaugurated Sri Lanka's High Performance Sports Complex. It was great to meet the Sri Lankan cricket greats invited on the occasion who had played against me.</p>— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1364527783171420162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Itachi]

So IK was forbidden to speak in the assembly yet he is harping the consolations.... Doesn't reflect a self respect in my opinion.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Ah the good old KKWC algorithm,

see insurgency struggle - check if muslim -> Freedom fighters

If non muslim -> Terrorists

Its factual history lol.

Why do you Indians try to hide the crimes of your country?

Are you saying India did not support the terrorist Tamil Tigers in Lanka? Yes or No?

 

[street cricketer]

Its factual history lol.

Why do you Indians try to hide the crimes of your country?

Are you saying India did not support the terrorist Tamil Tigers in Lanka? Yes or No?

I'm curious to know what's your opinion on the Hamas?

Are they terrorists or freedom fighters?

 

[KingKhanWC]

I'm curious to know what's your opinion on the Hamas?

Are they terrorists or freedom fighters?

You may be curious of many things but this isnt the thread.

I ask again...Are you saying India did not support the terrorist Tamil Tigers in Lanka?

 

[street cricketer]

You may be curious of many things but this isnt the thread.

I ask again...Are you saying India did not support the terrorist Tamil Tigers in Lanka?

Well the civil war in Sri Lanka is a very complicated story and not something you'll understand unless you understand the different dynamics of Sri Lanka. To answer your question in short, they supported the insurgency in Sri Lanka during one phase (Indira Gandhi's tenure) and opposed it afterwards (Rajiv Gandhi's time).

But my disagreement with your post was hardly regarding whether India supported the Tamil struggle or not, it was to do with the terrorist part. I'm wondering whether you consider those who undertake "jihad" for the Kashmiri cause as either terrorists or freedom fighters? What about the Hamas in Palestine?

 

[KingKhanWC]

Well the civil war in Sri Lanka is a very complicated story and not something you'll understand unless you understand the different dynamics of Sri Lanka. To answer your question in short, they supported the insurgency in Sri Lanka during one phase (Indira Gandhi's tenure) and opposed it afterwards (Rajiv Gandhi's time).

But my disagreement with your post was hardly regarding whether India supported the Tamil struggle or not, it was to do with the terrorist part. I'm wondering whether you consider those who undertake "jihad" for the Kashmiri cause as either terrorists or freedom fighters? What about the Hamas in Palestine?

Thanks for accepting India supported terrorism in Sri Lanka.

Not at all, they have a moral and legal right to defend themselves from those who are occupying them. How they do this maybe moral/legal or not. Those who are occuyping them and oppressing them are indeed acting as terrorists.

 

[cricketjoshila]

You may be curious of many things but this isnt the thread.

I ask again...Are you saying India did not support the terrorist Tamil Tigers in Lanka?

When did Sri Lanka declared LTTE as terrorists and banned them?

India was the first country to ban LTTE, even before Sri Lanka.

So no, India didnt support any banned terrorist organisation.

 

[KingKhanWC]

When did Sri Lanka declared LTTE as terrorists and banned them?

India was the first country to ban LTTE, even before Sri Lanka.

So no, India didnt support any banned terrorist organisation.

You dont need to be declared a terrorist to be one. The definition is one or group use violence/killings for political reasons. India supported this group which was using women and children in order to carry out their bloody attacks.

Do you think Ghandi would not have been attacked by LTTE if he was RSS?

 

[cricketjoshila]

You dont need to be declared a terrorist to be one. The definition is one or group use violence/killings for political reasons. India supported this group which was using women and children in order to carry out their bloody attacks.

Do you think Ghandi would not have been attacked by LTTE if he was RSS?

This may work on PP, but outside, unless a competent authority declares anyone as terrorist they are not one. Initially LTTE was considered a revolutionary socialist separatist party.

 

[SpiritOf1903]

You missed it, IK has mentioned Kashmir, he is being quoted all over the world reg this visit.

I think he should have gone further to bring up how Lanka suffered via India proxy terrorists too.

I cant wait to visit Sri Lanka, looks amazing.

They're own Muslims are viewed with disdain..

 

[street cricketer]

Thanks for accepting India supported terrorism in Sri Lanka.

Not at all, they have a moral and legal right to defend themselves from those who are occupying them. How they do this maybe moral/legal or not. Those who are occuyping them and oppressing them are indeed acting as terrorists.

Lol sure, just as I expected. The very fact that you seem to think the LTTE was a hindu nationalist militant organisation backed by the RSS as it attacked Rajiv Gandhi tells me you don't have an iota of idea what you're talking about. Your brain views issues and conflicts through simple binary divisions like muslim and non-muslim issues when the world is far more complex.

I'll try to give an explanation. Every individual has several identities, but they always identify by one primary identity. For example, you might have the identity of a Muslim, Brit, Pakistani, British Pakistani, Punjabi/Kashmiri and a Brummie (if you're from Birmingham), just to name a few. But your primary identity, i.e., if someone asks you if you're a British first or Pakistani first, it will always be the muslim identity for not just you, but for any practising muslim. Very few muslims, if they're practising, are going to put their ethnic or regional identity before their muslim identity irrespective of where they hail from. Similarly, with the rise of hindu nationalism, a lot of hindus, particularly in northern India are putting their hindu identity first before every other identities. But it might not necessarily be the same case everywhere. A lot of south Indians for example identify with their ethnic identity a lot more than their religious identity. And it's nowhere as pronounced as much as among the Tamils whose primal identity is always their ethnic identity first. I'm not saying prioritising one identity is necessarily better than the other, you are free to identify by whatever identity as long as you don't discriminate others, I'm just trying to explain you the dynamics at play here. I mean, have you ever wondered why nationalist parties like the BJP and Congress to a lesser extent have little clout in Tamil Nadu or why the BJP rarely wins over there despite the majority being hindus? Religious nationalism has little relevance among tamils as much as ethno-nationalism does.

So coming to my point, contrary to your perception of the armed struggle being supposedly hindutva motivated, the LTTE were actually composed of several Tamil Christian cadres who took part in the armed struggle. So that burns a big hole in your RSS backed insurgency theory.

Secondly, the LTTE indulged in suicide bombings and recruited children in doing those activities too. But the LTTE was not the sole armed outfit asking for self determination, it was one of the several outfits that were demanding autonomy for the north and north eastern provinces of Sri Lanka. The LTTE just happened to be the biggest outfit with the most militia.

I have no problems if you classify the LTTE as terrorists. But I have a few questions:

1. If anyone who indulges in violence and murders for political struggle is a terrorist, several outfits like the LeT, JeM and many other militant outfits whose objective is supposedly to liberate Kashmir, have caused massacres of innocent civilians like the Mumbai attacks, attacks on civilians in the Kashmir valley, many more in mainland India and even foreign tourists. Are blokes like Hafeez Saeed, Masood Azhar, Omar Saeed Sheikh still "freedom fighters" to you then? Because all of them carried out whatever they did in the hope of liberating Kashmir. What about the Hamas who have carried out attacks on several Israeli civilians in the past for that matter.

2. If the people in occupied areas have a "moral and legal" right to fight against the occupying force, then how come the tamils, living in the northern and north eastern territories who wanted autonomy because of discriminatory policies followed by the Sri Lankan state and got met with violence in return, were not entitled to fight back in your opinion..

I'm sure with your superior geopolitical knowledge, will reply that

1. Mumbai was an inside job by the Indian government and

2. Tamils in Sri Lanka are immigrants from south India and therefore shouldn't fight the Sri Lankans who are the original inhabitants of the island.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Lol sure, just as I expected. The very fact that you seem to think the LTTE was a hindu nationalist militant organisation backed by the RSS as it attacked Rajiv Gandhi tells me you don't have an iota of idea what you're talking about. Your brain views issues and conflicts through simple binary divisions like muslim and non-muslim issues when the world is far more complex.

I'll try to give an explanation. Every individual has several identities, but they always identify by one primary identity. For example, you might have the identity of a Muslim, Brit, Pakistani, British Pakistani, Punjabi/Kashmiri and a Brummie (if you're from Birmingham), just to name a few. But your primary identity, i.e., if someone asks you if you're a British first or Pakistani first, it will always be the muslim identity for not just you, but for any practising muslim. Very few muslims, if they're practising, are going to put their ethnic or regional identity before their muslim identity irrespective of where they hail from. Similarly, with the rise of hindu nationalism, a lot of hindus, particularly in northern India are putting their hindu identity first before every other identities. But it might not necessarily be the same case everywhere. A lot of south Indians for example identify with their ethnic identity a lot more than their religious identity. And it's nowhere as pronounced as much as among the Tamils whose primal identity is always their ethnic identity first. I'm not saying prioritising one identity is necessarily better than the other, you are free to identify by whatever identity as long as you don't discriminate others, I'm just trying to explain you the dynamics at play here. I mean, have you ever wondered why nationalist parties like the BJP and Congress to a lesser extent have little clout in Tamil Nadu or why the BJP rarely wins over there despite the majority being hindus? Religious nationalism has little relevance among tamils as much as ethno-nationalism does.

So coming to my point, contrary to your perception of the armed struggle being supposedly hindutva motivated, the LTTE were actually composed of several Tamil Christian cadres who took part in the armed struggle. So that burns a big hole in your RSS backed insurgency theory.

Secondly, the LTTE indulged in suicide bombings and recruited children in doing those activities too. But the LTTE was not the sole armed outfit asking for self determination, it was one of the several outfits that were demanding autonomy for the north and north eastern provinces of Sri Lanka. The LTTE just happened to be the biggest outfit with the most militia.

I have no problems if you classify the LTTE as terrorists. But I have a few questions:

1. If anyone who indulges in violence and murders for political struggle is a terrorist, several outfits like the LeT, JeM and many other militant outfits whose objective is supposedly to liberate Kashmir, have caused massacres of innocent civilians like the Mumbai attacks, attacks on civilians in the Kashmir valley, many more in mainland India and even foreign tourists. Are blokes like Hafeez Saeed, Masood Azhar, Omar Saeed Sheikh still "freedom fighters" to you then? Because all of them carried out whatever they did in the hope of liberating Kashmir. What about the Hamas who have carried out attacks on several Israeli civilians in the past for that matter.

2. If the people in occupied areas have a "moral and legal" right to fight against the occupying force, then how come the tamils, living in the northern and north eastern territories who wanted autonomy because of discriminatory policies followed by the Sri Lankan state and got met with violence in return, were not entitled to fight back in your opinion..

I'm sure with your superior geopolitical knowledge, will reply that

1. Mumbai was an inside job by the Indian government and

2. Tamils in Sri Lanka are immigrants from south India and therefore shouldn't fight the Sri Lankans who are the original inhabitants of the island.

A lot of rubbish written here.

I never suggested LTTE was RSS inspired. I merely asked the question if Ghandi would have been attacked if he was RSS, this was a seperate point.

India supported terrorism in Lanka which resulted in the deaths of thousands over years, this is a historical fact.

1. This is topic is about Muslims, you cant keep them out of your mind.

2. Tamils were part of Sri Lanka, their northern areas were NOT occuped acc to Int law. Kashmir , Palestine are by Int law.

Stick to the truth pls,

 

[street cricketer]

A lot of rubbish written here.

I never suggested LTTE was RSS inspired. I merely asked the question if Ghandi would have been attacked if he was RSS, this was a seperate point.

Rajiv Gandhi getting attacked had jacksh*t to do with if he was from the Congress or RSS but because he turned his back on the LTTE by sending IPKF to Sri Lanka. You think a militant organisation in Sri Lanka would care which Indian political party their target belonged to.

India supported terrorism in Lanka which resulted in the deaths of thousands over years, this is a historical fact.

Sure, that's like me saying Pakistan supported terrorism in Kashmir which resulted in the deaths of thousands over years. In cinema you have a well laid out hero character and villain character but in real life, it's always blurred. One man's hero is another man's villain in every story. Depends on which side of the line you view things from.

1. This is topic is about Muslims, you cant keep them out of your mind.

2. Tamils were part of Sri Lanka, their northern areas were NOT occuped acc to Int law. Kashmir , Palestine are by Int law.

Stick to the truth pls,

1. Nice way to skirt the question.

2. Neither are Catalonia and Hong Kong occupied areas under "international law". Same goes for numerous other places across the world. You think those places don't have a right to self determination just because some international organisation doesn't recognise them? Self determination means simply giving the right for people to freely choose their own sovereignty without political interference. Simple enough concept to understand.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Rajiv Gandhi getting attacked had jacksh*t to do with if he was from the Congress or RSS but because he turned his back on the LTTE by sending IPKF to Sri Lanka. You think a militant organisation in Sri Lanka would care which Indian political party their target belonged to.



Sure, that's like me saying Pakistan supported terrorism in Kashmir which resulted in the deaths of thousands over years. In cinema you have a well laid out hero character and villain character but in real life, it's always blurred. One man's hero is another man's villain in every story. Depends on which side of the line you view things from.



1. Nice way to skirt the question.

2. Neither are Catalonia and Hong Kong occupied areas under "international law". Same goes for numerous other places across the world. You think those places don't have a right to self determination just because some international organisation doesn't recognise them? Self determination means simply giving the right for people to freely choose their own sovereignty without political interference. Simple enough concept to understand.

You really need to understand basics of International law.

Kashmir is occupied, northern Lanka wasnt.

Kashmiris have a right to defend themselves against brutal Indian occupiers. Tamil Tigers and later LTTE had no such right.

No they dont via physical means. They can ask for a referfundem as Scotland did and it's up to the government to ok it or not.

When it comes to borders and territory we have to go by Int law not what an Indian citizens thinks.

 

[street cricketer]

You really need to understand basics of International law.

Kashmir is occupied, northern Lanka wasnt.

Kashmiris have a right to defend themselves against brutal Indian occupiers. Tamil Tigers and later LTTE had no such right.

No they dont via physical means. They can ask for a referfundem as Scotland did and it's up to the government to ok it or not.

When it comes to borders and territory we have to go by Int law not what an Indian citizens thinks.

You are such a stickler for "international laws" aren't you. The fact that you compare a brutal and bloody civil war in a third world country to the Scottish situation in a first world country tells me you're way out of touch with realities with what happens in the subcontinent. It's not like the blokes in the northern areas suddenly thought one fine day "wow, it'd be nice to have a separate country and we'll take guns to achieve it". It was the result of a sequence of events, discriminatory laws, riots and targeted pogroms against Tamils that resulted in the civil war.

Successive targeted riots had been happening ever since the late 1950s and the civil war officially started only in the early 1980s after 3 decades of discriminatory policies followed against Tamils like the Sinhala only Act, Standardisation policy, etc., and any form of protest got met with brutal action by the state combined with riots by non state elements like usually happens in the subcontinent. I seem to have missed the numerous bloody riots and pogroms carried out by the English against the Scots for those two situations to be compared.

It's kinda ironic since I seem to remember you calling for the Indian muslims to take arms to protect themselves against the rampaging hindutvadis during the Delhi riots but when the aggrieved party is non-muslim, suddenly your stance changes. In a hypothetical scenario, if a situation happened in India where Tamils were replaced by the Indian muslims and the Sri Lankan state by the Indian state, then probably you'll change your rigid stance on the "international laws".