Mr. Sharif had expected some positive outcome from his meeting with President Obama, but all in vain.  I feel that the US has finally realized that the leaders of Pakistan are not to be trusted, and their litany of complaints and conditions are like a broken record.  There is nothing new to discuss.  Pakistan portrays a dual face and try to make a mockery of the civilized society.  To discuss anything with the civilian government in Islamabad is a sheer waste of time because these leaders have no final authority to make a decision.  All powers, especially on the foreign policy, rest with the nexus of military/ISI of Pakistan.  What Mr. Sharif has stated in his joint statement in the White House is completely under pressure.  He confirmed in that statement that Pakistani government will take severe action against LeT and other non-state actors, and also Pakistani territory will not be allowed to be used for militant acts against India.  This is the guarantee given by Mr. Sharif before he departed for Pakistan.  Does it mean now that there will be no ceasefire violations on the LOC? Of course, time will tell if Mr. Sharif can walk the talk.  However, this writer has his own apprehension about the fulfillment of this promise from Mr. Sharif.

What was discussed between President Obama and the Prime Minister of Pakistan was nothing new. The litany of complaints Mr. Sharif brought with him against India was just like a broken record.  Kashmir issue has been raised by the Pakistani officials at all international forums many a times including the United Nations, but has achieved no results.  The reason being that the whole world has realized that Pakistan is portraying a dual face in front of the civilized society and, hence, gives no credence to what Pakistan is saying.  Pakistan is a known epicenter of terrorism.  Anywhere and whenever there is a terrorist act, its roots are found in Pakistan.  Mr. Ben of the UN has recently told Pakistan that the united Nations will not get involved unless both India and Pakistan request its involvement.  Every time Pakistan requests the United States to intervene in the Kashmir issue, their request is denied.  The unfortunate and strange situation is that Pakistan does not get a hint that they are wasting time discussing a Kashmir issue.  Kashmir is part of India and Pakistan is an occupier.  The world also knows why Pakistan is keeping Kashmir issue alive.  It is not what the civilian government in Islamabad wants, rather the civilian government is dancing on the tune set by the nexus of Pakistani military/ISI.  The importance of this nexus remains alive so long as the Kashmir issue remains a bone of contention between India and Pakistan.  However, this writer feels astonished that in spite of the fact that the US government knows the true color of Pakistani establishment, they are still contemplating providing military hardware to Pakistan.  India needs to remain proactive.

What is happening in Punjab is indeed a sad situation.  Any time any religious scripture is dishonored needs to be condemned.  This writer does not blame the outrage shown by the Sikh community over this act of sacrilege.  However, blocking roads and highways to evince anger is not the solution to this problem.  The solution to this problem is to find out who is behind this hideous crime and bring him to justice.  As per preliminary official reports, the Punjab government has linked ISI of Pakistan to this hideous crime and have arrested couple of people.  The Sikh community ought to know that Pakistan has been trying to create troubles in India under the guise of creating a Khalistan Movement, and this writer is of a firm belief that this action is a continuation of reviving that old movement.  ISI wants to see Sikhs fighting with the Hindus, and if the Sikhs continue to show their anger the way they are doing it, they will be playing in the hands of ISI.  Sikhs should not forget what Muslim rulers did to the sons of Guru Gobind Singhji.  The torture and insults brought to Guru Gobind Singhji's family by the Muslim rulers was, is and should remain fresh in the historical records.  How can Sikh community forget all that disgusting behavior of Muslims, and willing to play in the hands of  ISI?  Instead of strengthening the hands of Punjab police to find out more clues who is behind this disgusting act, what Sikhs are doing in Punjab is shameful.

This is a very good live example to bring and maintain peace, love and harmony in the society.  India being a diverse society is setting an example that people of different religious faith and belief can live  and work together towards a common cause of peacefulness.  This is the only way to portray unity in the society.  Wish all Muslim nations can learn some hints from this example and accept a sense of pluralism instead of pursuing  principles of a monolithic society.

From the time Mr. Sharif came into power couple of years ago, only one civilian person - Mr. Sartaz Aziz - was holding both the portfolios - Foreign office and the National Security Office, which many felt was not the right way of operating a foreign policy.  It was too much responsibility on one man's shoulder to do the job the right way.  Finally, the government in Islamabad decided to fill the gap and appoint another body to separate these two offices which may be a good idea to have an optimum output.  However, the point to ponder here is to see the background of a new appointee - Lt. Gen Janjua.  First of all, he has a military background and has been pushed up front on the instigation of a Pakistani military establishment.  His background reveals that he is an anti-India and believes in draconian policies as respects to people in Balochistan.  As this writer visions, what is going to happen is the civilian government in Islamabad will further lose control on the foreign policy because the guidelines on this topic will be channeled through the nexus of Pakistani military and ISI.  Also, people in Balochistan will have more rough times in the future.  There will be a fewer dialogues exchanged between India and Pakistan.  Since the ultimate aim of the Pakistani army is to control the reign of  Pakistan, hence they got their own man, Mr. Janjua, placed in the inner circle of a civilian government with full authority to frame Pakistan's foreign policy.  Moving a step further, may be this is a chess move played by the military to eventually push the civilian government out and take over the throne in Islamabad.  Since the economic, cultural, social, educational along with a sectarian situations in Pakistan are deteriorating and people are feeling really fed up, it is an opportune opportunity for the military to take over.  As far as India is concerned, the future dealings with Pakistan are not going to be bed of roses and India needs to be alert and proactive.

I agree with Mr. Mufti's statement that it is important to maintain communal harmony in the country.  In-house fighting and hatred of each other is not a healthy sign of secularism.   It was embarrassing and shameful what occurred in the Assembly House of J & K last week.  Physical fight and lawlessness among legislators does not portray a civilized gesture on the part of those who are supposed to enact laws.  However, what is important here is also to probe the cause of this chaos, hatred and uncivilized behavior on the part of BJP legislators.  The main cause was the beef dish served in the party arranged by the Muslim community.  Mr. Mufti should know, as announced by the Central government,  that cow being a sacred animal for the Hindus ought not to be sacrificed to fulfill your appetite.  I wonder how Mr. Mufti will feel if hogs are slaughtered and served in his neighborhood.  Would he not feel terrible and curse the local and central laws?  I bet he will.  So why blame BJP legislators for the scuffle which occurred in the J & K Assembly.  Instead of insinuating and throwing indirect punches on the BJP personnel, if Mr. Mufti is a visionary, he should have made a very open statement condemning the Muslim community members for serving beef in his regime.  This writer feels that killing of cows should be banned nationwide and any state government which does not comply with this law ought to be banned to receive any central financial assistance.  Enactment of an anti-slaughter law of cows is very opportune.

Prime Minister of Pakistan has invited one of the separatist leaders Mr. Geelani to visit Pakistan to discuss a broiling issue of Kashmir. However, what is not clear is why Mr. Geelani has to go to Pakistan to discuss this issue. What is new to discuss about Kashmir. The whole world knows what the salient features of this issue are. So, why go to Pakistan. This writer feels that Mr. Geelani is being invited for couple of reasons. One being that Mr. Geelani can sit with the ISI establishment to further solidify its links with the separatists, provide him all the moral and financial support for anti-India movement, and also may be to put pressure on the Indian government to issue him an Indian passport since Mr. Geelani on his own was not able to get an Indian passport for technical reasons. Also, this invitation corroborates the fact that these separatists are the puppets of Pakistan and needed to be treated as traitors.

I could not agree more what Mr. Zakaria has stated in this article.  The USA has been providing military as well as financial assistance to Pakistan since its birth with an added doze of all kinds of help since 1980 when Russia attacked Afghanistan, but the situation in that part of world has not changed a bit.  Therefore, it is not the financial and military help to Pakistan which is going to change the status quo, rather what is needed is a change in the ideology and mind-set of people in that region especially the attitude of Pakistani military establishment.  As we all know, the civilian elected government does not have much power especially in the Foreign Policy area.  The tune is set by the Pakistani military establishment on which the civilian government dances.  Hence, to expect any drastic step from the civilian government to change the mind-set of people is not going to happen.  It will happen only when the madrasses are shut down in which all the young generation is being brainwashed, and the madrasses will be shut down only when the flow of petro-dollars will be plugged.  If US government really wants to stop the terrorist activities in that region and for that matter all over the world, it should work on a project to stop the flow of petro-dollars which is being funneled through the Muslim so-called charitable institutions to operate these madrasses.

What is happening in Saudi Arabia or will happen there is the outcome of their own doing.  Of course we cann't predict the extent of perilous situation which may occur in Saudi Arabia in the coming months and years, but one thing is sure that the Royal family is in trouble and incapable of managing their kingdom.  These so-called royal families or dictators ought to learn a very valuable lesson from the history and the experience of others in the region.  Saddam Hussain of Iraq basically owned the country - nothing could move without his permission.  So was the case of Gadaffi in Libya.  But they did not care to educate their people, mistreated them and made them subservient to the regimes.  Another live example is Pakistan.  The government in the then West Pakistan did not treat the Bengalis in the then East Pakistan humanely, and that ill-treatment led to the creation of a separate country as Bangladesh.  The Saudi Royal family is rich but that richness is not spread for the welfare of inhabitants of that regime.  They are kept illiterate ( except the Royal family members), brainwashed and turned them yes-men for the regime.  Article also referred that the Royal family has to make a wise and timely decision to change the existing turmoil in the country.  Knowing the mentality of the Royal family - tilting towards their own concocted version of Islamic faith of Wahhabism - it is too late to change their religious belief.  Most of the chaos which the whole world is experiencing is the outcome of overt and covert support of petro-dollars flowing from the Saudi government.  Mismanagement of the Haj operation and accident at the construction site at the Mecca are just what Allah is hinting the bad times lingering on the Royal family.  However, at the end of the day, whatever is going to happen to the Saudi Royal family is going to happen.  The important point to ponder upon is who will or is capable of replacing the Saudi Regime.  When one looks around in the Middle East, one will have a tough time to find any one who will be kind, moderate and peace loving to control and manage a deteriorating situation in the Saudi Arabia.  Unless the civilized world finds some one who is willing to extend an olive branch to all Muslim and non-Muslim sects - Sunis, Shias and other minorities- to let them participate in the decision making, willing to educate them properly and respect freedom of speech and practicing their own religion, the situation will not improve, and for that matter, this applies to all Middle East.