What Mrs. Mufti is doing the right thing.  Too many relatives in the government is a recipe for disaster.  However, changing the guards is not the only solution to the problem her state is facing.  The problem is lack of jobs for the youngsters there which creates frustration and out of this frustration destructive activities develops.  People across the border exploit this frustration of youths to achieve their political objective.  Unfortunately, creation of jobs needs a little reshuffling of governments' set mind.  Central and local governments have to take some constructive actions to create jobs and that can be done only by inviting external investment in the state.  It is doable with the revocation of an Article 370 and Clause #35A.  Local government has to decide whether it wants to see prosperity in the state or continue experience a chaotic life under the status quo.  This decision is not tough, all it needs for the decision makers is to set aside party politics and think about the people of J & K- delete the above Article from the Indian Constitution and see how prosperity and tranquility take place so quickly.

This week, Pakistan's voters put a new sheriff on the throne of Islamabad to turn things around for the better.  The new Sheriff has announced that he will pursue a serious negotiation/dialogues with his neighbors especially with India.  Prime Minister Modi has expressed a similar desire to achieve this objective.  However, as we know, to bring real and long lasting peace in that part of the world, it needs two parties with sincere desire and backing of their governmental establishments.  India has been trying without any fruitful outcome for the last seven decades to accomplish this objective, but because of non-cooperation of Pakistani military, it failed.  Military is a big stumbling block in this matter.  Now, for the last couple of decades, a new phenomenon has been added to this unaccomplished objective and that is -terrorism.  Pakistani establishment has been aiding, abetting and encouraging Talibans and other non-state actors-a group of terrorist organisations - to orchestrate illegal and terror generating activities on the LoC.  Lot of innocent civilians are being killed.  Now the question to this new Sheriff is,  can he control his military and order that establishment to stop aiding and abetting those non-state actors and put them behind bars if found doing anything illegal across the LoC?  Right now, as we all know, Military controls the civilian government in Islamabad, and unless that order is reversed on the organizational chart of the Pakistani constitution, one should not keep one's hope high.  Let's see if this new Sheriff can turn the tide for the better.

Mr. Abdullah''s statement that Kashmiris are not terrorist is partially true but not 100% accurate. We all know it is the Kashmiri people who with the help from across the border playing as puppets and create chaos and turbulence in the region. Mr. Abdullah also is seeking a state of affair in the region what India experienced when Ganhiji was alive. He should know that there is a big change in the timing going back to those days and the present political situation. People have to change with the changing of time. If he is so anxious to see those peaceful days in the region, I wonder why was not he and his other two generations able to bring peace in that part of India. His three generations were happy with the status quo. Central government''s position is not to divide India and create racial discrimination between Hindus and Muslims. If that is the case, then one will find turmoil and racial conflicts everywhere where Muslim population lives. But that is not the case. The trouble is only in the Kashmir area where the local governments have so far failed to work with the central government to stop the flow of financial, military and political assistance from across the border.Article 370 is a big stumbling block to bring tranquility and prosperity in the region. It needs to be abrogated asap.

As we all know, the menace of rape in India is alarming.  Basically, all big cities have been affected by this evil social problem.  What MP Government has done in this respect  requires commendation.  However, I being a proponent of  anti-rape legislation, feel that this legislation in MP is not going to eradicate rape issue altogether because it will punish only those culprits who are involved in the minor rape cases.  This legislation needs to be expanded to all rape cases. Once a rape is proven by the court, accused ought to be hanged, and his assets, if any, should be auctioned to compensate the victim or her family.  This law should be applied to all indiscriminately irrespective of accused  class, status and party affiliation.  The intent of this legislation ought to be to create a fear in the society for the next person who is contemplating to get involved into this nefarious activity.  Kudos to Mr,. Chouhan with the hope that all other Chief Ministers will follow suit.

Mr. Abdullah’s comments about repeal of an Article 35A does not make sense knowingly that this particular Article is the main stumbling block as far as economic development and peace in that part of India is concerned.  He says he will fight till he dies.  Everybody has to die one day.  I think it will be prudent to get rid of this Article and welcome foreign investment in the region.  Then he, along with others, can enjoy prosperity in the state of J & K before he dies.  Right now, with the existence of this Article, innocent people are dying for no reasons.  It is pure politics.  Mr. Abdullah also compared revocation of this Article to ‘scratching a wound’.  He said the more you scratch, more blood will come out of it.  That is precisely the reason that one does not want to scratch this wound, rather to get rid of this wound by initiating appropriate action, and that action is bringing more technological and economic investment in the state.  That investment will create a manufacturing base thus creating more jobs.  More jobs means, the youngsters of that state will be occupied, financially well of, less time to demonstrate in the streets, no destruction of public and private properties.

This Article has been sitting there as an Appendix to the Indian Constitution for decades, and served no fruitful purpose.  Hence, the time is ripe to find alternative means and ways to bring prosperity for the people of J & K.  In my opinion, those who are against finding alternatives are not true friends and citizens of India.

As far as the likelihood of Pakistan becoming a colony of China is concerned, this writer has no doubt that it is a matter of time when this becomes officially a reality.  Pakistan has no friends in the world.  China is the only big brother it has who again is not doing any favor to Pakistan by extending their economic arm to keep Pakistan floating, but instead they are pursuing their long term objectives to expand their territorial ambition.  As we know, to a greater extent, they have achieved this objective by lending enormous amount of money to Sri Lankla, Tajikstan and other countries.  They find financially vulnerable countries, lend them money at a higher interest rate to develop their infrastructure.  When they cann't pay that loan back, Chinese occupy their territory on a long term lease basis.  Pakistan is their next target.  China has realized that they cann't militarily attack other countries to flex their tentacles to achieve their territorial ambition, rather the government has made a decision to use their economic muscles to occupy others' territories wherever possible.  

Coming back to the scenario of Pakistan, CPEC was and is a trap for Pakistan to achieve Chinese long term objective.  Pakistan has taken a loan at a higher interest rate and now with the dwindling economic situation, it cann't repay the loan.  Hence, they have become a victim of Chinese game.  According to the press reports and economic experts, Pakistan needs around $35 Billion dollars to be able to pay the impending dues and be able to float.  Because Pakistan has only around $10 Billion left in the exchequer to take care of imports and other needs which is good enough for couple of months.  Then what?

Predicated on the diplomatic and political scenario in the USA, it appears that IMF will not lend them any money because there is an understanding here that Pakistan will use that money to pay off Chinese debt of CPEC.  Then the question is, where else Pakistan can go with a begging bowl to get a doze of survival?  For the in-coming government of Imran Khan, it is going to be a very crucial dilemma.  He will be a genius if he is able to find a solution of this conundrum.  The quick solution could be to some extent, if and if at all, the IMF decides to bail them out, Pakistan should be ready to scratch the on going CPEC project to satisfy the pressure from the US government on the IMF.  IMF can ask for many more contingencies before it lends any dollar to Pakistan.  It is a very precarious economic situation for Pakistan and they do not hold any trump card at all.