What Pakistani army is doing needs admiration.  It is a step in the right direction to eradicate terror menace from the territory.  However, this military operation has a very sad addendum attached to it.   Sad in the sense that it took the lives of over 140 innocent children belonging to the army officers for the Pakistani army to launch a military operation.  In the past, these militants had killed thousands of innocent people whose blood was just wasted without any repercussion to the fanatics.  Now, the time will tell how successful this military operation is going to be.  But this writer is very apprehensive about this partial military operation - partial because they are going after the TTP only and not touching the other non-state actors, the leaders of LeT and JuD and JeD.  These are the actors who are in cohoot with the Pakistani/ISI nexus.  These actors are openly preaching a 7th century jihad ideology against all non-Sunis and non-Muslims.  I don't think the Pakistani government realizes that this ideology is going to be the cause of downfall of Pakistan in the long run.  Therefore, it is essential for Pakistan to root out this ideology and put all these fanatics behind bar without any parole.  This is the right time for Pakistan to set aside all the political and personal interests and think about the survival of a nation first.

It is indeed a very sad and heart breaking news as to what happened in Pakistan.  These fanatics outlaws militants have no mercy and they don't even think for a minute to murder innocent people just to propagate their religious views.  These brainwashed and misguided bunch of thugs needs to be removed from the face of this earth.  Our heart goes to the bereaved families and may Almighty God bestow upon the families all the strength to bear this irreparable loss.  Mr. Nawaz Sharif said it right that there are no 'good or bad' Talibans.  He lifted a moratorium on the death penalty for the militants.  This writer agrees with his analysis.  When it comes to devastation and killing in the name of furthering their un-Islamic views, they are all the same and need to be met with full force.  Unfortunately, what Pakistani leaders say and do are two different things.  The very next day of this incidence, the Pakistani court freed Mr. Lakhvi the founder of LeT and mastermind of November 26, 2008 attack in Mumbai, India on a one million rupees bail.  Just to remind the world, in that attack more than 162 innocent lives were lost too.  So, if Mr. Sharif is so upset with the loss of innocent lives in the Peshawar, Pakistan military school and willing to punish the TTP entity with full force till they are eliminated from the Pakistani territory, whey then he is letting Mr. Lakhvi - a proven criminal - go scot-free on bail.  For that matter, why no action is being taken against Mr. Lakhvi's buddy Mr. Saeed, another LeT leader who was also involved in the Mumbai attack?  The US government has $10 Million bounty on Mr. Saeed's head, but the government in Pakistan has turned a blind eye on this case.  On the contrary, Pakistani government/Military/ISI are financing, abetting and organizing all the religious and political moves of Mr. Saeed.  Mr. Saeed just conducted a big get together in Lahore and the government establishments provided special trains to bring people for this gathering from all over Pakistan.  So, even though what happened in Peshawar is unfortunate and needs serious condemnation, but this writer is very apprehensive about the seriousness on the part of Pakistani government in Islamabad to eradicate the militancy from its territory.  I feel what Pakistani leaders are saying right now on this incident is diplomatic and courteous statements to appease the public, and they are in no position or have the determination to achieve their objective and i.e. to eliminate the menace of terror from its root cause.

The agreements signed between India and Russia are indeed very important for many reasons.  The most significant is to boost Mr. Modi's slogan of 'make in India' which in turn will give a tremendous push to the creation of jobs in India.  Needless to say, higher employment means more cash available in the hands of consumers which in turn will create more demand for goods resulting higher production of those desired goods.  So, on an overall basis, this is a step in the right direction as far as economy is concerned.  As we all know, due to the sanctions imposed by the western nations, weaker Ruble, lower oil prices and the apprehension on the part of global investors to invest in Russia, Russia is feeling the pinch of this burden. Keeping in view a long lasting relationship with Russia, it is also a good gesture to rise to the occasion for old friends at the time of need.  Therefore, signing of these agreements is a win-win situation for both India and Russia.  Secondly, what this writer feels the utmost important factor is the mileage India can achieve emanating from these agreements and that is to seek Russia's involvement to pacify China's aggressive territorial attitude towards India.  China has been trying to encircle India from North, Northeast, Southeast and West side of India's territories.  Russia being in good books with China can persuade the latter to mend its fences and desist from an aggressive territorial ambition.  We all know that China is exploiting a weak government in Islamabad to its own advantage and the live example is to upgrade the Gwadar port in Pakistan to bring oil from that port to China at a faster and cost effective rate and use this facility as their naval base.  In turn, China is arming Pakistan to provide a tough front to India.  This momentum can be stopped or at least slowed down with the help of Russia.  I wonder if something of this nature is in the Indian leaders' cards?

Mr. Musharraf's statement about the bad policy of the United States proves an old adage ' grapes are sour'.  United States funneled billions of dollars along with a military might over many decades to keep Pakistani economy floating.  It is the greed of military/ISI nexus in Pakistan along with mismanagement of the economic and screwed up social, cultural and religious policies pursued and influenced by non-state militant actors which ought to be blamed for the failure of Pakistan's regimes.  Mr. Musharraf's statement further shows how ungrateful Pakistani leaders are.  He states that it was a mistake in recognizing Taliban's government in Afghanistan.  I wonder who forced them to do it.  If the Pakistani leaders had a long term vision, they would have rejected this idea and kept themselves away from these militants.  Speaking of militants, if Pakistani leaders are so upset with these non-state actors, why have not they been able to dismantle their activities in Pakistan itself?  Instead, Pakistani government shows bonhomie gesture towards these militants by financing, abetting and organizing their activities especially against India.  Since Mr. Musharraf is entangled with many charges including treason, he is trying to gain the sympathy of military establishment in Pakistan by shifting all the blames on the civilian governments.  This type of byzantine tact will not work in the long run.

What Mr. Musharraf is saying is in a true sense the mentality of Pakistani leaders.  They cann't forget India's role in 1971 which was instrumental in the creation of Bangladesh.  Pakistan basically lost half of its territory and a good source of revenue which was coming from then East Pakistan.  However, this writer is very much surprised what Mr. Musharraf is comparing his Kargil's failed military operation of 1999 to the 1971 war of Bangladesh.  It took Pakistan 28 years to plan such an attack with very dismal outcome which showed a complete discomfiture of Pakistani military.  Pakistan is still licking its wounds of 1971 war.  Mr. Musharraf is correct in saying that the discussion between India and Pakistan ought to be on the same footing - respect for each other and equal terms.  But Mr. Musharraf is forgetting that a forum to exchange fruitful dialogues can be created only when both the parties have the authority and a free hand to make a final decision and ready to sign an agreement.  India has tried to achieve this objective many a time in many different ways- but all in vain.  India even showed a sense of perseverance in spite of many untoward incidence and militant attacks emanated from Pakistan.  This one sided effort has still been going on since 1947.  The military/ISI nexus in Pakistan has tied the hands of civilian leadership in Islamabad behind their back and no civil leader dares to sign any agreement which is against the will of Military/ISI.  The perpetual rift between India and Pakistan is the only base predicated on which a lion share of Pakistani budget is earmarked for the maintenance of Pakistani defense forces.  Therefore, India should forget about seeing a day in which a ray of amelioration in the relationship can be expected.  Ignore Pakistan and keep moving forward towards the prosperity and security of India.  Pakistan is doomed to fail.  It is just a matter of time.