Book Review: Pakistan and the Bomb: Public Opinion and Nuclear Options (Edited by Samina Ahmed and David Cortright)

Pakistan and the Bomb presents one of the most thorough surveys of Pakistani public opinion on nuclear policy. It examines the main factors that brought a nuclear arms race in South Asia. One of the perspectives in the book is that the majority of the Pakistani elite support their country's official stance of keeping the nuclear option open. Fear of an attack from India is the central factor behind the support for the nuclear option.

Pakistan's nuclear program gradually evolved during 1960s (p. 9). The nuclear postures of India and Pakistan have gone from calculated ambiguity to overt weaponization. In 1976 Secretary of State Henry Kissinger was dispatched to Islamabad and later to Paris in a bid to halt the reprocessing deal (p. 34). Pakistan's journey to nuclear weapons capability, the three wars of Pakistan, troubled relationship with USA, China's role, and budget allocation for the military are also discussed in the book. The book presents the reader with different perspectives on nuclear policy choices, public opinion poll, and offers a new vision which can lead to a more nuclear weapons'-free future.

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Book Review: Terrorism: Theirs and Ours by Eqbal Ahmad

 

This publication is part of the special open media pamphlet series edition. The first section includes an edited transcript of a public talk Ahmad delivered at the University of Colorado in 1998. The second section is an edited excerpt from Ahmad’s interviews with David Barsamian published in the book Eqbal Ahmad: Confronting Empire.

Ahmad points out the problem with the definition of terrorism. He says that he examined twenty official documents on terrorism, but none of them offered a definition. Moreover, he says that we approve the terrorism of those groups whom officials do approve. Eqbal Ahmad advises America to avoid double standards. He says that a superpower cannot promote terror in one place and expect to discourage terrorism in another place. Ahmad says that there is a fundamental principle of politics, which is that when power has no countervailing forces balancing and checking it, it is always abused. He discusses the issue to Palestine, Afghanistan, Kashmir and other conflicts in which international powers were involved. This brief publication is a glimpse of Ahmad’s near prophetic sense.

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8:50 A. M. October 8, 2005: Stories of Hope and Courage from the Earthquake in Pakistan by Fatima Bhutto

 

I read this book almost fifteen years after the devastating earthquake, that killed thousands of people in northern Pakistan. This book by Fatima Bhutto was published in 2006, and the royalties and profits from this were to be donated to the earthquake victims- as mentions the cover of the book.  Covering the inspiring stories of the affected people Fatima pays a tribute to their courage and resilience.

The numerous accounts in the book by those affected present elements of hope, dreams, memories, motherhood, misery, pain, love, survival, volunteerism and care. Survivors, volunteers and youngsters mention their observations in words. Each story in the book offers an eye opening account and the author believes that the resilience of Pakistanis is unparalleled. For those interested in understanding the real destruction of the 2005 earthquake, this is a good read.

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Book Review: The Founding of the Kashmir State; A Biography of Maharajah Gulab Singh 1792-1858

The Founding of the Kashmir State is divided into nine chapters. To some Gulab Singh seemed an opportunist who took advantage of the confusion which followed after Ranjit Singh’s death. He was able to carve out a state for himself with the establishment of Jammu and Kashmir by the Treaty of 1846.

Gulab Singh was the son of Kishore Singh. Gulab Singh’s sons were Randhir Singh, Sohan Singh and Ranbir Singh. Gulab was under his grandfather’s training. One day he was not obedient to his grandfather and got scolded by him. Gulab was left hurt as he was sensitive boy of hardly seventeen years. In 1809 Gulab joined the army of Ranjit Singh at Daska, a few miles from Sailkot. Ranjit Singh in 1812 started his first expedition against Kashmir in alliance with Fateh Khan, Minister of Shah Mahmud of Kabul. Before that Ranjit Singh had received the title of Rajah in 1799 from Zaman Shah. It was Ranjit Singh who gave Gulab Singh the title of Rajah.

The third chapter is regarding Gulab Singh and the Sikh Anarchy. In 1839 Ranjit Singh died at the age of 59. He was succeeded by his son Kharrak Singh. Kharrak Singh was in the hands of his favorite Chet Singh. This created problems and alienated the other officers of the court. This created turmoil. After that Lahore government had made every effort to root out the Jammu family. Only Gulab Singh managed to escape from their thirst for blood.

In chapter five the conquest of Ladak, Baltistan and Western Tibet is covered. In 1834 Gulab Singh decided to attack Ladak. At first there was no opposition as the Ladakis were taken by surprise. 5000 Ladakis were collected in haste abd on 16 August 1834, an attempt was made to stop the Dogra advacnce at Sanku. The Ladakis were heavily defeated. Having finally conquered Ladak, Zorawar Singh turned to Baltistan. Muhammad Shah the eldest son of the ruler of Sakrdo sought Zorawar’s help to get his claims recognized. Zorawar organized a Ladaki army under their own generals and invaded Baltistan. The Balti army was defeated and Muhammad Shah was made the Sulatn. Zorawar left a Dogra garrison to support his authority.

Zorawar now wanted to conquer Central Tibetean Province for his master. He prepared an army of 5000 which included Balti and Ladaki recruits with a small Dogra force. On 10 December 1841 the balttle commenced. Zorawar was helped by a Tibetan warrior as a lance pierced his breast. With Zorawar’s death the Dogra army suffered great hardships. Despite that, Gulab Singh did not lose heart. A new army was raised and dispatched under Dewan Harri Chand and Wazir Ratanu. With the approach of the Dogra force the Tibetans fled and Dogra leaders occupied Leh.

Treaty of Lahore and Treaty of Amritsar are discussed in chapter six. In chapter seven the text of the Treaty of Amritsar is given. Maharajah Gulab Singh had to pay to the British Government the sum of seventy-five Lakhs of Rupees (Nanushahee). The rein of Gulab Singh is explained in the second last chapter. The hostility of the Sikh population and the strained relations with Afghanistan made it necessary for the British government to cultivate the friendship of Gulab Singh and to treat him as a specially valued ally. In 1850 Sir Henry and Lady Lawrence came to Kashmir. They met Gulab Sing at Sri Nagar several times. Lawrence from there went to Skardo and Ladak. The aim of this mission was to explore the possibilities of the Central Asian trade.

In 1841 Gaur Aman the eldest son of Mulk Iman, the ruler of Yasin conquered Gilgit and killed its ruler. Karim Khan, the brother of the dead Rajah called upon the Sikh Governor of Kashmir for help. The Sikhs sent Nathu Shah of Gujranwalla with a strong force to help Karim Khan. In 1842 Astore was occupied by Nathu Shah and Gaur Aman was defeated. Nathu Shah was sent back again and successfully pacified the border, taking in marriage the daughters of Gaur Aman and the Mirs of Hunza and Nagar. Karim Khan who asked for Sikh aid received it mostly and Gilgit got permanently occupied by the Sikhs. In 1852 Chilas was conquered by the Sikhs. Chilasis surrendered and their leaders were brought to Srinagar where they accepted the Maharajah’s authority and left their sons as hostages.

Gulab Singh died at the age of sixty-six in August 1858.The author believes that Gulab Singh was one of the most remarkable man that India had produced. The extension of the Sikh state into Ladak, Skardo and Tibet are to Gulab Singh’s credit.

A very pragmatic decision maker who knows when to fight and when to go for peace. Gulab Singh remained an orthodox Hindu at the Sikh Court. He built numerous temples in Jammu, undertook pilgrimages and banned the killing of cows. The author believes that ‘Jammu and Kashmir state’ is his monument.

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