Aziz Hanifa In Washington, DC

Stories by Aziz Hanifa In Washington, DC

'Jinnah hankered to return to his beloved Bombay'

'Jinnah hankered to return to his beloved Bombay'

Rediff.com   28 Jul 2009

Pakistan's Ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani has said that the founder of Pakistan, Mohamed Ali Jinnah had hoped that India-Pakistan relations would be like the cordial US-Canada relations, and also had hankered nostalgically to return one day to his beloved Mumbai.

'No military solution to the Kashmir imbroglio'

'No military solution to the Kashmir imbroglio'

Rediff.com   28 Jul 2009

United States Congressman Joseph Pitts, a seven-term Republican representing Pennsylvania, has declared that there can be no military solution to the Kashmir imbroglio, and called on President Barack Obama to keep his campaign pledge to help resolve this dispute between India and Pakistan.

US Congressman vows to 'fight for Kashmir'

US Congressman vows to 'fight for Kashmir'

Rediff.com   28 Jul 2009

United States Congressman Dan Burton, Indiana Republican and ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who was in the 1980s and 1990s India's bete-noire on Capitol Hill, after a considerable hiatus when he took a sabbatical against castigating India, seems to have had a relapse, this time at the urging of the Kashmiri American Council and the pro-Pakistan lobby.

'Holbrooke's mandate is strictly AfPak, not India'

'Holbrooke's mandate is strictly AfPak, not India'

Rediff.com   28 Jul 2009

Senior United States administration sources have dismissed speculation raised in some media reports that Richard Holbrooke, US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, had cancelled his visit to India this time around because he avoided getting caught up in the controversy over the opposition attacks on the India-Pakistan joint statement announced in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt

US Senate India Caucus to meet today

US Senate India Caucus to meet today

Rediff.com   28 Jul 2009

The newly re-constituted US Senate India Caucus will resurrect itself on Tuesday evening with its first meeting for the year during which it will also formally welcome India's Ambassador to the US, Meera Shankar, who assumed duties two months ago.

Senator apologises after calling India a 'threat'

Senator apologises after calling India a 'threat'

Rediff.com   27 Jul 2009

United States Senator John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, has profusely apologised and expeditiously gone on damage control mode after stating that 'a rising India' is a grave threat to the US. The Senator from Texas states that the F-22's are "important to our national security because we're not just fighting wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. We're fighting --we have graver threats and greater threats than that: From a rising India, with increased exercise of military power'.

Activist Manjula Kumar gets Gandhi peace award

Activist Manjula Kumar gets Gandhi peace award

Rediff.com   24 Jul 2009

Educator, director, actor and activist Manjula Kumar has been awarded the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Foundation's Fellowship of Peace Award. At a ceremony on June 12 in uptown Washington, DC, she was described as someone who 'through her numerous productions, worked tirelessly to build bridges of cross-cultural understanding between diverse communities, and expresses the notion of the fellowship of peace through every artistic endeavour.'

India, US eyeing an ambitious agenda: Expert

India, US eyeing an ambitious agenda: Expert

Rediff.com   24 Jul 2009

Karl F Inderfurth, former assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs in former United States President Bill Clinton's administration and a foreign policy adviser in the Barack Obama presidential campaign, says Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to India was 'continuity plus', vis--vis the growing strategic partnership between Washington and New Delhi.Inderfurth said, "This visit was filled with areas to promote even closer cooperation."

'Clinton's visit to India helped cross the bar'

'Clinton's visit to India helped cross the bar'

Rediff.com   24 Jul 2009

Former US Ambassador to India Frank Wisner is a happy man because he believes that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to India helped 'cross the bar' and silence the critics who were convinced that President Barack Obama's predecessor George W Bush was infinitely better for India than the current chief executive of the White House.

Hillary dispelled India's doubts about Obama govt

Hillary dispelled India's doubts about Obama govt

Rediff.com   24 Jul 2009

The apparent consensus among South Asia watchers and experts in United States is that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's three-day visit to Mumbai and New Delhi was a slam dunk in effectively quashing the contention of naysayers, both in India and the US, that the Barack Obama administration was less committed to the India-US strategic partnership than its predecessor George W Bush administration.

'Pakistan has become something of a caricature'

'Pakistan has become something of a caricature'

Rediff.com   23 Jul 2009

Former Pakistani Ambassador to the US, Maleeha Lodhi has ridiculed the recent fears of the Obama administration and the US Congress that the Taliban when they gained control of the Swat Valley -- since recaptured by the Pakistani military -- would get a hold of the country's nuclear arsenal.

'Pakistanis are disappointed with Dr Singh'

'Pakistanis are disappointed with Dr Singh'

Rediff.com   23 Jul 2009

Maleeha Lodhi, the former Pakistani Ambassador to the US, has said that both Pakistani government and its people are disappointed that even though Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Congress party returned to power with an enhanced mandate, India has refused to resume the composite dialogue with Pakistan, and instead continues to focus on the terrorism issue.

Obama's N-deal report to Congress creates doubts

Obama's N-deal report to Congress creates doubts

Rediff.com   21 Jul 2009

The report submitted by Obama on Monday -- which is the first one given to the US Congress by a President as required by the legislation signed into law last October by then President George W Bush, is one in a series of determinations required to be provided to lawmakers on the implementation of the Act, which details India's actions from IAEA safeguards to other non-proliferation commitments.

Indo-US accord opens door for closer defence ties

Indo-US accord opens door for closer defence ties

Rediff.com   21 Jul 2009

The USIBC said that this was 'a significant step that puts decades of Cold War baggage behind the world's two largest democracy', and that in achieving 'consensus' on this 'key bilateral agreement', it held out the promise 'to bolster the US and India as reliable partners for the long future in the sensitive areas of defence and security trade'.

Stopping sex predators: Indian American honoured

Stopping sex predators: Indian American honoured

Rediff.com   17 Jul 2009

Jay Chaudhuri, general counsel and senior policy adviser to North Carolina State Treasurer Janet Cowell, has been honoured with a top award by the National Association of Attorneys General for his efforts in protecting children from online predators on social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook. Chaudhuri received the NAAG 2009 Marvin Award at its annual convention in Colorado Springs.

Hillary visit will take ties to next level: Blake

Hillary visit will take ties to next level: Blake

Rediff.com   26 Jun 2009

Robert O Blake, the new Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, making his debut before the House Foreign Affairs Committee Thursday, said Secretary of State Hillary's Clinton's trip to India next month will be a tangible manifestation of the Obama Administration's commitment to take the Indo-US relationship to the next level.

Pak inches closer to receiving massive US aid

Pak inches closer to receiving massive US aid

Rediff.com   17 Jun 2009

Pakistan has moved one step closer to receiving massive American economic and military largesse -- reminiscent of the billions of dollars it received during the Reagan and George W Bush Administrations when military dictators Mohammad Zia-ul Haq and Pervez Musharraf respectively were in charge -- to the tune of $1.5 billion annually over five years, when the Senate-Lugar aid bill steamrolled through the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee by a vote of 16-0.

Obama appoints Vinai Thummalapally as Ambassador

Obama appoints Vinai Thummalapally as Ambassador

Rediff.com   12 Jun 2009

President Barack Obama has nominated his friend and former room-mate and major campaign fund-raiser Vinai Thummalapally of Colorado Springs, Colorado, as the next US Ambassador to Belize, the only country in Central America where English is the official language.

Obama wants to engage with India; sends PM letter

Obama wants to engage with India; sends PM letter

Rediff.com   11 Jun 2009

Richard Holbrooke, the United States Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, has asserted that the Obama administration "believes that what happens in Afghanistan and Pakistan is of vital interest to our national security and that India is a country that we must keep in the closest consultations with."

Ellen Tauscher is undersecretary of arms control

Ellen Tauscher is undersecretary of arms control

Rediff.com   10 Jun 2009

A nonproliferation hawk, who vehemently opposed the US-India civilian nuclear deal, former Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher will take over as Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security.