Pakistani Defense Analyst Zaid Hamid: 'I Pray To Allah That The Americans Withdraw From [Afghanistan] And Leave The Indians There – It Has Been A Long Time Since We Massacred Hindus In Afghanistan'

Zaid Hamid, who is popular on Pakistani television channels

On August 11, 2013, Pakistani television channel ARY News telecast a current affairs program called Sawal Ye Hai (This Is The Question), hosted by Dr. Danish.[1] There were two participants on the talk show, both of whom were described as defense analysts: Zaid Hamid and Air Marshall (Ret.) Shahid Latif.

The participants, including the television host Dr. Danish, addressed a number of questions regarding Pakistan-India relations. Excerpts are given below from a long, single segment from the program in which Zaid Hamid speaks about how Pakistan should treat India's presence in Afghanistan after the U.S. troop withdrawal planned by the end of 2014.

"Afghanistan Is A Muslim Country And Only Muslim Countries Will Decide Its Fate; Turkey, Iran, And Pakistan Will Sit Together And Jointly Decide About Afghanistan; There Is No Place For Hindu Polytheists There"

TV Anchor Dr. Danish: "Zaid Sahib, 2014 is at hand and we see that on this occasion there is [Barack] Obama's policy statement that there [in Afghanistan] would be zero presence [of U.S. troops]. In this situation, you know about the one border of Pakistan, and my faulty sources say, that India has more role [to play] there [in Afghanistan] than Pakistan. India's presence is 500 times more powerful there in comparison to Pakistan, and the U.S. wants to give it much power there. What will happen in the future, and what do you see in 2014?"

Zaid Hamid: "Danish, if you truly ask me, I pray to Allah that the Americans withdraw from [Afghanistan], and leave the Indians there; it has been a long time since we massacred Hindus in Afghanistan. Historically, it was always like that, and that is why the mountains in Afghanistan are called 'Hindu Kush.' 'Hindu Kush' means a place where Hindus are to be beheaded, a place that kills Hindus. Historically, whenever Hindus entered Afghanistan, they were butchered there.

"We pray to Allah that the U.S. withdraws from Afghanistan, and leaves the Bania [Hindu merchants] in their place. The things we would do to the Bania in Afghanistan would make them refrain from looking toward Afghanistan and Pakistan for thousands of years. The elements of the Karzai government cannot sustain themselves in Afghanistan after the Americans' exit, no matter how many troops India puts there. Afghan Taliban have always been supporters of Pakistan; [they] are loyal, our neighbor, and our brethren.

"And Tajiks and Uzbeks in Afghanistan have also understood this very well, that the enmity they had struck with Pakistan, the misunderstanding they had developed with Pakistan due to the Afghan Taliban, it is time to do away it. Afghanistan is a Muslim country and only Muslim countries will decide its fate. Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan will sit together and jointly decide about Afghanistan. There is no place for Hindu polytheists there. Afghan Taliban are waiting for this, that they would bury Hindu polytheists there as they have buried the Americans. We are praying for that. They are not a problem for us.

"We have problems only [as long as] there remain the Americans. In the presence of Americans, the way India and RAW [Research and Analysis Wing, the external spy agency of India] are sending TTP and BLA [Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Balochistan Liberation Army militants into Pakistan] and their bases are in place in Afghanistan, that period is dangerous for us, and that period is the coming one and one-and-a-half years."

"[Hindu/Indian] Polytheists Don't Know This, That If They Poke Us Once, We Will, By Allah, Reach Delhi By Liberating Kashmir, And This Has Been Our history; From The Hindu Kush Mountains To Delhi, This Region Does Not Belong To Hindus"

"Today the whole of Indian media, Indian Parliament, [and the] Indian army chief are talking about attacking Pakistan on [the issue of firing in Kashmir across] Line of Control because they see that the Pakistani state is collapsing, the government is confused, the Pakistani army does not enjoy support from judiciary, media, and the government. You have deployed the army personnel in jails and in cleaning the streets of Karachi [from criminals].

"This is a time for India to wage a serious limited war against Pakistan. And they want to do it. There is no doubt in it now. And if they don't do it, it would be because of this - only that you take an aggressive posture in Pakistan and threaten India with a mouth-breaking reply if it tried to cross the Line of Control border with Pakistan.

"If the Pakistani state and government does not do this then in coming few weeks and months, be ready [for war] because Indians are not creating this hype without any rhyme or reason. There is reason in that. At this time when we are talking here, there is war continuing at the Line of Control between Pak[istani] forces & Rangers and the Indian army. Indian army chief has said it only yesterday, that they want to do a limited war with Pakistan by attacking the Pakistan army. That war would neither be limited nor conventional.

"They live in a fool's paradise, and these polytheists don't know this, that if they poke us once, we would, by Allah, reach Delhi by liberating Kashmir, and this has been our history. From the Hindu Kush Mountains to Delhi, this region does not belong to Hindus; this is the region of Muslims. If temporarily Hindus are present there, then it is a matter of time being and by Allah that would also continue happening in future what has been happening for the past thousand years."