Nick Attam

[Asra Nomani @AsraNomani]

“Bahawalpur.”

I still have chills in my heart from when I first heard that town’s name in late January 2002. For the 23 years since, I have reported on how Pakistani intelligence and military leaders have used that city — Bahawalpur — in the southern province of Punjab as a base for its homegrown domestic terrorists.

When I heard India bombed training camps in Pakistan this week in Operation Sindoor, in response to a Pakistani terrorist rampage in India’s Kashmir state, I had one city’s name on my lips: Bahawalpur.

Did India bomb Bahawalpur?

It did. I knew then India was striking actual hubs for Pakistan’s homegrown domestic terrorism.

Why do I know?

My friend, WSJ reporter Danny Pearl, went to Bahawalpur in December 2001 with a notebook and a pen. Gen. Pervez Musharraf had just promised he was shutting down Pakistan’s militant groups after a strike by Pakistan’s terrorists against the Parliament in India, and Danny reported on the militant offices in Bahawalpur.

He literally knocked on their doors. Dear Dr. @yudapearl, this story is a window into Danny’s reporting enterprise. And because people will wonder: Danny was no cowboy. This was a calculated low-risk reporting trip because no journalist had been targeted for kidnapping in Pakistan. Around that time, Danny sent me an email: “I’m anxious to go to Afghanistan, but I’m not anxious to die.”

What did Danny learn?

The militant training camps were open for business in Bahawalpur.

On Jan. 23, 2002, Danny left a home I had rented in Karachi, Pakistan, for an interview.

I learned Danny’s fixer, Asif Farooqi, had arranged an interview for Danny through a man named “Arif.” Danny didn’t know it but Arif was the PR man for a militant group, Harkutul Mujahadeen. What was Arif’s hometown? Bahawalpur.

The police launched a manhunt to find Arif in Bahawalpur. We learned Arif’s family faked a funeral for Arif. Police found him trying to board a bus in Muzaffarabad, across the country by Pakistan’s border with Kashmir.

It is another town India said it bombed terrorist training facilities.

Arif had handed Danny off to Omar Sheikh,a British-Pakistani dropout from the London School of Economics, radicalized in the 1990s in London mosques. He went to Pakistan to train in these militant training camps. Then he kidnapped tourists in India. He was caught and jailed but on Dec. 31, 1999, he was traded for hostages in the hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814.

Omar Sheikh was freed with Pakistani terrorist leader Masood Azhar, whose family was allegedly killed this week by India’s air strike in Bahawalpur.

Did Pakistan jail Omar Sheikh and Masood Azhar when they returned to Pakistan with a third terrorist, freed from India’s jails?

No. Pakistan’s military and intelligence gave them safe passage. They used them as weapons against India. But in fact these domestic terrorists have waged war against innocents in Pakistan, like civil society activists, Benazir Bhutto, Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, schoolchildren and countless others.

Their extremism has ruined Pakistan, and Pakistanis can’t blame America for creating the mujahideen to fight the Soviets in the 1980s.

Pakistan has had a duty to dismantle those terrorist bases — for even the safety of its own people. What India is doing is a strategic attack on terrorist bases Pakistani military and intelligence should have eliminated but never did in their obsession to take over Kashmir.

You will see parallels in the propaganda messages against India and Israel. Like Hamas, Pakistani terrorists crossed a border to kill. Now, Pakistani propagandists call themselves victims of their “fascist” “colonizer” neighbor.

It’s the Reverse Uno strategy of moral inversion, just like @stoolpresidente got from the Temple student who won’t take responsibility for promoting the “HATE THE JEWS” sign. Don’t fall for it. Nations, communities and people must own up to their extremism, from Bahawalpur to beyond.

[David Crisafulli @DavidCrisafulli]

We’re providing an update live from North Queensland.

https://t.co/IiCOIVzE0S

[Nick Attam @Nick_A_Editor]

@DavidCrisafulli @CGIBrisbane

[Nick Attam @Nick_A_Editor]

@DavidCrisafulli Fantastic initiative, Premier @DavidCrisafulli! Strengthening ties with India opens doors for trade, cultural exchange & collaboration. Kudos to Consul-General Ms. Neetu Bhagotia (@CGI_Brisbane) for representing the vibrant Indian community! That's great to hear!

[Nick Attam @Nick_A_Editor]

📷 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞: https://t.co/Y3dScs3LT0

[Nick Attam @Nick_A_Editor]

📷 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑺𝒖𝒏 𝑸𝒖𝒆𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 – 𝑱𝒂𝒏𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒚 2025 𝑬𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝑯𝑬𝑹𝑬! 📷
📷 𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑒𝑠, 𝐼𝑛𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 📷
📷 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: https://t.co/cI2oxLqyaP...

[Nick Attam @Nick_A_Editor]

@HCICanberra @rashtrapatibhvn @PMOIndia @MEABharat @diaspora_india @IndianDiplomacy @AusHCIndia Congratulations Prof Ajay Rane

[Nick Attam @Nick_A_Editor]

Honored to share a message from the Queensland Premier and Minister for Veterans, celebrating the contributions of our vibrant community. Together, we continue to build a stronger, inclusive Queensland. 🇦🇺 #Leadership #Community #QueenslandPride #Queenslandpremier @The_Indian_Sun

[The Indian Sun @The_Indian_Sun]

🎉🙏 @iskcon Brisbane's #Janmastami celebrations on 27 Aug were a vibrant display of culture & spirituality, ft. dance, theatre, & sacred rituals. See how the community united in honour of Lord #Krishna's teachings! 💃📿🌟 #TheIndianSun @MiltonDickMP

https://t.co/XHLreecPTX

[The Indian Sun @The_Indian_Sun]

#GoldCityBulls, owned by Dr Girish Basavaraj, win the Mendi Tropical Big Bash 2024! 🏏🏆 Led by Sam Lowry, Daniel Gartrell, Brenton Edwards, the Bulls showcase true dedication & skill. Read more about their victory & community impact! 🎉🙌👏 #TheIndianSun

https://t.co/qPeyYJYvnA

[The Indian Sun @The_Indian_Sun]

Mayor Troy Thompson announced #IndiaFestTownsville 2024 for 24 August, celebrating Indian culture with food, fun, & entertainment. 🎉🇮🇳 The festival highlights #Townsville's multicultural unity & community spirit. 🍛🎶🌟 #TheIndianSun #IndiaFest

https://t.co/iXVJpnB5SK

[The Indian Sun @The_Indian_Sun]

The Consulate General of India in Brisbane begins #passport services at 301 Coronation Dr, Milton QLD, with applications deposited at @VFSGlobal. #Visa services will be announced soon. 🇮🇳🇦🇺 For contact details & more click link below. 📍✉️📅 #TheIndianSun

https://t.co/I0XZsxBoUx

[India in Brisbane @CGIBrisbane]

Consulate General of India, Brisbane has commenced the Passport & related services.
More details are given in notice below:

[Nick Attam @Nick_A_Editor]

https://t.co/n6PicuqOB6

Please donate and share !

[Nick Attam @Nick_A_Editor]

We are heartbroken to share the tragic loss of Chaitanya Mupparaju & Surya Teja Bobba, two bright students from India, who lost their lives in a drowning accident at Millaa Millaa Falls on July 16th, 2024. Their untimely departure has left their families and loved ones devastated

[Nick Attam @Nick_A_Editor]

@The_Indian_Sun @CGIBrisbane @HCICanberra

[The Indian Sun @The_Indian_Sun]

ICAQ's inaugural Indian Traditional New Year Celebrations at Roma Street Parklands unite Brisbane's diverse community with cultural festivities, performances, & food, fostering unity & celebrating heritage. 🎉🎶🍲🌸🇮🇳 #TheIndianSun

https://t.co/JL9fwZxHJ9

[Nick Attam @Nick_A_Editor]

@The_Indian_Sun @CGIBrisbane

[Nick Attam @Nick_A_Editor]

@The_Indian_Sun @CGIBrisbane