In Search of Qasab – A Journey to Pakistan

Pakistan a Failed Republic?

Being part of the American intelligence, I was given the job nail Pakistan on the Mumbai attacks. Though it is obvious that any terror attack in the world has either direct or indirect link to Pakistan, the Fed wanted to have tangible evidence - “data, data, data”. I embarked a flight to Islamabad and after initial bonhomie I delved on it with Raza Gilani (RG)

Me: Dear Prime Minister, Will you permit to have a look at the National Database

RG: Database, which one?

Me: The one that contains record of all citizens

RG: (blinking his eyes) Oh Yes Sure, Sure ... we can show you ... nothing to hid; it’s Open Source ...

Me: Oh it’s open source ... Is it MySQL?

RG: (completely flummoxed) oh yeah .. its OurSQL

[I know that Gilani wouldn’t have expected these intricate technical details of databases from a Secret Service Agent like me. Neither do I know this a couple of days ago. A session with top database expert Reddy got me accustomed with these terms. Reddy also gave some hints on how to query the database. “Select * from” hmm I remember it. The Like Operator... Like ‘%asab’ should bring ‘Kasab’, ‘Qasab’ etc. Some other ‘hints’ you would come to know once my report gets declassified by Fed.]

Gilani was a good host. I had a sumptuous lunch with him, after which he introduced a Software Architect who would help me in ‘Search for Qasab’. The software architect looked like a British educated person, but spoke almost nothing and drove me to a building with lots and lots of arches. He introduced me to a ‘database expert’ and left the scene.

The database expert, Rahim, was quite comfortable by my presence and took me to a big hall where around twenty PCs were placed near the four walls on a neatly crafted wooden benches.

Me: Rahim, the wooden crafting should be costlier than your PCs

Rahim: No Sir! There are many good artisans in Pakistan. We have a good taste for art! [He was right, all the drawers had some Mosque carvings surrounded by Palm trees, Camels etc.. a unique feature of Arabs] [more on http://supremepowerindia.blogspot.com ]

As Rahim went into a small room to fetch water, I glanced at other engineers at work. Almost all of them were young – in their early twenties, they wore a Shirt that is too lengthy for their upper half, the sleeves drooped out of their hands and their pants were terribly short. It was drooping half way between knees and toes. All of them had beards and highly-designed caps. Some were playing games and one guy with a long beard was playing some Arabic song that was so loud that the database centre looked like Mecca on a Friday Namaz.

Me: Thanks for the Water Rahim, I want to have a hands-on with your National Database. Can you get me a machine

Rahim: sure sir! You can use this machine [he took me to a machine and pressed Ctrl+Alt+Del. The green Screen Saver with a mosque paved way for a greener Desktop with some Mosque and Quran inscriptions as background]

[I took the hint that Reddy gave and searched for some data connections. There was no sign of databases installed on that machine. It had some Real Player and Games] [more on http://supremepowerindia.blogspot.com ]

Me: Rahim what database do you use? MySQL?

Rahim: No sir .. no database here.. [ I was really stunned... no database]

Me: Do you have any in-built databases

Rahim: We bought and assembled the machines [Aagh ... he was talking more on Hardware]

Me: No Rahim! I want the software

Rahim: Yes sir! You can have it ..

Me: [Exasperated] Can you take me to the Manager of this Organization.

Rahim: He is in Afghanistan, at present I am in charge of this?

Me: What’s he doing in Afghanistan?

Rahim: He is fighting against NETO

[NATO i suppose]

Rahim: (Proudly) He has destroyed some NETO 200 vehicles in Peshwar !

Me: Can I get any chance to look into records of citizens. Well! I mean a file containing names, addresses etc.

Rahim: Sure sir! You can GET!

Me: Where?

Rahim: You can try in Karachi

Me: In Karachi?

Rahim: You will get info like names, addresses, mobile nos, credit card numbers etc

Me: That’s what I want. Do you have any contacts in Karachi?

Rahim: I do have. My brother works there.

Me: That’s good, where shall I find him?

Rahim: “Rehan Traders” in new market area?

Me: Will he take me to the information department?

Rahim: What department?

Me: For getting the emails, addresses etc?

Rahim: He has those in CDs. He sells them

Me: IN CDs, why he sells them

Rahim: People buy them to get access to credit card accounts of Indians?

Me: Indians!

Rahim: Yeah Indians, we get these CDs through Pasha from Mumbai

Me: [to myself Oh Jesus! Where will I Search for Kasab]

Rahim: Sir, we tried searching last week. The name was not there. Once the name comes we need to inform the our government

Me: So you were searching Indian database... Im sorry Indian CDs and DVDs

Rahim: (Proudly) Yes Sir!

Me: Thanks Rahim.. Thanks a lot

Rahim: My pleasure ... please come again [Sure ... If I need any info on Indians]

I walked back to Mariott and switched on TV. A news anchor from Geo TV was shrieking ‘Pakistan reiterates no data related to Qasab is available on its National Database’

I switched off the Televison and dozed off!!

Is my trip a failure? Or is the country a failure?

How India double checked for Kasab's Nationality

On 27th Dec 2008, a day after Mumbai attacks, India thoroughly interrogated the youngster duped into terrorism by Islamic elements of Pakistan - Ajmal Amir Iman alias Kasab. They matched with the intelligence reports that he was a Pakistani and hailed from Faridkot.
(Kasab - Mumbai Terror Suspect)

He confirmed that he was duped into terrorism by some Insane Islamic elements in the pretext of job offer.
Though India had concrete reports on the terroists nationality (they used high-profile radars to intercept President Zardari's conversation, General Kiyani's orders to ISI etc), they were apprehensive whether technolgically-backward Pakistani brothers will understand this

President Zardari
Ex Maha CM - Mr Deshmukh
Mumbai Police Following Kasab
RamGopal Verma the chief architect.


Hence Deshmukh and RGV had a closed door discussion. After this they directly went to Yerawwada jail and pressed the police to Release Kasab. The police told Kasab that they had caught him because of wrong identity and released him. Kasab walked free out of Jail. But behind the scenes Mumbai Poilce was following him closely.

Kasab first went to a house in Mumbai where he was given some food and dry fruits. Then he was dropped @ Goa by the houseowner. In Goa the intelligence agency cops in disguise of Arab Traders got him on a Vessel and sailed to Karachi. They disguised Kasab as a woman and travelled with him. Innocent Kasab was twice fooled ... once by Islamic Religious Scholars, who in the Pretext of Job opportunity sold him to LeT and now by Indian Intelligence as Arab traders. Kasab finally went to Faridkot with the 'Arab Trader', where he was not allowed inside by Pakistani intelligence officials. The 'Arab trader' bribed Pak intellgence officers to meet Kasab's parents. After a short stay there, the 'Arab trader' took Kasab back to 'safe destination'

The entire video is shot by Ram Gopal Varma, who as 'Arab Trader' took Kasab to Faridkot and back to India. Hope this proof goes on well with the innocent Pakistan brothers.