Pakistan Deploying Nuclear Weapons in Balochistan, BNF

29.09.2008 By Archen Baloch Amid world community concerns that Pakistan instability would make it possible for Al-Qaida and Talban to acquireNuclear weapons from it, the Pakistani military junta has now started a new strategic move in Balochistan. Confirmed Reports coming out of Baloch press and political parties in Balochistan that Pakistan has turned Balochistan into a war zone where every sophisticated weapons of war are being deployed, including the nuclear weapons. And at the same time it has surreptitiously activated its religious networks spending billions of rupees to combat Baloch nationalism.   According to Baloch National Front (B N F) press release, Sept 23 dailytawar, “Pakistani government has, besides activating the religious networks forces within Balochistan, briskly started deployment of its war arsenals along the borderline of Afghanistan and Balochistan from Qandahar to Quetta and Chaigi”. The press release furthermore states that “Pakistan is deploying its missiles capable of carrying atomic bombs and deadly chemicals weapons in Quetta military cantonments and other military camps in the region bordering Afghanistan. The deployment of war hardware in Balochistan is extensively taking place”. The press release also warned the peace loving nations that “Pakistan’s religious terrorism promotional activities would cause a tremendous harm to Baloch national freedom struggle and the world peace at large.  Pakistan’s all these activities not only put the existence of Baloch nation in danger, but also the security of Afghanistan and India”. The press release which has been issued jointly by BNF’s  representative, Gulam Muhammad, Sangat Sana and Saddique Raisani in Karachi, has demanded to the world community and United Nation that, “they ask Pakistan it recognizes Baloch nation as an independent nation. In the same line the statement also warned Pakistan and Zardari that Baloch will not accept anything of so called economic initiatives, except outright independence from Pakistan”. The press statement categorically rejected Zardari’s first presidential speech in which he had said that resolving Balochistan issue was included in his priorities, “The issue of Baloch crisis is related to the restoration of Baloch sovereignty over its homeland that is outright independent of Balochistan”. At the end of the statement these leaders have also stressed that “the world community and United Nations would take strong necessary steps in combating the menace of religious terrorism being promoted by Pakistan in Balochistan and pre-empt the probable military actions of Pakistan in the region which would put the world peace in jeopardy”. World community must make sure it that Baloch secular forces are on board in the fight of terrorism, and Pakistani state sponsored terrorism in Balochistan is met with strong reaction.

Quartering the Vanquished Foe

18.06.2008

By Archen Baloch    Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Yousif visit to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia indicated that the kingdom considering on giving Pakistan a one year oil support on credit and at the same time the US government also has conceded to giving 10 F16 jet air fighters to Pakistan. While 9/11 loan moratorium by world community to Pakistan delivered nothing in fighting terrorism. And it rather quartered the vanquished foe. Under the ISI's courtship the fugitives of Taliban took refuge in Pakistan. All the financial and weaponry hardware supports, it received from western world for the war against terrorism, are now being used against Baloch nation.   If one care to take into account the Baloch national concerns, the Saudis and the American benevolence to Pakistan means issuing a certificate for liquidating the Baloch nation. Any economic and military hardware support to Pakistan means the compress of Baloch national struggle and a compressed or defeated Baloch national resistance means a strong Talibanized Islamic atomic power Pakistan and a strong Shiite theocratic regime in Iran, as half of Balochistan is occupied by Iran. Pakistan has proliferated WMD to Iran regardless of GCC countries concerns and reservations towards it. There is a covert security pact between Pakistan and Iran regarding to Baloch nationalism. Pakistan does not want a weak Iran which eventually leads to an independent Balochistan. So therefore a strong Iran is in defense favor of Pakistan. Baloch political workers have frequently reported transport of heavy weapons to Iran by Pakistan and clandestine high level meetings of both countries at the boarder points. But all these reports have gone unnoticed to international media because of media - blackout maintained by Iran and Pakistan in Balochistan. Both countries have committed human rights violence by subjecting Baloch nation under brute repression. Let alone the denial of basic amnesties to the subjugated nation, they have now started liquidating our nation. Both countries are engage in a deep rooted conspiracy in containing the secular Baloch national struggle for independent.  The World community should know its ramification to Baloch nation's survival and its implications to world peace. Pakistan's irrational existence is an irritant mark on the face of world peace. As the current situation in Asian Middle East getting worsens because of Iran's adamant nuclear policy and Pakistan's Talibanization, the Baloch are becoming the main sufferer of it in the region. With the collaboration of Pakistani crime ridden ISI, the Iranian regime has increasingly intensified its heinous crimes against Baloch nation, who are seeking to revive their sovereignty over their own homeland Balochistan. The handover of Ghulam Haider Raisani, along with other 4 innocent Baloch youths on June 14, 2008 to Iranian regime by Pakistani military government shows how involved Both tyrant countries in subjugating Baloch nation.   It is Sunni and Shiite fascism both in Pakistan and Iran, which is seeking the liquidation of secular Baloch nation to satiate the thirst of ultra-nationalist Punjabi and Persian predatory whim in the name of Islam by looting  the Baloch national wealth to promote the "Muslim Umma" ideology. Religious elements as their (foot soldiers) are being used for the purpose of diluting Baloch nationalism and distracting the course of independent from Iran and Pakistan.  In Pakistan the "Tabligy  Jumaith" is  funded by crime ridden notorious ISI to promote the  Islamic ideology "the two nation theory"  and thereby to dilute Baloch nationalism. The Tabligy Jumaith, headed by Abdul Wahab in "Ray Wand" in punjab is also the centre for recruiting members for Al Qaeda and Taliban. More than Rs. 2.5 Billions are allocated to mullahs to continue the heinous crimes of Pakistani agencies to counter Baloch national ideology in the disguise of serving the Islam. Pakistan seems to have lost its equilibrium as a country. Its economy is in a serious mess nothing seems to be working to bring back serenity to it neither military rule nor controlled democracy. Social unrest is prevailing all over the country. And now it has come to a point where unraveling of the social organization of the country would take place and Balkanization follows it soon. Pakistan's irrational existence is an irritant mark on the face.    Baloch armed resistance has taken its toll on Pakistani economy, as it targets not only army personnel but strategic economic assets too. It has disrupted Pakistan's main supply lines of natural gas and electricity to main cities industrial zones, and this has triggered a chain of backwards trends to Pakistani economy. Almost all of its export based industries are closed because of lake of electricity and natural gas.  As Pakistan economy is dependent on gas energy, 50% of it is produced from Balochistan gas fields which are constantly under attacked by Baloch resistance forces.     Pakistan is in dire need of energy. Even if its need of energy is met by the kingdom of Saudi Arabia for time being, but who gives assurance that this "mullah military country Pakistan" brings peace and stability. And the kingdom's precious oil is not wasted in supporting the Talibans.        Baloch are fighting a war of independent against Pakistani and Irani occupation of their homeland. It is a common war, even though they are fighting for their national survival in Pakistan and Iran, yet it directly benefits the peace loving nations in the region and abroad. An independent Balochistan benefits the world in peace and prosperity because we Baloch believe in contribution. It is our national ideological believe that only contribution counts: in peace, democracy, environment and scientific research for the well being of mankind. But Pakistan and Iran have delivered nothing except terrorism, religious extremism, poverty, illiteracy and degradation of humankind. Both countries are promoting an ideology which has no regard for culture and diversity. If anything but religious promoted, would be regarded as atheist.   The world could take a sigh of relief of religious extremism only when In both countries Baloch position is supported in reducing the theocratic Iranian regime to Qum and the Islamic military country Pakistan to just Lahore, Provided Baloch are financially and morally supported by world community. To get rid of mullah's religious fanatic ideology, it is immediate task of the international community to support the ideology of nationalism. Baloch nationalism is already on its way towards achieving its nation state status. And it has dismayed the mullah's whim of Muslim Umma ideology to graveyard. In Pakistani occupied Balochistan, the current Baloch national insurgency has attained significant success in demoralizing the Islamic military country (Pakistan) of the world and it has plunged Pakistan into an energy crisis because of attacking the gas pipelines and energy installations in Balochistan and by not allowing government to build new energy producing projects in Balochistan. But the Chinese factor is highly active in defeating the Baloch resistance. The imperialistic Chinese vested interests in the Baloch Gulf Hot Water in Gwadar have given the world powers the every legitimate right to interfere in Baloch affairs because of it geo strategic location. And Baloch recognize the fact that without the consent and compromise of world powers there it is hard to get the job done. Time is crucial. It is high time for the peace loving nations and the world community to act now to financially support the Baloch nationalist political parties and resistance forces.  The non - parliamentary political parties have programmed themselves to interpret the true case of Baloch national struggle for independent of Balochistan. They would welcome the supports they receive from likeminded friends. As poverty has been used as a weapon by both Iran and Pakistan in suffocating the Baloch nationalism; it would prolong and affect the national struggle unfavorably if not supported by Baloch friends. But resistance won't die down.  The conflict– induced poverty situation has made it more difficult for political leaders and the insurgents to collect fund to facilitate the struggle. Because of intensity of insurgency, and as result of harsh economic blockade of general population, unemployment has risen to a new height. Baloch economy is dependent on Boarder trade between Iran and Pakistan. The closer of so called Boarders, on the chest of Baloch motherland, chokes the local economy. Iranian theocratic regime has now started digging a 10m wide and 12m deep canal ditch along the so-called pak - Iranian border, which is 520 miles, to Prevent Baloch nation from interaction to each other..  The alternative is the neighboring countries; they also have no particular policy towards Baloch nation, even though the Baloch are the main sufferer of Middle Eastern conflict. The execution of innocent Baloch youths and religious scholars in Iran is a daily routine. Thousands of Balochs have extra judicially been killed by Iranian theocratic regime. Even a single word of condemnation of Iranian atrocities have not been uttered by Middle Eastern nations, yet the Iranian regime accusing the Baloch nation that they are a part of a wider Middle Eastern nations conspiracy against Iran.       In abroad particularly in western countries Baloch National struggle for freedom needed to be courted by civil societies and economic forums. Proactive support of civil societies around the world is crucial for the struggle to be successful. The NGOs and international media are barred from interring into Balochistan the world community should support Baloch in voicing their plight in the media. BBC and VOA should accommodate Baloch voice in Balochi language. The western countries have no public immigration policy particular to Baloch plight. The NGOs and international media are barred from interring into Balochistan to investigate the Baloch issue themselves.      The number of Baloch in western world is much smaller than that to the number of Balochs living in Middle East.                                                                                                                                           The majority of Baloch Diasporas is living in Gulf countries; cannot  draw the attention of world community towards their national problems 'collectively' and effectively. Baloch think that as Balochistan is also a part of Middle Eastern nations; should be considered as their fellow nation just like the European nations.  Before departing from their precious national wealth the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the American government should investigate that their national benevolence to Pakistan is not being used in liquidating the Baloch nation in Pakistan….?

The new 'Baloch National Front'

The new 'Baloch National Front'

By Archen Baloch


The new 'Baloch National Front', which was formed a month ago, is an excellent job done by political Sarmachars (fighters) in Balochistan, and would; no doubt, attract the masses to the ideal of our intellectuals. Nawab Bugti had called upon Baloch leadership to form a single Baloch political party to oust the occupying forces from Baloch homeland. But it didn't materialize because of some political differences, which were already existed at the beginning of the full-fledged insurgency. These differences were the outcome of parliamentary politics of the past.

The components of the new political front are of those who believe in non-parliamentary politics. Headed by Baloch National Movement's chairman Mir Gulam Mohmad, the new front consists of the Baloch National Movement, Baloch Students Organization (Azad) Jamhori Watan Party, Baloch Bar Association, Baloch Women Panel, Baloch Watan Movement, Baloch Unity Conference, Baloch Rights Counsel, and they have all unified themselves to support the armed struggle by mobilizing the public behind the resistance movement. They all have fledged that they would interpret the cause of Baloch national ideology and garner political and moral supports for the Sarmachars fighting the enemy all over the Balochistan. The new front is in a commanding position; the popular support is surely with it.

Baloch politics has always been affected by foreign trends; however, it never betrayed the nationalistic character of Baloch nationalism. Even though there have been times that Baloch politics have made some brief sojourns in the enemy (parliament) camps, but it always followed by an armed resistance movement. Polarizations only occurred in Baloch political society whenever it affiliated itself with parliamentary politics. Surrounded by hostile neighbors, Baloch, in known history, never got a chance to pull itself up to the challenges it faced throughout the known history.

The distorting effort of Pakistani controlled state media and private print and electronic media, depicting Baloch nationalistic struggle as a 'not lasting one', seems to be a feigned one, as it has failed in defaming the true cause of Baloch nationalism not only internally but externally too. Consider these words, sentences and phrases being used in descriptions of Baloch struggle in Pakistani media, miscreants, purely reactionary, extremism, anti-development elements, some tribes creating law and order situation, and that they are "seeking greater share of resources" and "a stake in the decision- making structures" of the state. All these deceptive descriptions of Baloch insurgency have had no effects on General population.

Mir Gulam Mohmad, the organizer of the BNF, never succumbed to the lure of parliamentary politics' 'benefits' said "no matter whatever they say and no matter whoever they are", pointing towards some pseudo- nationalists who now started accepting apologies offered by Asif Zardari for the heinous crimes been committed by Pakistani occupying forces against Baloch for the past 60 years, "he, Zardari, himself is a victim of Pakistani establishment and has no trust in its institutions to investigate Benazir's brutal assassination, then how on earth he apologizes on behalf of Pakistani government?. "Our issue isn’t the restoration of democracy or provincial autonomy, ours is the restoration of Baloch sovereignty over our homeland, and we can hold talks with the only empowered ones on the conditions that the talks are based only on the ending of Pakistani occupation of our motherland". Through resistance we succeed, we are not begging for the operation to be stopped against our people."

Armed with past experiences of guerilla warfare Baloch resistance movement has now embarked upon a protracted revolutionary warfare against occupying Pakistani forces. Complying with the basic principles of guerrilla warfare, it has never hastened to gain territory nor has it interfered unnecessarily in political society of the struggle. It has successfully damaged Pakistani economy in term of energy. The shortage of energy has created a chain of reactions in all over of Pakistan. In all major cities protests are taking place, as 70% of factories are closed, unemployment have risen to its peak. It can not build any energy producing strategic assets in Balochistan anymore and the current gas fields are deflating and the pipe lines are being blown up by Baloch Republic Army on daily basis. In capital city of Quetta the police have now refused to go on their duty as its being constantly targeted of urban guerrilla war. It has even taken to the street to protest the policy of the government, because it has failed in protecting their fellow policemen on streets. Mutiny and defections from armed forces in Mand, Bulaida, kohlu Dera Bugti, Punjgor, Jehlawan, Sarawan and Noshki, have also been reported by local news papers. Eight years old armed struggle has taken its tool on Pakistani armed forces, psychological effects of this protracted war has worn down the morale and the will to fight. Pakistani forces are over- stretched in Balochistanian over a 343,188 squire kilo miters. The distance of communication between forces is more then three hundred kilo miters.

In terms of air power and communication system, the American apparatus of sophisticated weapons and dollars to Pakistan has given an advantage to Pakistan's salaried army over Baloch volunteer guerrilla fighters, otherwise it is enough to remember the words of acknowledgement of General Perviz Musharraf, how tough is Baloch resistance. He admitted it during his last speech as the chief of army staff; he boasted his bravery that he had fought war in tough places like kohlu, Barkan, Dera Bugti in Balochistan and with India. It suggests that in comparison fighting war with Baloch is as tough as with India.
The secular forces of baloch national struggle, fighting a gigantic war against Pakistani Mullism and the Iranian theocracy equally for an independent secular greater Balochistan, seem to be alone , and have never been supported by foreign friends morally, let alone the financial support.

In conclusion, Baloch nationalism believes in contribution- only contribution counts. As an independent democratic nation Baloch, would contribute to the peace and prosperity of the world.

Despite the fact that they have looted and plundered the wealth of smaller nations in flagrant violation of united nation’s charter, what Pakistan and Iran have contributed to the progress of the world in terms of peace and prosperity, Islamic atom bomb, suppression of smaller nations, promoting religious intolerance, creating and sheltering terrorism in their madarassas diverting the all energy of the world towards unproductive problems? What would replace all this messes- only nationalism!

http://intellibriefs.blogspot.com/2008/03/new-baloch-national-front.html

MUSHARRAF's PAKISTAN

JANUARY 28, 2008

By Archen Baloch

Whether one like it or not but it is a reality that the very statehood of Pakistan is riddled with bullets of religious extremism, sectarian violence, provincial disharmony, erosions of judicial sanctity, financial corruption, military interventionism, political assassinations, extreme poverty, to the extant of detrimental of its statehood. Real secular political forces have been pushed aside by military junta with the collaboration of dominant Punjabi establishments. the religious extreme forces are now close take over Pakistan's rein; the race against the time is being determined by the two elements of 'seculars' and 'extremist' within Pakistan army.

The world has now started calling Pakistan a failed state. But Musharraf doesn’t understand the language of democracy of western version. Western media in Davos and in other western Capitals naively kept asking about democracy, Taliban and Al Qaeda's advancement toward Islamabad, disintegration of Pakistan, Benazir's assassination, proliferation of WMD and so on. But nothing new came out of him, except a taunt of perceptions and concerns of western media. When asked about its nuclear arsenals, he said Pakistan isn’t a Banana state. Then he challenged that if one could steal a rifle out of a battalion of Pakistani army.

Now let us remember how proliferation took place to the countries which are specifically antagonistic to western values. Even centrifuges were transported to the counties of vicious circle, Particularly to Iran. Now we need to know about to what extant Pakistan nuclear regime is involved in advancing Iran's arsenals. But we know that there is something that Iran is so far resisting the pressure being built around it by world powers.

Iran's theocratic government has become a persistent threat and headache to the peaceful Middle Eastern countries. It constantly interfering in gulf countries, even though it has no respect for humanity, the prosecution of innocent Ahwazians Arabs, Balochs and Kurds sees no abating. Recenty heart rendering mutilation of innocent Balochs has taken place by theocratic Iranian regime. And another six Baloch youths are awaiting their turn to be prosecuted.

"It was the Baloch whose motherland chest bore the brunt of nuclear tests". But the world failed the Balochs. Said a political worker "we cried, protested but no one listened to our cries. Our motherland, occupied by Pakistan, has been bombed with nuclear weapons, a crime committed against us no one in world suffered except Japan and even today all kind of lethal poisonous weapons, F 16 jets, cobra gunship helicopters cluster bombs are still being used against us. Our Chagai's RaskohMountain is forever dead where Punjabi military junta carried out its Islamic nuclear tests on 28 may 1998". Nuclear wastes are dumped in Balochistan's coastal areas in Gaddani (the place of female gazelles) a coastal fishing harbor has been turned into a ship breaking yard. All kind of polluting materials are also contaminating our water beyond repair.

According to a Baloch National Movement central committee member "in this country, whether it is military or foreign office, Balochs has never been trusted by Punjabi military junta. In defense force a Baloch, even to the capacity of a common soldier, is unacceptable. In its foreign office, presence of a Baloch is a taboo. One could please use NASA's powerful mighty telescope to find a Baloch in Pakistani embassies all over the world, even though a 6.5 share of jobs, to the proportion of its population, has been granted to the Balochistan constitutionally. But denial of basic rights to our people is a daily routine. Consider the literacy rate of our daughters, just a12 percent.

Decent political leaders have/ had no place in the business of national affairs. ,leaders of great statues, to name a few, like Mir Gaus Bukhsh Bezajo, Wali khan, Nawab Akber khan Bugti, Zulfakar Butto, Sardar Attaulla Mengal, Sardar Shir Baz Mazari, and G M Seyad. Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Buttoo have all been disgraced by military junta. Baloch have exhausted every avenue of constitutionalism. No option has been left for us other then to resort to armed struggle".

A gory military operation in Balochistan has been unleashed against the innocent Balochs and it has convinced the them that the future for them, in this country is very bleak .This has created a sure footed, stead fast and never- ending popular resistance movement, and it has engulfed the entire province; the popular demand of the Balochistan is the restoration of its sovereignty, and is regarded unprecedented to world intellectual's forums.

Baloch like its other neighboring nations lost its sovereignty to the coercive British imperial whim. To safeguard its future interests the British raj had annexed Balochistan with Pakistan forcefully. Otherwise Balochistan was an independent sovereign Baloch state. Recently the British Foreign Policy Centre has, in its finding admitted the above mentioned fact.

In certain areas, particularly in Balochistan, where a national resistance movement is going on, the presence of a foreign media is more harmful then an Al-Qaeda top leader. So how on earth one can believe Perviz Musharraf that the Media is free in Pakistan. Yes only (Nedia- the big No) is free. Last year I was in Balochistan, the flood washed away every existing mud- break made homes of poor Balochs. Nothing was left for them, even amnesty international and Oxfam were not allowed to carry out relieve works. Who is on earth supporting them? No one is allowed to come forward look to their needs.

The New York based 'Committee to Protect Journalists' watchdog says the New York Magazine's reporter Nicholas Schmidle was expelled from Pakistan because he visited tumultuous Balochistan and has been writing from Quetta. "His deportation was clearly connected to his writing rather then anything else he was doing".
The flood and the military operation have displaced hundreds of thousands of people in Balochistan last year. Children are prematurely becoming the victim of merciless death because of male maturations and of diseases. Yet the local electronic media is banned from reporting the plight of these people. This act is seen by Baloch leaders as a collective punishment. I wish the western leaders could believe us.

It was the then British empire which created Pakistan for its future use in the name of Islam. But it delivered nothing except a proxy satanic role against the secular forces in and outside its boarders during the cold war. It intervened in India and in Afghanistan to appease the mullah's whim to create a super power of Muslim Umm under Strategic Depth program. After the fall of Taliban this program was abandoned officially. But there are signs that the program has again been revived and assigned to Mulla fazulla and Baitulla Masood to carry it on by ISI with the help of some of its shrewd ex – chiefs

Now given the current critical situation, it seems that the security forces are unable to contain the Taliban from occupying settled areas in frontier province. According to BBC's reports these militants are nearing to Pakistan's strategic areas like Islamabad.

Taliban are exerting their every effort against the time to capitalize on current situation amid chaos and terror to gain more and more territory, there strategy is very simple: first create terror in the area and then capture it. It was what happened in Swat valley.

The situation in sindh, the home province of Benazir, is no better, after her merciless assassination.

The Sindhis put the very existence of Pakistan on fire. The under current resentment that have been brewing for years against Muhajers and Punjabis, vented itself to the fullest. The non- local Muhajers and Punjabis were attacked and their belongings were ransacked and put on fire. Slogans of independent Sindhudesh were raised and demanded that the Punjabi military withdraw from sindh. To understand the situation in sindh we have to see the political dispensation in light of demographic setup, in urban and suburban term.

Urdu speaking Muhajers are concentrated in Karachi and HaiderAbad, have been made dominant by Islamabad to control Singh's administrative affairs. The sole purpose of it was to prevent Sindhi nationalists from getting into power. Under Musharraf (he himself a Muhajer) regime MQM as a partner has prepared itself for any kind of eventuality to implement its hidden agenda, the Jinnahpour. According to sindh media, MQM has collected enough weapons for urban guerilla warfare to make ensure that Karachi is theirs. The May 12th events of carnage took place in Karachi is the true demonstration of that design.

On May 12 last year when Supreme Court chief justice arrived at Karachi airport, and, attempts were made by PPP, ANP, PML (N) and Sindhi nationalist parties to receive him, but the MQM led Sindh government with the excuse of law and Mom's activists with their weapons didn’t allow him to go to address the high court bar, as a result a carnage took place in Karachi, more then 50 political activists were killed, the majority of them were pashtoons.

As Karachi is a multi- ethnic city. It is my worst fear that the break up of Pakistan begins from Karachi. It is the backbone of Pakistan economy. The fierce civil war if ever takes place anywhere in Pakistan, It would be Karachi. In 1964 during presidential election the Muhajers supported Fatma Jinnah the sister of M.A Jinnah against the Pashtoon general Ayuob khan it resulted in a civil war in Leyaqatabad hundreds of karachites were killed. Again on October 31, 1986 a bloody civil war engulfed the Muhajers and Pashtoon communities in Haiderabad Aligahr colony, Sorab Goht during General Zia era. When Benazir was ruling in 1993 the pashtoon interior minister General Nasirulla Babar launched a surgical operation against unrest in Karachi this time Muhajers were defeated because army was directly involved in it as a high ranking army officer was killed. The MQM's top leadership became convicted of murder, and civil unrest. It fled the country. The demagogue of MQM, today basking in the cozy hospitality of London's democratic environment, is one of those fled the Karachi, still unable to come back as the cases are still pending against him….

Is Pakistan a viable and legitimate country or a bunch of contrasting elements among the civilized nations? As a member of United Nations has it fulfilled its obligations.