Dear Readers,

 I would first like to express my deepest condolences to Col (Retd) EAS Bokhari for the sad demise of his beloved wife. He has written an eloquent and moving obituary for THE NATION, it is DJ's privilege to re-produce it in this issue.

The biggest news to hit the stands this month is the launch of the GHAURI missile, with a range of 1500 kms and a payload of 670 kgs. Launched a day or so before Eid, GHAURI, named after the muslim conqueror of India, Shahabuddin Ghauri, is the fifth of the HATF generation of missiles, and is the specific answer to PRITHVI, India's Pakistan-specific missile. India used PRITHVI for psychological warfare aimed at the civilian population, with its 250 km range it was not only a tactical missile but also capable of hitting almost every major Pakistani city, a strategic force-multiplier in the psychological sense. More than India's strategic planners, GHAURI gives the Indian population something to think about. That realisation that GHAURI has scored a morale-boosting plus has now sunk into the Indian hierarchy. Having first blamed the Chinese for giving us help in the technology - and then the North Koreans - they have now shifted tack and say the missile test may not have taken place at all! They rolled out all the three Armed Forces Chiefs to address a Press Conference, Air Marshal Sareen, the IAF Chief, went to great lengths to ease the minds of the Indian populace. In sum GHAURI has been entirely successful in (1) boosting the national morale (2) countering the Prithvi scare and (3) giving the Indian populace the same psychological pressure that Prithvi imposed on us. Everybody involved in the Project has to be congratulated, everyone claims involvement in GHAURI's creation including the Leader of the Opposition, Ms. Benazir, Success has many fathers (and mothers), failure (or defeat) is an orphan, to quote somebody. For the nation GHAURI was a much-needed Eid gift. DJ has put GHAURI on the cover but we will do a more detailed analysis subsequently.

There seems to be a glimmer of hope for the economy, not enough to light up the sky but enough as starlight to point to some hope at the end of the tunnel. The security of the country is dependant upon a stable economy, for some period of time our security is on a fail-safe line as regards compromise. The Govt of Pakistan (GOP) has to take pragmatic decisions to kick-start the economy and raise the sustenance levels above the danger mark.

This issue has a very comprehensive piece on Pakistan-US relations by Dr Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan's former Ambassador to the US. Lt Gen (Retd) Sardar FS Lodi has written about new options for Peace in South Asia while Col (Retd) EAS Bokhari has researched an excellent paper on bullet Wound Statistics. Group Capt (Retd) Sultan M Hali continues his analysis of Chanakhya's Dictums while Air Marshal (Retd) Ayaz Ahmed Khan goes over the Security and Defence Problems of Pakistan. Vice Admiral (Retd) IF Quadir questions whether we are prepared to meet the challenges in the future and we get the privilege to read a first person account of war in the desert in 1965 by one of Pakistan's most decorated soldiers, Brig (Retd) Mohammad Taj, SJ & Bar. Dr. S. Matiur Rahman has written an excellent overview of our imperial-type governance while another regular columnist, Dr Azmat Hayat Khan, examines Russia's security policy options.

The DJ Prize for April 1998 announced by our associate marketing company DYNAVIS (Pvt) ltd goes to Wing Comd (Retd) M. IRSHAD for his presentation on why we need a Sound Economy with a Strong Force. We exhort readers to send in their articles for the DJ monthly prize for best articles. We have excerpts from Brig (Retd) Z A Khan's The Way It Was and Maj (Retd) Shamshad has reached 16-17 Sep 1965 with his account of the Buttar Dograndi battle during the 1965 war. We are publishing a letter from Col (Retd) Yahya Effendi as rejoinder to some of Maj Shamshad's earlier observations about his unit and another from Brig (Retd) Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry about (then) East Pakistan. We invite letters from other Readers as long as they are factual and not targeting anyone for personal attacks, within these parameters a lively, open debate can take place.