by Faarigh Jazbati
ایک اہم پہلو جو عام طور پر نظر انداز اور فراموش کر دیا جاتا ہے وہ فوجیوں کی عوامی، سیاسی، خارجہ، تزویراتی اور قومی سلامتی کے معاملات میں ان کی خاموش مداخلت کو قبول کرنا ہے . یہ خاموش مداخلت کئی طریقوں سے ہوتی ہے ، کچھ توبراہ راست فوج کی طرف سے ہوتی ہے ، کچھ سیاسی حلقوں کی غیر ارادی دعوت کی وجہ سے ہوتی ہے اور کچھ ٹی وی کے سیاسی پروگراموں کے میزبانوں کی نا سمجھی ، بے عقلی اور سیاسی بھولپن کی وجہ سے ہے.
آج میرا موضوع سیاسی پروگراموں کے میزبانوں کے سیاسی نا پختہ پن کی بات کرنا ہے. آیا یہ جان بوجھ کر ہے، بھولپن کی وجہ سے ہے یا یوسف کے پردے میں زلیخا بول رہی ہے اسکا فیصلہ میں آپ سب پر چھوڑتا ہوں.
چلیں اور کیا پہیلیاں بھجوانا ، میرا مدعا آج سیاسی پروگراموں میں ریٹایرڈ فوجی جرنیلوں کی بطور مہمان تبصرہ نگار کے بلانے سے ہے . ہر دوسرے پروگرام میں ان چلے ہوئے کارتوسوں کو تبصرے اور راۓ دینے کیلئے بلا لیا جاتا ہے. پروگرام چاہے خارجہ امور پر ہو یا انٹللجینس معاملات پر، غیر ملکی مداخلت پر ہو یا دہشت گردی پر، قومی سلامتی کے امور پر ہو یا ریاستی اداروں کے آپسی تعلقات پر، تزویراتی معاملات ہوں یا عدالتی معاملات ، یہ نام نہاد فوجی ماہرین اپنی گھسی پٹی راۓ اور تبصرہ دینے کیلئے ہر پروگرام میں موجود ہوتے ہیں. خاص طور پر وہ ماہرین جن کے تجربات اور خیالوں کی پرواز ہی اس حالت اور مشکلات میں پھنسنے کی وجہ تسمیہ ہے. ہمیں کب ماضی میں ان کے تجربات سے فائدہ پہنچا ہے جو اب ان سے مستفید ہوں .
اگر ہم بی بی سی ، سی این این ، سکائی نیوز ، فوکس نیوز وغیرہ کا مشاہدہ کریں تو معلوم ہو گا کہ ان ٹی وی چینلز نے خارجہ امور، قومی سلامتی، انٹلیجنس ، تزویراتی معاملات اور حتیٰ کہ خالص فوجی معاملات پر بھی غیر فوجی ماہرین کو بھرتی کیا ہوا ہے، یہ یا تو ان کے اپنے ماہرین ہوتے ہیں یا مختلف تھنک ٹینک سے منسلک ماہرین ہوتے ہیں اور اپنے اپنے حلقہ عمل کے ماہر ہوتے ہے .مثال کے طور پر اگر بی بی سی کے نیوز نائٹ پروگرام کو دیکھیں تومیزبان جرمی پکسمین سفارتی اور خارجہ امور پر عمومَا مارک اربن کوراۓ دینے کیلئے بلاتا ہے جو کہ خود بی بی سی نیوز کا ملازم ہے. ضرورت پڑنے پر ان ماہرین سے راۓ لی جاتی ہے اور ریٹایرڈ فوجی حضرات کوصرف اشد ضرورت پڑنے پر ہی بلایا جاتا ہے . ٹی وی چینلز کے اپنے ماہرین ضرورت پڑنے پرنا صرف ان معاملات میں قومی راھنمائی کا فریضہ انجام دیتے ہیں اور راۓ عامہ کو ریاستی حکمت عملی سے ہم آہنگ کرتے ہیں بلکہ مشکل حالات میں ریاستی کارروائی نامے کو آگے بھی بڑھاتے ہیں. یہ ریاستی اداروں کو بیجا تنقید اور غیر ضروری دباؤ سے بھی بچاتے ہیں اور ایک بفر کا کام کرتے ہیں. یہ غیر فوجی لوگ عوام الناس کو اطمینان تسلّی اور اعتماد بھی بخشتے ہیں کہ ان کے معاملات اور ریاستی امور خالص پیشہ وارانہ ، قابل، اہل اور عوامی لوگوں کے ہاتھ میں ہیں اور وہ عمدہ اور صحیح طور پر ان سے عھدہ براہ بھی ہو سکتے ہیں اور ہو رہے ہیں.
اس سلسلے میں سب سے اہم ذمہ داری سیاسی جماعتوں پر عائد ہوتی ہے کہ ہر وقت فوجی مداخلت فوجی مداخلت کا رونا پیٹنا چھوڑ کر کچھ عملی کام بھی کریں . سیاسی جماعتوں کو چاہیے کہ ان تمام حکومتی اور ریاستی امور پر تھنک ٹینک قائم کریں اور اپنے اراکین اسمبلی اور عام سیاسی کارکنوں کی ان امور پر تربیت کریں تا کہ وہ بھی ان معاملات کو سمجھیں اور ان کے بارے میں راۓ قائم کر سکیں اور راۓ دے سکیں . یہ بات ہییت مقتدرہ کے اس پروپیگنڈہ کا بھی مونہہ توڑ جواب ہو گا کہ عوام اور سیاسی قیادت ان امور سے نا واقف، نابلد اور نااہل ہے اور ان پر ان معاملات میں بھروسہ نہیں کیا جا سکتا.
آخر میں ایک گزارش اور استدعا ٹی وی چنلز سے عمومی طور پر اور پروگرام میزبانوں سے خصوصی طور پر کہ وہ سیاسی جماعتوں کے اوپر بھی پروگرام کریں اور ان سے یہ سوالات کریں کہ وہ عوام کی سیاسی اور ان امور پر تربیت کرنے کیلئے کیا کچھ کر رہی ہیں ، ان مختلف معاملات پر ان کے پاس کون کون سے ماہرین ہیں ،ان کا ماہرانہ پس منظر کیا ہے تا کہ عوام کو بھی تو پتہ چلے کے کون سی سیاسی جماعت کتنے پانی میں ہے. اور سب سے اہم بات، جب ان امور پر بات کرنی ہو تو سیاسی جماعتوں سے اصرارکریں کہ کسی ایرے غیرے کو بھی بات کرنے کیلئےبھیجنے کی بجاۓ اس شعبے کا ماہر بھیجیں اور اس کا تعارف اس شعبے کے ماہر کے طور پر کروائیں اور عوام کو پتا چلے کہ یہ سیاسی جماعت ان امور سے کتنی واقف ہے اور ان کا وسعت علم کتنا ہے اور ان کی فکری گہرائی کتنی ہے
. سیاسی جماعتوں کو مجبور کریں کہ ان مختلف امور ( یعنی خارجہ، تزویراتی، قومی سلامتی، سفارتی، انٹلیجنس، اقتصادیت ، دہشت گردی ،غیر ملکی مداخلت وغیرہم ) پر علیحدہ علیحدہ لوگ مقرر کریں اور جو جماعتیں ایسا نا کریں ان کو کھل کر بےنقاب کریں اور عوام کو بتائیں کہ یہ نا اہل لوگ ہیں اور ان کا مقصد صرف لوٹ مار اور عوام کو بے وقوف بنانا ہے .
فوجی حضرات کو ٹی وی کی سکرین سے چلتا کریں اور ہم بھی تو دیکھیں ان کے بغیر ٹی وی کے پروگرام کتنے اچھے لگتے ہیں.
by Faarigh Jazbati
Iftekhar A. Khan
The US is surreptitiously seeking Saudi help to negotiate with the ‘good’ Taliban in Afghanistan. After eight years, $243 billion sunk (John Kerry’s estimate), thousands of Afghans massacred, and hundreds of US-led NATO troops killed, where does the war stand? What is the compelling need to change the strategy when Osama bin Laden and his Al-Qaeda cohorts have been neither captured nor liquidated which was the sole objective to invade the sovereign state. Many among the ‘coalition of the willing’ battling in Afghanistan have either withdrawn their troops or given deadlines to pull out of the black hole. Despite this, the western governments have been deluding their populations into believing that the Taliban would target them, if their troops withdrew. It’s far from the truth. Afghans are an insular nation; they have always lived within their own boundaries and pursued their centuries old lifestyle. Neither do they interfere with their neighbours not to talk of targeting the West thousands of miles apart.
Having suffered hugely in men and taxpayers’ dollars, one of the options US now contemplates is to negotiate with the Taliban instead of sending more troops, as demanded by General Stanley McChrystal. Certainly, the dilemma of the military generals is that they don’t want to live with the stigma of defeat. And when they anticipate one coming, they always quote shortage of either troops or equipment. However, often there is no dearth of either; what is lacking is the willingness to take human losses – the body bags. United Kingdom has despatched only 500 more troops, while France has refused to send any. “Will not send one more soldier,” said French President Sarkozy, yet insisting that the war must go on. If the Afghan war is for a good cause, why not send more soldiers, Mr President? Zibignew Brensisky, former US national security adviser, has suggested hiring “native forces instead of deploying own troops.” Mind you, “native forces” to kill the natives – a ploy frequently employed by the white world.
While bullish military generals demand for more troops, their civilian counterparts advise against it. Even the hawkish Defence Secretary, Roberts Gates, is weighing the strategy of compromise with the Taliban. Conceivably, the US is on the verge of losing the war in Afghanistan, hence the furtive moves to negotiate with the ‘good’ Taliban. However, the problem is how to distinguish between the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’ Taliban, as both share the common goal of ridding their country of the occupation forces.
Anyway, when the US considers negotiating with the Taliban, it will exert immense pressure on us (Pakistan) against making peace agreements with the tribesmen in FATA. But what is good for the imperialist power may not be good for us. Undoubtedly, we are bearing the brunt of the war in the tribal areas as elucidated by an editorial published in this newspaper on November 14: “Destabilising of the country is progressing as designed by our external detractors and their local supporters which must be a matter of serious concern for the nation.” Who are the external detractors and who are their local supporters is the question that needs to be answered.
The US-led NATO forces might quit Afghanistan without facing long-term consequences because western powers neither share common boundaries nor religious ties with the Afghan people. But our situation is different. We share common heritage and religion with the tribesmen in FATA who have been part and parcel of the nation. What would be the point to change policy, which we will have to, after we had suffered death and destruction? Therefore, shift in policy as advised is the only way out.
The writer is a freelance columnist. Email:pinecity@gmail.com
by Sardar Shahid Abbasi
ھارون رشید کے کالم شیر لسی پیتا ھے کے جواب میں
جب بھی عظیم مزاح نگار مشتاق یوسفی کے بارے مین سوچتا ھوں۔تو ذھن کے کسی گو شے میں یہ خیال آتا ہے کہ یوسفی صاحب کو مرحوم لکھوں۔کیونکہ میں نے جو بھی عظیم یا معیاری ادب کے بارے میں پڑھا یا سنا ھے۔وہ ما ضی کے حوالے سے ھی ھے۔ آج کے اس گٰئے گزرے دور میں اتنے نابغہ روزگار لکھاری کا وجود کسی نعمت سے کم نھیں۔ان کی کتاب “آب گم”کا ایک کردارعلماء فضلا کو علماء فضلہ لکھتا ھے۔آج مذکورہ کردار کی غلطی کس حد تک “غلطی” لگتی ھےیا سرے سےغلطی لگتی بھی ھے یا نہیں۔یہ تو الگ بحث ھے۔لیکن فی لحال ھارون رشید نے آذاد کشمیر کے حوالے سے جو سیا سی افلاطونی بگھارنے کی کوشش کی ھے۔اسکا تھوڑا سا جائزہ۔ اسکی مثال اس کم فہم باغبان کی سی ھے جو ایک ھاتھ سے پودا لگاتا ھے اور دوسرے ھاتھ سے اکھاڑتا جاتا ھے۔ھر سطر لکھنے کے بعد اس کی تردید فرض کی طرح کی گئی ھے۔ان کے کالم بتاریخ16 اکتوبر 2009 کے حوالے سے (ایک بات کی وضاحت کرتا چلوں کہ یھاں ھرگز میرا ارادہ سردار سکندر حیات خا ن پر تنقید نھیں ھے۔) یہ گزارش کرنا چاھتا ھوں کہ ھارون رشید صاحب نے جب یہ کالم لکھا ھے تو وہ شاید حالت وجد میں تھے جہاں ھم جیسے گناہ گاروں کی رسائی نھہں ھے۔جناب ھارون رشید رقم طراز ھیں کہ انھیں کسی آفیسر نے بتایا کہ سکندر حیات کسی کی بات نیں مانتے اور ڈٹ جاتے ھین۔اور با قی سارے سیاسی کلرک۔مزید اس پر بحث سے پہلے یہ گزارش کردوں کہ ھمارے مذھب میں سنی سنائی بات کو آگے بڑھانے کی کس طرح ممانعت کی گئ ھےاورایسے فعل کے مرتکب انسان کے جھوٹے ھونے پر جس طرح مہرتصدٰیق ثبت کی گئ ھے۔یہ بات ھارون رشید صاحب سے بہتر کوئی نہین جانتا۔بلکہ اپنے فرمودات میں وہ کئ بار اس کا حوالہ بھی دے چکے ھیں۔یہاں بر برسبیل تذکرہ یہ بات بھی گوش گزار کردوں کہ کچھ عرصہ پھلے مجھے کسی نے بتایا کہ ھارون صاحب بغیر “چسکی” لیے ایک لفظ بھی نہیں لکھتے(میں گمان بلکہ یقین رکھتا ھوں کہ یہ بات غلط ھے)۔اب ھارون صاحب کے اصول کے مطا بق تو یہ سچ سمجھ لینا چاھیے۔اور اس کو پھیلا بھی دینا چاھیے اور آج ھر ایک کو علم ھے کے انٹرنیٹ کے ذریعے یہ کام چنداں مشکل نہیں ھے۔اب آتے ھیں اصل موضوع کی طرف۔جب موصوف سردار سکندرحیات کو ڈٹ جانے والا قرار دیتے ھیں(جس پر مجھے کوئی اعتراض نہیں ھے)اور باقی سب کو سیاسی کلرک تو اس “باقی سب میں”راجہ فاروق حیدر بھی شامل ھیں جن کو موصوف صرف ایک سطر اوپر انتہائی اجلا کھرا صاف اور بےداغ سیاستدان(اس پر بھی مجھے کوئی اعتراض نہیں) قرار دے چکے ھہیں۔اس کا دوسرا مطلب یہ ھے کہ یا تو (بقول ھارون رشید صاحب کے) فاروق حیدر با قی سب میں شامل نہیں ھیں یا پھر وہ اجلے اور صاف نہیں ھیں۔بھتر جواب تو کالم نگار ھی دے سکتے ھیں۔جیسا کہ پہلے عرض کیا کہ موصوف سردار سکندر کو ارادے کا پکا اور ڈٹ جانے والا قرار دیتے ھین۔ لیکن اگلی ھی سانس میں بے نظیر بھٹو اور سردار قیوم کی سفارش پر مجبور ھوتے بھی دکھاتے ھیں۔ اب اس بات کی وضاحت بھی وھی کر سکتے ھیں کہ ان کے فرمودات پرمشتمل پہلی لائن درست ھے یا دوسری۔یا پھر جوں جوں اور جو جو منکشف ھو تا گیا زینت قلم بنتا گیا۔ایک ایسے مزدور کی طرح جو سڑک بناتے ھوئے اپنے آگے کی مٹی پیچھے پھینکتے ھوئے اپنی ھی بنائی ھوئی سڑک کو بند کرتا چلا جاتا ھے میں اس بات کو سو فیصد موصو ف کی اپنی فیکٹری کی مینوفیکچرڈ پراڈکٹ سمجھتا ھوں۔ لیکن اگر یہ درست بھی مان لیا جائے تو کیا “حضرت واعظ” میرے علم میں اضافہ کرنا پسند فرمائیں گے کہ سفارش کرنے والازیادہ برا ھوتا ھے۔ یا عھدہ اور اختیار رکھنے والا جو سفارش قبول کرتا ھے۔اگرچہ میں اپنے آپ کو صرف آزاد کشمیر تک ھی محدود رکھنا چاہتا ہوں۔ لیکن تھوڑی سی دل پشوری ھو جائے تو برا کیا ھے۔محترم اگے چل کر مسلم لیگ ن کا دائرہ کار آزاد کشمیر تک نہ بڑھانے پر نواز شریف کو بھی جلی کٹی سنا رھے ھین ۔ میرا تو ان کے لیے مفت مشورہ ھے کہ آپ خود ھی کیون نہیںمسلم لیگ ن کی بھاگ دوڑ سنبھال لیتے۔نہ آپ کو سونے سے بھی قیمتی مشورے فلش ھوجانے کا کوئی ڈر ھو گا اورنہ قوم آپ جیسے عظیم ھر فن مولا کی خدمات سے محروم رھے گی۔اب پاکستان کے “عطیم دانشور”کو کون سمجھائے۔کہ ریاستی جماعت کا وجود تحریک ازادی کشمیر کیلئے کیا اھمیت رکھتا ھے۔
ھماری بدقسمتی ھے۔ کہ ھمارے ملک مین زیادہ تر استاد صحافی اور عالم وہ بنتے ھے جو کسی اور شعبے میں بری طرح ناکام ھو جا تے ھیں۔امریکہ کی سابق سیکریٹری آف سٹیٹ میڈلین البرئٹ نے اپنی کتاب مین کسی مفکر کا قول تحریر کیا تھا کہ خدا تو تاریخ کو بدل نہین سکتا لیکن تاریخ دان بدل سکتے ھین۔موجودہ کیس میں بھی خدا نے تو واقعات کو کسی اور طرح ظہور پزیر کیا تھا لیکن ھارون رشید صاحب اگر اس کو تبدیل کرنا چاہتے ھیں تو کس کی مجال ھے کے دم مارے۔موصوف نے آج ھی نہیں 6 جنوری 2009 کے بعد(جب سردار عتیق احمد خان کے خلاف تحریک عدم اعتماد منظور ھوئی تھی) فرمایا تھا کہ یعقوب خان اگر محنت کریں تو سردار قیوم کے ھم پلہ ھو سکتے ھین۔اور اب سردار قیوم اور سردار عتیق کا نام ونشان نہین ملے گا۔اب آپ کو بھی اور جنھوں نے آپ سے یہ کالم لکھوایا تھا(کیونکہ میں خواب میں بھی نہیں سوچ سکتا کہ اس قسم کا حقیقت سے عاری کالم آپ جیسا باشعور آدمی لکھ سکتاھے)ان کو بھی علم ھو چکا ھو گا۔ کہ وہ کس طرح سے دوبارہ جلوہ گر ھوئے ھیں۔اس پر اتنا ھی کیونکہ یہ موضوع نہین ھے۔ میں کسی کا تقابل تو نہیں کرنا چاھتا۔ لیکن آپ کی تفھیم کیلیے یہ گزارش کرنا چاھتا ھوں کہ اردو ادب میں اگر آپ کا اور الطاف ھسین حالی کا تقابل کیا جائے تو جو فرق نکلتا ھے۔ وہ اس سے کئی گنا کم ھو گا جو سردار قیوم اور ھاجی یعقوب کے تقابل سے نکلتا ھے۔اس سے آپ فرق یقینا سمجھ گئے ھوں گے۔
لیکن جب آپ کا “حسن کرشمہ ساز” جلوہ گر ھو تا ھے تو شکسپیئر کے ڈرامے “میکبتھ” سے ایک اقتباس یاد آتا ھے۔کہ
Fair is foul and foul is fair hover through the fog and filthy air
۔مولانا وحیدالدین خان نے اپنی کتاب “رازحیات” میں لکھا ھے کہ مولانا شبلی نعمانی سے کسی نے پوچھا کہ بڑا آدمی بننے کا سب سے آسان نسخہ کون سا ھے ۔تو انھوں نے جواب دیا کہ کسی بڑے آدمی پر کیچڑ اچھالنا شروع کر دو۔اور شاید ھارون رشید صاحب پچھلے کئی عشروں سے بڑا آدمی بننےسے بڑا آدمی بننے کی کوشش کر رہے ہیں۔کبھی نہ کبھی تو کامیابی ھو ہی جائے گے
Sardar Shahid Abbasi
Former Secretary to
Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan
Former President & Prime Minister of
Azad Kashmir
by Aneel SALMAN
Three tragic events in Pakistan have prompted the defense and political analysts to question the security situation and credibility of the Pakistan Army. Bomb explosion in Peshawar (09 Oct, 2009), Suicide attack at the World Food Program office (05 Oct, 2009) and the planned attack on Pakistan’s Pentagon (Army Headquarters) (10 Oct, 2009) gives a strong message of future terrorist attacks in Pakistan. The design behind these three events is completely different. The attack in Peshawar market was meant to create fear and panic amongst the general masses, already half dead due to the price hikes, poverty and unemployment. The attack on the WFP offices was a signal to international community that a suicide bomber can reach you despite the strong buffers. The GHQ attack was meant to show the vulnerability of our security forces.
The Swat operation and subsequent death of Taliban Chief Baitullah Mehsud broke the back bone of Talibans and situation within Pakistan border became temporarily calm. Nomination of the new Taliban chief in Pakistan, Hakimullah Mehsud, General McChrystal’s request for more troops in Afghanistan, approval of the Kerry Lugar Bill and political statements regarding military operation in South Waziristan have stirred up the hornet’s nest again in Pakistan.
The new skipper Hakimullah Mehsud is in his late 20s and according to some experts still in “pampers” with no experience and capacity to run such a demanding job. The lad made his public appearance on 04 October which cleared the doubts of him being anything but ready and prepared to take the battle head on. In the interview with five tribal journalists he declared that Taliban will avenge the killing of Baitullah Mehsud by striking back at Pakistan and the US. His message was loud and clear: You target our senior Taliban figures and we will strike back hard, fast and without mercy. It is indeed ironic that no proactive measures were taken to appease this young lion out to prove to his men and followers his leadership mettle.
“Resources will not win this war, but under-resourcing could lose it,” said Gen. Stanley McChrystal. Last month he requested for an additional 30,000- 40,000 in Afghanistan, without which US could lose the war. After a round of National Security meetings, analyzing counter insurgency in Afghanistan and situation in Pakistan, the Washington Post reported on 13 October 2009 that the U.S. military is deploying 13,000 additional troops to Afghanistan. Hamid Karzai also supported the request of additional troops made by General McChrystal. On the other side Vice President Joe Biden, proposes a different approach of counterterrorism strategy “Pakistan First” which focuses on using Special Forces and technology to reduce the number of al Qaeda insurgents on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. According to the Noble Prize Winner For Peace President Obama war in Afghanistan is a “war of necessity” and sending more troops would win the war and bring peace in the region.
Uncle Sam can buy anything with a dollar and has now given the green signal to the generous economic assistance package to Pakistan under its Kerry Lugar Bill. But let us not forget that this is not the first time Pakistan has been offered money: Gen Zia ul Haq in the 70s and 80s used it to create the deadly breed of Taliban against Russians as the good lapdog of the American government; and in the more recent past, Gen Pervaiz Musharraf used more US hand outs to crush the very same Frankenstein created by his predecessor to prove his loyalty to the US of A. It seems increasingly clear now that where military colonization of a land and people fail (as in Iraq), the capitalist imperialist project for American hegemony falls back on the more reliable form of colonization…economic. Bernd Debusmann describes Washington’s dilemma as a Catch-22 situation, “You need to defeat the Taliban to build a state, and you need to build a state to defeat the Taliban. There cannot be security without development or development without security.”
Under the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009, the Congress approved the Kerry Lugar Bill to triple aid for Pakistan to $1.5 billion a year for the next five years. The offer is lucrative, the only difference is that this time the deal is not with a military dictator, rather with a “democratic leader” albeit one of the most corrupt and vile men in the country Asif Ali Zardari. Unfortunately, for the American Congress and intelligentsia, the Pakistani Army has not been that impressed with the green.
The Government of Pakistan and the military have rarely seen eye to eye on things in this country, especially when the Army is in the barracks and not the benches. Even now there is a power struggle going on between the President and the Commander in Chief, a struggle which has become even more pronounced since this economic aid does not come without its basket of strings and conditionalities. The Bill brings the Pakistan Army under the microscope with its demands for more top brass accountability and audits on military spending, the big red herring. Plus, it is claimed that the money coming in will make the fragile Government strong and empower civil authorities. Gen Kiyani, the Commander in Chief of the Army, is 13 months away from his retirement and there are rumors that President Zardari is looking to replace him. Even though this statement has been refuted officially, but if Zardari even dreams of such an act he needs to recall the Nawaz-Musharraf episode in 1999. At the end of the day, even with so many voices against military dictators, this scribe believes that the people of Pakistan still trust their military leadership and see them as their last resort and saviors if the democratic governments fail to fulfill their promises and start wagging their tails in front of the West.
Let us, however, not get hasty in painting the Army black (or even white) just because it is saying no to a potential diamond mine. If ever before America’s intentions towards Pakistan were double faced and hidden behind billions of dollars, it is now. With this Bill they seem to be playing their infamous game “Divide and Rule” by weakening the strongest institution (Pakistan Army) and experimenting with a corrupt civilian Zardari government.
The international and especially the Indian media had a field day criticizing the security failures and Pakistan Army credibility after the GHQ attack. Very ironic since both the US, UK and Indian media have short term memory losses given how easily they forgot their own security lapses on 9/11, 7/11 and then the Mumbai attacks. If anything, we should now accept the harsh reality that a terrorist attack, especially a suicide attack, can happen any time, any place, be it a market, diplomatic enclave or military headquarters. What is needed is not just intelligent proactive measures as for example in the case of the GHQ lapse where the police had already warned the Army after military uniforms and bomb raw material was found in one of their raids, but also deep soul searching in terms of how much and how little should one country be interfering in the problems and issues of the other. What is needed also is an alive citizenry. Sadly, we in Pakistan have become a sloth loving nation…people like me are content to do our bit by writing down our frustrations in one article or other, but no one is willing to come out on the streets to demand and make real change. I truly wonder what will happen if the people of Pakistan rose up against their corrupt leaders and these fanatical Talibans. Will they not run like hell with tails between their legs? Or maybe I am just being too idealistic.
This series of terrorist attacks has left little options for the Government of Pakistan, but an army offensive against the militants in South Waziristan is an option that needs far more thought and frankly wisdom. South Waziristan, the semi-autonomous tribal belt along Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan, is the main bastion of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and almost out of the control of Pakistani government. USA claims that Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants who fled Afghanistan after the 2001 are holed up in the region. Extremism and terrorism have been growing fast in the region in recent years due to its economic underdevelopment. The 10,000 or so Taliban militants are well trained and have rich experience of fighting against the government and the U.S. army. They have building infrastructure in their strongholds for many years and given their tactical isolation would be well prepared for a ground operation. No doubt, the Pakistan army carried out successful operations in Swat and wiped out (so claimed) Talibans from the region. But, going into Waziristan could lead to an all out war for which the people of Pakistan need to be better prepared with spillover effect of terrorist attacks in the urban hubs of Pakistan. As our soldiers head into this “waster land” the Government needs to monitor the movements of local Islamic groups, increase their secret information networks and take proactive counter terrorism measures.
Political gurus fear that the militants would come back after a military operation if the Pakistani government is unsuccessful in establishing its authority in the tribal areas, improve the living standard of the local people and get extremism under control. This will be a long journey for the Government to clear the militants and finally end the war on terror.
Aneel Salman, an academic, based in New York, USA. Research fellow at Center for Public Policy and Governance, Forman Christian University Pakistan. He can be reached at salmaa@rpi.edu
Dear Aslam Baig Sahib,
I heard you over this program called, Jirga somedays back and as usual you were at your best spitting more and more venom as usual and somehow rejecting your involvement in anything to do with the making of IJI and illegal distribution of funds by ISI during your tenure as COAS.
Dear General Sahib, let me remind you of your oath and recorded statement at Supreme Court of Pakistan in 1997 ((Human Rights Petitition 19/96 filed by Air Marshal Asghar Khan) in which you gave out the statement (actually quoting the illegal money which was used to make IJI) that, “the money was donated by Mr.Younas Habib and ISI was acting under the directions of higher authorities. As chief of the army staff at that time, when I was informed of this matter my only concern was that the money received by the ISI was utilized properly and an account was maintained and beyond that I had no concern with the money……”.
It’s astonishing because Gen.Durrani who was then Ambassador in Germany when approached by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the former spy-master wrote an affidavit, confirming that he had received instructions from you as COAS General Beg to provide ‘logistic support’ for the disbursement of donations made by certain ‘businessmen of Karachi’ to the IJI election campaign of 1990, and was told that the operation had the blessings of the government. Interestingly Gen.Sahib, let me remind of your meeting with Nawaz Sharif with General Durrani – your ISI Chief during 1991 when you discussed plans to raise money through “DRUG OPERATIONS” something which Kamran Khan a reputable journalists wrote quoting Nawaz Sharif who according to Kamran Khan ‘refused such a plan’ to support him. As citizen of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, I am shocked,
embarassed and angry at the Chief General of Pakistan to even think in such terms!
General Beg – the world remembers you and since the recent revelations of your own cronies and partner in crime , it’s high time you should come clean too. Iqbal Haider whose now a Human Rights Activist defended General Nasurullah Baber and in a recorded statement (record could be verified by the SC Registrar anytime) said, “ISI was involved in politics”. Lt General Hameed Gul, a former ISI chief, was on record as having boasted that it was he who created the IJI, and another ISI chief, Lt General Javed Nasir, had taken credit for creating the MQM Haqiqi…”. Statements which amazes us as both of these political parties had been associated with violence and links with terrorists organizations apart from the right wing nature of there politics.
Additional to this, in affidavit of Gen.Babur to the Supreme Court of Pakistan (HRC 19/96) included Asad Durrani’s (your ISI Chief) confidential letter to the later Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto which read like:
“My dear Prime Minister,”A few points I could not include in my ‘confessional statement’ handed over to the director, FIA. These could be embarrassing or sensitive. (a) The recipients included Khar 2 million, Hafeez Pirzada 3 million, Sarwar Cheema 0.5 million and Mairaj Khalid 0.2 million. The last . . . . . . . [illegible] someone’s soft corner that benefited them. (b) The remaining 80 million were either deposited in the ISI’s ‘K’ fund (60 m) or given to director external intelligence for special operations (perhaps the saving grace of this disgraceful exercise. But it is delicate information.) [Noted in the margin of this paragraph, by the writer in his own hand: "This is false. The amount was pocketed by Beg (Friends)"]
Another claim by your own General and that’s General Sahib is where things gets more interesting. If the idea is to put Gen Beg on the mat: he was merely providing ‘logistic support’ to donations made by a community ‘under instructions’ from the government and with the ‘consent’ of the military high command. In any case; I understand he is implicated in some other deals in the same case… Asad Durrani claimed – fair enough but “money worth 60 million PKR which were supposed to be made to ISI’s K Fund were went to your pockets?
Friends? Naseerullah Babar also filed in court a copy of a bank account sheet headed,
“G/L Account. Activity Report. Account 12110101 G. Baig (sic.)” The column heads read “Transaction, Date, Particulars, Debit, Credit.” The numbered transactions took place between October 23, 1991, and December 12, 1993. The first transaction listed was “Cash-P.O. Karachi Bar Association A/C Gen. Baig (sic.), debit, 5,05,680″ (advocate Mirza Adil Beg, Aslam Beg’s nephew, the then president of the KBA, confirms that the KBA received the money). In January 1992 USD 20,000 was sold @ 26.50 and 5,30,000 was credited to the account. Thereafter all debits: “Arshi c/o Gen. Baig (sic.) 2,90,000; Cash paid to Gen. Shab 2,40,000; Cash Friends 1,00,000 [Aslam Beg's organization, FRIENDS, Foundation for Research on National Development and Security]; Cash TT to Yamin to pay Gen. Shab 3,00,000; Cash TT to Yamin Habib 12,00,000 ; Cash Friends 1,00,000 ; Cash Friends 1,00,000 ; Cash paid through YH 10,00,000 ; Cash Friends TT to Salim Khan 2,00,000 ; Cash 1,00,000 ; Cash Towards Friends 5,00,000 ; Cash Asif Shah for Benglow 35,000 ; Cash Friends 1,00,000 ; Cash Friends 1,00,000 ; Cash TT through Yamin for Friends 1,00.000 ; Cash paid to Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim 2,00,000 [he confirms having received the money from General Beg as fees and expenses for defending him in the contempt of court charge brought against him - PLD 1993 SC310] ; Cash paid through TT to Yamin for Friends ; Cash paid to Fakhruddin G Ebrahim 1,28,640 [he confirms receipt for fees/expenses for contempt case] ; Cash Guards at 11-A 10,500 ; Cash TT for USD 240,000 Fav. Riaz Malik to City Bank (sic.) New York 68,76,000 ; Cash Friends 1,00,000; Cash Guards at 11-A 10,500 ; Cash Mjr. Kiyani 10,000; Cash mobile phone for Col. Mashadi 28,911 ; Cash TT fav. Qazi Iqbal and M Guddul 3,00,000 ; Cash Mjr. Kiyani 10,000 ; Cash TT to Peshawar 3,00,000 ; Cash deposited at Karachi A/C EC [Election Commission] 3,00,000 ; Cash Guards 24,000 ; Cash TT to Quetta 7,00,000 ; Cash mobile bill of Col. Mashadi 3,237 ; Cash TT to Peshawar Br. 4,00,000 ; Cash deposited at Karachi Br. 4,00,000 ; Cash Guards 11,520 ; Cash TT to Peshawar for EC 2,00,000 ; Cash TT to Quetta for EC 2,00,000 ; Cash Guards 5,760 ; Cash Mjr. Kiyani 5,000 ; Cash A/C Guards 8,640 ; Cash th. YH 2,00,000 ; Cash A/C Guards 5,760 ; Cash TT to Salim Khan 1,00,000.”
It’s alarming and shameful that you even with such solid evidences against you have the guts to actually deny things with so much calmness… by the way, I emailed Farku Uncle and he replied, “yes baba”.
General Aslam Beg you are a traitor to this country and the least you could do is : to publicly come up like Brigadier Imtiaz, Brigadier, Asif Haroon, General Asad Durrani, General Naseer say, “I AM SORRY”.
Regards,
Ali K.Chishti
akchishti@hotmail.com
C52-Karachi University Staff Town,
Karachi
AKC.
In Pakistan, all roads lead to some undeveloped sector of Islamabad, ending on some plot allotment through a shady side street. Brig Imtiaz, whose conscience has awoken suddenly after a 17 year coma, apparently is also an NRO beneficiary.
In a hastily called press conference, ex-Director FIA Malik Mumtaz, has revealed the facts behind Brig Imtiaz’s incarceration and the confiscation of his illegally acquired property. After the promulgation of National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), Brig Imtiaz was among the blessed few on whom the NRO has shone its light of grace, mercy and forgiveness. Armed with a clean slate and looking for new beginnings, the first thing Brig Imtiaz did was to reclaim his confiscated plots and property.
The second thing Brig Imtiaz wants to do now is to secure his property and business interests which are now threatened if the Supreme Court repeals the NRO. In the service of this noble cause, Brig Imtiaz has joined forces with MQM and the Establishment in creating the artificial “Jinnahpur-was-concocted” scandal.
The obvious target of the Establishment is the newly-restored judiciary and its independence. The Establishment is afraid of the Chief Justice of Pakistan because he might:
1. Overturn the NRO, re-confiscate looted wealth/plots, and imperil the Establishment itself
2. Apply Article 6 on ex-dictator Musharraf and embarrass the Army
3. Punish the MQM for the May 12th, 2007 killings in Karachi
The battle lines are drawn and lowly pawns like Brig Imtiaz, armed with stupendous lies, have rode into battle that is being waged daily on our TV screens.
Let the Games begin!
———————————————————-
بریگیڈئر امتیاز کیخلاف مقدمات ری اوپن کئے جائیں، ملک ممتاز:
اسلام آباد (اُردو پوائنٹ اخبار تازہ ترین۔27اگست ۔2009ء) ایف آئی اے کے سابق ڈائریکٹر ملک ممتاز نے کہا ہے کہ این آر او کے تحت اربوں روپے کی قرق جائیداد واپس لینے والے بریگیڈیر ریٹائرڈ امتیاز کے خلاف کرپشن کے مقدمات ری اوپن کئے جائیں۔ اسلام آباد میں پریس کانفرنس سے خطاب کرتے ہوئے ملک ممتاز کا کہنا تھا کہ بریگیڈیر امتیاز کو بے نظیر حکومت میں ہارس ٹریڈنگ کرنے کے الزام میں فوج سے ریٹائر کیا گیاتھا جبکہ انکے خلاف اسلام آباد میں قیمتی پلاٹ اور پلازےحاصل کرنے کے انکشافات ہوئے جس پر انہیں آٹھ سال قید اور ستر لاکھ روپے جرمانہ کی سزا بھی سنائی گئی لیکن این آر او کے تحت نہ صرف انکی سزا معاف ہوئی بلکہ قرق شدہ اثاثے بھی بحال کردیئے گئے انہوں نے متعلقہ حکام سے اپیل کی کہ قومی دولت لوٹنے والے افراد کے خلاف خارج مقدمات کو ری اوپن کیا جائے ۔
Source: Urdu Point
By Aamir Ghauri
Pakistan is riding tumultuous waters and seemingly pushing nowhere.But that is not wholly true. It is heading for disaster unless skippered right.
The government born out of Musharraf-Bhutto deal is on a short lease not by default but by design. Desperate attempt by President Zardari to thrust Bilawal on to the party stage is recognition of personal incapacity. His team is either dysfunctional or non-existent. His chosen prime minister is limp needing permanent scaffolding to sustain position but is unlikely to secure one against the falling, failing presidential palace.
In a nutshell, Pakistan People’s Party is facing internal and external threat — mortal threat. Internally, party workers are disillusioned after the murder of the last Bhutto standing. Hopes of getting something from the crippling elite cadre is keeping them in line. Old guard is long gone and the latest “kids on the block” are busy doing what their party is rightly or wrongly best known for. Externally, the military is happy to see the most potent political threat rot and the political opponent, Nawaz Sharif is gaining ground. Muttahida Qaumi Movement is keen to capture Sindh’s urban areas for good, a goal looking increasingly achievable. Mullahs are getting stronger in rural Punjab and could pose a murderous threat before too long. And to top it all, the party has a history of making political blunders in Balochistan and Frontier during earlier power stints and is continuing with them.
But it can’t be said that all is lost. There are signs of rejuvenation nonetheless. Not supported by the party leadership, it seems the centre is slowly but definitely shifting towards Punjab for reasons not too difficult to understand. The PPP has historically been associated with Sindh because of Bhuttos, who needed support from Punjab to reach the pinnacle of power. Its political appeal was, however, more than any other political party in the country. Successive military rules have not only cemented PPP’s public appeal as the only credible opposition party but also created a cache of pliable politicians in Punjab by creating this or that Muslim League. All that changed when Musharraf overthrew Nawaz Sharif in 1999.
Punjab under Sharifs now represent the opposition to Pakistan Army’s political ambitions while Sindh is standing shoulder to shoulder with the ancien regime – be it Zardari’s PPP or Altaf Hussain’s MQM. Situation can grow grimmer if PPP does not change course. One, the army will love to see PPP crumble to provincial crumbs thereby leaving Sharif’s PML-N alone to fight the
fight for people’s politics. Second, loss of public faith in politics and politicians will be enhanced irreparably. Thirdly, Sharifs will become too strong for the PPP’s political future but more dangerously will left alone be on a collision course with the military sooner than later. Hence needed, a change of course and a change of face.
Zardari-Gilani represents a political elite that is a dying breed in Pakistan.
The lawyer-civil society-media confrontation with Musharraf has proven that point to an extent. Those standing with or favouring military junta would self-destruct if not sooner then later. The Chaudhrys of Gujrat are just one case to remember. The PPP leadership needs to go to a fresher, fairer, fighting but most importantly educated leadership. Aitzaz represent that genre. I am not alone in saying that. He has proven himself to be shrewder than expected. By leading the charge against Musharraf, by abdicating the Bar to Kurd, by attracting the young, by engaging the West, by talking sense and by remaining loyal to the party, he is sending all the right signals. And may be the military, in time will back him as well. Why? Not because he is from the educated middle class, not because he studied at Cambridge and been called to the Bar in England, or because he is no feudal lord with private jails and Swiss accounts. But because he listens to the military’s anguished leadership too. And who knows by tomorrow he might be able to lock horns with Sharifs in Punjab and elsewhere.
Pakistan army and its international backers do not like Nawaz Sharif at this particular juncture. Not because he does not want to listen and work with the most powerful group in the country — the army — but because he is aware of his own strength. Army, to my humble understanding, does not like a leader in Pakistan – a leader who can challenge army’s gargantuan authority
across the provincial divide. Nawaz Sharif has the capability of healing Pakistan’s wounds. But he will have to wait for his turn if it ever comes.
Pakistan needs both, the Sharifs and a robust PPP. Both need to attract young, educated and motivated men and women to their cadres to build a stronger Pakistan. The army needs to parade back – if not dramatically then inch by inch. Pakistan cannot afford any more adventurism – internally or externally. The time and space around us is changing fast. Our neighbours do not trust us neither do our friends. Our path is laden with innumerable mines
and survival would demand we pace ourselves right with right leaders in place.
Aamir Ghauri is the editor of London-based weekly The Asian Journal.
aamoghauri@yahoo.com
Aqil Sajjad
Finally the judges who colluded in the Nov 3 attack on the judiciary and the jiala judges inducted after Nov 3 are out. This was the unfinished business of restoring the judiciary to its Nov 2 status, and today, we can fully celebrate the victory of the lawyers’ movement.
In addition to a stinging indictment of Musharraf, it is also a big blow for the PPP, which was on board with Musharraf in Nov 3 and used it as an opportunity to get him to appoint its own favourites in the judiciary. This was the reason the PPP never protested Nov 3 seriously, BB herself was playing a double game on the judiciary issue, then after her assasination, Zardari and the others picked up from where she had left and tried their best to maintain the Dogar court. In one of the most blatent displays of complicity, Latif Khosa personally attended the PCO oath ceremony of Ahsan Bhoon, one of the PPP judges inducted into the LHC, and also openly defended Mr. Bhoon on Geo TV during the live coverage of the first long march.
The struggle for the judiciary’s restoration also revealed some people whose commitment to democracy and principles ends where the PPP starts. There were those who were actively involved in the movement when Musharraf was in power, made passionate speeches about the independence of the judiciary, and demanded the unconditional restoration of Iftikhar Chaudhry. But as soon as the PPP came into power and its opposition to the restoration of the judiciary became clear, they started coming up with all kinds of twisted arguments against the continuation of the lawyers’ movement. They suddenly started finding faults with CJ Iftikhar Chaudhry, claimed that he had become politicized, argued that the lawyers’ movement had become right wing, insisted that this was now a PML-N project for overthrowing the PPP and coming into power, and last but not the least, used the PPP’s favourite scare mongering tactic by saying that taking to the streets would result in a military take over. Fortunately, the civil society did not listen to them, the movement continued without these PPP B-teams, and today, the the judiciary has finally been restored to the Nov 2 status.
With the judiciary restored, one hopes that the PPP and its B-teams have learned a lesson from all this, and will hopefully show better adherence to principles in the future. One also hopes that the judiciary will zealously guard its hard-faught independence, and strike down any attempt to mix the executive with the judiciary, whether it is in the form of a political party trying to appoint its own favourites as judges, or whether it is the attempt to revive the colonial institution of the executive magistracy.
The Need of a Vision
Aneeza Qazi
It is usually the conversation with my friends and colleagues that starts me thinking. It usually goes something like this: “The situation is very bad in your country, isn’t it? “Yes, its not good.” “ But now, is the whole country behind this war against extremists”? “Well I would say the vast majority is”. “But I remember last year you were cursing “MO-shaaraf” for killing his own people. Do you now feel his strategy was right?” It is only the last sentence that literally sets me on fire. “He is the very reason why things have reached this point. If we can somehow eliminate his 8 years of darkness out of our national history, things will suddenly look much brighter”. But this particular comment got me thinking and I kept on wondering what is the difference between “then” and now. Why do we support the military action against the militants now and did not in the past? We really need to understand this difference.
It all started with our (meaning our army’s) aims and delusions of grandeur. They created and cultivated the “jihadi” element as our “B” team. During Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, this B team was used by US to get to their own ends, while they (meaning our army, to be more precise) exploited the jihadi element to stay in power. It is true that many Pakistanis felt with their hearts for the Afghans across the borders and many even went to fight for them. Sadly, the intentions of the Pakistani government were not so noble and the support being extended to Afghanistan was for reasons other than fraternity. At that time, it was our mistake to play the religion card. Army, and those so-called masterminds, always thought that the jihadis were their reserve force and could be controlled. It was wrong and unfair to brainwash simple individuals and promote a certain type of ideology to get material gains. In other words, exploiting religion. We can now see how uncontrollable the Frankenstein’s monster has become.
It is a sad thing that military dictators have been using one reason or the other to legitimize their reign in power. The second major milestone came after 911 when the same jihadi elements, promoted and trained by CIA, became the bad boys. Again we were unfortunate to have had a military dictator in power, who used the Taliban as bogeymen to get the dollars out of the American to line his and his generals’ pocket. The “war against terror” was unleashed in Afghanistan and then crept in through the border to Pakistan. We followed the US diktat with the “B team” mentality working at the back of our mind. While we were allowing the Americans to kill scores of our civilians in the name of collateral damage, we were not able to locate and shut down an FM radio from spewing venom in Swat. What could have been controlled by our intelligence network, a few firm stances and lots of welfare work in those areas, reached explosive limits and finally the uncontrollable state that it is in now. They thought they were smart enough to fool the US into giving them more and more pittance as a reward for their “doing more”. “Do more” we did indeed! But only to the advantage of palatial mansions constructed in the name of GHQ in Islamabad. That era of double game ended with Musharraf’s government collapse. Or did it?
Comes 2008 and the much venerated elections. After years we have an elected government. True that they had a baggage of past problems but instead of meticulously getting to work, we saw them indulging in one misadventure after another. From deferring and dithering about the restoration of judiciary to their brazen, brainless and tactless meddling in Punjab, they jumped from one folly to the other. The so-called air of “reconciliation” blowing in the country brought soot and filth with it. They finally woke up to the fact that nations are not given unlimited time to resolve their problems so something needed to be done. Then we saw them swinging to the other extreme and striking deals from a position of weakness with the terrorist militants. We should thank Mr. Fazlullah and his band of yahoos to have been so utterly reckless that they left the government with no option but to embark on a military operation, and that is how we see army doing what it is doing in Swat. It was the ruthlessness of the so-called saviours of religion that tilted the sentimental scale of the nation against them. The mockery they made of religion with their ill intentioned actions, helped eliminate the soft corner for them in the hearts of many.
But where do we go on from here? We have a war going on in our territory, a war that was never ours but has now become our struggle for survival. We have thousands of IDPs waiting to go back to their homes or settle down for good in other areas. We have the economic meltdown, the power crisis. Every day is bringing a new challenge. The first thing to do is to have a clear policy and timeline regarding our operation against the militants. It should be the government calling the shots. The current commitment and progress of army is commendable but it is too soon for us to forget the fact that not so long ago the same army was showing blatant incompetence in effectively fighting militants. Our 60 years history has taught us this one lesson really well that army is best when doing its own task and worst when poking its excessively large nose where it should not. Having said that, unless the civil administration and government rise to the occasion, army will always be looked up to even in areas they should not venture in. So it is of paramount importance for our current government to formulate a clear short term and long term policy regarding the ongoing operation. Any cowering under “agencies” or “establishment” pressure is not going to be helpful. That can only be achieved by making parliament stronger which in turn can best be started by implementing the Charter of Democracy. It is in government’s own interest, if they can only see it.
One of the reasons these militants gained stronghold in Swat and other areas was the lack of administrative and judicial system. People should now clearly see the policy and plans regarding the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Swat. The government should be seen to be doing something in terms of development and not merely paying lip service and distributing cheques.
One of the reasons for the public’s sympathies (if only ideologically) with the militants has been their opposition of US. America is seen as the enemy of Islam. US has done everything in the past to make its approach towards Pakistan to be regarded with suspicion. At this point in time, by some strange twist of fate, our own and US interests have converged. However, we should only allow as much convergence as is there and not go overboard in following US diktat. We should follow their agenda as long as it suits our purpose. We are fighting militants because they are endangering our country and our ideology and not because US thinks we should. This message should come out loud and clear in our dealings with US. How we can begin to do that is by strictly taking a stand on drone attacks. We are fighting the militants ourselves, we do not need US intervention but only help when we ask for it. Period. Moreover, we don’t need money like alms, we should ask for concessions in exports, wavering of debts, power agreements to give a few examples. We should show some vision for once in our life, keeping our long term strategic interests in mind. Sadly, the present government has not taken advantage of the winds of change that blew in the US. Bush administration was not willing to treat us as equals but not having being able to impress our due importance on Obama administration is our own fault. We do not seem to have an iota of national pride and tact is an art unknown to our leaders. When our own President (who had no business being there in the first place as the constitutional head of government is PM) goes and begs and grovels in front of American president and takes his son along to present as a model to gain sympathies over his wife’s death, what kind of reasonable treatment can you expect from US! When the President constantly talks about US supporting “his democracy”? What exactly is the message he is trying to convey? It is sad to see that while Obama took a strategically different approach towards the Muslims in the world (example his stance on Palestine), his approach towards Pakistan has been the same – a mere useful tool to fight US war. And it is not he who is to blame but our own leadership, which fails to keep its own interests in sight and act intelligently and honourably in the country’s interest. Not only US but the way we let ourselves be bullied by India is also shameful. Diplomacy is an art and sadly our leaders need to take major lessons in that. Being firm does not mean going on an open confrontational path.
The ongoing war against the militants is a test of fire for the country. In last 3-4 years, Pakistanis have matured as a nation as they did not in the last 50 years. We took a stand for judiciary, irrespective of political or religious affiliations. This unified approach on military action against terrorists is a similar blending of schools of thoughts. People from all walks of life, from all levels of religious inclinations are getting together firmly on this one stance, that this, at least, is not on. It does not matter if somebody is for secular Pakistan or for a theocratic country, they agree on one thing: what this band of yahoos is doing to our country is not acceptable and that enough is enough. What is also different between now and “then” of Musharraf’s times is that we have an elected government and that should make a big difference. Our leaders should realize their power in this respect. They should not be searching for reeds to hang on to for legitimacy. They have people’s mandate, they should sense people’s will. It is in times like these that the need for true leadership becomes dire for the country. Leadership, that harnesses and channelises thr collective sentiment to a direction and to new heights. Sadly, when we look around we do not see anyone capable of this. Yet, in history even if there were not natural leaders in command, the ones who had the responsibility of leadership thrust on them, rose to the occasion. Our leadership must keep in mind that mediocrity is not a fault but selfishness and egoism is. The lack of capability and vision can be compensated for by utilizing the collective wisdom of intelligentsia and by empowering the parliament but the delusion of adequacy of one person or a group has destroyed many a stronger nations.
A letter to prsident Asif ali zardari
Assalam-O-Alaikum
Your Highness
Sir
I take a great pride in calling youself my ideal personality. Sir you have achieved what nobody can even think of achieving. Despite the fact that if you were not the widower sorry husband (as BB zinda hai you repeatedly telling us since she died) of BB and the son in law of ZAB and with all your given abilities i.e your personality your IQ level your qualification and above all your wisdom you could have only gone to maximum level of a foreman in atomic energy or to the post of headmaster in gov high school kharian. But you have showed us if one is hardworking, determined, focused and fortune enough to be a husband he can achieve any thing. ‘Impossible is nothing’ Addidas not Aids. Sir under your leadership our beloved country has progressed so well in so much less time. As you know swat valley is now most sought out tourist place in the world thanks to Maulana Atta ur rehman for his great work in the field of tourism. I would request you to please confer him Pride of Performance award as soon as possible before he leaves for a schedule visit to receive his honorary doctorate degree from Harvard university for his great contribution in the world of tourism.
Sir I would also like to congratulate you for the grand opening of first overseas campus of Oxford University in South Waziristan. All praises to Vice Chancellor Bait ullah mahsud how he transformed himself from a warrior to great scholar and educationist. Sir we know you are under tremendous pressure from Prsident Obama to send Rehman Malik to US as he wants to make him his chief security adviser. Sir we people of Pakistan assure you that we can sacrifice anything for Rehman Malik and we are ready to eat even roti (as we were eating grass since your great father in law aksed us to do so) if they put sanction on us. Sir I still remember the day when you were begging the whole world for money but see we are the biggest donor on earth now. Since we have already achieved the maximum level of development a nation can achieve and ahead is only Allah Mia now we no more require the service of mobile phones therefore I surrender my mobile to you and I ask everyone to do so.
Sir since we the people of Pakistan wants you to remain the life time president of this country but your son Bilawal benazir Bhutto has almost finished his studies and is ready to take the job i.e to rule us I request you to arrange a great coronation ceremony upon his return. He must have learned a lot about Pakistan now e g that Pakistan wasn’t the part of UAE before partition and ZAB wasn’t hanged by Sheikh Zaid bin bunyan and that Pakistan has four provinces and baluchistan is not in Iran.
I would also like to take the opportunity to congratulate Altaf bhai for making MQM largest party of New York and inspiring millions of people by his Fikar O Falsafa.
My last extolment to PM Gilani for being elected as a director general of Oxford dictionary board for his impressive command and contribution to English language.
Yours truly
Adil noushad
MEaN AT THEIR BEST
PAKISTAN ARMY
aneel SALMAN
Shalimar hotel is a nice and cozy Pakistani restaurant in Troy, New York. After a long day my evenings are spent at the corner table with a hot cup of tea and conversation with Javed Sahib (owner of the hotel). He shares his fond memories of the good old days in Pakistan while I talk about the present gloomy times. Who is the culprit? was the question that popped up after reading a small news feed in Dawn where the proud sons of Pakistan Army beat the senses out of a young DMG officer to feed their inflated ego. On 8th july 2009, Ali Qamar a 35th common DMG officer posted as Camp Incharge Sheikh Yaseen IDP Camp, Mardan was vandalized, brutally beaten, physically and verbally abused by army officers and jawans, while on duty. The two sons of the nation Lt Haider and Major Asad of 32 cavalry were apparently tired of fighting against terrorism/ Taliban and their idea of taking a break was to show their muscles to a civilian officer, who is also a son of the same nation, and who was doing official duty when attacked. It is indeed a shame to see the petty ego of these officers. This is not the first instant when army has attacked a DMG officer or civilian institutions. But how can we question these junior officers when their top brass Ayub Khan, Zia ul Haq, Musharraf already abused the country.
Atif Majeed, a fulbright scholar, after hearing this incident shared this story, “ During Ayub khan regime one poet came to Faiz Sahib who was smoking at the Pak tea house. He said Faiz sahib meray pass aap kay liyee baree buree khaber hai? فیض صاحب، میرے پاس آپ کے لئے بہت بری خبر ھے (I have a bad news for you) Faiz asked what happened? He said Pakistan ab mazeed nahi chul sakta. Yeh sun kay Faiz sahib nay baray sakoon say kush lagaya aur kehnay lugay meray pass thumaray liyee is say zaida buree khabar hai aur woh yeh kay yeh mulk hameesha isi taran chalta rahay ga. یہ سب سن کر فیض صاحب نے بڑے سکون سے کش لگایا اور کہنے لگے میرے پاس تمھارے لئے اس بھی بری خبر ھے. وہ یہ کے یہ ملک ہمیشہ اسی طرح چلتا رھے گا ” Faiz sahib statement is very much true even today.
It is believed that Pakistan Army is the strongest and dominant institution in Pakistan. This white elephant takes 20% of the national budget to protect us from the foreign elements. We can witness their so called war against Talibans where they are unable to control their own creation, displacing millions of IDPs and outrageous spillover effect in the form of suicidal bombings in the urban hubs of Pakistan and above that all they vent their anger by beating a DMG officer. USA is fighting war against terrorism and Pakistan army is fighting a perpetual war against democracy. Every democratic leader has been forced to abdicate by army. The generals ruled the country for 34 years out of 62 years of its total existence. Dr. Ayesha Siddiqua, in her book ” Military Inc.: Inside Pakistan’s Military Economy “, mentions that army’s private business assets are worth around $17 bn and it owns a handsome share of the country’s business and land. The top brass, as a result, appear to be more interested in leveraging control over businesses, properties and politics. If this is the mind set how we are suppose to win any kind of war against any enemy.
Pakistan’s three Infamous A’s: The Army, Allah and America. We blame the Islamic fundamentalists and USA for all the chaos in Pakistan. But if we take a closer look the real culprit seems to be Pakistan army. Every political scientist claims that democracy is an answer to most of the problems in Pakistan but there are certain pre requisites to practice democracy. Thanks to Pakistan army it has not only destroyed but paralyzed the political thinking of people. It is like a ruthless corporation whose objective is to maximize profit. The way Zia ul Haq paralyzed the country no dictator has ever been able to achieve, he changed the very character and role of Pakistan army. The third ‘A’ America was the biggest sponsor of Islamic fundamentalism, religious terrorism and Islamisation of Pakistan Army. A breed of Taliban was created to fight the Russians and to please the US because the army was getting huge amount of dollars in aid. The business plan was pretty sustainable as high quality heroine from the poppy grown in the wastelands of war in Afghanistan and the areas along the 1500km long Pak-Afghan border. The black capital coming from the drugs trade was shared with different warlords and the leaders of different Islamic fundamentalist parties and Islamic mercenary outfits involved in this reactionary insurgency.
Musharraf regime is another golden chapter of Pakistan’s history; billions of US dollars were given to Pakistan Army to curb terrorism. Pakistan army again made us proud as terrorism not only increased but crossed the borders and entered our cities. It changed the demography as fear lurks in every heart. People are scared to socialize or go to any public place. One of the key causes of the judicial and political crisis in his regime was the disappearances of ordinary citizens at the hands of military intelligence. Zaid Zafar presented this scary situation through a 24 minutes documentary “Missing in Pakistan”. The documentary highlighted how an average Pakistani citizen can easily draw a stark connection between US ideals and policy with the realities in Pakistan.
What right does the army have to intervene in the affairs of civil administration? Their job is to protect the borders and not abuse the civilians. If they are requisitioned to assist the civil administration they should be confined to supporting not taking over! If they had done their job at the borders we would not have terrorism within Pakistan. It takes ages to build an institution but few people destroy it in the name of their egos or vested interests. Islam gives us the message of peace and harmony and if the pivotal institutions are unable to work in harmony then we are destroying Pakistan with our own hands. It’s time to realize our weaknesses and restrain from past mistakes that have brought Pakistan to its present state.
(The writer is a Fulbright Scholar, pursuing his doctorate at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY, USA. Research fellow at Center for Public Policy and Governance, Forman Christian University Pakistan. He can be reached at salmaa@rpi.edu)
by Azfar Gardezi
Let us take a few moments to review and analyze present chaotic situation in Baluchistan and NWFP, in the light of past and future.
Baluchistan is an ancient and eminent civilization. People tend to ignore the fact that actual bab-ul-Islam of sub-continent is Baluchistan, which was conquered by a mission sent out by Caliph Omar, originally for Basra, but was directed on special orders of caliph Omar to further move towards east in Baloch areas. After the creation of Pakistan, various tribes and states of Baluchistan conceded to federation of Pakistan during the years of 1947 – 1948. The most noted Baloch tribes gathered under the chair of Nawab of Qallat to form a union of their states and tribes, acknowledging the federation of Pakistan. The mists of time have buried down many of our golden historical memories. In Pakistan’s first general elections in 1970, PPP acquired majority in the regions of Punjab and Sindh, whereas the major tribal and political leaders of regions of Baluchistan registered their inclination towards Awami league of East Pakistan. Baluchistan faced turmoil when PPP secured power in Pakistan, after fall of Dhaka. Logically, it appears that it may have been this time when the master minds of allied capitalistic forces would identify the region of Baluchistan as a potential separatist candidate “just in case”. The reason was simple that notables of Baluchistan had actually shown very clear aspirations for Mujeeb and awami league, and they had identified and related to the persecution faced by East Pakistan. Based on this “important” observation, the genius allied capitalists would then build up a smart plan to chop region of Baluchistan off Pakistan’s federation, and turn it into the most important geo-political location of the world in the beginning of 21st century.
Mr. Bhutto, as shrewd as he was, also identified this danger at its very beginning. His intention may be justified because it served the purpose of strengthening federation of Pakistan, but his actions turned out to be so intense that Baluchistan had to face a full-fledge army action, with most of its leaders and notables of the province either in jail or on exile. And this was an ideal time for agencies like CIA, MOSAD, RAW and KGB to select their agents out of these jailed and exiled notables. Those who didn’t join hands with any of these agencies gradually faded off the political arena of Pakistan. Isn’t this an irony!
The decades to come would see the separatist longing of Baloch leaders growing stronger day by day. It appears that during 80s and 90s, KGB and RAW fed this ignition to this dim torch of Baloch separatist and nationalist agenda, but during Musharaf era in Pakistan, when CIA became immensely deep rooted in this region in the guise of war-on-terror, all these intelligence bonds were re-arranged. KGB was successfully chopped off and RAW was made to join hands with CIA to fire up whole Baluchistan with separatist agenda. RAW provided (and does provide till to date) support to Baluchistan “liberation” elements, while CIA facilitated this agenda from within Pakistan. Federation of Pakistan was very late to respond to this building chaos in Baluchistan. Although the federation of Pakistan tried it’s best to play some cat and mouse hunt, by desperate influx of development and investments in Baluchistan, especially Gwadar and some other mineral rich areas, and by taking extreme measures of killing and prosecuting Baloch notables, but it was simply too late. The separatist fire had been well lit up by then. Just as a final note regarding Baluchistan turmoil, we may not neglect the fact, other than its extreme geo-political importance, that it is huge reserves of Oil, gas, gold, copper, titanium and many other minerals, while Gwadar being geo-graphically most feasible deepest port in the world.
Now let’s turn our attention to the anarchy in the regions of NWFP. Another twisted tale! The area of NWFP has historically been considered as a gateway to a golden land – The Hind, or in other words, the sub-continent, which used to be major economic power of world till as late as early nineteenth century. It has been attracting attention of invaders for centuries of centuries. NWFP was a door step to sub-continent for each of these invaders. This may be one of reasonable arguments for aggressive and rough attitudes of tribal masses, who faced a lot such trespassers over the course of history. When Pakistan came into being in 1947, various tribal leaders and political leaders made a pact with government of Pakistan, to become part of its federation. Although Indian national congress had enjoyed huge support in this region previously, it took just a few years by Quaid e Azam and all India Muslim League to uproot influence of congress in this region. After becoming part of Pakistan’s federation, people and tribes of NWFP became loyal and dutiful wholeheartedly to the Islamic republic of Pakistan. In early days of Pakistan, when voice for help was raised from Kashmir, the people of NWFP were first to respond, penetrating as much inside Kashmir as the suburbs of Srinagar. In 1970, NWFP major leadership also showed their political aspirations towards Awami league of East Pakistan. A separatist emotion was taking root within the representatives of the province. Unfortunately same thing happened to NWFP – they had to face an army action in Bhutto’s reign. PPP’s influence had suffered terribly after the assassination of their popular leader from NWFP – Hayat Mohammad Khan Sherpao, in 1975. The exact situation between NWFP and federation at that time could be explained by just a quick example – Asfandyar Wali khan was nominated as principle accused by PPP federal government! Logically, this may be the time when the major master minds of the world would have figured out the separatist sensitivity of this region. This was exactly the time, when capitalist and communist blocks had agreed on an agenda – to stop the emergence of an Afro-Asian block within third world. All third world leaders who had been struggling to realize an Afro-Asian block, were being assassinated politically or ‘actually’. Mr. Bhutto, who was one of main vocals and movers for Afro-Asian block, proved to be one of the best leaders at a foreign policy making level, but his hold on home-affairs was terrible, and his mistakes made it easier for the capitalists and communists to take him off the scene. The crisis that had emerged in NWFP played a pivotal role in Bhutto’s end. NWFP suddenly went peaceful when Zia took over the show. Isn’t this yet another irony? Zia regime got even luckier with Soviet invasion on Afghanistan. Zia regime decided to take an active part in this conflict, rightfully realizing the dangers to follow, if they didn’t stop Soviet infiltration in the region. (God knows why Pakistani government lost this reasonable approach when capitalist allies did the same recently!). So, Pakistan fought back with an agenda to push Soviet armies as far as the other side of Amo River. This was the time when world was taken aback by the superb professional performance of intelligence service of Pakistan – the ISI, which was mostly known for it low level political-home-affairs activities, prior to that. This was the time, when ISI conducted two major operations for the country, namely; the anti-Soviet Jihad, and the fulfillment nuclear program. It may not be a wise argument to say that Carter and Reagan regimes had no clue of Pakistan’s activities during this time. In fact they kept a very close eye on whole situation and the capitalist allies came up with a very smart plan. They used their geo-political influence, especially over the Middle East, to convert this Pak- Afghan conflict with Soviets into a holy war – the Jihad. People of NWFP, as pure-hearted as they were, stood by this foreign policy of federation and rose up for help of their Afghan brothers. After this Jihad was declaration by all Muslim sects and countries, the religious Muslim groups came pouring in from all parts of world. As the maturing scenario in the region dictates, that this was a deliberate move by allied capitalists. They were actually containing religious Muslims groups within this region, so that they would not have to fight a whole billion of Muslims, when they turned to their anti-Islamic crusade in days to come. This was done successfully. All Muslim countries were pushed to discourage the re-entry of these Jihadists back to their respective countries, after this anti-soviet war was over. Hence they were force to be contained within these regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. These regions were left in a very well-devised chaos. Ironically, Pakistan and Afghanistan would never be able to achieve political harmony needed to address this chaos in years to come, till the time when the allied capitalists staged the drama of war-on-terror!
We can go on and on this whole problem that Pakistan is being faced with. But, this will only plunge us more into the rogue perceptions that have been developed by the master minds of allied capitalists. Thus, to conclude the article, I just want to request to Pakistanis that, this is our chance to thrust out of all such wrong perceptions that we’re made to live in. This is the time when we have to realize that all perceptions that have been fed to us by very well devised conspiracies, are nothing more than just fake! It is unfortunate that these conspirators control both cause and effect of such artificial chaos. But, only if we open our eyes and ears collectively, and see behind the scenes of such conspired anarchy, we can still save our beloved Country from extreme dangers. We can still continue our journey of prosperity and progress, only if we keep our faith in the might of God, stay united against all conspiracies and become a very well disciplined nation against each and every conspiracy. Please always remember that Unity, faith and discipline is not just a slogan or a fundamentalist religious philosophy, it is the key to success and prosperity. May Pakistan live forever, InshAllah.
Pakistan Zindabad!
by Asif Salahuddin
They have no tolerance. They speak, abusively if necessary, and desire little debate in return. They order and demand to be obeyed. They care not of another’s grievance or state of affairs, nor make any effort towards an understanding of such. They choose to remain ignorant of the world around and its realities that impact them. They wish their every whim to be met and every diktat to be followed by all. They are prepared to use violence – brutal, unrelenting and destructive violence – until they get their way.
Bearded, uneducated, warrior tribes from the North West reaches of Pakistan? No. The real extremists of Pakistan are the pseudo-intellectual, liberal elite dining away and making merry in the posh settings of Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad.
For it is at their insistence that the might of the Pakistan army has been hurled indiscriminately at an entire civil populace, resulting in its wake the displacement of over 3 million people and the death of thousands. This now stands as the largest unsettlement of humankind caused by man since the Rwandan massacres in Africa fifteen years ago and further bigger than the migration during the Indian partition itself. All because of the US backed lie that a few thousand rag tag group of fighters could capture the capital and hence overrun the country.
These extremists sitting at the helm of the country have swallowed every instruction and propaganda issued by the Americans and in doing so have taken Pakistan down a path of self obliteration. The entire army now stands pitted against a major ethnic race in Pakistan and this in turn bodes only one outcome for the country – civil war leading to state level disintegration akin to the loss of East Pakistan.
Such individuals have chosen to completely overlook the fact that a major foreign power has shifted its entire focus on the region after having just meted out the same policy on Iraq where it has succeeded in destabilising the entire state and engulfing the country with ethnic and sectarian flames. They have ignored the fact that the USA has a brutal and dark track record of using its intelligence agencies to ferment such turmoil in countries and that these very agencies have now settled in Pakistan and have been given a free reign to run amok. The CIA and FBI are openly known to have offices in every main city, airport and a thorough presence in the capital Islamabad.
Such extremists, falling into two overlapping camps, are both drawn from the sitting and opposition political leaders, bureaucrats, elements of the so called ‘civil society’ and serving and retired military leaders. The first group has continued to grip the reins of power in the country and all the perks that come with it; essentially the hundreds of millions of dollars in aid from the USA for the trough from which only their snouts will gorge out of. The second group is a fanatically secular band that will turn vile the moment the words Islam and society are mixed in the same sentence.
Together, they have managed to execute quite immaculately the American plan to turn the US’s War on Terror into Pakistan’s War on Terror, since the people of Pakistan have simply refused to back the former.
But perhaps the biggest shame is that the real intellectual element of our society has gone along with this, or at best is standing idle at the wayside as silent observers, for it has been very easy to accept the mistruths churned out by the extremists.
The real truth – a lot harder to swallow – is that the US wishes to achieve complete domination in the region. It has to ensure that the planned oil and gas pipelines from Central Asia running through Afghanistan, down to the ports of Pakistan, remain undisturbed. Further it must guarantee that the waterways near the coast of Pakistan are never threatened by any other power and that the control of this vital Middle-Eastern oil artery remains completely under its domain. In doing so the US has concluded that the only real way to implement this is to militarily occupy the region and eventually carve up Pakistan into smaller, weaker and hence more manageable states.
However, this is something which the Muslim community in the ‘AfPak’ region have declined to play ball with as they simply refuse to be a subjugated people; they demonstrated this with the British over a century ago, they demonstrated this with the Soviets twenty years ago and they are now making this clear to the Americans. As long as these fighters attack the US troops in Afghanistan, and continue to disrupt their main supply line which comes from Pakistan, the US will not be able to achieve its materialistic objectives in the region.
After repeated drone attacks the US simply cannot stamp out this resistance. Nor has it been able to send its own troops across the border to tackle these elements, partly due to the immense anti-American public opinion in Pakistan. But what the US has now succeeded in doing is to get the Pakistan army to fight its war.
But how long will the sincere elements of Pakistan stand by and watch the country being torn apart for a foreign objective under the whims of such extremists? How long will the sincere officers in the Pakistan army continue to act submissively under the orders of their traitor commanders and continue with this utter madness that has gripped the country? They must act now and listen to the voices of reason around them that call them to a new future for our Islamic nation. They must act now otherwise very soon it will be too late and America would have won.
Watch an important analysis on PBS, where Bill Moyers sits down with award-winning investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill to examine the human and financial costs of America’s wars.
by Ibrahim M Khalil
At the risk of sounding unpatriotic, let me quote a joke that was making the round couple of years ago.
After a meeting between Manmohan Singh and Pervez Musharraf, an announcement is made that Kashmir issue has been resolved. At the press conference, Manmohan Singh says that “Pakistan has agreed to give up its claim of holding a plebiscite in Kashmir. General Musharraf will inform you of the rest of the details”.
General Musharraf comes on the microphone and says, “We have fought three wars with India over Kashmir. Our army is always alert on our eastern border. By resolving the Kashmir issue not only will we have peaceful and prosperous relations with India but also our defense expenditures will come down as our huge army will not need to be high alert all the time.” There is muted response from the Pakistani press. So the General continues “In return for giving up the right on Kashmir, India will give a strip of land to Pakistan along India-Pakistan border where we will establish DHA societies that will act as our first line of defense.”
After listening to President Zardari’s solution of establishing cantonments in Swat for continued peace in region, the above joke starts to feel like a serious contender for a peace proposal.
One could have forgiven President Zardari for coming up with such an immature solution given that he has a certified mental condition as well as he may be farther from ground realities on account of spending more time outside the country on his so called fund raising trips. However, the solution was not his brain child and came after he held a high level meeting with military high command as well as his political advisors. If this is the case, it shows a total lack of administrative insight, leadership foresight and political acumen in our leaders military and civilian.
Let’s take the example of Karachi. Despite so many Askari residential schemes as well as cantonment areas such as Faisal cantonment area, Saddar cantonment area, Clifton cantonment area plus areas reserved for air force and navy personnel Karachi is a vice den with record number of mobile snatchings, car liftings, target killings, rioting, kidnapping for ransom etc. with the latest news being that ransom amount is used for financing Taliban etc.
However, supporters of Zardari’s proposal might fight back with the statement that problems of Swat and Karachi are different. Taliban insurgency is not the problem in Karachi, at least for now. Ok. Then take Peshawar for example. The question is: if we set up a cantonment in Peshawar, would we be able to avoid the suicide blast in Pearl Continental? But suicide blasts are a new phenomenon with no sure shot way of tackling it if we go by media appearances of our security experts and advisors. Ok. Establishing a cantonment in Peshawar will discourage the Taliban, fear of whom has forced the foreign bankers to wear shalwar kameez and lady doctors to take up Chadors. But wait, Peshawar already has a cantonment!
The problem in Swat is not unique. We are facing similar insurgencies in other Tribal Areas and similar trouble can also arise in any other part of the country as well e.g. southern Punjab. The solution that should be implemented in Swat should be such that firstly, it has chances of being successful and secondly, it should be easily replicable in other areas. The proposed solution is found wanting in the first condition (as shown in Peshawar) and if it fulfills the second condition the national expenditure will be part of defense expenditure rather than the other way around.
Even if we go through with the plan, how are we going to fund the costs of setting up these cantonment areas? The budget presented in the parliament is already ludicrous with expenses far exceeding realizable receipts. Defense takes up significant proportion of our national expenditure and if we start setting up these cantonment areas (which have proven to be ineffective in metropolitan areas) every where there is a threat of talibanization or law and order situation, we will just be over burdening our budget with more defense expenditures.
I believe the solution to the Swat problem is much simpler and less costly:
1. Proper law enforcement force i.e., well trained and well armed Police
2. Functioning courts
3. Elimination of status of Swat as Tribal Area and bring it under constitution of Pakistan
If the government drags its feet in the later two areas even then the first step, establishment of a proper law enforcement force, can be much more effective than a military cantonment. The third step may appear unnecessary but it prevents vested interests to implement such hastily cooked up decisions, without debating them in the parliament, through provincial chief minister or President. If we debate the issue in the parliament, at least we will have some discussion of pros and cons of each strategy even if we decide to go with the cantonment plan.
The speed with which the proposal was devised and the subtle manner it has been ignored or given a silent nod by media, I am sure we will be hearing in a few days that land has been marked for cantonment area (which was incidentally flattened by non-stop shelling and bombing) and construction has started even before IDPs have been rehabilitated.
by Dr Qaisar Rashid
How to make the Muslims forget the follies of the regime led by the former US President, George W Bush, seems the main foreign policy agenda of the incumbent President, Barack Hussain Obama.
Once reputation is tarnished, its salvage is difficult is the dilemma the Obama regime including Hillary Clinton is confronted with for the US. On June 5, 2009, at Cairo University, Egypt, Obama took finally a daring decision to reach out to the Muslims in general in an attempt to make them forget the words like ‘crusade’ used for the war on terror and overlook the places like Guantanamo Bay. Instead, the Muslims were urged to share a common ground of trust, harmony, and respect.
Obama’s speech depicted clearly a change in the thinking of the Americans in general. Obama’s words personified that change to end hostility with the Muslims. Nevertheless, Obama was not totally defensive. He forwarded his case successfully regarding violent extremism, the Palestinian-Israel issue, nuclear capability, democracy, religious freedom, women rights and economic development affecting the Muslims in general.
The contents of the speech were recognition of the fact that the US did recognize existence of the fault lines, whether those were on the ideological plane or the cultural front, between the countries populated by the Muslims and those inhabited by the Christians. Unlike Bush, who took upon himself the task of introducing democracy to the world, Obama unequivocally said that the US would not force democracy on any country; the matter of having democracy or not would be of one’s choice. This message was basically directed to the regimes of the Middle East having the wealth of oil and fear of democracy. Secondly, this message of Obama might have pleased Hosni Mubarak who had been ruling Egypt authoritatively for the past several years.
In Obama’ speech, the phrase the ‘Muslim world’ was not used. So the addressee was the Muslim audience. Through his speech, Obama tried to elevate the ego of the Muslims to make them feel respected in the eyes of the Christians when Obama referred to the past and praised the contributions made by the Muslims to the fields of science and arts. In the speech, there was also an undertone of request to the Muslims to re-start contributions scientifically, as they used to do in the past, and not to be dragged along, as the current situation is: the Muslims should be constructive contributors to the development of the world rather than liability on the world. Nevertheless, as a Christian, Obama extended a hand of friendship towards the Muslims and, through his speech, made the 1.5 billion Muslims of the world realize that they were not irrelevant to be written off.
Obama acknowledged that in the presence of mistrust amassed over the years, “no single speech” could eradicate mistrust. Nonetheless, in the context of the US, the first problem was with the words. Wrong words were uttered by the Bush regime. Even if the wrong deeds do not follow them, only the words do the damage. This time, at least, noble words have been used by Obama. Further, at least, no harm has been inflicted on the feelings and aspirations of the Muslims in general. Whether the words of Obama are translated into concrete policies or not will be decided by time, nevertheless, the speaker, Obama will remain accountable for what he said and pledged publicly.
One of the major issues Obama focused on was the Palestine issue, the main source of mistrust between the Muslims and the US. For the Palestinians and Israel, Obama’s speech was a policy speech. Obama made the contours of his foreign policy public. Unlike Bush, Obama did not accept the changing “ground realities” on the West Bank happening under the pretence of the ‘natural growth’ for the expansion of the Jews settlements. On the one hand, Obama neutralized the existential threat to Israel posed by Iran (when Ahmedinejad, the President of Iran, questioned presence of Israel in the Middle East); on the other hand, Obama acknowledged the historical (and religious) right of the Jews to have a homeland in the Middle East – but asked them to respect the right of the Palestinians to have their own independent state with defined geographical boundaries promised to them earlier under the UNSC resolutions.
Obama was in need of partners in the Middle East that could guarantee existence of Israel and lessen the fear for and against Israel. Seeking partners in the rulers is one thing, but Obama was looking for amiable Arab populace towards Israel. Over the years of experience, the US has realized that unless the common Arabs support the US policies in the region, no favourable change for Israel can take place. The status quo is creating more complications than solutions.
Obama had aptly realized that the “new beginning” between the US and the Muslims was not possible without settlement of the core issue of Palestine. Further, Obama knew that no opening was available in the Middle East if the issue of Palestine would not be addressed. By speaking for the right of the Palestinians to live honourably in their homeland, Obama carved out a window of opportunity to forge friendly ties with the Arabs of the Middle East.
About Iran, two points are clear from Obama’s speech: Iran will not be allowed to rise as a regional player lest it might challenge Israel directly and that Iran will be denied nuclear technology lest it might make a bomb to balance Israel. So, the major challenge to the speech of Obama is supposed to come from Iran. How Iran protects its interests and how Iran ensures its honourable survival in the region are yet to be seen.
by Husham Ahmed
Voices of reason and critique are often drowned in the sounds of gunfire and heavy artillery shelling. This current operation ‘Rah-e-Rast’, or what is being termed as a ‘War for Pakistan’s survival’, has resulted in an exodus of almost 3 million people which might just be another number for those who are at the helm of affairs in Islamabad. Dawn’s magazine Herald wrote in its editorial: “Fear of Taliban being just 60 kilometers away from the country’s capital has mobilized the people to support war….But more seriously still, it has ensured that we have willingly put aside the right to ask questions and the right to hold institutions accountable. We are so desperate to get rid of the Taliban that we do not want to raise any questions about how this can be done.” It is time to ask some tough questions.
Herman Goering, the head of German Luftwaffe, remarked at Nuremberg trials: “Of course, the people don’t want war….But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along… Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger.” We have seen how fear can drive a nation to support an illegal war thousands of miles away in case of Iraq invasion. That is why it is necessary that with our high running emotions against Militants and against their brutal acts of terror, we do not forget the importance of transparency, accountability and self-critique.
Oddly enough media has bought the state line that they can not be allowed on the ground. Just like the civil society has accepted the fact that there will be collateral damage. The importance of independent war reporting can not be overstated. It not only ensures transparency but also helps to dispel all the conspiracy theories, which only dwell due to lack of information, and which often hurt the cause itself. Right now the media is only reporting the official information as facts.
There is also confusion about what we are currently involved in, between the different organs of the state. While DG ISPR Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas terms this a fully blown counter-insurgency operation, the hero of Bajaur IG Frontier Corps Maj. Gen. Tariq Khan considers it a law and order problem that the forces have to deal with. Dr. David Kilcullen, a former advisor to General Petraeus and an expert in insurgencies, remarks: “killing the enemy is strictly secondary in an insurgency situation…what you have to do is to protect the population and prevent the insurgents from intimidating them, so that you can break the cycle of insurgent threat to them.” According to him, there are three steps involved: clear, hold and build. He thinks that while Pakistani forces might clear the militants from the affected areas, but the state institutions are not capable enough to hold and build. This is exactly what the French realized in Algeria when they decided to deploy small number of troops in the population, and what the U.S. did in Iraq in the policy of ‘surge’ when they abandoned large bases to come into the populated areas and used the local intelligence.
Resorting to heavy indiscriminate shelling on certain occasions from the peripheries has resulted in civilian casualties. Army is still not willing to give any number on that. Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas only reiterates that the ‘collateral damage is minimum’ but he stops short of giving the exact number. Dawn recently reported that on 18 May, in an incident confirmed by police sources, military shelling killed several people trying to flee a Swat town, including women and children.
There is also a trust deficit between those who have to pay the heavy price of this conflict and those who are calling the shots. Winning the hearts and minds of the locals is of utmost significance. There are many who neither support the army nor the Talibans as they have often fallen prey to both. The earlier three uncompleted operations have left the people of Swat sceptical about the commitment of the army.
On May 17, ISPR reported that 36 illegal radio stations were operating in Sultanwas and Buner alone. Residents of Bajaur agency say that the radio transmission has again started even though the army claims that the area has been flushed out of militants. These radio stations comprise of a low power transmitters that can be carried in a bag and can be operated on a car battery. In the past their mobility has been presented as the reason of incapability of government to track and curb their transmission. There are jamming devices that can override the illegal signals with a powerful signal of the same frequency even if the location of transmitter is unknown. These kinds of devices must be sought to put an end to these malevolent sermons.
Last but not the least, what else is government planning to fight extremism? This current operation is supposed to be a prong of a comprehensive strategy, not the complete strategy. Will only a military adventure in Swat and FATA solve our problems? Ajmal Kisab comes from Okara, Punjab. Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi is from Gujranwala, a crime ridden region. Hafiz Saeed belongs from Sargodha, an area that is replete with family feuds. Dera Gazi Khan and Bahawalpur are ripe with sectarianism, underdevelopment and crippled social infrastructure. These areas are very much the part of governed territory.
Relief work for the IDPs is underway. The rehabilitation and reconstruction are the later stages in this long effort which must not be worn out by time. These people have already faced four episodes of military operations, and the desperation and frustration runs deep. There will be no next chance soon. That is why it has to be done right this time. The sacrifices of our brave soldiers must be honoured, but at the same time it must not stop us from demanding more transparency and accountability. To support the objectives of this war is one thing, and to support the way with which it is being fought is another. We must not confuse them both in our warmongering.
This poem to highlight the plight of our elders, our mothers and daughters and our children caught up in the conflict, designed in the corridors of Washington Hill DC and our own political failures through years of neglect and discrimination.
Wrapped up in million stars this old sky,
As they stare from little windows of existence
From the wooden bridge, in the mountains
As the mist rises in its colors of remembrance,
There lies the valley, where beauty is suicidal
There lies home, where protection is nature
All in there, fleeting glance or permanence
The old days of reflection, spent in between
As they whisper, ode to change and for help
In there, lies the answer to our quest for brutality
As the smoke arises from snows of purity
The blood that flows in human rivers
Amidst beautiful snow, amidst gravity
As the new born find its feet and face
There melts, the human misery now
As seeds of this disease, reaches them
No longer forbidden and remote,
In all these years of its formation
Flows there our blood in this valley
Of you and me, as we kill all in our names
The great sacrifice to our voices of conscience
Wrapped up in million stars, this sky
As they stare from little windows of existence
At you, at me, this unbearable pain
As the new born find its feet and face!
Asim Khan
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Cairo,Egypt)
