Paranoia, perversion, and hypocrisy of Pakistan's middle class

Nauseous mumblings
Nadeem F. Paracha

Sunday, 22 Nov, 2009

RECENTLY I was fortunate enough to be a part of an excellent ten-minute news video prepared by the New York Times’ reporter, Adam Ellick. Tastefully called ‘Tuning out the Taliban,’ the video has created the right buzz amongst young middle-class Pakistanis.

Adam treats his report as a way to understand why many educated, westernised and modern Pakistani pop/rock stars and their fans are all gung-ho about anti-Americanism in their songs and beliefs but at the same time keeping quiet about matters such as religious extremism, terrorism and the Taliban.

The funny thing is, this is happening even when there are disturbingly tangible and physical examples of the ubiquitous carnage and mayhem being caused by so-called jihadis; whereas conspiratorial notions such as the ever-present explanation of a ‘foreign hand’ — mainly the idea of an unholy alliance of America, India and Israel out to destroy Pakistan and Islam — remains to be a largely unsubstantiated and somewhat air-headed perception.

According to my own experience as a journalist covering the Pakistan music scene in the 1990s, it is never a good idea to encourage pop musicians to start making political statements. As an idea it can be exciting and relevant, but since much of the modern pop music scene in Pakistan originates from middle-class settings, one can thus expect nothing more than self-righteous droning and quasi-reactionary drawing-room demagoguery usually found in the urban bourgeoisie and petty-bourgeois sections of society.

Surveys and studies of these two classes in Pakistan show them to be two of the most conservative, with a history of economically and politically backing assorted military dictators (especially Ziaul Haq and Pervez Musharraf). Of course, there have been clear exceptions in this context, but it is also true that over the years the overall conservatism of these classes has seen certain sections from within become both supporters and financiers of the more extreme strains of Islamic thought.

There have been recorded cases against many petty-bourgeois shop-owners and traders of financing jihadi organisations; whereas many sections among the more ‘modern’ bourgeois class have largely exhibited their own version of extreme beliefs by passionately patronising (as supporters and clients), a number of Islamic televangelists and drawing-room preachers whose number has grown two-fold from 1990 onwards.

Consequently, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of young men and women from the middle-class now preferring to adorn beards and hijabs, and taking religious rituals a lot more seriously (compared to the situation till the late 1970s). But this class still constitutes a large number of westernised youth as well.

However, compared to their more socially conservative class contemporaries — who have been seen to follow right-wing groups from the Jamat-i-Islami, to defunct Sipah-i-Sehaba to Sunni Threek and the Tableeghi Jamaat and individuals such as Dr Israr Ahmed, Farhat Hashmi and Zakir Naik — the more ‘modern’ lot in this respect have not exactly fallen to the left as a reaction (like they did between the 1950s and the early 1970s). Instead, in spite of whole-heartedly embracing the economic, aesthetic and cultural fruits of secularism, they have retained their classes’ inherent political conservatism.

Adam Ellick’s interviews with former rock star and animated TV personality, Ali Azmat, and bubblegum-rock poster boy, Ali Noor, are the cases in point. Both hail from modern, middle-class settings and represent the more westernised sections of Pakistani bourgeoisie. In spite of mimicking the aesthetic, cultural and linguistic strains of western pop culture, both refused to see any contradiction whatsoever in conveniently attacking ‘western imperialism’ as the reason behind the terror attacks in Pakistan.

Azmat is seen in a T-Shirt and shorts, with an expensive Apple laptop by his side, sitting in a room decorated like an arty version of an American college dude’s bachelor pad, and the following is what he had to say: ‘It (suicide bombing) is the agenda of neocons to de-Islamise Pakistan…’

In his astute and recently acquired wisdom (mainly inspired by Azmat’s newfound guru, celebrated conspiracy theorist Zaid Hamid), the Taliban are not behind the bombings of girls’ schools, but ‘foreign forces (CIA, RAW and Mossad),’ are to be blamed! Where else but in Pakistan can one find a hip rock star with a lucrative history of being proudly sponsored by various western multinationals, also become a shameless apologist of men who in the name of faith not only blow themselves up in public, but are also known to have used three-to-six-year-old children for the same deed.

Then, in the same documentary, we see yet another scion of the increasingly warped Pakistani bourgeoisie, Ali Noor, the long-haired, guitar-slinging lead vocalist of Noorie. Amidst terrifying and tragic footage of blown up cars, shops and body limbs, he announces that ‘the Taliban only constitute a tiny problem.’ While spouting this profound insight, Noor gestures the ‘tiny’ part of his grand statement with his hand and you wonder, shouldn’t that gesture be explaining the size of his brain? Is this symptomatic of mere delusion, or of some unprecedented form of collective psychosis? Source
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The real conspirators - By Ahsan Iqbal

Article suggested by Syed Ali Raza: Although the author may not align himself with the political views of "Let us build Pakistan", he offers a valuable perspective on present deferring and escapist tendencies in our society.


The real conspirators
By Ahsan Iqbal

There are so many conspiracy theories for what is happening to us that at times it becomes difficult to keep track of them. USA, West, Israel, and India most commonly get referred to in those conspiracy theories. The conspiracy syndrome isn’t just limited to uneducated, very often educated and elite are also vocal champions of such theories. If we analyze the psychology of conspiracy theory syndrome, it can be safely said that it provides a safe refuge for finding an explanation for all the negative events and outcomes, which we don’t like and about which we are not willing to do anything in order to bring a positive change.

These theories are escapists’ heaven providing comfort, catharses, and solace to the pain of mind and soul. What they conceal and block is the path of introspection. The believers in conspiracy theories find all the faults and responsibilities with conspirators, who are villains, and view themselves as victims of treachery, who are innocent, hence throwing all the blame on the conspirators for their sufferings.

The first cardinal principle of diplomacy is that each nation is entitled to act in its own best national interest. Therefore, to expect that any other nation will watch some other nation’s interest is contrary to this basic axiom of international politics. The nations may cooperate but they do so to the extent that their national interests converge. Therefore, what is a national interest for one nation may well look like a conspiracy to another nation or society beyond its shared interest. In Pakistan, thanks to a long history of dictatorships, we have developed a strong culture for conspiracy theories, as lack of information and disempowerment, become key drivers of this culture. We seldom try to analyze the root causes of our problems. After 62 years, if we are still mired in poverty, under development, and political instability with little sovereignty, who has afflicted these wounds on our soul and body? Before we fix responsibility, we should draw wisdom from history of rise and fall of nations and societies.

The literature on this subject throws many explanations for development and decline of nations. Some of these factors are unique while others are general in nature. The law of history is that sovereignty, prosperity, and development have neither been bestowed upon nations in charity nor in aid. Dignity, prosperity and progress are earned and manufactured by the nations through the work of the following seven factors; i) leadership and vision, ii) knowledge and skills, iii) justice and peace, iv) governance and merit, v) enterprise and hard work, vi) integrity and trust vii) team work and synergy. No matter what circumstances nations may face or resources they are gifted with, it is the work of the above seven factors that determines their prospects and rendezvous with destiny.

Where Pakistan is today and where it will be tomorrow, it only reflects the choices we make as a nation. The difference between a successful person or a nation and an unsuccessful person or nation is in its belief and outlook. Successful individuals and groups take responsibility for what they are while unsuccessful individuals and groups try to blame circumstances and others for their failures. The public discourse in any society plays very important role. It helps in understanding its agenda and also drives its future. Therefore, it should be of paramount concern to any society how the agenda of its public discourse is shaped. If we believe that all our problems are due to some sinister conspiracies being hatched against us by others then the logical implication of this thinking is that others are being unfair and devilish with us. This argument shuts the lens for introspection and objectivity in analyzing the past, present, and future. In order to understand why we are where we are, it is important that we analyze our situation in the light of the seven above mentioned factors of progress and development. The first factor is vision and leadership. Both vision and leadership are part and parcel of each other. Leadership without vision is a journey in circles and vision without leadership remains an abstract reality. All small and big success stories are born out of a compelling and a shared vision and a committed and a competent leadership. Vision is what determines what an organization or society is going to try to accomplish. Without a clear vision any society will be pulled in many different directions and nullify its effort.

The story of Pakistan’s creation is itself a proof of this principle. It was the vision of freedom, democracy, prosperity, and social justice in accordance with the principles of Islam that galvanized the Muslims of South Asia to launch Pakistan movement, and the dynamic and competent leadership of the Quaid-i-Azam made this dream come true. Unfortunately, after early death of Mr Jinnah, strong civil and military bureaucracy hijacked the state as political institutions were weak and in early formative stage. This led to blurring of our founding vision, giving rise to parochial thinking and politics.

Our military dictators ruled for over thirty three years playing havoc with rule of law and institutional governance in the country, which led to weakening to federation and unequal distribution of wealth across regions and groups further denting the founding vision of state. Our judges granted legitimacy to the dictators, our bureaucrats served them, and there were always willing politicians to join them while the people accepted it as their destiny. Was this some conspiracy against us or our collective failure to resist most glaring deviations from our founding vision? The second factor is knowledge and skills. Societies, which understood the importance of human resources and invested in developing strong intellectual and human capital, have always performed well. Development is the process by which human beings become aware of opportunities and challenges, formulate responses, make decisions, and initiate organized actions. This process follows the sequence from knowledge to inspiration to action. Human beings acquire knowledge, they become aware of opportunities and challenges. When that knowledge matures, they acquire a motivation or inspiration to translate that knowledge into action. No matter how great the opportunity or how dire the necessity, without that knowledge no adaptive response occurs. In earlier stages of development, land and minerals constituted the principle resources for development. Knowledge was rudimentary. Human beings were valued mainly for their physical labour. Today, information and knowledge have become increasingly important inputs to the development process. All economic activities are becoming more knowledge-intensive. In this context, where do we stand, we are rated at 141st position in the Human Development Index out of 172 nations and sixth out of seven South Asian countries. Our education system from primary to tertiary levels is in a mess with multi-class system with lowest budgetary allocations in the world. Has any country ever stopped us from providing our children best education and from producing quality scientific research in our universities? If almost half of our population is illiterate and we have worst form of class based education apartheid with purposeless education without offering the marketable skills then who is to be blamed?

The third factor is justice and peace. Martin Luther King said, “True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice.” Justice and peace are preconditions for an enabling environment that can attract investments and talent for the development of any society. Absence of justice means no rule of law and without rule of law societies become jungles in which might is right, leading to chaos and anarchy. Under such circumstances, society fails to produce stability and order as necessary conditions of progress. If we are mired with inequality, injustice, and strife today whose fault is it? In all those countries, which we call as conspirators, sitting heads of governments can be put to trial but we are finding it difficult to initiate legal proceedings against former president General Musharraf.

The fourth factor is governance and merit. Governance can be described as the process and capability of a society to set and achieve its goals. Good governance has 8 major characteristics. It is participatory, merit based, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law. It assures that corruption is minimized, and the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in decision-making. It is also responsive to the present and future needs of society. While good governance helps build confidence of local and foreign investors in the economy merit recognition guarantees best standards of performance. According to World Governance Indicators Pakistan’s ranking is 162 out of 179 countries even behind Afghanistan. If we have failed to establish good governance in our country, according to the above criteria, is it not entirely our own doing and choice. There is no evidence of any foreign hand involved in enforcing poor governance on us.

The fifth factor is enterprise and hard work. Strong and stable societies are built on successful economies and no economy can prosper without entrepreneurial spirit and hard work. There is enough empirical evidence to suggest that societies that exhibit higher levels of entrepreneurial effort are more innovative and successful. Likewise, there is no substitute for hard work. In Quran, Allah says, “Man will only get for which he strives”. Has any foreign country ever asked us not to harness entrepreneurial skills of our people and to not work harder in our offices, educational institutions, factories, and professions?

The sixth factor is integrity and trust. Development has two dimensions, hardware and software. While physical infrastructure lays the foundation it is ethics and values infrastructure of any society, shaping social attitudes and social capital, which determines its level of success.

Following Fukuyama, this social capital can be defined as the “set of informal values or norms shared among members of a group that permits them to cooperate with one another”. Obviously the level of trust capital is key for fostering cooperation and comfort. Trust is developed among members of group through mutual respect, honest transactions and tolerance. How much integrity and honesty is there in our work and dealings? Has any conspiring nation ever asked us to indulge in adulteration, be unfair in measures, and not be honest in our dealings and transactions?

The seventh factor is teamwork and synergy. As Henry Ford said, “coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success.” High performing organizations and societies are good at transforming individual excellence of their members into collective competence in a way that combined effect is greater than sum of individual effort, which means there is harmony and positive synergy in the system. It is said that in the new economy the basic unit of work is team rather an individual, which means group dynamics of nations have become critical for their success. How good are we in collaborative modes? Has any foreign power forced us to be divided on parochial lines and not to work together as a united nation and communities?

If we look at the above seven factors, one doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist to find out that we alone are responsible for our failures. No one is conspiring against us as we are guilty of conspiring against ourselves. Instead of blaming others we need to focus on our shortcomings and take responsibility for our destiny. This is the only way forward to become a dignified, a strong, and a prosperous nation. Source

The writer is an MNA and former minister of education. Email:betterpakistan@gmail.com

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From Zion Hamid to Wali Azmat to Insaaf-e-Khan: The Pakistani extras of conspiracy theory

Extra! Extra!
By Nadeem F. Paracha

19 November 2009

Islamabad, November 18: Famous anti-India TV personality, Zion Hamid, was caught yesterday watching Shakuntali, a popular Indian TV soap opera. The discovery was made by one of his fans who Hamid thought was his milkman.

When Hamid opened his door, the fan heard and saw the TV in the background where episode No. 5, 904 of Shakuntali was running. Talking to this reporter, the fan said that he first thought it was a conspiracy, but after noticing the genuine red cap of Hamid, he was astonished.

Shaken, the fan, 23-year-old Abdul Karim, said: ‘I couldn’t believe it! What would Muhammad Bin Qasim think when he gets to hear about this?’

When told by this reporter that Qasim died hundreds of years ago, the fan accused him and his newspaper for working for Blackwater.

‘What you think you fool Mossad, CIA, Raw agent Qasim alive in our minds, hearts and lungs so oh you shut up!’ he added.

Talking to the media after the episode, Hamid accepted that he sometimes watches Indian soaps and that even though he is of the opinion that Hindus are paleed (dirty), there is no harm in watching them on TV because they can’t touch you and can’t cast their shadow over you.

He added that he also watches Indian soaps to decode the hidden plots of the Hindus to destroy Pakistan and Islam.

‘It was by decoding the dialogue of one such Indian TV soap that I was able to discover that the Mumbai attacks were actually planned and executed by Raw and Mossad,’ he explained.

He also said that he predicted the 9/11 attacks as a Zionist conspiracy back in 1996 by watching Dil Walay Dullaniya Lay Jain Gey on his VCD player over and over again.

‘It’s all there,’ he claimed. ‘And the songs aren’t all that bad either.’

Hamid was surrounded by a vocal group of fans at the press conference.

One Barkat Ali told the reporters: ‘What this happening? Attacking great man Zion, oh so brilliant genius zindabad, zindabad you kafir Western conspiracy US agent traitors fool, fool, fool!’

Another, Sharmeen Khan, a 25-year-old university student added: ‘What this nonsense of democracy because it only Hindu, American, Zionist, Papua New Guinnean plot to destroy beloved Pakistian zindabad, zindabad, zindabad!’

Kamran Ghani, a seven-month-old toddler also addressed the press conference. He said, ‘Goo goo gagagaga goo goo … burp!’

The fans then lifted Hamid on their shoulders and carried him to a nearby McDonald’s outlet where they all chanted slogans like ‘Amreeka ki ghulami namazoor’ over a couple of Big Macs, large Cokes and a romantic song sung by Wali Azmat called, ‘I hate Jews Yea, Yea, Yea,’ a song from Azmat’s forthcoming album, ‘Zionists ate my Homework.’

The album is dedicated to all the Taliban who died in American drone attacks. When asked why didn’t he also dedicate the album to all those who’ve died from Taliban’s suicide attacks, Azmat said, that there were no suicide bomb attacks in Pakistan and that all those people we see slaughtered and dismembered on our TV screens actually died from dengue fever. When asked how he can prove this, he said that one should watch the third season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

‘It’s all there,’ he claimed. ‘And the chicks aren’t all that bad either.’

Meanwhile in Lahore, Tehrik-e-Imran chief, Insaaf-e-Khan lauded Zion Hamid’s efforts for decoding vital truths about Hindu conspiracies from Indian soap operas.

Talking to a group of rabid rightwing columnists at his residence, the great Khan said that Pakistan was in great danger from all kinds of plots being hatched by its enemies, especially Asif Zardari Bhutto Zardari Bhutto, Bilawal Zardari Bhutto Zardari, and the ghost of late Benazir Bhutto.

‘This government is sucking the blood of poor Pakistanis,’ he told the rabid rightwing communists all of whom then started to sing the national anthem in unison.

‘This government has sold Pakistan’s strategic and political interests to America!’ Khan added, to which the rabid rightwing columnists started burning George Washington and Abraham Lincoln’s effigies.

Praising the columnists’ bravery, Khan promised them to meet again after he returned from New York where he will undergo a cheekbone operation.

The columnists informed him that they too will be in New York for sightseeing, except for one, who got up and started burning Henry Truman’s effigy. He was the one who failed to secure an American visa.

Khan termed this to be racial discrimination and a CIA conspiracy.

Later in the day, the issue was discussed on a famous TV talk show on a local news channel.

Participating in the show were the incensed columnist, a rabid rightwing reporter, a PPP Minster, and a woman in a burqa.

‘This is an outrage!’ said the reporter. ‘Blackwater is behind this,’ he announced.

When asked how he knew, he picked up a Class One children’s nursery rhymes book and claimed: ‘It’s all here. And the rhymes aren’t all that bad either.’

The PPP Minister, Rehman Malika Zardari Bhutto Zardari, promised that his government will look into the issue, to which the reporter landed a swift punch on Malika’s face.

When Malika’s bodyguards tried to stop the reporter, the talk show’s host accused the government of curbing the freedom of the press.

‘This is an outrage!’ he said. ‘I implore the Army to intervene, overthrow this incompetent government and impose martial law!’

Mr. Malika apologised and started to land punches on his own face saying that the government too believed in the freedom of the press.

This made the reporter very happy who asked Malika to raid book stores and confiscate all secular literature because solutions to Pakistan’s problems lie in jihadi literature.

‘It’s all there!’ he claimed. ‘And the topics aren’t all that bad either.’

Turning to the woman in a burqa, the show’s host asked if she agreed.

‘The real problem lies in women wearing jeans,’ she said.

The host asked her to elaborate, to which she said: ‘The real problem is in women wearing jeans.’

‘Yes, but can you please elaborate?’ asked the host.

‘The real problem lies in women wearing jeans!’ she said again.

‘Please elaborate,’ the host insisted.

‘But that’s all I was asked to say,’ she said.

‘By whom?’ inquired the host.

‘By you!’ she said.

‘This is an outrage!’ said Mr. Malika, and in response, the host punched him and proceeded to burn an American flag. He burned half of it and announced that the other half will be burnt later because he had to catch a flight.

‘To where?’ asked Mr. Malika.

‘California,’ said the host. ‘I have to attend my son’s graduation ceremony.’

Nadeem F. Paracha is a cultural critic and senior columnist for Dawn Newspaper and Dawn.com.
http://blog.dawn.com/2009/11/19/extra-extra/
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The Zionist prism of Zaid Hamid and Ahmed Quraishi

It's the stupidity, stupid

Thursday, November 19, 2009
Zafar Khalid Farooq

Whilst it is common to hear, or read, the unenlightened ramblings of various 'experts' in the media these days, it's strange to find examples of anti-intellectualism in a bookshop. One would hope that these establishments would attract people interested in expanding their minds and developing critical thinking. But, not so in Pakistan.

I was in Liberty Books when I spied a comment card nestling inside the Perspex comment box. The angry opinion read as follows: "'Mother of God' by Miri Rubin. I don't think that this book should be sold or displayed in a prestigious store like yours. You have a social responsibility."

Yes, they do have a social (and financial) responsibility to sell books. What could be so odious about this book that it could produce such an angry tirade, I wondered? So I did what any normal person would do, I immediately asked for a copy of the book. Sadly, it had sold out. However, a quick Google search showed that this book was a history of the perceptions of Mary, mother of Jesus, in European societies from the Middle Ages to the 21st century, and how these perceptions varied from country to country. Different countries used the role of Mary in differing ways to make sense of a range of human experience -- virginity, motherhood, family life, poverty and humility. What aspects these societies focused on in their representation of Mary, in turn, reflected the broader concerns of that society.

It sounded like a serious and interesting work. So what could have caused someone to question the book store's social responsibility for carrying it? In fact, wasn't it being socially responsible by offering this book for public consumption? Then it struck me. It was the title: Mother of God. That had been the objection. They had simply disliked the association of mother with God. Now you and I may not believe that Mary was the mother of God, and probably the Jewish sounding author, Miri Rubin, doesn't believe she is either, but that's not the point. This was a serious historical study of the continuing evolution of Mary in those Christian societies where they consider her the mother of God.

Would it be fair for a western bookshop to ban a biography on the Prophet (PBUH) called The Last Prophet? Of course not. Muslims would be rightly angry. So too would many non-Muslims be upset, for they would be interested in a scholarly work on the Prophet (PBUH). So why do we Muslims demand tolerance and plurality of beliefs when it comes to the west, but become intolerant when it comes to our societies?

Perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise to see this reaction in a bookshop. After all, we are a nation that kowtows to the ignorant and plain stupid. Yes, let's revel in our ignorance. We are a nation where our city centres are inundated with jewelry and clothes shops, but lack a single decent Urdu bookshop. We are a nation whose middle class, although in possession of a disposable income, will only have one book in their house -- and that too on a very high shelf, and often unread. Bigotry prospers over intellectual rigour, innuendo over fact, and conspiracy theory over credible reporting.

After all we have become a nation where a national newspaper can endanger the life of a Wall Street Journal journalist, Matthew Rosenberg, by claiming that he is an Israeli agent, an American agent, and a contractor for Blackwater. Either he is a busy man, or this is bunkum. The report in the newspaper provided no credible sources.

We are a nation that unquestionably swallows the unsubstantiated rants of Zaid Hamid, Ahmed Quraishi and their ilk. Zaid Hamid sees the world through a Zionist prism, while I advise you to check out ahmedquraishi.com to check out the quality of his 'photo journalism'.

We are a nation where pop stars like Ali Azmat believe that "we know for a fact that all this turbulation (not a world, Ali) in Pakistan it's not us, but outside hand" and who says that the Taliban is not responsible for blowing up 200 girls schools, but it's the work of an unidentified foreign hand. Show me the evidence, Ali? Where are the 'facts' you talk about?

Ironically, it is these very people who hark back the loudest, and bemoan the most, the loss of the Islamic world's glory days -- when Muslims were pioneers at the forefront of scientific, architectural, astronomical, and mathematical advances in the world. But you only can be pioneers when using knowledge, reason, logic and a factually supporting argument. The Taj Mahal was not built on a conspiracy theory or by obtaining a forged website doctoral degree. Yet, we listen to and follow the stupid?

Please note, I am not talking about education here. The stupid are often so called 'educated' people. Nor am I attacking right-wing commentators, per se. There are some who use the supporting evidence to reach a conclusion that could be described as right wing, which is perfectly acceptable. No, I am attacking those who make accusations using the flimsiest evidence, that's if they provide evidence at all, to back their claims. A mere cursory look at the 'proof' and it quickly disintegrates upon inspection. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, indeed.

How's this for a conspiracy theory: Perhaps, the Jews, Americans and Indians are funding all these cranks, right-wing conspiracy theorists, hyper nationalist and loonies that populate the airwaves in Pakistan. By listening to their claptrap and proportioning blame to hidden hands, the Pakistani people remain in perpetual denial about the encroaching problems in their country, therefore causing further erosion of the state. Maybe, THIS IS the evil Zionist, Capitalist, Hindu plot to destroy Pakistan. They are keeping us dumb and stupid. Pappu yaar, have you thought about that?

Email: zkfarooq@gmail.com and www.zafarkhalidfarooq.blogspot.com
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Shahid Masoods and Hamid Mirs of Israel

شاہد مسعود اور حامد مير جيسے اسرائل ميں پھی موجود ہيں؟

’سازشی نظریات‘

شاہزیب جیلانی

بی بی سی، یروشلم

اسرائیل میں کچھ دن گزارنے کے بعد یہاں کی اور کوئی بات سمجھ آئی ہو نہ ہو ایک بات واضع ہے کہ ’سازشی نظریات‘ رکھنے میں شاید یہاں کے لوگ سب سے آگے ہیں۔ مسلمانوں میں اگر یہ رجحان ہے کہ اپنے ہر مسئلے کا ذمہ دار امریکہ اور اسرائیل کو قرار دے کر جان چھڑا لیتے ہیں تو یہاں کے یہودی حلقے بھی کچھ کم نہیں۔

یروشلم میں مختلف مکاتبِ فکر کے جن یہودیوں سے ملاقاتیں ہوئیں اُن کی باتوں سے صاف لگا کہ اسرائیلیوں کو تقریباً ساری دنیا سے ہی شکایتیں ہیں۔ وہ مسٹر اوباما پر تنقید کرتے ہیں کہ انہوں نے فلسطینی علاقوں میں یہودی تعمیرات کے معاملے کو اتنا بڑا مسئلہ کیوں بنا لیا۔ برطانیہ اور یورپی یونین حزب اللہ اور حماس کی طرف ذرا سی بھی لچک دکھائیں تو اسرائیلی اس پر سیخ پا۔ غزہ میں لڑائی سے متعلق گولڈ سٹون رپورٹ ہو یا اقوامِ متحدہ کی مذمتی قراردادیں۔ اسرائیل کو سب سے شکایت ہے کہ وہ اُس کے دفاع کے حق کو کیوں نہیں مانتے۔

بی بی سی، سی این این اور الجـزیرہ جیسے عالمی نشریاتی ادارے بھی اسرائیلوں کی خاص تنقید کا مسلسل نشانہ رہتے ہیں۔ اس کی بڑی وجہ یہ ہے کہ اسرائیلی نفسیات میں یہ بات گہرائی میں رچی بسی ہوئی ہے کہ یہودی دنیا کے مظلوم ترین قوم رہے ہیں۔ ان کی نظر میں جتنی نفرتیں اور زیادتیاں یہودیوں نے سہی ہیں، شاید کسی نے نہیں ۔ ہٹلر نے انہیں صفحۂ ہستی سے مٹانے کی کوشش کی۔ پڑوسی عرب ملکوں نے بار بار ان پر جنگیں مسلط کیں اور اب اسرائیلیوں کی نظر میں محمود احمدی نژاد اپنے خفیہ ایٹمی پروگرام کے ذریعے انہیں نیست و نابود کرنے پر تُلے ہوئے ہیں۔

یوں اسرائیلی خود کو ہر وقت حالتِ جنگ میں محسوس کرتے ہیں اور اپنی اس ’بقا کی لڑائی‘ میں وہ خطے میں اپنے ہر اقدام کو جائز سمجھتے ہیں۔ پھر چاہے وہ فلسطینوں کے اجتماعی قتلِ عام کے الزامات ہوں یا مقبوضہ علاقوں میں عربوں کے ساتھ روزانہ کا نسلی امتیاز۔

اسرائیل ویسے تو خود کو ایک جمہوری ملک کہتا ہے لیکن بطور ایک نیشل سکیورٹی اسٹیٹ کے یہاں حساس معاملات پر تنقید اور بحث مباحثے کی گنجائش خاصی محدود نظر آتی ہے۔

یہی وہ وجوہات ہیں جن کی بنا پر پوری دنیا کو مشرقِ وسطیٰ میں فلسطینیوں کے ساتھ جو ظلم و زیادتیاں نظر آتیں ہیں اسرائیل انہیں دیکھنے سے قاصر ہے۔ طاقت کے اس کھیل میں جب تک اسرائیلی اسٹیبلشمنٹ پر قیامِ امن کے لیےمسلسل اندرونی و بیرونی دباؤ نہیں ہوگا، اسے اپنا رویہ بدلنے کی کوئی خاص ضرورت محسوس نہیں ہو گی

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Zahir Ebrahim's analysis of Hamid Mir' attack on 'Let us build Pakistan'

By Zahir Ebrahim

Project Humanbeingsfirst.org

November 10, 2009

To: letusbuildpakistan

Ref: http://letusbuildpakistan.blogspot.com/2009/11/capital-talk-and-let-us-build-pakistan.html

Let me first state up front that I have no affiliation with any political party of Pakistan, its military, its intelligence apparatus, or any intelligence apparatus in the world for that matter, its newsmedia, or their collectively providing the essential proxy services to the hectoring hegemons for the orchestrated dismemberment of Pakistan. As far as I am concerned, as a Pakistani citizen, they all leave much to be desired. And I hope that many genuinely concerned and honest Pakistanis who are directly affiliated with any of these institutions also feel the same way. All that which these institutions and their leaders as well as their foot-soldiers can improve upon, begins by loudly proclaiming the correct solution for 2 + 2. All else will follow1. That is spelled out in the new book from Project Humanbeingsfirst.org : The Pakistan Decapitation Papers.

The sudden one-sided attack on letusbuildpakistan blog by Mr. Hamid Mir of GEO TV in their Capital Talk show of November 05, 2009 is intriguing. I have seldom read that little known website, and I have even less interest in their political perspective which appears to echo the same sacred-cow axioms of their erstwhile leader Benazir Bhutto. Indeed, the blog shares the primal axiom of 'militant Islam' being the first-enemy undermining Pakistan with the entire political-military ruling establishment of Pakistan and the United States. This is immediately apparent from their dialectical ode to Pakistan military on their website: “A tribute to Pakistani soliders fighting the terrorists of Taliban, Al-Qaeda and Sipah-e-Sahaba”. Perhaps the website authors, too incestuously engrossed in their own perspectives, haven't yet had the time to read Alice's reflections when she isn't sliding down the rabbit hole in The Decapitation of Pakistan by its own Military!.

So, the public squabble among thieves is interesting, and perhaps carries some useful signal of what's to come down the pipe.

First, let's ponder upon the blatant facts of the matter before diving into deconstructing the politics behind the 'katputli tamasha' (puppetshow) on the Grand Chessboard. Despite the candid declaration by the tiny blog of its political affiliation with the Pakistan Peoples Party on its own contact page: “Abdul Nishapuri, the founding co-editor of the 'Let us build Pakistan' blog, and a member of the 'Critical Supporters of Pakistan People's Party'.”, and which largely appears to be a shoestring budget operation of ordinary individuals unable to even afford a paid hosted website, Mr. Hamid Mir could only think of picking on a tiny blog which openly advertises its affiliation to the ruling political party, to uncover all the ills which plague Pakistan?

Has GEO TV run out of more heinous criminals in Pakistan to target among those who incessantly wage war upon their own people by way of deception and are openly destroying the country on behalf of their foreign paymasters?

What's the real agenda behind the 'katputli tamasha' of attacking a tiny unknown website by none other than the mighty Mr. Hamid Mir – the “champion of democracy” and free speech – who himself shamelessly shills for the hectoring hegemons?

In order to understand that, one has to acutely comprehend the politics of Hamid Mir.

Below I reproduce a letter I wrote the distinguished 'democrat' journalist after witnessing his own brazen performance given at the Commonwealth Club of California in April earlier this year. That performance video is linked to in the following tutorial which unravels Hegelian Dialectics, how fourth-generation warfare is waged upon the public by way of deception to weaken the victim from within.

Mr. Hamid Mir's endearing performance before the largely pro-establishment American audience (and that description transcends the traditional left-right dialectics of American politics), finally convinced me that this highly regarded journalist from Pakistan made famous by his interviews of Osama Bin Laden, subsequently by being the people's street champion of free-speech and democracy under military dictatorship, and now being heralded as the hero of Pakistan's democracy in the United States by its own instruments of propaganda, is an outright intelligence asset.

Because, alternately, Mr. Hamid Mir being a mere dolt and a simpleton appears to be a rather bizarre proposition. For how can a journalist of his stature and experiences be so un-informed? Intelligence agents and assets permeate the newsmedia worldwide and are merely tunes to be played by the Mighty Wurlitzer. The fine art of the Mighty Wurlitzer is explained in the tutorial.

Therefore, anything which Mr. Hamid Mir sings is suspect, at least for the forensic mind already attuned to the hectoring hegemons' genocidal plays for “full spectrum dominance” on the Grand Chessboard. Consequently, Hamid Mir's tunes and diatribes must minimally be scrutinized from that perspective before taking them on face value. Such Machiavellian orchestration after all, is only according to the Pentagon's own recipe for fourth-generation warfare as examined in this recent editorial.

Since hearing that remarkable performance in California – whose delivery was undoubtedly most natural and very well done – I don't waste time on the melodies hummed by Hamid Mir except to extract any un-apparent signals, as the maestro directly rehearses the Mighty Wurlitzer's compositions. Which is of course most unfortunate for me because Mr. Hamid Mir used to be among my few favorite Pakistani journalists to watch in diaspora on the rare occasion that I did tune into youtube (don't watch or own a television), as the one who showed any chutzpah and boldness in questioning the ruling establishment. I thought he had wonderfully taken a page from I. F. Stone. Under forensic scrutiny however, it only turned out to be a dialectical noora-kushti among mercenaries with mindless commentaries rehearsed from the galleries, and all of it to keep the public glued to the edge of their seat distracted from the real show in town. While such diabolical narratives, both for manufacturing consent and manufacturing dissent, are highly prized by the hectoring hegemons, and of course duly rewarded by them, they are a treacherous deception played upon the wretched of the earth in the audience who always bear the full brunt of its import.

I have always known Machiavelli it seems, but certainly since I became a student of Noam Chomsky at MIT and learnt more political theory than I wanted to. But my mind was initially un-attuned to accept the role of famous people like Hamid Mir in manufacturing consent. They seemed to play the courageous dissenter's role so expertly – until I figured out the political theory of Manufacturing Dissent.

Mr. Hamid Mir in that highly regarded conversation at the Commonwealth Club retained all the core-axioms of the hectoring hegemons while echoing all their mantras – a matter that is fully fleshed out in the aforementioned book. In that conversation, Hamid Mir didn't even bother to play dissent, as he sometimes does in his musings in Urdu. He actually changed his role to manufacturing consent before the American audience. A very versatile asset. He may yet win his Nobel Peace Prize – President Obama unfortunately stole a march on the poor guy this year as already deconstructed.

Mr. Hamid Mir too will surely earn his own knighthood as the man of peace someday, the savior illustrious of Pakistan who helped save the world from the Pak-Nukes which were about to fall into the inglorious hands of the barbaric hordesmen of Osama Bin Laden: “[It's] Not a Clash of Civilizations, It's a Clash between the Civilized World and Barbarians”. Watch that myth-making under refined construction in the bizarre glorification of Hamid Mir at the Commonwealth Club of California by the 'whiteman' duly flattering the 'negro'.

Knowing all of that context, let's return to the question of Mr. Hamid Mir attacking the lame-duck Presidency of Mr. Zardari through the tiny blog 'Let us build Pakistan'.

GEO is really not that stupid to not know the difference between an entity trying to Machiavellianly create diabolical intrigues – which if GEO News really wanted to unravel, they could have within 5 minutes uncovered at least 20 websites, or a hundred prominent Pakistanis, who are clearly intelligence-ops and/or mouth-pieces working to directly undermine Pakistan by simply judging them for their crucial omissions and/or direct support of empire's own sacred-cow axioms – and the largely unknown ordinary individuals running the shoestring budget operation of 'Let us build Pakistan' who are even being quite candid about their political affiliation.

This is clearly indicative, at least to my mind, of some marching orders having been received by GEO TV. Hamid Mir is only executing them. It appears that a take down of the Zardari government is imminent, to be replaced by a different 'errand boy'.

They all work for the same puppetmasters. It's merely playing musical chairs to the same tune that is slowly removing one chair at a time every time the music stops. Everyone in this game parrots empire by keeping the core-axioms intact while offering variations of “Betweens”.

Therefore, it follows that they are all playing together by the same set of rules constructed by empire. Hence, they are all traitors to the state of Pakistan. If Pakistanis wish to become slaves by choice to the hectoring hegemons with a boot stamped upon their face in perpetuity, hold a referendum and ask them. Don't stab the people in the back.

Whether or not the gallows will ever welcome Pakistan's long list of traitors, stripping them naked of their thin robe to at least convict them in the court of public opinion, must suffice for an honest plebeian un-afraid to proclaim 2 + 2 = 4.

The above is an abridged version of the article. Full article is available here.

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Pakistani media's somersaults on air - By Nadeem Paracha

Somersaults on air

Posted by Nadeem F. Paracha (Dawn Blog)

Talking to DawnNews, veteran journalist Agha Murtaza Poya called America, India, and Israel an ‘axis of evil out to destroy Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan.’

There is absolutely nothing new or original about Poya’s grand ‘geopolitical’ assessment, but when such unsubstantiated claptrap comes from a respected journalist, what common sense or responsibility can one expect from the hoards of TV anchors and print journalists whose figurative 15 minutes of fame have already overstayed their cacophonic welcome.

It is a ‘fame’ gathered from cheap fist-clenching demonstrations of populist nonsense and so-called political discourses that are thoroughly anti-intellectual in nature and akin to deal more in sardonic barbs and thrilling sound bytes for an audience that seems not to have the patience, or for that matter, the capability to enjoy a more rational discourse.

TV screens and the pages of some newspapers are choked with hosts, journalists, and ‘experts’ dishing out the most worn out clichés that can be wonderful fodder for fast food spy fiction, consequently announcing the demise of any semblance left in this society to actually understand international and local politics as a dynamic science instead of reading it as a rapid-fire script of a racy James Bond film.

Accusations are conveniently floated about ‘corruption’ and ‘foreign hands,’ and not even once have they been proven as something more concrete than drawing room gossip or obsessive finger-wagging.

Thankfully, those sickened by such baloney have gotten down to systematically dismantling the many myths and conspiracy dribble that are smugly rolled out as ‘facts.’

Take the books written on the subject of Islamists and terrorism in the region by well known author Ahmed Rashid. In Decent into Chao (2008), Rashid uses reliable sources to turn the already known narrative of Pakistan being its own worst enemy into an elaborate and convincing intellectual and journalistic exercise.

But myth-busters – including Rashid, Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy, Dr. Mubarak Ali and others – may seem ‘too dry’ in their style compared to the many compelling babblers, journalists, and columnists who have turned spouting populist twaddle and worn-out conspiracies into an industry. Now, however, the myth-breaking brigade have found their own shock troopers.

This is a vital development in which sanity in this respect seems to be evolving a muscular side to challenge the sheer brawn of gaseous drawing room jocks such as Zaid Hamid, Aamir Liaquat, Mubashhir Luqman, Shahid Masood, Ansar Abbasi, et al.

Urdu columnist and TV host Hassan Nisar and investigative journalist Aamir Mir have been the frontline shock troopers. They have continued to dent the jocks’ numerous theories not only with arguments rooted in facts, but also with a punch.

In his book, Talibanisation of Pakistan, Mir, like Rashid, uses the most convincing investigative tools, smartly gathering on-ground facts from various competing intelligence agencies in Pakistan to lay out a harrowing narrative that puts Pakistan’s many schizophrenic intelligence agencies smack-dab in the middle of all that has gone so terribly wrong with Pakistan in matters of extremism and terrorism.

Mir’s book is a warning, but without the holier-than-thou approach that many of his detractors usually take.

The more we remain in denial about our own agencies’ historical dabbling in civilian political matters, and the many deadly games that these agencies played moulding armies of fanatical and violent Frankenstein Monsters, the deeper we shall tumble into the bottomless pit we have managed to dig for ourselves.

Interestingly, every time certain awkward truths about our own political and societal failures start to become a hot topic among the amoral chattering classes, there are always those who suddenly up the ante of their respective TV shows and their newspaper ‘scoops’ and columns, diverting the attention of the people either back to the wrecking and scheming ways of ‘foreign hands,’ or, of course, the Kerry-Lugar Bill and the NRO.

I’ve been associated with both investigative and desk journalism for more than 15 years now, and I know how vulnerable to exploitation journalists can get; quite like the politicians we so self-righteously bash. And even though I have very little experience with electronic journalism, one can quite easily point out the cynicism that cuts across it.

In 2007, the army (for the TV news channels) became the villain and the lawyers our saviours; terrorists were dealt with velvet gloves, even glorified as men who were creatures of circumstance instead of the cold-blooded murderers that they really are.
The same year, when late Benazir Bhutto met with Pervez Musharraf, she was mocked and put down as a ‘puppet of America.’ Soon after her tragic death, she suddenly became a heroine, and whole documentaries were dedicated to her.

In 2008, the army was still the villain and democrats became supermen. Terrorists were still seen to be fighting a noble war against America, and those who were blowing themselves up in mosques and schools were ‘Indian agents.’

In 2009, after the government and the army finally took decisive action against the terrorists, the army returned to the TV screens as heroes. Terrorists, meanwhile, became an elusive cross between barbarians and men funded by foreign powers. Last year’s supermen, the elected democrats, on the other hand, become ‘corrupt,’ ‘incompetent,’ and a laughing stock.

Suddenly, for TV news channels in Pakistan, it seems democracy isn’t all that cool anymore. They’re back indulging in Pakistani journalism’s all-time favourite pastime: looking for those ‘dark clouds’ of army intervention to ‘control corrupt politicians.’ They just never tire of this hollow, reactive exercise. It’s been going on ever since 1958.

The electronic media claims these somersaults are undertaken in the fine name of ‘democracy,’ and ‘freedom of speech.’ But the truth is, much of our electronic media is simply driven by what is better described as a mobocracy! Even a casual glance at any ‘talk show’ should suffice as proof.

Nadeem F. Paracha is a cultural critic and senior columnist for Dawn Newspaper and Dawn.com.

http://blog.dawn.com/2009/10/29/somersaults-on-air/

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Mythbusters: Some myths about Taliban, Islam and America - by Dr. Tariq Rahman

Anger has focused on sources which have much less to do with our problems than we think - File photo

A cobweb of myths

Dr Tariq Rahman

NOW that a military operation is going on in the Malakand Division it is imperative that it should be supported by the people and that the IDPs should be looked after with all resources at hand and be treated with compassion and respect.

Unfortunately, we have many myths and conspiracy theories which prevent clear thinking and that need to be debunked.

Myth 1: America wants our nuclear weapons and is destabilising Pakistan through the Taliban.

This myth is dangerous because those who subscribe to it also believe that America pays the Taliban to destabilise Pakistan to create an excuse to take away our nuclear weapons. This makes it difficult for the government to fight the Taliban while accepting American aid as the whole thing seems to be a cruel hoax to ordinary Pakistanis.

The US has over 5,400 nuclear warheads and it is thousands of kilometres away from this country. Moreover, it allowed Pakistan to develop these weapons. America would not gain if Pakistan is destabilised because then Al Qaeda would be strengthened and that would threaten America.

During the 1971 war America warned India not to overrun (West) Pakistan because it was not in America’s interest to destabilise South Asia any further. In 1999 during the Kargil episode America helped Pakistan to cut its losses without further bloodshed.

During the Afghan war the US wanted to defeat the Soviet Union and paid Pakistan to do so. Pakistan helped because it needed the military aid and money (and Ziaul Haq wanted American support). And now, once again, America wants to defeat the Islamic militants because they threaten America and Pakistan needs the money. That is what the Kerry-Lugar bill is for and that is precisely why the IMF and the Friends of Pakistan consortium have lent Pakistan billions of dollars. It is not in America’s interest to destabilise Pakistanbecause if it breaks up or is Talibanised it will be a threat to America.

So, while America’s policies might not be the most productive, it makes no sense to claim that the Taliban are US agents in a conspiracy against our nuclear weapons.

Myth 2: Nothing gets done in Pakistan unless America wants it to happen.

This is a different version of the previous myth and it is not true. No country is so powerful that it can get everything done. Pakistan made friends with communist China againstAmerica’s wishes. Later, it was the US which sought American help to develop its own relations with China. Pakistan also developed nuclear weapons against American wishes. During the lawyers’ movement America was a supporter of Musharraf until he turned weak and it was no longer in America’s interest to support him.

Myth 3: The Taliban want Islam in the country but their approach is wrong.

This depends on personal interpretations of the Sharia. The Taliban want to impose their version of it. However, it is not only a matter of approach, it is also a matter of the interpretation of the Sharia. In fact the Taliban version of the Sharia would make life joyless for all and a torture for women. Secondly, the country would lose a pool of talent to other countries. Thirdly, productivity would decrease as Pakistan would be isolated.

Fourthly, science and technology, indeed all knowledge, would suffer as creative minds would be stifled in an atmosphere of fear. Fifthly, either the US or India or Iran would be so alarmed as to attack us or stop all foreign aid to us because such a regime would be a threat to their way of life and religious practices. Lastly, the Taliban is a name for disparate groups and gangs. They would fight for power, making us another Afghanistan.

Myth 4: If Nato forces withdraw from Afghanistan there will be peace.

Nato forces should withdraw from Afghanistan as a matter of principle but this will not end Talibanisation. Indeed, if Nato forces withdraw, parts of Afghanistan will be ruled by the Taliban once again. If Pakistan sides with them it will be isolated by the rest of the world. If it does not, it will have a hostile neighbour. In either case the Taliban worldview will be strengthened in Pakistan.

The groups seeking power in order to enforce Taliban-style Sharia in Pakistan will continue their attempt to succeed. This will mean that the danger to girls’ schools, women’s freedom of choice in moving around, dress code, art and music will remain under threat.

However, in addition to the principle that one does not want any country to occupy another, one would want America to withdraw since the occupation creates a backlash. So, even at the risk of strengthening the Talibanisation of the Pashto-speaking areas our government and thinkers should raise their voice for a Nato withdrawal. When this happensPakistan will find it easier to fight the Taliban because Pakistanis will stop calling it an anti-colonial war.

Myth 5: Islamic militancy is created by poverty and ignorance.

This is only partly true. The family background of Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri and Abu Musaib al-Zarqawi (killed in 2006) — all leading lights of Islamic militancy — cannot be called a poverty-stricken one. Osama’s family is among the richest globally. Zawahiri comes from a distinguished Egyptian family. Zarqawi’s father was an army officer and mayor of a town in Jordan called Zarqa.

Nor is the leadership illiterate. All were educated though not in the liberal arts or the social sciences. The fact is that their ideas about using militancy to defeat what is perceived as western domination (called ‘Crusaders’ by them) and the corrupt ruling elites of the Muslim world emanate from Sayyid Qutb of the Muslim Brotherhood and Abd al-Salam Faraj of Egypt. Indeed, they go back to Taqi Uddin Ibu Taymiyya (1263-1328) who lived during the tumultuous time of the Mongol invasions.

The leadership disseminates ideas about the permanent grievances of Muslims, such asIsrael’s domination of Palestinian land, to young people who burn with a sense of outrage. Here the poverty nexus does come in since the ordinary rank and file of militant movements come from poor, unhappy, violence-prone households. They want money, respect and justice and these are promised to these deprived angry young men. They then become cannon fodder for the militants.

If we understand these and other myths and realise that we have created our own Frankensteins and not foreign countries; that most of the militants are our people and not foreigners (though some are); that foreign countries may help militants but are not powerful enough to keep them alive for ever; that we made mistakes in the past of which we are reaping the harvest — then we can still make Pakistan safe for our children. (Dawn, 14 May 2009)
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Munir Attaullah: Conspiracy. Will anyone tell me who these terrorists are?

Conspiracy! —Munir Attaullah

It is clear that everyone, inside and outside Pakistan, particularly RAW, is conspiring against us. But what is so disheartening is that, in spite of such certain knowledge, our destiny is to be victims

The simpleton that I am, all my life I have suffered from the delusion that the obvious was also the most likely; that possibilities are endless; but to think in terms of probabilities, more productive.

How naïve and foolish of me! As some of those brilliant analytical minds that regularly guide the nation with their wonderfully deep insight continuously remind us, there is always more than meets the eye. So, apparently, my perspective just has to be all plain wrong.

Accordingly, doubting my own initial but obvious conclusions about who the perpetrators of the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team could be, I decided to seek guidance from people who know better. But I had a problem. I am your Average Joe, not important enough to have direct access to these experts on Ilm-al-Ghaib.

So what should I do? I will take refuge in what the scientific community calls a ‘thought experiment’.

ME: “Can anyone help me understand what is going on?”

THE CHORUS: “No doubt about it. It is a conspiracy. It is a conspiracy because it has to be a conspiracy. It has to be a conspiracy because it must be a conspiracy. And it must be a conspiracy because everything that happens anywhere is a conspiracy, particularly against the ummah. What’s more, it is a dastardly conspiracy, whatever that may mean. The bottom line is that even if it appears not to be a conspiracy, it obviously is a conspiracy.”

ME: “But what about ‘facts’, gentlemen? What if they make your theory far-fetched?”

Q SAHIB: “Facts? Are they not manufactured by the conspirators to disguise their true intentions and mislead innocent and pious Muslims? Our Zionist, American, and Hindu enemies are devilishly smart. Have they not successfully suppressed the undisputable fact that America and Mossad were behind 9/11? Did not RAW callously use its own agents, disguised as Pakistanis, for the Mumbai attacks?”

ME: “But our government says there is proof that Kasab is a Pakistani, his handlers were Pakistani, and the terrorists set sail from Karachi.”

D&G (sorry, I mean Generals B&G): “Rubbish; total fabrication. The only thing that is clear is that Kasab has been brainwashed by RAW, after his capture by them a few years ago in Afghanistan, to become a double agent and do their bidding, blah, blah, blah. We mean RAW! RAW! RAW!”

ME: “Any proof of that assertion?”

B&G: “You must be an American agent to ask such silly questions. Sophisticated conspirators do not leave proof behind.”

CHORUS: “Conspiracy! Conspiracy! Conspiracy!”

ME: “Can we get back to the Lahore incident please?”

SARFRAZ N: “It’s a conspiracy by Daud Ibrahim, Bukhatir and the Mumbai bookies.”

ME: “WHATTT!”

SF: “It should be obvious. As General G repeatedly points out, we must first ask who the beneficiaries can be. Here, the idea is to make sure cricket is switched from Pakistan to the Emirates so that match fixing can flourish again and kick start a sinking UAE economy.”

ME: “But...”

MULLAH F: “The men were not terrorists. They were holy instruments of God’s wrath against infidels.”

RANDOM CRICKET LOVER (interrupting): “I don’t agree. It is clear that India and the West are conspiring with the incompetent lot who head the PCB to ensure an Islamic cricket team does not win the next World Cup.

“Just think. First they conspire to ban our two world-beaters, Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, on trumped up drug and fitness charges. Next they mislead and trap our best batsman, the innocent Mohammed Yousaf, into legal disqualification. The coup de grace was to be delivered at Liberty Market by wiping out the rest of the talented current Pakistan team.

“Is it not sinister and incriminating that all the PCB top brass (including the patron who, instead of performing his real duty — concentrating on cricket — was busy with state affairs) did not travel with the team on the bus? Why do you think the teams had been promised residential level security?

“But these RAW Hindus are so incompetent they mistakenly targeted the Sri Lankans. If this is not a conspiracy, call me a moron.”

CHORUS: “Conspiracy! Conspiracy! Conspiracy!”

ME: “But...”

PUNJAB LAW MIN: “No ‘buts’. This incident is the direct outcome of Governor’s Rule.”

I KHAN: “When a buzdil leadership embraces American slavery, and fights America’s war against its own people, it is only natural that the ghairatmand Taliban types...oops, I mean unknown terrorists will react. If you do not learn from the history of the Khulafa-e-Rashideen — or should that be Awadh? — then only I, er, I mean God, can help you!”

CH N: “Hum who nahin thay...”

CH S: “I am in mourning. We must wait before conspiring.”

NS: “Everyone knows 16 crore awaam is behind me. So why did I only get a few million votes? I must ask Ishaq Dar, who does all my counting, to resolve this puzzling conspiracy. Did the awaam really also vote for other parties?”

GUV P: “Even though I am a certified accountant, I have lost count of the warnings I issued to all terrorists to follow my example and operate constitutionally. I am a businessman. Now they will pay.”

CHORUS: “Conspiracy! Conspiracy! Conspiracy!”

ME: “But why does no one still tell who is behind the Liberty Market attacks?”

SS: “Did I hear someone say, ‘Liberty Market’? It is my duty to inform the public there is a tandoor there, under the sasti roti scheme introduced by yours truly, the humble Khadim-e-Punjab. Some say the terrorists had breakfast there. Alhamdulillah! Proves what a hit all my initiatives are with the ghareeb awam.”

AA: “Everyone should listen to me. Am I not one of the world’s declared top intellectuals? I say the terrorists should have carried out their attack peacefully through a long march. And, certainly, they should have given a dharna instead of running away.”

MUSH: “It is a conspiracy.”

CHORUS: “Conspiracy! Conspiracy! Conspiracy!”

ME (despairingly): “Will anyone tell me who these terrorists are?”

KK & AA: “We will. Are we not, respectively, a top anchor, and a senior investigative reporter? Have we ever given you a personal opinion dressed as fact? Did we not, within hours of the incident, categorically tell you there was not even a 1 percent doubt — yes, not even a 1 percent doubt — the attack was carried out by RAW?”

CHORUS: “Conspiracy! Conspiracy! Conspiracy!”

At this point I bring the thought experiment to an end. Yep. It has been a useful exercise. It is clear that everyone, inside and outside Pakistan, particularly RAW, is conspiring against us. But what is so disheartening is that, in spite of such certain knowledge, our destiny is to be victims.

What should I do? Is there a concept called ‘anti-conspiracy’? (Daily Times)

The writer is a businessman. A selection of his columns is now available in book form. Visit munirattaullah.com

Also read:

"RAW Totay": The conspiracy theory parrots. The supporters of Sipah-e-Sahaba and Taliban remember Lal Masjid and shed crocodile tears....

Asinine and anodyne in '09?: The industry of conspiracy theory in Pakistan

Everyone at fault, except us. Why is it that everything that goes against us becomes a conspiracy?

International conspiracies against Pakistan - an eye opener for conspiracy theorists

Read more...

Asinine and anodyne in '09?: The industry of conspiracy theory in Pakistan

Asinine and anodyne in '09?
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Mosharraf Zaidi

The writer is an independent political economist

One measure of character is the ability to take responsibility for one's own fate and actions. No matter how many detractors and enemies may exist, any human enterprise--a business, an idea, or a country--must be able to ward off adversity in order to survive and thrive. A linear approach to problem solving, in short, is a useful tool to have. This is why the propensity of Pakistanis to explain their country's failures through conspiracy theories, and the propensity of Pakistan's friends to do the same is the most alarming of indicators.

Traditionally, the conspiracy theory of choice, for all calamities, is RAW. Whenever the US is providing vast sums of aid and assistance to the country, RAW is joined in its infamy in Pakistan, by the CIA. Where there is smoke, there is a cigarette, and so for every mention of the CIA, a generous dollop of Mossad references is also necessary. Like maple syrup over a pancake, British MI6 too is all over Pakistan. Since 1998 there is no doubt what the grand prize in the little game is: Pakistan's gold-plated, diamond-encrusted bling-bling nukes. What were they after before 1998? Since Pakistan didn't have nukes, one possibility may be that they were after our women. Whatever they were after, they've always been hard at work trying to contaminate the Land of the Pure.

In the last few years, traditional conspiracy theories to explain away the Pakistani state's difficulties are now supported by a spectrum of new ones. Pakistanis have now discovered that in fact its not only RAW, CIA, Mossad or MI6 that are trying to destroy Pakistan from within. It is also the ISI--even if inadvertently. Good or bad, whatever happens in Pakistan can now be traced to a heat-seeking ISI agent. It is they who are behind everything in Pakistan. Every politician is owned by them, every bureaucrat works for them. Every fancy license plate is a product of ISI largesse. Every profit-turning business is a beneficiary of a contract for phantom goods and services. Every mullah donates money, every burqa sold contributes revenue. New mosques are built by the ISI, but so are new malls, new parking lots and new soda fountains. Left to the right, north or south, up or down the ISI seems to have joined the ranks of RAW and CIA as the owners of the remote control that manages Pakistan's central nervous system, its skeleton, its muscles, its very heart and soul.

So on we go, on this merry-go-round of a national obsession with passing the buck to the invisible hand of seemingly divine structures. Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but who needs a shower and soap, when you have intelligence agencies? In 2009, it seems that spying is the new Lux. Spy work is next to godliness. Omni-potent gangs of secretive evil geniuses plotting the demise of all things Pakistan. The line begins in Langley, Virginia and ends at ISI headquarters in Islamabad.

If you are progressive and liberal, the ISI has ruined Pakistan's E Street drive to development and secularism. The ISI-Taliban-LeT nexus has driven nine-inch-nails into the Quaid's secular dream. If you tilt more to the right, the RAW-CIA-Mossad-MI6 quadrant has destroyed Pakistan's drive to keep the dream of the ummah alive. The kaafirs are plotting to derail Pakistan from the siraat-e-mustaqeem trail.

Conspiracy theories that blame intelligence agencies (local or foreign) for the breathtaking and oft-unbelievable life and times of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan exist because of intellectual laziness. It is easier to weave stories where the dots don't all connect, than it is to painstakingly make the linear connections required to understand a fascinating, resilient, creative, but deeply dysfunctional state. Audiences at home and abroad are more easily and cheaply titillated by a narrative that involves cloaks and daggers than they would be by new institutional economics, identity politics and random walks.

The habitual blaming of American and Israeli organizations for cancers that are deeply ensconced within the body politic and society of Muslims is not endemic just to Pakistan, but in fact to the global Muslim community. It is a tired and pathetic tactic, and it fails to conceal the deep crises of faith, gender, literacy and integrity that plague the Muslim experience all over the world.

Intelligence agencies exist to operate in secrecy. Contrary to their protestations, they almost surely behave outside the law at times. But the overwhelming evidence in Pakistan suggests that intelligence agencies--foreign or national--can only have made a marginal contribution to the rot.

For example, in the 2008 election, it surely could not have been an intelligence agency that forced the Election Commission of Pakistan to use the discredited 2002 voters' list. No intelligence agency stopped government from investing in power plants and the energy sector. It is not any intelligence agency that is stopping Pakistan from addressing climate change. Spy masters from India did not initiate the practise of establishing ghost schools, nor of hiring political pets as primary school teachers. The CIA is not stopping the federal government from reforming the BPS system of grading in government. Nor did Mossad force the Punjab or NWFP to dispense with the DCO system without conducting a credible analysis of the costs and benefits of a return to the colonial commissioner system. The MI6 does not kill mothers during childbirth, and the ISI does not cause gastrointestinal epidemics because of contaminated water. Spies aren't the ones that let the Securities and Exchange Commission slip from capable hands in 2004 to a revolving door of leadership ever since. No intelligence agency will be responsible for letting the current State Bank governor leave without any attempt to retain her, and no intelligence agency will be responsible when an incompetent sycophant is named to replace her.

Of course, the spies have been central to the conduct of overt and proxy wars in the South Asian region for donkey's years. That's what they do. They should certainly be scrutinized and held to account for their behaviour. Pakistanis however need to take enormous care in dumping their entire load of dirty laundry onto RAW, or the CIA, or Mossad, or MI6, or even the ISI.

There would never have been any possibility of Lashkar-e Taiba-training camps in Pakistan if the country enjoyed a 100 per cent literacy and school enrolment rate. There would be no recruitment pool for the Taliban if the economy generated enough jobs for the willing and able. Friday sermons would not be a source of fear and loathing across the country if Islam was treated with the respect any faith deserves, rather than as a political football for mullahs and heretics to kick around for personal and interest group gain. There would be no link between Pakistani citizens and domestic problems in the UK or India if Pakistani public policy reflected even a nominal degree of sensitivity to the ethos and aspirations of all of its citizens. And no RAW, CIA, Mossad, MI6 or ISI agent would represent a threat to Pakistan if Pakistan didn't represent such a major threat to itself. In 2009, Pakistan must dump the asinine and the anodyne. Ordinary Pakistanis must take responsibility to build an ordinary and functional Pakistan. (The News)

www.mosharrafzaidi.com

Also read:

Munir Attaullah: Conspiracy. Will anyone tell me who these terrorists are?

"RAW Totay": The conspiracy theory parrots. The supporters of Sipah-e-Sahaba and Taliban remember Lal Masjid and shed crocodile tears....

Everyone at fault, except us. Why is it that everything that goes against us becomes a conspiracy?

International conspiracies against Pakistan - an eye opener for conspiracy theorists

Read more...

Foreign Polls and Surveys: Reality, Deception and Hidden Agenda

By: Afreen Baig

Recently, it had become sort of a fashion, to give reference to Foreign Polls and Surveys while speculating on the future of Pakistan and the popularity levels of our leaders. Later it was Pakistan’s election process and its consequences. The Media religiously quote these Polls & Surveys to pursue their specific agenda and give credibility to their rumoring views and specious news. The faith is so great that the credulous Pubic doesn’t even bother to check on the reliability, funding and intentions of the lobbies behind these Polls & Surveys.

[A survey released by the U.S based International Republican Institute was released recently with all sorts of negative indicators shown associated with the elected government of the PPP and its coalition partners.]

The credibility of these organizations leaves a huge question mark, when they fail to come clean and clear about their affiliations and their loyalty to their financers. Who funds them and for what purpose?

Founded in 1983, the International Republican Institute (IRI) is an organization, funded by United States government. The IRI operates as a political organization abroad, providing training and assistance to political parties. One could question the interest of the IRI in elections of other countries and the kind of assistance or leverage it provides to their political parties? Why would Pakistan’s political parties require assistance from abroad, specifically the IRI?

As a 501(c) (3) tax-exempt organization, IRI plays no part in domestic U.S. politics. It further raises suspicions, as to why a US organization is not allowed to publish polls and surveys about their own elections, while meddling in Pakistan?

The majority of its board, staff and consultants are drawn from the Republican Party. Most of its staff and board have links to right-wing think tanks, foundations, and policy institutes, while many also represent major financial, oil, and defense corporations. Oil and Defense corporations - the root cause of all recent evil wars!

IRI Board of Directors includes the current aspiring US Presidential candidate Senator Mc Cain. No wonder the Republican Party was eager to group with late Benazir Bhutto and wanted to see the moderate forces together. The IRI was projecting fraudulently the future allies of the Republicans i.e. the PPP in the upcoming Pakistani elections.

The IRI is also accused of training some of the leaders of the 2004 coup d’etat in Haiti, as well as funding opposition groups in the country in a destabilization campaign in the months leading up the removal of democratically-elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide by a coalition of Canada, USA and France.

......

Abbas Ather's column:
A new survey: A new conspiracy?

(Express, 23 Dec 2008)


(Express, 25 Dec 2008)
Read more...

Everyone at fault, except us. Why is it that everything that goes against us becomes a conspiracy?

Everyone at fault, except us
In the national interest

Monday, December 15, 2008
by Kamal Siddiqi

The writer is editor reporting, The News

One can only wonder at the collective amnesia that Pakistanis suffer, and how the various quarters are quick to exploit our insecurities. One look at our television chat shows makes you wonder which world we live in, or, better still, which world those commentators want us to live in.

It is time that some national debate starts on the role of the electronic media in Pakistan. We cannot continue to be misinformed and misguided—the consequences for us are dire. We need some informed debate. Currently most of us are shooting in the dark.

As a nation, it is time for us to do some soul searching. Why is it that everything that goes against us becomes a conspiracy? There is always an explanation for incidents, events and happenings. The Marriott blast took place because there were Marines on the premises. Such insensitive talk only heightens the trauma for those who have lost their near and dear ones.

But we are never able to blame those who are responsible. Take, for example, our economy. If our economy falters, we do not blame the leadership—whether civilian or military. This leadership, in most instances, is responsible for misappropriation of large amounts as well as spending in the wrong places. There is money for foreign trips but not for paying the oil-marketing companies.

As Pakistanis, we don’t ask our enlightened leadership why they are shy of taxing the rich and powerful. Why is it that all Pakistanis suffer by paying high indirect taxes when what we need to do is widen our direct taxes base? When will we not bow to pressure and have a national tax register that is both representative and comprehensive.

Why does the powerful landed gentry get away without paying its dues? When was the last time we had a debate on the tax structure in Pakistan that outlined what needs to be done. We do not take to task our bureaucrats—most of whom interpret rules to harass and harangue and earn an extra buck.

Why is it that we are unable to identify corrupt government officials and take them to task? When was the last time we took a bureaucrat to the cleaners? It seems that the only people our anti-corruption machinery targets are political opponents of the government in power.

No one points a finger at our business community—a significant portion of which cheats on taxes, steals power and bribes officials to have its illegalities overlooked. Our business community under-invoices and cheats on duties. Pakistan may be the only country where containers are “smuggled” through ports after the relevant officials have been paid off. Corruption is not just rife in Pakistan, it has taken the form of an epidemic.

And yet, ask the man on the street as to who is behind Pakistan’s economic crisis, and he happily blames the IMF and says it’s a Jewish conspiracy. Nothing can be simpler than that. When will we ever get out of the tendency of blaming everyone else but ourselves?

Take the current debate on the Indian charge that Pakistan is the epicentre of terrorism. And the declaration of the Jamaat-ud-Daawa as a terror organisation. We are told on the media that the Jamaat-ud-Daawa is in fact a welfare organisation which is running schools, computer centres and madrasas. No one is willing to talk about the link with the Laskhar-e-Taiba. No one questions what the source of this organisation’s funding is. There is no debate. It’s all a conspiracy. Case closed.

The level of discourse had dropped to new lows. Led by people of the callibre of Shaikh Rasheed and Hamid Gul. One can only wonder whose side these gentlemen are batting on. From an outside view, it seems that Pakistanis are not only in self-denial, they are also a nation of war-mongers led by a government bordering on the neurotic.

We made the same mistake with the Lal Masjid issue. At that time, the role of Chaudhry Shujaat and Ejazul Haq were both murky and self-serving. The two gentlemen played a double game. As a nation, we are riddled by these closet fundamentalists who play to both sides. The consequences are borne by the common man.

Pakistanis who argue that the military operation on the Lal Masjid was wrong need to be asked what other solution was there for the militant group that inhabited that religious seminary. This group had taken Islamabad hostage by “arresting” people, by trying them in its kangaroo court, and in some instances punishing them on the spot.

Encroaching of land and government buildings, this militant group challenged the state of Pakistan. What else would we have done? Nobody is willing to talk about how many mosques have encroached over how much land all over Pakistan. Why are we silent on these basic issues?

One of the reasons why we are suffering in terms of the war on terror is because we are still unsure who the enemy is. While we are quick to take out rallies against America and we are happy to target innocent American civilians every time there is a US attack on our tribal areas, everyone turns a blind eye when suicide bombers attacks and kill innocent Pakistanis.

We are unable to identify the enemy within. The government works in fits and starts. Madam Sherry Rehman started a campaign to highlight the victims of terrorism on our home soil. But as suddenly as it appeared, it was stopped. We are told there was “pressure” from religious quarters. How can a government be cowed down so easily? Who will take up the cause of those Muslims who are killed by Muslim groups?

How sad it is that we cannot even mourn those Pakistanis who were killed for no fault of their own by groups which base their operations here. People whose near ones have been killed by militants ask whom to blame.

It is a fact that more Muslims have been killed by militants in the war on terror than any other community. In fact, since the War on Terror started, Muslims have been the biggest victims. But the aggression has come not only from the Western powers. It has come from religious groups at home.

In the Mumbai attacks as well, the number of Muslims who died was sizeable. But we continue to ignore the on-ground facts. We are still dreaming of a revolution. We want to plant the green flag on the Red Fort. Rhetoric at its best.

This is where the collective amnesia comes in. As Pakistanis we continue to fund and protect these militant organisations. There are many among us who justify their existence. We give them our Zakat and the hides of our sacrificial animals on Eid. We help fund their madrasas. We think we are making a place for ourselves in Heaven. Instead we are making our home a living hell.

Where is the government in all this? Rehman Malik cautions the media not to glorify terrorism but some quarters of the state work in tandem. We get mixed messages. One wonders who is in control. When will we have an educated and informed debate on this? For the sake of Pakistan someone has to sit up and take notice. The question is whether the present government has the will and the ability to do so.

Email: kamal.siddiqi@thenews.com.pk

Some comments:

larki says:

we are all trying to white wash our image in the international world.
why? because we are being told we are the source of terror, which in a way has been very true. its like crying wolf, now nobody wants to believe anything we pakis say.
our image is damaged and will remain so for years to come.

thanks to the criminals like gen zia and his monkey brigades. these mullas who preach anger and hate against the rest of the world should be locked up and the key thrown away. that is the first step that is required, keeping our religion private and not mixing it in religion is the second step. until and unless we do not do that , expect more pakis to be blamed.

I am very happy pakistan is being blamed and being dragged in the dust because it will wake up some of the ppl of this country to do something once and for all.
for gods sake pakistan is a bloody blood thirsty failed state. it time we pull up our socks and see the real world.

we have no futue or hope as long as we hang on to the religious path. keep it private do not force your religious ideology on the ppl.

....

Also read:

Munir Attaullah: Conspiracy. Will anyone tell me who these terrorists are?

"RAW Totay": The conspiracy theory parrots. The supporters of Sipah-e-Sahaba and Taliban remember Lal Masjid and shed crocodile tears....

Asinine and anodyne in '09?: The industry of conspiracy theory in Pakistan

International conspiracies against Pakistan - an eye opener for conspiracy theorists

Read more...