Brigadier Imtiaz ‘Billa’ causes predictable dissension

War of words and lack of action

In the national interest Monday, August 31, 2009 Kamal Siddiqi The writer is editor reporting, The News This week was dedicated to political statements and the fact that nothing ever gets done if you leave it to our present band of leaders. When her government was attacked for not being able to ensure the supply of wheat at the price it had announced only the previous day, Sindh information minister Shazia Marri retorted that the cheap wheat was not for the middle class – “only for the poor.” But it is another set of statements that keeps us amused. This is the proxy war of our politicians being fought through the media. On one side is Mian Nawaz Sharif and on the other are the president and the MQM and other coalition partners. In the middle stands the ex-president, retired general Perwez Musharraf. In all this, Prime Minister Gilani stands nowhere. The week started with Brig (retired) Imtiaz “Billah” (does he have a surname?) informing us that the map of Jinnahpur was a “drama” and its publication was meant to malign a democratic party. This disclosure took place in a TV programme, and it came out of the blue. Not so say some who saw it on TV screens installed conveniently in the streets of Azizabad. Gen Naseer Akhtar, who was corps commander at the time of the operation, also candidly admitted in the same TV programme that he had no knowledge of the Jinnahpur map, and that is why it was withdrawn by the ISPR two days after its release. This is possibly the first time such an admission has been made. The Jinnahpur map and the “revelations” around it led to the bloody operation in Karachi, which was inherited by then-general Naseerullah Babar. Hundreds of people died in it on both sides. The MQM was declared anti-Pakistan and this was enough to justify the strong-arm tactics that were used against the party and its supporters. But what about those soldiers and officers who did all this in the genuine belief that they were saving Pakistan from disintegration? In the words of Brig Imtiaz, “people are used on and off – and they don’t even know when and why.” The same scene is now being played out in Balochistan. Various Baloch outfits are being declared anti-Pakistan and the whole Baloch anger against the Centre is seen in this context. There is no talk of addressing the issues of the Baloch people. Only that such moves need to be put down with a strong hand. Possibly it is this strong hand that weakens Pakistan the most. But why has Brig Imtiaz suddenly woken up? It would be interesting to find out why Brig Imtiaz and Gen Akhtar came on TV and made this statement and who asked them to. And why should we believe them? As if on cue, the PML-N’s information secretary, Ahsan Iqbal (once known as Mister 2010), stated that the military had initiated the operation in 1992 without taking the government of the time into confidence. The plot thickens. If such an operation could have been started without the knowledge of the prime minister of the country, something must definitely be wrong somewhere. Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif claims to this day that he was not aware of the details of the army’s Kargil operation in 1999 in Kargil, and that Gen Musharraf did not fully brief him on its extent. In response to this media offensive, Mian Nawaz Sharif opened up the gates on Balochistan. The troubles in the province are seen as a result of misrule by Gen Musharraf, and the lowest point was the death of Nawab Akbar Bugti. Bugti has become a hero for the Baloch people and his death anniversary this week led to renewed calls for the trial of Gen Musharraf for his murder. In this, Mian Nawaz Sharif invited Bugti’s grandson, Shazain Bugti, to Lahore where he was given an unusually warm reception. In a telling speech, Mian Nawaz Sharif said that Bugti’s death was one of the most brutal acts of the dictatorship, and that exemplary punishment should be given to those responsible for his murder. In other words: get Musharraf. However, before this could sink in, another salvo was fired — this time by retired Justice Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui. He said in a TV programme that money was given to persuade politicians to join the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI), including Mian Nawaz Sharif. The allegations by the former chief justice were substantiated by retired ISI chief Asad Durrani, who confirmed that the payments had been made. Syeda Abida Hussain, who was then a member of the PML-N, publicly acknowleged that she had received the political bribe. Now Ms Abida Hussain is with the PPP. To be fair, this is not new information. The Mehran-gate scam, as it was known then, has been in the news in the past and all that Justice Siddiqui said was public knowledge. Again, the choice of messenger and the timing of the story was telling. Gen Aslam Beg, the former COAS, told GEO TV that all the details of the case were public knowledge and candidly commented that the statement had been made to embarrass Mian Nawaz Sharif. It may be recalled that Justice Siddiqui played an important role in the judicial crisis that eventually led to the ouster of Justice Sajjad Ali Shah. Without going into the details of his role, as told by Justice Shah in his book Law Courts in a Glass House, we can safely assume that Justice Siddiqui is no supporter of the PPP. So why make a statement at this time? While this test of wills and war of words continue, President Zardari trots around the globe with some of his closest advisers while Prime Minister Gilani spends time in Multan. The Zardari-Altaf Hussain meeting in London may lead to delay in the sacking of the local bodies. But it is a tough decision to take – since, besides the MQM, the other beneficiary of this move would be the PML-Q. Both PPP and PML-N members want the local bodies system to be done away with for the time being. Amidst all this, there are also rumours that President Zardari may be meeting his predecessor as well in his tour abroad. This meeting comes at a time when the heat is being turned to bring him to book. Gen Musharraf also has some powerful allies and well wishers within and outside Pakistan. They have advised that it is not conducive for him to return to Pakistan. So far, Gen Musharraf has listened, but he is also convinced that nothing would happen to him if he were to return. However, his return would put the government in a fix. With donors unhappy with the pace of government reforms and our prime minister insisting that the government will do its own accountability, we are unsure how we are to move ahead. Prime Minister Gilani promises that his government will set the example for good governance. What we see instead is exactly the opposite. Why do we all talk so much – that too at the same time? On-ground realities do not seem to be on the radar of our politicians. We are more interested in showing the other person down than to work towards the uplift of Pakistan and its people. We will spend hours on TV to talk about issues that are done with and settled. But won’t have time to actually make a difference in the everyday lives of people? Will this ever change? Email: kamal.siddiqi@thenews.com.pk (The News) .... ‘Billa’ causes predictable dissension The PMLN Information Secretary, Ahsan Iqbal, has swallowed the bait and interpreted the “multi-directional” attacks made by ex-ISI and ex-IB officer Brigadier (Retd) Imtiaz Ahmad alias Billa and accused President Asif Ali Zardari of running a Dirty Tricks Special Cell in the Presidency to slander Nawaz Sharif and other PMLN leaders. But all is not what it seems to the PMLN. What is the objective of this “slander unit”? To cut down Nawaz Sharif’s massive popularity, says Mr Iqbal. He added to the conspiracy one more unnamed element scared of “the impending two-thirds majority that the PMLN chief would get in the next parliamentary polls”. Other gains from this evil machination are: “distraction of public attention from the huge corruption in the rental power projects and demands for Musharraf’s trial on high treason charges and undoing of the 17th Amendment”. For good measure he has added to the uncanny Army-Zardari combine inside the Presidency a third party of conspirators: the PMLQ as the front for General Musharraf who wants to avoid being punished and may want to stage a comeback by maligning the PMLN. Mr Iqbal has also claimed that his party had “hundred times more” scandals of the PPP up its sleeve, “but it followed principled politics”. But the fact is that Brigadier Billa has squirted his allegations around indiscriminately and his victims are an all-parties affair. The PMLN should have kept quiet as it did when Rehmat Shah Afridi was allowed his moment in the sun. The TV channels are trotting Billa around to sell their time, but the man will get nowhere in the end. Mr Iqbal should have listened to Prime Minister Gilani when he said Billa was out to discredit all politicians. The unwitting distraction offered by Billa is from the “national consensus” on hanging Musharraf. But hanging Musharraf may not be the top priority all over the world. For instance, the Friends of Democratic Pakistan, who keep us economically alive, think that the demand to “hang Musharraf” is a distraction from the more urgent task of fighting terrorism. (Daily Times)

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Two divergent perspectives on the Swat deal with Taliban....

Two perspectives on the Swat agreement with Taliban. The first one is by a pro-Taliban right-wing journalist Ansar Abbasi. The second op-ed by Kamal Siddiqi offers a critical, dialectical analysis of the situation on ground.

Does the Swat deal promise peace or more conflict?

In the national interest Monday, February 23, 2009 by Kamal Siddiqi The writer is editor reporting, The News The deal between the government and the Tehreek-e-Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammadi has drawn a variety of responses from within the country and abroad. Stakeholders have welcomed the move in some quarters while in others there has been outright condemnation. Our well meaning but clueless politicians have hailed it as a major political initiative of the president. One wonders whether this is indeed the case. Generally, many people in the valley have welcomed the deal. Most have done so not on the merit of the agreement but more in the hope that it will bring peace. The people of Swat are shaken. The daily toll of beheaded bodies in Green Chowk in Mingora, which has been renamed “Zibah-Khana Chowk,” continues. There are unsubstantiated stories of assault of women in parts of Swat, which only add to the sense of anger and frustration. People do not talk against the Taliban or the extremists in public for fear of being targeted. The area has become a state within a state. Some allege that the army targets civilians more than it does the Taliban. These are things on which one cannot comment much, only wonder. There is fear and there is anger. In reaction to the peace deal, many people not living in the valley have rejected it, saying that the government has capitulated to extremist elements. They say that this may have a snowballing effect on the area as more and more parts of the NWFP are given to the Taliban or other forces. The deal, they argue, will bring more violence in the long run. While there can be much debate on the merits of entering into any such agreement, one thing that is clear is that the peace deal is not an open-and-shut affair. The government wants us to believe that it is the beginning of the state of normalcy to the area. One can only hope that this is so. There are many questions that remain unanswered. The NWFP chief minister has said in a press conference in Peshawar that it was a historic deal and one that is the first step to normalcy. He was clearly upset with the questioning of the reporters. It seemed he too was not altogether convinced of the merits of this move. For his part, President Zardari has said that it should not be seen as a sign of weakness for the government. But some weeks back we had been told that there would be no compromise. And yet, now we seem to be seeing the same. As things stand it seems that the answers are not forthcoming. For starters, why has the government entered into a deal with a group that has been advocating and allegedly practicing violence as a means to an end for so long? Were these persons part of the senseless killings that took place there over the past couple of years? Should we be negotiating with those who promoted violent means while all along we have said we will talk only to those who talk peace? What message are we giving to the peace-mongers? In this deal that has come to be, the families of victims, and there are quite a few, are within their right to ask the government how those who killed someone’s near and dear ones will be brought to justice. They would like to know what the status of these murders will be and will they ever be investigated to bring the perpetrators to justice. Take, for example, the killers of Shabana, a wedding dancer. Her throat was slit and her body left as an example to others. Will her murderers be allowed to go scot free? Hundreds of policemen, government servants and private citizens were shot, injured, terrorised or killed. What happens to those who did this? This whole peace agreement sets a bad example for others if there is no provision to bring to justice those who bombed, killed, attacked and maimed. In this manner, it encourages others who are following the same violent path and who, inevitably, will also end up signing deals with the government. The deal gives them a clean slate. The issue of killings and accountability for actions past and present should have featured in the final agreement. Another point is why the government negotiated from a position of weakness when all along it has been claiming that it was in a position of strength. The wording of the agreement clearly shows that the government has gone out of the way not to offend the other side and committed to things that should not have been conceded. Another pertinent matter is whether the TNSM has the ability to deliver in the areas it has promised. Will Maulvi Sufi Mohommad be able to convince Maulvi Fazlullah to lay down his arms? Does the TNSM have the strength to silence the Taliban outfits in the valley, and, if not, how will it help the government do so? From the tragic killing of our colleague, Musa Khankhel, and the other attacks and bombings following the signing of the agreement, what seems apparent is that not everyone is on board. The killing of Musa Khankhel is a clear signal to the government that there are still many within Swat who want to escalate the violence. Will we let them do so? For the government, the biggest issue is not only whether the deal can be honoured but what happens if it breaks down. Who guarantees such deals and what are the penalties for violations? Even more pertinent is the question as to who would punish the parties that break the agreement and what would be the parameters of the punishment. Then there is the issue of the implementation of the Islamic laws and the appointment of judicial officers. Merely changing the titles from Judge to Qazi will not satisfy the hardliners. Who will arrest, sentence and accord the punishment. This is all up in the air. For Pakistanis, the more pressing issue is how the government has allowed a different system of justice within the country. One can only wonder at what this will do to further complicate the search for justice for the common man. It is clear that while the stipulation of a time frame will help ensure speedy justice, how will this judicial system work within the larger framework? These are questions that the people of Swat would want to ask. Another logical worry for the people of Swat Valley is whether the peace will last. For most Western countries as well as regional powers, there is a fear that this deal is yet another attempt by the extremists to buy time and cut their losses. As a bonus, they have managed to secure a sweetheart deal from the government. One can ask, and rightly so, what the long-term objectives of the militants and the religious extremists are. If we look at the history of these deals, it is clear that they are a stopgap arrangement, in many instances, a tactic to buy time or to focus on another operation. There are fears that this deal will allow the militants to focus once again on cross-border activities. What we do know is that the army operation, despite the collateral damage, was hitting hard at the militants. But at the same time, there were many in Swat who were saying that things were not as clear as they are made out to be. Who do we believe and whose side are we on? Finally, what is the game plan of the government? It says one thing but does another. We will continue to suffer from such ad hocism or will we follow a more long-drawn-out option which will give us results in many years, but these would be such that are long-lasting and durable. Maulana Fazlur Rehman, an important player on the NWFP political scene, says that the proposed implementation of Shariah laws in Swat conveys to the world that legislation is not acceptable through democratic process but through use of force. That seems to be the crux of the matter. (The News) Email: kamal.siddiqi@thenews.com.pk

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A tribute to the real heroes of Pakistan: From The Citizens Foundation to Rizwan Scholars

A tribute to the real heroes of Pakistan

In the national interest Monday, February 16, 2009 by Kamal Siddiqi The writer is editor reporting, The News These are gloomy times for Pakistan with many doubting what the future holds for us. Thousands have decided to leave for greener pastures owing to the uncertainty and lawlessness that we see around us. They have their reasons. Many saw hope in the selected government of President Musharraf and were disappointed most of all with the deals he ended up making to stay in power. Others are disgusted with the politicians, who have squandered opportunities time and again. One cannot paint all those who leave Pakistan for other lands with one brush. There are many reasons why people migrate. Some do it for better job prospects, others because they feel their talents are being wasted here. Several do it for the simple reason that they want their children to secure a better future. As our country moves along, one of our biggest strengths are our overseas Pakistanis who dutifully send valuable foreign exchange home, and this is what drives our economy to a large extent. The one thing Pakistanis should not do is lose hope. There is hope at home too. The mistake that Pakistanis make is to bunch country and government together. If the government makes mistakes, they automatically assume that the fault lies with Pakistan. We can blame the government as much as we want — provided the criticism is logical and sincere, and that the purpose is to point out wrongs and not to single-mindedly condemn. At the same time, Pakistan remains close to one’s heart. It is not only our home but our identity too. No matter how many nationalities or countries we change, we will remain Pakistanis. Patriots are not those who wave flags and do nothing, those who pledge to fight for Pakistan but run at the first sign of danger or uncertainty. Patriotic are those Pakistanis who believe in this country and strive for making something out of nothing. 2009 marks 13 years of one such group which has done us all proud. In 1995, when things were going from bad to worse in the country, with kidnappings and intolerance on the rise and the law and order situation deteriorating, a group of Karachi-based businessmen decided to get into the education sector and set up a school for those who could not afford quality education. The logic for setting up a school was that education is the key to solving many ills in society — from lack of basic knowledge about hygiene to developing more sense of tolerance. When this group of businessmen went to educationists for help, they were told that since they had no experience of imparting education, it would be better that they handed over their funds. Instead, they took the challenge. Five schools were set up in some of the poorest localities of the city. Thus was born The Citizens Foundation (TCF), a not-for-profit corporate entity which has gone from strength to strength ever since, almost entirely funded by Pakistanis living here and abroad, and free of any foreign donor funding or handouts from the usual sources that most NGOs tap. The name chosen was itself neutral, not after any person, community or school of thought. Everybody welcome. When asked why they set it up, in the first place, Mushtaq Chapra, a Karachi businessman and one of the founding members of TCF said that they did it to pay something back to Pakistan, as Pakistan had given them a lot. Most of those who started this project had migrated here, or their parents had, and after notching successes in their lives, wanted to pay back something to the country. Today, the TCF runs 530 schools all over Pakistan. It is working on a target of 1,000 schools. Schools are opened in low-income localities or in the rural areas. Of the funds they collect, which are fully audited, 91 percent go into the school while the administrative overheads come to about 9 percent. An achievement by any standard. At international seminars, the low costs incurred by TCF is becoming a management example. So far, 900 children have completed their Matriculation (SSC) through the TCF, of which 73 percent have moved on to colleges. More impressive is the fact that 40 percent of children got A1 or A grades and the pass percentage of the schools averages at about 99 percent. TCF makes no discrimination in terms of ethnic or religious backgrounds and enrols on a first-come-first-served basis. One of TCF’s first administrators, Lt Gen (Retd) Sabeeh Qamaruz Zaman, is credited to have set up a system which holds it in good stead. Twenty-three girls who studied through the TCF system have come back to teach in it. Many more have gone to other organisations and institutions, in the process creating a future for themselves and betterment for those around them. This has been done through an all-inclusive approach. Children who worked in the daytime were offered evening shifts, and vice versa. Children working to support their families is a reality. One cannot fight against it. Instead, the element was taken into account. People in the lower-income strata of Pakistan do not doubt their country’s future. Despite the hard times, you rarely find them talking about the break-up of Pakistan. And organisations like TCF have helped many from amongst less privileged backgrounds achieve their dreams. There are many examples around us of professionals who have devoted their lives and put in their money and resources to try and make a difference. Take, for example, the work done by Shahzad Roy of Zindagi Trust and Sami Mustafa of the Book Group, who together turned around the fortunes of SMB Fatima School in Karachi. Here, the lives of hundreds of girls have changed as the school they were enrolled in was given by the government to a private entity to run and improve it. Within three years, SMB School has been transformed with clean and neat classrooms, happy children, safe playgrounds and a computer lab and library that puts some of the better schools in Pakistan to shame. Pakistanis have put in their money in the form of donations to transform the lives of the girls here. Now the children have roller-blading and rowing classes, something they could not have dreamt of some years back. There are several examples of Pakistanis going out and helping their less fortunate compatriots, especially in the field of education and health. Most of the work that has made a difference has been in areas where Pakistanis have contributed, not donor agencies. Doctors volunteer their time and skills. But they do not make a hue and cry about it. Take, for example, the Musafirkhana run by Mayo Hospital doctors and philanthropists in Lahore. This spirit should not die. Last Ramazan, this newspaper signed an agreement with the Standard Chartered Bank to raise money in the holy month for three deserving Pakistani organisations which are working to help the underprivileged. These organisations were TCF, Care Foundation and Rizwan Scholars. The bank committed to match every rupee donated. The Care Foundation has been working wonders in Punjab where they have helped hundreds of children receive a better quality of education which would have been impossible otherwise. Seema Aziz, one of the people behind this foundation, is a successful businesswoman who makes world-class textile products under the brand name “Bareeze.” Rizwan Scholars is a comparatively small enterprise set up by the widow of Air Commodore Rizwanulllah Khan, a decorated Air Force officer, and has been helping children in the Potohar region fulfil their dreams. Their motto “We are the wind beneath his wings,” is indicative of how this organisation has made many fly. The good news is that the fundraising exceeded the wildest imagination of all. In fact, it created a national record, that too in a year when the country had started to witness an economic slowdown. The lessons to learn in all this is that, given the opportunity, Pakistanis will respond. And more important, let us not look for heroes in the skies, our heroes are amongst us. Most important, do not lose hope. There is much in Pakistan to be happy about and feel proud of. (The News) Email: kamal.siddiqi@thenews.com.pk

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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.

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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

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