Where are all the KLB bashers?

Ibrahim Sajid Malick

Do you wonder why have the Pakistani pundits stopped complaining about imperialist tyranny and exposing the onerous conditions of Kerry-Lugar Bill? Why all of a sudden KLB is a non-issue? I was curious and I spend last several days in Washington DC trying to understand how Obama administration managed the PR fiasco.

Conversations with several insiders and subject matter experts point to a set of meetings on October 19^th in Islamabad. General David Petraeus and US Senator John Kerry reached Islamabad on Sunday (October 18^th). It was reported in local media that the meetings were about Waziristan operations but in reality talks with top Pakistani General were limited to the $7.5 billion dollar aid package. “They wanted to understand how this aid package violates Pakistan’s sovereignty. And, they wanted to hear it from the horses mouth,” said a diplomatic source.

Gen. Patreause and Sen. Kerry were sent to Pakistan after US President Barack Obama signed a record 7.5 billion dollar package tripling non-military aid to the nuclear-armed Muslim nation to boost its campaign against a virulent Islamist insurgency. Although the Zaradari government defended the package, Pakistan’s powerful military sparked a domestic showdown, expressing grave reservations about conditions that hinge some of the funds on efforts to battle Islamist extremism. The bill prevents the funding from being used for nuclear proliferation, to support militants or to attack neighboring countries — namely India — and calls for a cut-off in aid if Pakistan fails to crack down on extremists.

United States Central Command chief Gen David Petraeus and Chairman Senate Foreign Affairs committee Senator John Kerry on Monday October 19^th held separate meetings with the Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashraf Kayani and the outcome of those meetings were an immediate yanking of the anti-KLB campaign from Pakistani private TV channels. When Central Command chief Gen David Petraeus went to the GHQ he categorically told Gen Kayani to halt anti-KLB campaign. “Gen. Kayani was told in absolutely clear terms that the Obama administration will not tolerate another Honduras,” said a source very close to this conversation.

It is interesting that three of my sources mentioned Honduras while talking about the possible outcome of anti-KLB campaign in Pakistan.

On June 28th Honduran soldiers roused democratically elected President Manuel Zelaya from his bed at gunpoint and flew him to Costa Rica. The coup d’etat was the first in Central America in over a quarter century. The coup, led by the Honduran Gen. Romeo Vasquez, was condemned by the United States, the European Union, the United Nations, the Organization of American States and all of Honduras’ immediate national neighbors.

The Obama administration initially did not legally classify Zelaya’s ouster as a coup, which would automatically trigger a suspension of aid. However the administration subsequently suspended military cooperation with the country. Honduran controversy has been extremely embarrassing for the Obama administration which had come to power on the rhetoric that America should seize supporting tyrants and military dictators.

In Pakistan, Zardari administration was portrayed by the media as too deferential to the United States. Pakistani journalists who unconditionally support their Army started the campaign against KLB and coalesced anti-Western politicians, and Muslim fundamentalists — implausibly claiming that Pakistan’s sovereignty was undermined and the country could end up as a U.S. neo-colony. Some of it is untrue!

To begin with, Pakistan has been an American neo-colony for last six decades and most of that time it was under a military dictorship. And, most importantly Pakistan has been an American satellite state because of it’s army. Pakistan’s military operates on the U.S. financial and technological assistance and it will receive even more support in the near future as it targets Taliban strongholds. Therefore conditions placed by the U.S. Congress on $7.5 billion in economic aid to Pakistan over the next five years should not have been of major consequence to Pakistani generals.

Sen. Kerry brought the carrot while Gen. Patreus had the stick. Gen. Kayani was assured that his military will get monies and equipment that he has asked for but if he pulled a fast one, the Obama administration would at once severe its ties with Pakistan army.

Sen. Kerry’s meeting was held earlier in the day and Gen. Patreaus arrived at the GHQ in the afternoon. General Kayani counseled his peers and advisors and by the end of October 19^th and it was decided that Kerry-Lugar Bill will not be publicly condemned. Five Pakistani journalists were contacted the very same night and told not beat the dead horse.

It is undoubtedly true that Pakistani government is too deferential to the Americans. Not that I condone it but this is not new. Bone of contention here was the ‘non-military’ aid. This aid package was historic because it earmarked monies for health, education, infrastructure and civil society. Pakistan army felt left-out. Although Pakistan army has backed out of KLB but democratic government is still hanging on the balance. NRO, food security, energy crisis all loom over Zardari’s head.

Pakistani media is packed with stories of corruption – same TV anchors who had become Hugo Chavez of Pakistan on army’s behest opposing Kerry-Lugar bill have now launched vociferous campaign against Zaradri government exposing corruption of ruling politicians. Not a single anchor has ever asked what happened to corrupt Generals. Why are corrupt army officials beyond criticism?

From trafficking heroin to grabbing precious land; from taking kick-back on purchase of equipment (sub-marines included) Pakistan army has looted everything we have ever had. Why then, I wonder, Pakistanis only discuss civilian corruption? Managing PR fiasco was easy for the Obama administration. They had to remind the source of opposition of an old proverb: you can’t bite the hand that feeds you. Pakistani Generals understood and complied.

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The ‘Ghairat Brigade’ and the hyper-nationalism

By Kamran Shafi
Tuesday, 10 Nov, 2009

...Meanwhile back at the ranch, what is now increasingly known as the ‘Ghairat Brigade’ proceeds apace with its denunciation of the elected government in particular and politicians in general. The Internet is inundated with stories about the corruption of all politicians; the inefficiency of the only government in Pakistan which seems to be doing a half-decent job — the Punjab government; and of the selling down the river of Pakistan, its nuclear assets, its sovereignty et al, by the ‘bloody civilians’. Scenarios predicting the imminent fall of the government, followed by the wrapping up of the whole shoot are doing the rounds of the drawing rooms of the rich and the famous, what I call the Beautiful People.

Yet, just look at the shenanigans of the newest godfather of the ‘Ghairat Brigade’: “I said to the Americans, ‘Give us the Predators.’ It was refused. I told the Americans, ‘Then just say publicly that you’re giving them to us. You keep on firing them but put Pakistan Air Force markings on them.’ That, too, was denied” — Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf, former chief of the army staff, Pakistan Army, in a most recent interview with Seymour Hersh of the New Yorker. I ask you!

Where is the ‘Ghairat Lobby’ now when Musharraf’s subterfuge to trick the Pakistani nation has been made public: whilst going all the way with the Americans in allowing the drone attacks, asking them to camouflage their drones in PAF colours. Yet his acolytes have the gall to put the blame for drone attacks entirely on the present lot?

The Commando has also had (one of his) comeuppance(s), however. Asked if he had met any senior Obama administration official, he said, “I did not ask for a meeting because I was afraid of being told no.” Well, serves him right.

What else can I say but that sense should be knocked into the knuckleheaded, actually venal and dishonest establishment and its paid hacks by the lay people of this country who are up to here with being fed the worst tripe for the past 60-plus years; who are at the end of their tether with the sickening and ever shrill crescendo of blame and accusations and the strictest censure of politicians, and only politicians.

Case in point, a move in the Senate of Pakistan initiated by Senator-for-Life Wasim Sajjad: “Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any law and treaty, and undertaking or conditionalities agreed with any foreign country, the president of Pakistan shall certify in January each year on behalf of the government of Pakistan to each house of parliament that the sovereignty and honour of Pakistan have not been compromised in any manner whatsoever, that no compromise has been made on security (sic) or effectiveness of the nuclear programme of Pakistan; that no understanding has been reached with any foreign country for interference in the change of command or promotions in the Pakistan armed forces or in the structure or role of the security forces of Pakistan; and that no conditionalities have been accepted from any source.”

He also said that the KLA (Kerry Lugar act) raised many concerns and caused serious worries in almost all civil and military circles’. Er, is this Senator Waseem Sajjad the same person who allegedly carried the army’s message to the Supreme Court these many years ago? I ask you, again!

To end, might I refer to friend Cyril Almeida’s question of last week: “Can our politicians ever make it work?” Yes, yes, yes, Cyril, provided our democracy gets the time it takes to grow and flower and prosper, to which endeavour all of us must be party by saying with one voice: “No matter what, never another army take-over!!” Otherwise we are lost.

PS May I one more time say to the leaders of Pakistan’s largest parties, President Asif Ali Zardari and Mian Nawaz Sharif: stay together and defeat the anti-democratic forces, or get ‘sorted out’ one by one. Particularly to Asif Zardari may I say yet again, “You don’t need four months to get rid of the 17th Amendment. All it takes is two days!! Do it!”

kshafi1@yahoo.co.uk (Source

Tail-piece:
Rejecting hyper-nationalists
Tuesday, November 10, 2009 (The News)
Mosharraf Zaidi

No one doubts that Pakistan has enemies. No one has legitimately made an argument that any country is particularly interested in Pakistan for noble or selfless reasons. And no one that can be taken seriously can defend politicians and their enablers as they slavishly tout talking points that have no basis in the South Asian Muslim narrative around which mainstream Pakistan’s values and ethos are constructed.

The hyper-nationalist discourse that seeks to locate Pakistan’s problems in Zionism, Indian spies, or American development assistance, however, is not nationalist at all. How can anybody, who really cares for Pakistan, be so wickedly unaware of the potential dangers of targeting foreign correspondents? How can anybody that cares for Pakistan continually attempt to inject Pakistanis with the heroin of blaming ‘the other’? How can anybody that cares for Pakistan so consistently defy and deny any attempt to inspect and assess the damage that Pakistan does to itself? How can anybody that cares about Pakistan surgically delegitimise questions about the accountability of mercenaries hired to protect diplomats?

When Pakistanis that love their country read the hyper-nationalist press in Pakistan, or watch pundits spew irrational and unsubstantiated allegations on television, they need to resist embracing the warm comfort of blaming ‘the other’. The overwhelmingly vast majority of Pakistan’s problems are a direct consequence of decisions made by Pakistani individuals, groups and organisations. The dangers of allowing conspiracy theories to go unchallenged are not just intellectual. Daniel Pearl lost his life because of a delusional, conspiratorial and escapist culture among extremists. Pakistanis, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, should have nothing but contempt for this culture. It certainly must not be allowed to expand its influence. And being rational about the threats Pakistan faces does not mean you are being unpatriotic. Quite the opposite.

Resistance to hyper-nationalism must begin with rejecting it, and end with registering that rejection in writing. Write a letter to every newspaper and television channel and raise your voice. The depth and seriousness of Pakistan’s fragile middle class voice rests on it. We cannot allow this voice to be hijacked by the hyper-nationalists that concoct malicious and dangerous lies to appeal to our patriotism. www.mosharrafzaidi.com (Source)

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The high cost of ‘ghairat’

By Irfan Husain
Saturday, 07 Nov, 2009

JUDGING from the heated bombast that passes for informed debate on our airwaves, it would appear that ghairat, or honour, is a virtue restricted to those who permanently inhabit our TV studios.

People like Imran Khan have been frothing at the mouth against the Kerry-Lugar act, insisting that we reject the $7.5bn, five-year aid package (extendable to 10 years). Our cricketing hero was holding forth on an Urdu channel the other evening, claiming that we could easily raise this amount by cutting expenditure and recovering money stashed abroad by corrupt elements.




According to him, we should not sell our ghairat so cheaply, and learn to stand on our own feet. But no such objections are ever raised when the IMF or the World Bank impose strict conditionalities on how their loans are to be spent. For years, we have accepted, often under duress, tough fiscal measures as part of these loan packages. And here we are, getting an outright grant of $1.5bn a year without any strings, and we are screaming like infants being forced to swallow a draught of bitter medicine.

Here’s sobering news for those who think it would be a simple matter to get this kind of money for the social sector: nearly 90 per cent of the non-development federal budget is spent on subsidies, defence and debt servicing, leaving around 10 per cent for administrative costs and the social sector. And if Imran Khan thinks crooks are going to queue up to return their ill-gotten wealth, he has a higher opinion of them than I do.

This is the kind of muddled, ill-informed thinking that marked our media’s interaction with Hillary Clinton recently. Watching the American secretary of state talking to some of the leading lights of our private TV networks, I was struck by how angry they all looked. Ms Clinton, on the other hand, was relaxed and articulate. She reminded me of a patient adult, gently chiding and cajoling a bunch of sulking teenagers.

One well-known anchor with an Urdu channel, his face contorted with rage, virtually shouted at her: ‘Do you know how many bases the United States has in this country?’ Smilingly, Ms Clinton countered: ‘Do you know how many billions of dollars the United States has given Pakistan?’And this is the bottom line. As both Ms Clinton and Senator John Kerry have said, if Pakistan doesn’t want the money, nobody is forcing it down our throats. But it seems that we want the money and keep our ghairat at the same time. For a country that has been surviving on external assistance for decades, the sudden realisation that we should stand on our own feet is odd.

Nawaz Sharif, rejecting the Kerry-Lugar act, asked how long we would go around with a begging bowl. I recall his ‘kashkol tor do’ (‘break the begging bowl’) campaign when he was in power in the 1990s. Thousands of ordinary Pakistanis (including my late mother, much to my chagrin) responded and sent personal savings to support this initiative. Nobody knows what happened to this money, but it certainly did not help in ending our aid dependency.

Interestingly, all those demanding that we reject the offer of American assistance are sleek and well-fed. In this entire long-winded debate, I have not heard anybody say one word about the illiteracy, poverty and disease the aid package is meant to reduce.

Critics have said that in the past, such initiatives did not make any difference, and things have not improved as a result of foreign aid. We forget that with our population growing as fast as it has in the past, we have created our own problems. The reality is that today, there are four times more Pakistanis than lived here in 1947. Without any foreign assistance, there would have been widespread starvation.

It is certainly true that huge amounts have been frittered away on useless projects, while much of this assistance has ended up in the personal accounts of politicians, bureaucrats and generals. Hence the American insistence on monitoring how money disbursed under the KLA is actually spent.

This entire bad-tempered discussion reveals the intensity of anti-Americanism that has been whipped up by a large section of the media. Virtually no anchor in Urdu chat shows challenges a panellist and asks him or her for proof for the most outlandish assertions. So widespread have these perceptions of American ill intentions become that a friend’s driver casually said the other day that the Americans were arming the Taliban. When I asked him why Washington would arm the foe that was killing US soldiers, he had no reply beyond ‘I read it in a newspaper.’

We have been so blinded by our rage against America that we forget that currently there is a clear convergence of interests between their goals and ours. Both countries want peace in Afghanistan and Pakistan; and both are fighting the forces of darkness. So while our approach and tactics may differ, we need to get along well enough to coordinate the fight more effectively.

In the real world, you do not have to love your allies to conduct a successful military campaign. In the Second World War, the Soviet Union fought with the US and Britain to defeat Hitler. Nazi Germany was the common foe, and the threat it posed brought the communists into the anti-fascist alliance. Clearly, there was no love lost between the USSR and the West, but common interests drew them together.

Critics of the act assert that this assistance is being offered in America’s self-interest, making it sound like an accusation that proves Washington’s bad faith. Actually, all countries act in their own self-interest. In this case, the American Congress and the administration are convinced that in order to stabilise Pakistan, it is necessary to address the many social and economic problems we are struggling with. And without a viable Pakistan, Afghanistan cannot be fixed. Hence the Kerry-Lugar act.

Who in Pakistan can possibly close his eyes to the reality of the situation we face today? Unless power generation is enhanced quickly, the economy will soon collapse completely. Parents are often forced to send their children to madressahs because there are not enough schools. Here they are often brainwashed into joining the terrorists who are threatening to destroy the state.

Large sums are needed to overcome these and other challenges. But money alone won’t solve these problems: political will and a consensus are needed. What we don’t need are mindless slogans of ‘go America go!’

http://www.dawn.com.pk/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/columnists/the-high-cost-of-ghairat-719

A comment:

By hypocrite (pkpolitics)

Mirror Mirror who is uglier than I

I dont particpate in election process and yet I cry for democracy,
When I participate in elections I vote on thebasis of ethinicty, sect, language or pressure,
I want to develop the country yet appoint my incapable and corrupt cronies as ministers,
I believe in justice and onlyfor others,
I dont pay taxes though I am billionaire,
I believe in every human being equal and I make my servant stand for me in queue as I have many servants,
I dont follow traffic rules as I have big SUV,
I have my kids get education outside Pakistan and I want to improve eductaion standard in Pakistan,
My family gets treated outsuide Pakistan and I want to provide helath care to all Pakistanis,
I spend my vacations outside Pakistan and want foreigners to visit Pakistan as a toursim spot,
I vowed to defend my country and kill my own brethern,
I live in palaces and promise to provide shelter to all pakistanis,
I believe in idelogy and dont mind if my party kills any one who opposes my party,
I am follower of religion yet run after plots, ministries and money,
What I thik or believe is correct and everything else is wrong,
I want aid from whatever means but dont want to follow conditions for fair disbursement of aid,
I want multiple year visa or USA citizenship but I believe that USA is our enemy,
I am part of each government but I cannot take blame for non development of country
I am part of each opposition but cannot take blame for non development of the country
When I want to play I want to be the captain and everyone to follow my dictatorship but I dont want to play under anyother captain,
I believe in one for all and all for one yet when my friends are in distress I run away,

No one is uglier thanI as I am the ONLY hypocrite

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Holbrooke's statement, Kerry Lugar Bill and "Ghairat" of Taliban supporters

Opponents of KLL supporting Taliban: Holbrooke
Thursday, November 05, 2009
By By Sami Abraham

WASHINGTON: Expressing hope that Pakistan’s current domestic political situation would not get parallel to March 16 crisis when top US officials had to make phone calls to Pakistani leadership to sort out the issue of restoration of judiciary, US President’s Special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke has said that the US never takes sides but only supports the leadership of constitutionally elected governments.

He told The News at the State Department here on Monday, Holbrooke said though during the recent trip of secretary Clinton to Pakistan, the issue of NRO was not discussed much but the US officials were fully aware of it. “Pakistanis are very sensitive to the issue of their sovereignty and that is why I do not want to say anything about it,” he added. He said those who attacked the KLL did not understand it. He said those who oppose the KLL are the ones who either oppose the present Pakistani government or support the Taliban.

The following is an apt analysis by Nazir Naji followed by some frank comments by ordinary Pakistani citizens:

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Some comments: (source: pkpolitics)

usman21 said:

hamid mir amrici agent hai. logo ko shaoor dene k naam pe ye log ishtial phela rahe hen.. agar parliament media pe pabandi lagati hai to they have no right to agitate, parliament is supreme. kal altaf hussain k zardari ko istifa dene ki khabar ne tamasha lagaye rakha pura din. these media ppl just dn want any stability. nro bura qanoon hai, bilkul nai manzur hona chahiye, but tanqeed zarur karen, campaign na run karen kisi k khilaf

geo as a whole gandgi phela raha hai, geo entertainment k adhay program indian culture ko promote karte hen, dars ye log hubulwatni ka dete hen
dunya tv and express are far far better. anchors should be like Moeed pirzada! balanced

Kashif said:

Whoever is trying to replace Zardari is doing a huge favor to PPP. If Zardari completes his tenure I don’t see how PPP can bounce back? I always said Zardari was the worst possible option at helm. I was glad when he took over party leadership and announced he will not accept any position in gov. How innocent was I?

Anyone who replaces Zardari won’t be doing anything different but atleast he will not come in this highly visible office with same kind of baggage. Its impossible for Zardari to rebuild his reputation, frankly I don’t think he is even trying to do that.

Ideally I ‘d have liked change from within party but thats not possible. Stalwarts like Atizaz and Admin Fahim couldn’t take an innitiative. Naheen Khan and Safdar Abbasi spoke a bit but that wasn’t enough. Even Gillani built a anti-Zardari camp within party but nothing happened.

As much as I hate him I still can not appreciate any effort by ISI to kick him out. If any political force within PPP, PMLN, MQM, JI, PTI, ANP etc etc lead any effort to remove him … I ‘d support it provided these forces are inturn not backed by GHQ. Any GHQ lead movement to oust elected civilian will push us back in 1990’s when GHQ repeatedly removed BB and NS.

Kashif said:

Hamid Mir said … Hussain Hiqanni speaks english in Jammat e Islami accent … very funny. I didn’t know there is such thing as Jammat e Islami accent. I have heard haqqani ’s english and its pretty good. There are many who do not agree with Hiqqani but no one can deny his roots are lower middle class and is an accomplished individual. On one hand Hamid Mir and Nusrat Javed hailed their middle class background and on the other they attacked one Hussain Hiqqani who is one of them …. he is not a land lord or genral. I stand by Hussain Hiqqani especially his efforts on KLB – his pro-democracy and anti militray establishment role.

afisadi said:

Hamid Mir
You are not a journalist any more rather you are a party against politicians. Join a political party as a journalist you are not impartial any more.
Everyone knows Haroon ur Rasheed, belonged to JI, great support of Zia ul Haq and Taliban. Haroon is the person, who supports Taliban in Pakistan very openly.
Journalists have crossed all limits. Media wants to control everything. Why not send all assemblies and senate home and give govt to media. Lets see what journalists do with this country.

Bawa said:

ے. حامد میر پر بھروسہ نہ کریں یہ دو دھاری تلوار ھے. آج اگر زرداری کی تعریف کر رہا ھے تو کل کو اس کے خلاف بھی بولنا شروع کر دیگا. یہ گرگس کی طرح رنگ بدلتا ھے

yusafkhan said:

Excellent analysis by Nusrat Javed. The few politicians I know in Pakistan are the most arrogant people that I have ever met. Their superiority complex leads them to the conclusion that all should kiss their a$$. They look down on all journalists and use the police as their local ghundas. By the way, Imran Khan is no exception. I have seen him in real life and he tends to be more arrogant than the rest which is weird because he is a “do numbery” politician. Interestingly, the only level headed politicians that I have met are Fazl Rehman and Qazi Hussain, although they have other issues. Although I met Aitzaz Ahman and he is genuinely a nice guy; no wonder he cant get along with Zardaro and his morons.

afisadi said:

Let little talk about Hussan Haqqani English.
I do not know Haqqani at all but why Hamid Mir is against him? What is Jammat e Islami accent? If Haqqani’s english is funny then why he teaches in US universities? All US universities need to ask from Hamid Mir about Jammat e Islami accent?
Why jang journalists are against Haqqani? One Shaheen Sabahi wanted to be Pakistan ambassadar in US, that Zardari turned down and appointed Haqqani. This the main reason all Jang journalists are again Haqqani.

qaisanwar said:

نصرت جاوید نے اپنے پرانے معیار برقرار رکھے ہیں ۔ شاہین صہباءی اب مشکوک ہیں )ش گروپ
کے دوسرے رکن شاہد مسعود کی طرح(ان کا ماضی واقعی بہت شاندار ہے۔ ضیاء الحق کے دور
میں ڈٹ کر کھڑے رہے۔ مشرف کے دور میں ایک زوردار مضمون کی اشاعت کے بعد ملک چھوڑ
گءے۔ باہر جاکر مشرف اور آرمی کے خلاف ساءوتھ ایشیا ٹربیون کے نام سے انٹر نیٹ میگزین نکالا
آرمی کی کرپشن کے خلاف بہت لکھا لیکن ایک دن میگزین کو چند دنوں کے نوٹس پر بند کر دیا
لوگوں نے کہا تھک گءے کچھ نے کہا بک گءے۔ پھر ایک دن ناقابل یقین انداز میں مشرف کے
دور میں واپس آگءے۔ آرمی کے اتنے بڑے دشمن کا اس طرح واپس آ جانا مشکوک تھا۔
تب حکومت بدلی اور انہوں نے زرداری سے سفارت چاہی )برطانیہ اور اقوام متحدہ میں پاکستان
کے صحافی سفیروں کی طرز(گمان غالب ہے کہ آرمی نے کلیرنس نہیں دی۔ بس پھر کیا تھا ڈاکٹر
شاہد مسعود کی طرح وجہ زرداری کو قرار دے کر زرداری پر چڑھ دوڑے۔ آجکل ان کا تعلق اللہ کے
ان نیک بندوں میں ہوتا جن کو خوابوں کے ذریعے زرداری کے جانے کی بشارتیں دی جاتی ہیں۔
شاہد مسعود کی نوکری شیری رحمان کی وجہ سے گءی تھی۔ زرداری نے تو چھ مہینے کے نوٹس
پیریڈ سے معافی دلواءی تھی۔ شاہین صاحب کو ایجنسیوں نے نوکری نہیں ملنے دی۔ اب دونوں کا
ش گروپ زرداری کے درپے ہے۔

Kashif said:

Free press is very essential for democracy but their power needs to be checked. Look at Talat Hussein how arrogant he has become. He shouts at every politician but is in bed with GHQ. When he talks to any one in uniform he has altogether different tone. HE is changing his stances with GHQ be in KLB, anti-Taliban movement, Mumbai attacks you name it.

Media is full of GHQ puppits like Zaid Hamids and Talat Husseins who are out there to discredit civilian political leadership and projecting GHQ. There got to be some checks and balances in media.

Bawa said:

@ afisadi
I do not know Haqqani at all but why Hamid Mir is against him? Shaheen Sabahi wanted to be Pakistan ambassadar in US, that Zardari turned down and appointed Haqqani.

بھولے بادشاہ حسین حقانی کو کون نہیں جانتا؟ یہ وہی شریف آدمی ہیں جنہوں نے آصف علی زرداری کی ساس صاحبہ (بیگم نصرت بھتو) کی امریکی صدر فورڈ کی بانہوں میں باہیں ڈال کر ڈانس کرتے وقت لی گئی تصاویر اور انکی زوجہ محترمہ (بینظر بھتو) کی خود ساختہ بیہودہ تصاویر الیکشن ١٩٨٨ میں ہوائی جہاز سے پورے لاهور شہر میں گرائیں تھیں. اسوقت جناب حقانی صاحب اسلامی جمہوری اتحاد کے میڈیا مینجر تھے

qaisanwar said:

حسین حقانی واقعی جماعتی ہے۔ ان کی کوءی اخلاقیات نہیں ہوتی۔ کسی دور میں نواز شریف
کے مشیربھی رہے۔انہوں نے جماعتی انداز میں بٹو خاندان کے خلاف گندی مہم چلاءی
جس دور میں بے نظیر کو ایسٹبلشمنٹ میں نہتا کر دیا تھا ان دنوں میں حسین حقانی
نے بے نظیر کی امریکہ میں بہت لابنگ کی۔اسی دور میں رحمان ملک نےملک قیوم ؛ دوسرے
ججوں اور سیف الر حمن کی گفتگو کی ٹیپیں بے نظیر کو دیں جس کی وجہ سے قیوم ملک وغیرہ
کی نوکریاں گءیں اور بے نظیر کے حق میں فیصلہ آیا۔ اس وقت سے بے نظیر ان لوگوں کی قدر
کرتی تھیں ۔
ناہید باجی آخری دنوں میں بے نظیر سے بہت ناراض تھیں ۔ اس کی وجہ حسین حقانی اور اس کے
خاندان کو اہمیت دینا تھا۔ لیکن اس سلسلے میں بے نظیر نے ان کی نہیں سنی۔ ںاہید خان اور
صفدر عباسی کی زرادری سے ناراضگی بھی اسی وجہ سے ہے

dara said:

Hamid mir and other agents have been working very hard for their masters. Our establishment have no courege to fight evils sitting in Waziristan. If these people are so loyal and are deadly against Nov 2 2007 actions then why don’t they criticize Corp commanders who secound Musharaf’s actions.
No one has courege to speak truth and ask any thing from the real culprits.

qaisanwar said:

نوے کی دہاءی میں لاہور کے چاءے خانوں اور جنگ کے دفتر میں بیٹھنے والے حامد میر کے
ایجنسیوں کے تعلق سے آگاہ ہیں۔ ان کے والد انتہاءی پر اصول اور دیانت دار شخص تھے۔ اپنے
نظریات کی بنا پر جماعتیوں کے پراپیگنڈہ اور نفرت کا نشانہ بنتے تھے۔ اس ماحول میں پلنے والے
حامد میر نے ایک ایجنسی کی گود میں پناہ ڈھونڈی ۔ نواز شریف کے دور میں ایک ایجنسی نواز
شریف کے کنٹرول میں تھی (جسے آجکل زرداری کنٹرول کرنے میں ناکام ہیں)ان دونوں ایجنسیوں
کا کراچی اور دوسرے معاملات پر آپس میں اختلاف تھا۔ حامد میر کو ایک دفعہ نواز شریف کے زیر
اثر ایجنسی نے اغوا کر لیا۔ حامد میر کی ایجنسی نے مناواں کے گرد اغوا کاروں کو روکا اور اسے
رہا کرایا ۔ اس دور میں جنگ میں کام کرنے والا کوءی بھی صحافی اس کی تصدیق کر سکتا ہے
حامد میر جو کہتا ہے وہ اس ایجنسی (آءی ایس آءی نہیں)کی آواز ہوتی ہے

Bawa said:

@ qaisanwar

کیا حامد میر اسلام پورہ (کرشن نگر) لاہور کا رہنے والا تو نہیں جسکے والد پروفیسر وارث میر تھے اور شاید اسنے کچھ عرصۂ روزنامہ خبریں میں بھی گزارا ھے اس اخبار نے اسے انگلیڈ بھی بھیجا تھا؟

qaisanwar said:

بالکل وہی ہے۔ اندازہ ہوا کتنے عظیم باپ کا بیٹا کس چکر میں پھنسا ہوا ہے

Bawa said:

@ qaisanwar

بہت شکریہ. میں آج تک یہی سمجھ رہا تھا کہ شاید یہ راولپنڈی کا رہنے والا ھے. آپکی تحریر پڑھکر مجھے شک ہوآ کہ یہ کہیں پروفیسر وارث میر مرحوم کا بیٹا تو نہیں ھے. واقعی آپ نے درست کہا ھے کہ یہ باپ کی طرح اصول پسند نہیں. پروفیسر صاحب تو ضیاء الحق کے سامنے چٹان کی طرح ڈٹ گۓ تھے لیکن اسمیں وہ خوبیاں کہاں؟

qaisanwar said:

طاہر مختار ؛ مال روڈ والے کلاسیک کے آغا صاحب نے ایک بار صحافیوں کے معاہدوں کی تفصیلات
دیکھی اور بتاءی تھیں۔ ان کے مختلف طرح کے کنٹریکٹ ہوتے ہیں ۔ مستقل حق میں لکھنا (جیسے
اسد اللہ غالب رحمان ملک سے پیسے لے کر حکومت کے لیے لکھتا ہے) طے شدہ تعداد میں
حق میں لکھنا (جیسے عبدلاقادر حسن نزیر ناجی)سلیپر سیل (جب ضرورت ہو تو لکھیں (
جیسے کامران خان؛ حامد میر؛ صالح ظافر اورانصار عباسی )آخری قسم زیادہ آزاد ہوتی ہے ۔ اپنا نظریہ رکھ سکتی ہے لیکن وقت آنے
پر سٹوری بریک کرتی ہے۔ ابھی پچھلے دنوں انصار عباسی پرویز مشرف سے متعلق
کہانیاں دے رہا تھا۔ ابھی پچھلے دنوں زرداری سے متعلق۔جب کبھی نواز شریف کی حکومت ہوگی
تو کامران خان اور حامد میر زیادہ آگے ہوں گے

Bawa said:

@ tmukhtar

طاہر بھائی میں پروفیسر وارث میر کے کالم اپنے کالج دور میں اکثر پارہا کرتا تھا. مجھے علم تھا کہ پروفیسر صاحب ضیاء الحق کے خلاف کافی لکھا کرتے تھے. ان دنوں اصغر خان اسی طرح میرے محبوب لیڈر تھے جیسے آجکل عمران خان کالج اور یونیورسٹی کے سٹوڈنٹس کے لیڈر ہیں. جب ضیاء نیا نیا آیا تھا تو اصغر خان نے ضیاء کی حمایت میں کوئی بیان دیا تھا تو پروفیسر صاحب نے اصغر خان پر بھی ایک زبردست کالم “یو ٹو اصغر خان” لکھا تھا. پھر تھوڑا سا مجھے یاد ھے کہ ضیاء نے پروفیسر صاحب کو پنجاب یونیورسٹی سے نکال دیا تھا. انکو ضیاء نے اپنی کسی خار کی وجہ سے نکالا تھا یا جماعت اسلامی کے کہنے پر مجھے صحیح طرح سے یاد نہیں ھے. بھر حال وہ واقعی اچھے انسان تھے.
میں نے اپنی آدھی سے زائد عمر کرشن نگر میں گزاری. حامد میر میرے جاننے والوں کا رشتہ دار تھا اور وہ کبھی کبھار حامد میر کا ذکر کیا کرتے تھے لیکن مجھے کبھی حامد میر سے ملنے کا موقع نہ ملا. کچھ دن پہلے مجھے پتہ چلا کہ حامد میر پروفیسر وارث میر کا بیٹا ھے. تب بھی میرے ذہن میں نہیں آیا کہ یہ وہ حامد میر ھے جسکا میں ذکر سنا کرتا تھا. اور جس حامد میر کا میں ذکر سنا کرتا تھا وہ ایک چالاک آدمی تھا جس نے اپنے تعلقات کی بناء پر بہت جلد ترقی کر لی تھی.
موجودہ حامد میر کو میں صرف جیو ٹی وئی کے حوالے سے ہی جانتا ہوں. اس سے زیادہ میں حامد میر کو نہیں جانتا بلکہ جتنا بھی جانتا ہوں اسکے مختلف حصے اب جا کر ایک دوسرے سے ملے ہیں. صحیح ملے ہیں یا غلط یہ، میں وثوق سے نہیں کہ سکتا

qaisanwar said:

باوا:ایک بار جماعتیوں نے پروفیسروارث میر صاحب کے گھر پر حملہ بھی کیا تھا۔ ایک اصول پسند
اور غریب پروفیسر کے پاس اپنے زخمی بیٹے کے علاج کے پییسے اور پولیس میں رپورٹ کرانے
کی طاقت نہیں تھی۔ حامد میر نے وہ دن دیکھے ہیں ۔ لیکن رد عمل الٹا ہے ۔ پاولو فریرے کے تجزءے
کے مطابق وہ غریب جس نے طاقت کا غلط استعمال ہی دیکھا ہے جب وہ طاقت پاتا ہے تو اس
کاغلط استعما ل ہی کرتا ہے

hiramir34 said:

No one has courage to speak truth and ask any thing from the real culprits. Hamid mir and his staff are too busy making money out of these shows!! All they know is to add spice and manipulate innocent minds of our country whereas if they were really loyal to Pakistan they would go and question the REAL CULPRITS!

qaisanwar said:

شاہین صہباءی نے جولاءی میں لکھا تھا
WASHINGTON: If the past is any guide, as we now know that all previous political upheavals were carried out according to the secret scripts written by key players of our omnipotent establishment, the latest political developments tell us that the noose is tightening around our president and he has to decide quickly which option he has to exercise so that he can survive politically, financially and probably even physically.

This scenario is evident because the script was written sometime back and its glimpses were also leaked to parts of the media for assuring all those who were getting too upset with the status quo that things will change. There are now undeniable signs that the desired changes have started to surface in different shapes and form

ش گروپ (شاہین صہباءی اور شاہد مسعود)اس وقت زرداری کے سب سے بڑے دشمن ہیں ۔ تین باتیں واضح ہیں کہ زرداری کو بھیجنے کا فیصلہ ایجنسیوں کا ہے۔ میڈیا جیسا کہ شاہین صہباءی نے تسلیم کیا ہے کو خبریں ایجنسیاں دیتی ہیں تیسرا کہ ہر بھٹو کی ظرح زرداری کی جان کو بھی خطرہ ہے (صرف ایک خود کش بمبار ہی تو چاہیے)
مزے کی بات ہے کہ جرنیلوں کے مخالف جرنیلوں کی اس سازش پر بغلیں بجا رہے ہیں ۔کل نصرت جاود نے کھل کر بتا دیا ہے کہ کون سے نام صدرات کے لیے زیر غور ہیں اور ا ب تو ماینس نواز شریف پر بھی غور ہو رہا ہے۔

Muhammad Usman said:

I am really disappionted with altaf hussain ditiching president zardari.

how come he has become so ASOOL PASAND—- IS he a masoom ,, was h e not aware of nro at the time of nomination of president zardari—– shame ful munafiqat.

what to talk of oppsition—- these itihadis of president zardari are minafiqs.

disgusting—— behaviour

qaisanwar said:

@Muhammad Usman

اصل طاقتیں پیپلز پارٹی اور مسلم لیگ ن ہیں اور اصل ذمہ داری بھی ان کی ہے۔ لانگ مارچ بہت بڑا
کھیل تھا۔ زرداری کو کہا گیا بحال نہ کرو ۔ نواز شریف کو تحریک کے لیے ابھا را گیا۔ اور پھر کیانی
ہیرو بن کر سامنے آگیا۔ اعتزاز کیانی ملاقات ہوءی اور ایسا فیصلہ آیا جو آرمی کو بچا گیا اور زرداری
کو پھنسا گیا۔ نواز شریف کو آرمی آزما چکی ہے ۔ کبھی بھی اقتدار زرداری سے لے کر نواز شریف
نہیں دے گی۔ گیلانی کی قیادت میں قومی حکومت کا فارمولہ چلے گا نہیں۔ اور پھر ملک ایک لمبے بحران
میں چلا جاءے گا ۔ پھر تحریک چلے گی اور ۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔
ایجنسیاں میڈیا کے ذریعے کھیل کھیل چکی ہیں ۔ نواز شریف اور زرداری مل کر کھیل کا پانسہ پلٹ سکتے
لیکن شاید دیر ہو چکی ہے۔ ہاں زرداری آخری وقت تک لڑے گا

qaisanwar said:

ایجنسیاں نواز شریف اور زرداری کو باہمی بے اعتمادی کی اس حد تک لے آءی ہیں کہ اب طاقت
مسلم لیگ ق اور متحدہ کے ہاتھ میں آچکی ہے۔ کتنا بڑا المیہ ہے کہ سب کہتے رہے آرمی چلی گءی
حا لانکہ آرمی جاتی نہیں سانس لیتی ہے اور پیپلز پارٹی کو اقتدار اس لیے دیتی ہے کہ ایک لمبے عرصے کے
لیے واپس لے لے۔ یحیی کے بعد بھٹو؛ ضیا ء کے بعد بے نظیر اور مشرف کے بعد زرداری۔ آرمی
کا پرانا نسخہ ہے۔ اس بار فرق صرف نواز شریف کا ہے۔ اگر وہ گیم کو سمجھ گیا تو معاملہ ٹھیک
ورنہ۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔زرداری کو سوچنا ہو گا کہ گیلانی جو آرمی کے ہاتھوں کھیل رہا ہے یا نواز شریف جو
بہرحال ایسٹبلشمنٹ سے کنٹرول ہو نے کے لیے تیار نہیں ہو گا۔

Bawa said:

@ qaisanwar

I completely agree with your above analysis. So we should be really to welcome to an other military ruler? I will appreciate if you explain your sentence

“اعتزاز کیانی ملاقات ہوءی اور ایسا فیصلہ آیا جو آرمی کو بچا گیا اور زرداری
کو پھنسا گیا

Bawa said:

@ qaisanwar
ایجنسیاں نواز شریف اور زرداری کو باہمی بے اعتمادی کی اس حد تک لے آءی ہیں کہ اب طاقت
مسلم لیگ ق اور متحدہ کے ہاتھ میں آچکی ہے۔ کتنا بڑا المیہ ہے کہ سب کہتے رہے آرمی چلی گءی
حا لانکہ آرمی جاتی نہیں سانس لیتی ہے

If military comes in government then who will be responsible for it. Surely Zardari is responsible for it. It is Zardari who violated written agreements with Nawaz Sharif. Nawaz Sharif understands the game that’s why he is not active against Zardari.

I want to ask a qyestion and hope you will reply honestly. You have trouble with army or ISI in past. “Did you do the above analysis honestly or it indicates your intention to defame army?”

Muhammad Usman said:

Altaf HUSSain needs to be understood by both zardari and sharef.

he is acting like a mafia boss and dictating his agenda ona national party like PPP.

DID any body listened to mr pleego yesterday, what he said about MQM.
mqm should support the land wjich has given refuge o them… it is important.

evenin develped countires like canada first nation have more rights. give atleast equla status to people of province he gave shlter.

qaisanwar said:

@Bawa
پیپلز پارٹی کے پاس کبھی بھی آپشن نہیں ہوتے ۔ زرداری کو پنجاب پلیٹ میں رکھ کر پیش کیا گیا تھا
حامد ناصر چٹھہ سارے ایم پی اے لے کر آیا تھا۔ نجم سیٹھی کہتے ہیں کہ زرداری آءیڈل ازم کر گیا
اور نواز شریف کی طرف چلا گیا۔ بے نظیر ہوتی تو شاید ایسا نہ کرتی۔ مجھے زرداری کے لفظ یاد
ہیں اس نے کہا تھا ۔۔۔۔۔میاں صاحب ایسٹبلشمنٹ پہلی بار داڑھ کے نیچے آءی ہے ان سے ججوں سے زیادہ
مانگیں ۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔نایک نیں جو ترمیم بناءی تھی وہ آجاتی تو ایسٹبلشمنٹ بہت دب جاتی لیکن ایسٹبلشمنٹ جانتی
ہے کہ کب کیا کیا جاءے اور وہ لانگ مارچ میں اپنا کھیل کھیل گءی۔ زرداری کے پاس اس وقت
خود کش دھماکے کے علاوہ کوءی با عزت راستہ نہیں ۔ پہلا دھماکہ۔ نواز شریف کے پاس جاءے ؛ معافی مانگے
اور کہے کہ جو نواز شریف کہتا ہے وہ اس کے کہنے پر مان رہا ہوں ۔ پورا کریڈٹ نواز شریف کو دے اس دھماکے
میں بمبار نہیں ایسٹبلشمنٹ مرے گی
دوسرا آپشن ہے کہ کیانی کو برطرف کرکے ہر چیز کو لپیٹ دے۔
ایسٹبلشمنٹ اسے ایم کیو ایم کے ذریعے کمزور صدر بننے کی طرف لایے گی جو اسے نہیں ماننا چاہییے ۔ نواز شریف سے سو فیصد شفاف
سمجھہوتہ با عزت راستہ ہے

Read more...

Imran Khan and ‘mass movement’ - Let us pray for Imran Khan's swift recovery

First a new announcement by Imran Khan, which is followed by analyses by Hasan Nisar and Nazir Naji.

Imran announces campaign against NRO
Sunday, 1 Nov, 2009 11:12 pm
http://www.aaj.tv/news/National/151104_detail.html

LAHORE : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf has announced to launch a campaign against National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) here on Sunday, Aaj News reported.

Addressing a press conference PTI Chief Imran Khan said that a protest demonstration would be staged next Friday in Islamabad while in Lahore protest demonstration would be held on Saturday.

He said NRO is continuity of the policies of former President Pervez Musharraf, adding South Waziristan operation is also part of those policies.

He added that after the passing of NRO from the assembly it would clear that who wanted a society based on justice and who wanted loot and plundering.

Imran appealed all the political parties to oppose this ordinance.

He said Kerry-Lugar Bill is the bill of American interest and Pakistani people will not accept this aid at any cost.

....
Editorial
Leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Mr Imran Khan has decided to hold mass movement rallies in Islamabad and Lahore to mobilise the people for a mid-term general election and against the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) as it passes through the process of legislation in the two houses of parliament.

It is difficult to imagine how Mr Khan will manage to whip up any national passions for a mid-term election when people don’t even come out to the marketplace; and Mr Nawaz Sharif, the most popular man in the country and the one most likely to become the next prime minister, vows that he has no plan to go for a mid-term change. Nor will the people feel moved greatly by the NRO to mob the streets and deliver on the plans set on foot by PTI.

There is a separate politics of mass mobilisation in the country and the last time it was done, not by the political parties exclusively but by the lawyers agitating for an independent judiciary, its denouement was prevented by a phone-call from the army chief. Is that a part of Mr Khan’s strategy? We have seen many small parties trying to get people to come out on the streets for their causes without great success. People seem to have switched off from the politicians. Jamaat-e-Islami is still at it — it has even held a national referendum on the Kerry-Lugar Act — without much effect.

Mr Khan is a big leader of a small party and has a growing political profile, but he may be jumping too far ahead by calling for a mass movement. He runs the risk of becoming the head of a fringe party forever by running after objectives that may be before their time. The Jamaat has actually reduced itself much by moving in radical directions under its former chief, Qazi Hussain Ahmad. It continues to do so under its new chief. The JUI under Maulana Fazlur Rehman has been more pragmatic. The PTI is still cutting its teeth; it must be more supple in its selection of goals. * (Daily Times)

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(Hasan Nisar)

Let us pray for Imran Khan's swift recovery

(Nazir Naji)

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Pakistan-USA ties: From Liaqat Ali Khan to Asif Zardari

Life before Kerry-Lugar —Haider Nizamani

Popular sentiment has always been wary of American influence in Pakistan. Successive governments while framing their relations with the US have tried to placate public mood by invoking notions such as ‘augmenting national defence’ to accepting the ground realities of power politics

Why are TV pundits and commentators in the print media so worked up about President Asif Zardari allegedly throwing the country in America’s lap? President Zardari stands accused in this media trial of selling out to the United States and compromising national security by accepting the $1.5 billion a year US aid package popularly known as the Kerry-Lugar Bill. Before judging President Zardari, let us look at the last sixty years and see if he is any different from earlier rulers of Pakistan.

Zardari and his team have much in common with their predecessors when it comes to leaning on American crutches instead of hanging on to the notion of national sovereignty. In fact, this behaviour dates all way the back to Liaquat Ali Khan, the country’s first prime minister.

Ayesha Jalal, in her meticulously researched book The State of Martial Rule, writes that Pakistan requested a $2 billion loan from the US in October 1947, and Pakistani officials “admitted that the new state’s internal political situation depended upon its ties with Britain and the US.” It was the Americans who turned down Pakistan’s request.

“If your country will guarantee our territorial integrity, I will not keep my army at all.” These are not words of Asif Zardari but of Liaquat Ali Khan, speaking in response to an American journalist’s question in Washington DC in 1950. Pakistan was so far down on the priority list of the Americans that they didn’t seriously entertain our first prime minister’s offer to disband the military.

By the mid-1950s, the Pakistani ruling elite’s efforts to woo the Americans finally bore fruit when Pakistan became one of the founding members of US-sponsored regional military pacts like the Baghdad Pact and the Southeast Asian Treaty Organisation (SEATO). Jalal is not off the mark in saying that by this time “the Americans had gained a toehold in the administrative operations of the Pakistani state.”

Pakistani sovereignty was a colander with such big holes that American U-2 spy planes flew from our country to carry out espionage missions in Soviet airspace in the 1950s. The US was allowed to open an espionage field office in Badaber, on the outskirts of Peshawar, in 1959. And this was happening under the watchful eye of Ayub Khan who, ironically, titled his book about Pakistan-US ties Friend not Masters. How Pakistani rulers were flaunting the sovereignty of the country became public knowledge when the Soviets downed a U-2 and captured its pilot, Gary Powers, alive.

From 1979 onward, General Zia-ul Haq scaled new heights in compromising the country’s sovereignty when he allowed Pakistan to be used as a base for proxy war against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan.

By the 1990s, the political class of Pakistan was operating on the principle that the road to Islamabad goes through Washington. Benazir Bhutto never made any bones about her enchantment with American power while in our out of power.

Nawaz Sharif, whose party has become flag-bearer of national honour these days, rushed to Washington in July 1999 to sign a document that was tantamount to Pakistani surrender in the Kargil war. The myth of sovereignty was patently broken when Pervez Musharraf and Nawaz Sharif signed a deal brokered by the Saudis and the Americans facilitating Sharif’s exit from the country with his extended family. Musharraf is on record quoting a threatening phone call from Anthony Zinni, an American official under the Bush administration assigned to handle Pakistan, as the reason for abandoning the Taliban and embracing American ‘war of terror’.

Thus far I have only listed some signposts of Pakistan’s bartered and battered sovereignty in the realm of high politics. But the ongoing chest-beating about compromised sovereignty hardly mentions how international lending agencies have been telling managers of the Pakistani state to run it. Custodians of sovereignty will be well-advised to click the Pakistan link on the World Bank’s website. From the port in Karachi to education in the Northern Areas and irrigation in the Punjab, the World Bank has a say in all of the above. The World Bank proudly claims that it is expertise, more than money, imparted to these countries that truly matters.

Bargaining was the name of the game, as is nowadays, between Pakistan and America. Pakistan seldom got the amounts and ammunitions it asked for. The Americans were periodically dissatisfied with what Pakistan delivered in return of the US military and civilian aid.

If the country’s first prime minister was ready to disband the national armed forces only if Washington had provided a security guarantee, then why this hue and cry over sovereignty this time?

There are number of reasons. First, popular sentiment has always been wary of American influence in Pakistan. Successive governments while framing their relations with the US have tried to placate the public mood by invoking notions such as ‘augmenting national defence’ to accepting the ground realities of power politics.

Second, the urban middle classes of Pakistan love to hate Asif Zardari. He being at the helm of the state affairs and kowtowing to the Americans only adds fuel to the anti-Zardari sentiment of the middle classes. Third, the Pakistan People’s Party has never been a huge favourite of the civil-military bureaucracy. It could never establish an amicable wavelength with what is popularly termed the ‘Establishment’ in Pakistan.

Lastly, the above reasons combined find their explosive expression in 24/7 news channels where commentators and anchors never seem to tire of talking in ahistoric terms about US-Pakistan relations. The reason PPP leaders appear defensive on television is not because their party is the first to let the Americans interfere in Pakistani affairs. They are feeble on screen because they don’t have the guts to admit that Pakistani sovereignty was not an America-proof jar they inherited. There are sixty-year-old holes in it and they are likely to remain irrespective of the wishful assertions of TV anchors.

The writer is a lecturer in political science at the University of British Columbia. He can be reached at hnizamani@hotmail.com

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A view on Jamaat-e-Islami's referendum on the Kerry-Lugar Bill

Asadullah Ghalib's Analysis:

PML-Q backs JI in ‘referendum’

ISLAMABAD: The PML-Q extended support to the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) in a “referendum” the latter held against the Kerry-Lugar legislation. PML-Q leaders Kamil Ali Aga and Marvi Memon also voted against the US legislation at a JI “polling station” in Sector I-10/1. Talking to Daily Times, Aga said the PML-Q president had asked them to express solidarity with the JI in its efforts to gather public support against the US assistance package. To a question, he said, “We are against this legislation. We will join hands with parties who will take to streets against it.” To a question about the party’s tilt towards extreme right parties, Aga said, “The Kerry-Lugar law is a national issue and we will join hands with all parties which oppose it.” irfan ghauri (Daily Times)

98 pc reject KLL in JI referendum

Sunday, October 25, 2009 By By Our Correspondent

LAHORE JAMAAT-e-Islami Ameer Syed Munawwar Hasan on Saturday said that over 98 percent people, who participated in the JI referendum on the Kerry-Lugar Law, rejected the document and the increasing US interference in the country’s affairs. Announcing the result of referendum at a press conference, the JI leader said 21,979,287 people participated in the referendum and 21,761,691 voted against the KLL whereas 1,337,943 supported it and 79,653 votes were rejected. He said as many as 13,264,718 votes were cast in Punjab of which 13,158,394 rejected the KLL, 4,416,262 votes were cast in Sindh and 4,381,274 rejected the law, 2,941,040 votes were cast in the NWFP of which 2,924,100 rejected the US aid law and in Balochistan, 310,646 votes were cast out of which 296,484 rejected the KLL. He said the KLL was a treaty of surrender and a cause of humiliation for the entire nation. He appreciated the spirit shown by the masses in rejecting the US aid. Munawwar demanded the government to present a balance sheet on the terrorism prior to the start of the military operation to indicate if the menace was reduced or increased. Meanwhile, Jamaat--e-Islami Secretary General Liaqat Baloch has said that the United Nations has failed in implementing its charter and it has ruined its position because of unilateral decisions on the dictation of big powers. In a statement issued in connection with the United Nations Day on Saturday, he said the UN was set up to promote ties among different countries and for resolving disputes among states on an impartial basis. He said, the whole world was witnessing the atrocities of Israel in Palestine, the Indian occupation of Kashmir and the US aggression in Iraq and Afghanistan. He said Muslims’ were being killed in various parts of the world while the UN was just a silent spectator. (The News) Some ‘referendum’ thoughts The Jama’at-e Islami, which had boycotted the 2008 general election in the country, on Friday put the nation through its own “referendum” on the acceptance or non-acceptance of the Kerry-Lugar legislation. Although it scores modestly in normal polls, it had the satisfaction of polling nearly a hundred percent votes in favour of its rejection of the American aid. According to reports, JI distributed 4 million ballot papers in 5,000 polling stations across the country. In Lahore, JI chief Syed Munawwar Hasan likened the American enabling law to a “document of surrender” and named Asif Zardari and Altaf Hussain as culprits who had “swum out of the ocean of corruption”. The city of Lahore, whose real leader Mr Nawaz Sharif had already announced himself “not convinced” on the Kerry-Lugar law, saw everyone lunging for the ballot box to vote “namanzoor”. This is not the first time. The JI had reached for the referendum device on the possible signing of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) in the 1990s to “test” the waters of its popularity. The result was ditto because everyone and his uncle thought that Pakistan should test and declare the nation a nuclear power. This time too the JI has been “passed” as the most popular party in the country on an issue on which the media had brainwashed the population beforehand. Referendums can be held under the Constitution but that is done through a majority in parliament, not by any extra-parliamentary opposition. Strangely, wherever referendums have been held, they have proved less politically desirable than elections. In fact, in the recent history of the European Union, referendums have yielded results damaging to the collective advantage of what can be called history’s most meaningful confederation aspiring to a federal decision-making process. The visionary mind in Europe regrets that the people have been roped in to express emotion over something that is intellectually and politically unassailable. What happened after JI came out with flying colours over its referendum on the CTBT? The country “tested” in 1998 and immediately went bankrupt. The government that had thought the test would make its rule permanent was abandoned by the people when it went out asking for their savings to replace the funds affected by anti-test sanctions. Its act of “patriotically” freezing the dollar accounts of the people was never forgiven. JI should have apologised for holding the “test” referendum, but it didn’t, because someone else fell from power in 1999. In Pakistan, referendums don’t have a good reputation. Their results were claimed to be genuine soundings of the popular mind but in practice they were rejected by the very electorate on which the rulers had based their case. Strangely, referendums always yield “hundred percent” results in favour of the authority that stages them. General Zia-ul Haq thought he had almost a hundred percent people saying he should continue his martial rule. General Musharraf polled so heavily that he was apologetic about it later on. One “referendummed” general was killed; the other has escaped being killed under Article 6 for treason by leaving Pakistan. Jurisprudence against referendums is accumulating in measure with the frequency with which JI is staging them on the basis of its cadre strength. The European Union is discovering how the politicians cover their tracks by leaning on these “knee-jerk” popular reflexes and damaging democracy in the process. The United Kingdom, which shuns the device, has become the new beacon. If the EU needs any negative evidence, it should refer to the tradition of referendums in Pakistan where the “staging” dictators have suffered and the “staging” opposition has simply ended up damaging the “nationalist interest” of the country. The most important sense in which referendums offend against democracy is their “supersession” of the mandated general election in the country. They hint at mid-term change of government and thus undermine the normal five-year mandate handed down by the Constitution. Reference to a single issue in the referendum also negates the “indirect” nature of democratic governance enshrined in the Constitution. * (Editorial, Daily Times) Letters to the editor: Opposition to Kerry-Lugar Wednesday, October 21, 2009 To eliminate terrorism is now the cry of every Pakistani except a few who are still confused -- and they are also trying to confuse the nation. One of them says that the government has no realization of the strength of the Taliban. Another has said that his party could not condemn the attack on General Headquarters because the attackers' aim was to defend Islam. The most vocal among these groups is the Jamaat-e-Islami which has more or less launched a movement against the PPP government. The fact is that whenever the PPP comes into power religious fanatics some elements in the media along with the remains of Zia rush to stab it. Sometimes they go for long sit-ins in the capital; and sometimes they seek issues like the war on terror and, the most recent one, being the Kerry-Lugar bill. These frustrated elements do not lose any moment to distract the nation from understanding and realising the real threats to it. Such bills and agreements were signed during the reign of Musharraf as well. Where was the JI then and why didn't it demand a referendum then? The fact is that our religious parties are always in accord with dictators. They are their proxies safeguarding their interest. The Kerry-Lugar bill is in accordance with our constitution and also the Charter of Democracy to which Mian Nawaz Sharif is apparently a signatory. The bill says that we stamp out militancy and terrorism and that we do not allow our territory from being used against any other country. It also emphasises the supremacy of the civilian government over the military and seeks to check the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Above all it focuses on socio-economic development which should benefit ordinary Pakistanis and so what is wrong with it? The fact is that critics of the bill are using it as a cloak to fire salvos at the PPP government. Whether it is the JI, Nawaz Sharif or Imran Khan, each one has their axe to grind. Agreed, Asif Ali Zardari is not an ideal head of state and nor is the PPP government an angel, but it is in place after a reasonably free and fair election. Zubair Torwali Swat ***** Shocking is the reaction of certain myopic and misguided segments of society against the Kerry-Lugar bill. Those opposing the bill are requested to explain why they want to refuse aid which is to be spent on improving education, healthcare and building roads and hospitals. There is nothing wrong with this bill. To the short-sighted and the selfish I would quote Iqbal: "Afsos sad afsos kay shaheen na bana tu/Dekhay na teri aankh nay fitrat kay isharat". Lt-Col (r) Malik Khan Rawalpindi http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=204219 Abdul Haye Kakar: 'اے بسا آرزو کہ خاک شدہ۔۔۔' اصناف: بحث, سیاست, پاکستان عبدالحئی کاکڑ | 2009-10-26 ،11:38 جماعت اسلامی کی جانب سے کیری لوگر بل پر 'صاف و شفاف' ریفرنڈم کے انعقاد پر پارٹی کے سربراہ منور حسن صاحب کو دل کی گہرائیوں سے مبارک باد دینے کو دل چاہتا ہے۔ عوام اور سیاستدانوں پر ہمیشہ شک کرنے والی پاکستانی فوج کے ساتھ یکجہتی کا اس سے بڑا ثبوت اور کیا ہو سکتا ہے۔ اِدھر کور کمانڈروں نے اجلاس کے بعد محض چند جملوں کا پالیسی بیان جاری کیا اُدھر مسلم لیگ نواز سمیت کئی جماعتوں نےاس پر لبیک کہا۔ بہرحال سب سے زیادہ وفادری کا کریڈٹ جماعت اسلامی کو ہی جاتا ہے جس نے دن رات ایک کر کے اس ایشو پر بقولِ شخصے انجینئرڈ ریفرنڈم کروایا۔ شفافیت کا اندازہ اس بات سے لگایا جا سکتا ہے کہ چیف الیکشن کمشنر غالباً منور حسن صاحب تھے اور پولنگ ایجنٹس جماعت اسلامی کے ہی مقامی رہنماء تھے۔ ووٹوں کی گنتی بھی جماعت اسلامی کے منظم ذمہ داروں کے مبارک اور مقدس ہاتھوں سے کچھ اس طرح انجام پائی کہ دوسرے ہاتھ کو خبر تک نہیں ہوئی۔ ریفرنڈم میں اٹھاونوے فیصد افراد کا کیری لوگر بِل کے خلاف ووٹ دینے سے نہ صرف فوج کی منشاء پوری اور ساکھ بہتر ہوئی بلکہ اس سے جماعت اسلامی کا سیاسی موقف بھی 'برحق فوج' ثابت ہوا۔ کیری لوگر بل پر ریفرنڈم اعداد وشمار کے لحاظ سے جنرل ریٹائرڈ پرویز مشرف اور ایشو کے حوالے سے جنرل ضیاءالحق کے ساتھ مماثلت رکھتا ہے۔ لیکن کیا ہی اچھا ہوتا کہ جماعت اسلامی خودکش حملوں کے حلال یا حرام ہونے، مساجد میں بم دھماکوں، طالبان کو 'دہشت گرد' یا 'مجاہد' قرار دینے، چینی اور دیگر روزمرہ اشیاء کی عدم دستیابی اور بڑھتی ہوئی قیمتوں پر کوئی ریفرنڈم کرواتی، لیکن اے بسا آرزو کہ خاک شدہ۔۔۔ http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/urdu/2009/10/post_523.html Munno Bhai: Asadullah Ghalib:

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