Bismillah ar Rahman ar Rahim REALPakNationalists

November 30, 2009

We will take our country back!

Filed under: Defense — Tags: , , , — admin @ 10:01 am

The philosopher John Stuart Mill once said “War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things.”

I do not like wars, but then, who ever does? Families are torn apart, lives are ended brutally early, and inconceivable potential is gone to waste. But when we look back through the course of human history, we recognize the moments where war was a necessity, because the alternative was, as Mill would say, “the uglier thing.”

I see my country torn apart with bombing after assassination after bombing. Schools are bombed and UN aid buildings are blown up. I read the stories of courageous police officers who are killed trying to protect everyday Pakistanis. Men, women and children in cities and villages all over the country are dying. After every incident, there is a sorrow but after so many, there is numbness. .

To me, living under the dark, hate-filled, miserable world of extremism is the uglier thing. The cancer of extremism has been allowed to seep in over the past several decades, and now the Zardari administration has decided to confront it.

In his recent article, Anwar Shakir quotes military spokesman Athar Abbas who said Pakistani forces have killed fighters in the South Waziristan offensive.

Nobody should doubt Pakistan’s sincerity in the fight against terrorism, Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said, according to the official Associated Press of Pakistan.

20060418-india-pakistan-border

We are working hard to take our country back, and inshallah, we will win.

November 29, 2009

Need for a Charter of Security

Filed under: Defense — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 2:14 pm

Ali Malik makes some important arguments for Pakistan’s need for a ‘Charter of Security’ on his blog yesterday. As the world waits for American President Barack Obama to annouce the US plans for increasing troops in Afghanistan (and who does not think the Americans will increase troops there?), and PM Gilani says that an American troop increase would yield risks to Pakistan, we should be thinking about how to update our own defense planning so that it is most effective in the new situation. Malik argues quite well that this new ‘Charter of Security’ can be fashioned after the ‘Charter of Democracy’ that helped bring the country forward.

Just when it is a pathetic situation to be in as being world’s 7th nuclear power, it offers an opportunity as well. For just 5 years back, the country had no internal doctrine as well just as it does not have an external doctrine. The political forces in the country, the biggest two, seized the moment and initiated a dialogue which led to the Charter of Democracy. Charter of Democracy provided a comprehensive consensus on the movement ahead on the internal issues and is fast turning into the first consensus document since 1973′s constitution. Slowly but gradually, it is helping democracy take root in the country and address the balance of power between civilian institutions. And despite political opportunism (which must be taken as a ground reality), it has helped set the game plan and rules which act as a deterrence when the hostility goes overboard.

What the nation needs is a same effort on the lines of Charter of Democracy for its security and foreign policy doctrine. All political parties and political leadership has either been naive or cautious in not treading the courses on security doctrine which fall out of the realm of existing cliche. It is high time that country’s leadership comprising all segments of a diverse Pakistani nation sit together and answer some fundamental questions like

  • What should be the broader objectives of our foreign policy? And in line of these objectives what goals should we pursue across the globe in line with the existing ground realities to best serve Pakistan’s interests?
  • Where lies the ownership of the policy?
  • Who will be responsible to implement what goals?
  • To what degree should the intervention be part of our security doctrine?
  • A candid analysis of how soft power can help further our security/foreign policy objectives?
  • Do we want to be an expansionist state or not?
  • Who would have the power to modify and monitor the objectives?
  • What should be the role of 6 key external players (US, China, Saudi Arabia, UK, Iran and India) in Pakistan’s international relations?
  • How to devise a mechanism to review and change the foreign policy objectives in line with ever-changing world around us?

Malik also makes the important point that working towards a ‘Charter of Security’ provides an opportunity to bring to the table US and China as key external partners. Like it or not, US and China represent the most powerful nations in the world right now, with US being the world’s single superpower. But unlike the cold-war when US and USSR were enemies, US and China are strategic partners and every day are working more closely together on shared interests.

A critical external element in this strategy will be to take US and China on board. I think of a number of international issues that they are trying to settle between them, a consensus policy on Pakistan should be a priority. US must realize that her decision to abandon Pakistan in 1990s has cost her influence here that turned out to be China’s gain. As a fair bargainer, it should be willing to pay the price for her action while trying to consolidate what it could.

By bringing on board the US and China with this ‘Charter of Security’, Pakistan would be creating a strategic partnership with the world’s most powerful nations that would ensure access to military technology, training, and resources necessary to provide for our defense. 

Most importantly, though, this strategic partnership would send a strong and unmistakable signal to India and other nations that they cannot play taunting games or make attempts to infringe on our security and sovereignity.

November 25, 2009

The Real Goal of the Anti-NRO Brigade

Filed under: Media,NRO — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 9:01 am
The real goal of anti-NRO brigade is a return to politically motivated arrests.

The real goal of anti-NRO brigade is a return to politically motivated arrests.

NRO poses a particularly difficult problem. Or does it really? The fact is, NRO has taken over the media attention just as Kerry-Lugar bill has left, and has given TV anchors something to shout about instead of TTP attacks. But let’s take a look at this new topic of discussion and see if there’s something there.

To help us in this topic, we will refer to Aniq Zafar’s article in The News yesterday titled “Cleaning up the mess in the minds.”

The argument that all those who are alleged beneficiaries of NRO should resign is flawed to begin with. In Pakistan’s checkered political history there has been hardly any politician worth his name who has not been accused of one thing or the other. From Husain Shaheed Surharwady to Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto, politicians have had number of FIRs registered against them, cases dragged in the courts and of course media trials conducted. There is nothing new in the current situation as the bulk of the cases that will now be ‘reopened’ fall in the same category, where political considerations bore heavy on the investigation, prosecution and judiciary.

If the argument of moral brigade is accepted and it is established as a principle that all those who have had cases under process in the courts of law should resign then one has a very rosy picture for the future of Pakistan. This principle provides a great incentive to the government of the day to slap all kinds of cases against the opposition leaders. Finding irregularities and violations of the rules is the easiest of the cases that can be registered against anyone.

In this country a case filed against you for the violation of section 144 can take decades to settle. So you can literally put your opponents out of the contention for power by filing cases against them. Will that be acceptable?

For too long our politicians have used legal charges as a means of disarming their opposition. During the 1990s, this was a particularly popular move. In fact, when the list of NRO beneficiaries was finally released, it contained 34 different politicians!

And in case you think that there was something other than political gamesmanship going on in these charges, remember that Nawaz Sharif himself has said that most of the cases against Zardari were politically-motivated.

Mr. Zafar sees through the politically-motivated charges very easily, and finds it readily apparent the real motivation behind the NRO debate:

So what is the argument here of the moralist brigade? But don’t underestimate them they have an agenda and that is to take both President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani down. It is only a matter of strategy whom to take down first and then follow with the other.

This is simply a return to the old ways of using trumped up legal charges against political opponents to neutralize them so the anti-NRO brigade can  try to seize power for themselves. This will result in a lack of faith in our political institutions both at home and in the world, and it will also result in a “chilling effect” that will keep the best and brightest of our people from choosing a life of public service to their country. Who in their right mind would enter politics if they knew that they would be arrested and jailed only for political expediency?

Meanwhile, while these political operatives are going on TV talk shows and speaking incoherently about NRO, TTP is attacking and killing innocents. It makes you wonder whose side they are really on?

November 19, 2009

Pakistan's Enemies Show Their True Colors

Filed under: Defense — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 1:15 pm

It’s not often that enemies as crafty as Pakistan’s will show their true colors, but recently we have seen several let down their guard and reveal their true purposes. When the fog begins to clear, we begin to see the traitors in our midst and the foreigners who are helping them to tear down Pakistan.

Fifty years ago, Maududi opposed Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and his struggle to secure the nation of Pakistan. Today, his anti-Pakistan legacy is continued by Jamaat-i-Islami leader Syed Munawwar Hasan. Today, The News reported a speech made by the JI Amir in which he claims that Taliban did not attack GHQ.

ISLAMABAD: The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Central Amir, Syed Munawwar Hasan, on Wednesday claimed that the Taliban had not attacked the GHQ rather India and the United States were behind the attack.

This is the stupidest of lies. There is no question of responsibility, as TTP has claimed responsibility for the attacks on GHQ. TTP has also claimed responsibility for the suicide attacks on ISI headquarters in Peshawar. TTP has not only claimed responsibility for these acts, but sworn to continue killing innocent Pakistanis:

Qari Hussain, cousin of the TTP head Hakimullah Mahsud and known as the trainer of suicide bombers, threatened further attacks against the security forces and law-enforcement agencies.

He said the suicide bombings and other attacks would be carried out and there would be no letup in this campaign.

Of course, there are some elements in Pakistan, like JI, that are working to sow confusion among the Pakistani people so that we will not be unified in our resistance to these TTP butchers.

An article in today’s Wall Street Journal confirms that attacks on Pakistan are being carried out by foreigners:

“We faced stiff resistance from the insurgents,” said Brig. Mohammed Shafiq, who led the assault. He said most of the defenders were Uzbeks and Arabs, a common refrain from Pakistani commanders who have repeatedly stressed al Qaeda’s role in South Waziristan.

Pakistani Brigadier Farrukh Jamal added more evidence that there is a conspiracy by foreigners, but they are not Americans!

“We have also intercepted communications confirming the presence of large number of Arabs in the area,” Brig. Jamal said.

Even though TTP claims responsibility for suicide bombings, even though Pakistani military has evidence that attacks are being carried out by Uzbek and Arab militant recruits – still these Jamaatis and their kind are misleading the people and saying it is some conspiracy by America!

According to a recent Gallup Pakistan poll, 59% of people surveyed across the country consider the US a threat.

The military does not see America as a threat, though, and the top military officers know that any coups will result in Pakistan’s military being cut off from vital supplies necessary for Pakistan’s defense. If this JI-TTP conspiracy succeeds, Pakistan will be defenseless.

The prospect of a military takeover — long an option in Pakistan — is overblown, say officials in both the government and the military. Kayani is indeed ambitious but he understands the consequences of a military takeover, particularly with regard to continued U.S. military aid, said one official.

Still, this has not stopped conspiracy gossip from growing on our TV and news. It is so bad that even retired Gen. Mirza Aslam Baig has said that CIA, Mosad, RAW and Afghan Intelligence Agency Rawa are involved in a conspiracy against Pakistan and imposed a war on Pakistan.

But we should come to expect such lies from a figure such as Baig. How can we forget that this is the man who partnered with Hamid Gul to praise Taliban in 2001? In fact, it is during Gen. Baig’s time as Chief of Army Staff that these militants were allowed to build their base from which they now murder our people. Perhaps Gen. Baig should remember that he will find no Mehran Bank in Jannah.

There is a war against Pakistan. This war is being waged by butchers of women and children, and these butchers go by the name of TTP. How do we know this? They are so brazen as to call Geo TV and admit it! Still, though, the supporters of these TTP butchers like Syed Munawwar Hasan and Mirza Aslam Baig continue to mislead the people of Pakistan. They are the psychological warfare operation of their true allies, the Taliban.

But these TTP butchers and their psychological warfare will not prevail. Insha’Allah the eyes of Pakistan’s people will be clear and we will see through their lies and their killings and Pakistan will emerge victorious! Pakistan Zindabad!

November 16, 2009

Quraishi's Coup Would Destroy Pakistan

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 1:32 pm

In my recent post, Quraishi’s Coup: Who is he really working for?, I noted that the recent political unrest in Honduras clearly demonstrates that the Obama regime in the US will not allow a coup in Pakistan without serious consequences. Among these consequences, quite clearly, would be the cutting off of military supplies necessary for the defense of Pakistan.

On his blog this past Saturday, Ibrahim Sajid Malick further corroborates my analysis by noting that his own sources have confirmed that supporting a coup in Pakistan will mean the devastation of Pakistan’s ability to defend itself.

United States Central Command chief Gen David Petraeus and Chairman Senate Foreign Affairs committee Senator John Kerry on Monday October 19th 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!

Mr. Malick’s sources go on to make my point exactly:

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.

I kindly ask, once again, who it is that would benefit from such an outcome? Certainly not the US, who relies on Pakistan to help in the fight against Taliban. Certainly not Pakistan, who relies on the US to provide military funding, supplies, and training. Is there any other nation that would benefit from a Pakistan coup other than India? And by calling for such a coup, is Ahmed Quraishi acting as an Indian agent?

Who Does Ahmed Quraishi Work For?

Who Does Ahmed Quraishi Work For?

November 13, 2009

Quraishi's Coup: Who Is He Really Working For?

Filed under: Media — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 11:42 am

Ahmed Quriashi has graduated from conspiracy propagandist to seditionist, it seems. On his Facebook page, Quraishi has been posting semi-coherent rants calling for the military to overthrow the Pakistani government with force:

The American house of cards in Pakistan – Zardari, NRO, Malik-Haqqani and the famous Mush-BB deal – are all coming down. I urge Gen. Tariq Majeed and Gen. Kayani to ditch that deal and save the country from this US- and UK-imposed leadership. Not that the replacement is any better. But we’ll deal with that later. Get rid of CIA and MI6 agents in Islamabad first.

Ahmed Quraishi calls for coup in Pakistan

Ahmed Quraishi calls for coup in Pakistan

This is an explicit call for the violent overthrow of the Pakistani government, and an outright act of sedition by a member of the media. In fact, Mr. Media Taliban has taken this call for return to military dictatorship to the airwaves and tried, in a very clever way, to say that his plan is for the military to overthrow the democratically elected civilian government and replace it with…a civilian government. Presumably, this new government of Quraishi’s would be hand-picked by him.

In the course of his unhinged ranting, Media Taliban Ahmed Quraishi goes so far as to call Pakistan “a failure” and to suggest that we throw out the Constitution! Ahmed Quraishi cynically calls himself a “nationalist,” but he can never call himself a PATRIOT. No REAL Pakistani Patriot and Nationalist would so insult the legacy of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah!

“Pakistan’s parliamentary system is a failure for the past 60 years…”

Ahmed Quraishi insults Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Ahmed Quraishi insults Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Let’s take a close look at Quraishi’s call for a coup d’etat. This is a ridiculous and dangerous proposition from the start.

One, after suffering under military dictatorship for so long, does Quraishi really believe that the military would overthrow the government just to walk away from power? Of course, Ahmed Quraishi, the man who has never met a dictator he didn’t like, would probably be more than happy to another Musharraf back in power.

Ahmed Quraishi receiving an award from Gen. Pervez Musharraf

Ahmed Quraishi receiving an award from Gen. Pervez Musharraf

Two, let’s put aside for a moment the fantasy world in which Ahmed Quraishi lives and examine this idea in the real world. What would happen to Pakistan if the military overthrew the democratically elected government? For a hint, we can look at the recent situation in Honduras. Following the coup d’etat there, Honduras became a global pariah, completely isolated from the world and under a state of emergency and riots. Do we really think things would be better in Pakistan?

Three, building off points One and Two, we can clearly see that this proposal of Mr. Quraishi is a trap for the military. As we clearly demonstrated in our post about Quraishi’s colleague Shireen Mazari’s suggestion that the military cut ties with the Americans, isolating the military will cripple Pakistan’s ability to defend itself. There is no question about this. For an example, we can again look at the recent coup in Honduras. Following the military’s overthrow of the democratically elected government, the US suspended military aid to Honduras.

The United States said on Wednesday it had suspended $16.5 million in military aid to Honduras following last month’s coup, and ousted President Manuel Zelaya demanded his rivals hand power back to him in 24 hours.

For all his anti-American rhetoric, one question keeps coming to mind. Who does Ahmed Quraishi work for?

Ahmed Quraishi appears as a member of the American Association of Political Consultants. He is an expert propagandist, of that there is no doubt. So the question remains, who is Quraishi’s American client? Who is he really working for?

Ahmed Quraishi's member profile for the American Association of Political Consultants

Ahmed Quraishi's member profile for the American Association of Political Consultants

Certainly Quraishi is not working for the Americans. He is clearly trying to force a wedge between the American and and Pakistani military. So then who is supporting him and giving him his talking points? To discover the answer, we must look at what other clients could be registered in America. Perhaps the answer is that powerful and crafty lobby in the US – India?

It’s time for Ahmed Quraishi to come clean about who his real masters are. He should open up his financial records for review by an independent investigation. Jamaati Quraishi has every right to his point of view, but the people also have every right to know who is representing when makes seditious claims for a coup d’etat!

Ahmed Quraishi Media Taliban

Ahmed Quraishi Media Taliban

November 10, 2009

Shireen Mazari Stabs Military In the Back

Filed under: Defense,Media — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 12:24 pm

shireen-mazari-stabs-military-in-the-backShireen Mazari has finally let the cat out of the bag and exposed herself as anti-military. In today’s The Nation, the editorial suggests that because of suspicion and mistrust between the American and Pakistani militaries, Pakistan’s military should cut off it’s ties to the US military. This is a stab in the back from a member of the national media.

For all its faults, the US is a major supporter of Pakistan’s military. The Americans provide essential funding, equipment, and training to Pakistan that help our brave soldiers defend the homeland. Working closely with top military officers, President Obama has expedited delivery of new technologies to help Pakistan’s defense.

During preparations this spring for the Pakistani campaigns in Swat and South Waziristan, President Obama personally intervened at the request of Pakistan’s top army general to speed the delivery of 10 Mi-17 troop transport helicopters. Senior Pentagon officials have also hurried spare parts for Cobra helicopter gunships, night vision goggles, body armor and eavesdropping equipment to the fight.

American military surveillance drones are feeding video images and target information to Pakistani ground commanders, and the Pentagon has quietly provided the Pakistani Air Force with high-resolution, infrared sensors for F-16 warplanes, which Pakistan is using to guide bomb attacks on militants’ strongholds in South Waziristan.

In addition, the number of American Special Forces soldiers and support personnel who are training and advising Pakistani Army and paramilitary troops has doubled in the past eight months, to as many as 150, an American adviser said. The Americans do not conduct combat operations.

This military partnership is ongoing, despite attempts by some to drive a wedge between us and the Americans and leaving us isolated. Think of what this isolation would cost:

This year alone, the Pentagon is sending more than $500 million in arms, equipment and training assistance to Pakistan, to help train and equip the Pakistani military for counterinsurgency operations.

Included in that package is nearly $13 million in electronic eavesdropping equipment to intercept militants’ cellphone calls. In July, the Pentagon supplied Pakistan with 200 night vision goggles, 100 day/night scopes, more than 600 radios and 9,475 sets of body armor.

The Pentagon has also sharply increased programs to bring Pakistani officers to the United States for training, particularly in counterterrorism.

So why is Shireen Mazari suggesting that the military distance itself from the US!?! Today’s editorial says, “It is time to create a distance between the Pakistan and US militaries.”

Let’s think about what this would mean in practical defense terms. If Shireen Mazari had her way, our military would not have:

  • New Mi-17 helicopters
  • New F-16 warplanes
  • Cobra helicopter gunship parts
  • Night vision goggles
  • Body armor to protect our soldiers
  • Eavesdropping equipment to gather intelligence
  • Hi-resolution infrared sensors for F-16 warplanes
  • Training by the world’s superpower
  • $500 million in arms
  • Hundreds of day/night scopes
  • Hundreds of radios

This is only part of the equipment and training provided to Pakistan by the US military. What do you think India would do if we took Shireen Mazari’s advice and cut off our military supplies? Probably declare a national holiday! To turn our backs on this assistance would be to sign our own suicide note.

Surely there is ample suspicion and distrust between Paksitan and the US. But notice that this is never the result of military officials. It is almost never even the result of political officials! No, what causes this suspicion and mistrust is the uninformed writings of questionable characters like Shireen Mazari. Who is she working for, we ask! Certainly not for a strong Pakistan.

Rather than turning our backs on the world’s superpower and cutting off essential sources of advanced military equipment and training, Gen. Kiyani and the military officials should be working to foster closer ties with the American military officers and breaking down barriers of mistrust. Once our military pushes aside those who stand in our way (Shireen Mazari) and develops a partnership of mutual trust with the American military, no one will dare to threaten our nation.

UPDATE: Musharraf Exposes India Involvement in Pak Terror

Filed under: india — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 8:55 am

A couple of weeks ago I asked the question, Are Pakistan’s Anti-US Hawks Indian Trojan Horses? This post clearly demonstrated that the support of JI and some hyper-nationalists are supporting India either intentionally or inadvertently. Some have claimed that this is too far fetched – that the attempt to weaken Pakistan was not a plot by India to isolate Pakistan from alliances with global superpowers so that they can dominate South Asia.

But yesterday, former president Pervez Musharraf said that India and RAW have been plotting secret conspiracies to rule the region.

India and its secret agencies had been hatching conspiracies against Pakistan by making their hegemony in Afghanistan, he said and added that Pakistan had proof regarding the involvement of India in terrorist activities in Pakistan.

As former Chief of Army Staff and President of Pakistan, Musharraf would have had access to intelligence that made clear the connection between Indian meddling and terrorism in Pakistan.

In fact, looking at recent attacks in Pakistan, there is a clear thread of evidence that points to Indian involvement:

1. The bombing on Sunday in Peshawar targeted a bazaar where people were buying sacrifices for Eid al-Adha.

2. Attacks have been targeting military officers. On October 22, one brigadier was murdered in Islamabad. And again this past weekend another assassination attempt was made against a brigadier.

This again raises the point that those jihadi sympathizers and pro-jihadi elements like Ahmed Quraishi are either intentionally or inadvertently supporting Indian efforts to weaken Pakistan.

When America was attacked on 9/11, the media did not begin to support Osama bin Laden and his band of hijackers. Rather, the people of America stood together to protect their country. A common cry was “Support Our Troops!”

Why in Pakistan are we determined to commit suicide by not supporting our military, but rather supporting these figures like JI that never wanted Pakistan to exist in the first place, or Ahmed Quraishi who makes his millions promoting conspiracy stories and supporting the terrorists that are murdering our courageous military officers and soldiers?

It is time for Real Pakistani Nationalists reject these distractions and Indian Trojan Horses and to stand up for our military.

November 6, 2009

Sovereignty…or something like it.

Filed under: kerry-lugar — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 10:04 am

We have buzzwords in politics. Every few weeks or so, one word, concept, principle or idea dominates the news cycle and everyone with access to the media repeats it, as if hypnotized.

The Pakistani media recently outdid themselves with their devotion to the word “sovereignty.” This was, of course, regarding the controversial Kerry-Lugar bill. Most in the media felt the generous aid package was infringing upon their rights as a nation, infringing upon the sovereignty of the Pakistani state.

In his piece, “Sovereignty, whose?” Harris Khalique argues we have never actually been sovereign.

We are born free, he says. One can almost hear the words of Rousseau, “…but are forever in chains.”

We have families that dictate our lifestyle choices in an already oppressive, conservative society that almost disapproves of self-expression. For so many Pakistani citizens, their lives are made harder because of discriminatory laws and lack of respect by the general public.

But of course, the struggle and movements for progress continue. That is the most heartening news of all.

Khalique also points out that the terms of Pakistan’s agreements with the World Bank, IMF and ADB loans are full of conditions. Once someone reads any of THOSE, I would like them to then accuse Kerry-Lugar of tying Pakistan’s hands up.

If there are those that feel Pakistan needs to stand up on her own feet, let them know that the Zardari administration is fully supportive of that idea. But to accept the argument that Kerry-Lugar infringes upon sovereignty is to argue that none of the prior arrangements were tough, and it also greatly harms the efforts at a new, long-term friendship with the US.

November 3, 2009

The heart desires more!

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , — admin @ 2:05 pm

Agha Haider Raza puts forward an argument articulating to look more towards the future rather than harping upon the past.

Looking at the past week, one can see how resilient Pakistanis have become.  Suffering numerous suicide bomb attacks and wide-spread military action, we are here yet again, still standing.  But how long can we sustain ourselves at this current rate of demolition? How many times will we resist smacking the hammer on our own foot? Nowadays we seem to have become the offspring of Glenn Beck and the Republican Party.  With a constant denial of the harsh reality and a love for misconstruing and fabricating baseless facts that just aim to maim the United States, we seem to be struggling.  And when we struggle, we play the role of a secluded, spoilt child.

Prior to 9/11, we perfected this character, but now the circumstances have changed. We can no longer do as we please without being held accountable for our actions.Pakistan has suffered.  Thousands of innocent lives have been lost at the hands of suicide bombs and ambush attacks.  Women have lost husbands, sons and brothers and it is despicable at the number of families that have suffered.  Much to the dismay of our right-wing journalists, I am not going to be making a presumed argument as to how India, Israel or even the United States are after Pakistan’s existence.  It’s just not happening, guys! I feel it would also be fruitless to engage in a history lecture as to who gave rise to the mujahedeen since various institutions in our country groomed them.  But by excluding so much, the foreign influence and historic aspect many would argue that I have no argument.  But for a split second, would it be possible to sit and analyze how we can carry ourselves into the future rather than dissecting the past?

Many times a day, we read in the newspapers and on the internet, the extent by which America has extended its influence within Pakistan.  From Blackwater to US diplomats wielding weapons and the constant chatter in regards to the Americans taking over our nuclear arsenal, we’ve heard it all.  I would like to take this opportunity and remind my avid readers that Pakistan’s nuclear weapons are not hidden in any underground garage that can be easily picked up by “US diplomat”.  I have more faith in my military that protects such weapons than those journalists and commentators who seem to believe otherwise.

The United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, came and went.  Although she was given a red-carpet upon landing, there were times where her reception was – well – jagged.  Criticism and resentment towards the United States is understandable.  Issues ranging from drone attacks (which is debatable!), alleged presence of US personnel and expansion of the US embassy are some of the concerns Pakistanis share.  But how much credit have we given Hillary Clinton for taking the initiative of reaching out across the political spectrum?  Firstly, she stayed for three days.  Both President Bush and President Clinton had to arrive in secrecy in Pakistan, and the statements they made seem more like a photo-op than anything substantive.  Upon meeting specific people, both Presidents took off and that was the end of their journey into Pakistan.

Secretary Clinton on the other hand, not only met those in office, but those outside of office as well.  She took a step further and held a town-hall debate with students and met various journalists while giving time to Pashtun elders as well.  But was this enough to please our right-wing journalists? Of course not! They had problems with the type of journalists she met, the transparency of the business leaders she conversed with and the lack of money she brought with her.  Did they even dare comment on the extent to which she tried to rectify the failure of previous administrations?  We only felt too proud, when a journalist claimed that we are fighting America’s war.  Proud because we assumed someone was able to stand up to the mighty Clinton.  Unfortunately, the moderator failed to realize that when a Pakistani is killed on a daily basis, it becomes the responsibility of our government and our military, thus our war.

I fail to understand how we keep asking for more aid money and assistance from around the globe, but at the same time are completely unwilling to be held accountable for the pennies we spend.  We lambasted the IMF for bailing us out of near bankruptcy.  No doubt the IMF places stringent conditions when offering loans, but is it safe to assume that if we had the money, we would not need to be borrowing? Pakistan’s tax-GDP ratio is a number that is so micro, I don’t think it would be visible here.  On the other hand we enjoy receiving other countries money, as long as we do not tell them, where and how it is being spent.  Frankly speaking, it is not fair to use aid money in this manner of secrecy, nor should we allow other countries to micromanage us, just because we have been given their aid money.  This mantra of dil maange aur (the heart desires more) needs to stop.  And can only stop if we are faithful to ourselves.  Although we tend to be very egotistical when it comes all other issues, but taking a kashkol (begging bowl) to other countries seems to make us forget all about our ego.

Pakistan is at its wits end.  We must take the reins of our future and grasp them tightly.  Rooting out militants from South Waziristan is only a step towards cleansing our country of this disgusting and twisted ideology that causes inhumane persons to blow themselves up and kill others.  Condemning the United States will not stop a child in Lahore from gathering a bogus understanding of Islam that will cause him to take the lives of others, nor will it rid us of the poverty in Karachi and unemployment issues in Peshawar.  To counter this we need a united front in order to stop the ethnic tensions rising between us.  This is where your role as a Pakistani citizen comes into play.  All our lives we learnt not to point fingers at others, and now when the going gets tough, we find it only to easy blaming others for our predicaments.  At the end of the day, we all know our destiny lies only in our hands; no other country has control over it.  Believe it!


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