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Posted by Mahi Ali in LIAR POLITICIANS, LOAN Thieves, Nawaz "Badami Lassi Kim Barker Thurke" Sharif, Nawaz Dangerous, NAWAZ SHARIF, Nawaz Sharif & Kashmiri Biradari, Nawaz Sharif Dangerous Man, Nawaz Sharif Massive Corruption, NAWAZ SHARIF MUZZLES PRESS, NAWAZ SHARIF SAGA OF ABSOLUTE & CHRONIC CORRUPTION, NAWAZ SHARIF US & SAUDI AGENT, Nawaz Sharif US Agent, Nawaz Sharif Womanizer, Nawaz Sharif-The Prime Minister from Hell, NAWAZ SHARIF: THE LOOTER on August 23rd, 2013
Nawaz belonging to a conservative family with religious bent of mind shot into prominence on the political landscape because of patronage of Gen Zia. He became chief minister Punjab during PPP’s first tenure from 1988 to 1990. During the 1970s when ZA Bhutto was in power, his autocracy and rigging in 1977 elections brought all political and religious parties on single platform. Slogan of ‘Islam in danger’ was used to energize Nizam-e-Mustafa movement and to push Bhutto against the wall and to impel Zia to take over the reins of the country in July that year.
Nawaz had witnessed the charged sentiments of the people desiring Islamic system. After seeing the downfall of all-powerful Shah of Iran and takeover of an Islamic government in March 1979, he then saw how tenaciously the Islamists fought the Soviet forces in Afghanistan against heavy odds for a decade and ultimately defeated the super power. Pakistan had a key role in the war. He had also observed the contrasting role of Al-Zulfiqar led by Bhutto sons getting assistance from Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, India and USSR and indulging in anti-state activities throughout the Afghan war.
During Nawaz’s first tenure from 1990 to 1993, Shariah Act was passed by National Assembly in May 1991, which made it obligatory for Muslims to follow injunctions of Islam. He watched the peaking of freedom movement in occupied Kashmir and the valor of Kashmiris resisting the might of over 700,000 Indian security forces and braving their gruesome brutality. It had led to emergence of several Jihadi groups in Azad Kashmir. In the 1990s, religious extremism and sectarianism had intensified as consequence to fallout of Afghan Jihad, uprising in Kashmir and support of Saudi Arabia and Iran to sectarian outfits. Al-Qaeda under Osama bin Laden had also turned its guns against US targets in the region. While Pakistan was under US sanctions and had virtually been abandoned, India taking advantage of its strategic alignment with USA had stepped up its diplomatic efforts to get Pakistan branded as a terrorism abetting state.
Nawaz Sharif gained two-thirds majority in 1997 elections and was unquestionably the most populous leader in the country in that timeframe. One reason of his popularity was that he had wrongly been denied the right to rule by the then President Ghulam Ishaq Khan after he was reinstated by Supreme Court in April 1993. The other reason was the poor showing of Benazir Bhutto (BB) led government and corruption scandals of her spouse Zardari during the two stints in power. Shifting the power policy from hydro to highly expensive thermal power through IPPs laid the foundation for energy crisis. The PPP misrules had caused severe damage to democracy, restored in end 1988 after the eleven year rule of Gen Ziaul Haq and his death in air crash in August 1988.
Under the religiously charged geo-political environment and his own conservative background, if Nawaz had desired introduction of Shariah after obtaining a heavy mandate in 1997 and had got Shariah bill passed from the Lower House, his longing was neither out of context nor against the wishes of the great majority in Pakistan. Although he never mentioned that he wanted to become Ameerul Momineen of an Islamic Emirate, his detractors attributed it to him out of malice for Islamic system. Secular writers keep taunting him that he had become so intoxicated with power that he vied to become Ameerul Momineen. Seculars in Pakistan are thankful to Gen Musharraf for dashing his dreams and saving Pakistan from becoming an Islamic State. It is a different matter that secular lawyer community cooked the goose of Musharraf, the sponsor of concept of enlightened moderation.
Both BB and Nawaz vied to wear the crown for the third time during their exile. BB was not lucky to accomplish her wish for she was murdered on December 27th, 2007 when the crown was within her grasping reach. Nawaz had to wait longer and had to wade through thorny path but ultimately succeeded in becoming PM for the third time in June 2013. People say it was because of his closeness with religion and sincerity of purpose that he was bestowed with this near impossible honor and create history.
Much against general perception of hung parliament, PML-N once again managed to obtain heavy majority in the centre and in Punjab and was in a comfortable position to make its government in Balochistan and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Nawaz generously allowed National Party led by Dr Malick to form a government in Balochistan and his rival PTI in KP thereby burying cut-throat politics of manipulation. Seized with the magnitude of problems gifted to him by PPP led regime, his team has started to tackle complex problems to stem the rot of inefficiency and corruption which have destroyed state corporations.
Nawaz’s address to the nation has evoked barrage of criticism from PPP stalwarts. Ill-famed Aitzaz Ahsan and reviled ex PM Raja Rental who had miserably lost elections from his home constituency had the audacity to say that his address was disappointing. They forget their own disappointing and shameless roles. Aitzaz sucked up to Zardari to acquire Senate seat. While defending Gilani charged with contempt of court, he made a u-turn in his stance on writing a letter to Swiss authorities and strongly advocated that Gilani was right in not writing a letter since president enjoyed immunity.
How has Nawaz failed to tackle decade old terrorism as claimed by him in his two-month old rule and that too in the absence of national security and counter terrorism policies and above all, conflicting views of political parties and public whether it is our war or someone else’s war, and whether we should continue fighting or negotiate? In the backdrop of existing anomalies lingering since Musharraf’s era, what was so drastically wrong on part of Nawaz to say that the government is ready to exercise both options of talk and fight and will choose the one agreed upon by all stakeholders.
Nawaz is not confused; it is Jayalas like Raja Ashraf and Aitzaz who are flabbergasted since none listen to them. Instead of appreciating the economic wizard Ishaq Dar managing to pay off Rupees 480 billion circular debt in quick time and increase electricity generation to 17000MW to provide immediate relief to the people and let them keep fasts and celebrate Eid in peace, PPP leaders are dejectedly questioning as to how the debt was retired. Asif Khawaja is relentlessly chasing the electricity thieves, bill payment defaulters and corrupt elements and is checking line losses. Gas and power theft is consuming Rupees 150-200 billion while FATA, settled areas of KP and some other regions are hardly paying any electricity dues. Besides activating Nandipur and Neelum-Jhelum projects, China has shown willingness to help ease energy crisis. Efforts are already underway to exploit coal as an alternative source of energy. World Bank and ADB have now shown readiness to fund Bhasha dam.
Why should Nawaz have spelled out terms of negotiations with TTP before hand? Does he as a lawyer show his cards before hand while defending his client or prosecuting his opponent in law courts? This is called criticism for the sake of criticism when one has nothing concrete to offer.
Concerning security plan about which the two had never spoken earlier, Interior Minister had already informed the nation that both national and counter terrorism policies would be presented by the end of this month. If the security forces have fought the war for a decade without these policies, I reckon we can afford to wait for few more weeks. DCC (now renamed) meeting chaired by the PM and attended by all Service Chiefs and CJSC has been held on 22 August to take stock of internal and external security matters and it has been decided that talks will be held with only those who surrender arms.
Raja Ashraf says that Nawaz had nothing to offer but vague promises. I am sure his repeated firm promises he made to the nation to end load shedding must be haunting him. While Aitzaz distinctly remembers the promise made by Shahbaz Sharif during election campaign to end load shedding, he doesn’t remember Raja Ashraf’s false promises and his disastrous RPP project. Nandipur and Neelum-Jhelum hydro projects capable of overcoming energy crisis were immobilized because of lethargy and incompetence. While Kalabagh dam was scored off at the very outset, no progress was made on Diamer-Bhasha dam.
Aitzaz’s lament that the PM didn’t announce any mega project for Balochistan is far from truth. Balochistan will benefit the most from the projected development of Kashgar-Gwadar Highway. Gadani coal projects will add to the prosperity of the province. Above all, letting nationalist leaders to hold two highest portfolios in the province is a clear indication that Nawaz is determined to address the grievances of Balochistan.
Aitzaz said that PPP is thinking of moving Supreme Court on Nandipur issue. It dare not for its cupboards are full of skeletons. PPP leading lights must first return back the stolen wealth before casting stones on others and holding them accountable. The last regime has left behind such a huge mess that it is impossible to clean it in months. The stink is too foul and nauseating which will take time to fade away. Piplas are rightly perplexed to see the fast occurring changes since they had spent their five years in looting and merrymaking and had run the affairs of the state by printing Rupees three billion currency notes daily.
The writer is a defence analyst and a freelance analyst. asifharoonraja@gmail.com
Posted by Haidery in Pakistan-A Nation of Hope on August 21st, 2013
By:
Inayet Ullah
A-513, Block “I”,
North Nazimabad, Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-6625718.
Posted by Fawad Mir in PAKISTAN JUDICIARY on August 21st, 2013
Compare this to an the Salary of Army, Air Force or Navy 3 or even 4 Star Gen.!!!!
Posted by zohaib_baqi in Pakistan-A Nation of Hope on August 21st, 2013
This newspaper’s Monday headline said it all: “India Out of Control”. It conveyed our bemusement over India transgressing the LOC for no rhyme or reason when our prime minister had been sending out friendly feelers to restart peace talks even before taking office.
John Kerry lectures us on improving relations with India. He should understand that it is India that needs lecturing. America is childish, not ‘innocent’. What America means by ‘normalization’ is, “Accept Indian regional hegemony and its role as America’s policeman in South Asia” – the usual American pipedream. It was tried with the Shah of Iran and it trashed him. Ask America’s old satraps in the Arab world and they will tell you with tears in their eyes, “This is what America gives us for be so faithful to it.” They forget that if they are faithful to their own people no one can touch them.
In offering mediation Ban Ki-moon is both childish and innocent. If India had any respect for the United Nations it would have implemented the Security Council resolutions asking for a plebiscite to which it is signatory. India will reject Ban’s offer with contempt for mediation implies dispute when India says none exists as Kashmir-in-revolt is its integral part if you please. Yet an out of control country wants a seat in the Security Council with the Hegemon and its toadies wagging their tails. Thank God for China.
India’s madness happens periodically, triggered off by different circumstances every time. Just as the moon has to be full to make a werewolf, thus too it has to be monsoons for India to go loopy. However, while India is out of control once again, it is not beyond control even if it goes beyond the Line of Control. What will bring India back in control are its domestic problems and internal conflicts and contradictions, pretending to be what it is not. Every country suffers from such problems but when the reaction descends into a fit it is time for analysis towards understanding.
Underlying India’s conflicts with Pakistan and China is water. The rivers that matter to Pakistan and India are born in Tibet and go through Indian-occupied Kashmir before reaching Pakistan, thus the India-China kerfuffle over Tibet and the India-Pakistan contretemps over Kashmir. It is serious because most wars this century will be fought over water. It’s a big issue for Israel too: it’s not so much about oil but the water of the Euphrates that passes through Turkey and Iraq. Water from the Euphrates is already being siphoned off from Turkey to Israel under an agreement, threatening Iraq the lower riparian with drought.
India does not want peace with Pakistan because it already has control over that part of Kashmir that matters. Why would they wish to change the equation? Anyway, with nuclear parity war is no longer an option. It will be MAD, Mutually Assured Destruction. Having started nuclear terror in the subcontinent, India couldn’t be that loopy.
But why did India go loopy this time?
1. The rebellion in Kashmir has heated up again. If India is delusional enough to think that grabbing Azad Kashmir will end the Kashmiri freedom struggle, it has another thought coming. It will multiply manifold.
2. India wants to be accepted as the regional hegemon. Why else would they waste so much money building their first aircraft carrier when millions of their people are living in abject poverty and some 40 percent of the country is in insurgency? What will they do with it? Patrol the Indian Ocean? For what? Who do they think they will conquer? Aden, the Gulf, China, Karachi, Gwadar? Give me a break. An Indian submarine caught fire and burned down a day before the country’s independence day. Mercifully, Pakistan wasn’t blamed this time because it would make Pakistan look very powerful and decrease domestic morale. But when they can’t even look after what they have, what will they do with their aircraft carrier? Make it fly like a pig?
3. The Indian economy is going through a serious downturn and they wish to divert domestic attention from it.
4. Fear unifies a diverse country in the face of failure to improve the human condition. It has to keep itself together by stoking up the fear factor – threats from marauding Muslim hordes from the northwest as in the days of yore.
5. With difficult elections nigh war hysteria helps the ruling Congress party – or so it imagines. Actually, it would help the Hindu fundamentalist BJP because when people are afraid they usually turn right. Raising temperature is easier when your army chief is a warmonger spoiling for a fight. His bombast waits to be hoist on its own petard.
6. India has just caused floods in Pakistan by releasing excess water from the River Sutlej and wishes to divert attention here too.
7. India violates the Indus Basin Water Treaty by building dams and again wants to divert attention.
8. India wishes to push Pakistan to the brink by forcing it to deploy troops from its western border to its eastern borders.
9. The insurgency within Pakistan fuelled by Indian and American support of the ‘Balochistan Liberation Army’ is over control of Balochistan’s coastline – if Pakistan didn’t control it, it and China couldn’t reap the benefits. The 2000 km China-Pakistan Economic Corridor from Gwadar to Xinjiang will change the economic complexion of the region covering Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia. India fears this would diminish its importance. India could get into the equation and benefit too, but a state under superpower delusions couldn’t countenance being coopted by Pakistan and China.
10. Gwadar being the world’s largest deep-sea port, India and America worry about it becoming a Chinese naval base also housing nuclear submarines close to oil’s main supply route, the Straits of Hormuz. China’s influence and ingress in the Arabian Gulf would increase. If China builds a railway from Afghanistan to Gwadar it would change Afghanistan’s economic equation dramatically and increase Pakistan’s importance for it.
How times change. Pakistani politics have moved on from a 1,000-year war with India and eating grass to India not even being on the radar screen during the recent elections. Sadly, India has not. India’s media have been embarrassingly jingoistic and raised the temperature while Pakistani media have been most mature and measured.
There’s India’s usual pettiness too – large country with a small country mentality born of over a thousand-year rule by Muslims and the British. Get over it. Pettiness has swung from an inferiority complex to a superiority complex. Time to get real.
Its time for the world to get real too. It is. The realization is dawning about India’s human rights atrocities in Kashmir and many other parts of the country. India’s immaturity and hysteria, its baseless accusations against Pakistan and China and its gross human rights abuses are coming into the limelight, as is its nefarious role in Afghanistan and its numerous ‘consulates’ along the Pakistan border begetting insurgencies and abetting terrorism in our country.
The truth always outs. For the last many years Pakistan has been relentlessly maligned for encouraging terrorism in India and destabilizing it when all the while it was India that was the culprit. Pakistan was accused of being behind the attacks on India’s parliament building and in Mumbai. It now transpires that it was the work of India’s state institutions themselves. Soon the world will realize that all terrorism in India is begotten by its own state terrorism on its people. We know that it was a serving Indian army colonel that burned down the misnamed ‘Samjhota’ Express killing over 50 Pakistanis, but not a peep out of a world in thrall of India’s ‘culture’ that is mostly Muslim. We are accused of having an India-centric foreign policy. What do you think? If India’s recent behaviour is not Pakistan-centric you have to be stupid.
Its time for Pakistan to come real too. When India doesn’t want peace why go on asking for it? India raises facetious arguments to stall talks – give us Dawood Ibrahim and Hafiz Saeed first but without cogent proof. We don’t say, “Give us the Bugti boy first” even when we have cogent proof. They say, “We don’t know who to talk to since real power is with the Pakistan army.” We don’t say, “We don’t know who to talk to since real power lies with Sonya Gandhi and Manmohan Singh is only a proxy prime minister.” Grow up.
We should forget about talks until India rises to at least our maturity level. Let’s ignore India as far as possible and get on with developing our country, like China did and look where it has got in three decades. Leave India to its own devices. It matters not beyond its nuisance value. Let it wallow in its own delusions. America and China have finally understood that they are in a symbiotic relationship where one cannot do without the other and if one goes down so does the other. India doesn’t fit into that scheme of things and America or China will not go down trying to humour its pretensions.
Frankly, I would be loath to write about India if only they would stop their shenanigans and tamashas. They simply are pathetic attempts to camouflage its own failures and put Pakistan in the dock. The world is beginning to see through them. So are many Indians.
Posted by malika in PAKISTAN POLITICS on August 21st, 2013
Asif Haroon Raja
Presidential election held on 30 June 2013 kicked up lot of dust owing to PPP’s cranky behavior. PML-N’s demand to seek a change of date was not with mala fide intention. It was wrong on part of well-meaning but secular Fakhru Bhai not to understand the significance of 27th Ramadan which fell on 6th August and that many either sit in Aitiqaf or perform Umrah during last ten days of Ramadan. He should have owned his mistake and changed the date rather than showing his inability to do so when requested by PML-N. He displayed weakness when he was required to act firmly to stop pre-poll rigging and rigging on polling day, but became rigid at a wrong time. Rather than taking decision he passed the buck to the Supreme Court.
PPP’s attitude was debatable and it gave an impression as if Raza Rabbani would win the contest if held on 6 August and not otherwise. Judging from the political strength of each party and alliance of MQM and JUI-F with PML-N, victory of Mamnoon Hussain was a foregone conclusion. The only wishful possibility visualized by Rabbani was absence of large number of PML-N and JUI-F Parliamentarians on 6 August because of Aitiqaf/Umrah might pave his way to victory. He also naively thought that nomination of a weak candidate by PML-N might help him in winning over dissidents from PML-N and allied parties. Hidden motives were to make the election and judiciary controversial.
Notwithstanding some undesirable reservations expressed about Mamnoon, none will disagree with me that anyone howsoever mediocre but clean would be better than tainted Zardari. Hence boycott of election by PPP and its two worthless allies was in bad taste. PTI wisely decided to take part in election and field its candidate, although Imran Khan has still not got reconciled to general elections results and has landed himself in avoidable trouble. Mamnoon won with an overwhelming majority and will enter the presidency as a ceremonial president in September, putting an end to palace intrigues pursued by his predecessor.
Presidential election was no issue; what concerns Pakistanis are insecurity of life and property, energy crisis, faltering economy, declining morals and values, erosion of national sovereignty and honor, media’s negativity and foreign interference. Blood is oozing out of every pore of Pakistan for the last many years without blood transfusion to replenish the loss. As a result, the state is getting enfeebled with every passing day. The only preventive measure taken is to barricade the country by putting string of barriers and check posts and pitching security forces against faceless enemy which is well-trained, well-equipped and supported by external powers. While lawless FATA has to some extent been secured because of heroics of Army and FC, settled areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and urban centres where police is in the forefront remain in turmoil. Militants stab the chosen target with ease and get away. No fool-proof system has been devised to nip the evil in the bud by preventing occurrence through timely intelligence.
This myth has also been broken after the DIK jail break about which all concerned had been forewarned well in time. Police sluggishness, ineptness and collusion with the militants were reasons behind the embarrassing outcome. It was in knowledge of all that the police are involved in high scale corruption and in league with the criminals particularly in Balochistan and in Sindh. Performance of KP police was relatively better in facing militancy. Some say this downslide is owing to unclear policy of PTI government regarding TTP.
While the effect of this demoralizing event had not faded away, the nation was subjected to another embarrassment in Islamabad on August 15 where a lone gunman kept the capital city police in a spin for over five hours. But for Zamurrad’s bold act, the high drama would have continued till next morning. Having seen the conduct of Islamabad Police and its senior officials on TV, it can be safely concluded that it is unfit to confront even minor challenges.
It is indeed mind boggling that our security forces have been fighting war on terror haphazardly for a decade without national security and counter terrorism policies. This is despite the fact that Pakistan is the biggest victim of terrorism. Reason behind this criminal neglect is that the elites have secured themselves within the confines of Red and Green zones, bulletproof vehicles, and ring of security guards while leaving the masses to fend for themselves. In hundreds of acts of terror, the underprivileged class has suffered the most. This unfortunate class had neither been taken into confidence to participate in US imposed war nor is in direct clash with the militants. It is caught between the crossfire of security forces, militants and foreign agents.
The police which are the frontline force to check crime and terrorism have been thoroughly corrupted and politicized by the elites to serve their ends. Moral turpitude of all segments of society has nosedived and distinction between good and bad blurred. Rather, dishonest officials are patronized and rewarded while the honest are seen as misfits. This downslide started during Gen Musharraf era which allowed complete liberty of action to Washington to neo-colonize Pakistan and India given a free hand to crush freedom movement in occupied Kashmir. Five-year inglorious rule of PPP-ANP-MQM combine ruined Pakistan’s economy, social fabric and state institutions.
Till 2002, FATA was unofficially recognized as Illaqa Ghair where murderers, absconders, car-lifters, abductors and criminals could find refuge from hand of law. Now whole of Pakistan has turned into Illaqa Ghair since there is no rule of law, elites are biggest law breakers, accountability is absent, law enforcers and lower courts are corrupt. Terrorists having confessed committing over hundred murders are set free; terrorists nabbed during close combat in war zones are given bail; those in jail are freed by terrorists. Anti-terrorist courts violate mandatory timeframe and take their time to decide high profile cases, and those sentenced to death are not hanged.
A stage had been set to declare nuclear Pakistan a failed state, but God saved Pakistan from sinking by turning the victory of USA in Afghanistan into defeat and thus checkmating its imperialist designs. Since ISAF cannot possibly pull itself out of the quagmire without the help of Pakistan, the US is grudgingly tolerating Pakistan. Issues on which the US has been making hue and cry are being put up with and friendly gestures made. Its affability is however not at the cost of annoying India which continues to remain in its good books. USA is not putting any pressure on India to stop its hostile acts against Pakistan as is evident from ongoing escalation of tensions along the LoC. TTP and BLA have not been bridled by CIA.
It is heartening to note that the new government has firmed up to stem the rot and to not only clean the mess but also improve the economy and living conditions of the downtrodden. Some positive steps have already been taken. Electricity policy has been formulated and curse of prolonged load shedding marginally controlled. PM Nawaz Sharif’s address was inspirational and well-intentioned but good intentions require speedy and result oriented implementation. What is needed now is to take all stakeholders on board and finalize coherent national security policy and counter terrorism policy at the earliest to control the scourge of terrorism. Setting up of Rapid Response Force (RPF) and Joint Intelligence Secretariat to combat terrorism by the close of this month is satisfying, but police needs a big overhaul and so do investigating and prosecution agencies and lower courts. Effective RPFs and effectual intelligence setup are also required in each province.
As regards foreign policy, friendship with immediate neighbors is desirable, but it should not be one-sided and at the cost of honor and dignity. Clear distinction should be made between friend and foe since enemies guised as friends have caused more harm to Pakistan. It is good that grant of MFN status to India has been put on hold till normalization of relations. China being all-weather and time-tested friend, should be trusted and envisaged long-term projects executed.
The writer is a retired Brig, defence analyst, columnist and author of several books. asifharoonraja@gmail.com
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