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Archive for category Destroyers of E.Pakistan

Third party experiment in choppy waters – Asif Haroon Raja

Third party experiment in choppy waters

Asif Haroon Raja

 

 

In the 73 years political history of Pakistan, the civilians ruled for 40 years and the military for 33 years. While Field Marshal Ayub Khan, Gen Zia-ul Haq and Gen Musharraf ruled for over 10, 11 and 9 years respectively, no civilian ruler completed his/her 5 year tenure. Prolonged military rules made the senior army officers affluent and they made a place in the privileged club. Frequent military interventions bred civil-military tensions and both sides blamed each other for failing to make Pakistan a prosperous country. While the politicians term the military rulers as power hungry dictators and anti-democratic, and hold them responsible for not letting the democracy to grow, the army generals perceive the politicians as corrupt, security risk, and inept having no sense of governance and management. The three military rulers uplifted the GDP to above 7% due to continuity, one window operation, superior management and governance, but were unable to widen the base of education, improve literacy rate, reform the state institutions and establish true democracy. The politicians neither paid any attention to the education, nor reformed the institutions, or improved the tainted political culture. They were satisfied with the British inherited systems and were content in running sham democracy since it  enabled them to break or bend laws and indulge in corrupt practices without any check and balance. The bureaucrats who are the real power wielders and the judiciary played their part in keeping politics in choppy waters.

Three-tiered education system, feudalism, religious divides, secular-Islamic divide, rise of ethnicity and mushroom growth of provincial parties obstructed nationalism and integration of the society. Leadership crisis encouraged India and Afghanistan to exploit these fault lines, fuel regionalism and make use of 5th columnists to disturb law and order or to foment insurgency.  As a consequence, the country kept lurching from one crisis to another and never got politically stabilized, and economically sound. Unstable political and economic conditions, craze for materialism among the elites, ever widening gap between the rich and the poor, insensitivity of the selfish affluent class towards the deprived class, media emerging as the 4th pillar of the state but using its power wrongfully, all these factors deflected the nation away from the golden principles of Islam, and pushed the society towards the satanic path, which degenerated the moral turpitude of the society as a whole. Well-knowing that the hand of law will not touch them because of their influence and power of money, politicized police and bureaucracy and highly defective criminal judicial system, the evildoers commit all sorts of sins and heinous crimes without any fear. 

Irrespective of internal weaknesses and tense external environments, fighting three wars with India and losing the eastern limb, Pakistan’s Rupee value, its GDP, per capita income and overall economy were much stronger than the regional countries till 1990. Starting from 1953, Pakistan extended financial support to Saudi Arabia till mid-1970s. The rot started during the third democratic era of 1990s during which the two competing mainstream parties, PPP and PML-N, indulged in fierce tug of war, nepotism and in corrupt practices. Merit was set aside and loyalty to the ruling party head and not honesty and professional competence became the criteria for selection of senior bureaucrats, police officers, judges and bank managers. Same criteria was applicable for the cabinet ministers and advisers as well as the service chiefs. In a decade, all state institutions were politicized and destroyed. Gen Zia’s hammer in the form of Article 58 2 (b) was liberally used by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan to pack up three governments prematurely on charges of corruption. President Leghari used this axe once in 1996.

Since then, Pakistan’s economy has remained in the doldrums and at the mercy of the IMF and the World Bank. After a good start by the military regime of Gen Musharraf, it lost its shine once it chose to co-opt King’s Party, which was an amalgam of turncoats from all parties. Emphasis was on corruption but the axe of accountability fell upon the opponents of the regime. Kashmir cause was given a setback. National Reconciliation Ordnance (NRO), which brought back, Benazir Bhutto (BB), Nawaz Sharif (NS) and Zardari from abroad were the gifts of Musharraf. Whatever little improvements he made in the economy were washed down the drain during the 4th democratic era starting in 2008.

 

 

 

 

 

Instead of paying attention to institutions building, focus shifted on making compromises both internally and externally. Governed by the dictates of Charter of Democracy signed by NS and BB in May 2006, both PPP and PML-N during their respective five years tenures kept accountability on lowest priority. Emphasis of the two was on keeping USA and India appeased even at the cost of compromising national interests. Both tried to undermine the Army in order to establish civilian supremacy. Lip service was paid to the Kashmir cause and no heed was paid to the degeneration of morals and human values. Comparing the two, performance of PML-N was much better. NS could have completed his tenure as PM and his party could have won again in 2018 had he abstained from his old habit of locking horns with the army chiefs. Trial of Gen Musharraf and his indictment on charges of high treason, coupled with Dawn leaks scandal cooked his goose.     

It is said that when the two-party system failed to deliver and Pakistan began to sink under the massive weight of foreign debts and faltering economy due to declining morality, ever growing corruption and other malpractices and lack of governance, the Establishment decided to bring forward a new party with better credentials. To this end, PTI under Imran Khan (IK) who had a clean record was earmarked, which had taken advantage of the deplorable rule of PPP under Zardari and emerged as a strong third force in late 2011. Elimination of corruption and justice for all were the slogans chanted by charismatic IK which made him popular. His party however, failed to defeat the PML-N in 2013 elections since go-getter Shahbaz Sharif as CM Punjab had performed well and his party was well entrenched in Punjab which makes or breaks governments. Instead of reconciling with his defeat and concentrating on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where his party had formed a government and preparing for next elections, IK decided to oust PML-N which had gained two-third majority and had formed governments in Punjab and in Baluchistan.

Reason behind his impatience was that the ruling party had begun to deliver and CPEC agreement had become a reality. Letting PML-N to complete its tenure would have made its re-election inevitable. A plan was chalked out by him, Tahirul Qadri (TuQ), Pervez Elahi and Sheikh Rashid at London to stage a sustained sit-in at Islamabad in July 2014 under the premise of massive rigging in elections. Death of 14 supporters of TuQ in Model Town Lahore incident in June that year at the hands of the police energized firebrand TuQ to censure Punjab administration and police, register FIRs and gain sympathies of the people. It fueled the PTI-PAT protestors to undertake road journey from Lahore to Islamabad and stage a dharna at D Chowk. Reluctance of the government to open four constituencies in Lahore district for recounting of votes became the rallying point for the protestors to demand resignation of NS and to hold mid-term elections.

To maximize pressure on the government, various tactics were employed, which included attacks on the Parliament, PM Secretariat and PTV, followed by refusing to pay taxes, resignation by all MNAs of PTI and vicious propaganda war through electronic and social media to degrade the Sharif brothers. NS was demonized as the most corrupt man and IK glamorized as the best man. During the six months sit-in, every night the PTI members and supporters danced and sang on the beat of music arranged by DJ, and the PTI leaders hurled threats and insults on NS and his family. The jollification was abruptly called off after the tragedy in APS Peshawar on December 16, 2014 but the tirade continued relentlessly in the public meetings staged in big cities. Fan-following of IK surged and tussle between followers of PTI named as ‘Youthias’ and of PML-N as ‘Patwaris’ peaked on social media.  

Panama case in April 2017 came as a blessing in disguise for the PTI which was fully exploited to boot out NS. Media hype was created despite the fact that in the list of 450 account holders in the Panama offshore companies, NS name was not there. The seven-member Supreme Court bench under chief justice Saqib Nisar took assistance from the specially formed JIT to probe the accusations of corruption and money laundering. In spite of the 10-volume probe made by the JIT, the court found no trace of corruption, but disqualified NS on charges of holding an Aqama for getting employed in Al-Azizia steel mills at Dubai owned by his son and drawing salary from him during his period of exile. He didn’t mention it in his 2013 tax return since he had not drawn any salary.

PML-N suffered series of reverses which included disqualification of three-time elected NS in July 2017 for not being Sadiq and Ameen, time-bound trial of NS and his children by NAB court supervised by a judge of supreme court, toppling of PML-(N)-NP coalition government in Baluchistan led by Sanaullah Zehri in January 2018, followed by PML-N losing the sure seats of Senate Chairman and Deputy Chairman. Just before the general elections in July 2018, NS was absolved in one case but convicted in the second case and awarded 7 years jail sentence. His daughter Maryam and son-in-law Capt(Retd) Safdar were also jailed. Cases were registered by the law courts against senior PML-N leaders. Under the circumstances, the victory of PTI in July 2018 elections was a foregone conclusion.

PTI senior member Jahangir Tareen (JT) aspiring to become CM Punjab played a key role in inducing sizeable numbers of the electable turncoats from the PPP and PML-N and independents, mostly from South Punjab, to PTI. He was the chief organizer, financier and right hand man of IK. It is said that TLP, GDA and BAP were created to split votes of PML-N. However, despite the gerrymandering, PTI won with a thin margin in the Centre and in Punjab and perforce had to seek alliance with PML-Q, MQM-P and BNP-M whom IK had always censured. Punjab was handed to unknown and unassuming Usman Buzdar due to disqualification of JT by the count on charges of possessing a mansion abroad and holding an account in offshore company which he didn’t declare. The allies and the electables from other parties as well as imported technocrats have created hurdles in the way of reforming the state institutions and carrying out across the board accountability, and in building New Pakistan.

NS in the meanwhile managed to procure bail and get admitted in a hospital at Lahore for medical treatment. Later on he was permitted by the court to go abroad in November 2019 on account of his deteriorating health condition and to return after six weeks once his health improved. On December 17, 2019, Gen Musharraf in exile in Dubai was given death sentence by Islamabad High Court (IHC). Eruption of Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 kept the government in a spin and NS was forgotten. On 01 September 2020, the court hearing the Toshakhana (State to State Gift Repository) case asked NS to return home in next ten days or else he will be declared an absconder(already declared an absconder). He has now been summoned by IHC in Avenfield and Al-Azizia cases on 22 September. Both the Federal and Punjab governments as well as the NAB are making hectic efforts to get him back but NS is not likely to return soon as long as the doctors treating him do not clear him. NS and Maryam’s indulgence in politics is the reason behind the pressure.

It was optimistically assumed by PTI leaders that after the victory, over 70 legislators of PML-N would jump the ship and join the ruling party, as had been the practice before. PTI leadership was confident that not only they would muster enough political strength in Punjab to get rid of black mailing allies, but would also win local bodies elections comfortably. This assumption proved fallacious, as was the case with several other rosy assumptions. In spite of the relentless propaganda against the Sharif’s and their families and the witch-hunt of PML-N leaders by the NAB, the party remains intact and has not lost its vote bank in Punjab; the two brothers are still popular. It is speculated that in order to meet the threat posed by NS and Maryam, not only NAB has been further pumped up, the new CCPO Umar Sheikh has been inducted in the main political battleground of Lahore to do what other police officers couldn’t do. His services are needed so urgently that his blemished service record was ignored. So much so that instead of accepting the request of the IG Punjab Shoaib Dastagir to post out Umar Sheikh, he was removed from his post and new IG Inam Ghani inducted. 

Reason why the fort of PML-N couldn’t be cracked is that so far the PTI haven’t lived up to its promises and has fallen much short of high expectations of the people. None of the rosy promises have been fulfilled. Instead of improvement, their lives have become more depressed due to high inflation, red tapism, feudalism, nepotism and other mal practices that were committed in Old Pakistan. Governance and financial management are low average due to which prices of basic necessities and unemployment have surged. The rulers are committing the same mistakes and wrongs for which the predecessors were censured. Instead of correcting their shortcomings, they are continuing to blame the former two regimes for their weak performance. Or the danger of 5th generation war is brandished.

Neither the country has been made free of corruption within months as was claimed, nor the wrong practices of public office holders checkmated, or the economic health of the country improved, or a fair and transparent judicial system established. Instead of reducing debt burden it has been increased. Against Rs. 29000 billion debt accumulated in 70 years, Rs. 14500 billion has been added in just two years. Above all, the much trumpeted accountability has become selective and controversial. No accused has been convicted and punished in the last two years. NS is sitting abroad, Zardari is getting bail after bail, and so are other high prized accused. No serial target killer belonging to MQM and PPP has been taken to task. No Mafia has been netted. Terrorists caught inside the battle zones have been released and so is the case with several terrorists awarded death sentence by the military courts. Release of murderer MPA Achakzai in Quetta by the court on account of lack of evidence has disappointed the people. Call for removing the controversial CCPO Lahore on account of his irresponsible statement to the press about the gang rape victim on motorway is getting louder. And so is the call for public hanging or castration of the two rapists as suggested by the PM. Khurram, husband of PTI MPA Abida Raja severely bashed additional session judge Malik Jahangir at a petrol pump in Islamabad. Former is in the lock up and the latter removed from his seat by Islamabad High Court. Street crimes, rapes and robberies have increased and law and order is deteriorating mainly due to defects in investigation, prosecution and criminal justice system.  .   

Secondly, the PML-N voters are convinced that NS was wronged by the judiciary and that IK was empowered by the Establishment. They feel that irrespective of his fault lines, he was making good progress to make Pakistan economically strong and their living condition was much better during his tenure. Naya Pakistan is becoming a nightmare for them. NS has upheld his view that his removal was part of an effort to undermine democracy and civilian supremacy. The dismal performance of the PTI in its two-year tenure, and the growing frustration of the people have encouraged NS, Maryam Nawaz and other senior PML-N leaders to deride the ruling party and seek in-house change or mid-term elections.         

The PTI has not been able to make any headway because the politicized and corrupted institutions, particularly the judiciary, bureaucrats and the police have not been reformed. The flawed electoral system elects the same lot of vultures again and again, but no effort has been made to restructure it and improve the political culture. Without reformation no breakthrough is possible. The large numbers of legislators and senators drawing handsome salaries and plentiful perks and privileges are a huge drain on the national kitty since they remain disconnected from the people who elected them and are more of liabilities than of any use. Imported economic wizards tutored by the IMF/World Bank have failed to draw a sound economic roadmap to steer the country out of the choppy waters. Apart from the socio-economic challenges, failure to provide respite to the marooned Kashmiris in occupied Kashmir locked down since August 5 last year and trampled and molested by 900,000 Indian forces is a cause of embarrassment for the government.

Imran Khan is undoubtedly honest and earnestly want the country to progress. He has the requisite leadership qualities as well as drive and initiative and has the big advantage of unflinching support of the military, president and the judiciary. However, to what good is his honesty and backup support if he has selected a poor team and sticking with it despite knowing that most have skeletons in their cupboards and are letting him down? Usman Buzdar is not changed on the premise that he is simple and honest, but he is a flop and a cause of discomfiture for Imran Khan. Political expediency is coming in his way to pick right men for the right jobs. Art is long and time is running out. While the political parties in opposition pose no threat to him, what should worry him is the growing frustration and resentment of the people. His own party members and fans are getting disillusioned and are expressing dissatisfaction. People are questioning that how Pakistan will be converted into Riyasat-e-Madina when all our systems are western, and so is the way of living of the elite class? Or it is a rhetoric and akin to Bhutto’s concept of Islamic socialism?

Marginal improvements in macro-economic indicators have brought no succor to the people. Unless IK reins in the Mafias, makes the accountability effective, fair and transparent, ends nepotism and restores merit system, implements austerity, brings down the prices of fuel, gas and daily commodities, provide health facilities, cheap and quality education, social services, jobs, homes to the shelter-less, provides security to the people and delivers justice at the doorsteps, his shrinking popularity graph will dwindle further. All this will be possible only when the alien systems are replaced with Islamic laws. 

Additionally, a way out will have to be found to unlock over 8 million Kashmiris, get original status of J&K restored, and put an end to reign of terror launched by Indian forces. Pressure must be maximized upon the UN and the world community to settle the oldest dispute of Kashmir in accordance with the UN resolutions. However, diplomatic offensive alone will not fetch any results. The Far Right in Pakistan are incensed over punishments awarded to Hafiz Saeed and other Jamaatud Dawa leaders on account of fear of getting blacklisted by FATF. They say that neither the Mujahids are allowed to help the Kashmiris in distress nor the government is taking any physical action to put fear into the hearts of the Indian brutes brutalizing Kashmiris. 

Lingering Kashmir dispute is the root cause of growth of religious extremism. Pacifism in the face of offensive activism will not work. One-side appeasement, moderation in war, diplomatic juggling or peace mantra are self-defeating. It will be imprudent to rely on the UN or the dual-faced USA for a solution. We regret the lost opportunities; but fleeting opportunity is once again knocking at our door which may not be there tomorrow. Bold stances of Taliban, China and Iran are recent examples how to deal with cunning and arrogant enemies like USA and UK.

                        

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“Pakistan: Elections or Revulsion against Hall of Shame” By Mahboob Khawaja, PhD.

Uncommon Thought

“Pakistan: Elections or Revulsion against Hall of Shame”

By Mahboob Khawaja, PhD.

15 July 2018
Narwaz Sharif, Pakistan

 

 

[Photo: Nawaz Sharif (right end of row) at the kickoff of a USAID rural water project(WAPDA) in Pakistan.]

Editor’s Note

Will Pakistan ever recover from imperialism? Will the entire region do so? Will the world? The wounds of imperialism reverberate down through the generations of nations and peoples. The corruption of spirit that imperialism engenders tears apart both culture and social structure that leaves a system that no longer functions holistically. Under “normal” social development, a culture (a shared system of values, beliefs, and norms), continually reinforces and reproduces social structures (organized social institutions like family, economy, and polity) that in turn reinforces and reproduces the shared culture.With imperialism, the culture and social structure of the imperialists prevail or are insinuated into another society. Only those areas considered as “important” by the empire are truly transformed. Often, the imperialists will select (or leverage) one group within the society to be their proxies or henchmen within the host society. This disrupts normal patterns but also places internal groups into conflict. Often, the group selected is not the dominant group within the society, but one that will need the ongoing support of the empire in order to maintain power, but also survival. For without the backing of the empire, the people might rise up and not just overthrow, but obliterate the “collaborators”.

I believe that imperialism – first the British and the American (as reflected by one arm of that power, USAID above) – are at the root of the corruption that seems all too typical of Pakistani politics. How Pakistan or other nations might reclaim their integrity and build societies that work for the people is a question I cannot answer. Problematically, the societal system has been permanently damaged, and whatever replaces it must be something different than the pre-imperialist form because by now no one remembers that state. However, to even start that process a nation must remove the boot of the imperialists from its neck.

Mahboob Khawaja, PhD.

Are the Pakistanis Living In A Fantasy World?

The logic of the July 25th parliamentary elections in Pakistan is questionable for being a ceremonial stunt to undermine the reality of a highly corrupted and disoriented political culture.  For decades, Pakistan has lacked the systematic working capacity to organize fair and honest election campaigns representing the interest of the masses. At the forefront of this charade is the intent to hold elections on a short time span. Why was the interim government was not formed a year or at least six months ahead of the planned elections?  Given the extremely hot climate and the month of Ramadhan in between, it should have been a rational discourse. These facts should have helped to organize the necessary systematic mechanics of an election body to plan and organize all facets of complex elections. Because of the missing political accountability, and fearful of the on-going legal actions against Sharif brothers, the whole scenario of hurriedly arranged interim government tells a lot.  The Sharif regime had no interest and no priority to hold fair elections or to transfer power to another legitimate political party. They were all sadistic maniacs full of greed and deliberate mismanagement to dehumanize the Pakistani masses. Leaders are supposed to enjoin a vision of the future, creative thinking and selflessness, ethical character, a sense of positive thinking and commitment to serve the interests of the people. None of these is reflected in the profiles of any politicians in the recent history of Pakistan.Pakistan needs a major change in its constitutional framework, political system and the role and responsibilities of the political establishments. None of this is available in any rational context. If Pakistan is to spearhead a sustainable democracy, it needs major planned changes – a new constitution, a Presidential system of governance (elected directly by the people), new political institutions enriched with young, educated and people having a clear vision articulating a sustainable socio-economic and political future for the country. This rebuilding of the nation cannot be done by just one group or one party already operating in a highly corrupt and dysfunctional manner, and lacking political legitimacy. Have you ever read “Pakistan- Enigma of Change” (1999);  “Pakistan: Leaders or Political Monsters” (2015), and “Pakistan in Search of Political Change”, (2015) by this author?  Our nation has been robbed by its own so-called political leaders- Bhutto, and a few Military Generals, Zardari, Sharifs and Musharraf.  Truthfully, none were leaders except being military-backed opportunists and thumb lickers who could be used for all purposes in all seasons – legitimate or illegitimate – this is Pakistan’s junk history for the last 50 or more years. How could you imagine regaining that precious time and opportunities for change and development for socio-economic, political, moral and intellectual infrastructures to sustain the present and reconstruct nationhood?  Could this forthcoming July 25 elections take any remedial steps for what is required to be undertaken by hundreds and thousands of thinking people, strategic planners and political experts? Those who imagine miracles out of nothing must be living in a self-engineered fantasy world – a world that does not correspond to the prevalent realities of the 21st century.

Could Pakistanis Learn from Others and the Challenges of Time?

South Korea sentenced President Park to 20 years or more on corruption charges. It was done in a visible systematic legal framework. Why could Pakistanis not hold Zardari, Ms. Bhutto, Sharif and Musharaf to the same legal criterion action?  Is Pakistan a legally dysfunctional State? See how the Brazilian legal system dealt with the past two presidents. Now, see how Malaysia handled Najib Razik’s corruption scandal as he is being held for trial.  If the Pakistani political elite and judiciary were honest and effective, should they have not taken tangible measures to exercise the legal accountability in a public court of law against so many political gangsters?

Nawaz Sharif has been sentenced to 10 years on corruption charges, but he will not serve the sentence because he has already fled the country. Why did the higher court allow him to leave the country? Were the Supreme Court judges ignorant of the fact that he could leave the country and avoid all measures of legal accountability?  Likely not as this was nothing new in Pakistani political culture.

Rationality and truth have their own language. Everywhere the blame game is used by corrupt politicians to cover up their cruel impulses. Their insane egoism does not recognize its own incompetence, criminality and failure. Across the nation, agonizing situations warrant urgent attention to deal with insecurity, conflict prevention and conflict management, Pakistani Taliban’s terrorism, problems in responsible governance, disdain trade and commerce and to revitalize sustainable national unity. The dismissed PM Sharif and his colleagues amassed wealth, stole the nation’s time and opportunities for political change and killed peaceful civilian demonstrators. They react like paranoid maniacs as if the masses are the problem. If conscientious Pakistanis living abroad are concerned about the decadent political culture and rebuilding of the moral, intellectual and economic-political infrastructures, the ruling elite will ensure to deprive them the opportunity to be heard at a national level. When people are forced to live in political darkness, they lose the sense of rational direction.

These corrupt leaders demonstrated a dehumanized gutted culture of naïve politics, be it inside the Higher Courts, National Assembly or the political powerhouses. It makes no sense in the 21st century knowledge-based age of reason and political accountability.  People’s pain, political agony and continuing sufferings cannot be transformed into a single portrait to show to the global audience. All of the political monsters have stolen time and looted the wealth and positive energies of the people. At a glance, Pakistan appears to be reaching a dead-ended political discourse. The political misfortune needs a high power jolt of intervention to pave a smooth way out of the stagnated political culture of the few. People are the legitimate force for change if there is any hope of democracy still operational in Pakistan.

 

Leaders or Monsters of History – Pakistanis Should Look in the Mirror

The military dictator – Bhuttos, Zardari and Sharifs – could never have come into power unless the nation had lost its sense of rationality, purpose and meaning of its existence. These sadistic monsters have institutionalized chaos and fear, demoralization of a moral society and dehumanization of an intelligent nation, and have transferred these naïve traits and values to the psychological-social-economic and political spheres of the mainstream thinking hub of the nation.

Pakistani politics is operated by those who have absolutely no qualifications to be at the helm of political power – yet they are continuously engaged in systematic degradation of the educated and intelligent young generations of Pakistanis who are deprived of opportunities to participate in the national politics. The contemporary history of political degeneration includes generals, neo-colonial feudal lords, members of the assemblies, and a few family-vested houses of political power, ministers or prime ministers; they have the distinction of all acting in unison against the interest of the people of Pakistan.  Political power is an aphrodisiac. Do the people belong to this mad scrum overwhelmingly witnessed across the peoples’ movement against the oligarchy? To an impartial observer, the scene is clear that the wrong people are conducting the political governance where reason and legal justice are outlawed. This contradicts the essence of the Freedom Movement of Pakistan. It appears logical to think that at some point soon, those who are fit to lead must take over from those who are unfit to govern with credibility. It could be a bloodless coup – or it could be a bloody insurrection. One way or another, the process of phasing out the obsolete and phasing-in the fair and much desired and deserving must happen.  Are Pakistan’s freedom and futuristic integrity being sacrificed for the few dumb and dull criminals who wish to extend their power beyond the domains of reason and honesty?  It will be extremely harmful and deeply flawed and dangerous ethos to the interests of the people if Sharif brethren –Bhutto’s family including Zardari reemerge in the outcome of the July 25, 2018 elections and are allowed to continue the crime-riddled political governance while their legitimacy is under sharp questioning. The path to peaceful change and political success requires the wise and informed to establish an organized council of responsible oversight to move-in to the void once the despots are ousted. That is an essential component of any public uprising determined to manifest genuine and sustainable political change and legal justice.

In “Pakistan:  Reflections on the 70th Independence Day:  Imperatives of Optimism and Future-Making,” (Uncommon Thought Journal, USA: 8/15/2017), this author made the following observations:

The political elite and the people live in a conflicting time zone being unable to understand the meaning and essence of the Pakistan Freedom Movement. This purpose needs unwavering public commitment and continuous struggle for political change. It needs not to be invented, it is living in the mind and spirit of the people, it just needs to be revitalized and better organized as the momentum is waiting for the grieving people. Pakistan urgently needs a saviour, not Sharif, Bhuttos or the few Generals. The solution must come from the thinking people of the new educated generation – the intelligent Pakistanis to facilitate hope and optimism for a sustainable future of the beleaguered nation. This should be the framework of the message and active agenda for change and reformation as the core of the celebration of Pakistan’s 70thIndependence Day.

 

Dr. Mahboob A. Khawaja specializes in global security, peace and conflict resolution with keen interests in Islamic-Western comparative cultures and civilizations, and author of several publications including Global Peace and Conflict Management: Man and Humanity in Search of New Thinking. Lambert Publishing Germany, May 2012. His forthcoming book is entitled: One Humanity and The Remaking of Global Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution

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NGOs – Non Government Organizations or The No Good Organizations by Dr. Kausar Talat

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NGOs – Non Government Organizations or

The No Good Organizations

An analysis of NGOs modus operandi and their influence
by
Dr. Kausar Talat
positivPakistan.org
[email protected]
[email protected]

 

 

Foreign Intelligence Agents Embedded in NGOs, Modern Trojan Horse To Infiltrate & Destroy Cultures & Religions

 

 

According to James Petra (1999), professor of Sociology at Binghamton University New York,
NGOs are not “non-governmental” organizations as they receive funds from abroad, work as private
sub-contractors to local governments and/or are subsidized by corporate funded private foundations
that keep close working relations with the state. Frequently NGOs openly collaborate with
governmental agencies at home or overseas. These NGOs, accountable to local people but to overseas
donors who “review” and “oversee” NGO’s performance according to their own criteria and interests as
is the recent case in Ukraine and Turkey. What is NGO in reality? How do they operate and function?
What is the purpose of its existence? How do they control and how effective they are?
A noble concept started in the 19th century, recognized by UN in 1950s appears to have grown
out of control. These self-appointed organizations are answerable to no constituency. Unelected, unselected,
ignorant of local sensitivities and cultural realities, an NGO often confront democratically
chosen authorities as well as those who voted them into office. Some even go as far as against the local
judiciary and national arm forces of the country – institutions responsible for national integrity. NGOs
such as International Crisis Group have openly interfered on behalf of the non-state characters in
Macedonia while advising open confrontation in Pakistan and Egypt. Such encroachment on state
sovereignty allows NGOs to get involved from local issues to domestic affairs and into foreign affairs of
the host country. They serve as self-appointed witnesses, judges, jury and executioner all rolled into
one. Recent behavior of the GEO TV, Jang and DAWN newspapers of media house in Pakistan is a classic
example.
Recent chaos in Pakistani society can be associated with the sudden surge of NGOs involvement
in Pakistani regional and provincial politics, especially from Britain and Scandinavian countries that
speaks to the negative effects on areas of education within the country. Over the last decade after 9/11, 2
NGOs in Pakistan have “fragmented the local education system, undermined local control of education,
and contributed to increased social inequality and division in society. Most NGOs operating in Pakistan
functions as a state agency within the state under the protection of their represented government
embassies. After denying for years, in the education sector both TCF – The Citizen Foundation and HDF
have proudly acknowledged on their web-site, collaboration with British government to teach and
promote English as language in a country that is suffering with 20 hours of load shedding daily – as if
English is the panacea of all problems in Pakistan. Most of these NGOs with an uncoordinated agenda,
create parallel projects undermining local education system, and takes away the governments’ ability to
maintain control over their own education sector. Readers must note here that from China, to
Indonesia and Malaysia to Germany, Poland and Russia – all have made remarkable progress in
educating their masses in their national language. Pakistan is the only country that delivers its
education in a foreign language.
Regardless of their cause or modus operandi, all NGOs are top-heavy with entrenched and well
paid, drawing perks and benefits of elite status bureaucracies (Ask NGOs for audited reports and that what
percentage is spent on their administration). The bulk of the income of most non-governmental organizations,
comes from – foreign governments and foundations associated with some western think tanks. In fact,
many NGOs serve as official contractors for foreign governments as did the Black Water during the
massive earthquake in northern Pakistan. A construction company using Black Water trained agents
provided help to US agencies in mapping the terrain in Kashmir while acting as charity organization
collaborating with Pakistani diaspora in USA. NGOs normally serve as long arms of their sponsoring
states – gathering intelligence, burnishing their image, and promoting their interest. There is a revolving
door between the staff of NGOs and government bureaucracies the world over making it difficult to
track the organizers.
Today there are millions of NGOs registered around the world, specifically in poor countries
under the auspices of charity organizations, policy institutions or disguised as think tanks, educators, or
even under the cover of UNO, IMF, World Bank and so on. According to Dr. Sam Vaknin in his book
Magnificent Self Love – “in critical and politically sensitive regions of the world, multiple NGOs are
receiving over 3-5 billion US dollars in funding from international financial institutions, Euro-US-Japanese
governmental agencies and local governments for various projects, from women empowerment to teach
English.” In Pakistan, eighty-seven percent of the NGOs are involved in the education sector subsidized
and supported by numerous foreign governments, specifically Scandinavian and British governments.
Most of these NGOs are assaulting Pakistan’s ideology and cultural base, challenging independence and 3
integrity of the country and its Islamic values in the name of enlightened progress and education.
Current tussle between People and GEO media house in Pakistan started when Inter-Services
Intelligence Chief General Zaheerul Islam told British ambassador bluntly not to try changing the
Pakistan ideology. British delegation was meeting the general on how to help Pakistan when they
boasted funding to GEO.

In fact he NGOs world-wide have become the latest vehicle for upward mobility (also emphasized
in O level curriculum of Pakistan) for the ambitious and already entrenched and well to do elite classes.
They are busy bodies, preachers, critics, do-gooders, and professional altruists, self-appointed, and not
answerable to any constituency. These NGOs are the parasites who feed off natural and man-made
disasters, mismanagement of the government, corruption, conflict, and strife (as in Pakistan and
exclusively in Muslim countries) all supported and directed by their sponsors to impose their agenda.
These NGO’s are the silent WMDs – Weapon of Mass Disruption – launched through social media at
will for the sole purpose of disrupting harmony in the society by increasing chaos and creating mass
hysteria about every little negative happening. Such is the case of GEO, JUNG and DAWN media houses
in Pakistan. Irony is that they are under the regulation of PEMRA a government monitoring and
regulatory authority confirming the influence of such NGOs over local governments. This influence and
strength are drawn through foreign funds via respective embassies. Mass protest in Turkey and Ukraine
as shown and promoted on western media is another classical example of the effectiveness of these
WMD attacks. NGOs wherever they exist also appear to have contradictory roles in local politics of the
host country. On one hand they criticize dictatorships and human rights violations. While on the other
hand they compete with radical socio-political and religious groups, attempting to hi-jack popular
movements; such as ‘Arab spring’ in Egypt with downfall of President Morsi, reforms in Turkey, clothing
workers in Bangladesh and other movements in the Middle East. NGOs normally flourish during three
situations either in real or through manipulated events.
First as a safe haven for dissident intellectuals pursuing the issue of human rights violations and
organizing “survival strategies” for victims. These humanitarian NGOs however, are careful not to
denounce the role of foreign entities and embassies involve with the local perpetrators of human rights
violations and political vengeance such as hanging of opposition leaders in Bangladesh and events in
Ukraine. Nevertheless the same NGOs are very vocal in other cases such as the case of Dr. Shakeel Afridi
in Pakistan guilty of espionage according to the law.
Second, the funding of the NGOs can be considered as kind of buying insurance by foreign
governments so in case the incumbent reactionaries falter. Such as the case in Egypt where US 4
sponsored NGOs activated social WMD creating artificial shortage of bread, water and petroleum – basic
needs of a common citizen – controlled by the Egyptian army but blaming the government of President
Morsi an elected representative. This was also the case with the “critical” NGOs that appeared during
the Marcos regime in the Philippines, the Pinochet regime in Chile, the Park dictatorship in Korea, and
most recently in Turkey against Tayyap Erdogan.
The third circumstance in which number of NGOs emerges and multiplies is during economic
crises provoked by free-market capitalism under the dictate of IMF and World Banks such as in Pakistan
where the situation is going to get worse in coming months along with the power crisis. It is interesting
to note here that in a country where 12-18 hours of load shedding is normal, where the industry shuts
down because of lack of electricity causing unemployment and poverty, Britain and other western
countries are more concerned with teaching English to the masses instead of assisting the government
with power generation locally.

In financial or economic hardships and during natural disasters, when the local industry comes
to a halt due to lack of capitalor energy, the jobs disappear and purchasing power of the common man
decline. In that case, as happening currently in South Asia, second job becomes a necessity. Who would
be the second job holder? Of course the wife, and the daughter, or the mother within the family to
mitigate family financial hardships disturbing the traditional family structure. Not so surprisingly these
NGOs suddenly than also become job placement agencies and consultancy disguising as a safety net for
the middle class. This safety net is further extended to potentially downwardly mobile intellectuals who
are willing to carry on the collaborative policies of NGOs, their sponsors, and agenda of other
international institutions as influencers in the society as Dr. Shakeel Afridi, who collaborated with CIA in
alleged killing of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan or the most-recent incidence of attack on a journalist in
Pakistan. The middle-class society that used to not have much but also no one used to starve within
either, suddenly faces disruption of the families, the foundation of social fabric and harmony of the
society (WMD effects). Similarly during the on-going “war on terror “(man-made disaster) millions are
displaced in the north- west frontier of Pakistan losing their jobs. As the population displacement
spreads poverty to important swaths of the population, the very same NGOs becomes protagonist
engaging in preventative actions focusing on “survival strategies.” These NGOs while organizing soup
kitchens do not encourage mass demonstrations against food hoarders, corrupt regimes or western
policies that are the cause of all the disruption and damage to their society as it is happening in Khyber
Pakthun Khawa province of Pakistan or in Egypt.5
Majority of NGOs are proponents of Western values – women’s lib, Gay and Lesbian rights,
freedom of press and media, equality, etc. etc. Not every society finds this liberal menu palatable. The
arrival of NGOs often provokes social polarization and cultural clashes. Traditionalists in Bangladesh and
India, nationalists in Macedonia, religious zealots in Israel, Pakistan and Afghanistan clash with the
security forces everywhere. The British government spent well over 30 million dollars annually into
“Proshika,” a Bangladeshi NGO. It started as a women’s education outfit and ended up as restive and
aggressive women political lobby group with budget to rival many ministries in this impoverished
Muslim and patriarchal country. The British foreign office finances a host of NGOs – including the
fiercely ‘independent’ Global Witness – in troubled spots such as Angola and other African countries.
Most NGOs in place like Sudan, Somalia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and in Africa have become the preferred
venue for Western aid – both humanitarian and financial. According to Red Cross more money goes
through NGOs than through World Bank. Their iron grip on food, medicine, education and unlimited
funds in case of Pakistan rendered them an alternative government imposing their values and ideologies
on poor masses. Even local businessmen, politicians, journalists and media houses (“Aman ki Asha”
operated by Jung newspaper and GEO TV in Pakistan) form NGOs to plug into Western largesse. In the
process, they award themselves with commercial advertising contracts, perks, and preferred access to
Western goods and credits.
Therefore the author appeal to the readers to think twice before putting hand in their pocket
and thinking that they are helping the poor of the world. One must think about the after effects of
NGOs – establishing schools or clinics – the effects of such projects with respect to social norm,
culture, religion and heritage of the country. One must ask the motivation and incentive that his
education assistance so generously provided to the nation. Every citizen must question the teaching and
promoting English over national language, it’s after effects on individual and society.
Having said that the author acknowledge that all fingers are not equal and so the same does not
applies to NGO’s such as Green Peace and Oxfam, and many others though politically motivated some
time. However one must be cautious and careful when asked to donate for education, human rights and
to alleviate poverty in the third world. In last 60 years so much money has been given by gracious
people that if spent wisely and for the sole purpose of which it was collected, we would have erased
illiteracy and poverty from this face of earth.
Finally, let me redefine NGO’s in the modified words of Jessica Mathews of Foreign Affairs
magazine (1997) – NGO are special interest groups that are designed and used as 
extensions of the normal foreign policy instrument of certain Western countries and
groups of countries. Unselected, unelected self- appointed altruists, with no constituency
and accountability, answerable to no-one, financed and controlled by foreign entities
with specific agenda. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated very correctly at the 43rd Munich
Conference on Security Policy in 2007, that these NGOs “are formally independent but they are
purposefully financed and therefore under control.” So all NGOs must be registered as Foreign Agents,
in the country of their operation.
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A Few Good Men By Brig® Mehboob Qadir

A Few Good Men 

By

Brig® Mehboob Qadir

 

 

 

 

george-washington-a-few-good-men

Communities, societies and nations come together and grow, fertilized by largely unspoken benevolence by men of strong and at times exceptional strength of character and noble motivation.Whichever strand of life they opt to pick up, they tend to excel in extending universal benevolence and magnetize their followers to their cause in a remarkable manner. Muslims are proud of the comprehensively qualitative and a lasting change the Holy Prophet brought about in the lives of his followers. For Hindus Ram and Sita are the epitome of superlative human virtues deserving unqualified reverence since thousands of years, so is Gautam Budh. Nelson Mandella , Mother Tressa , Sattar Edhi and numerous others like them across the globe are respected and emulated for their invaluable selfless public service.

It was not their power, armies or treasures which endeared them to people but their humanity, boundless benevolence and humility that worked magic into people’s hearts.If conquests, state power and money mattered ,Attila,Xerxes,Alexander, and Chengiz would have been idolized. Instead they are despised for their plunder, massacres and immense human sufferings that they caused. Of all the Sultans of Delhi it is freak Sher Shah Suri who is remembered with respect for his great public service works like construction of Grand Trunk Road, a country wide network of protected motels for travelersand traders,postal system and ingenious permanent land settlement record which still is the basis of official reference in India and Pakistan. Emperor Akbar ,the great Moghul finds a fond reference across the entire religious spectrum in the Sub continent and beyond to his rule, not for his glorious court but for his inspired patronage of interfaith harmony and egalitarian almost secular state practices which went a long way to peacefully homogenize his multi religious subjects; a truly crowning achievement. British Indian railways, thousands of miles of irrigation canals and their admirable penchant for reducing all possible official interventions to rules and regulations so as to administer with justice amongst their Indian subjects, were great acts of genuine public service.

With the advent of 21st Century the parameters of statecraft and public dealing have undergone a dramatic change.Globalization, borderless communications and powerful but multifarious platforms for expression of opinion open to people have forced a paradigm shift in the leadership style. While Czars and Hapsburgs could not be copied in the 20th Century, similarly autocrats and military dictators are out of fashion in the current century. Public reaction to a leadership indiscretion or insensitivity has become swift and unstoppable these days. It can neither be wished away nor muzzled into silence therefore in most countries such an outcry is being addressed in earnest. However in islands of indifference like North Africa , Middle East and South Asia when suppressed it explodess into uncontrolled violence making horrible examples of men like Qaddafi and Hosni Mubarak.Recollect how Bangla Desh broke away because of our just such an insensitivity.Those who refuse to learn from history relearn at their own dear cost along with the wrath of history as a craggy rock in their twig baskets.

Devastating floods have become a frequent feature in Pakistan.This year it was the third in the last four years, and not the flash one. Leaving that controversy alone,one has hardly seen any constructive response to Justice MansoorAli Shah’s Flood Commission Report which followed the last floods.It contained commendable recommendations about how to prevent human and material losses due to ravages of floods besides other measures.The point to understand is that throwing out wads of money and flour sacks from helicopters and photo sessions at the edges of flood exposes victims to indignity and moral injuries .One has to risk one’s life , ride a rocking boat in the raging flood waters to those helplessly marooned on pylons,trees and rooftops to save and show real solidarity.Our wretched people can not subsist on empty talk and vague undertakings.It may be prestigious to have broad motorways, metrobus and impressive flyovers in major cities but unfortunately their utility tends to be exclusive and does not sit well with the terrible lack of basic civic amenities and abject poverty of the vast majority of underprivileged population living in villages and rural areas of our country.What is also to be understood is that this practice is causing a rapid migration from the rural to the urban centers and might bring about yet another crisis linked to resultant shortage of food production in the rural areas and exploding crime rate in the cities.This massive internal relocation can seriously stress state resources and jeopardize our fragile social framework.

It was time to focus on real public service initiatives even though they may not be as glamorous or sensational. To begin with a comprehensive review of flood protection needs must be undertaken to prevent loss of life and property due to future floods.Larger ,stronger and well sited flood protection embankments must be constructed as a part of national emergency.Had that been done the ugly controversy of Bhivana bridge-Ramzan Sugar Mills would not have erupted, nor millions of acres of crops alongwith thousands of villages swept into nothingness and hundreds of precious lives lost.We need to seriously set up a network of education, health, transportation, link roads , electricity and small food preservation industries in our rural areas. Relocate justice infrastructure closer to the villages and small market towns for speedy disposal of cases.Make the system efficient, their performance auditable and provide generous budget allocations.

It is a matter of sensitivity and priorities at the political leadership level. Then there is always the ever present oppression of the circumstances forcing their hand. Announcement of ten million rupees for the family of a Police constable killed in a traffic accident in Lahore just as the Punjab Police ranks were increasingly refusing to crack down on protesters, is understandable. A dutiful hero of a sort had to be created in a hurry.There are also the vivid images of a soldier trying to revive an infant just rescued over the edge of his boat, troops swimming up to desperate men, women and children to save their lives from drowning. This time the Army and Navy did not really wait to be called up. Realizing the perils of the imminent flood they were already there poised to help fellow men as much as they could. Then there has been the superlative sense of duty shown by late Naib Subedar Inab Gul who along with his Army rescue team saved twenty two lives but lost his in the process near Sher Shah Embankment on 14th September.A genuine act of heroism in which he died in the line of duty but has gone lamentably unsung.

Few might know that many trees in the world are planted by squirrels who bury nuts and then forget where they hid them.Lets bury few nuts of goodness and benevolence and hope that seeds will take root and grow into tall shady trees where footsore ,weather beaten travelers might rest for a while and go their distant ways. Wolves are majestic and awesome but are feared and not revered.A conscious choice must be made whether to follow the noble example of a humble squirrel or that of the regal but savage wolf.Selfless public service is the key, decide how one wants to be remembered.

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Baat to such hai Per baat hai ruswai ki

Baat to such hai                                                                                       Per baat hai  ruswai ki
مہر عباسی کا حکمرانوں کے منہ پر طمانچہ۔۔۔

‫مہر عباسی کا حکمرانوں کے منہ پر طمانچہ۔۔۔مہر عباسی کا حکمرانوں کے منہ پر طمانچہ۔۔۔ یہ ویڈیو دیکھن…
APOLOGIES FOR QUALITY OF POSTING:DONE AS RECEIVED

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