Our Announcements
Sorry, but you are looking for something that isn't here.
Posted by admin in FINANCIAL TERRORISTS, Nawaz "Badami Lassi Kim Barker Thurke" Sharif, Nawaz 's Dauphin, Nawaz Dangerous, Nawaz Sharif & Kashmiri Biradari, Nawaz Sharif Dangerous Man, NAWAZ SHARIF DICTATOR, NAWAZ SHARIF FAMILY TURPITUDE, NAWAZ SHARIF LOAN SCAM, Nawaz Sharif Malcontent, Nawaz Sharif Massive Corruption, NAWAZ SHARIF MUZZLES PRESS, NAWAZ SHARIF SAGA OF ABSOLUTE & CHRONIC CORRUPTION, NAWAZ SHARIF THIEF on October 11th, 2014
Metrobus Projects
By
Abbas Hasan, Civil Engineer
It’s all about understanding transport network needs and optimizing utilization of height capacity corridors. Otherwise it’s misuse of precious resources without detailed planning.Just how ‘Fit for Purpose’ are the Metrobus Projects?
Pakistani tax payers should rightly ask why they are paying more than Rs 30 billion over international prices for an undersized transport system?.As an engineer associated with design and delivery of large infrastructure projects in the Middle East, including a Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) – or what in Pakistan is called Metrobus, I am used to the term “Fitness for Purpose” to describe whether the actual use of an engineered project fulfills the purpose for which it was built.This term also addresses whether or not the project cost is in line with acceptable benchmarks and highlights under-designed and over-designed projects.During a recent trip to Pindi, I was asked if the Lahore and Rawalpindi Metrobus projects were Fit for Purpose?To assess the project efficacy, we need to compare the Metrobus’s ridership with overall vehicular trips in Lahore.With over 350,000 cars and 850,000 motorcycles on the roads of Lahore, congestion, pollution and safety are key issues, the stated purpose of the Metrobus project is to increase the share of public transport in Lahore, and accordingly provide safe, reliable transport.For a city of approximately 7 million population as per the urban transport forum, based on surveys in Lahore, there were approximately 5.3 million trips/day vehicular trips – excluding walking and cycling (at 0.75 trips/person – this incidentally is half as compared to other cities in Asia).A successfully designed public transport program should aim for at least 20 per cent ridership, whilst the actual daily ridership for the Lahore Metrobus is 180,000 trips/day or 3.3 per cent of the overall, the impact is therefore insufficient in reducing congestion in the city, expect perhaps on that corridor.The most successful BRT project in the world is the TransMilenio in Bogota Columbia, which has a ridership of 2.2million/day and peak time capacity of over 37,700 trips/direction/hour. In Asia, theGuangzhou BRT has a ridership of 1 million trips/day with a peak capacity of 27,000 trips/direction/hour.In both these projects, the buses run in separate corridors, mainly at grade without elevated sections. Based on my knowledge of designing similar infrastructure, in its current design format, the Lahore or Pindi metro may not achieve such capacities due to:• No overtaking provisions at stations eliminating the possibility to use multiple services on the same route, limiting the number of buses per direction.• Bus stops are not big enough to accommodate several buses within the same stop. Limiting the number of buses that can simultaneously run on the same line.• Insufficient investment in the bus fleet.• Insufficient city-wide coverage to attract passengers, it is not a network but only one line, it would have been better to have built a lower cost, but a wider network with more lines and reach across the city.• No provision of a feeder bus system to ferry passengers not living near the route.• No linkages with the city’s other mode of transport – bus, rail, air.• No provisions for transfer stations linking with future lines, as some stations are elevated, building these connections now would be challenging.• The Metrobus should be an integral part of the overall city transport network and should inform the future development of the city, future public transport corridors should be part of the master plan for all new developments, including DHA, etc.According to the American Public Transport Association BRT infrastructure should cost US $2-18 million/km, the Lahore Metrobus’ infrastructure capital cost is more expensive as compared to international benchmarks.As per published figures, the infrastructure costs in US$ per kilometer (all costs escalated to 2014) for BRT for various cities are:
- Ahmedabad, India $3 million/km
- Dalian, China $4.5m/km
- Guangzhou, China $6.5m/km
- Istanbul, Turkey $10m/km
- Bogota, Columbia (new phase) $13.3m/km
- Lima, Peru $10m/km
- Los Angeles, USA $ 14.4m/km
Given lower labour costs in Pakistan and averaging the above figures, a fair estimate for infrastructure costs should be approximately $5-7m/km.
Therefore, at $11m/km, the Lahore Metrobus cost wise is substantially higher than the benchmark.
Although there is no evidence of corruption or any wrong doing, it is the expensive design and accelerated delivery that may have led to the price escalation.Also read: Metro Bus Project eats away Women ParkOnce major projects are completed, a “lessons learnt” exercise is nomally held so that future projects learn from and improve upon the previous one. The lessons learnt exercise should have included why earlier bus services such as the Lahore Volvo bus and the Pindi Varan bus are no longer running; was it due to a non-sustainable business model, high fuel costs, lack of spare parts and replacement of the fleet, poor governance or road congestion?Unfortunately, this was not done and the newly started Rs 50 billion Pindi Metrobus project, seems to repeat the same mistakes as the earlier Lahore one.It is not clear how the Pindi Metrobus strategically fits in the overall transport master plan, whether this project is for commuters to Islamabad; or for residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad? Globally 80 per cent of commuters use trains (both over ground and underground) as the preferred means of travel (trains regularly reach speeds of 100 kph and carry up to 800 passengers per train, unlike buses that travel at 25 kph and carry 100 passengers).At current growth rates by 2035 Pindi-Islamabad will have a combined population of approximately five million, given that most of whom will not be able to afford living in Islamabad, and that the extended city would stretch from Hasanabdal, Fatehjang to Mandra, the transportation master plan should take cognizance of that in its design intent.If we look at costs, as stated previously the cost of the Pindi Metrobus should not be approximately $6m/Km as compared to the actual estimated cost is Rs 50 billionn for 24.5 km or $20 million/km.Based on surveys approximately. 200,000 vehicles/day travel from Pindi to Islamabad or 550,000 (persons) trips take place daily between the two cities, if we assume a 50 per cent capture for public transport then, today, the designed capacity of the Metrobus should be at least 300,000 trips/day as opposed to the current stated capacity of 150,000.If we project this volume 10 years hence, it will underline that the Metrobus is significantly undersized and should be able to reach a capacity of approx. 500,000 trips/day.Also read: Metrobus: mobility and sensibilityThe Metrobus is an excellent idea and the Punjab government should be appreciated for its effort in initiating and implementing this project in a record time, but unfortunately it is also a symptom of afailing system whereby there is no independent regulatory authority to challenge the provincial government’s project intent, and safeguard public interest.More time should have been given to studies (including environmental), planning and design rather than hurried implementation. The tax payers of this country should rightfully ask,Why are they paying more than Rs 30 billion over international prices for an undersized transport system?It may be still not be too late for the government to reassess the project and carry out a value engineering exercise to ruthlessly cut costs and maximise value for money, at the same time modify the design to maximise the systems passenger carrying capacity. It should also evaluate how this fits in the overall city master plan, assess actual current and future demands versus existing capacity in the proposed system.In my opinion, the public hearing process should be strengthened, where in the hearings the business model is explained, to appreciate what additional investment would be needed to fund and operate the vehicle fleet, what is the correct ticket price and how an independent accountable management structure is in place to sustain this investment.The regulatory system needs to be strengthened so that government entities are not allowed to brow beat regulators into hurriedly approving projects, Pakistan is a poor country and deserves affordable, properly designed, infrastructure that is “Fit for Purpose”.The author is a civil engineer and an avid cricket fan who earns his living in the gulf.He can be reached on email at [email protected]. Follow him @A3bbasHasan
Posted by admin in Gen (Retd) Musharraf, History, INCOMPETENCE & CORRUPTION IN NAWAZ SHARIF GOVT, Nawaz "Badami Lassi Kim Barker Thurke" Sharif, Nawaz 's Dauphin, Nawaz Dangerous, Nawaz Sharif & Kashmiri Biradari, Nawaz Sharif Dangerous Man, NAWAZ SHARIF DICTATOR, NAWAZ SHARIF FAMILY TURPITUDE, NAWAZ SHARIF LOAN SCAM, Nawaz Sharif Malcontent, Nawaz Sharif Massive Corruption, NAWAZ SHARIF MUZZLES PRESS, Nawaz Sharif US Agent, NAWAZ SHARIF US CIA ASSET IN PAKISTAN, Nawaz Sharif Womanizer, NAWAZ SHARIF'S ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN, Nawaz Sharif-The Prime Minister from Hell, NAWAZ SHARIF: THE LOOTER, Nawaz US Agent on October 9th, 2014
“ As flies to wanton boys are to the gods
They kill us for sport .” Shakespeare’s “ King Lear “
Writing on Pakistan’s politics is beginning to be a tedious affair . It is a play that has no plot , no beginning and no end . No excitement from the drab and dreary humdrum of everyday life . Winning or losing , the same old , tired and worn out faces are to be seen adorning the newspapers or the TV Channels . Even the daily newspapers are pictures of the gloomy atmosphere .
Each political party is a fiefdom of its own where the fiat of big or petty ‘monarch’ is abided by or else the defiant ones are crushed . There is no notion of shadow governments or shadow cabinets . That is a play that is going on since Mr. Jinnah departed from the scene in 1948 . Talking about reforms is an illusion .
Imagine a scene in which you are trying to sleep during the day and a bird flits and begins to sing . Whatever you do to make it fly away turns out to be futile . You are really mad at the innocent creature . The world is seeing the discomfiture of the present Government . It is standing static unable to drive the ghosts of Imran Khan and Taher ul Qadri . It has been reduce to a passive mode , a reaction mode . Meanwhile the two are making further inroads into the interior of the country , into the cities and into various communities or eg . farmers , workers none the less equipped legally to which the Government has no answer except to hurl abuses at them .
“ Never trust the wisdom of a slave “ is an oft quoted advice perhaps by Hazrat Ali ( May Allah be pleased with him) . Here I reproduce an incident about which I wrote in my article “ Buttering “ . In a meeting held in Islamabad , a participant referred to the department’s newly announced policy and also to the Battle of Badr ,which was fought on 17th Ramazan and in which the Muslims were victorious by the Grace of Allah . He said , addressing the boss ,that the Battle of Badr was fought on 17thRamazan and he( the boss) announced the country’s policy on 17th Ramazan . All the participants were dumbfounded at his audacity .
Thus Pakistan has been caught at a vortex . Democracy in its present shape has failed in Pakistan . It has never delivered however its supporters otherwise claim . It suits the robber barons , the landed aristocracy, the major and small capitalists who plunder the exchequer and exploit the under privileged ones . There was a time when twenty two families used to hold sway in the country . The twenty two have swelled to much more .
During my four months stay in an European city forty years back, a man who had features like a Pakistani or an Indian , used to cross my path both mornings and evenings . One day , I stopped him to question about his nationality . His reply “ does it matter “ put me off . He repeated his observation and went on to say that when the purpose of making Pakistan could not be fulfilled , it did not matter whether I was a Pakistani or an Indian .
A solid advantage has been achieved by the fifty two day sit in by the duo of Imran Khan and Taher ul Qadri . Apart from being unique in the 67 years history of Pakistan and , perhaps the world over , the rest of the major political parties were clean bowled , the batsmen could only gape in awe . Never in the history of this unfortunate land , they met their equals who badly exposed them , disrobed them and shown the rest of the people what they actually were by using the facilities of telecasting their views provided by an army general , Pervez Musharraf . They robbed the common people of their Fundamental Rights enshrined in the Constitution . You may not like Imran Khan and Dr. Qadri . But it is difficult to disagree whatever they had to say because both Imran and Dr. Qadri were speaking of the basic rights and the Constitution . And it was last year when the latter held a five day sit in in Islamabad to emphasize the futility of participating in the elections unless all candidates were screened through Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution .
The ‘independent’ Election Commission of Pakistan has lost its trust from the rigged elections between Field Marshal Ayub Khan , the President ,and Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah , the sister of the Founder of Pakistan and onwards . Henceforth , it was viewed as another arm of the Government . The 18th Amendment to the Constitution did not remove the impression . On the contrary , the reconstituted Commission was viewed as a part of the Charter of Democracy signed by Mrs . Benazir Bhutto , the leader of the Peoples Party , and Mian Nawaz Sharif , the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League in London during the “ oppressive days of the dictator , General Musharraf“ .
Where do we go now ?
Both the Government and the people are confused and lacking in direction . We are rotten to the core horizontally and vertically ie from the top to the bottom . Army intervention is not a permanent solution as we have seen in the past . It breeds many evils for eg. flight of capital . Even then some well meaning people are suggesting a government of the Technocrats under the army’s umbrella to replace the current government and cleanse the entire society . This experiment has been tried by every military regime . Ayub Khan screened out 72 bureaucrats , General Yahya Khan 303 and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto 1300 . Some of the screened out officers were not corrupt . To cleanse the society of ills , the Hadood Ordinance was introduced but never used after General Zia , the President , died .
There is talk of mid term polls in the country . The present government is unwilling to resign and call for fresh elections . However , if it does , which Election Commission would be willing to undertake the task when the present one failed to hold free and fair elections the task of that Statutory organization . In its “ Post Election Review Report on General Elections 2013 “ , the Commission admitted its failure .
Under the 18th Amendment , the leader of the House i.e. the Prime Minister , and the leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly are supposed to choose of the Chairman of the Election Commission . But the experiment failed in the previous elections and with both the leader of the House and the leader of the opposition under clouds . Both Imran Khan and Dr. Qadri and their supporters will no longer trust them .
Pakistan is ripe for constitutional ( Fundamental Rights and Articles 62 and 63 ) and social reforms without which any elections will be meaningless .
In the end I will reproduce the views of Mr . Mumtaz Piracha of the Good Governance Forum
“ Contrary to general perception, I believe the long march and the dharna by PTI, in particular, highlighted bad governance in Pakistan. Look at the foreign media and you will find that there is only passing reference to rigging allegations and the allegation on military to have backed Imran Khan and Tahir-ul-Qadri but there is tremendous focus on the way Nawaz Sharif governs, the Sharifs’ dynastic politics and the PMLN’s performance since last elections. The domestic media have been more focused on rigging allegations but bad governance also remained in focus “.
Mahfooz ur Rahman
Islamabad
October 5, 2014
Posted by admin in " RIAZ THE SHAITAN OF PAKISTAN, 4TH GENERATION US WAR AGAINST PAKISTAN, Altaf "Bhai Ka Qatil"Hussain, ALTAF HUSSAIN: BRITISH TERRORIST, Asif Zardari Crook Par Excellance, ATTACK ON ARY TV BY CJ CHAUDHRY & PML(N) RANA SANULLA, BACKSTABBERS, Bhutto-Zardari Feudal Family Corruption, BILAWAL BHUTTO-DEVIL FOR PAKISTAN, BILAWAL ZARDARI-ALCOHOLIC HOMOSEXUAL, BOOT THE SCOUNDRELS OR SHOWDAZ, DAMAGE TO PAKISTAN BY NAWAZ FAMILY, DECADENCE OF MUSLIM WORLD, ELECTION FRAUD 2013, ELECTION TERRORISTS, EXPATRIATE PAKISTANIS SPEAK-UP, FINANCIAL TERRORISTS, HAMID MIR, IMRAN KHAN, IMRAN KHAN-PAKISTAN'S HERO & DREAMER, ISHAQ DAR:THIEF OF PUNJAB, Killer Altaf Hussain, Law, LIAR POLITICIANS, Media Hijack in Pakistan By Foreign Powers, MIAN MANSHA:QUAID-I-LOOTERS, MIR JAFAR, MIR JAFAR OF PAKISTAN, MIR SADIQ, Mir Shakil-Geo Indian Cobra, Morally corrupt Thieves of PML(N), Morosi Siyasat & Political Crooks, MQM, MQM Destruction of Karachi, MQM ELECTION FRAUD IN KARACHI, Nawaz "Badami Lassi Kim Barker Thurke" Sharif, Nawaz 's Dauphin, Nawaz Dangerous, NAWAZ SHARIF, Nawaz Sharif & Kashmiri Biradari, Nawaz Sharif Dangerous Man, NAWAZ SHARIF DICTATOR, NAWAZ SHARIF FAMILY TURPITUDE, NAWAZ SHARIF LOAN SCAM, Nawaz Sharif Malcontent, Nawaz Sharif Massive Corruption, NAWAZ SHARIF MUZZLES PRESS, NAWAZ SHARIF SAGA OF ABSOLUTE & CHRONIC CORRUPTION, NAWAZ SHARIF THIEF, NAWAZ SHARIF US & SAUDI AGENT, Nawaz Sharif US Agent, NAWAZ SHARIF US CIA ASSET IN PAKISTAN, Nawaz Sharif Womanizer, NAWAZ SHARIF'S ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN, Nawaz Sharif-The Prime Minister from Hell, NAWAZ SHARIF: THE LOOTER on October 7th, 2014
Subject: RE: A LAWYER PLEADING THAT HIS CLIENT IS A PIR & GADDI NASHIN AND SHOULD BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY THAN ORDINARY PEOPLE
Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2014 18:39:44 +0500
From: [email protected]
Shameful
But who says AA is an honorable man?
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Asghar Ali <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, Oct 1, 2014 at 12:07 AM
Subject: A LAWYER PLEADING THAT HIS CLIENT IS A PIR & GADDI NASHIN AND SHOULD BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY THAN ORDINARY PEOPLE
To:
The biggest bain of Pakistan today is a thoroughly irresponsive and virtually meaningless judicial system.
The superior judiciary particularly many Supreme and High Court judge is corrupt through and through. M There are instances of private corporations purchasing high court judges in order to themselves personally write verbatim court judgements.
The contents of the present Constitution and existing laws of Pakistan stand for zilch. All their articles and laws without a single exception can be interpreted by the Superior Judiciary of Pakistan in a hundred different ways – each one of them to facilitate and reinforce the rich and the powerful, while debilating and victimising the poor and the deprived of Pakistan.
As for the modes, methods and mischief of third class Pakistani lawyer community, Shareefuddin Pirzada is history, but please read on about the antics, ethics and exposes of the shining star of this community – no less than the magnificent Indus Man himself!
Syed Kadri
Sent from Samsung Mobile
——– Original message ——–
From: Naveed Hamdani <[email protected]>
Date:
To:
Subject: FW: WHEN THE ACC– — USED IS A PIR – STORY OF BILAL KHAR
This might shock you.Read on ………
Good lawyers are often judged by the stances they adopt when they run
out of truth and, at the same time, of legal arguments. Many tend to
fall back on theatrics, histrionics, distortion and even poetry to
make up for the deficiency.
However, Barrister Aitzaz touched new heights of judicial decadence
when he pleaded that his client being a “pir” and a “gaddi nashin”
should be treated differently from ordinary citizens, notwithstanding
the offence. Mercifully, he did not demand that the seven judges come
down from their raised platform to kiss the hands and touch the feet
of the accused even before beginning to hear the first argument.
Coming from someone considered Pakistan’s leading lawyer and a
champion of democracy, such an undemocratic and dynastic statement
reflects the reality and the nature of politics and society in
Pakistan. It confirms that the change that an average Pakistani is
looking for is not around the bend. Not only that, the voter is
inextricably bound in the chains of the landlord, the “pir,” the
“gaddi nashin,” the sardars, the biradari, of those wielding sectarian
and ethnic influence. But the ruling classes are equally united in
their manipulative devices to sanctify these undemocratic and dynastic
institutions.
Acid-attack victim Fakhra committed suicide by jumping from her
6th-floor apartment in Rome. Ironically, her suicide comes in the wake
of our new legislation against acid-throwing and Chinoy’s
Oscar-winning film Saving Face. Clearly, neither the laws nor Saving
Face could save Fakhra’s face or her life. Our focus lies only in
awards, ceremonies and seminars, and not on putting an end to the
tragedies displayed in the film.
So, somewhere in the bar rooms, another worthy barrister must be
getting ready to defend the rich acid-thrower, Bilal Khar. After all,
Khar, son of Ghulam Mustafa Khar, is a scion of a powerful political
dynasty of the landed “waderas” of Pakistan, and, to go by the above
mentioned legal reasoning, he cannot be equated with those petty
street acid-throwers.
Pakistan is caught in a time warp and the prognosis is not cheerful.
Its poor masses have been kept too backward and uneducated to do
anything for their own betterment and the ruling cartel is too happy
to exploit its monopoly. The second and third generation of the ruling
elite is being groomed to take over and prove that their elders were
novices in the art of plunder.
The educated professional class is happy to sit on the sidelines since
it can have all the fun without sharing any responsibility. When
sufficiently motivated it could even invent excuses which have nothing
to do with jurisprudence, like as to why a “pir” should not be
punished.
So where do we go from here? Is there a political party that is
willing to be the party of ordinary people? One that is willing to
nominate no candidate who is a “sardar,” “wadera,” or “pir,” or whose
claim to fame is his political or “spiritual” lineage?
Pakistanis should not expect reforms from leaders unwilling to reform
themselves or their parties. Those who proceed abroad for medical
treatment (at state expense) in specially chartered airliners are not
likely to spend much time on improving the local hospitals. Likewise,
those whose hands are kissed and feet are touched by the mindless
millions are not likely to exhibit democratic or egalitarian
behaviour.
It is astonishing that the educated elite of Pakistan is always so
ready to defend the cesspool that our politics has become, but not
willing to organise and push for much-needed reforms. These reforms
are urgently needed in the dynastic and political parties collecting
“bhatta” (extortion money), the atrophied Election Commission, the
non-functional educational system and the justice system working at
snail’s space, to name a few.
The parties must declare that henceforth they will not accept
candidates who use titles like “sajjada nashin,” “pir’, “sardar,”
“gaddi nashin” and “wadera,” or those who receive “offerings” and
“nazranas.” Their candidates will not have fake degrees, will not
collect “bhatta,” will not be foreign nationals and will voluntarily
surrender all weapons that they hold.
The Election Commission could learn a lesson or two from its Indian
counterpart. How come civil society accepted the election involving 37
million fake votes? Without batting an eyelid, without demanding
accountability or overhaul of the electoral process?
Clearly, the educated, rich and powerful segments of civil society has
sided with the status quo by refusing to grow out of its
foreign-funded seminar mode. Not protesting to eliminate the root
causes (such as official proliferation of weapons) and hoping to
achieve peace through candlelit vigils is neither rational nor likely
to make an iota of difference to the situation.
Anonymous
Posted by admin in " RIAZ THE SHAITAN OF PAKISTAN, "BAHRIA TOWN, Asif Zardari Crook Par Excellance, ISHAQ DAR:THIEF OF PUNJAB, JANG-GEO-NAWAZ SHARIF-PMLN AXIS OF EVIL, LIAR POLITICIANS, LOAN Thieves, MIAN MANSHA:QUAID-I-LOOTERS, Musadik Malik, Nawaz "Badami Lassi Kim Barker Thurke" Sharif, Nawaz 's Dauphin, Nawaz Dangerous, NAWAZ SHARIF, Nawaz Sharif & Kashmiri Biradari, Nawaz Sharif Dangerous Man, NAWAZ SHARIF DICTATOR, NAWAZ SHARIF FAMILY TURPITUDE, NAWAZ SHARIF LOAN SCAM, Nawaz Sharif Massive Corruption, NAWAZ SHARIF MUZZLES PRESS, NAWAZ SHARIF SAGA OF ABSOLUTE & CHRONIC CORRUPTION, NAWAZ SHARIF THIEF, NAWAZ SHARIF US & SAUDI AGENT, Nawaz Sharif US Agent, NAWAZ SHARIF US CIA ASSET IN PAKISTAN, Nawaz Sharif Womanizer, NAWAZ SHARIF'S ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN, NAWAZ SHARIF: THE LOOTER, Nawaz US Agent on October 6th, 2014
2014-10-05
18:11:50
Posted by admin in Asif Zardari Crook Par Excellance, ISHAQ DAR:THIEF OF PUNJAB, Nawaz "Badami Lassi Kim Barker Thurke" Sharif, Nawaz 's Dauphin, Nawaz Dangerous, Nawaz Sharif & Kashmiri Biradari, Nawaz Sharif Dangerous Man, NAWAZ SHARIF DICTATOR, NAWAZ SHARIF FAMILY TURPITUDE, NAWAZ SHARIF LOAN SCAM, Nawaz Sharif Massive Corruption, NAWAZ SHARIF MUZZLES PRESS, NAWAZ SHARIF SAGA OF ABSOLUTE & CHRONIC CORRUPTION, NAWAZ SHARIF THIEF, NAWAZ SHARIF US & SAUDI AGENT, Nawaz Sharif US Agent, NAWAZ SHARIF US CIA ASSET IN PAKISTAN, Nawaz Sharif Womanizer, NAWAZ SHARIF'S ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN, Nawaz Sharif-The Prime Minister from Hell, NAWAZ SHARIF: THE LOOTER, Nawaz US Agent on October 3rd, 2014
The prevailing political chaos in Pakistan is complicated by conflicting narratives. Despite confusion the time for an idea has come. People discern right from wrong.
Democracy despite its inefficacy must continue in present format; eventually it would cleanse itself. Establishment/ foreign agencies have hatched a London Plan. The narrative with minor adjustments is also used by parliamentary opposition and the pseudo liberals. Hidden behind this theory are billions of ill-gotten dollars and business empires raised out of nowhere to manifest ambitions of political upstarts and creations of opportunity. Nawaz Sharif’s sojourn in Saudi Arabia gives weightage to his religious credentials. He dislikes the army for putting a spanner in his Jihadist designs. A cartoon best sums up this fallacy with the caption that the Army instead of tanks now uses animals inscribed with ‘Go Nawaz Go’ for regime change.
Pakistan is a state with perpetual crises. The military and intelligence agencies are rouge. Without civilian supremacy and clipping of armed forces, Pakistan will remain a threat to neighbours. Ultimately Pakistan’s nuclear weapons will fall into hands of terrorists. Proponents of this theory ignore that for the past six months, Pakistan’s armed forces are fighting the most effective war against terrorism that overshadows the entire duration of ISAF-NATO operations in Afghanistan. The war lacks civil support that would rather sleep with the enemy.
Pakistan’s democratic progress is hostage to powerful corrupt and dishonest elites. Over past six decades, they have subverted Jinnah’s social contract with the people. It is time that Pakistanis become true stake holders in the system through transparency. This is the Azadi (freedom) and Inqilab (revolution). Critics maintain that Imran Khan and Dr Qadri are pawns being used to advance an agenda of establishment and foreign powers. As a corollary, another narrative describes the Azadi/Inqilab movement as precursor to anarchy, balkanisation and nuclear disarmament. The biggest merchant of horse trading and bribing General (Retired) Mirza Aslam Beg of Mehran Bank Scandal relishes the limelight to emerge from obscurity as the leader of this notion to help goons he financed and groomed.
The print and electronic media initially took a realistic and objective view of the situation. But as time passed, most media houses and anchors took to grilling their panels with some facts, half-truths and falsifications. These discussions sans framework went berserk. If this wild spin is to be believed, then corruption for the sake of giving democracy a chance and civilian supremacy is condonable. Pakistan’s staged encounters killing innocents are a necessary ends means relationship. Imran Khan and Dr Qadri are terrorists and foreign agents who must be tried for high treason.
Pakistan’s commentators and intellectuals are confused. Some have an elastic conscience or harbour personal grudges. Far and few see the entire crises as violation of fundamental human rights and international agreements. Despite accepting rigging as fait accompli, they are unnerving in their expediency to support the status quo.
Most human right organisations are biased. The curious silence over state sponsored massacre in Model Town Lahore, excessive use of chemical agents in Islamabad, use of ball ammunition against unarmed protestors, illegal custodies and deaths spell duplicity. Silence means criminal neutrality. Asma Jehanghir, the recent recipient of Alternative Noble Prize is full of hate and venom against this movement. She would rather single out presence of women and children at dharnas (human shields) than challenge death of innocents. Since these protests are premised on the fundamental rights of individuals and sanctity of the ballot, one expected an objective approach. Being a lawyer an ex-president of the Bar, one expected her to vociferously criticise aberrations in the constitution created by Chaudary Courts that led to rigged elections.
Perhaps the most despicable are the inactive left and armchair reformists. Their space as advocates of civic conscience has quickly been usurped by the Azadi/Inqilab slogan. These pseudo leftist and liberals insist to demean both leaders at every forum.
Daily speeches on the containers talk of the relationship of the people with the state as enshrined in the first three parts of the constitution of Pakistan. They create awareness on social issues mentioning women, labourers, tenants, haris, farmers, students, teachers, low income groups, human resource development, exploitative capitalism, corruption, jobbery, nepotism and injustice. Their oratory flows out of the speeches made by Qaid e Azam Muhamad Ali Jinnah, Islamic history and international charters. Some commentators have laureled them as rightists with a leftist agenda. But Imran Khan is neither left nor right. He is actually re-focussing the centrality of Pakistan’s politics. As the movement gains momentum, it is a foregone conclusion that most trade unions, labour unions and small socialist parties would form tributaries to the sea resigning the intellectuals to armchairs.
Lieutenant General Khalid Rabbani’s (the chief counter terrorism commander) talk at National Defence University brings clarity to the confusion and narratives. He stressed on the need to extending operations to the mainland. He hinted that political issues were impeding action against terror groups in Punjab and Balochistan. These operations were delayed for three years due to indecision. Belatedly undertaken, urban operations are limited due to lack of civilian capacity and will. This is an issue repeatedly written by the scribe and also voiced by Ex-Prime Minister Gilani and Major General (R) Athar Abbas. The revelation by a serving general by implication singles out General (R) Kayani and the present government for the strategic impasse. Link this apprehension to the recent statement of Chaudary Shujaat Hussain. A complicity to sustain an agreement reached between foreign powers, PML-N, PPP with the then COAS as guarantor emerges. Three successive tenures is the bottom line.
Post-Election Review Report on General Elections 2013, released by Election Commission of Pakistan could not dilute the overpowering role of Returning Officers in making the elections questionable. Limited admissions by ECP in its review are made with the twin purpose of exoneration and hope to hide larger facts. Shall we therefore conclude that Elections 2013 were rigged beyond reasonable doubt but why?
Instability of Pakistan is an important plank for international actors to keep Pakistan pliant. Given a road of healthy democracy and socio-economic development, Pakistan would emerge too independent to be tamed. Thus the electoral logjam must be maintained. Who is right and who is wrong is for readers to judge.
Brigadier (Retired) Samson Simon Sharaf is a political economist and a television anchorperson. Email and twitter: [email protected]
© 2024, All Rights Reserved by Pakistan Think Tank.
